Pardon the dust

Hello! And thanks for dropping by the blog! Not sure if you dropped in via my official .com (andreareamphotography.com) or if you just happened by.

I'm just renovating and redecorating around these parts so please be patient with me while I work out all of the glitches and bugs. Please feel free to bookmark this page so that you can keep up with my happenings and doings! And if you'll excuse me, I gotta get back to work making sense of the mess...

Doors and Windows

People who know me best will tell you that I'm always doing something else other than what it might appear that I'm doing - ALWAYS. Perhaps it's because I'm a very creatively charged individual but I don't know. I was once described as being an illustration of raw energy. I guess I could agree that I'm a bit of a live wire at times but I think it's more that I have a natural tendency to just go constantly and in multiple directions at once. But as it happens, operating like that doesn't always work out so well and even on the 7th day God himself took a rest!

The time has come for me to take another self-imposed sabbatical. No... it's not like the last one that happened because of my joining the ranks of motherhood - this time it's because I'm prepping myself for my next great creative ventures. That's right! If you didn't catch that I indicated that it was more than one direction that I was going in (as always). There was an 's' on the end of that!

I'm not sure how much photography that I'm going to be doing other than personal work but I'll try to post at least some of what I turn out from that. I've still got one more major job on the books that I will close out within the month but other than that? I'm free to answer to whatever God is calling me to do. I'll do my best to keep you all in the loop of the next big things to come. Until then.... here's another door closed and the next window being opened...

Baby Vincent :: Pittsburgh Infant Photographer

Do you remember Heather - one of the cutest pregnant ladies in the world???

Well... GUESS WHAT! She's now got one of the cutest newborn BABIES in the world!!!

He's too precious for words if you ask me. I mean just LOOK at him!


Welcome to the world, baby Vincent! And congratulations and welcome to the ranks of motherhood, Heather!

I *heart* DC!

I'm ashamed to admit it but lately I've taken for granted how close I live to our nation's capitol. Hard to believe this has happened since just a couple of years ago, you could find me wandering about the city every free moment I had! It's not that I don't love DC but I think it's more that I've not had the time that I used to to devote to what I affectionately called "adventuring" about it.

This week is spring break for me and though I should have spent the most of today holed up inside and chained to my computer finalizing some of my latest jobs, I forced myself to get up and get out of the house because honestly? All I ever do is work. Ask anyone.

Today my husband and I took our daughter for her first day of DC adventuring and though we never made it as far as the cherry blossoms (our original destination) we had a grand ol' time riding the metro, visiting some of our favorite museums, teaching her the appreciation of urban landscapes, and eating at one of my favorite DC restaurants, Teaism.

There's absolutely no place like home - especially when your home is DC!

Attached at the hip

These days it's just about impossible for me to get things done. Why? Well, here's why...

(Self-portrait of myself with my daughter)

My little one wants to be attached on my person as much as possible. But how can I say say no to a face like this anyway?



See? Now you see my dilemma. It's a no-brainer if you ask me.

Standby for album redesigns, drafts, and backlogged blog postings of "All Shook Up!" I'm working on re-learning the art of multi-tasking. It's amazing how much more challenging it becomes when you revert to becoming two people and not just one.

Eight days a week

I owe you all pictures of "All Shook Up" after posting those teasers. I'm sorry that I've not done it yet!!! The problem is that I don't seem to have enough time in my life to do all of the things that I need to/want to do. The most of my time has been sucked up designing albums for clients and right now I've got TWO going on - a coffee-table style one for a wedding with over 300 images and a flush mount style one for a bat mitzvah (see below for a rough layout of one of 20 spreads). Many photographers outsource their album designing to others but I do it all myself - the graphic design, the layout, EVERYthing!!!


And in addition to all of that, I've got my normal everyday things that just can't be neglected OR shelved in any way but it's not like I would want to do that anyway because when it all comes down to it, I would ditch out on everything for her anyway. (Sorry, world! Being a mommy is more important to me than anything ever!!!)

*sigh*

My little girl is going to be nine months old in just about a week!!! Where has the time gone?! Oh yeah - album designing!

Seriously... a photographers work is NEVER done.

All Shook Up! :: Community Outreach Photogapher

I'm not a novice anymore but I'll tell you, there's nothing like the challenges of theater lighting to make a pro feel like they are back to square one! Low lighting is one thing but low lighting that quickly changes to bright lighting and then changes color and THEN back to low lighting again? Whoa! WHOA!!! That is the only way to put it. Here is a sampling of what I did tonight - it was the LAST dress rehearsal before the show opens tomorrow night!




