denise mabilog's daily photo blog

Good-bye to this Blog!

2010-01-23T16:39:00.002-05:00

I've had the blog for years but now it's time for something fresh. Here's my new blog address:

http://denisemabilog.com/blog/

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll check out my new blog!

Weddings 2009, Part 1

2010-01-22T06:00:00.002-05:00

These were just some of my favorite wedding shots this year! It was hard to pick, actually!

Wedding Wire Bride's Choice 2010 Winner!

2010-01-19T16:17:00.000-05:00

Look at this email that I received from Wedding Wire:

So, to all my couples who completed any surveys or left their thoughts with Wedding Wire, thank you! I appreciate you more than you know!!

2009 Favorite Engagement Shots

2010-01-19T05:55:00.001-05:00

I apologize in advance because I know I've left out some of my 2009 engagement couples (thinking of Melissa and Jennie specifically) but you'll see some of them covered when I post my best of weddings later this week....I only left them out because their images are on another hard drive and I was a little short on time.

On to my favorite engagement shots. Each session ends up with one shot that sums up the whole experience for me and I'm posting some of those shots here.

Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
This shot captures the energy of Michelle and Jason!

Jamie and Michael aren't that serious, so I love this shot.

Alexis' face is priceless as she looks at Vinnie

The goats, need I say more? Thanks to Kristin and Brian for being such good sports.

This shot, to me at least, perfectly captures Nicole and Mike.

Me using my off camera lighting in a dark field was a big hit for Chrissy and Dave!

Jessica looks too sweet while Jared gazes lovingly at her (as he should :)

I had a lot of shots that I loved from Meredith and Dan's shoot, but this is my fav:

Angela looks lovely here with Joe nibbling on her neck :)

Donna and Michael in love among the butterflies!

I'm so glad that Nicole and Andrew decided to stop for a moment and have some coffee:

Nicole and Dave look fierce, I just love this shot!

Martin Luther King Day

2010-01-18T07:01:00.000-05:00

May Dr. King's legacy shine today and every other day on all of us; reminding us to treat every person with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Wash Your Troubles Away

2010-01-17T06:55:00.002-05:00

Let's say you are a good friend of mine and you had a bad week; just a really crappy week. You know who you are. Let the bad week wash way, like this bad glass of wine down the drain, and have a great day! Know that I'm thinking about you....

PS: Don't think for a minute that I don't hear you saying in my head: "You took a picture of a drain?" Yes, yes I did--for you.

Some News....

2010-01-16T05:49:00.004-05:00

No pictures today, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'll be moving my blog! This blog is a free blog based on Blogger, and I had it customized about a year ago. I've loved, and have been very appreciative of my free blog, but now it's time to move on to bigger and better blogging. In a few weeks (hopefully) when you log onto this blog, you'll be redirected to my new blog's address. Look for that and make sure you bookmark my new blog for easy viewing every time you return.

Happy Saturday, Denise

PS: And can I just say that I'm super excited about the changes to come?

Guest Sign-In Book!

2010-01-15T10:12:00.002-05:00

I haven't picked up my camera in weeks until this arrived this morning! Chrissy's Guest Sign-in Book. I LOVE it and the cover is fabulous. I always try to talk my brides into this album and I only do that because I love it soooo much. Can't wait til I see Chrissy to give it to her this evening.

This first shot has the most accurate color:

Hipstamatic, Part 2

2010-01-13T05:22:00.000-05:00

Until yesterday, I hadn't picked up my camera in weeks...I just couldn't. I was burnt out from how much shooting I did this past fall and I needed a little break. Now that I've found the Hipstamatic app for my iPhone, however, I'm back into taking pix...with my phone! Yesterday when E came home from school, I played around with the app a little more. Here you go:

Note: I had planned on doing some more 'best of' shots from 2009, but those will have to wait, clearly, until I'm sick of my new toy!

This iPhone app is the closest to showing off my new glass kitchen tiles. At least in this shot you can see where the light hits the glass. You can also see that I was wearing orange:

Hipstamatic!

2010-01-12T06:23:00.006-05:00

You may know that I love my iPhone. I value it as a point and shoot camera and when I'm somewhere that I'm waiting, for example, I take some pix with my camera to kill some time. I found a new site dedicated to iPhone photography, here's the link:

iphoneography.com

I also found a cool app called Hipstamatic. It takes very cool, retro, photos on the iPhone and then uploads them instantly to my photos on the iphone.

I'm going to try and use this app.. so here's what my morning looks like. I usually get up a about 4:30 (since that's what time Norman is up) and I can get a lot of work done in the early morning hours. Here's the view from where I sit:

One of the benefits of getting up early is the ability to get my time on the treadmill out of the way before 8am~ My view from the treadmill:

My dog, Cooper, sits nicely by my side waiting for me to finish:

Here's what I look at-- my studio. See the damask background. I always see an 'evil bunny' in the damask...wonder what that says about me?

I know these treadmill shots are blurry, but keep in mind I was moving while I was taking them!

SHOES!

2010-01-11T04:48:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know I love shoes. I recall a time when I was with my dear friend Tom at the Coach store in Center City. He said: "Do you have to get all three pairs? Ummm, won't one do?" Well, no, one won't do!** Here are my favorite shoe shots from 2009!

A special 'hey now' to Melissa for the red shoes.

**Nordstrom opening in the Spring of 2011 at the Christiana Mall will be a problem for me.

2009 Rings

2010-01-09T06:39:00.001-05:00

Oh boy, I love rings. Photographing them, that is! Here are some of my favorites from 2009. My love of macro shots stared long ago, and the first lens I bought, when I bought my first DSLR, was a macro lens.

Contest Winners

2010-01-04T04:59:00.000-05:00

I decided to do this early. I was actually surprised at the number of brides who played along with my contest! Here are the winners:

ANGELA wins for being the first bride to get all the correct answers in! She wins a mini album of engagement images (that I pick) and I'll mail that out to her.

Second place goes to JAMIE and she'll also get a mini album of shots that I'll mail to her.

Honorable mentions to DONNA and MEREDITH. I have a little surprise each for them and I'll give it to them the next time I see each of them!

Thanks so much for playing!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T07:36:00.002-05:00

This post comes with my best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010 for everyone!

To explain these shots, we take down our tree every New Year's Day, so that's what we'll be doing today. I personally also like to clean so I can start the new year with everything in order. I have no shoots until January 24th, so I'm here, in the office, getting caught up on two albums....one I worked all day on yesterday and it's shaping up nicely, I think! I should finish these albums within the next week or so. IF you are a bride and you haven't gotten me your choices for your album (or guest sign in book) remember that January and February are two great months for me to catch up on your order!! Don't wait until March when I'll be traveling much of the month!

And finally, may the magic and wonder of the holidays stay with us all year. Here's my favorite shot of Ethan taken on Christmas morning. Note that he wears shorts and Tshirt all winter long (and my house isn't that warm :)

2009

2009-12-31T06:37:00.004-05:00

Today is the last day of 2009 and New Year's Eve day is a day I look forward to each year. Norman works on New Year's Eve and, in fact, during the 18 years I've been with him I've never spent a New Year's Eve with him. He does call, without fail, at midnight, every single year. Ethan and I make Tina's famous crab ball, watch a movie together and maybe have a toast (him with sparking cider, me with champagne) sometime during the evening. Each year we both try to stay up to midnight, but usually we don't make it.

