Jodie Otte works out of the Black Horse Studio located in Northern Baltimore County, Maryland. Her blog can be found here, where you will see a beautiful sampling of her work with clients ranging in age from days old to families. Jodie is equally comfortable and skilled at using both studio lighting and natural light, and her blog also features lots of slices of life from the nature surrounding her home in the cornfields. Aside from being an accomplished and talented photographer, Jodie is also excellent at self-promotion and marketing and has a thriving workshop business and book offerings for photographers as well. I first met Jodie on a parenting forum nearly 10 years ago now, and though I don’t often get over to her blog, it was such fun to see how her kids have grown, and to find that she also keeps chickens (!) as we entered into keeping chickens ourselves this year! You’ll find lots of photographic inspiration here!

~Enjoy!

Mary

I love this new book from National Geographic; Mothers & Children. If my mom were still alive, I’d *so* be getting her this for Mother’s Day. Its a charming little hardcover filled with engaging images of mothers and their children from all around the world and also has perfectly fitting and thoughtful quotes and writings about motherhood. This quote from the inside flap really struck me:

“North to South. East to west. You can see it in every photo on every page of Mothers and Children. “Mom” in any language, in every place, means the same: I am here. You are safe. You are loved.”

Isn’t that so true? Enjoy!

Mary

I was fortunate to get an advance copy of The Life of a Photograph by Sam Abell to review before it’s release today. In this lovely coffee-table style book, Sam, a photographer for National Geographic, shares 200 of his amazing images taken over the last 40 years. This is a book that you will gain inspiration from each time you open it, it really is that amazing. My favorites were the “two views of a ___” where oppposing pages show two different photographs of the same thing, either a closeup and a wide view, or a different angle, or the difference between the same place with time between. The limited accompanying text strikes the perfect balance, explaining or adding to when necessary, and letting the photos do the talking when that is enough.  There were so many photos that moved me and made me go back to look at them over and over-

Anyway, the book is available starting today (link from Amazon up in first line), and I highly recommend this beautiful work of art. Hope you all enjoy this slight break from digital into the world of print.

~enjoy

Mary