The official photo blog of J. David Buerk Photography.
9 months can fly by, and Madonna and Rubin are just a few weeks away from welcoming their daughter, [REDACTED].
Since Rubin and Donna share aviation deep in their roots, Donna decided it was appropriate to have her maternity portraits with the sound of jet engines roaring above. During a busy afternoon bank of DCA departures Donna glowed in the sunlight and with the DC skyline and active runways behind her.
See Madonna & Rubin’s Baby Announcement / Gender Reveal photos here.
Back in August last year, I hiked a stretch of Patapsco Valley State Park with some friends - this trip was a local hiking version of “I know a spot,” because much of the hike took us off trail, through shoulder-high snake and tick paradise, and up and down steep mountains covered in thorn bushes I still have a few marks from. But it was rewarding, worth it, and I now have some locations in mind for more creative ideas I’d like to coordinate.
Patapsco Valley State Park, nestled in the abandoned town of Daniels (formerly known as Elysville), Maryland, is a sprawling natural haven offering a blend of picturesque landscapes and historical intrigue. Within its bounds, the park houses remnants of a bygone era, including two abandoned churches that stand as silent witnesses to the passage of time. These forsaken structures, draped in vines and surrounded by the park's lush foliage, evoke a sense of mystery.
The small industrial town born in 1810 around a textile mill, however, its prosperity was short-lived. The mill closed in the late 1960s, prompting the evacuation of nearly 90 families. Tropical storm Agnes in 1972 further sealed its fate, flooding the town and leading to its complete abandonment. Today, Daniels is a ghost town marked by crumbling stone ruins, decaying wood, and graffiti-covered remnants of its past, including the Saint Stanislaus Kostka Church, Pentecostal Holiness Church, and remnants of the old dam and bridge. The town serves as a poignant reminder of a bygone era swallowed by nature.
After beginning the hike by immediately wading across the Patapsco River, we made our way into Daniels, and began seeing remnants of the ghost town. Well traveled, and easily found, our first stop was at the graffiti and street art covered Pentecostal Holiness Church, which was destroyed, like much of the town, by Tropical Storm Agnes and the deluge of runoff water in 1972. Only some of the walls remain as canvases for artists and taggers, and the bell tower stands tall, but decaying, among the trees. Hidden in the back is a mural of a very posh woman with a bottle of champagne, which has sadly begun being defaced by other graffiti taggers. Inside is a paper airplane; it’s not immediately clear if by the same artist, however the styles seem quite different so my guess is they’re by separate people.
Next was some off-trailing, which took us up a steep mountain, along a long fallen tree to avoid some of the deep grass likely inhabited by unseen predators, and finally to the first of several abandoned cars. Many of the cars, which were washed downstream and deep into the woods by flooding, are nowhere near any trails, which either follow the Town of Daniels’ original roads or branch off in spots for utility and fire road access. Making our way back to the main trail downhill, on a safer and more direct route, we headed toward the next abandoned church. Along the way, we spotted the offshoot leading toward it, but decided to proceed to the end of the trail to explore the main trail before getting to the main attraction.
The St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church, dating back to the early 1800s, burned down in 1926, and were subsequently abandoned along with its adjacent cemetery that is home to local families and individuals, with some gravestones dating back to the Civil War era, and others obviously marking WWI losses. The stone church walls remain largely upright and intact, and are mostly devoid of graffiti, and I truly hope it stays that way - graffiti and street art can be beautiful, but it needs the right place and to be self-aware of its surroundings: boring plain abandoned walls that are basically giant canvases with lots of foot traffic nearby? Cool! Beautiful antique stonemasonry covered in ivy and moss in a valley bathed in warm sunlight with barely any visitors? Uncool; stick to the ugly bare industrial, and leave the antique beauty to be enjoyed as it decays naturally. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church reminded me of The Forest Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
As the sun began entering the golden hour, we made our way out of the dense woods and back onto the main trail heading back to the trailhead to go get some much needed dinner.
Toward the end of Summer 2022 I hiked Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area’s Devil’s Nose in Hedgesville, West Virginia. It’s certainly not the longest, tallest, or most intensive hikes I’ve ever embarked upon, but it leads to a panoramic outcropping of rock with views of the mountains all around. The hike starts with a stream crossing, and zags up the mountain carrying you past each layer of forest ecology.
I was lucky enough to be rewarded with a few pictures of myself on the hike.
In my blog post about Ilana and Chris’ engagement session, I explained my history with film; how I have never shot on it professionally, and only reached for it for fun, finding novelty in its charming imperfection, and how this appreciation of film for fun and interesting cars is what ultimately brought us all together.
For Chris and Ilana’s wedding, however, like their engagement session, I changed this history, if ever so slightly. Just like Chris and Ilana love the artistry classic, quirky, and quick cars, they also appreciate share my appreciation of analog’s allure. So while their big day wouldn’t be the first time I snapped Polaroids at a wedding, it would be the most film I’ve ever shot at any professional session, even if it was a few handfuls.
After getting prepped, and strategically keeping the wedding parties separate, Ilana had a first look with her family on the Anchor Inn’s dock immediately before the ceremony began. In the refreshing breeze on the Patapsco River, Chris and Ilana took their turns going down the aisle, finally letting Chris choke up seeing Ilana in her dress; a tradition Chris was adamant to keep.
After the breaking the glass (mozal tov!), Ilana and Chris danced on a cloud to kick off their reception. After dinner and toasts, they cut the cake to the tune of some zany TV theme songs that perfectly fit their silly personalities; King of the Hill, South Park, The Simpsons, and more. Now it’s officially party time!
Winding down the evening, Chris and Ilana slow danced solo, just them and the music on the dance floor… and maybe a few excited guests who peeked inside through the portal window. Under an arch of fiber optic sparklers, Ilana and Chris departed, but not before dipping for a kiss one more time, and one more Polaroid.
If you know Natasha and Zach, you know how in love and excited to tie the knot they have been since getting engaged in 2019. Like so many couples in recent memory, their wedding plans became an exercise in hurry-up-and-wait for the World to regain some normalcy, but their patience was rewarded this April, joined by a gathering of friends and family able to converge upon the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to join in celebrating their love surrounded by art from every continent.
The day began at one of Richmond’s historic rowhouses where the wedding party got ready and toasted with a special bottle of rum Natasha and Zach picked up in Cancún and were saving for a special occasion. Next were first looks; the emotion on Natasha’s father’s face as she came down the stairs in her dress, and later on Zach’s face as he saw her walking down the aisle.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a couple so pumped to be married - immediately following their ceremony, Zach and Natasha led the wedding party outside for pictures, across the VMFA’s public gardens packed with hundreds of people picnicking in the beautiful Spring weather; Zach yelled at the top of his lungs pointing to Natasha, “THAT’S MY WIFE!!!” to the cheers of the entire lawn, some people coming up to congratulate and take pictures with the newlyweds.
After dinner, while everyone else was dancing and partying, the three of us stole away to go explore the museum - Natasha and Zach danced and joked among exhibits, with just their infectious laughter echoing the secluded halls. As longtime Richmond residents, and lovers of the city’s thriving art scene, it was a fitting location to mark the occasion they’ve been looking forward to for years.
