My First Wedding {MD, PA, WV, VA, DC and Beyond Photographer}

Years ago, when I was in middle and high school, I was an "assistant" for my mom (she's also a wedding photographer, check out her website at http://www.memoriesbycarole.com/) and I carried equipment. I didn't really hold the cameras, nor did I really know exactly how to load the film. I was simply a friend, a "partner in crime." I was company.

Little did I know back then that my simple acts of accompanying my mom and carrying her equipment would lead to a photography career of my own. At a September wedding in 2008, my mom gave me a camera and let me take pictures all day long. I fell in love and wanted to continue practicing photography. I hooked up with two studios (one in Hagerstown and one in Waynesboro) after I moved to Waynesboro two summers ago, and was determined to learn as much as possible. After a few lessons, words of encouragement, six weddings and lots of inspiration from those photographers and others, I started my own business in July of 2009, and boy was I excited to book my first wedding!

Bring in Stuart and Denise. This lovely couple was married on October 24 of this past year in Charlottesville, VA at the Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard. Their wedding was beautiful! With colors of marigold, grey, black and white, fall leaves all around, love and care from their family and friends, and most importantly, the love shared between the two of them...it was just...beautiful! You could tell that Stuart and Denise were totally in love and just enjoyed having each other around. Their cuteness and unique style made photographing their wedding day very easy.

Stuart and Denise - Thank you so much for trusting me to take your wedding photographs. You gave me my "big break" as a young photographer by being my first, solo wedding...and I had a blast! You made it so easy for me to capture the beauty and fun of your wedding day, and of your love. You guys are awesome!

Here's sampling #1 from Denise and Stuart's wedding....

This picture is hanging in the JFP office. :)

Oh my goodness a FAVE!




Denise - YOU ARE STUNNING! I think this one will go on a gallery wrap canvas and then on my wall.

I told the ladies to stop, smile and laugh at each other...and they did great! I think it gave them a few moments to relax and get excited for the big day!

If I could sum up Denise and Stuart's wedding day in one picture, I think this might be it. The wet pavement represents the rain we experienced the first half of the day and the dampness we experienced the second half. The leaves represent the fall season and the beautiful fall colors that we encountered throughout the day. Denise's super cute yellow wedding shoes represent her vintage and unique style that was the theme for the wedding. And of course the wedding dress - the symbols of all symbols for a wedding!
 

When we arrived at the vineyard for pictures, there was a HUGE tree with TONS of yellow leaves lying beneath it. Just so happened that those yellow leaves matched the colors of Denise and Stuart's wedding. Is that perfect or what?

Denise and her Mom. So lovely!

Next sampling...Final pictures before the ceremony!

Published at Bridesmaid.com! {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington D.C. and Beyond Photographer}

This week has been awesome, just plain awesome! My email inbox has been filling to the brim with inquiries and happy emails from brides that want to book me as their wedding photographer! It got me wondering...could life at JFP get any better??

Yes! The answer to the above question is YES! Yesterday, I received an email from Google Alerts letting me know that "Jessica Fike Photography" had been mentioned in a post at Bridesmaid.com. I hurried on over to Bridesmaid.com and found a beautiful spread of some of Denise and Stuart's wedding pictures! And at the end of the spread..."photography by Jessica Fike Photography" with a link to my website. YAHOO!!! I am officially published in an online publication/blog!

Getting published in an online publication or blog was on my list of things to do this year as a photographer and business owner (shared in my previous post), and I didn't think it would happen for a while. What a wonderful surprise!

Click here to see the full post at Bridesmaid.com.

Denise and Stuart were married in October of 2009 at the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in Charlottesville, VA. I am actually in the process of putting together a few blog posts about their wedding and apologize for not getting them up sooner. Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

I Want To... {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC and Beyond Photographer}

I've been thinking a lot lately about the things I want to do. Things I want to do now, tomorrow, next week, next year. I figured if I wrote them down and proclaimed them to the world, it will help me actually do them.

I want to...

• Be more committed to my gym/exercise routine.
• Find nearby photographer friends who will go on random shoots with me when I feel like I need to push the shutter.
• Shoot another wedding SOON! It's been three months...way too long! Anyone need a wedding photographer for their January, February, March or April wedding this year?
• Relax at a coffee shop with a warm beverage and some photog work...often.
• Eat better. I already eat pretty healthily, but could be better at it.
• Go on random little roadtrips with Brian.
• Visit my sister at Penn State.
• Shoot a wedding around the holidays, either Christmas or New Year's, or both!
• Convince Brian that going to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics can and will happen.
• Keep reading my blogs. They inspire me!
• Have more girl time. Hanging out with girls is totally different than hanging out with boys.
• Do a portrait session in the snow, at a library, at a winery, and in an open field.
• Read a book.
• Go on a spectacular vacation with my Honey!
• Not fall asleep while watching movies at home.