I spend some time thinking about the year we're leaving and the passage of time. I also spend time thinking about the year we're entering and my goals for that year. Last year my focus was on building my wedding business and opening a studio...both goals have been accomplished! I have an amazing amount of weddings booked for 2010 and I'm so excited about the couples that I'll be spending some time with! For the coming year, I have certain goals in mind: to figure out what I'm going to do with my studio, to find some balance in my life and spend more time with my family, to travel a bit (anyone know of anyone getting married in any place other than Jersey/PA/DE??) and to get published in a bridal magazine. There! Those goals should keep me busy during 2010 and I know it's going to be a fabulous year.

Thank you, my blog readers, for stopping in to spend a part of your day with me. I also wanted to thank the many couples and families who entrust me with their memories. It has been my pleasure meeting all of you...I'm constantly amazed at your generosity and the outpouring of love I receive from all of you! After all, I wouldn't give up my weekends with my family for just any pursuit and I've found that when I'm with my couples and their families on a wedding day, I'm treated like part of their family. Thank you all!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2010!
xoxo Denise

In a Word: The Contest

2009-12-30T05:29:00.006-05:00

I've taken a lot of pictures this year and I can tell you that some of my favorites come from the engagement sessions that I do. An engagement session helps me see how you photograph, it helps you get used to me and my style, and it helps us get to know one another. I can't stress how important it is. Couples usually start out hesitant and then by the time the session is over can't believe that 1.5 hours have elapsed and they also can't believe that they actually had some fun!

Locations and clothing matter in an engagement session. I've had brides buy new clothing (lots of it), get their hair, makeup and nails done (one groom this year also had a mani)! They emailed, called and texted me with clothing and location questions. I love nothing more than when a bride shows up for her session wearing a fabulous pair of shoes or boots. They change clothing in cars or in deserted locations out in the open (once in a while there's an actual restroom).

My first engagement session this year was with Michelle and Jason (who, by the way, are now happily married). During the shoot a word popped into my head when I saw how they were looking at each other: ADORE. That word described them perfectly as I saw them that day. I then figured out a word for every couple who I had an E session with and I posted that word on my blog along with their shots. Sometimes it was very easy, sometime more difficult, but I always came up with a word.

Now for the contest. If you are a past, present or future bride, you are eligible to participate and must email me your answers by Monday January 4th at midnight. The first person to get it right wins and the winners will be announced on the blog Tuesday morning.

2nd place contest is this: Tell me the most popular name of my brides for 2010. I have 5 2010 brides with this one name!

In a Word contest: Match these couples up with the word I gave them on my blog:

Michelle and Jason
Latrice and Vince
Jamie and Mike
Melissa and Josh
Jennie and Cristian
Jenn and Derrick
Meredith and Dan
Donna and Michael
Angela and Joe
Kristin and Brian
Nicole and Dave
Nicole and Andrew
Alexis and Vinnie
Nicole and Mike
Chrissy and Dave
Jessica and Jared

Good luck and here's one hint: I didn't start shooting E sessions until May this year, so you can ingore Jan-April on my blog!

My Favorite Film Shot

2009-12-27T07:20:00.001-05:00

I just like this shot and it feels right for a Sunday morning.

Cans for Comments Update!

We had 35 comments between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I'll be delivering 35 cans to a local food bank. Thanks to everyone who left a comment (and I swear 1/2 of those comments came from Tina alone) to help me do something nice for the community!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T06:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone! Here's my holiday card for this year and the photo below is the shot that I used in the card design. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, filled with good friends, family, food and warmth.

Wishing you joy,
Denise

Jenn and Derrick on Film

2009-12-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

Jenn and Derrick got married weeks ago, all the way back in September. It was a beautiful day all around. I happened to take a film camera to their wedding, and only snapped two photos with it. Here they are. I love the red of the church and how these shots remind us what is important at this time of year. It isn't the gifts, really, or certainly not the money we spend, but the time with our loved ones, friends and family, and celebrating the true meaning of the season.

What is This?

2009-12-22T05:15:00.001-05:00

In keeping with my efforts to gather comments this holiday season, I'm asking: What is this? Please leave a comment with your guess. So far, I have 28 comments between Thanksgiving and now, so that means 28 cans of food donated to a food bank. Leave those comments!

Berries, No Snow

2009-12-21T05:47:00.000-05:00

I shot these berries a few weeks ago on film. Right now the berries are a deep purple and I'm sure they'd look beautiful in the snow. Feels like it'll be a while before we dig out, doesn't it?

Snow!

2009-12-20T07:19:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's Sunday morning here and it's still snowing! We've gotten at least 2 feet, maybe more, and there are drifts as high as 3 feet or even higher. Norman worked all day yesterday, and now his new Jeep is stuck 1/2 way up the driveway. There's too much for him to plow so he's going to start shoveling by hand. If you know where I live, you know my driveway is veryyyyy LONG! Actually, we need to buy our neighbor's snowblower!

These shots on film were taken on Thanksgiving morning when the dew was sparking on these branches. Lovely.

Donald and Kathy

2009-12-19T05:58:00.000-05:00

Continuing on with family week, here's my dad and his wife, Kathy. We were lucky to have some time the weekend before Thanksgiving to go up and visit with them. I must have been saying something funny to make them laugh!

My New Wallpaper!

2009-12-18T07:14:00.000-05:00

Here's my mom again, holding these cool 'flowers' (they were cabbages) that I got from Amy at Petals and Paints in Swedesboro. I love this shot and it's now my wallpaper on my computer! These 'flowers' were seriously cool, but after a week or so they started growing up and out, which was a little wierd! Oh, and they smelled like cabbages!

One week til Christmas, are you ready?

My Dog Cooper

2009-12-17T04:11:00.000-05:00

Continuing on with 'Family Week", here's a member of my family--Cooper. Some of you may remember that it was about a year ago that Cooper was literally hunting the candy canes off my Christmas tree. One day I was working from home and the tree just fell over without warning. The ornaments went flying around the living room....a lot of them breaking. This was because Cooper had just been rooting around the tree.

When my mom came to visit at Thanksgiving she said something like: "Of course you won't put any candy canes on your tree this year." Well, I never listen...the canes are on the top half of the tree and so far Cooper has been staying away, but I'm watching him like a hawk.

He looks guilty, doesn't he?

Cookie Visits My Studio!!

2009-12-16T05:08:00.000-05:00

My studio has been open since April, but my mom, who lives in Richmond, hadn't been up to see it. When she came up for Thanksgiving, the first place we stopped when I picked her up from the train station was my studio. Here she is looking through an album.

And with Ethan...

...who actually sat still and let me take a shot

We enjoy our Thanksgiving visit with my mom each year and Norman always says, every single year, that he misses her when she goes home. How's that for a wonderful son-in-law!

