Hello friends,

It’s been quite awhile hasn’t it?

Welcome along as we march fourth into the year 2026.

Towards the end of December I found myself feeling completely, for last of a better term, restless. Many thoughts and emotions were swirling about, mainly feelings of regret and longing to have accomplished more this past year creatively.

During downtime, I tend to dream up ambitious concepts for future photo shoots. Some have great locations, vast amount of props, and many different kinds of talent to bring the vision to life. To put it into perspective, there are easily 20–30 ideas living in an online notepad somewhere - some loosely sketched, others nearly fully formed.

But with grand ideas come equally grand logistics.

This struggle for always wanting the biggest, most grand ideas and execution has led to, ironically, nothing getting off the ground at all.

All of this led me to my most recent shoot:

In a moment of admitted frustration, I reached out to my wonderful community to see if anyone was available for a photoshoot. Nothing crazy, just something to try to get myself back on track and moving towards making new things.

It was here I found Katherine, who was nothing short of amazing and professional, and decided to bring in the New Year with a elegant 1930s upscale glamour look with a long elegant dress we procured many years ago from Bygones Vintage in Richmond.

Big dreams will wait for you. The simple things won’t. They’re what keep you moving, growing, becoming.

Never stop dreaming, but never forget to look at what is right in front of you.

Credits:

Featuring: Katherine S. Wright

Wardrobe: Bygones Vintage Clothing

Hair/Make-up: Miss Kate Vintage

“Some people like to splash and play

Can you imagine that?”

— Mary Poppins

On this date, sixty years ago, the film Mary Poppins (1964) was released to wide acclaim. It was subsequently follow-upped more recently with a sequel (2018) and Saving Mr Banks (2013), based loosely on the life P.L. Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins book series. 

This photography project has been a few years in the making, ever since I found this amazing 1960’s white true vintage swimsuit from Hemlock Vintage. As soon as I saw it, I thought instantly of a certain fictional nanny taking her well deserved "jolly” holiday poolside, relaxing after a long working stint.

Please enjoy this journey back in time and, as a side note, I hope that any project you are working on works exactly the way you want to - even if it does take a little longer than anticipated. I promise the wait is worth it in the end.

Credits:

Featuring: Lou Keeton

Wardrobe: Hemlock Vintage Clothing

Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, and with that, brings new life and warmer weather. At this point in the year, there often is a harsh transition from the “dreaming and planning” of Winter to a mindset “execute, and execute” before the season changes yet again. This is often an exciting pursuit, but can also be a stressful one as time seems to fly by, and before we know it, we are already deep into the next season and I find myself behind and frustrated at my lack of progress. This year I have made it my goal to not succumb to self-pressure and give more of a mindset of trying my best at every task and not be so driven by the results.

With these things in mind, I was perusing the closet and, discovering just how many Spring dresses we had on hand, I knew we had to do something with them and I knew these dresses were ready for their moments in the light of a Spring afternoon. Originally, my plans involved a quest to gather a group for a collective shoot, a celebration of Spring's arrival. However, nature had its own agenda, with unexpected 'Spring Showers' dampening the plans prematurely.

In the face of this setback, I contemplated abandoning the endeavor entirely. After all, what was the point of having all of these dresses if it seemed external forces were working against me? This, stacked with other life circumstances caused me to feel a sense of dread that perhaps even my most bold plans would be doomed to fall by the wayside. That is, until I met Hannah.

On a last minute whim, we decide to head out to Maymont Park and embrace the turning of the season.

We dressed Hannah in a true vintage 1950’s dress from Nostalgia Boutique, putting together a classic and elegant look that we all were so excited to show off. With many audible gasps of joy from passersby, we made our way around the park and had a very fun time exploring the turning of the season.

Another small reminder that we are not our plans, are our circumstances do not define us; even the best laid plans will twist and turn at the sudden wind gusts of Mother Nature.

Dare to be bold with your creativity but embrace simplicity when it appears before you when all else fails. Do not be dismayed if you find yourself at the brunt end of unfavorable circumstances, instead, find yourself a new path forward, and I truly believe you will find the most amazing opportunities.

Credits:

Model: Hannah H

Hair, makeup, and styling: Miss Kate Vintage

Wardrobe: Nostalgia Boutique

Today, March 6th, marks National Dress Day, an occasion established by fashion designer Ashley Lauren. It serves as a tribute to the dress, a garment revered for its versatility and enduring presence in the ever-evolving landscape of fashion.

