This week I had to make a very difficult decision.  I spent all week trying to figure out exactly how I was going to say this and I still can’t put my thoughts into words.  For personal reasons, I have decided to close Neal Jacob Photography.  I don’t care to go into the details.  I appreciate all the support of my friends and my wonderful wife, as I sought their counsel during the past few weeks.  I thank you, my clients, for your support in my decision, it wasn’t an easy one to make.  I certainly do not want to leave you hanging.  If you have any questions, please let me know.  I have discussed this with my friends in the photographic community and they are ready to help you with your photographic needs.  Please contact me and I will provide you with their contact information.

During the next few weeks I will be finishing up a few sessions I have been working on and I will be posting the result of those sessions.  I am not putting down the camera.  I will continue to do photography.  This blog will eventually come to a close and I will start a new blog to showcase my personal work.  When that blog is ready I will post a link here.

Thank you again.
Neal Jacob

Occasionally, I dig through the past and see what I can find.  Since tomorrow is the day that we celebrate our country’s birthday, I thought I should post these photos of the United States Marine Corps War Memorial (AKA The Iwo Jima Memorial):

That is not the sun, but is actually the moon!

Don’t forget to say “Thank You!” to those that keep our country safe!

Happy Independence Day.

This week’s question: What are you listening to right now?

Since this is a holiday weekend, you will have an extra week to answer.  You have until 5 PM (EDT) on Friday, July 11, 2008 to submit your answer. You must comment on this post in order to be considered for the drawing. A name will be drawn randomly from all the submitted answers and the winner will receive a complimentary portrait session.

Must have been a slow news day!

In April, I visited the Gobuluks, Jackie, Ercin, Chloe & Gretchen.  Jackie, owner of Metropolitan Nannies and her husband, Ercin are expecting their first child in September.

This morning,  I received a note from Jackie.  I just wanted to share what she wrote:

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We recently invited Neal to our home for a maternity and family photography session.  Neal was such a pleasure to work with.  He took the time to find out exactly what we wanted and made helpful suggestions along the way.  We were very pleased with the quality of his work and the prints and we would like to recommend his services to your family.

Thank you Jackie for the kind words! Your check is in the mail!

There were no entries in last weeks Question of the Week, so no winner this week.  We move on to this week’s question, which I thought of after listening to a discussion on the radio about bumper stickers.

This week’s question: What is the funniest bumper sticker you have seen?

You have until 5 PM (EDT) on Friday, June 27, 2008 to submit your answer. You must comment on this post in order to be considered for the drawing. A name will be drawn randomly from all the submitted answers and the winner will receive a complimentary portrait session.

Yesterday, I headed over to the U. S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC to do some family portrait sessions.  This was my first time at the National Arboretum and it won’t be my last.  It is very beautiful and begs of more exploration.  I’ll have to go back down there when it isn’t so humid, which in Washington, DC is not very often!

I scheduled two sessions at the Arboretum, the first family asked that I not use their name.   So, here is a random individual with no name:

Family number two was a participant in my Cutest Baby Contest:

I also had a chance to pop on over to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, so I swam across the Anacostia (just kidding) and visited some dragonflies:

On Monday night I had the pleasure of meeting “Baby MAZ” (those are his initials) and doing his Newborn Session. Here is a sneak peek, more to come.

I think he was a little startled to see Dad so close up!

Here he is when he was a little younger:

The winner for week #2 is: Suzanne.  Congratulations Suzanne!

This past weekend my wife and I went to the North Fork Mountain Inn in Smoke Hole, WV.  We had a wonderful weekend celebrating our 10th Anniversary.    I was shooting film (yes, I did get a few odd comments about film) so I am sorry, but I do not have any photos to share.   It is a good excuse to go back.

One of the guests was completing his Bucket List, so that made me think of this week’s question:

This week’s question: What would you like to do before you die?

You have until 5 PM (EDT) on Friday, June 20, 2008 to submit your answer. You must comment on this post in order to be considered for the drawing. A name will be drawn randomly from all the submitted answers and the winner will receive a complimentary portrait session.

Every week I will post a new question for the Question of the Week.  Hopefully, the question will be posted each Monday morning.  If you don’t see the question posted by noon, then the first person to notify me will receive something special for letting me know.  I don’t know what that something special is yet, but you’ll just have to catch me not posting the QOTW and find out.

This week’s question: If you could visit anywhere at all, where would you go and why would you go there?

You have until 5 PM (EDT) on Friday, June 13, 2008 to submit your answer. You must comment on this post in order to be considered for the drawing. A name will be drawn randomly from all the submitted answers and the winner will receive a complimentary portrait session.

FINE PRINT: Winner does not actually receive a dream vacation.