E

2009-12-15T06:08:00.000-05:00

My niece on film on Thanksgiving day. My niece is something...a bit of a firecracker. She talks and talks and that things that come out of her mouth are too funny! She's really a joy to be around and I love that she loves to have her picture taken!

Love the face! Here she is with my sister (her mom).

One Nephew

2009-12-14T05:15:00.000-05:00

I'm going to call this family week and show you shots of my family taken on film around Thanksgiving. I've been waiting for a slow week to show these, so this is the week.

If you recall, I had shown a shot or two of one of my nephews on Thanksgiving. I have twin nephews, and this guy is the one I didn't show...so I thought I better give him his turn on the blog. Despite the drippy nose, he was the one who was feeling ok on Thanksgiving.

Look at those big blue eyes and I love how they still stand out despite my grainy film! My sister has those big blue eyes too. We were never sure where she got them from.

Hair at any Age, Part 2

2009-12-13T06:36:00.000-05:00

I also love this in black and white, so I decided to post this as well. What do you like better? Color or black and white?

Hair at any Age

2009-12-12T06:53:00.000-05:00

I literally ran into this scene a few weeks ago at a shoot. I came down some stairs and here this was. I had the time to raise my camera and push the shutter; I was relieved that it turned out as I saw it. I love it and it reminds me that I have a lifetime of salon visits in my future.

Jessica and Jared Part 2

2009-12-10T06:37:00.000-05:00

I seem to have a story about everyone, don't I? When Jessica and Jared came to my studio this past August, it was literally 100 degrees inside my studio with my little air conditioner on! Jared saw how uncomfortable I was and said: "Let's go sit outside where it may be cooler." We had a nice meeting sitting outside where there was a breeze and I was actually touched by their consideration. They are both super sweet....in fact, they rescued Oscar and you can see how they all love each other in the shots I took!

In a word, Jessica and Jared, and their relationship, is precious. There is something very sweet and tender about them together. Case in point: "The burr incident" What is this you ask? As a photographer, I've been in some crazy places and I've tripped, been around spiders, snakes, other bugs, in weeds, water, etc. Not always fun, but I do it for the shot! Here I asked Jessica and Jared to sit on a dune and there some weeds on it here and there. They both hopped up on the dune, in fact Jessica took a running leap! Once they were up on the dune, they both announced that they had something sticking into them. Jessica had a burr that actually pierced her leather glove and was sticking into her hand. You can see some burrs on Jared's coat:

Jessica had a boo boo!

Here's the beautiful ring!

I wonder what these guys were doing?

Parasailing? In December?

Finally, I couldn't resist a few more shots of the very-handsome Oscar!

Thanks to Jessica and Jared for being such troopers and not letter a few burrs dampen their spirits! I've never had injured clients before, so this was a first for me. I can't wait for their wedding in September; I know they've been working hard at all the details and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Jessica and Jared are Engaged!

2009-12-09T06:26:00.003-05:00

I give Jessica credit for having the patience of a saint and for trusting that whenever we had her engagement session, it would be the right time. You see, we had a lot of rain this fall. Jessica had THREE other sessions scheduled throughout October and November, but every single session got rained out.*** Jessica kept her sunny attitude and waited for the right time.

This past Sunday was beautiful...sunny, clear and cold. A perfect day for some beach shots. We were lucky that Jessica's mom, Patricia, was around to be our dog-handler! Here's OSCAR...what a cutie and I feel in love with him instantly:

Here's Oscar's close-up:

These aren't the same shot...in the top Jared is in focus (and Jessica is not) and in the bottom Jessica is in focus (and Jared is not. I did this to show off Jared's eyes:

One of my favorites! The sun was crazy when we started out, but here it worked:

Wedding Date!

They told me Oscar could run FAST, and that was no lie. In one shot I have, it looks like all four legs are off the ground. Run Oscar, Run!

Here's me playing around with the sun a bit:

Our beautiful bride rocking a pair of ear muffs!

My favorite from the session. Love, Love, Love this.

Stop in tomorrow for Part 2!

***A few other brides got rained out on their engagement sessions one time, but Jessica wins the prize with being rained out three times!

Me...Again

2009-12-08T05:42:00.000-05:00

I like to take shots of myself when I'm around mirrors for some reason! Here's a shot of me at a recent shoot. I'm using this as filler since I'm working on Jessica and Jared's recent engagement shoot and I don't have it ready to post yet. Stop in over the next few days for that! You'll get to see the cutest dog. EVER.

Chrissy and Dave, Part 2, The Orchard

2009-12-06T06:39:00.000-05:00

Chrissy and Dave came to my studio this summer to meet with me. Chrissy made a point to tell me she was not photogenic. When I met them again last weekend at my studio, Chrissy reminded me again that they weren't photogenic...hummm, if you know me you know I love a challenge! I have to say that people usually 'aren't photogenic' because they aren't comfortable in front of a camera..that, then, shows in their faces. I think I've proved Chrissy wrong...not only is she photogenic, she's lovely! Once we got going, I think they forgot about my camera, that, plus that fact that I seemed to make them both laugh.

It was getting dark quickly and I wanted to shoot Chrissy and Dave in a local pear orchard. I think these are pear trees, but I'm not 100% sure, so if I'm wrong, please leave a comment. I warned them that since we'd have to park our cars on the side of the road, that the police would likely show up, which they did in the first five minutes we were there. Once the officer saw what we were doing, and that we were OK, he left us alone. I've been wanting to shoot here for weeks, and I'm glad we got the chance. I took along lighting, which I don't normally do, and I LOVE the way these shots look. A bit different from my usual.

I am so glad that Chrissy and Dave picked me to photograph their wedding in February. They are both super super sweet and beautiful inside and out! They are both very brave, too. Not only did they celebrate two Thanksgiving dinners last weekend, they settled on a new house, started to move, had their engagement session and are still planning a wedding! Wow, I always like to think I'm type A, but this has me floored! In a word, their love for each other and for life is irrepressible!

This is the pear tree orchard before I got my light out! Nice shot, I think.....

Now here's the orchard after I got my light out. Better shots, don't you think?

Watch the sky; you can see how the sky gets darker and darker in each photo:

LOVE the blue sky!

Good thing Chrissy likes these shots with the off-camera light. She and Dave are getting married in February and they're going to be seeing this light again!

PS: Chrissy gave me the BEST peppermint bark. It was the best bark I've ever had....and everyone I shared it with thought so too. She bought it at Macy's in case you love bark, too!

Chrissy and Dave are Engaged!

2009-12-05T05:54:00.002-05:00

Chrissy, Dave and I wanted to go to Washington's Crossing and that area on the Pennsylvania side, which is where they got engaged, for their engagement shoot, but everything was CLOSED, due to budget cuts, I think. Even the restaurant where they got engaged is now closed. Boo. We had to scramble to pick somewhere else, and what I came up with was the area surrounding my studio in Mullica Hill. Who knew there were some really great places to shoot literally in my back yard. Like this first shot...taken in the yard behind my studio!

This is the back of the barn where my neighbor Hilda and the Mullica Hill Floral Company lives for now (they are moving down the street in March, and this green barn will be up for rent):

The rest of these photos were taken a few businesses down. In the back, behind the some businesses on Main Street, is this beautiful YELLOW carriage house. I posted this shot, however, not because of the yellow building, but because of the look on Dave's face!

