Pre-Prom in the Park - Whitman-Hanson Regional High {Event}

Just by chance and my wicked good fortune I was invited by my good buddy Mark to photograph his Daughter and her date in the park near their home as she and her friends gathered for the Junior prom this year.

 

There were lots of kids there when I arrived. The late afternoon sun was low in the sky but still very bright, so it was a bit difficult to find some shade.  

 

So, we shot with tons ... and tons of hair light! Halos? 

 

In the end what I captured were images of a great group of kids who truly enjoy each other's company.

 

What else could I have asked for?

 

The Boston Sky - I looked Up and there it was {Scouting}

I like to spend some time "scouting" out new locations. Especially when I'm looking in areas where I photograph all the time. 

It's so easy to play it safe and shoot all the same places, so I force myself to add something new to every session. 

 

I was in Boston recently - just walking though town on a dark and gloomy kind of day and I looked up ... HA!  I know -  well, I never look up. 
The sky was magical - and had that "rainy day in old London" look.  

 

Now the way to make a sky even more dramatic is to expose for one stop below a "correct" exposure.  

 

This also works well for the blue skies I saw just a short time later.

 

New England is well know for the phrase " Hey! you don't like the weather .. wait five minutes

 I did .. and the weather changed!

New York City - The Day After Christmas 2011 {Road Trip}

My Daughter and her Fiance were home (from Los Angeles) for Christmas a few months ago. And for a special trip we went down from Boston to NYC for the day - the day after Christmas.

 

New York City (with all the lights, and decorations and incredible crowds) is such a special and crazy place at Christmas time. 

We got down to the city early in the day with the hope of lunch in Times Square, then pastries at Macy's, coffee at Starbucks, go to the camera stores, maybe see some TV or movie stars just hanging out and then the lights as the city came a live after dark.  It is a "food focus" I know ... HA!

 

The crowds were beyond belief. No, seriously,  we went into one door of Macy's and were literally pushed through the store.  Gotta love it! So no pastries - crap! 

 

I do admit that if you can handle it, it must be just incredible to live in downtown New York City.  

 

Maybe one day.  Hey, you never know.
 

 We did make a number of stops to look at shoes. After all, my Daughter was with us.

    

Memorial Day 2012 - Norwood MA {Event}

We all know what doing something each year, on a certain date or holiday {tradition} means to us. It's those things that we can rely on to bring our lives back to normal for a moment.

I spent many years living in Norwood MA.  And each year we would go "up town" to watch the Memorial Day parade which starts at one of the town's cemeteries and ends at another. 
Then all of the town would spend some time together in some ceremonies to remember those who have died in the service of our country. 

   

This year was no different.  The parade, the ceremonies and the rememberances.  But this is one of those times when the routine of it all really hit home for me and felt great.   

 

It's more than a day off - it's a "slow down and don't you dare think about your crazy busy life" day.  

 

Each year, one of the graduating high school seniors reads the Gettysburg Address. This year it was delivered by Philip Gustafson who gave us all a look at what it might have sounded like when it was first heard on that battlefield cemetery so long ago.

 

Philip spoke to us. As Lincoln might have spoken to the crowd that gathered to dedicate the cemetery.  

 I admit that I know much less about history that I think I do. And history is personal and for some - it hurts to remember. But we must continue to tell the story - each year. Or it will fade and be forgotten.

 

I forget too often that a happy life is more important than a wealthy life. So, thanks for the normal, routine, boring, slow, "small town" days - they are such a blessing. I'm already looking forward to July 4th - just another "boring" day in a small town.
 

The Wedding Singer - Norwood High - Norwood MA {Performance}

Norwood High School in Norwood MA presented "The Wedding Singer"   - yes, the musical production based on the 1998 Adam Sandler movie of the same name.

 

If you missed seeing the movie, Let me tell ya all about it.

 

 It's the story of Robbie, the Wedding singer and Julia, the beautiful waitress who are both engaged to be married - but to the wrong people! OH NO!! - Anyway - there are some huge dance numbers - crazy characters and soon - just like in the movies - fortune intervenes to help them discover each other.

 

YES!  happy ending alert!

The image above got the comment " this was my favorite part of the show" from one of this actress' friends ... when I posted in on Facebook.  I wonder why??

 

Katelyn and Dan {Engagement}

When Katelyn turned down a job offer that would have required her to relocate it may have been that she knew that her destiny was here in Boston. For soon after she met Dan and the rest (as they say) is what Love Stories are made of.

The weather was just perfect for a walk through Boston's Public Gardens .  All the time I'm on a mission to find a beautiful shady place to take a few pictures.  And it seemed that everywhere we stopped was perfect.

Even I think these are breathtaking, but then LOVE is !

Matt and Mary {Wedding}

What happens during a Portrait session is super slow in comparison to a Wedding Day.  I remember the moments that pass during a portrait session, but even I have to look back at the Wedding Day images that I photographed to remember all that happened. 

 

I recently had the honor and pleasure to photograph the Wedding of Matt and Mary; each have two Daughters.  Both of their first marriages were very troubled and their Daughters lived through all that pain.  

Matt (who I have known for a number of years through photographing his rock band) gave a toast to his new wife that brought a hush to the crowd as he explained that he never dreamed that he and his beautiful Daughters would ever know happiness again. And looking at his Bride, he told her that she gave him the hope that their lives together - as a family of six would be strong and last.  

 

But it wasn't the tears in his eyes or the sound of his voice that cracked as he spoke that made the moment so special for all of us who heard his toast. It was the sight of their four Daughters as they cried tears of joy that their Parents had found happiness.  This was by far the quietest Groom's speech that I had ever witnessed. 

 

Mary then stood and instead of speaking gently hugged Matt. The four girls moved in and hugged their Parents.

I was shooting the whole time of course, that's my job.  Because I know that these are the moments that I would want to remember if I were the Bride and Groom.

You see, it's not just the ceremony, the applause, the cake cutting and throwing of the garter, the dancing and singing, formal shots and candids of family and friends that make the Wedding images so special. It is the intimate conversations, private moments, people holding hands as they watch the couple get married, some smiling ,  some crying, some looking so proud, the hugs and whispers in the Bride and Grooms ears ... some of what they whisper will make them cry and some may make them blush (HA!) ... this is what I photograph.

Amanda and David {Engagement}

Amanda & David got engaged on New Year's Eve, but Amanda wasn't expecting it because David [the prankster] had told her that he wasn't ready to "pop the question" yet. So she really was so surprised - and of course wicked Happy when he did!

We had a great time walking through Boston's Public Gardens - the weather was gorgeous and the park was filled with families and music - so it was the perfect backdrop for some incredible images of this awesome couple.

 

Then were were off to Boston's Beacon Hill - there are so many side streets, shops and cool alleys - it was a great place to photograph.  

 

Now Amanda loves shoes ... (this is her newest and so current favorite pair) - she wouldn't tell me how many pairs that she had, just that it was "a lot". Oh, and that sandals and flip flops (no matter how many pairs she has) were only counted as one.  David looked at me and just smiled - we agreed - don't go there ... HA!