lancaster Archives - Lux Summit Studio

Joshua — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 15:00:33 +0000

It amazes me how many people (local to the greater Philadelphia area) have never heard of the Wolf Sanctuary of Pa in Speedwell Forge. This is a one-of-kind experience for nature enthusiasts. Here you get up-close to these reclusive creatures while experienced tour guides regale visitors with moving accounts of the lives of these wolves and their relationships in their packs. Each guide has a different style. So, though I’ve visited twice so far, I was equally captivated with different facts and new knowledge.

The staff are friendly to all visitors and passionate about their work. On Saturdays there is a noon tour and it requires no reservation. Show up 15 minutes before the tour starts. Pay the admission and join in. They recommend coming in the winter as that is when wolves are happiest and most active. We visited in February. It was five degrees and well worth it (with our three layers of carefully selected winter garb) to see the wolves in their prime. Following the tour we were welcomed back to the park office where we were treated to coffee or hot cocoa.

Located near Lancaster, it’s an easy day trip from Philadelphia. I recommend our itinerary which included packing a lunch, followed by wine at the fantastic Waltz Vineyards (great view and vino) and dinner at Bube’s Brewery and Catacomb Restaurant. All of these destinations are within 20 minutes of one another and definitely take the cake for must see adventures in the area. Catacomb restaurant is located floors below the brewery in what was once a speak easy. Enough said, right?

Another option is to stay at the Speedwell Forge Bed and Breakfast which is located at the Wolf Sanctuary. Guests have access to the wolf sanctuary during their stay which sounds to me like a magical way to sip your morning coffee, in the presence of awe inspiring wildlife. The bed and breakfast is apparently rated one of the top 10 in the U.S.. Therefore, personally, it screams Valentines adventure at some future date. For now, though, We stayed in an airbnb (which we swear by) and had a wonderful experience.

There are endless options for places to stay and things to do in the Lancaster area, but I say, just this once, skip the Amish and spend some quality time with the wolves.

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Wedding Recap

Joshua — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 15:00:37 +0000

As I mentioned in my previous post, I shot over 21,500 images last year. It is exceedingly difficult to narrow that down to ten images. In choosing my favorites, I consider the ones that move me – no matter how many times I see them and no matter what the content is. I a moved on a visceral level each time they come across my screen. Sometimes the emotion is profound joy and other times I’m enthralled by capturing an honest moment – so honest that I know I’m peering directly into someone’s soul. The honor of receiving permission to capture a moment and glimpse into a soul (often a person I know very little about) is breath taking. I’m thankful for every opportunity.

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Joshua — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:05:52 +0000

I am absolutely in love with this reveal. In case you don’t know, the reveal is a planned, captured moment for the bride and groom to see one another before the ceremony. On a practical side, it’s a wonderful way to get all of the formals out of the way so the couple can enjoy the rest of their wedding day without the interruption of photography during cocktail hour. Brilliant!

However, on an emotional level, it’s simply a beautiful moment – a moment that is so intimate and ripe with anticipation. It’s the only thing I’ll ever stage besides formals themselves. I feel the anticipation of every reveal I plan. This was by far the most bad ass one and I had to share.

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