I LOVE the look on Chrissy's face...it's like she has a secret...

Caution Tape!

And finally, here's our happy couple:

Stop in tomorrow, because for the second half of this post I'm going to show you something a bit different and I'm going to tell you a little story!

Ikea

2009-12-04T06:01:00.000-05:00

Who knew you could take cool images at Ikea with an iPhone!
Happy Friday and stop in tomorrow and Sunday for Chrissy and Dave's engagement session!

Nicole and Mike Part II

2009-12-03T05:55:00.002-05:00

I'm going to tell a little story about the evening I first met Mike and Nicole. They came to my studio in Mullica Hill and we were chatting when Mike suddenly said something like: "Nicole is so beautiful, isn't she." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and I was struck by the emotion on his face. You see, he loves Nicole with his entire heart and soul; she loves him right back the same way. I could tell that from having been in their presence for about 1/2 hour on that evening, and after spending another 2 hours with them last weekend, I'm even more convinced of it! In a word, their love is awesome (for awe-inspiring)...It's that big.

Our beautiful bride!

Our handsome groom!

It's right there..right on their faces for the whole world to see....

Nicole, you are too cute!

Hey Guys, I can't wait for your wedding in 2010!

Stop in later this week to see Chrissy and Dave's engagement session!

Nicole and Mike are Engaged!

2009-12-02T06:37:00.001-05:00

Nicole, Mike and I met last Saturday in Merchantville NJ and we started at St. Peter's church. It is a big, glorious church and this happens to be where Mike proposed to Nicole.

This is the very spot!

And this:

I love this portrait of them!

I love this shot with the red tile and the mailboxes!

You had to be there, but I walked them all over the little town looking for the perfect snowflake! See the lamppost!

Stop in tomorrow for part 2!

Sheryl's Hair Essentials, Pitman, NJ

2009-12-01T05:25:00.000-05:00

Sheryl's at Sheryl's Hair Essentials asked me to come over and take some shots of her newly opened bridal rooms. Upstairs at the salon are 3 rooms dedicated to brides and bridal parties. Sheryl's hair essentials is located right next to Casa de Coffee at 26 E. Holly Ave, Pitman, NJ. Her number is (856) 582-6225. The downstairs is beautiful and spacious. The walls are painted a beautiful red and the whole thing is really an inviting atmosphere.

Here are some shots of the outside, which I think is just darling:

Here's the first room, upstairs, where the hair is done. They have two chairs.

Here's the second room, where the party can have snacks and sit and chat while the others are getting their hair done or their pedis.

Here's the third room, for pedi's:

Lots of little details including some great antiques:

Give them a call if you are a bride and are looking for hair/makeup/nails/pedis on your wedding day. What a nice way to relax while letting Sheryl and her staff pamper you on your big day!

A Special Bride

2009-11-30T04:34:00.001-05:00

It takes a special bride to be willing to sit on a concrete block, in her wedding dress, on her wedding day. This shot was completely staged by me, and I didn't include it in my postings for the wedding, as it really wasn't part of the day. I took this for me. Thanks to Michelle for playing along.

Today Michelle and Jason go back to their 'real lives'...work and school....and I wish them much happiness as they navigate life together.

Family

2009-11-29T06:45:00.000-05:00

Here are some shots I took at Thanksgiving of my family!

One sick little guy. He's a twin and the other twin felt better so he was running around somewhere:

One energetic niece:

My brother-in-law with his kids:

Here's Ethan with the twin who was feeling good:

Ethan was in heaven all day as my brother-in-law loves basketball too, and they played quite a bit.

Mostly I shot film all day, so you'll have to wait for it to get processed to see some more!

Kitchen Before and After

2009-11-28T06:27:00.001-05:00

I gave Norman an assignment....to put up a tile backsplash before Thanksgiving. He made it, barely. Here are the shots from the weekend before Thanksgiving:

Notice this "tin thing" that Norman slapped on the wall one day to protect our paint from grease splatters. I hated that thing from the minute he put it up, over a year ago, until the day he ripped it off the wall. Here it is:

And here are the shots from early Thanksgiving morning. Much improved, I'd say, and, in fact, I love it! The tiles, which you can't see too well, are glass teal subway tiles with a little slate line running about 1/3 up. If I took the shot in the light, you'd see how the glass tiles shine and are really the perfect color. Yes, I picked them out!

Shopping?

2009-11-27T06:17:00.001-05:00

I had a bride come to my studio to talk about her spring wedding. She brought her beautiful three year old daughter, who was an absolute joy to be around. To keep her occupied, she drew a picture, which she gave to me to keep when they left. You'll find it hanging in my studio....

Who's going shopping today? I might do a bit of online shopping, but my goal on black Friday is to never leave my house. We might hunker down with some good books and a stack of magazines, along with a fridge full of leftovers...why leave at all?

Cans for Comments//Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T05:40:00.000-05:00

I LOVE fall and I'm usually sad to see it to. If you look closely, however, you can still find hints of it here and there....Thanksgiving, for me, is the end of the fall and the beginning of winter!

Due to the success of last year's program, I'm going to reinstate my "Cans for Comments" program here on the blog. Leave a comment between Thanksgiving day and Christmas Day and I'll take a can, for every comment I receive, to a local food bank. Last year I took about 50 cans, if I remember correctly, so let's make it even bigger this year! People are still hungry and are in need of food. This is an easy way that we all can help.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Tomasello Winery, Hammonton NJ, Wedding

2009-11-25T05:09:00.000-05:00

Dear Michelle and Jason: Thank you so much for choosing me as your wedding photographer. I loved your day and I love working with the two of you! I wish you every happiness as you build your lives together and I hope you are having fun on your cruise.
xoxo Denise
PS: See you for your Trash the Dress session this winter!

Look at Michelle's face here and see how perfectly happy she was!

Technically we were trespassing on the neighbor's property, this is right next door to Tomasello Winery, but I could not resist it when I saw it!

Still Trespassing, but in this case the owner pointed this pump out to us. I LOVE THIS!!

What a simple and elegant cake.

Every couple seems to have a blurry shot that I end up loving. This is the blurry shot that I love from this wedding:

Michelle's cheeks are rosy from tearing up the dance floor!

Michelle and Jason are Married! Part 2

2009-11-24T04:31:00.004-05:00

Here's part two of Michelle and Jason's big day. I don't want the post to get too big, so stop in tomorrow for the final post which includes the bridal portraits at the vineyard and the reception!

Our groom arrives:

Cutie!

Precious x 2

Jason and his best man:

Gotta love technology. Now, even when you are at a wedding, you are never out of touch. Soon after this shot was taken, Jason whipped out his phone too (all in fun):

A radiant bride:

Married!

Another cutie. He's making his "CHEESE!" face....

A little self-promotion here...my image is on the wine bottles!

