i am *so* excited to share my new travel blog BLONDEVOYAGE – which will chronicle my adventures for the next few months, while i’m based off the coast of kenya, in the village of shela, on lamu island!

i leave in just a few hours (woo!) and won’t arrive on the island until tuesday afternoon (!!), where i will be greeted with sunshine, white sails, and the gorgeous smiling faces of the people who live there! for the next three months i will have the privilege of calling this beautiful island my home…i am so looking forward to relishing in the simplicity of village life. along with photographing an amazing wedding on the island at the end of the month, im looking forward to spending the next few weeks focusing on writing (my first love) and photography (my passion) in this incredible environment. in all my travels around the world this is the *first* time i have ever returned to a place i have traveled previously! my plan is to update BLONDEVOYAGE often with news, stories, and photos — so stay tuned!

also, i *just* posted FIVE blogs from my travels to this very place earlier this year, so if you are curious as to where i’ll be, what i’ll be doing, and why i absolutely love this island so much, check it out!

enjoy!

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lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

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unkonda, thrilled to be back in shela, lamu island, kenya, laughs aboard felice.

i am so excited to announce that the above image was chosen to be included in WPOW’s annual photo exhibition “women by women.” i absolutely love this portrait (and the subject!) and i am so proud to see it on display this week in dc! unkonda is an incredible woman with an exuberant spirit and infectious energy. her magnificent laugh and broad smile are among her best features and just looking at this image makes me so happy! the photo was taken earlier this year off the coast of kenya, but unkonda is currently working with the peace corps in burkina faso. i miss her and her amazing laugh, but i am so proud of the work she is doing and count myself lucky to call her my friend.

the juried show features the work of some of dc’s most notable photographers and i am so honored to be among them! the images are on display during fotoweek at AYN studio in dc from 11/5 – 11/14, with the opening reception on tuesday november 9th. below in an excerpt from WPOW’s event page and you can read more about the show is HERE.

“In association with FotoWeekDC, WPOW: Women Photojournalists of Washington is pleased to announce the opening reception on November 9, 2010 for our annual juried photo exhibition, “Women by Women.” The event is open to the public and a silent print auction will be part of the festivities, the proceeds of which will help WPOW continue our mission to educate the public about the work of women photojournalists. All 16×20 prints will be signed by the photographer.

Images were selected by renowned jurors: New York Times photographer Ruth Fremson, Reuters photographer Larry Downing, and Aperture Books editor Denise Wolff.

The photographers featured in the exhibition are Irene Abdou, Andrea Bruce, Gabriela Bulisova, Mary F. Calvert, Michelle Frankfurter, Alexandra Garcia, Alexis Glenn, Melissa Golden, SERLI, Nikki Kahn, Yanina Manolova, Jenna Isaacson Pfueller, Astrid Riecken, Molly Riley, Jamie Rose, Erin C. Schwartz, Allison Shelley, Vanessa Vick, Sarah L. Voisin, and Jaime Windon.

The prints, which were generously donated by Nations Photo Lab, will also be presented as a national traveling photo exhibition to photojournalism schools.”

earlier this week children’s national medical center hosted a very fun event at united medical center to celebrate the new forthcoming pediatric emergency department — made possible in large part by an amazing $11 million grant from the DC government. the event was a wonderful opportunity to introduce the community to the nurses + staff, and everyone had a great time.

“it’s wise to be well” focused on educating parents through information on children’s health, from identifying flu symptoms and ear infections, to basic injury prevention, healthy eating + exercise practices, as well as free car seat checks! the tents were set up in the hospital parking lot, alongside the community farmers’ market, complete with balloons, awesome music, snacks, great give-a-aways, and face painting for the kids! as always, i had a great time documenting another fabulously fun event for children’s national medical center – enjoy!

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peace + love in shela — lamu island, kenya.

it’s been a very busy few months since i returned from kenya — i’ve photographed lots of amazing weddings, sessions, and events! by now everyone knows that my all-out photo marathons always give way to long trips!

i’m actually editing images from shela at 30,000 ft while en route to vancouver island for the next few weeks to unwind and explore! i plan on kayaking with orcas, camping with bears, fishing from helicopters, boarding my first seaplane, driving the logging roads and hiking the rugged coast!

photos from kenya + vancouver island to come in august when i return!

ciao!

for the 3rd year in a row, i was honored to photograph the national marine sanctuary foundation leadership awards dinner at the famed ronald reagan building + international trade center in DC. the event, held annually during capitol hill ocean week, honors top leaders in marine conservation and draws the most notable oceanographers, explorers and activists in the field.

