Several months back, my friend Hannah asked if we would photograph her family portraits.  I was thrilled to accept the invitation, as I had been praying for her baby, Samuel Hilmar von Campe.  While in the womb, Samuel developed a rare condition in which some vital organs, including his heart, developed outside of his body.

Doctors told Hannah he would only live a few hours after delivery.  Her faith remained unshakable.  She was determined to see her baby live and thrive.  After months of endless prayers, tough medical decisions, and surgeries, Samuel did indeed live, and is, in fact, thriving. He remained in the hospital nearly a year.  To celebrate his homecoming, Hannah set up our photo shoot, which would also include her husband Stefan, and his parents, Hilmar and Dina von Campe.

On Hannah’s picture day, Paul and I were pretty exhausted, as we just returned from photographing a destination wedding.  As we drove to the photo shoot location in Norfolk, Va., we lamented scheduling with Hannah so soon after such a big project.  But, Stefan’s parents were expected to travel to Georgia the following day, and we didn’t want to miss the chance to create great pictures for this family.

We were quickly energized once we arrived and met Hilmar and Dina.  In particular, Hilmar instantly captured our imagination.  As we learned, he was a renowned author, speaker, and founder of the Institute for Truth and Freedom — a pro-democracy non-profit organization dedicated to education and advocacy.

His biography is nothing short of fascinating: “Hilmar von Campe was listed in the 1992 “International Who’s Who of Intellectuals.” He is the author of four books, and WW2 veteran in the German Army as well as a former prisoner of war in Yugoslavia who staged a daring escape in 1945, crossing seven borders to freedom.”

“He lived through the years of Nazi power and brain-washing in Germany as a child and then as a soldier.  After the war, he learned about the Holocaust and the Nazi atrocities and had to come to grips with the reasons how something like that could happen. He also had to deal with his own moral responsibility for them.”

“The destruction of Germany, the loss of his father in a Soviet concentration camp and of his elder brother who fell in Russia, and the expulsion from their home in Eastern Europe, had a profound impact on his life.” (http://www.voncampe.com/)

As Paul and I got to know Hilmar, it was his kindness, humility, warmth, and passion for freedom that was most evident.  If not for the constraints of time, I would have loved to retire our cameras, sit at his feet, and listen to his life’s stories.

As it was, we had a job to do, and so we proceeded with our picture taking.  Among other photos, we staged the family laying their hands on Samuel in prayer; three generations of von Campe men; and captured candids of the family enjoying the springtime sun.

We concluded our photo shoot feeling grateful for the opportunity and glad we pushed through our post-travel fatigue to make it happen.

Within about a week of taking these portraits, we received notice that Hilmar had a stroke, despite his otherwise good health.  Within a few days of being hospitalized, he passed away.  After absorbing the news, Paul and I realized the rare opportunity we had to meet Mr. von Campe and to take what were likely the final photographs of his life.

We were able to witness a time in which Hilmar von Campe — a man whose life was wrought with hardship — shared joyfully with his family.  And, those moments were all the sweeter as he held his year-old grandson, who was never expected to live beyond a week.

To view more pictures from this photo shoot, visit McLeod House Studios on Facebook.

To learn more about Hilmar von Campe and the Institute for Truth and Freedom visit www.voncampe.com.

To help support Stefan, Hannah and Samuel, visit www.gofundme.com/baby-samuel.

Recently, McLeod House Studios photographed Stephen and Lauren at historic Stock’s Manor in Mechanicsburg, Pa.  To read about the experience, check out our previously posted Dr. Photo Blog.

Stephen and Lauren's wedding details.

We capture the couple sharing a kiss in front of a blooming springtime dogwood tree.

We capture a variety of poses of the bride, including this close-up and shot of Lauren at a medium distance.

In post-production, we turned this photo of the groomsen into a timeless black and white.

Lauren and her eight bridesmaids pose in the dining room at Stock's Manor.

Classic red played a central role in the bouquet, boutonniere, cake decorations, and applied to Lauren's lip.

The couple alongside a front view of historic Stock's Manor.

Lauren is positioned on the Manor's limestone porch stairs while we photograph her from above.

Lauren stands on the interior stairs while we photograph her from below.

Lauren poses in the entryway of Stocks' Manor while we photograph her from the interior.

Lauren poses in the entryway of Stock's Manor, enabling us to capture the interior lights.

Porch lights and interior lights glow in the background while sun sets over the couple.

A distance and close-up shot of their champagne toast.

Capturing sweet moments between the couple.

The couple embracing in front of historic Stock's Manor as evening falls.

Beyond Picturesque: Finding Visual Contrast in Wedding Photography

The wedding of Stephen and Lauren Maniscalco took place at historic Stock’s Manor in Mechanicsburg, Pa.  The 7,000 square-foot limestone mansion, formerly named the Pennington Farm, is nothing short of picturesque.  Built in 1786, the 7,000 square foot private residence features seven fireplaces, two formal dining rooms, and an intimate bar that overlooks the Pennsylvania countryside.

The obvious attributes of the mansion would inspire most photographers, but the areas of contrast we identified enabled us to create unexpected images bearing greater interest and dimension.

First, we identified a location that allowed for contrasting layers.  We posed the couple on the porch stairs, then positioned the camera at a distance and shot with our telephoto lens.  From this perspective, we were able to capture the foundation of the limestone porch, then the couple, and finally, our backdrop, which was a flowering dogwood bearing pink blooms.

The contrasting materials – especially between the organic, soft flowers and the inorganic limestone – hard, muted, and gray – yielded visual interest beyond the bride and groom.

Photographing in Pennsylvania in early spring provided visual contrast inherent within the season.  While the first location included a dogwood in bloom, the next featured barren trees, which stood in contrast to the bride and groom in their wedding attire.  Conceptually, contrast also existed between the trees, still lying dormant from the winter season, and the vibrant young couple just entering a new season of their lives together.

Finally, a theme of contrast related to time – from past to future was profoundly present – especially for the groom – who lost his dad to leukemia several years ago.  Stephen’s dad, Sal, was beloved by many and at the start of the ceremony a moment of silence was taken in his memory.  Sal was a talented saxophonist, who for several years was a member of the New Society Orchestra, performing at weddings and special events.

For a photographer, getting to know the personal story of our clients can make a huge difference in what we capture.  Sal’s saxophone stood on display in the central dining room at Stock’s Manor.  Because we knew the saxophone represented Sal’s enduring legacy, we ensured it played a central role in our pictures.

Sal’s saxophone represented many things to different people, but in keeping with our theme of contrast from past to future, it might recall memories of Sal raising Stephen, no doubt equipping him for his future role as husband to Lauren.

The obvious beauty of the couple, the venue, the details, and a day worth celebrating all served as sources of inspiration for McLeod House Studios photographers, and the visual contrast we identified helped move our images beyond picturesque to photos with added interest and dimension.

For more from this wedding, see the album Lovely Lauren at McLeod House Studios on Facebook.

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