Three beautiful sisters:

Michelle and Jason are Married! Part 1

2009-11-23T06:22:00.009-05:00

As a wedding photographer, you never know what you're going to find when you arrive at your first location. For Michelle's wedding, she was getting ready at the Hammonton Inn in Hammonton, NJ, which was close to both the church and Tomasello vineyards where the reception was. When I arrived at the Inn, I thought to myself, "This isn't going to be easy!" No worries, as it all turned out good! I can usually find somewhere creative to shoot and this location was no exception!

You know I love shoes! Michelle's were no exception!

The flower girl was too too sweet!

A matron (left) and a maid of honor (right):

Our glowing bride arriving from her hair appointment:

"Bride"

Usually I show a picture of the bride getting dressed, but I'm just going to say that I almost thought Michelle's dress wasn't going to go on.....it was a little sticky at one point and everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief once the dress was on. Here's one happy bride:

OK, so I said shooting at the Inn was going to be tough! Here's where I put the girls initially:

Then we moved to this, more pleasing location, on the side of the Inn. There was some garbage around, but Photoshop took care of that!

Michelle and her beautiful mother, Mary.

And, of course, our beautiful girls:

I usually but the bride in the street in front of her house. I don't know why I do it, it's just something I've done over the years. In a case like this, since I don't have a street, the parking lot will have to do. Those of you who know me, know, don't you, that I love this shot. Something about a bride in a parking lot makes me happy!

Finally, Michelle's engagement ring which was about to be joined with a wedding ring!

Stop in tomorrow and see Part 2. Jason was giddy with happiness at the prospect of getting married to Michelle!

Red Robin

2009-11-22T06:07:00.001-05:00

Weddings are long days for wedding photographers. On your feet. For about 12 hours. OK, so it's a long day, but I love it. The next day, however, is a bit of a different story. I wake up with my muscles aching...that does wear off after I'm up and about. Here's what I treat myself to the day after a wedding: Red Robin. You'll find Ethan and I there on plenty of Sunday's! Please don't judge me because I do LOVE a good burger :)

Yesterday's wedding was amazing and now the real work begins of cutting about 3000 images down to a manageable size, getting rid of the duds, and then putting the shots online for Michelle and Jason to see next week when they return from their honeymoon. Today we can't go to Red Robin. We're going to visit my dad and his wife in Allentown, PA so we'll be having a big pasta lunch! Hey, that works too.

All shots taken with my iPhone using Chase Jarvis' The Best Camera (is the one that's with you) App. If Michelle's dad is reading this, this is what you need to search for in the app store.

The ceiling

Ethan amusing himself with his cell phone.

If I can work later today and get some photos edited, my goal is to start blogging Michelle and Jason's wedding photos tomorrow!

Michelle and Jason's Wedding Day

2009-11-21T05:44:00.001-05:00

"When I get married, I want to be very married."
--Audrey Hepburn

Here's to a glorious wedding day today for Michelle and Jason. Let me tell you the story of how I booked their wedding. Last December, they invited into their home so I could show them my samples and talk about their day. I didn't have my studio yet, so I was meeting people in their homes or at a local Starbuck's. I said to them as I was leaving: "Well, if you'd like to book with me..." and Michelle cut me off by saying: "Oh, we're going to book with you, there's no question about that.." Easy. Like Michelle and Jason. They've been an absolute dream to work with, and they couldn't be nicer if they wanted to be.

I know today is going to be amazing and I can't wait to see them. I was up early, I was so excited. The sun will be shining, I rented a new lens to bring along, and I know that Michelle is going to be one stunning bride. I'll post images maybe Monday to Wednesday of this week if you'd like to check back.

Jason's face, below, tells the whole story in one look.

A Teacher and Her Family

2009-11-20T09:43:00.004-05:00

My son Ethan was a busy boy when he was young. Full of energy and a will of his own. He liked to talk in class and he LOVED to answer questions without raising his hand. I think his K and 1st grade teachers didn't know what to do with him. He was bright but I think they'd say he wasn't all that well-behaved. Miss Shainline changed our lives. She understood immediately that Ethan was bored and she gave him assignments to keep him engaged. He also allowed him to help other classmates with their work. This was a win win for Ethan and the other kids. He stopped talking out loud. He settled down. My life, during second grade, became easier...all because of one teacher who really took the time to figure out my son. Today he is a straight A student and I credit it all to Miss Shainline. I've said thank you, but I really wanted to say thank you somehow.

On a beautiful Sunday I went to her house to spend some time with her and her family. Her son reminds me of Ethan at that age..very busy and curious. Running here and there. Exploring. All the typical things boys do. Here are some of the shots, and from the bottom of my heart I'll say it again to Miss Shainline: Thank you for what you did for Ethan. You are a shining example of how one teacher can change a life.

Here's Flash the dog:

The happy family

Fun with mom

I truly couldn't think of a better name for this dog. Flash is perfect!

Love this.

...and finally a shot of Miss Shainline!

Evening

2009-11-19T06:02:00.000-05:00

On the Line

2009-11-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

Ethan/Dance

2009-11-17T05:59:00.000-05:00

Here's Ethan pre-dance on Friday evening. He's wearing Norman's polo shirt (size L) and the fact that it really almost fits him is amazing!

Jennie on Film

2009-11-16T05:49:00.000-05:00

I just liked this shot from Jennie and Cristian's wedding back in October. Shot on film.

Just Because...

2009-11-15T06:06:00.000-05:00

You know I LOVE manhole covers. (Sewer, gas, and electric covers as well:)

Rest

2009-11-14T07:38:00.000-05:00

I need to sit down and rest a bit...These very cool chairs are for sale at Mullica Hill Florist. If only I had somewhere to put them....

Alexis and Vinnie, Part 2

2009-11-13T06:48:00.002-05:00

I loved having this engagement shoot in Alloway at Alexis' home. It make it that much more personal. Alexis and Vinnie were relaxed from the beginning and I can tell they had fun! They are so cute together. They are each others best friends. They are fun and they live in the moment. They are together, in a word, easy...taking life as it comes--together!

Their wedding in February is going to be amazing...from the candlelight ceremony to the reception in Springfield!
Keep your fingers crossed for a bit of snow!

Vinnie is a volunteer fireman in case you were wondering...

I asked them to try and look serious for a shot or two, but it is harder than it looks. I love the look on their faces!

When you get that one shot, you know it. Vinnie saw my face after I took this shot, and he knew, as I did, that this shot would be special. And it is.

Alexis and Vinnie, Alloway NJ

2009-11-12T07:55:00.003-05:00

I met Alexis and Vinnie a few months ago, at my studio, on a Friday evening. It was dark and my studio is hard to find when it's dark, so Alexis would keep calling me to see where I was located. I was looking out my windows to try and see if I could see her, and what I saw, outside in the dark, was two people walking towards each other, who came together and gave each other a big hug. Those two people were Alexis and Vinnie--they had parked at opposite ends of the street and walked to meet each other in the middle. A nice story, I think, to lead into some awesome shots! We met a Alexis' home in Alloway, NJ, on Sunday, and this is what we did:

The lake was beautiful:

Alexis has such a great sense of style. I loved all the bracelets she was wearing...those and that amazing ring make this shot sparkle!

Grace!

Our beautiful bride-to-be:

And here's Vinnie!

