Trash the dress - Vegas style

I'm back from Vegas!! It was a great trip if you don't count getting horribly sick, completely losing my voice, and an incorrectly scheduled flight home... Seriously though, it was really great - I got to meet a boat load of people, listen to some amazing photographers, check out the most ginormous trade show ever, and take in the sights of Las Vegas. I'll post more on all of that later, but first I wanted to share the photos from the Trash The Dress session at the Neon Boneyard. It was a very cool location and the couples were great to work with, not to mention all of the photographers I worked with too! Check out the pics...



I totally could have shot there all day, even without a bride & groom. The signs are really cool and such an interesting piece of Vegas history.




This couple got married the day before and their photographer helped plan this little excursion. They were totally sweet and such troopers - the bride's feet were practically bleeding from her shoes and she still tromped around in them all afternoon!




After shooting with them for a while, I noticed the other couple we were working with, and I got majorly distracted. These two were awesome! They were very comfortable in front of the camera, totally hot, and between the blue shoes and all the tattoos - they were incredible to photograph!





the paparazzi...











I think this one is my favorite shot of the day.







It was a great shoot! I definitely have to do more of these Trash The Dress sessions - they are so fun. TTD sessions are not so much about "trashing" the dress as not worrying about the dress. It's so nice to have the couple completely relaxed and have plenty of time to shoot without worrying about rushing off to the reception. For all of my brides who are reading - if you're interested in a Trash The Dress session after your wedding, let me know! The first 2 brides to respond will get the session for FREE! So, leave a comment below or send me an email...

What happens in Vegas...

Will probably be all over this blog...

That's right folks! I'm going to VEGAS! I leave tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn to go to WPPI's annual convention out in Las Vegas! I'm so excited to finally go to this!! I can't wait to meet some new people, hang out with some old friends, shoot in the Neon Graveyard, and check out the crazy trade show and all the fun products (read: toys) that will be on display. It's going to be a BLAST!

So, if you're trying to reach me over the next few days...don't expect to hear back too soon. I'll be out of the office starting this afternoon until next Friday. But have no fear, stories and pictures will be all over the blog as soon as I can post them...

Oh, and expect the launch of the new website within the next few days......Yay!

March PUG was awesome!

A couple months ago, I switched my schedule around so I could take part in an awesome photographer's community here in Boston - the Boston Pictage User's Group (or PUG). My good friends Matt & Enna Grazier are the local PUG leaders. Since I'm not working for them on a regular basis anymore (aw, sad), I wanted to make sure I still got to hang out with them at least once a month. Plus, I've had the chance to meet a whole slew of other great local photographers!

Last month, I got to hang out with Justin & Mary Marantz who were presenting that week. It totally motivated me to win a mentoring session with them through the Thirst Relief auction. Plus, I got to meet my new friend Shyla. Yay! Shyla has become a dear friend in such a short time, and I'm so happy to have her close by :)

This month, the PUG was held at Boston University's Center for Digital Imaging Arts. Matt & Enna secured prizes from all sorts of awesome photographers and vendors, and were raffling them off.


The main speaker of the night was ::e:: - also known as Eric Laurits. Eric is an awesome photographer and quite the artiste. He's also pretty excited about a system that has revolutionized his workflow - ShootQ. So, he was presenting all about ShootQ and how great it is. I'm not sure it's the best thing for me, but I'm thinking about it... Anyway, I had front row seats, and this was my view most of the night :)


There were a TON of photographers there that night! I got to meet a bunch of new people, as well as catch up with my friend Robert Mirani. Robert was one of the first photographers I met out here in Boston, and I have had the opportunity to second shoot with him about a dozen times in the 2 last years. He's an awesome photographer, and an all around great person :)

this photo was "borrowed" from Matt Grazier


This was a bunch of the stragglers at the end of the night. We just couldn't stop chatting!

this photo was taken from the Grazier's blog, but was shot by Doug Levy


I can't wait till the next PUG!!