Not long ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Amy, a professor at The College of William and Mary, and celebrating her recent accomplishment in the realm of fashion. Amy, with her passion for history and historical fashion, meticulously crafted a dress inspired by the 1780s era. Recognizing the significance of her achievement, especially in celebration of National Dress Day, I knew it was the perfect occasion to showcase her talent and dedication. During our session, a multitude of topics surfaced, ranging from Jane Austen to Virginia History and how the topic of dance influences politics and I found myself captivated by Amy's profound knowledge on these subjects.

Recently, I've been reading the book "The Proximity Principle" by Ken Coleman, which emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with leaders in the desired career field to achieve success. While I don't strictly adhere to this principle for my career pursuits, I am intrigued by the underlying concept of connecting with accomplished individuals in various domains. Through our discussion, I came to realize the value of people like Amy, who possess unique insights on potentially overlooked topics, and whose wisdom is truly appreciated by those fortunate enough to encounter it.

I firmly believe that everyone harbors a unique reservoir of knowledge or a pursuit they yearn to explore. Yet, many may hesitate to embark on this journey of passionate discovery. Social pressures and a lack of appreciation for one's interests could be contributing factors. My sincere wish is for you to not only pursue the knowledge you crave but also to boldly share it with the world, and I am confident that both you and the world will reap the benefits from doing so.

Originally posted Summer 2021

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting three talented ladies to do a poolside shoot with three 1960's true vintage Catalina brand gingham swimsuits.

The inspiration for this shoot began on Instagram when I saw that Apt703Vintage was selling two true vintage gingham Catalina swimsuits. To find two true vintage garments from the same collection is rare enough, but I then found a third Catalina swimsuit listed by FindersKeepersRVA! I knew immediately that if I could get all three, I would have to do a vintage shoot with them.

Luckily, I was able to reach out to both sellers, and a week later the suits arrived!

The swimsuits are beautiful - bright, gingham linen with floral trim. These suits give off a fun, playful summer vibe, and I could not wait to begin the preparations for this shoot. 

Making this shoot a reality was an adventure. Between finding all the perfect accessories, the right location, and coordinating with models, this photoshoot was a culmination of planning that spanned three states and Washington, D.C.!

I have always believed if you truly want something, life has an amazing way of making it happen. Granted, you may have to take a few twists and turns to get there, but life really does have a way of making it work.

This shoot truly came together in such an amazing way.

Without further ado, here are the pictures!

Today is Esther William's birthday; she would have been 100 years old.

I love to celebrate obscure holidays and celebrity birthdays from the golden age of Hollywood. Looking through some upcoming birthdays I realized that Esther Williams, star of Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), Neptune's Daughter (1949), and many more, would have turned 100 years old on this day.

Esther Williams got her start not by going to acting school, but by swimming. She was already swimming champion by the time she was a teenager and was well on her way to go to the Olympics before they were canceled due to World War 2. “I think the joy that showed through in my swimming movies comes from my lifelong love of the water,” she explains. “No matter what I was doing, the best I felt all day was when I was swimming.” (SOURCE)

Esther is so unique in that she simply did not mold herself into the typical Hollywood actress, instead, Hollywood embraced her love for the water and formed a whole new genre: water ballet.

These movies would give new light to synchronized swimming and propel the art into the national spotlight.

I often wonder what it was like in 1939 when moviegoers saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time in movie theaters: perhaps they were in awe of all the colors and the opportunities this revolution in the film would give the film industry for the future.

I imagine there were similar feelings watching Million Dollar Mermaid in the full-screen theater and having a full synchronized swimming performance performed with a full orchestra in Technicolor.

Looking at some of her photos from the past, I had an idea: what better way to celebrate her life than to recreate some of her most iconic pictures? I procured two true vintage bathing suits from around the time frame Esther was filming her movies, reached out to my Esther lookalike friend, Gretchen, and did a photoshoot poolside (she did such an amazing job!)

Credits:

Inspiration:

Esther Williams (1921-2013) was a champion swimmer, actress, and singer. After her life in film and television, she became a businesswoman selling swimming pools and her own line of swimwear.

Model:

Gretchen did such an amazing job portraying Esther Williams!

Wardrobe:

Two bathing suits were used in this shoot:

The gold suit is a true vintage Lee Swimplay suit sold by Apt703Vintage.

The white suit is a true vintage Jantzen suit sold by Fatalfemmevintage.