The Portrait Party

One thing I like to do when shooting an event in bring along a nice background and capture some simple formal portraits as the guests arrive.
Everyone loves the images they receive and I get to meet everyone in 5 minute segments.

But then later in the evening, groups come back for some less formal, OK, a bit goofy shots that just make the events so much fun.

Please let me know if you want to learn more about how the Portrait Party event is structured.

Orange Flowers

Spring has sprung!

The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming (lots of flowers), and I am on a personal mission to capture that perfect spring time image.

These flowers caught my eye and I so I thought I take them into the studio for a quick session. They posed beautifully! Not a word out of them.

They are now happily back in a vase of water and are doing just fine. And as for that drooping one in a number of the images? It came back to life and is standing as tall as the rest. Must be my fine horticultural skills ... or luck ...

Hey, let me know if you'd like a copy of any of these. These images and many more can be found on my PhotoShelter site - http://pa.photoshelter.com/usr-show/U0000ecSYcI.FT3I

Moments Rush

The bond between children and their parents is incredible. And I am so honored to be there to capture it.

They may be laughing or cuddling or just sitting with each other, but it's always special.

And then later when we get together to view and choose the images they would like printed, I can see how special these moments are to them. And how thankful they are that the images will be there to enjoy forever.

My favorites are the candids, when they are enjoying just being together.

Brianna

Brianna walked into the session this past week with her Mother and I was surprised to see how much she had changed. I hadn't seen her since last October when I photographed an event that she had attended with her family.

She was more mature as you might guess, but more focused as well. We started by discussing clothing, possible poses and the purpose of the images we were going to capture that day.

Brianna is an aspiring actress and singer so she needed some basic headshots. This is something I do all the time.

Then we thought that it would be fun to just relax and see where it went. She was great, it seemed that everything she did was perfect and natural.

Then I asked if we could do some shots that were a bit different. I put some bubble wrap up as a backdrop and took a few shots. It's a harsh look and very trendy. Just what I wanted.

Thanks Brianna, it was a great shoot!

The White Board

Unless you add to it

It's empty, so this is what I wrote.

The White Board has been a part of the family for many many years,

This was on the board for about two years. Longer than any thing before.

now it's been erased ...FINALLY

So why now?

Cause I finally realized what to write.

Sk8rGurl Gets a Ring

Sk8rGurl ... my fav Sk8rGurl just got a ring

It's a small ring, as you can see, but a ring all the same

I'm in this business for a reason, it's simple and nobel. Hey! it is nobel.

Sometimes you capture the image and do the best job that you can so that it will be forever, to share and enjoy ... and sometimes, so that we can look back and say "Did I really do that?"

Yes, Sk8rGurl, you really did that.

A note to Self

I know we wait

we watch and wait

see the snow fall and gardens grow

and time pass

and then one day, we realize that the wait was too long. That what we expected to come never did. And we can't take it all back and try again.

You know, "This time I won't wait, I'll take adavantage of everything and enjoy life"

Great, glad you shared.

Confucius said " There is great chaos under heaven ... and the situation is excellent"

Yes, it's wicked excellent

That's a Close Up!

I usually focus on the eyes ... you know - enter the soul, see the truth, be the ball ...

The eyes can smile, they can be sad, they tell the truth

I enjoy photographing children; It's their eyes. I see their happiness, innocence, wonder and too often sadness. But in it all I see their hope. Even if they don't know it yet, they have hope.

Recently I spent some time looking at family portraits that I've done and I noticed the eyes of the Grand Mothers. Surrounded by their childern and grand children I see a mixture pride and sadness. There isn't a lot of energy left and very little hope.

This smile is Mary, one of my favorite people to photograph. She is hope - full of hope - Hope is her... and I know that her life is full of sadness. All she has ever asked me is to "whiten my teeth" (not done to this image...sorry Mary) and when I do, it's the first thing she mentions.

I love to see hope, I tell people to hope, to go to that place of hope when they are being photographed...and every time they smile. Hope is all yours, don't lose hope.

