Wine made with Greyhounds

Peanut and Smiley are greyhounds. The hounds' parents hired us to photograph them for two reasons: This year's Christmas cards and for the next vintage coming out of Peanut and Smiley's basement.
Maria and Jeff got some fabulous pictures for their cards because the two hounds were hamming it up big time. It is so funny how "media savvy" some pets can be!!


As for that vintage...Jeff makes wine in his basement as a hobby. It becomes gifts for friends and donation auction items to raise money for greyhound rescue organizations. (Which makes it an impressive pressing to me!) I thought it was really cool that Jeff got to do something fun as a hobby, and also found a way to make it work for charity, too.

One of the things that Maria said to me during our shoot was awesome. "It must be nice to do what you love," she said. It's so true. It is great! But even better than that is that other people recognize that I am doing what I love and can see it in my work and even while I'm working. For my efforts to be acknowledged by clients is so rewarding.

And Jeff and Maria have rewarded me -- they hired me for a second time as their photographer, and love my photos. Nothing makes me happier than to go into someone's house and see my work on the wall or on a mantle.


I have had work in museums, galleries, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, newsletters, websites, blogs, on clothes, labels and record albums.

And coming soon, on Canine Cellars wine bottles! Look for them exclusively at your local greyhound rescue fundraiser!
~ Nathaniel

Black Ankle Winery

At a recent networking event for The Chesapeake Sustainable Buisness Alliance I was introduced to a wonderful new winery in Frederick County. In the fabulously renovated bank in Catonsville that is home to Alter Ego, I learned all about the winery and its new beginnings.
The story is truly inspiring to me because the couple that began Black Ankle Winery is in much the similar situation as Rissa and I. They have started their own business from the ground up and have taken care and lots of hard work to make it by their own standards, desires and beliefs.
Most impressive to me though, was the wine. Many of you know what a wine lover I am and I was blown away by the fact that the wine I sampled was
a) delicious
b) organic
c) from the first pressing!

Usually brand new wine from a brand new winery is not so impressive, but I invite you all to partake and I assure you, assuming you like dry wines, you will be very delighted with the wine, the owners and their story! The tasting facility officially opens in July so maybe (likely) you will see me there!

~Nathaniel