Andy Thacker

This is a promo shot I did for my friend Andy Thacker. He's one of the best mandolin and guitar players you'll ever hear. This shot features him sporting his John Hamlett #6 "F" style mandolin.

Frozen Charlottesville

I shot this on a cold, frozen day on our downtown Mall. It was on the tail end of a huge storm that left the city virtually frozen over after a very wet snowfall. This year's snow (and at the time I'm writing this it's only early Feb) set a new record for snowfall in Charlottesville, surpassing the totals from 1996.

On Frozen Pond

A Winter's dusk creeps up on a frozen pond outside of Nellysford, Virginia.

Stoney Creek Winter

I love photographing rivers and streams; and using long exposures to accent the flowing water. I shot this in Stoney Creek, the day after Virginia's second relatively large (for us anyway) snowstorm of the season. My toes are just now thawing out after standing in the water long enough to get this shot.

2009 in Photos

For me, 2009 was a year of learning. Lots of learning. Real-world learning. And one of the things I've learned is that, as a photographer, you can really see the world different. It's as if you have a second set of eyes. And you also learn something new just about every time you pick up your camera. You can discover just how amazing the world can be when you actually learn to see and not just look. And this past year, I saw a lot. People, places, animals, events and many unforgettable moments that I tried to freeze in time with my camera. Below are 25 of my personal favorite shots from 2009 . A year that will I will forever remember as my first year "out there" in the real world, shuttering as a pro. (Just keep clicking "older posts" and it will take you through all of them, including a very short wedding slideshow if you're so inclined.)

A Cover Shot for Nelson County Life

Well, the year got off to great start when my friends Tommy & Yvette Stafford at Nelson Life surprised me with this cover shot for the January edition of the magazine. It was the first story I shot for them and it was about John Hamlett (http://www.hamlettinstruments.com/) the Nelson County luthier who makes beautiful instruments, including my own mandolin. (January 2009 edition of NCL).

The Pickin' Shack

A band "promo" shot. Although I realize this one includes me. It's amazing the things one can do with a ten second timer and a tripod. February 2009.