MileStones

Milestones are meant to be documented, celebrated, remembered

But when you reach them and look back at where you were they can be surprising too

Just when you think you're kid's future is going to zig ...definitely zig, it zags

Like DocBoy, my son did.

My son is a hockey player, it's in his soul, a locker room is his favorite smell, the cold ice is his favorite surface ... he asked for a hockey stick while still in the womb

This is a picture of the day he received his pin, He is now an RN and one day soon will be a Nurse Practioner, with a focus on the brain.

So what? who cares? Big deal!

But you see, you didn't live it. You didn't see it. For this was was not only DocBoy's milestone, it was mine as well

There is great chaos under heaven and it is wicked excellent

Sk8rGurl at 21

This is Sk8rGurl, my fav girl, my Daughter

She is the model that never turns me down when I want to test out a new lens or lighting. She knows how important she is to me.

This past week-end she turned the big 21.

Over the years I never understood the things my Mother said about my successes, little as they were.

But I understand it now. I try not to mention every little thing Sk8rGurl does that makes me proud, even though I think I'll bust if I don't

Sk8rGurl at 21

It's just a feeling

It's all just a feeling, just a guess, just a message

The world is telling me to listen and don't wait for the right time, the best time, the time of my life ... to act

Take back the night, it's your night,

I want to listen, I really do

I do see the world through the viewfinder you know, whether I have a camera in my hands or not. We all do, it's our safe place.

I once had my friend Skip tell me that he smoked cigarettes because he was never alone when he was smoking one. He was my best friend and I become closer to him that day.

Tell your friend your secret. You'll be free

Today is Martin's Birthday

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Day here in the United States.

A country that was built partly by slave labor. But saddly, has a lot of company in the world.

This is a photo of one of the guests at a reception I was honored to shoot for a young man who had just joined the police force.

I like this image for a number of reasons, mostly because of the quiet confidence in his eyes and another because it reminds me (this white guy) of what I don't know about people.

I have so much to learn about people. I'm just happy that I'm a photographer. I get to look into their eyes and see the truth.

What is it with days like these?

The morning starts, the day goes on and soon here I am.

I just keep telling myself, "the harder I work, the luckier I get" , which usually means, I'll watch another half hour of TV.

This photo is from "It's a Wonderful Life" .. you know that movie with Jimmy Stewart. Here George has just found that he is getting blamed for everything that has gone wrong

I do hope that as in the movie, I'm just wrong and Hey! It's a wonderful life.

I'm Back

After thirteen months, I'm back.

I was lost, but I have been found, been seeking and thinking and well just out. I had my "away message" up and forgot to hit the " I'm Back" button ... which now I have.

I have so many photos to share. Lots has happened.




I'll be here .

The Girls

Here are a few more photos from my Girlfriends series.

It was hot evening in August, the girls were all heading back to college and wanted a portrait.

Guardian of the Pumpkin Patch

31,128 lit pumpkins

That's how many pumpkins it took to break the Guinness World record. I met this woman as she guarded one of the many patches of carved pumpkins at the Life is Good Pumpkin Festival held on the Boston Common.

They are already planning next year's festival and will break the record again. That's a lot of pie!

Ray Ray

Ray Ray

I meet quite a few characters as a photographer, well they appear to be characters anyway. We are all in the end wearing our own costumes to get us through the day.

I met Ray Ray recently at the Life is Good Pumpkin festival in Boston. I asked him if he was working ...he said "no, I'm just here for the festival". As we talked I found out that his background was in fashion ...yes, fashion ...you know, clothes. We discussed the clothing that people were wearing, how that color was a bold choice etc. Which really caught me off guard.

I wanted to get more information, but it wasn't going to happen.

So I never found out if Ray Ray was an avid reader or the real thing. Interesting how you really can't judge a book (or person) by their cover.

Today is Halloween here in the US. So happy Day

Halloween

We've begun the holiday season, see the smile? That's the smile of Halloween. That's the smile of "I'm gonna get a big bag of candy" Twelve pounds of candy ... if the kid is smart he'll hide all the good stuff before his parents "check the bag just to be sure that it's all OK" ( wink wink). As his Dad says " Oh look ...I love this candy bar....you have so much can I have it???" "sure Dad, knock yourself out ...no really Dad, go right ahead, it's way too much for me"

And parents wonder why the kids stuff as much candy as they can into their bodies before they get home from Halloweening.

