Nicole, Russ and I tried to set this session up a couple of times, but the snow gods kept interfering.  Finally we got a chance to get together.  The only thing was, the Savage Mill, where we initially planned to do the shoot, was covered in several feet of snow.  So we took a shot and met at the Marriott Waterfront at Baltimore’s Harborplace, and took a stroll around.  Fortunately the weather cooperated for a bit even though it was  chilly, and we visited several locations ending up with nice hot Irish coffees at John Steven Ltd in Fells Point (on my short list of favorite restaurants, great seafood!).  Kudos to Nicole and Russ for meeting me in a place they’d never been before.  And I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve gone for drinks after a shoot!  I had a really good time.

I also got a chance to use my new infrared converted camera for an actual job, instead of trolling the graveyards with it–and even though infrared is definitely at its most striking when there is greenery and foliage in the image, I think they still ended up being pretty dramatic looking.   I look forward to using it at Nicole and Russ’s wedding in July!

It’s not every day I get to photograph a couple whose story is so incredibly romantic that it gets published in the Washington Post.  They met when they were very young (Julia was one, Tony was the older man at 2).  Julia moved away to Tuscon, Arizona when she was 8 years old.  Not to be deterred, Tony kept in touch by mail.

“Dear Julia, People ask what girl do you like? I say a girl who lives in Tosian Araizonia. Do you know I think of you ever night? I am Tony. I realy do like you, in fact I love you. . . . I can’t wait till you come back!”

When Julia still hadn’t moved back by Valentine’s Day, he wrote another letter.

“Dear Julia, How ya’ doin’. Of course, its TONY. Well, happy Valintines day way down south! We the people had a nice one up here in Washington, D.C.

If you came up and asked me if I would take you to the dance, of course I would acsept the invitation. . . . Heres a chart, ME+YOU=LOVE=ENGAGEMENT=MARRIAGE=KIDS. So as you can see we fit perfectly together. I know this will sound weird but when we first met we where hugging and kissing each other . . . When we grow up I hope we can get engaged and married what do you think? I think that would be the best moment in my fun filled, adventurous and romantic life. LOVE AND MANY KISSES (YOUR LOVING MOST ADMIERER) TONY A. SENERCHIA.”

Each would go on to other serious relationships–engagements happened, trans-Atlantic moves were made, but finally Tony and Julia found each other on facebook.  You can see their story in the Washington Post (with video even) as well as a blog post from the same reporter, John Kelly, complete with scans of Tony’s ardent missives.

You might think no couple could ever live up to the, well, absolute CUTENESS of those letters, but they do.  I have never had so much fun working on a New Year’s Eve.  Both the ceremony and the reception were a blast.  DJ Frank Marsden (my favorite dj to work with) kept the party dancing the entire night!  And of course the Gramercy Mansion is the perfect place for a fun filled and romantic adventure

This wedding was a beautiful holiday affair at the Gramercy Mansion.  Photographed by Jeffrey Wolk for Heather Coburn Photography, with exceptional results.  Even though I wasn’t there I can see clearly that they were a fun loving couple and the Gramercy is just the perfect place to host such a party.  From solemn moments holding prayer before the ceremony to some wild dancing, Chrissi and Rob threw a wedding their guests won’t forget anytime soon.  And the bonus is, they chose a night when there WASN’T a blizzard!

Still stuck in the house, getting maybe a little bored, so I thought a few infrared snow images would be interesting.  It’s impossible to walk outside, our street won’t get plowed by Baltimore City and I’m sort of bound to what I can shoot from my front and back porches and windows.   I’m starting to understand better how to process them.  Here’s just a few.