Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of photographing Ramona & Burton for their engagement session.  We took a stroll around the National Harbor in Maryland, then captured some of DC's monuments from across the water in Virginia.  Thanks to Ramona and Burton for their great energy during that hot and humid summer day.  They managed to stay nice and cool for the camera.  The couple's October wedding will take place in Washington DC area.

Memorial Day weekend turned out to be very hot and humid.  One cool thing about it though, was the marriage of Corrina and Archie in central Virginia.  This is one of several holidays a year when family and friends can come together, enjoying the outdoors and one another's company.  The two families were joined by marriage in a casual outdoor ceremony, followed by a barbeque-style reception.  Congratulations to the newlyweds and thanks to all who played a role in this beautiful day.

In May, Drama Kids International put on their annual Spring performances in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  The stage was set at Walker-Grant Middle School for the kids to act out the parts they've spent weeks learning.  Similar to last year, all three age groups performed their own play, ranging from 5 to 15 years old.  Each student gets a speaking role, which helps them to develop their confidence and public speaking skills.  With all the various costumes, it was fun to see how the students got into their characters… especially the wolves.  Thanks to Angela and all who helped keep the day running smoothly.

On May 15, 2010, the Woodbridge (VA) Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc hosted their annual Nupe Madness 5 on 5 basketball tournament.  The event was held at Gar-field High School in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Alpha Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi fraternities also had teams represented in this year's tournament.  Congratulations to the Alpha Phi Alpha team for their win.  Thanks to Jeremy and all the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. for organizing such a great Nupe Madness event.  Also, a big thanks to my assistant Alfred for helping out with the candids.

On Sunday May 9th, Hampton University's 2010 commencement exercises got off to a memorable start.  President Barack Obama delivered the Mother's Day commencement address at HU in front of 1,072 graduates and a crowd of about 12,000 relatives and friends.  The speech was also broadcast live on several TV networks nationwide.  I had the honor of being one of the photographers present to capture images of this presidential moment.  Special thanks to Yuri and the University Relations staff at Hampton for all the hard work done to make this special occasion a success.

• View President Obama's Speech (video)
• Remarks by the President (text)
• Photo gallery

In early April, I ventured out among the tourists to capture one of DC's annual attractions… the cherry blossoms.  This year, the blossoms peaked a few days sooner than predicted.  I made my way into DC one evening to see what I could capture.  By the time I got to the tidal basin, there wasn't as much daylight left as I would have liked.  So, I decided to shoot a few images and go back the next morning for sunrise.  The next morning, there were at least 100 more photographers claiming their spot to get the best vantage point. Much like last year, the cherry blossoms were not disappointing. Big thanks to Bobby of Thigpen Photography for tagging along and capturing a few images of me.

This year's Virginia Professional Photographers Association (VPPA) convention took place February 20-24, 2010 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa.  As with previous conventions, this one was not without a theme… "Pirates of the Caribbean".   It was great to see many photographer friends again and get re-energized for 2010.  This year, my dad joined me for a few days, to see what other photographers in VA are creating and marketing in their studios.  Some of the seminar speakers were Claude Jodin (lighting), Lori Nordstrom (children), and Helen Yancy (Corel Painter).  Clay Blackmore closed out the convention with his inspiring program "How to Photograph Everyone".

photo by Eric Green

Last Fall, I had an amazing opportunity to travel overseas to Italy.  Most of the vacation trip was spent in Porto Rotondo, on the island of Sardinia.  The last day was spent touring the Vatican and surrounding area in Rome.  There were a few days of non-stop rain in Porto Rotondo, but fortunately the skies cleared in Rome.  Tip: If you enjoy taking pictures of landscapes, the best time to capture dramatic clouds is just before or after a big storm… see the infrared photo below.  Here are some images from my trip… Enjoy!