They grow up too fast...

...it's the common lament of us parents watching our little ones mature and sometimes wishing they'd stay little forever =-) Best to capture those fleeting moments whilst you can!

I don't know which I like better, the beautiful stands of hair that gleam even in black & white or the gold leaves that granted a perfect "pow" to Lauren's session. The collage was a custom creation, made to blend perfectly with the room it will be displayed in.

Golden Parishioners of St. George

It was good to see so many smiles and good cheer a few weeks ago at the Golden Parishioners Luncheon at St. George. These dear folks are our friends and mentors; we all have so much to learn from them. What a privilege to photograph a luncheon in their honor and meet their families. See more previews from their luncheon.

Note Cards Now Available!

Over the years, on occasion, I have gifted clients with a little note card with their order. To my surprise, the little cards became quite popular! And especially for those now living outside of West Virginia. I suppose the natural beauty and wonder of our state lives long in the heart of natives.

I haven't sold the cards as a boxed set since my early days with Natural Elements Photography (prior to 2003) when I frequented Art Fairs. Now I am making them available through my new online store and plan to add many more! So, thanks for your support and encouragement to make these available to a wider audience.

Fall Family Session

What a blustery, but fun & colorful afternoon we had!

This is a family session shot on location in Fayetteville, WV on one of those very cool autumn afternoons.

One of the best things about photographing children in the great outdoors is that I'm able to capture them exploring their world...I love that!

Family sessions always include many individual shots of each child as well as the family group.

Thanks for the opportunity to photograph such an awesome family! See more from their session.

Senior Photos

See, this is why I love photography... being outdoors, enjoying the cool autumn air at familiar locales- not to mention the fun in working with great people. The scenic areas around Gauley Bridge, WV provide an ideal setting for those who love outdoor activities.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation, Mason!

Congratulations to Karen & Jim

What a lovely couple! Thank you for the opportunity to serve your family on your wedding day. It has been a pleasure getting to know Karen & Jim and I especially loved the opportunity to make photographs in the scenic garden at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. The music provided by their family & friends was such a delightful touch.

May God grant you many joyful years!

Justin & Tara

Congratulations to Justin & Tara on their most excellent wedding celebration! Thank you for being such a pleasure to work with and for asking Natural Elements Photography to document this blessed day.

I especially enjoyed making the fun images and hearing everyone chuckle. And this candid moment, posted below, just after your ceremony is one of my favorites.

GBHS Reunion

I recently had the pleasure of photographing the Gauley Bridge High School Class of ’64. What a fun group! What an honor to be invited back to document moments from their 45th year reunion. This is one of the pages from a Memory Booklet I designed for them:

See more photos from their reunion.

Bridal Session

What a delight to photograph Tara’s Bridal Session in Charleston at the state capital. This is one of my favorite places to shoot because I love the combination of stately architecture with the grace and beauty of a bride. I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from this session.

Wedding images coming soon!

Treworlas Farm

Isn't he the cutest fuzzball you've ever seen?  

What fun to spend time at Treworlas Farm, located in Fayetteville, WV recently to capture some images of the new arrivals.   Located just miles from the New River Gorge Bridge, Treworlas Farm is home to a variety of well-bred animals.    

It's always a treat to watch the foals play and check out their new surroundings!

Natural Elements Photography specializes in offering personal as well as commercial images to promote your farm, breeding program or other equine venue.

Fare Thee Well, Friends

What a distinct pleasure to photograph a family that has become very special to me over the past two years.   It is with a sad, yet grateful heart that I bid them farewell.  Sad because I will miss visiting with them each Sunday and learning so much from Fr. Andrew’s lectures and sermons.   Grateful because they have a beautiful new chapter in life to embark upon and their positive influence will resound in our parish and in my personal life for a very long time.

I enjoyed spending this evening with them and, in particular, watching their little one chase bubbles.  To me, this photo illustrates pure joy and wonder.  

May God continue His bountiful blessings in your lives!

Tara & Justin

Congratulations to Tara & Justin on their engagement and upcoming wedding!   It was such an enjoyable evening we spent together at locations around Gauley Bridge and Ansted for their engagement session.  It's easy to see their love for one another and I appreciate the honor of making photographs for them at this time in their lives.    You are beautiful people!

Happy Birthday Irene!

I was honored recently to be asked to photograph a surprise celebration for a dear lady at our church.   Irene and her husband, Harvey, were two of the first people I met at St. George about 5 years ago.  Their 

warmth and kindness gave me a beautiful image of the church as a whole and they’ll always have a special place in my heart because of it.

It was a pleasure to capture these moments from your special day, Irene; may God grant you many years!

Kamikaze Shoot!

Thanks to Michelle Waters, I was able to participate in our area's first "kamikaze" photo shoot. What fun!  About 15 of us photographers went to Wine Cellar Park in Dunbar last Saturday evening to photograph 6 lovely models.    It was time well spent socializing with my pals,  sharing ideas, trading tips and posing techniques, etc.    It reminded me of how good it is to get 'outside the box' and see subjects from another photographer's viewpoint.  

Kudos to our beautiful and PATIENT models!  I'm sure they were exhausted after nearly 3 1/2 hours of shooting, but they all seemed good natured about it and even said they would do it again =')

Women's Tea & Talk

Much to my surprise, I was recently invited by the UKV Chamber of Commerce to speak at the Women's Tea and Talk on March 31st in honor of Women's History Month.  If you are a local gal and interested in good chat and hot beverages, come and join us!   

Where:  Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Education Bldg., 708 First Ave. Montgomery

When:  March 31st from 3 ~ 5 pm

  $5.00 admission will include door prizes.

*Teacup clipart by Clipart Guide

A new space

Thanks for stopping by!

Because of a few technical glitches, I've decided to move my blog to this new space.  

Keep watch as I put my creative stamp on this place and bring you the latest from Natural Elements Photography ;-)

And, as always, thanks to the beautiful souls who make my work a pleasure!