Lynsie and Colin’s wedding last weekend was great. Inclement weather could not stop these wonderful people from reveling in their special day. Amazing friends and family, local food, and square dancing made this event unique, fun, and very personal. Here are some sample images. More to come next week.

Erin and Eddie got married in Northern Neck, a beautiful part of Virginia that is close to my heart.  I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay, and my fondest childhood memories are of sailing, swimming, water ski death matches (I will save that for another post) and generally acting the fool on open water.  Northern Neck’s flat marshy landscape, culture, and seafood diet really reminded me of home.  I think these feelings of nostalgia definitely show in the photos.  What do you think?

Enough about me.  Erin and Eddie were wonderful.  Erin is a stunning woman. Funny, with a carefree attitude that was shared by her family and friends.  Eddie was great too, always courteous and friendly.  He definitely made sure we enjoyed ourselves, and were well taken care of.

The famous bluegrass band Seldom Scene played, and I will never forget listening to them and seeing the first dance, right as a lightning storm was coming in. Look for an image in the slideshow where the family is dancing with lightning streaking across the sky. So cool.

Their friends were also super fun.  Ingleside Vineyards has an on-site museum with various stuffed animals and Native American artifacts. Some of the guests and I had an impromptu photoshoot in the museum. You do not usually get to see bridesmades biting bears at a wedding, at least, not often enough.

My associate, Jeremy, got married to his high school sweetheart Sarah, this weekend at UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about photographing the event.  I knew Jeremy would be looking at the pictures with an experienced eye, and, more importantly, that he knows my methods to get couples to relax and enjoy the day. Needless to say, I had nothing to worry about. Jeremy and Sarah are both beautiful, and photograph very well. The wedding was perfect, and had that hand made, personalized feel that I really enjoy.  I was honored to be a part of it

The book is almost done.  I have gone through all of the Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestler matches I have photographed, and have culled the 3431 images down to 260 or so.  I need to get it down to about half that.  If any of you have time, look them over and let me know which you think should or should not be in A CLAW to Remember:  The 2008 Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestler Retrospective. Thanks.

Here is the link to the gallery.

I am so happy with my engagement photos of Christina and Danny’s in downtown Charlottesville. The experience was amazing, casual, fun, and cool, and I think the imagery reflects it.  We walked along the downtown mall, stopped at Blue Light and Zocalo, and hung out in my favorite alley behind my studio. Not to embarrass them, but look how in love they are.  Danny is seriously one of the funniest people I have ever met, and both of them are a joy to spend time with.  Some may say it was wrong for Danny to wear a Led Zeppelin shirt in his engagement photo.  Well, if that’s wrong, both Danny and I don’t want to be right.

All you devil may care, rapscallions. Its time you sat down with your iphones in your cyber-cafes and register to vote. Even if you hate freedom, this one is important. So take a minute and register, and then go vote.

Here are some quick photos from Erin and Eddie’s beautiful wedding near Northern Neck, Virginia. Lightning storms, a loving family, and stuffed bears, oh my! More to come when I post the slideshow.

Last night was the September Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers (CLAW) match, and it did not disappoint. Between photographing the event and playing music, I really have no idea what went on. I did notice that Sparkles won the peoples choice, the mood was jubilant, and representatives from NPR and Virginia Quarterly were there. Apparently, its the age of Arm Wrestling Aquarius.

Enjoy the slideshow, and click this link to see more of last night’s images from CLAW.

This site is supposed to be about my photography, but I can’t help but mention my other passion.  My band, Straight Punch to the Crotch, definitely influences my photography, and vice versa.  In fact, I strive for the many of the same things in both: deceptive simplicity with an undercurrent of interest, humor, a focus on the internal, and of course, being all about the love.

This past week, we played at Charlottesville newspaper, The C-Ville, for their online music blog.  Here is the video.  Be sure to watch for a cameo of my 2 year old son, William, on drums. The kid’s got talent.

Part 1

Part 2

Last week, I went to go see David Jay, a famous wedding photographer, speak about the industry. He was great, but the best part was traveling there and back in a van with some of the best photographers in Charlottesville.  Sarah Cramer, Jen Fariello, Jason Keefer, Tammy Keefer, Aaron Watson, and I sang singalongs and counted cows, and talked about the agony and ecstasy of pursuing your art for a living.

I think that there is an older style in business of being secretive, not wanting to help your “competition.” Fortunately in Charlottesville, there are people who realize that the old paradigm is ultimately defeatist, and if we help each other, we can all be elevated.

Billy Hunt, Jen Fariello, Sarah Cramer, Aaron Watson, Tammy Keefer, and Jason Keefer