fam-uh-lee, fam-lee

 Carrie ( mom)  really wanted some outdoors shots but with such a busy summer scheduled and no time to reschedule we rolled with it, and mother nature gave us a 20 minute window for outdoor shots. A beautiful family photographed on a beauty of a day.

Lost Valley Cider Co.

A local watering hole, Lost Valley Cider Co.- for hard cider connoisseur, um YUM! Before going here for an assignment for M Magazine, I only drank hard cider here and there. I never knew how smooth this drink could/can be.

I also love that it's a family run business, Stuart & Chandra Rudolph,are father & daughter.

"Everyone has a 'lost valley' ... kind of their like Shangri La," says Stuart as we chat about the concept behind the name for Lost Valley, which was inspired by family travels.

"When my dad was growing up he would visit his grandparents' farm in Massachusetts," Chandra explains. "They always referred to the area as as the 'lost valley.' Years later, when we would take hiking trips out west as a family, we always called them lost valley expeditions.'"

Stuart adds: "The name really attempts to capture our natural propensity for adventure and exploration. And that's really what we do here, encouraging the collaborative exploration of ciders from around the world."

The space, in turn, reflects that sense of adventure. A wooden map on the wall sits above a corner lounge on the west end of the bar.

Check it out it's close to the Iron Horse Hotel in Walker's Point. 

http://www.lostvalley.com/

Peter, Stacy's co-pilot

                                             The talk

This was shot during the last days of fall. We lucked out and got this beautiful light - a  giant (sky sized) soft box that softens the light and leads itself to pretty light that is evenly lit - perfect for portraits.
Stacy needed photos for her new website, and it's always nice to have photos with your beloved pup. Pete, his needs? Play, Love, Treats, and not necessarily in that order.

Stacy's also a talented photographer. We used to shoot weddings together and had a great time. We laugh a lot when we hang out as you might be able to tell.

Road Open

I got a call around 2pm in early November, when we were still having warmer than normal temps, from a woman wanting to know if I could take photos of her THAT day. Julie Henszey, was that energetic woman on the other end. She wanted to take advantage of the nice weather, the good light, and the construction down at the end of her street. It's not an everyday call, which had me intrigued.
I told her to give me 20 minutes to pack my gear and I'd be there. She had this idea for a book cover and theme after seeing the Road Closed sign. It's for a book she's working on. What was so great was the soft light, the props to play off, and her ability to bring different expressions to each frame.

I can't wait to read her book!

She's a professional certified coach. Learn more about her services here.
http://www.nextstepgoals.com/about-julie