[teaser] Ashley + Jeff's Engagement Session

Give me a few days and I'll share with you an awesome engagement session with Ashley & Jeff at Ridley Creek State Park.

Keep your eyes on the blog…

Adobe Photoshop CS5's Content Aware Tool lets me down

Like many, I was totally wowed by the previews for Adobe Photoshop CS5's content aware tool. It looked simply amazing for removing distracting elements and filling in the area perfectly.

And then I completely forgot about this functionality until tonight when I decided to test it out on this image:


The exit sign isn't the end of the world but it doesn't exactly add to the décor.

I used the lasso tool to select the sign.


Then edit > fill > content aware and got this:


Um, no. Ctrl+z and tried again:


Argh!

No dice. Back to the manual clone stamp route. Bummer.


Then a little bit of gaussian blur.


Here's the before/after*:



For some fantastic uses of the content aware tool, check this out. It's hilarious!


* This kind of intensive editing is not standard. I will usually remove under-eye circles, stray hairs, and easier exit signs or other distracting elements. This editing took over 30 minutes.

[teaser] Hallowell family session at Ocean City, Maryland

Here's a sneak peek from a hilarious family session I shot on the beach at Ocean City, Maryland not long ago. Stay tuned for the longer post but here is one of my favorites from Jenna and Emily, sisters through and through!

Lisa + Mike's Engagement Session around Rittenhouse Square

Lisa and Mike spent Labor Day weekend buying appliances for their new place and wandering around Rittenhouse Square for their engagement session with me. Their e-session is particularly special because it chronicles meaningful places from early in their courtship.

We started by this dingy side street near the train tracks around the corner from their office. I think it's pretty beautiful despite the rust and litter.



Then we headed on to where they met – Independence Blue Cross. They worked in different departments but one particular job made their paths cross…


We scoped out La Colombe, the first place they had coffee together.


It must be great to work in this part of Philly. We walked around Rittenhouse Square on this lovely evening. On nice days, Lisa and Mike would grab some coffee and hang out on the benches together. The place was packed this evening – apparently there was to be a stampede of naked bicyclists riding through soon after our session.






The fantastic seafood restaurant overlooking Rittenhouse Square, Devon, is another important landmark. When Mike told Lisa he was taking her out to lunch for the first time, she imagined a corner deli. Nope. It was Devon and he paid. She was starting to catch on that this was something special…


We ended our time on Delancey Street. Not because it holds any sentimental value but simply because it's a beautiful Philadelphia street and you just can't resist when you're right there!


Thanks, Lisa and Mike! Can't wait for next June's wedding at Pen Ryn Mansion!

I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.
~ Amy Tan

Narmada + Bjoern: a Buddhist wedding at Brantwyn Estate

I drove to Delaware thinking, "we'll be fine. It's just a little overcast. The weather forecast is wrong all the time". Well, they were right that day. About an hour and a half before Narmada and Bjoern's Buddhist ceremony was set to begin, we had a torrential downpour. Their wedding at DuPont's Brantwyn Estate was supposed to be in the lovely gardens behind the mansion but that was clearly not happening with so much rain.


Narmada and Bjoern hardly blinked an eye over this. Indoors, outdoors, or wherever… they were getting married and that was all that mattered. This multi-cultural Sri Lankan + German wedding happened and it was beautiful.

The two met at the University of Delaware and became fast friends. They kept in touch as he followed research out to Wisconsin and moved to Chicago. She won a one cent bet and went to visit him and sparks flew once more.

But let's get back to the getting ready pictures… Narmada's mother made the stunning sari and personally sewed on the thousands of Swarovski crystals that adorned the gorgeous gown. Narmada was glowing.






I loved her details. Shoes, hair orchid, jewelry, and those super long eyelashes.





Meanwhile, Bjoern and best man, Chris, getting ready.


Despite being indoors, the Sri Lankan Buddhist ceremony was lovely. Having never witnessed this type of ceremony before, I was enraptured with all of the details. I had studied up before the wedding but it was awesome to see it happen in front of me.








There was also a Western ceremony with the customary exchange of vows and kiss.



And then the lighting of the lamp.


We took a few formals, which are never totally formal…



Luckily, the rain stopped for a bit and we were able to take a few shots outside in the gardens. Brantwyn has gorgeous grounds and I was so happy to be able to make use of them. Narmada and Bjoern are adorable. They practiced their dance before performing in front of their guests. Just blissful.





We rejoined the guests for their choreographed American waltz first dance to "You Light Up My Life". (Narmada was on ballroom dance teams all through college and grad school.) Shout out to Ken Little of KBK Music Solutions!



It was a glorious day, rain and all.

Narmada and Bjoern, thank you so much for letting me be a part of it. Have a great honeymoon in Hawaii!

You light up my life
You give me hope
To carry on
You light up my days
and fill my nights with song
~ "You Light Up My Life", Debbie Boone

Special shout out to my second shooter, Gary!

[teaser] Katie + Seth's Wedding

I cannot wait to bring you a full post from Katie + Seth's wedding at St. Anastasia's in Newtown Square and The Willows in Radnor from the other week. Katie was stunning, the flowers were gorgeous, and the venue was spectacular. Seriously. Seriously!

For now you'll have to make do with this little teaser from their day…