Portrait of Kensington Conservator

Working Men Portrait Series

Joe Grenon - Awesome Metals, Kensington, Maryland

This portrait of Joe Grenon, is part of our 'Working Men' series and was taken at Awesome Metals located on Howard Avenue, Kensington, Maryland. Joe has been the owner of Awesome Metals since August of 2003.

From an early age Joe was interested in antiques. His daily work involves the repair, restoration and conservation of metal objects that need help. When asked if he had ever done any other kind of work he replied " I've been involved in restoration for 35 years, I don't remember much before that"

Joe was a wonderful subject to work with. He too has a background in photography and understood the process of creating the images. We recently spent just 20 minutes creating a series of images in his studio in Kensington.

The images we capture in the Working Man series are of individuals that primarily work with their hands. We are not necessarily looking for happy smiling images but instead are hoping to catch that off guarded moment when a subject grants us access to their inner self. Here is my favorite from our session:

Joe Grenon - Awesome Metals, Kensington, Maryland

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Avonleephoto

Tel: 301-946-4656

Avonlee Photography - Photography studio located just north of downtown Kensington, Maryland. Available for portraits, weddings, mitzvahs and commercial clients.

9 month Baby Plan session by Silver Spring newborn baby photographer

 October 15th marked the 9 month baby portrait session for baby Nora as part of our Baby Plan. This session is the third of 4 that we will take during baby Nora's first year of life. Baby Nora has grown so much since we photographed her at 3 months. She has now started standing all by herself. We will photograph her again in January for her one year session. During each session we will capture an image that will be included in a special photographic Art Piece (called the Baby Panel) that is included in our Baby Plan. We have chosen the image below for the Baby Panel:

Baby Nora, showing how well she can stand during her 9 month milestone
photography session which is included in our year long Baby Plan

Baby Nora's Baby Panel, shown below, now has images from the 3, 6 and 9 month milestone sessions. One more photo session at 12 months will complete the panel:

Baby Nora's Baby Panel is now taking shape with the inclusion of her 9 month milestone image

To view Baby Nora's 3 month milestone session please click here
To view Baby Nora's 6 month milestone session please click here

All sessions for our Baby Plan take place at the studio of Avonlee Photography in Silver Spring MD. Our newborn baby photographer is Michael Dunphy and he looks forward to helping you capture the most important 1st year of your baby's life. Please call the studio at 301-946-4656 to learn more about our Baby Plan or visit our website at http://babyplan.avonleephotography.com

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Avonleephoto

Tel: 301-946-4656

Avonlee Photography - Photography studio located just north of downtown Kensington. Available for portraits, weddings, mitzvahs and commercial clients. Newborn baby photographer in Bethesda and Chevy Chase Maryland.

2015 Winning Images - International Print Competition

2015 IPC Winning Images

2015 marked Michael's return to International Print Competition. The annual competition, which was held in Atlanta, attracted more than 5000 entries from across the globe. Michael entered four images, three of which received a merit from the judging panel. Each merited print is then judged a second time by a separate panel of judges for inclusion in the prestigious Loan Collection. Two of Michael's images were selected for the Loan Collection and have since been printed in the 2015 Loan Collection Book.

The winning images and their titles are shown below.

'Wisdom Comes With Age'

'Southwestern Belle'

'Don't Take Your Love To Town'

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Avonleephoto

Tel: 301-946-4656

Avonlee Photography - Photography studio located just north of downtown Kensington, MD. Available for portraits, weddings, mitzvahs and commercial clients.

New Contest for the Fall

Fall Photo Contest

 This season's contest is a test of your photographic skill. We want you to take a photograph of nature - any subject, flora or fauna using your phone or camera. The only requirement is that there must be no evidence of mankind in the image - no walls, fences, roads or houses. Only three entries per person allowed. Images will be judged on October 21st and the winner will be notified by October 26th. Winning image will be posted to our Facebook page and included in our next newsletter.

Please post your image on either our Facebook page or, email it directly to us at this address

The prize for this contest is an 8x10 art print from our nature collection valued at $95.

Don't delay, get shooting straight away!

Fall scene

Fall Portraits in Metro DC area

It's that time of year again. We have a limited number of times available for Fall Portraits next month. The first weekend of October has 2 times left, and the rest of October will fill fast! Call Michael at 301-946-4656 for details.

Fall portrait at Wheaton Regional park

Fall portrait at Wheaton Regional park

Fall portrait at Wheaton Regional park

Fall portrait in Fairfax County VA

Call the studio at 301-946-4656 for details and to schedule a portrait time.

Avonlee Photography - Silver Spring, Maryland

Portrait of Kensington business man

Working Men Portrait Series

Imre Varhidy - Kensington Simca Service, Kensington Maryland

This man's story began in Hungary before the advent of World War II. Imre Varhidy came from a family where running your own business was part of life. With the Hungarian uprising in 1956 followed quickly by the Soviet invasion later that year, Imre's life was turned upside down. All businesses, homes and property that his family owned were seized by the regime and they were left to live in a house that faced a large factory that they once owned and managed.

In 1957, after the uprising had been suppressed, he took a motor bike ride to the Austrian border to see what conditions were like there. As he approached the border, an armed security guard advised him that he should 'go west' (the guard then commandeered his motor bike). Imre left his life and girlfriend behind him in Hungary and with nothing but the clothes on his back, crossed into Austria. He eventually managed to get his girlfriend, now wife, out of occupied Hungary and secured a passage for them to the United States of America. Landing in New Jersey with no English and no money, fortune came their way and they were greeted at the bottom of the airplane steps by an African American who spoke perfect Hungarian - a language he had picked during his childhood from Hungarian immigrant kids living in his neighborhood. Life turned around for the Varhidy family once in America. Through hard work and determination, Imre and his wife eventually moved from Cleveland to Washington DC with their son, Emery, in 1962. Imre initially worked for Royal Motors for a number of years before opening Kensington Simca Service in 1969.