Stop in for more tomorrow!

Rich

2009-11-11T06:11:00.001-05:00

Here's my friend Rich at Halloween!

I'm a little behind in my editing. Stop in tomorrow for Alexis and Vinnie's engagement session in Alloway, NJ. I have a TON of great images to sort though and my posts are sure to be long...

My Boys!

2009-11-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

Here are a few more shots of the boys in my life. The two shots of Ethan were taken with digital and the shots of Norman and Cooper were taken on film.

Ethan:

Norman (film shot):

Cooper (film also):

Film vs. Digital

2009-11-09T05:29:00.001-05:00

I've been struggling over whether I like film or digital better. Digital has many, obvious, advantages, but there's still something about film that I love. Leave a comment, please, with your preference!

Film:

Digital:

Stop in a bit later this week for Alexis and Vinnie's engagement session. We had fun and I got some AMAZING shots!

Update

2009-11-08T07:32:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take a minute to update everyone on the status of holiday shoots, placing orders, etc. I am, and have been for some time, completely booked for the rest of this year. I have shoots scheduled into the first week of December and that's all I can take for this year. This fall has been completely crazy which I'm very thankful for. I am now booking for Spring 2010 and already have shoots scheduled for March, April and May (that is excluding my weddings which begin in February).

I sent an email to all current clients who haven't placed their orders yet, and since I've done that, orders have been coming in steadily. In order for prints, cards, and canvas prints to arrive by the holidays, those orders must be placed by the day after Thanksgiving. All digital file orders and DVD's can be ordered up until the second week of December. If you haven't placed your order yet, don't worry you still have a few weeks!

I've had a lot of fun this fall; I've met so many wonderful couples and families, so I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for their business!

Here's a shot I took at my studio on film!

Playing Outside

2009-11-07T06:45:00.001-05:00

Ethan and Abbie playing outside!

Nicole and Dave, Part 2

2009-11-06T06:43:00.001-05:00

For the second part of our shoot, we moved off the sod and into some other areas of the farm. I want to thank Nicole and Dave for being so fun. Seriously, I can't wait for their wedding next Memorial Day weekend. Nicole is going to be on fabulous bride to shoot! It's amazing what you can learn about two people in a few hours. Nicole and Dave are both fun, funny, sweet and down to earth. In a word, Nicole and Dave are perfect!

In the shot on the right, I looked at it and thought how perfect Nicole looks.

Look at this!

Do you know what these 'things' are in this shot? Rolled up barbed wire!

Utley says "Bye!"

Nicole and Dave, Sod Farm, Hammonton, NJ

2009-11-05T05:02:00.001-05:00

Here's the first of two parts of Nicole and Dave's Engagement shoot on Dave's sod farm in Hammonton. The weather was sketchy at best, but it turned out to be an AMAZING afternoon. I had a great time and Nicole and Dave were easy to shoot. Nicole should be a model, that's how comfortable in front of the camera she was.

What I love about this shot is the green apple that is spray-painted on the tree. You need to look closely!

Meet Utley! He was super fun and very high energy!

I love farm equipment. Really.

I'd say Dave did a fabulous job picking out Nicole's ring!

Here's the part where the skies got dark and it almost started raining.

Stop in tomorrow for part 2 of our shoot.

Kin Gyo, Philadelphia, PA

2009-11-04T05:49:00.002-05:00

I'll be doing a shoot for Philadelphia's best sushi restaurant, Kin Gyo, located at 1720 Sansom Street, soon. They've been there for years but recently changed their name. I stopped in last week to take a look around and get a feeling for the restaurant and lighting conditions. I stayed, I sat, and they graciously made me a plate--the BBQ'd eel was simply amazing! You know, we eat a lot of sushi, and you can always tell the quality of the sushi by the California rolls. We've had California rolls from Wegman's and everywhere else we've had sushi, and these California rolls were the best I ever had. Stop in, see Annie the manager, and tell them I sent you!

Nicole and Andrew, Part 2

2009-11-01T03:42:00.002-05:00

Nicole and Andrew have such a tender, loving way with each other. In a word: Tranquil. There's a strength behind their whispers and you can tell they love each other despite the hurdles of living on two different time zones. Maybe that's made them stronger. They were a joy to be around and I simply cannot wait for their wedding in July at the Merion.

PS: Andrew was born in Scotland...do you know what the means for the wedding?

Nicole and Andrew

2009-10-31T06:42:00.001-04:00

Nicole lives in South Jersey and Andrew lives in London, which is where they met years ago. They've managed the hardships of a long distance relationship with style and they're now getting married in July! We met this week at Rittenhouse Square, in Philadelphia, and walked around the city getting to know one another a bit.

Here's my story. As I was walking through the park to get to our meeting place, I notice a couple sitting on a bench. There were about 100 pigeons in front of them on the sidewalk and grass. She had her head on his shoulder. I thought, "What a lovely couple." I didn't recognize either person sitting there. As I passed by their bench, the birds took off over their heads and I turned to look and saw what would have made the most amazing picture. I thought to myself, "Too bad that's not Nicole and Andrew." Well, of course it turned out to be them and I missed what would have been a perfect shot.

Here are some other great shots that I did manage to capture...more tomorrow.

PS: Happy Halloween!

Mullica Hill Skincare

2009-10-30T06:10:00.000-04:00

I was excited to get a call from Lori, the office manager of Mullica Hill Skincare, as I've photographed the physicians before, and I have personal knowledge of some of the services they offer. First, I'd like to introduce their new office located at 201 Bridgeton Pike in Mullica Hill. They bought a house and completely revamped it! It looks amazing.

Here's the front:

And the back, which now has a pond and beautiful landscaping!

The interior is just beautiful. I heard that one of the docs did the design; all I have to say is that I need to hire her to do my next studio!

Lots of great details:

The staff, starting with Lori, who called me in to do the shoot:

Now for the three physicians:

And my favorite...I adore the black and white:

Let me say that Mullica Hill Skincare is way more than skin treatments and hair removal. They are also a family practice. In fact, I saw people of all ages coming in and out while I was there. The shots of the interior, above, feature the second story of the building which houses the skincare, while the downstairs houses the family practice. Either way, you couldn't meet a nicer staff!

Angela and Joe, Part 2

2009-10-29T05:40:00.002-04:00

Angela and Joe really are as happy as they look in the pictures. It's amazing, but you can tell when a couple is perfect for each other. Angela turned towards Joe, each time we found a new location, and she wanted to stay there, facing him, in his arms. I had to tell her to look at me once in a while. If you think about it, being as perfectly happy as they are together, it makes sense. This one was easy...they are, in a word: HAPPY.

I'm looking forward to the wedding in July! I don't want to give any secrets away, but I heard some colors and flower choices mentioned that makes me HAPPY!

Notice Skip and Joe in front of "Skip's Chocolates"!

Angela and Joe Engaged! Part 1

2009-10-28T05:45:00.002-04:00

After what seems like weeks of rain, I met Angela and Joe at Peddler's Village on Sunday for their engagement shoot. It was a glorious day, and everyone was out...It was packed. They bought Skip (and Michelle, Angela's sister, to watch Skip) and we had a fun time walking around and getting to know one another a bit. Now, on to the pix and stop in tomorrow for Part 2.

