An evening of Wine, Women and Song

The girls on the boudoir team are excited - we've got our stuff on display!

At the Wine Bin in Historic Ellicott City, that is.

All of October, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, balance boudoir is working with the good folks at the Wine Bin to raise money for SOS ~ Survivors Offering Support.

SOS is an all volunteer organization of Breast Cancer survivors who have dedicated a portion of their time to help recently diagnosed women through the ordeal of treatment and recovery. Each volunteer/mentor must complete a four step training process that begins at the hospital where doctors brief them on treatment options and the pathology of the disease. In addition, volunteers/mentors are required to obtain two releases from doctors stating they are emotionally prepared to support a newly diagnosed patient. The local SOS organization supports Howard County General Hospital (HCGH), The Center for Breast Care and the dedicated and gifted doctors and nurses who practice there. Each year more than 125 women undergo breast cancer surgery at HCGH. This program is supported by a grant from the Susan G. Komen Maryland Affiliate.

balance is proud to be donating a boudoir shoot to this important cause. Stop by the Wine Bin and make a bid in our silent auction for the shoot - you'll get the complete treatment: hair, make-up, pampering -as well as gorgeous, sexy rock star photo

s of yourself! And the entire amount raised will go to SOS! This is a shoot normally sold for $285.00 - and SOS will do a lot of good for women in need with those funds.

The Wine Bin will host Rissa and the rest of the team, including Ashley Riddle and the girls from Up Do's for I Do's on Thursday October 29th from 6p.m. to 8p.m. at an Artist's Reception. So stop by, meet the photographer - as well as the hair and makeup artists that will make you into a supermodel at your shoot. We're rarely together outside of shoots & weddings, so this is going to be a fun night - especially with wine involved!

Oh - there's more too!

Classical guitarist Christopher Dunn will be performing live all evening. Parfections Chocolatier will be showing off their new line of sensuous truffles (run, don't walk!); and the Wine Bin will also be hosting a "Meet the Wine Maker" event that night with Spencer Graham of Elizabeth Spencer Wines, who will be tasting through his Napa Valley Wines and signing bottles.

This is one Thursday night you will not want to miss. Who can resist an evening of Wine, Women and Song?

Make the scene! The Wine Bin is housed in the historic firehouse built in 1930 at 8390 Main Street, Historic Ellicott City, Maryland 21043. Free parking is available adjacent to the building and there is plenty of on-street parking as well. Oh - and the Wine Bin itself is incredible - they have about 500 different bottles on site, including organic wines. They have 200 wines under $20 and are featuring two bottles this month that directly support breast cancer research!

Bid early and often on the shoot for SOS - and we'll see you there!

~Rissa

We still get around...

It's been awhile since we've updated the list of wedding and event venues we have worked at in the Baltimore/DC area and I figured it was time to give it a refresher. We've added over a dozen new venues in the local vicinity, as well as several new states and countries in the destination category. But that's a story for another time.

Lots of brides ask us if we've been to their venue. Well, we've worked at about 65 locally, not including the events we've done at clients' homes or farms, or the events held in other areas. If you don't see your mansion or ballroom on this list, not to worry ~ we're always excited to explore a new place! After all, we hadn't worked at all these venues when we started, and now we've been back to some many times!!

And without further delay... the venues:

Arts Club (DC)
Baltimore Museum of Industry
Baltimore Hebrew Congregation
Baltimore Waterfront Marriott
Belvedere Hotel
Black Rock Center for the Arts
Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast (VA)

Carlylse Hotel (DC)
Ceresville Mansion
Centennial Park

Chanteclaire Farm
Chase Court
Chesapeake Bay Beach Club (all rooms)
Chesapeake Bay Beach Resort
Christian Clay Winery (PA)
Clearview at Horn's Point Country Club
Cloisters
Country Club of York (PA)
Elkridge Furnace Inn

Evergreen House
Engineers Club
Founders Inn (VA)
The Gathering Place

Glen Echo Park
Gramercy Mansion
Grey Rock Mansion
Harbor Court Hotel
Hay-Adams Hotel (DC)

Herrington on the Bay
Historic Oakland Mansion
Hunt Valley Golf Club
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
Inn at Roop's Mill

Josephine Butler Parks Mansion/Merdian Hill Park (DC)

Loews Annapolis Hotel
MICA/Main Building
Matthews 1600
Montpelier Mansion

Mt. Airy Mansion
Mt. De Sales Academy
Nassau Valley Winery (DE)
Naval Academy

National Press Club (DC)

Newton White Mansion
North Point Park/Trolley Station
Officer's Club/Ft. McNair (DC)
Old Stone Mill Inn (PA)

Overhills Mansion
Phoenix Park Hotel (DC)
Pier 5
Piney Run Park

Rolling Road Golf Club

Savage Mill/Mansion

Sheraton/Columbia Town Center

St. Regis Hotel (DC)
Stonewall Golf Club (VA)
Stronghold Mansion/Sugarloaf
Tabard Inn (DC)
Ten Oaks Ballroom
University of Maryland
Watermark Yachts
WISP
Windows on the Bay
World Trade Center/Inner Harbor
Yorktowne Hotel (PA)

Told ya. We get around.

