One of my Fresh Faces winners!

Photographing a 1-year old is anything but predictable--you can try to put them where you want them, but they have their own agendas and will go where they want to go! This little guy is so cute, and boy, does he love rocks! I'd ask him if he wanted to smell some flowers and he'd give me a look that said "Silly woman, there are ROCKS all around me and you want me to smell flowers??" Hee! Enjoy!

Little beauty, one year later

If you've seen my business cards, or even just been to my website (as I hope you have!), then you know that I use this portrait, from a session last August, a lot! I absolutely love it. And now I was fortunate enough to photograph her and her family again this year, and look at her now! She and her sister have such a sweet relationship and the whole family was great to spend some time with. :)

Fresh Faces contest winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered and voted! We had over 600 votes! And now here they are, the first, second, and third place finishers in the Anne Companion Photography Fresh Faces contest!

First Place:

Second place:

Third place:

Fresh Faces poll!

Here they are, vote for who you think should be the Fresh Face of Anne Companion Photography! (larger pics below)

Online Surveys & Market Research

Fresh Faces contest entries

I'm putting these here slightly enlarged so you can get a good look at them!

Recent newborn beauty

Lots of posts in the past few days, I know! I wanted to share this one before the voting starts tomorrow in the Fresh Faces contest. These were done with studio lighting, right in the family's home, as usual!

Doe! A deer!

Last couple of pictures from my vacation; these were taken at my parents' house. They have an apple tree that the deer love and I managed to get these shots one afternoon of this deer coming down for a snack.

I love this one--"hey, stop taking my picture!"

And on another note, voting in the Fresh Faces contest begins tomorrow! Entries can be submitted through midnight tonight!

What I did on my summer vacation--Part 2

My hubby and I spent some time, sans kids, wine tasting in Central Virginia! Virginia has some wonderful wineries and here are a few of the ones we visited. The first two are from Veritas Winery and they definitely had the fanciest tasting room!

I can't remember who had the suit of armour, but I couldn't resist a picture of it!

Again, my affinity for signs that make me laugh. Somehow "the inherent risks of agritourism" gave me the giggles. Death by wine tasting!


A neat effect at the Jefferson Vineyards with the light behind the bottles.

And the vineyards!

What I did on my summer vacation--Part 1

Last week we spent some time with my parents in western Virginia and one day we drove over to West Virginia, to the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. There are several train rides of varying lengths there, the old company town and store, and a restaurant for the modern visitor. ;) Our train ride stopped at an old station up on the mountain and there were some old cars for the kids to climb on, and one car where the workers used to eat. That car gave me some great pictures!

Sometimes I'd like to have this one at my table!

Mmmm, I miss all of those hydrogenated oils!

When was the last time you gave your Dad a gift box of cigarettes for Father's Day? ;)

More tomorrow!

Fresh Faces contest from Anne Companion Photography!

Yes, it's time once again for the Anne Companion Photography annual Fresh Faces contest! I'm looking for some wonderful new fresh faces to add to my portfolio and those new faces will in turn win portraits and other prizes!

The Details:

• To enter, submit one non-professional snapshot of your child, age 0-17 (a close-up is preferred) to info@annecompanionphotography.com (please include your child's age).
• Entries will be accepted from now until midnight, August 10th, 2008.
• Submissions will be posted here on my blog August 11th, 2008, a poll will be set for votes (tell everyone you know to come vote!)
• The winner will receive a complimentary session and an 8x10 portrait; I will also purchase an outfit for your child to wear at the session and you will get to keep it!
• The second-place finisher will receive a complimentary session and a 5x7 portrait.
• The third-place finisher will receive a complimentary session.

The Rules:

• Contest is open to my current clients as well as entrants who are new to Anne Companion Photography
• One entry per family (so pick a kid!)
• Child must be entered by their parent or legal guardian
• Winners' sessions must take place by October 31st.
• Only the subject in the entered snapshot will be photographed during the complimentary session, however additional family members may be photographed the same day with payment of the standard session fee.

So get those entries in and then tune in to the blog next week to vote!