“81 Years Young and Managing Millions”

Gail Winslow

Gail Winslow is one smart cookie. Sure she is 81, but her age does not define her. She attended Radcliffe College (before Harvard was co-ed), is the mother of six, grandmother of seven, bridge club member, tennis player, and as the Wall Street Journal article below describes – she manages over 150 million in client assets!

She is a lifetime learner and stresses the importance of education and community involvement. She reads constantly, both on her iPad and the newspaper. Gail started working in the investment business on May 1, 1955 as a “Girl Friday” and quickly learned how to obtain clients and manage their investment portfolios in a firm and industry dominated by men. She is an incredible asset to our Washington, DC office and a real pioneer in the business of wealth management. How many 81-year old women do you know who are still working as an investment manager? When she speaks, everyone listens.

Click to read the Wall Street Journal article on Gail

I am lucky to work in the same office as Gail and was asked to shoot a portrait of her for this Wall Street Journal article. I loved the photos of her smiling and laughing, but she chose the most modest photo of the set.

Gail's office overlooks the Old Executive Office Building - the perfect spot to watch the President's Inaugural Parade.

Let’s Party! Katya and Matt say I do…Part II

After the first look, family blessing, formal family portraits and bridal party pics, the group made their way to the beautiful Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Church in Hamtramck, MI. The church was full of light for the ceremony and had some perfect steps for the group photo.

With rain clouds threatening to crash the day, the group headed to the Community House in downtown Birmingham for the reception. The rain finally came down just as we were RACING into the reception, but of course the relaxed bride and groom laughed it off…and why not? They were just married and ready to have some fun with their closest 250+ friends and family! Plus they hired the BEST wedding band in the state – the Dan Rafferty Band. This band does the classics, Motown, and top 40s…and if your back is to the stage, you would think a CD was playing. Such a fun day and night!

Also special thanks to my second shooter for the day,Fenton-based photographer Rachel Herstein.

My best wishes go out to Katya and Matt for a wonderful life together in Chicago. xoxo, Emily

A "Kate and Pippa" moment for sisters Katya and Nina

some quiet reflection before the ceremony

I wonder what Katya's father was telling Matt as he gave his daughter away...

At least he made Katya laugh...

Matthew, admiring his bride

Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Church - Hamtramck, Michigan

Just married!

The Magees!

hot!

Time for some hilarious speeches...

Nina, the maid of honor, sister of the bride, roomie of both... she played a huge role in making this day run smoothly. She was the pretty wizard behind the scenes.

LOVE this photo of Katya's parents

first dance...up close

The band was awesome and everyone sang along...including these two!

This adorable flowergirl put on her PJs and rocked the dance floor

Go girls!

everyone loved Matt's brother's MJ dance skills

good night!

Katya and Matthew say I do… Part I

Katya and Matthew were married earlier this summer in Michigan and I had the distinct pleasure of being their wedding photographer. We were e-introduced by our mothers and finally met in person the day before their wedding. I knew then that the day would be great because of Katya and Matthew’s relaxed attitudes just 24 hours before they tied the knot. Their families were both warm and welcomed me into this special day…and they were troopers as we took MANY photos throughout the day.

The day started with a “first look” at Katya’s parent’s house, then a blessing with the immediate family members and the bridal party. It is a tradition that is new to me, but it was such a special, intimate moment, I would recommend it to other couples. It was a time for each parent and grandparent to give the couple a few pieces of advice and best wishes for their future together.

My next post will include photos from the ceremony and reception. Enjoy!

The beautiful bride!

Matthew's first look at Katya

Matthew's mom's first look at her son!

Grandpa is so cute!

The family blessing was a very special start to the wedding day

Mrs. Magee!

A little Dom to get the celebration started!

Not exactly the threshold...

Bridesmaids!

Groomsmen!

Helping a sister out...

The newlyweds Katya and Matthew

The party was ready to party...

Stealing a moment...

Happy Birthday, Mr. President!

On August 4th President Obama celebrated his 50th birthday. The US stock market has been tanking, Congress can’t agree on anything and it is blazing hot in DC, but hopefully President Obama still found some joy on his milestone birthday. They may not be of legal voting age yet, but the members of DC’s Eastern High School marching band came out on the morning of his birthday to march down Pennsylvania Avenue and serenade the White House with their version of “Happy Birthday.”

The event was coordinated by the SuperLeaders, Inc. team – they made the “Happy Birthday President Obama” signs and arranged for the Eastern High School Marching Band to play. The band members were quite warm in their uniforms, but you could feel their pride as they played “Happy Birthday” and other song’s for our nation’s CEO. For video of the event, click here.

The crowd outside of the White House loved the marching band and turned the event into an impromptu parade. People followed the group as they marched down the street with lots of cell phone cameras capturing the moment. The crowd even sang “Happy Birthday” along with the band.

How cute is that band director? Also note the official White House photographer behind him. It’s not the main guy, Pete Souza, but he is definitely on staff.

I was very impressed with how seriously the band members took their job. They were definitely up and coming “Super Leaders” in their community.

Either I am getting older, or high school kids are just looking really, really young these days…. (maybe a little of both!)

Sarah and Gavin Tie the Knot!