~ Rissa

Midnight in the Garden of Rissa & Nathaniel

Working extremely long hours is not unusual around here. We spend hours & hours doing Photoshop work for clients, creating albums and books, answering emails and more at the office. Leaving at midnight (or later!) to go home is common.

Last night we were coming in the front door from another late night of work and noticed that several of our outdoor lights had burned out at the same time ~ leaving only one bulb lit. At first it was like "Geez, all at once?" But what magic... That single light illuminated Nathaniel's flower garden in a way I had never seen when all the lights were filling the air. It was a dreamscape.


The daffodils, tulips, bleeding hearts, azaleas and ranunculus transformed into sensual works of modern art in the dim light. Their structure, their grace was balanced beautifully with the darkness. Hints of blossoming color cloaked in the depth of midnight.


Like the eccentric I am, I sat up a camera on timer release - first propped on a trash can, then more successfully (and safely) on Nathaniel's tripod. It only occurred to me about 15 minutes into shooting that this was an unusual time for pictures. Wonder what the neighbors thought of the midnight photo shoot going on in the front yard.


In the end tho, I honestly don't care if the folks on my block think I am a little unusual. I got an incredible show ~ nature at her finest. You just never know what ethereal secrets may unfold before you, or what the darkness might reveal.

~ Rissa

Need a Wedding Photographer?

If that's an affirmative - we're glad to help!

But you can't visit our wedding-website right now. We plan to be back online soon, so till then, feel free to browse balance's other portfolios and check out the wedding pix we have on our Flickr account!

Gracias ~
Rissa

Notes from one of our Beauties...

And now... a blog from one of our boudoir clients!

I remember when I first came across the Balance Boudoir website and thought to myself, "This is perfect!" What better gift to give your man than a book full of beautiful photos! Once I met Rissa, I felt totally comfortable and trusted she would make the experience exactly what I wanted. Obviously I had a lot of work to do, so I planned my boudoir shoot for about 3 months after the consultation. I planned on doing 3 different looks for approximately 2-3 hours.

Besides being nervous, I was completely obsessed with how my body would look in pictures like these. I am your average girl with those "certain areas" I don't love so much. I really put myself in gear by working out 4-5 days a week, keeping up with my hair & nails and tanning. 

An extra boost was a Body Lift wrap I got the Friday before the shoot at Wraptured which helped me tighten up & tone all over. It really made a difference! Then morning of the shoot, I made sure to shave extremely well and lotion up - I was so excited, the day had arrived!

My excuse for my fiance was that I was participating in a walk-a-thon (which by the way, works like a charm!) So I planned my shoot for a Sunday morning and he didn't suspect a thing. I have to admit my stomach was in my throat. It took me pretty much the whole first look to begin feeling comfortable. But Rissa & Ashley (Up Do's for I Do's) were so down to earth and we just talked and laughed the whole time. They really helped pose me and direct me in what would look best, because I had no clue whatsoever! I did the shoot at Rissa's place & you'd never know it from the photos. She really came up with unique ideas and poses and made sure I was comfortable. It was so much fun and before I knew it, I was done!

When I saw the pictures, I couldn't believe it. Really could not believe it! I couldn't even believe that it was me. They were absolutely amazing and all my worrying & hard work had paid off.

My advice to any girl considering this is:
#1 - DO IT!! If you're nervous, self-conscious, unsure... Trust me. It's totally worth it.
#2 - Do what you can. Obviously you want to look your best for a shoot like this, but don't kill yourself. Just make sure you take care of your body inside and out. 
#3 - Try to loosen up. I wish I would have been a little less nervous, because I felt so stiff at the beginning. Just remember it's normal to feel nervous but trust Rissa & the girls to help you pose in positions that make you look GREAT!
And lastly #4 - just think of how much your fiance/husband/boyfriend will LOVE this gift! There is nothing he would like more, I am pretty sure about that. It's a special experience that he will love and it will boost your confidence in the process.

I could not be more satisfied with this experience. From the hair & makeup to the comforting support throughout the shoot up until the final product, it was so much fun and so worth the time & money. 

Believe that you are beautiful and definitely put a Balance Boudoir photo shoot at the top of your 'To Do' list!! 

Thank you so much!! 

