In case you missed it, Ebony Magazine has published their "2009 Campus Queens" feature online.  The printed version is usually published in April.  However, they decided to take it online this year.  This gave the magazine the opportunity to showcase the Queens more equally, while also (I imagine) saving on printing costs.  Checkout Miss Hampton University 2008-2009, Shannon Cooper, and other campus queens at EbonyJet.com.  One image from her portrait session was posted along with a brief bio.

This summer, had the pleasure of photographing the Ewing family in Dumfries, VA.  The session took place at a nearby neighborhood’s clubhouse, providing a nice park-like atmosphere for portraits.  For this group of combined families, we created a series of portraits to show their unique relationships with one another.  Some of their vibrant personalities were also captured in the process.  Here are some of the family’s images created that Friday morning.

The June 2009 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine features several top U.S.  companies, and their supplier diversity strategies.  Altria is one of those featured companies, where Connie Smith is the director of Supplier Diversity Development.  I photographed Connie a while back, creating a variety of headshots to be used for publicity purposes.  Well, one of those publicity opportunities landed her photo in the pages of Black Enterprise Magazine.  Connie’s photo is published on page 152 (left), as part of the article “Supplier Diversity—a Winning Strategy in Tough Times”.  Some other companies in the article include Coca-Cola, Macy’s, Denny’s, The Home Depot, Kellogg, and Allstate.  Thanks to Connie and all the other supplier diversity managers for your continued efforts.

I was recently commissioned to photograph 8 young ladies who will be participating in the Tea Rose Cotillion this month, in the DC area.  The session was held at the THEARC Campus of the Washington Middle School for Girls in DC.  Several portraits were created of each debutante, showing their formal dresses and some personality.  The images will be used as a part of the printed program for the upcoming cotillion event.  Thanks to the Xi Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) Inc.’s Ivy Foundation for sponsoring this occasion.  I’m sure the debutantes will remember this experience for years to come.

Check out the April 2009 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine.  An image from my portrait session with Natalynn was published as part 3 of the “Women & Money” article series.  The article begins on page 66, with the photo of Natalynn and her husband Dan appearing on page 70.  Photo credit was incorrectly given to another photographer for this image, and should read “Photograph by Benson Blake” at the bottom of page 70.  Black Enterprise Magazine is available at most Barnes & Noble and Walmart stores.

On February 7th, I traveled to Chesterfield, Virginia to photograph business-woman Natalynn Roman.  She's the president of the Strategic Leadership Development Group in Virginia, a company that provides leadership and organizational consulting services to a variety of clients.

Natalynn will be featured in the April 2009 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine, as Part 3 of a three-part "Women & Money" series.  Natalynn and her husband were both photographed together for the magazine, as well as individual headshots.  Here are a some portraits of the couple that were created that beautiful day in Chesterfield.

Congratulations to Shannon Cooper, Miss Hampton University 2008-2009.  She was crowned on October 11, 2008 and will serve as an ambassador for the University for the current academic year.  The day after the pageant, we held a portrait session in Hampton to capture some promotional images.  The 2009 “Black College Queens” issue of Ebony Magazine will feature a photo from this session.  Good luck to Shannon, as she will compete for the title of Miss Virginia in the Spring 2009 pageant.

On October 4th, I created portraits of the Toney family at their beautiful home in Haymarket, VA.  The family dog, Nikki, stepped in occasionally for her cameo appearance throughout the morning.  Thanks to my assistant Precious of Precious Perspectives for helping out with the session!

The two boys, 10 months and 3 years, were all smiles (and silly) for the camera.  Three years ago, I photographed their youngest son when he was just 8 months old.  So, this was a great way to capture both children as infants.  Here are a few of the images…