It's too late for me to post anymore than a few teasers but I don't want to ruin the show for you (if you're going and you really SHOULD go because it's going to be A-MA-ZING!) anyway. A photographer I am, but a talented actor like all of those in All Shook Up? I SO am not! Go see the show. Seriously! You don't want to miss it!

Heather is expecting! :: Grove City Maternity Portrait Photographer

eather is due in a little more than a month and a half and she is seriously the most adorable pregnant lady I have ever seen. She's got the pregnancy glow down pat and shooting her maternity portraits yesterday was just way too much fun. I think maternity portraits are becoming my new favorite thing to do!








Congratulations, Heather! I know you're going to be a fantastic mom!!!

All Shook Up! :: Community Outreach Photogapher

If there is one thing I like other than photography, it's a musical theater! I've always been a fan of music and I try to go to get to the theater AT LEAST once a year. But for as much as I like them, you will never catch me on stage performing. I've just always been one of the ones that prefers to remain behind the scenes - but, usually, more likely behind the CAMERA!

This past week I had the extreme pleasure to do some community outreach at a local high school. Their chorus is preparing for their upcoming musical production and this year it's a show that combines Elvis Presley with Shakespeare called "All Shook Up"!

The young ladies and gentlemen that have been cast are extraordinarily talented and I bet it's only a matter of time before you see many of their faces (and HEAR many of their voices) in some of the top ranking theaters in the country. I was so honored to be able to provide everyone with headshots for their printed program and I can't wait to return in a couple of weeks, when the set and costumes are closer to being finished, to do some candids!

Baby Carson :: Baltimore Newborn Photographer

Last evening I got a surprise text message from one of my best friends in the world. She had just delivered her beautiful son, Carson, almost a full week early!!!

Today I was able to steal some time away to drive over and visit them both in Baltimore. When I wasn't snapping pictures of the baby, I was lucky enough to hold him! He's certainly a sight to behold and quite the handsome little gentleman as you can see from the pictures.








Congratulations Lisa, Shaun, and big brother "Naters"!! And welcome to the world, beautiful baby Carson!!!

DO judge a book by its cover!

The creation of a wedding album is a creatively exhaustive and tedious process IF you do it right! A wedding album should never be just a photo album. It should have the ability to take you back to your wedding day with all of the anticipation, excitement, and bliss that comes with that magical day where you merge your life with your beloved's.

The cover of your album is one of the most important elements of your book. Why? Because it should provide a sampling of the beautiful imagery that's inside. Would you be compelled to open this album?

Yvonne and Chris's album is my current album design project! Not a bad "Once upon a time" for a wedding story, eh?

Michal + Adam :: Pikesville Jewish Orthodox Wedding Photographer

Have you ever experienced a Jewish Orthodox wedding? It's fast becoming one of my specialties and I can honestly tell you that I can't get enough of them!

Michal and Adam were married at Beth Tfiloh just outside of Baltimore in Pikesville. The sanctuary was an absolutely breathtaking feat of architecture and interior design and was easily the most beautiful venue I've ever photographed. How blessed Michal and Adam are to be able to take their vows and, essentially, start their life together in such an extraordinary place! The evening ended in grand style with Michal and Adam dancing amongst circles upon circles of their family and loved ones.







Thank you and MAZEL TOV, Michal and Adam! It was both a pleasure and an honor to be a part of your beautiful beginning together.

[Teaser] "With this ring... I thee wed... :: Kent Island Wedding Photographer

I'm still working on Yvonne and Chris's pictures but this is one of my favorites so far that I thought I'd share. They are very committed to their faith and I shot their rings on an open bible while Yvonne was getting herself ready before heading to the church...

The Arvais :: Southern Maryland Family Portrait Photographer

The Arvais and I have known each other for almost... 15 years now? (I just had to sit here and figure it out!) I met them when I was in middle school as they had just moved to town and I became fast friends with their daughter. They moved around a couple of years later but we've all been able to keep in touch no matter the distance. Old friendships like theirs are my favorites!

Mrs. Arvai's Christmas present this year was a family portrait session. I was lucky enough to be tapped to do the honors. We all had a great time today - catching up and reminscing - while I shot their portraits and even the dogs were able to make an impromptu appearance in some fun shots I got right at the end of their session! Some of the best (and most fun!) pictures always seem to turn out unplanned like that.