Here's Skip!

I took these little pix from my new Fuji Instax! Skip didn't sit still for his instant shot!

The fall colors were just glorious!

Kristin and Brian Captured on Film

2009-10-27T04:55:00.001-04:00

I took this same shot with my digital camera and posted it when I posted Kristin and Brian's Engagement Session. Here's the film version, which I think I prefer. All these film shots are straight out of the camera with no editing. I keep thinking that film, if you have the patience to wait for it to come back from the lab, is actually easier than digital.

Love the "Beware" sign!

This is a digital shot, but wanted to have a companion shot to help explain the Harley jacket above.

Swedesboro Family Portraits

2009-10-26T05:48:00.001-04:00

I have to thank Denise for calling me over the years to come and photograph her beautiful family. I have a shot of their daughter, from our first shoot together, hanging in my studio and it remains maybe my favorite shot, ever, of a child! These are a few shots from last weekend's session. The rain, on Friday, held out for us (which based on my luck lately was a miracle :)

As I've said before, with kids, you gotta get a good group picture early in the session... This would make a nice holiday card.

Or this would...

Now for the kids.

Two year olds are difficult to shoot, but this turned out great! He LOVED the football~

What is this? A crabapple or a black walnut? Anyone know? If you do, leave a comment please!

Denise and I think the same. She asked me to take shots in the now-past-their-prime flowers, and if you know me you know I loved the idea!

And for the final shot, one cutie with a hint of chocolate around the mouth...

Fall

2009-10-25T05:48:00.000-04:00

I LOVE fall, don't you? I'm super busy this fall, and as you can imagine, the rain, on the past 2 weekends, has been making my life a scheduling nightmare. Today looks to be a lovely fall day, and I can't wait to see Angela and Joe, and their dog Skip, in a cool location...Peddler's Village. So, stop back tomorrow to see one of my favorite families, who you've seen on here before many times, and then later this week to see Angela and Joe's E session and some film shots of Kristin and Brian's E session!

Here are some fall shots, all taken on film!

Rust

2009-10-24T05:39:00.000-04:00

You know I love rust....

Annapolis

2009-10-23T05:51:00.002-04:00

You may recall, for those of you regular readers, that Norman, Ethan and I took a trip to Annapolis, MD, a few weeks ago. I was shooting Judy and Don's 50th Wedding Anniversary party, and then we went to Annapolis for the evening. I had my film camera along to take shots in Annapolis. My camera dates back to the early 80's. It's completely manual, from focusing, to film loading and advancing. There are times, I admit, when I push the shutter and expect the film to advance. I just got my film back from Richard Photo Lab in LA. Here you go!

Not a bad idea to have a cupcake!

I think, out of all the rolls of film I got back, this is my favorite shot.

I LOVE the grain in this high ISO film!

These last two are from the car...Norman was driving with the top down.

Cake Baking...

2009-10-22T05:15:00.000-04:00

These shots were taken with my new Fuji Instax! It's a little camera that really works much like a Polaroid. I love it. My scanner quit in the middle of scanning, and now it won't work at all. You don't get to see the finished product; a dense, moist cake shaped like a pumpkin. The cake mix was very expensive (for a cake mix) and I bought it at William Sonoma. Norman, who does not really ever eat cake, LOVES this cake!

E

2009-10-21T05:44:00.000-04:00

Here's a pix of E taken with my new Fuji Instax!

Life

2009-10-18T08:21:00.002-04:00

Jennie and Cristian go back to work, and the rest of their lives together, starting tomorrow. Here's one last shot from their amazing day!

Reaching.....

2009-10-17T07:14:00.001-04:00

I took this shot back in August, on a very stressful day, when I had to travel, in rush hour traffic, on a Friday afternoon, on I95, down to the outskirts of Washington DC. This cool sculpture resides at the Gaylord convention center, which is in Maryland. Some days you feel like you are reaching to get through it all, know what I mean? Here's my problem...I have shoots this weekend that look like they are going to get rained out. I'm happy to reschedule them; however, I'm literally booked until mid Nov, so it's going to be a tight squeeze. If only Mother Nature would cooperate with my plans! If you are Nicole or Denise and are reading this, don't worry, we'll figure it out!

Swedesboro Family Photographer, Part 2

2009-10-16T05:54:00.001-04:00

There were seven kids, so here we go, starting with twins....

When I saw these baby shots, I couldn't pick between this....

...and this

Swedesboro Family Photographer, Part 1

2009-10-15T05:37:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Denise for bringing me into to her home to photograph her children and her nieces and nephews! I had fun and thanks for the fig!

The fun thing about kids is that you have their attention early in the shoot (vs. adults who tend to warm up as you go along...) With a large group of kids like this one you gotta get that shot early!

More tomorrow!

Jennie and Cristian: St. David's Golf Club

2009-10-14T05:51:00.001-04:00

Here's the final posting from Jennie and Cristian's wedding this past Saturday. St. David's Golf Club was a beautiful place to have a reception! The bride and groom are now (hopefully) relaxing on their honeymoon. I hope you guys are having a great time and I wanted to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wonderful day! I wish you every happiness as you build your lives together!

Look at the view from the course!

Jennie and Cristian are Married! Part 2

2009-10-13T06:00:00.003-04:00

I love this shot with Jennie's mom, Allison, helping her with her earrings.

Here Jennie is surrounded by important women in her life: her mother, her grandmother, and her aunt.

I love this shot, and Jennie knows why! Ask her if you want to know!

So beautiful!

Our groom waiting patiently for the ceremony to start!

And now waiting at the front of a spectacular church.

Walking down the isle with her dad, John:

And now coming back as Mrs. Lopez!

During every wedding, I end up with one favorite shot. I take a lot of shots, but the second I see it, I know it. Here's my favorite shot from this wedding. After Jennie and Cristian walked down the isle as man and wife, Jennie reached over, during a very private moment, and kissed Cristian on the cheek. When I saw what she was doing, I barely had time to get my camera up to my eye, but I did. It's blurry, but I still love it....

Stop back tomorrow for the reception shots!

Jennie and Cristian are Married! Part 1

2009-10-12T06:21:00.003-04:00

Jennie and Cristian had an amazing day on Saturday. From the weather to every single detail, it was perfect. I'll start a series of 3 posts with the detail shots! I wanted to get something up early, since I know Jennie will be looking at my blog from their honeymoon in the Outer Banks!

I think Allison, Jennie's mom, likes geraniums! This was a perfect spot for Jennie's shoes.

The Bridesmaid's flowers:

Jennie's flowers...oh, how I wish you could smell the gardenia!

The dress. When I saw it, I told Jennie that, of course, there was no other dress she could have chosen. It was perfect for her!

Neighbors

2009-10-11T08:04:00.001-04:00

This little guy was around my studio one day so I took a few shots of him on film!

Happy Sunday! Jennie and Cristian's wedding was amazing yesterday and I can't wait to post those shots later this week!

Hoops

2009-10-10T07:30:00.001-04:00

Film shots of E playing basketball.