~DP

Tasty Catonsville

So, for the past several years, I’ve been juggling around the idea of  “what do I want to do when I grow up,” meaning what category of photography am I most interested in turning into a career after college? For years, “photography” is as far as I got. I eventually had my sights set on doing  newspaper photojournalism. THEN, I met Rissa and Nathaniel, and documentary wedding photography, a type of photojournalism that was strange and new, yet  fascinating to me, came into the picture.

Now I’ve worked with balance photography for over a year, and I’ve assisted “I don’t even know how many”  weddings, but I would have never guessed my sweet tooth would guide me on my career path. Funny enough, weddings brought me to wedding cake, which brought me to food photography, the category I love best so far in the world of photography.

 The Candlelight Inn

Knowing where my enthusiasm lays, food, Rissa and Nathaniel have been amazing enough to grant me as many opportunities in photographing cakes and entrees at weddings as possible. And this past February, they gave me another chance to practice my passion.

The Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce (GCCC) asked balance to do the photography for  the upcoming Taste of Catonsville event. To prepare for this event, it was necessary to get photographs of all the restaurants and an entrée they’d want to “show off” for various areas of advertising. So, one night after work, they sat down to tell me they’d like me to organize and photograph the first set of restaurants, which added up to 15 restaurants! It literally took my breath away.  They were letting me out on my own - they had faith in me - and I like to think I was the little bird being pushed out of the nest, praying I could fly.

Indian Delight

Like I said earlier, I’ve worked with Rissa and Nathaniel for a while, but I’ve never had the responsibility of organizing my own project, and this was certainly a big first project. My job was to call each restaurant, somehow reach a busy manager or owner and make an appointment to stop by and make pictures of the dish they wanted to feature. So I'd call. Call again. And eventually get someone to help me make the appointment.

The Catonsville Gourmet

Once I made an appointment, all the while making 14 other appointments at the same time, I waited in anticipation for shoots to begin, and this all occurred in just a couple of weeks. My visits were always pleasant, and a full learning experience. I was part of the food industry for a moment. I handled the business world on my own, I networked, made friends, and most of all, I got to meet people who loved what they do, whether it was working over the stove, decorating the entrée, managing the restaurant, or taking the pictures of it all.

I could not have asked for anything better. And I'm so proud of the pictures I created. They will be used in the program for the Taste of Catonsville and have been printer on flyers and currently are the main feature in the GCCC's display window at 1002 Frederick Rd in downtown Catonsville.

The Rumor Mill

All in all, there are 25 restaurants featured in the Taste of Catonsville. The list includes The Candlelight Inn, the Catonsville Gourmet, Cafe on the Grove, Dimitri's International Grill, Edible Arrangements, El Nayar, G.L. Shacks, House of Audrey, Indian Delight, Jennings Cafe, the Rumor Mill, Ships Cafe, Tiffany's, Chef Paolino's, Duesenberg's - An American Cafe, Lucy's Paradise Cafe, Spicy Garden, Sugarbakers, Moontimes Cafe, Prime Central Sandwich,Catonsville Village Bakery, Sam's Bagels, Whitehouse Catering @ Overhills Mansion, McDonald's and The Rolling Road Country Club.

El Nayar

The Taste of Catonsville will be held at the Rolling Road Country Club on Monday April 20th from 5pm to 7:30pm. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. It's the kick-off event for Restaurant Week in Catonsville and I have to say, having sampled the goods at so many Catonsville eateries - I can't wait!

See you there!

~Josie

Romance at The Colony

When we were in Florida recently, we had the pleasure of shooting at a West Palm Beach landmark, The Colony Hotel on Hammon Avenue. It was the epitome of Palm Beach posh ~ extremely elegant, beautiful ~ obviously for those with discriminating taste. Like gorgeous couple Marissa & Rudy, whose wedding portraits were taken there.



Marissa's hair and make-up were done by Ashley, from Up Do's for I Do's. Her jewelry was created by Kim Reyes Wearable Art and her dress was by Beaches, accented with a lavender silk sash. Ashley also made her birdcage veil! Ash, you're so multi-talented! Wow!



Marissa's bouquet of roses and delphiniums was created by the inimitable Carole from A Garden of Earthly Delights.


Groom Rudy was sporting clothes by Calvin Klein. He's also a professional model for Ford Agency! Cool job you have there, Rudy...

The Colony was an incredible backdrop for romantic wedding pictures. The lobby, ballroom, gardens and Presidential Suite were all stunning ~ each area was more incredible than the last! If you are in the Palm Beach area, you must check it out! If you a bride considering a destination wedding, I would highly recommend The Colony for a top-notch experience! They just completed a huge renovation and every aspect of the facility was amazing ~ from the ambiance to the service to the fantastic, manicured gardens!

~ Rissa