I have always wanted to do a “Wedding Wednesdays” blog entry, as many wedding photographers do…and I can finally check it off the list. Sarah and Gavin are a Washington, DC couple with some very solid roots. Sarah and I were teammates on the MSU rowing team, so when she asked me to be her wedding photographer of course I said yes!

Sarah and Gavin have created a great life together in DC and planned an awesome wedding day too! They also became experts in wedding venues around town, so if you are planning a smaller DC wedding – they are the people to contact. They decided on the Heurich House in Dupont Circle, which made for the perfect setting on a beautiful summer night.

The guys walking to Dupont Circle for the “First Look” at the gals….

Gavin getting a good look at his bride

Making it legal…

Loving the front portico…

The music started in the garden…

And then it was time for him to give her away…

Many thanks to my amazing second shooter (and roommie!) Erin for catching some great shots during the wedding, including the photo below.

The Last Bash…..Yeah Right!

Last weekend I ventured to the Pleasantville-style town of Alliance, Ohio, home to longtime residents Jini McCready and Bob Gempler to photograph their “Last Bash.” It wasn’t a birthday party, wedding or anything formal, just a party with great friends, food, cocktails, and lots of dancing. It was a celebration of life, and at 87, Bob nor Jini show any signs of slowing down.

It is true that you can see who a person is by looking at their friends. Well close to 100 of Bob and Jini’s friends and family came to the bash at the Alliance Country Club and were just as excited to be there as Bob and Jini were to have everyone there. As each group of people stepped in the door, Jini squealed with delight to see their faces and gave everyone hugs. It was a reunion of sorts, as people traveled in for the event, and there were some surprise guests as well.

It was an honor to be there and document the event, as well as help celebrate Bob and Jini. They are wonderful people and remind everyone around them that age is just a number.

Jini made each place card herself

The group shot….

I can’t post these photos without mentioning my fabulous Aunt Amy, who was a driving force behind the party (everyone loved the Chinese lanterns, which were her idea). She is Bob’s only daughter (her brother is Eric) and grew up in Alliance, riding her bike to the very country club where the party was held to swim at the pool every summer.

Jini’s daughter Mary Ann (on the left) was also a driving force behind making this party happen (as were her brothers, John and Chris). She is a firecracker and is full of energy, just like her mom.

The cupcakes were a major hit…

The group also paid tribute for Bob’s love of the harmonica. They put harmonica’s on each table and had a small “jam session” before the dancing started.

One more photo of Bob and Jini…can’t you just feel Jini’s joy?

This morning Bob and Jini opened section B of the newspaper, The Alliance Review, and found this TWO PAGE AD full of photos from the party. Jini’s son John worked with the newspaper to identify all of the party goers and made sure we got photos of just about everyone at the party. Click on the link below to see the full add.
GemplerFullPage

Baby bump…

My gorgeous friend Kellie is in the final weeks of her pregnancy with her first child. Of course Kellie and her husband Jon are excited for the birth of their baby (a boy!), but it seems like some people in their surrounding community are REALLY excited. (I am talking to you, Jer!) No really, the way their family and friends have rallied around them has been incredible. I know this love and support will continue when the little man enters the world. While I won’t be there this summer, I look forward to taking the baby’s photos in the fall.

It doesn’t hurt that Kellie is model-tall and naturally beautiful!

Did I mention that Kellie and Jon live across from a beautiful lake? Not a bad way to beat the heat this summer…

With the love Kellie and Jon demonstrate for each other (and their cat, “P”), I know they will be incredible parents. Love you guys! xo -Em

Going to the chapel….

NO, I am not going to the chapel. I am also NOT engaged. However I did take photos of a bride and groom at a church in Georgetown a while ago during our weddings class with Rob Holley. They looked like models which was awesome, but they were a real couple. Cami and Scott were married last September and decided to help our class out by posing all day long. They were great sports and get to keep the best shots from each student.

This shot was great practice for the spring wedding season….which has made me a very busy lady. I will have some blog posts coming out over the next few weeks with my first jobs as primary wedding photographer. Very exciting springtime and now we’re starting the summer with lots of editing.

Love the red door and red shoes!!

How pretty is Cami??

Her groom isn’t too bad either.

Engaged!

Well, kind of. This couple isn’t exactly engaged….in fact they just met the morning of the shoot. They were models hired to be our “engaged couple” for this shoot at the National Gallery of Art. It was the first shoot for our weddings module and it was quite the learning experience. I have done a few engagement shoots before, but this time I had the added pressure of my instructor looking over my shoulder and furiously taking notes after each set-up.

Although it was a cold and rainy day in DC, this couple managed to warm up the museum

Some fun with the “tilt and shift” lens…..

Welcome to the world, baby G!

Last month I had the honor of doing my first newborn photo shoot with my little cousin G. Her parents said she was cranky all day, but when I showed up with my camera she was an angel. At three weeks she was surprisingly alert and I think she was actually posing for the photos

It was certainly a learning experience and there are changes I will make next time, such as using natural light, but my large reflector was key and it kept baby G’s attention. If you know anyone in the DC-area having a baby soon, I would love the opportunity to do this again. Please pass along my contact info or send me theirs.

A mother’s love…

I also loved capturing her teeny features.

G’s mom and dad are certainly in the “doting parent” category, but rightfully so.

Those eyes!!