So many super exciting things have been going on in my life lately! First: Ghostbusters. Second: Cliff and I booked a trip to New York for later this summer. I've only been there twice, so going back is going to be a real treat! Two weeks after we get back, I leave again to visit Seattle where I'll get to meet Jade, my best friend's daughter! Third: This wedding. OMG--I cannot get enough!

Tim and Marie only recently moved to D.C. and decided to make their wedding a vacation for their guests! This amazingly adorable couple rented a double-decker tour bus and took close friends and family to visit D.C.'s beautiful monuments and memorials. Tim and Marie ended the tour at the Jefferson Memorial where they said, "I do." But wait. It gets better. Along the way, the happy couple fed their guests (including me!!) homemade ice cream!

I could go on and on about what an incredible wedding this was, but I don't want there to be too many spoilers. For now, enjoy this sneak peek! I can't wait to share more from Tim and Marie's special day soon!

Do you have any idea how EXCITED I am?!? In exactly three weeks, the new version of Ghostbusters -- yup, that one with an all-female cast -- hits the big screen! I. CAN'T. WAIT.

To celebrate, not only am I going to see the movie on opening night, BUT I'll be joining Nate Fischer and Abe Saffer, the goofs--er, I mean geniuses--behind the Move Nightcap podcast after the showing to talk about my experience.* 
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To be clear, the original Ghostbusters franchise have always been some of my favorite movies, and as a kid, I adored the cartoon. But in the 80s and early 90s, having strong female leads was a rarity. The fact that tables have turned, and people who LOOK LIKE ME will be kicking ghost butt is so incredibly cool!

Not only am I stoked for the movie itself, but I'm legit excited for what this means for future generations. From here on out, there will no longer be any questions that girls, too, can be fearless, funny, ghost-fighting superheros! 

To prep for the event, I'll be listening to some of Abe and Nate's favorite episodes. You can do the same, using the links below! Also, don't forget to follow Movie Night Cap on Twitter! 

Earlier I told you how my good friend Larysa and I were on our way to the Dixie Chicks World Tour MMXVI. Well, it happened... and it was AWESOME. Part of what made the trip so special is the fact that I don't attend many concerts. They're fun, but they can also be pricey. That said, I'm okay with splurging once in awhile and this concert was worth every penny. It was super high energy, but it didn't come without emotional moments, like when the trio played a heartfelt tribute to Prince.

We saw the Dixie Chicks at the BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. The venue was pretty awesome--it was both indoor and outdoor, and had a great selection of good food and drinks. (Remember that whole splurging thing? A mixed drink cost $15. EEEEK!!) Larysa and I sat about 12 rows from the stage and sang at the top of our lungs for the entire two hour performance. It was great!

I purposely didn't take my good camera because I wanted this to truly be a vacation. Instead, I relied on the camera on my cell phone which isn't that great. But you know what? That doesn't bother me. I had fun and made some memories, and that's what matters most!

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for cell phone photography tips!

Of the dozens of photoshoots I've done, I don't think any have been as sweet as this one. Meet Yorka, and her human, Jay.

Jay has been Yorka's guardian for more than five years now, and the two have had some fun adventures together. They moved cross-country from California to D.C., have gone on many hiking trips together and are pretty much BFFs. But Yorka isn't as young as she used to be, and Jay wanted photos of his beloved German Shepard while she is still healthy.

The three of us spent just two hours together, but in those two hours, there was no questioning the amount of love these two have for each other.  The bond humans have with their pets -- especially dogs
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This year I made it a goal to go on a road trip with a friend, and it's finally happening! My good friend Larysa and I are going to see the Dixie Chicks! TODAY!!! Like, we're leaving in an hour!!

I'm beyond excited about this. I've always enjoyed country music, but when the Dixie Chicks -- a group of hip, outspoken, tradition-bending women -- came on the scene, it was like a breath of fresh air! Ask me which song of theirs is my favorite, and there's no way I'd be able to give you a simple answer. To me, their music speaks to emotions and mood, which adds a layer of complexity that I love!

I was a senior high school when the controversy happened and, I have to say, that made me love them even more. It happened at a time in my life when I was figuring out who I was and what I stand for. I learned quickly that my beliefs often didn't match the beliefs of those around me -- and that wasn't an easy pill to swallow.

I'm from Nebraska, something I've always been proud of. At the same time, that part of my identity was also very confusing to me. The Dixie Chicks taught me that it's okay not to fit into a mold. I can still love Nebraska, love country music (both old and new), love wearing Tony Lamas AND believe that everyone has a right to love and marry who they wish, that our country shouldn't start wars for no good reason, that everyone should be allowed to worship as they choose -- and if they don't have a religion, that's okay, too.

Given the recent tragic events our country has endured, it seems the Dixie Chicks -- and their messages of peace, love and acceptance -- are more relevant now than ever. 

My good friend Zac, who saw the trio just last week, said it best:

The Dixie Chicks were there for me when I was an angry 16 year old gay kid growing up in Nebraska and they're there for me when I'm a 26 year old angry gay man in the world. Keep fighting. Keep loving. Never give up. Remember: pride is a verb.

