Having Strangers take DSLR Family Pictures on Vacation | Tips

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Cut off our feet, but otherwise a pretty solid "stranger" picture.

probably know the feeling... you hand over your camera to a stranger and they start twisting the lens round and round trying to get it to focus, staring at the LCD screen telling you they can't see anything. All the while, you are smiling (full of anxiety) and thinking, "Why are they doing that? Did they see it in a movie?!"

While DSLRs are incredibly popular these days, the thought of handling one still intimidates many which is why it can be hard to get a nice family picture taken while away on vacation. Sure, you value all the images you took, but sometimes you just want 1-2 good pictures of you and your significant other to remember, 'oh yeah, we were on the trip too!' In order to combat the fear of handing over your DSLR to a stranger, I've put together a couple tips for a smoother experience:

- Prepare your settings.
The first thing I do is switch the camera to aperture priority mode -- this will allow you to set the aperture and ISO, leaving the camera to scan the scene for exposure. I usually do a test or two on someone else who is with me before handing over the camera. Most importantly -- you should be shooting in RAW! This will make it much easier to "save" anything that is off in the exposure in post processing.

- Be patient selecting.  
Take your time picking out the right person! Scan the crowd for someone else with a DSLR who might be more familiar with the settings. Or try a family who might take a lot of pictures of their kids! As sweet as they may be, an older grandma who has never touched a DSLR might not be your best choice here; although I have heard that it is simply best to pick someone you can outrun... :)

- Give pointers. 
Let them know to look through the viewfinder since the LCD screen won't be on. Also point out what button to press before stepping into position. I also always mention that they should place the "red dot" (the focus) on one of our faces -- This will ensure a better read for the exposure as well as a clearer image, of course.

- Say thank you! Then double check their picture... 
This one is huge! Make sure you are grateful for their time, but then take a minute to review their picture after they have stepped away. I wouldn't recommend checking in front of them and then asking for another picture. However, you never know when you will be in paradise again, so if it's important to you, feel free to ask someone different.

Truth be told, it still might end up being a cruddy picture. If all this fails, try getting a wireless remote and taking your own images! Fellow photographer Abby Grace has already created an awesome post on DSLR "selfies", so check it out here.

Just for fun, here are a couple images we had taken by others on vacation...


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Semper Fi | Personal

Happy (belated) Memorial Day! I am proud to say that my brother-in-law, Tom, is a Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. 

Throughout college, he attended Office Candidate School (OCS). While the rest of us were out enjoying the beach and our easy summer jobs, he was spending his summer busting his butt from sun up to sun down to train.  Upon graduation from college, he was officially a Commissioned Officer. Since then, he has been re-stationed to NC and already served a 6-month deployment overseas, just to find out he will be going back again in a year. 

I'm telling you all this because where I grew up, joining the military uncommon. I had no idea what kind of commitment and dedication it required until experiencing it first hand. And not just for the person serving, but their entire family. His wife, Katie, managed to remain so strong while he was deployed even though they had just been married not more than 6-months beforehand. She and his parents had to get through their first holiday season without their husband and son. 

Joining the military is no easy task; it is a very noble, selfless undertaking that puts both an emotional and physical strain on all those involved.  I highly respect all members of our military and thank you for serving! Please contact me for information about military discounts.
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Giveaway! | Personal

As promised a couple weeks back, I am doing a giveaway for hitting 250

fans on Facebook! I am eternally grateful and overwhelmed by all the support I have received over the past few months. This is my way of saying thank you to each and every one of you who continue to support my business.

Please use Rafflecopter below. There are several different ways to enter -- come back each day for more chances! 

The fine print:
- No purchase necessary.
- Giveaway runs from May 23 - May 30, at which time the winner will be chosen at random and announced on the blog.
- Good for one, 30 minute mini-session within 15 miles of 20155 or 17003 (dates limited in this area).  Winner will be given digital rights to images taken during the session.
- Must be redeemed with six months of selecting a winner. Date to be agreed upon by both parties, pending availability.
- Winner must contact me within 72 hours of the giveaway ending to claim their prize.

Finally -- GOOD LUCK!

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Three Years | Personal

I 've said it so many times -- and know how cliché it sounds -- but everyone is right when they say your wedding day goes by in a flash. I remember the day after our wedding I felt like I was mourning a loss in a way -- this event consumes you for months and months and then in less than 12 hours, it's over. It took me a minute (okay, a day), but I realized I was completely missing the point; it's not about the big wedding, it's about the marriage. That's what it was all about and will be about, for the rest of your life.

Since May 21, 2011, we have held true to our commitment. Sure, we have had our fair share of bad days. But every day we wake up and continue to work on our marriage, continue to bring out the best in one another, continue to push the other to succeed. It is a never ending process, but in the best way possible. Our love for one another grows as each day passes and I cannot wait to see all the places it takes us 50 years from now. 