master of ceremonies boyd matson of national geographic fame, once again entertained guests and introduced speakers dr. jane lubchenco, jason patlis, dan basta, jean-michel cousteau + bob talbot – all of whom reflected on issues related to the current state of our oceans, especially in light of the recent and devastating oil spill in the gulf.

this year’s award recipients were as impressive as ever - congresswoman lois capps + congresswoman ileana ros-lehtinen, co-chairs of the national marine sanctuary caucus, received the 2010 leadership award in recognition of their support of the national marine sanctuaries. julie packard, executive director of the monterey bay aquarium, was honored with this year’s lifetime achievement award for her commitment to ocean sustainability + leadership in marine conservation over the past three decades. and steve kroll, from the thunder bay national marine sanctuary, was named national volunteer of the year.

additionally, the evening celebrated the 10th anniversary of the national marine sanctuary foundation as well as the 100th anniversary of jacques-yves cousteau‘s birth – with special presentations by the cousteau family + a “red-cap” tribute to the amazing french captain, naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher of the underwater world!

for more about the leadership awards dinner, capitol hill ocean week, and the national marine sanctuary, visit their website, follow them on twitter or become a fan on facebook!

“her deepness” dr. sylvia earle.

director of NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries systems, dan basta.

national marine sanctuary foundation president, jason patlis.

jan + philippe cousteau, jr.

my first crocheted cumberbund!

leadership award recipients congresswoman lois capps + ileana ros-lehtinen.

julie packard accepting her lifetime achievement award from jason patlis.

boyd matson + dr. jane lubchenco.

jean-michel cousteau.

the amazing nominees for volunteer of the year.

signed copy of jacques-yves cousteau’s the silent world.

joe robert accepts the key to the city from mayor adrian fenty :: children’s national medical center – washington, dc.

charlene osborne, bawlmer’s best hon 2009  :: about faces day spa – towson, md.

baltimore’s best hon 2009 is hoping to snag the title of best new author in 2010! i was very excited to see the fabulous charlene last week and photograph her in all her hon glory for her upcoming book, due out in time for this year’s honfest! based on her life and experiences as a hon, the book features her writing along with stunning images from the year’s highlights, taken by her favorite photographers. i’m honored to be among the list – getting to know charlene has been a wonderful delight. she is an amazing & effervescent person and it’s a thrill simply being around her. i can say with conviction that she has truly embraced her hon character and represented baltimore to the fullest this last year and i can’t wait to see & read her book!

congratulations charlene!

10am = 22+ inches and falling!

the big pink bird once again adorns the exterior of the beloved cafe hon.

last night i attended the awesome pink flamingo re-release at cafe hon in hampden, one of my favorite baltimore neighborhoods! after much controversy, the iconic pink bird was re-affixed to the cafe’s facade, after a short-lived hiatus, looking more fabulous than ever! cafe hon owner denise whiting welcomed the crowd – a sea of excited faces draped in pink boas and waving plastic pink flamingoes – and led everyone in the pledge of allegiance and the flamingo dance! whiting then introduced mayor sheila dixon who did the honors – tugging on a feathered boa which dropped the large tarp and unveiled the shiny new bird. the ever-amazing charlene osborne – baltimore’s best hon 2009 – was present in all her hon glory, posing for her adoring fans and spreading her fantastic energy.

it was a hontastic celebration and media frenzy and i loved being a part of it! oh yeah, and afterwards john waters gave me a hug outside of rocket to venus. it doesn’t get any more bawlmer than that, hon.

enjoy!

flamingo power. like flower power, but pinker. and more radical.

baltimore’s best hon 2009 charlene osborne with the little hampden hons!

cafe hon owner denise whiting welcomed the crowd.

baltimore’s best hon 2009 charlene osborne does the flamingo dance!

…and cafe hon owner denise whiting joins in!

baltimore mayor sheila dixon spoke about the importance of supporting local businesses.

mayor dixon did the honors!

i *love* little hons!

mayor dixon posed for photos! while wearing a pink boa!

baltimore’s best hon 2009 charlene osborne with the newly unveiled flamingo!

denise whiting: mission accomplished!

the uber-fabulous new canton car wash recently ordered four HUGE canvas wraps for their swanky lobby! 

at 24×36 the vibrant images look amazing printed on heavy canvas and stretched over 1.5 inch wooden frames. you might recognize the photos from the dc auto show that i photographed earlier this year. the owners selected my favorite images and they truly compliment the decor in the lobby perfectly. i was thrilled to hear that so many customers have already remarked on how much they love the new artistic addition! i’m planning to do more canvases for CCW, i’m thinking b+w scenes of baltimore city perhaps…enjoy!

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canton car wash: now open!

the dc auto show.