Welcome to my world...: October 2010

10/31/10

HONESDALE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER: STACEY, JAY & ROCCO

Stacey and Jay live close enough to us that when I met them for their family shoot, I placed my gear in the front basket of our ATV and four wheeled there! As if that wasn't fun enough, we traipsed through field, stream, and forest for their shoot. It took a little convincing to get Rocco to get with the Nikon, but in the end, Rocco ROCKED it!

10/14/10

WEST POINT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: THE MAGIC OF CHRISSY & NICK'S FIRST LOOK

I always, without exception encourage my wedding couples to opt for a FIRST LOOK on their wedding day. As such, I spoke about it with Chrissy and she loved the idea. She approached the subject with Nick, who was serving in Afghanistan at the time. He was not at all interested in the concept. When he arrived home months later, Chrissy was all ready with a mental list of why the first look would be a great idea for them and she broached the subject once more, completely prepared for the debate. But before she could extoll its virtues, he surprised her by agreeing to do it.

Chrissy and Nick elected to have their first look at Trophy Point on the beautiful grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point before their ceremony there in The Post Chapel. He appears to be very pensive before Chrissy's approach.

For those of you not familiar with the first look, it is the new tradition in which the bride and groom see each other for the very first time in their wedding finery and share their emotions of that special moment alone together before their wedding ceremony, as opposed to having their first look at either end of an aisle, where they don't have the opportunity to share anything but a smile.

The reality is, that it is oftentimes the only chance they will have to spend time alone on their wedding day. That moment is carved out just for them… away from guests, details, and things that can distract their attention from the gravity of the moment.

It also gives them the advantage of taking a breath before their ceremony. Instead of constantly running from one thing to the next… from hair and makeup, to getting dressed, to the ceremony, to the reception (naturally, they would be a no-show at their cocktail hour without a first look, as they would be spending that time with their photographer)… there is time built in for the two of them to relax and enjoy what is happening to them TOGETHER.

From my prospective, the best pictures of the day usually come out of the First Look because I am capturing candid personal moments full of pure bliss and love; not nerves.

Chrissy and Nick also decided to have their family and bridal party pictures taken before their ceremony to free all of them up to start celebrating immediately following the ceremony.

Sometimes couples worry about forsaking the emotion of seeing each other at each end of the aisle by having a first look. Especially men. They're afraid the first look will spoil the special moment when they see their bride moving down the aisle towards them, which is just how Nick felt when Chrissy mentioned the idea to him long distance from Texas to Afghanistan.

Let's ask Nick how that worked out for him.

What could possibly be more romantic than that?

10/11/10

MOORE STATE PARK PHOTOGRAPHY: SHANA, JON AND MADDIE

I proudly live the life of a juggler. I've been juggling ever since my first child was born and with each passing year, another ball seems to mysteriously get added to the mix. Now that I am a grandmother, you can imagine how adept of a juggler I have become. When I have all my balls up in the air, that is a great day! So when I met with Shana, Jon, and Maddie to shoot family pictures at Moore State Park in Paxton, MA one misty morning, I was delighted to find that we were all in sync, if only for an hour, even if the weather was not.

Jon had a small window of time before he had to leave for a fundraising golf tournament, Maddie is a pre-schooler who played hooky for a photo shoot, and if that's not a handful already, Shana is an independent consultant for Arbonne personal care and wellness products, which keeps her pretty busy. And then there's Abbie...

As if Shana, Jon, and Maddie aren't gorgeous enough, will you just look at that soulful face?

Whether Abbie was in the pictures or not, she was the cutest little angel.

Hmmmmm... maybe not. Sorry, Abbie. Maddie wins that contest hands down!

I had so much fun spending the morning with them and even though my hair morphed into an embarrassing spectacle in all that drizzle and haze, the light and mist was fabulous for photos...

And when it comes to photos, it just isn't about me anyway!
To see more of Shana, Jon, and Maddie's photo shoot, CLICK HERE.

10/6/10

FULL MOON RESORT WEDDING: LUCY AND JOE'S PROOFS

Lucy and Joe are a perfect fit. I suspected this immediately when I initially encountered them together for their "FIRST LOOK" and it became more and more evident as the day went on. Lucy's Yin curls up to Joe's Yang. Her moon softens his sun. Their ceremony was performed by Lucy's brother, Gordon, and it was tranquil, yet at the same time powerful. You got the sense that one cannot exist without the other, while each remain strong in their own right.

So, would you believe me if I told you they met through speed dating?

It's the beat on the street people... Lucy and Joe are a testament to speed dating! It CAN and DOES work!!!

Lucy and Joe's destination wedding at the Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY was stunning. Just outside of Woodstock, NY, it is like a little slice of heaven in the Catskills and the weather and colors couldn't have been more beautiful.