Rob, I don't know how I landed you, but I count my blessings every day! You are so much more than I deserve -- a wonderful husband, best friend, and of course... dog dad to Granger :) Happy Anniversary, I love you! 

Here are a few pics from the big day by Agung Fauzi. 

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Hershey Family Photographer | McKenzy

My family is FULL of boys  -- lots of uncles, a step-brother, and 4 other male cousins... So when we found out my aunt was having a girl, I was ecstatic. I might be biased because she is my cousin, but McKenzy is just the cutest, sweetest little girl. She is about to finish up the third grade and will be turning nine this summer. We also just found out she will start cheerleading at football games in the fall as well!  

McKenzy, like most little girls, is obsessed with all things pink and has a huge crush on Niall from One Direction -- although I've already taught her they will never be as awesome as BSB, of course. I was able to instill a love of the classic American Girl dolls in her and am taking her to the giant, 2-story store in Tyson's for her birthday this year. 

She lives back in my hometown in PA, so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like, but I truly value all the time we do get together. I wanted to surprise her parents with some new photos, so here are my favorites that we took this past weekend after dodging some rain!


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10 Things | Personal

Some of my favorite photography bloggers have done some "10 Things You Don't Know About Me" posts in the past and I've always loved reading it! 

A lot of the time, it's just silly, unimportant information that is fun to know... but in some way, it still makes you feel like you getting know more about this person whose work you follow on a regular basis. It also allows you to find out things you have in common or say, "oh I do that too!"

I thought it would be entertaining for you all to do one of my own. I asked Rob to help me come up with a few and it took us over an hour -- does that mean I'm a boring person!? I definitely have a lot of quirks, most of them are just not that interesting I guess!

Anyway, here are the best/funniest that we came up with... But don't leave me hanging, post something unique/quirky about you in the comments!


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Reston Town Center Couples Photographer | Abby & Matt

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first met Abby almost two years ago after following her work on Facebook. She is the super talented photographer behind Abby Grace Photography and chose Rob and I as her subjects for a beautiful film shoot at an abandoned barn in VA. Throughout the years since, she has always been the definition of selfless -- answering any questions I may have whether it's about photography, real estate agents, or even as silly as Harry Potter World.  

I've been wanting the opportunity to shoot with her since I first started up my business -- yes, Abby is absolutely gorgeous and the perfect model -- but even more, just to give back for all the kindness she has showed me over the years. This past weekend we finally had the chance to get together along with her very handsome husband, Matt, and shot one of my favorite sessions to date. Like many husbands, Matt isn't a huge fan of having his picture taken (although I think you'll agree he is a natural!) but was so sweet about it regardless. The deepness of their love for one another is apparent within seconds of seeing them interact and I truly hope I managed to capture the beauty of it. 

I highly recommend checking out Abby's blog -- not only is she a wonderful photographer, but also an incredible writer! Thank you, Abby + Matt, for gracing me with your company! 
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Holland in Haymarket | Personal

Burnside Farms in Haymarket, VA has an annual "Holland in Haymarket"

festival. I've been wanting to go since last year, but with moving we just didn't have time. The flowers were a bit delayed this year due to the nasty winter, but once we arrived it definitely did not disappoint! 

They take two huge fields and fill one with daffodils and the other with tulips, reminiscent of the tulip fields that are found in Holland. They also add in quite a few touches to make it feel more authentic: wooden shoes, "passports", and baskets to take out to the field so you can pick some stems to take home with you. 

Bonus: there are barn animals in the back of the farm and baby chicks near the checkout -- they are too cute!  

Are there any unique places to visit near your town?  


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Phases | Personal

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few weeks ago, my father-in-law, Tim, retired from UPS after 35 years. I'll say that again -- 35 YEARS! Crazy, isn't it?! I haven't even been alive 35 years, let alone done one thing for that substantial amount of time. I can't imagine what it is like to walk away from something you have spent 75% of your life working on. How do you let that go to begin a new phase?

It got me thinking about all the different jobs I've held over the years. I started my first job as a Fountain Server when I was 14 and have been working ever since. Over the years I worked various stints as a hostess, waitress, barista, tanning "consultant", and probably one or two more I'm forgetting! There were times where I even worked 2 jobs at once and the truth is, it's not because I needed to, it was because I wanted to. I know that sounds strange coming from a then 17-year old, but there is something rewarding about being valued as an employee and knowing that you are necessary to manage the day-to-day functions of any given job. 

I've been out of college for 5 years now and have been working for the Federal Government ever since. It is a fantastic job and I am incredibly fortunate to have landed at such a great agency that is open to hearing new ideas. However, I still felt like something was missing in this phase of my life, which is why I decided to venture into photography on the side. Somehow, being able to do both rounds out the day-to-day office work and in turn makes me better at both jobs if that's possible.  

Here are a couple photos (a new challenge: taking pictures in a dimly, fluorescent lit warehouse) I took at Tim's retirement. Notice how many employees, both new and old came back to say goodbye -- that is what 35 years of hard work looks like!

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