I didn't plan this but felt today that I should tell a little story about my son. Last night was his first "boy/girl" party which was held at the home of a local classmate. It appears that about 50 people were there. He came home from school, ate, took a shower, and used wayyyyyy to much chocolate Axe on himself. When I walked into the family room I said: "Wow, did you use some Axe?" It fades quickly, so it ended up fine.

When we picked him up at 10pm, there were kids all over the place! I had to call him, to tell him we were out front in the car waiting, since didn't want me to come up to the house. When he got in the car he was miserable (tired and irritable). He wouldn't talk about the party.

Now, I know my son and should have realized. He was HUNGRY. He woke me up at 1:30 am to tell me he needed to eat and that he was so hungry he couldn't sleep. I made him pancakes and he was back to his normal happy self. If this is a hint of what may be in store during his teen years, I'm not sure I can handle it! And don't tell him I posted this story, he'd be mortified if he knew.....

This is Farm Country

2009-10-09T06:05:00.001-04:00

I live in farm country. I took these shots on a sunny Sunday morning in August. All shots were taken with film....

I love the cows! These babies were very curious and friendly. If it weren't for the electric fence, I would have stuck my hand in there to pet them....

Kristin and Brian, Part 2

2009-10-08T05:33:00.000-04:00

Here's the second part of Kristin and Brian's Engagement Session. In a word Kristin and Brian's relationship is moving (both literally and figuratively). They are both very active on the farm and with outside interests. They are also very sweet and loving together. Kristin and Brian: Thanks for welcoming me to the farm. I had a great time and I can't wait for your wedding!

Kristin's sweet horse...

For Kristin:

Kristing was yelling something at the goat like: "You stink!"

What that did was bring lots more goats to see what the commotion was! Kristin wins the "I'll do anything for a great photo contest."

I did take a bunch of film shots while I was with them, and those will be posted sometime in the coming weeks...once I get them back from the lab.

Kristin and Brian, Part 1

2009-10-07T05:12:00.000-04:00

This was the very first image I took on Sunday. When they are out like this, that's a sign of a great things to come!

Here are their two cute and friendly dogs! There were lots of animals involved in this session and that's the amazing thing about a shoot on a farm...you never know what you'll find.

Beautiful ring surrounded by HAY!

I asked Kristin to look serious, she couldn't do it!

Our little assistant for the day. I couldn't have managed all my equipment without her!

Blurry, but I love it anyway.

Stop back tomrrow for the second half of this post.

Judy and Don Anniv!

2009-10-06T06:45:00.001-04:00

Can you imagine a more perfect day for a party on the Bay? We drove down to Maryland on Saturday to help two very special people celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversay! Thanks to Judy and Don for having us and for making us feel part of the group!

The crabs were excellent!

Here's our happy couple! Happy 50th Anniversary!

And another shot....

Three of Judy's sisters!

We even had a few dogs to shoot, and you know I love this background! It, by the way, was the only patch of shade we could find~

The whole darn group!

Finally, Judy and Don's two children!

Jamie and Mike Vist 19 S. Main Street, Mullica Hill, NJ!

2009-10-05T06:18:00.001-04:00

I designed a guest sign-in book for Jamie and Mike's wedding from our engagement session images. They drove over to the studio to pick it up one day about a month ago, and I happened to have my new film camera with me. They graciously volunteered to let me take a few shots of them. Here they are. These are straight out of the camera with no editing at all. Look at the glorious color! Best of all, while it may have been more expensive than digital, it certainly was easier.

Something....

2009-10-04T09:05:00.001-04:00

... I just liked

one of these things is not like the other....

2009-10-03T06:05:00.001-04:00

All of these shots were taken on film with the exception of the second shot, which is digital. You can tell the difference (well, I guess that depends on how old your monitor is :) but I can easily tell the difference and I think I'm leaning towards preferring film. The film seems to handle the skin tones so much better.

We are leaving today to go to Maryland. I'm shooting a special party for one of my favorite families! Then Norman, Ethan and I are headed off to Annapolis for the night. Tomorrow we'll head back and then I have an engagement shoot with one of my 2010 couples! Should be a beautiful weekend filled with fun, family and friends.

Digital:

An Old Friend

2009-10-02T09:02:00.003-04:00

This is a true friend of some friends of mine!

Happy October!

2009-10-01T05:13:00.003-04:00

OMG! I LOVE October! It's going to be an amazing month and I have parties and weddings and a ZILLON engagement shoots coming up! Yay! By the way, this shot was taken with film. Over the next few days you'll see some additional film shots.....

Melissa and Josh, Shannon's Country House, Atco, NJ

2009-09-30T05:42:00.001-04:00

Here it is! One super-huge post from Melissa and Josh's wedding this past weekend. I'd like to say a few words before you jump into the pictures. The day was so special, but yet but I'm having trouble putting words to it. Melissa and Josh had a perfect day. Their guests were full of love for them, and for each other, so that the entire day was just a joyous event. Everyone had FUN at the reception which was held at Shannon's Country House in Atco, NJ. People were so kind to Rich and I we were treated like family. Truly, there was a lotta love happening on Saturday.

I wish Melissa and Josh a lifetime of happiness. Enjoy the Bahamas!

Now you know I LOVED these RED shoes!

May be my favorite shot of a bride....EVER!

Melissa was so full of JOY and laughter all day.

The color of the day was spectacular~

Our handsome groom!

The church from the balcony using my tilt shift lens...

Married!

I know it's blurry, but I like it anyway!

Amazing!!!

Even More AMAZING!

Tables were named after wines. Works for me :)

The cake and the food, at Shannon's Country House (Atco, NJ) was wonderful. Really.

Here's an instance where someone's flash went off at the same time I pressed my shutter. Love how it turned out!

Melissa's sister, Natalie, who was the Maid of Honor, gave an amazing toast. I literally had tears in my eyes.

Another instance where someone's flash went off as I was taking a shot. I love this one too!

The cute couple who caught the bouquet and garter...

Last, but not least, the beautiful rings. Josh didn't want to give me his ring, but he finally did :)

Melissa and Josh

2009-09-29T15:53:00.001-04:00

Stop in tomorrow to see the full post of Melissa and Josh's wedding this past weekend! Usually I break up my posts, but this time I'm doing one HUGE post for the whole thing...40 images or so! So stop back because I know you won't want to miss it.....

Melissa

2009-09-28T05:54:00.002-04:00

Here is a peak at Melissa who was a joy to be around on her wedding day. She couldn't have been happier or more beautiful. These shots were taken with the tilt shift lens. Most brides would get a little nervous when I tell them this is a lens that makes things go all blurry, but not Melissa, she was up for anything....and I'm sooo glad was was.

Full post coming tomorrow or, more likely, Wednesday!

A Day of Rest

2009-09-27T09:37:00.001-04:00

Yesterday's wedding was AMAZING! Everything from start to finish was perfect. I have a lot to say about Melissa and Josh's day, but you'll have to wait a few more days! Here's a shot of me at yesterday's event. I was taking ring shots in the bridal party room, when I saw this big mirror and couldn't resist.

Now off to Target and a BIG lunch with Ethan!