Haunting beautiful in Durham

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 I went to pick my daughter up from a Halloween party last weekend. Upon entering, a group of girls sat in a circle riveted by the telling of a haunting ghost story. The quiet could be cut with a knife as their expressions hinged upon every word that came from the story teller. Then in chorus, shreiks came in tandem from the girls followed by giggles tinged with relief and nerves. It became clear to me that everyone loves a good ghost story. In late October,  a multibillion dollar holiday is dedicated to ghost and their haunting friends.  Ghost stories fascinate because they connect us with a real part of history and our infinite imaginations. Ghost have a way of keeping history alive in their best undead fashion. So upon one of my many visits to Greenbacker's Brookfield farm, my imagination got the better of me. In one of the old cobwebbed stalls, a vision of a victorian ghost came through one of the old walls. She seemed as frightened of me as I was of her.  She was then  joined by two other beautiful ghost, each striking a style all their own. It was a joy to photograph them and see the old barns in an entirely new eerie light. Seeing the apparitions drift over the cut corn fields, was a vision to remember. I have been told that the real ghost of Durham lives on Howd Road. I ventured into the darkness of the woods on that very road and was meet by even more apparitions. Apparently, ghost lore is alive and well in this area, and I am happy to share it with you. Happy Halloween!

A note on this shoot:
 I have been doing portraits for some years now.  I wanted to do a shoot that would step up my game in a really fun way. I called upon two friends who I knew would be up for the challenge. The shoots hauntingly beautiful models were Katrina Anderson, Kate Schulten and Madison Terrell. To take my photography up artistic notch, it wouldn't have been possible with out Lili Kinsmen, who beautifully styled the girls. Besides that, Lili's hats are awesome! Kim Terrell, Durham's best baker, kept us supplied with cookies throughout the shoot. From the back of a pick-up, we layered the girls giving each their distinctive look and ghoulish charm. The experience couldn't have been more rewarding. Two moms and a step-mom with two daughters and a step-daughter bonding in a truly unique fashion. It became a moment I will truly cherish for many reasons. My skills were challenged, our friendships were sealed and the girls felt as beautiful as they looked. Lili and I plan on teaming up in the future. If you are interested in a highly styled shoot, one that has our unique stamp, please contact me so we can create something with you in mind. Maybe Kim will even bring us some cookies!