I do most of my blogging on the weekends when time seems to slow down and I have room to think about what I want to say. I woke up Sunday morning expecting to write a blog about how fun this product session was, but instead, I woke up -- as we all did -- to news of the tragedy in Orlando. My heart aches for the victims -- and for this country.

I considered holding off publishing these photos for a few days out of respect for all those who have been touched by this unfathomable violence... but after some soul searching and careful thought, decided against it. That's because now, more than ever, we must honor and celebrate peace. Hate and anger cannot be fought with guns and bullets. Hate and anger must be fought with love, words and selfless acts of kindness -- acts that we are all capable of.

That's why I'm dedicating this blog post to people like Sarah, owner of Hooked and Loopy, who use their time and talents to spread peace, joy and love, and in doing so, bring people together.  As far as I'm concerned, peacemakers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, orientations and nationalities. They can be found in every community across America, and their contributions cannot and should not go unnoticed.

• Thank you to all of the parents out there who raise their children to be kind, compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, tolerant and open-minded.

• Thank you to all of the creators, makers, writers, musicians and artists of the DMV area and beyond, who selflessly give and, in doing so, bring communities together, simply by pursuing what makes them happy.

• Thank you to all of the protesters, committed to non-violence, who use their first-amendment rights to speak up for victims and against injustices here at home and around the world.

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• Thank you to the community organizers and small business owners who creative safe, welcoming spaces for everyone.

• Thank you to the nurses, doctors, social workers, therapists, home healthcare workers and healers who have dedicated their lives to helping others.

• Thank you to the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, teachers, custodians, garbage collectors and other civil servants who serve their community, and ask nothing in return but a paycheck so they might raise their families.

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• Thank you to the playground heroes who stand up to schoolyard bullies.

• Thank you to anyone who has ever gone out of their way to help a stranger.

I'm not a religious person, but I do believe in the profound and universal statements of Corinthians 13:13, that of faith, hope and love, love is the greatest, and arguably, most powerful virtue the human spirit can experience.

​Godspeed, Orlando.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but as a photographer, I'm sometimes more interested in the stories behind the photos. That's why I had to share this behind-the-scenes tell all from Katy and Josh's Knob Hall Winery wedding. (You can see the full blog post for their wedding here).

No one wants to deal with rain on a wedding day, be it the couple getting married, the guests, or the photographer. But rain happens and you have to make due... which is exactly what happened at this wedding. We were able to take advantage of breaks between THREE thunderstorms to get some pretty dramatic photos. And in one case, we found ourselves surrounded by some pretty crazy storm drama!

After the ceremony, Katy and Josh and I headed out to Knobb Hall's vineyards for some couples photos. Normally I like to take my time with couples to make sure I get great shots. This also helps give the bride and groom some breathing room between the ceremony and reception. But on this day, mother nature had other plans.

Those menacing clouds? Yup! That's a thunderstorm headed straight for us, and baby, did we cut it close! This was one of the last photos taken before the groom grabbed his car to take us all back to the reception location. How we managed not to get poured on, I still don't know. Just before Josh pulled around with the car, Katy and I heard a WOOOSH!!! It was the sound of rain hitting the leaves of trees.

As soon as Josh pulled up with the car, Katy and I ran, and we made it inside the vehicle just in the nick of time! As soon as we closed the doors, rain drops started falling. By the time Josh put the car into gear, the skies had opened up, and it was pouring!!

As if that wasn't enough drama for one wedding, we also had this mama goose to contend with. Days before the wedding, she had laid eggs in a nest on the property and was especially territorial. We were encouraged to stay away from the nest by property owners, which we did... or at least, we thought we did. For mama goose, staying away from the nest basically meant not going outside at all.

A good portion of time that should have been used taking photos was actually used to run away from this goose, who followed us from one photo location to another. It was pretty clear that she was not happy with us. She never got close enough to bite us (because we didn't let her) but I'd be lying if I said that though didn't repeatedly run through my mind. It wasn't until one of the groomsman valiantly stared her down that we finally had some peace!

Despite the drama, things didn't turn out so bad. Katy and Josh had a wonderful wedding, I was able to capture some great photos, and we all have some pretty fantastic stories to share!

They say it's good luck if it rains on your wedding day. If that's true, Katy and Josh will have good luck for centuries. It didn't just rain on their wedding day. It poured! Multiple times!! But for these two, the weather didn't matter. They kept love at the center of their big day with an intimate ceremony and laid back reception at a winery in Northern Maryland.

What's so amazing about Katy and Josh is that they pretty much live to make each other smile. As their photographer, it was awesome to be able to capture that kind of love on their special day. They've been through so much together, and even after 10 years, a cross country move and grad school, they still manage to laugh, laugh a little more, joke, smile and did I mention laugh? more than any other couple I know. Even their ceremony was full of giggles :)

I wish Katy and Josh the best as they enter this fantastic new chapter in their lives. I know their marriage will be full of joy, love and -- of course -- laughter.

p.s. Want more? Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the funnier things that happened at Katy and Josh's wedding!