Come to think of it, I used to eat a one pound chocolate Easter Bunny before church ... no wonder I felt so sick

Soon the stores will be in the holiday spirit. Stay happy and forget all your troubles

Look behind

I have no idea what they're talking about

But theres a lot going on around us, in the background, behind the main event, at the rear of the room.

And that my friend is one of the most important things taught to photographers, turn around and take that picture too

Two People that I Admire

Of all of the kings and Nobel prize winners, Presidents, teachers, ...photographers and musicians that I have known ... well known of anyway. Two people stand out as those I most admire.

My children were born considerate and caring. But after all they are brother and sister, so publicly they hate each other. But without any fanfare they are persuing their careers. My son (the hockey player/teacher/science wiz) is in grad school studying to be a nurse practitioner and my daugher (the actress/hockey player/redhead) is in Europe studying acting.

Do it without a fanfare. That's what they taught me. Make a difference, persue your dreams, give a gift that is so deeply special that the recipient is speechless. The fanfare is such a waste of time and energy. All it gets you is false adoration. which is something both of them steer clear of.

I hope that the fanfare finds them, I'd like them to have it all. The money, the fame, the cover of Newsweek. But they'll avoid the press conference I'll bet.

A Race for the Cure

Recently I was asked to photograph the Susan B Komen - Race for a Cure which was held at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. It's a 3K road race where the focus is on raising the awareness of breast cancer.

After picking up my official tee shirt, I headed to the survior's tent. The closer I got, the more excited I felt ...there was a familar smell in the air ...Coffee ...Starbucks coffee. This was going to be a good day! Wait a minute, I wasn't there for the coffee...OK, I'll just have a cup (or three) and then get back to work. Which I did.

As I was walking around the tent I saw such a sea of pink. Hats, wigs and of course the pink tee shirts worn by the survivors. I came across this couple. He was pinning on her number for the race and they were laughing a bit because he was doing such a bad job.

After talking with them for a few minutes about the day and the cause, and the coffee... I said that I had to get going and I told the woman that I hope she wins ... with out missing a beat, the husband leaned over to his wife and giving her a hug said.."We already did"...

and that was the last time I made that mistake ...that day anyway

Jester

She entered the park wearing

A jester's hat, bright red and blue scarf,

a florescent green tutu, ice hockey pads

and stilts strapped on with duck tape and an ace bandage

I asked her if she was an actress. She answered "All the time"

Nikon Hat

Rosanne Pinnella

Last Saturday I attended a Nikon Master class led by world famous travel photographer Rosanne Pinnella.

Travel and people photography is all about getting the subject comfortable with you taking their picture or in getting to the right place at the right time to get a magnificent photo that will end up on the cover of National Geographic.

Rosanne's photos are full of rich colors, sharp focus and excellent composition. Well the ones that end up in magazine's, on billboards and travel sites are any way. But you ask her something technical about her camera and she'll tell you "I learn what I need to know and bring the manuals for what I don't remember". Hey, just like me ...I said to myself.

I like being around "masters", they are excited to have reached where they are. Most also realize how far they still must go.

As for the Nikon hat they gave me ... I'm a Canon shooter, and that's like being a Democrat, which I also am. But I think I'll keep the hat so that I can wear it if I ever need to enter "the enemy camp" again.

Heaven

I was born a minister's son, Yes, I am a son of a preacher man

Much closer to God for sure, you know, just like the Pope's kids

...that is if he had any,

But don't call me with questions about heaven, hell, purgatory, etc. Cause I was just kidding. Not about being a minister's kid, just about being any closer to God.

Oh, this is an actual picture of heaven, maybe

Grace

Grace is a lost art. But this is it.

It's quiet and slow,
and soft and comforting
and calming.

Grace makes us strong because it takes the time to tell us
to be kind and caring.

Grace is such a lost art.

Make grace ... not war