In early 2019, I had the enjoyable experience of creating some portraits with Actress, Dancer, & Model Maecy Richardson.
After I spent $20 on way too many antique bottles earlier this summer, the idea came to me to do a photoshoot with them. Maecy and I had reconnected and the following images are the result:
What would you write?
Every year, I have the pleasure of taking portraits for high school seniors. Over the course of the portrait session, I get to learn a little bit about their hopes, their hobbies, their dreams, and their upcoming college decisions. It’s an honor to see a bit of their world and personality!
Bethany is an impressive gymnast, so we brought out the flash to capture some acrobatics after getting some portraits with the July flowers at the Howard County Conservancy.
Over the Christmas break, I took portraits of Justin in historic Ellicott City. Having done portraits for his older sister some years ago, it was fun to catch up with the family and hear about his own hobbies and business plans.
Justin brought his car as well as his fencing attire, so we were able to capture some unique portraits showcasing those parts of his life, as well as some casual portraits along Ellicott City main street!
Contact me to book a senior session. For more information about what I offer, head to the Senior Portrait Freedom page!
Strange times.
Many of us are in places with lockdown restrictions. We cannot go visit friends and family.
Events are cancelled as well.
As typewriter poets, Joseph Jablonski, Mark Petersen, and I love the atmosphere at big gathering where we can interact with people and create poems for them. Distilleries, wineries, parties, weddings…it’s always been a wonderful experience.
That’s on hold now, but we still want to offer connections and hope.
Head to the Typewriter Poets website, where you can order a commissioned poem for yourself or for a loved one in isolation. Choose a topic, meet your poet via video chat or phone call, and get two copies of the poem mailed to you. 50% of the proceeds of any poem ordered through the end of May will be donated to first responders and charities serving those affected by COVID-19 in the Maryland & Virginia region.
Killarney National Park is massive.
Within its 26,000 acres, you’ll find the ruins of Muckross Abbey, old-growth forests, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House and Gardens, and a wide variety of rugged landscapes.
It’s an excellent place for a day’s cycle.
On a wild Saturday in February, I and my friend Kuba ended up joining Storm Ciara for a grand adventure.
6 AM at Limerick Junction.
We arrived by train, and found it to be fairly straightforward to bring our bicycles along with us. Iarnród Éireann allows bicycles on the train; sometimes in a car with a blue door and white bicycle emblem on smaller commuter trains, other times in a baggage car ahead of the first class cars on the longer trains. Train station employees were very helpful in directing me to the appropriate car (as well as leaving me know that cycling is not permitted on the platform!).
From the train station in Killarney, it is a quick cycle out of town along the N71, where a wide path accommodates cyclists, hikers, and horse-drawn carriages.
A Google Maps approximation of our route.
Our journey took us on a 20km circuit, first passing Muckross Abbey, a Franciscan Friary dating from the 1400s. It’s an incredible ruin, with many passages and staircases to explore, including a cloister with an incredible centuries-old yew tree at the centre.
Muckross Abbey from above.
Onwards along the path, we stopped at a beach near some rock formations jutting out into the lake. Here, there was much to explore, as waves lapped against razor-sharp and slippery rocks.
From there, we headed on to Dinis Cottage. It’s closed in the winter months but boasts some great tea and scones.
We stashed our bikes nearby and walked down to the old Weir bridge, enjoying the nearby forests and boglands blanketed by clouds and light rain. After that, it was back to collect our bikes and head on to Torc waterfall, which still managed to draw a busload or two of tourists despite the foul weather.
Looking out over Muckross Lake
The last stop on our circuit was Muckross House. As we arrived, the wind began to howl louder, so we headed onwards, unwilling to be cast off our bicycles by strong winds! We arrived in town earlier than originally planned and thawed out with some O’Brien’s coffee upstairs in the Killarney Outlet Center. Then it was back on the train and off to Cork.
Despite the weather, it was an amazing few hours of exploration amidst some stunning scenery!
Torc Waterfall after February rains.
Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) - Bring your own bike!
Killarney Bicycle Hire - One of several options. We used our own bikes.