And there are a few other things that I won't mention on here, but will consider blogging about when they happen. :) One more thing that I will mention, however...

I also want to photograph more cute babies like this one!

Nathaniel is the grandson of Toni, a woman I work with at Liberty. I would often see Nathaniel in the office or at company gatherings and I always told Toni how much I would love to take his picture. I finally got what I wanted this past December. Nathaniel's parents invited me into their home to take pictures of him for his first birthday. The cuteness meter was definitely at an all-time high this day...

Cutest picture ever...times 10!!

Nathaniel kinda looks like an old, grumpy man in this picture. Still cute, of course.

Bring out the Christmas lights!

Can anyone say, "Ilko family Christmas card"???


Steeler fans. We start 'em young.

Nathaniel and Daddy.

I love it when kids poke at my lens. Always makes for cute pictures. :)


Now it's Mommy's turn. I was told that Sarah tends to close her eyes a lot in pictures. Guess what? She didn't close her eyes in one picture for me. Not one. Go Sarah!

It snowed cats and dogs during Nathaniel's session. It was our first real snow of the season so we were excited. Don't you just love this mommy-son moment gazing out the window at the beautiful snow???


Oh wait...maybe this one should be the Ilko family Christmas card? Good thing there are another 11 months until that decision needs to be made. :)


Nathaniel just loves their cat Midnight. I couldn't believe how Midnight just sat and let him poke and pull at her. It was so funny, yet so precious.

Nathaniel is going in for the attack...



What a cute little baby. Kinda makes you want to have one, right?

JFP E-Newsletter {MD, PA, WV, VA, Washington DC and Beyond Photographer}

One of my goals in the new year is to improve and develop my business. My busy wedding season doesn't begin until April 17 (Joanna and Kevin - can't wait!) so I figured I'd get as much of that improvement and development done as possible over the next few months.

Besides getting a new blog, revamping my price list, evaluating my brand and aquiring new products for my office, among other things, I also want to communicate more with my potential and current clients. Since I don't do any formal advertising for the business (that'll probably come within the next six months or so), I need other ways of telling people about JFP! Since I love to email, share pictures and offer specials, I decided an e-newsletter would be a nice addition.

In the e-newsletter, I plan on sharing JFP news and pictures, and give exclusive offers. Don't worry, though, friends, fans and clients - I don't plan on bombarding you with tons of e-newsletters each week. Maybe just a few a month. The first JFP e-newsletter was sent on Monday and I hope to send another in a couple of weeks. If you'd like to subscribe to the e-newsletter, send me an email at jessica@jessicafikephotography.com and I'll add you! Here's a look at the first JFP e-newsletter....

Sorry it's a small rendering, but it's just a screen shot of the newsletter. Unless you link to it...enjoy!

Priscilla, Brian and Dylan {Bridgewater, VA Family Portrait Photography}

Priscilla and I went to Mexico together in January of 2007 for an interterm class. For two weeks, we lived with Mexican families, studied Spanish at the International University in Cuernavaca and did typical tourist-y things. We didn't know each other prior to the trip, but turned into great friends while in Mexico so I was very excited when she contacted me to take some family portraits this past fall.

I met Priscilla, her fiance and soon-to-be-son in beautiful Bridgewater at Wildwood Park. This is the place where Brian and I celebrated our six month dating anniversary and also where I had my senior pictures taken while in college. Wildwood Park is such a cute, quaint little park...and Priscilla has a cute little family...

Tickle time for Dylan. We needed to get him to keep that cute smile on his face!

Aaahhh...I love this shot. So calming, so relaxing.

And then we unleashed the furry!

Back to calming and relaxing...

The ducks are abundant at Wildwood Park and they have no problem making friends with humans. Even if you don't have food. Brian and Dylan did have some snacks so we had a little help.

The sunlight was crazy that afternoon.

Time to show their team spirit. Brian is a HUGE Giants fan. NFL - please let me know if you'd like to borrow the next few images. I'd be happy to let you use them. :)

Is this the cutest father-son picture you've ever seen or what!?!

The cuteness meter is at an all-time high for the next two...

Thank you Priscilla, Brian and Dylan for inviting me to capture the spirit of your cute little family. Priscilla - a special thanks to you for being such a big JFP fan! Your kind words and support feels awesome! I cannot wait for your maternity and newborn sessions!