Totally Random Tuesday

So I figured I could share a list of excuses for not blogging last week, or I could share images of these funny guys from the recent Ukrainian Festival in Patterson Park.








And there's your cultural experience for the week. You're welcome.

That's all for tonight. There is work to be done and dinner to eat and an Office marathon to watch.

Married by the river

So two weeks ago I shot a wedding. Yes, you are correct, I don't typically photograph weddings- wiggly little babies and noisy, laughing families are more my speed. But really, when a college roommates asks you to photograph her small wedding by the river at sunset on a Monday can you tell her no?

Mary and Kyle exchanged vows under the trees on the banks of the West River in Maryland at the home of some of their close friends. They shared their evening with a small gathering of friends and family and it was gorgeous.

This post may be a tad longer than normal, but it was just so different for me to shoot a wedding that I have a lot to share. I mean, when most of your clients drink out of sippy cups, you don't get a lot of shots like this:





Do you like color better or B&W? I couldn't decide.





Mary's sweet friends did all the decorations and food





And her friend Tiffany spent a good seven hours doing Mary's hair and make-up. The result? Lovely.








Special thanks to the skylight for its lighting assistance as we waited to head outside and down the aisle





It wasn't exactly a black-tie even, but some of the fancier guests sported their finest anyway...





... and seemed quite pleased with themselves for doing so. (No, he was not asked to participate in the service.)








Married!











I stole Mary and Kyle for a few minutes alone out on the dock. These next few are some of my favorites











Man do I LOVE a good overcast sky and an awesome kiss





Things got dark pretty quickly before the first dance and cake cutting, but I really love this last shot I got while we still had light- the opposite view of the ceremony shot above.





Congrats Mary & Kyle! Glad we live nearby again- see you soon!

A short thumbary-summary

Thumbs up: Monday Night Football started tonight!
Thumbs down: USC lost another close one to UGA over the weekend

Thumbs up: This weekend I saw my parents, went to a Ukrainian festival, watched my cousin's soccer game, ran nine miles, met some new people at church, and ate in Little Italy
Thumbs down: Mondays make me tired

Thumbs up: My SC photo sessions are filling up fast- only a few slots left!
Thumbs down: My SC photo sessions are filling up fast- only a few slots left!

Thumbs up: My little brother turned 23 yesterday!
Thumbs down: I didn't get an official birthday post up on the blog in time (see weekend summary above)

Thumbs up: I am posting a picture of him (with his lovely girlfriend) right now to make up for it!
Thumbs down: He doesn't normally read my blog. Which is why I can also share that we still haven't mailed his birthday present. Ha.





Thumbs up: My husband cooked a delicious dinner tonight and did the dishes
Thumbs down: Still trying to think of anything negative about that...

Thumbs up: I am editing lots of pictures from a beautiful wedding I shot last week
Thumbs down: I didn't pick my favorites for the blog yet (sorry newlyweds, I know you are dying!)

Feel free to comment (using your thumbs of course) about your weekend below!

One month

My oh my
one month has gone by
since we filled up our truck
and said our goodbyes.

But now unpacking is done
and Fall weather has begun
so we sat out back with coffee
after our morning run.

Just another Friday night in Balto...

So tonight. The windows are open and it's raining. Katherine came over. I cooked a pot roast. Dylan played video games. We made turtle brownies. We watched three episodes of Friends and are on our second episode of The Office. Welcome to Friday night in the new Curtis House- a strange combination of "oh, it's so fun to have nothing to do!" and "holy cow we have NOTHING to do."

I've been trucking along editing pictures and backing up files though. Here are a just a few from last weekend when our good friends Wes & Sara came to visit.

There was a lot of this:





We of course paid a visit to Inner Harbor








and saw some interesting art in Fells Point





and walked Riley through Patterson Park





and had lots of fun (so blurry, but I don't care cause I love it).





Well, sharing was fun. Must get back to my TV on DVD...

City art

So one thing I've really noticed is that all over Baltimore, buildings are painted or covered in mosaic tiles or have some sort of artwork on them. It's kinda crazy and I like it. There are several bridges or buildings that I am trying to figure out how to photograph without being run over- I'll keep you posted.

We had friends in town this weekend so I took a bunch more pictures that I haven't processed yet, but here are a few I've been sitting on for the past few weeks.

Dylan and I have only lived two places, but we've got this tradition of taking a picture on our couch (or loveseat) in front of the house on move-in day. So here we are, dirty, tired, and drawing strange looks from the new neighbors while Katherine did the honors.





To answer your questions, no, we did NOT dress alike on purpose, and yes, our front door really IS that narrow.

And here's a quick shot I took while checking camera settings- Dylan's clearly not ready, but it shows you our house a little better (and the paper covering the window that still needed blinds- classy.)





And here are a few random art images from the city. Lots more to come!

Love the side of this building in the Federal Hill neighborhood





This sentiment may be up for debate, but it's something to think about





And here is my favorite. These benches are all over the city. Some are broken, some are graffitied- interpret that as you wish. I just really like them.





Happy Wednesday!

My buddy

We run together, he lays at my feet (and snores) while I edit photos, he follows me upstairs when I fold laundry, he alerts me of any and every pedestrian passing our front window, he defends me from all the squirrels in the park. He keeps me company all day while we wait for Dylan to come home.

If this face doesn't make your heart happy... well then maybe you just don't like dogs. But whatever.








True story: On our morning run today I noticed Riley was lagging behind a little. I was surprised that he could be tired already- we were only a few miles in. Turns out he was sightseeing. Every time I felt the leash pulling behind me I would look over my shoulder and Riley was craning his neck looking in all directions except straight ahead. All I had to say was, "Pay attention buddy" and he would snap back into reality and catch up. But this happened several times so perhaps I need to schedule to take him on some sort of bus tour.

I STILL haven't posted any shots of Baltimore, but if you look VERY CLOSELY at these images, you can see that we are in a park. And I can tell you that park is most definitely in Baltimore, just a block from our house. So there you have it.





I do most of the dog-walking while Dylan's at work, but every now and then we get to make it a family outing.





I've had Riley for four years now, as strange as he looks when he takes a nosedive into the grass and starts slithering like a snake around the park (I keep meaning to video it with my iPhone), he's MY little weirdo and I love him.