In the image of Imre, you see hands that have worked many hard physical jobs. But you will also see a gentleness through his eyes. On a quiet October evening in 2015, I photographed him in the garage that he established in 1969. The session was a peaceful one with very little spoken between us. He was content to follow my direction and seemed to enjoy the novelty and fuss of a photo session. I am grateful for his time and patience and for sharing his life story with me.

Imre Varhidy - Founder of Kensington Simca Service

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Avonleephoto

Tel: 301-946-4656

Avonlee Photography - Photography studio located just north of downtown Kensington, Maryland. Available for portraits, weddings, mitzvahs and commercial clients.

Avonlee Photography, 3902 Adams Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20902

 

Portrait photographer captures signature image of US Army veteran in Silver Spring Maryland

One of the great joys of being a photographer is having the opportunity to help clients capture important moments in their lives. The image below is of a great friend and neighbor of mine, Lou. Lou was one of the original home owners in our neighborhood and worked for many years in the US Army, first as a young private during World War II in the European theater. After the war, he was posted to various overseas posts including Taiwan before finally returning to this area to work at the Pentagon until his retirement. Lou was gentle soul, heavily involved with his church as both an usher at Sunday service and as treasurer to one of the biggest single mom support organizations in Montgomery county.

This image of Lou was photographed at his home. We setup a studio in his front room and captured a series of images of him sitting at his dining room table. I have titled the image 'Wisdom Comes With Age'

'Wisdom comes with age'

Avonlee Photography is located in Silver Spring, MD, just north of downtown Kensington. My name is Michael Dunphy and I look forward to helping you capture important moments and people in your lives. Please call the studio at 301-946-4656 to learn more about our studio and the services we offer. You can view additional individual portrait images on our website at http://www.avonleephotography.com/html/individuals.html

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

6 month Baby Plan session by Silver Spring newborn baby photographer

Baby Plan - 6 month photo session

 July 1st marked the 6 month baby portrait session for baby Nora as part of our Baby Plan. This session is the second of 4 that we will take during baby Nora's first year of life - the remaining two are at 9 months and 12 months. Baby Nora has grown so much since we photographed her at 3 months. She is now sitting up all by herself and was full of smiles throughout the session. We will photograph her again in October for the 9 month session. During each session we will capture an image that will be included in a special photographic Art Piece (called the Baby Panel) that is included in our Baby Plan. We have chosen the image below for the Baby Panel:

Baby Nora, celebrating July 4th as part of her 6 month milestone
photography session which is included in our year long Baby Plan

Baby Nora's Baby Panel, shown below, now has images from the 3 and 6 month milestone sessions. Two more photo sessions at 9 months and 12 months will complete the panel:

Baby Nora's Baby Panel is now taking shape with the inclusion of her 6 month milestone image

To view Baby Nora's 3 month milestone session please click here

All sessions for our Baby Plan take place at the studio of Avonlee Photography in Silver Spring MD. Our newborn baby photographer is Michael Dunphy and he looks forward to helping you capture the most important 1st year of your baby's life. Please call the studio at 301-946-4656 to learn more about our Baby Plan or visit our website at http://babyplan.avonleephotography.com

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Avonleephoto

Tel: 301-946-4656

Avonlee Photography - Photography studio located just north of downtown Kensington. Available for portraits, weddings, mitzvahs and commercial clients. Newborn baby photographer in Bethesda and Chevy Chase Maryland.

3 month Baby Plan session by Silver Spring newborn baby photographer

In April we were delighted to begin photographing the 3 month session of baby Nora at our Silver Spring photography studio. This session is one of 4 that we will take during baby Nora's first year of life - the others are at 6 months, nine months and 12 months. During each session we capture an image that will be included in a special photographic Art Piece (called the Baby Panel) that is included in our Baby Plan. For this session we choose the image below for the Baby Panel:

Baby Nora smiling beautifully during her first milestone moment photo session

As of right now, Nora's Baby Panel is looking like this:

Beginning of baby Nora's year long participation in our Baby Plan - the 3 month milestone image

We will photograph Nora for her 6 month milestone moment at the beginning of July. Don't forget to get back and see how much she has changed.

Here are some additional images from the session:

Baby Nora - pretty in her pink floral headband

Nora with her dad

 All sessions for our Baby Plan take place at the studio of Avonlee Photography in Silver Spring MD. Our newborn baby photographer is Michael Dunphy and he looks forward to helping you capture the most important 1st year of your baby's life. Please call the studio at 301-946-4656 to learn more about our Baby Plan or visit our website at http://babyplan.avonleephotography.com

Additional photography services may be found on our main website located at www.avonleephotography.com

National Catholic Prayer Breakfast 2016

Yesterday, we were honored to once again photograph the annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC. This year, the event celebrated its 13th anniversary with guest speakers Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea in West Africa and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Here are some of the images from yesterday's event.

House Speaker Paul Ryan addressing the 13th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC

Cardinal Robert Sarah addressing the 13th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC

House Speaker Paul Ryan greeting Cardinal Sarah at the 13th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC

House Speaker Paul Ryan greeting Ellen Bork, wife of the late justice Robert Bork, at the 13th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC

Senior Chief Edward Byers, Jr. addressing the 13th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Washington DC. In 2016, Byers was presented the
Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama for acts of valor during
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

  For all your event photography needs please contact us at 301-946-4656. Visit our website at www.avonleephotography.com

Avonlee Photography is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Tel # 301-946-4656