Abby-Jill

Today, I found out that a dear friend of mine passed away. Abby-Jill was an AMAZING woman with a faith and a heart to help others that you rarely see. She was always full of energy, enjoying life to the fullest and giving God the glory along the way.

I met Abby-Jill when I went to Park Community Church in Chicago. She was the Missions Director for the church, and lead the very first missions trip I ever took back in 2002. These photos are of Abby in her 2nd home - the Baja of Mexcio and the Foundation For His Ministry.




Then in early 2004, I got to travel half-way around the world with Abby on a missions trip to India with the Gospel Association of India.


Here's Abby-Jill with a friend she made in India who told us his name was George Bush :)


It was later that year that Abby took a full-time position with the Foundation For His Ministry, and moved away from Chicago. Her friends & family threw her the BIGGEST going away party. In true Abby fashion, it was a BLAST complete with dancing and singing. This is how I like to think of Abby-Jill... dancing up a storm with a huge smile on her face.



It was shortly after she moved to California to work with FFHM that she found out that she had lung cancer that had metastisized all over her body. They told her that she may only have months to live, but she wasn't going down without a fight. For the past 3 years, it has been an honor to follow her on this path and to see her hope, her faith and her sheer determination to hold on as long as she had the strength to share her love with others.

This photo is from a wedding I shot in 2006. It was the last time I saw Abby-Jill and I wish terribly that I'd taken the time to shoot more photos of her, and to talk to her more.

Abby-Jill and I weren't close friends, but she was dear to me and I am grieved at the loss of her. But, I'm not sad for her so much as those she left behind. I know that those who loved her will miss her terribly. But, I am thankful that she had peace in her death, knowing that she would see her Father in heaven. I imagine her up there, basking in the glory of God, dancing, with a huge smile on her face.

Lindsey's Headshots

First of all, can I just tell you that I heard birds chirping outside my window this morning?!?! I mean, if that's not a sign that Spring is coming, I don't know what is!!

In other news, I had an awesome shoot on Tuesday with my dear friend, Lindsey. Lindsey leads worship at Genesis and has the most amazing voice! She's getting her Masters at the New England Conservatory and has her big recital coming up soon (but not too soon, right Linz?). Besides all of that talent, she's an all around wonderful person and a joy to be near. It was so fun to hang out with her down at school and take some photos. Check her out...

I mean, could she be any prettier??

Workin' it


and then hysterically laughing



Gorgeous!


Then we camped out on this doorstep for a while and she let her inner-supermodel come out for a bit.








Linz, it was awesome hanging out with you! You're gorgeous darling! I can't wait for your recital :)

Peterson

I wasn't sure what to post after my 30 Favorite images of all time. I mean, that's kind of a hard act to follow, you know? So, I decided to share one of my favorite people.

When I met Ryan Keith of Forgotten Voices International, he told me the story of a boy named Peterson. Peterson was born with HIV. When Ryan met him, Peterson was a 7 year-old boy living with his mother and his 4 year-old sister, Prudence in a rural area of Zimbabwe. The very same day Ryan met them, Peterson's mother died from AIDS. Before she died, she asked Ryan to promise to take care of her children - and he did. And that is basically how Forgotten Voices was formed - from a promise. The story continued as Peterson was left to live alone with and take care of Prudence, who was also born with HIV. Prudence had never learned to walk or talk and was basically given up on by her community. But Peterson took care of her - he carried her on his back to school and to physically therapy at the mission hospital nearby. She began walking, and talking, and was even given the job of chasing the monkeys away from the garden. But, one year after their mother died, Prudence died as well. And then Peterson lived alone...

It was after hearing this story that I knew I needed to go to Zimbabwe. And the entire time we prepared to go, I just kept looking forward to the day I would get to meet Peterson too. I didn't know what to expect, but I knew this was a kid I needed to meet.

When we arrived at Peterson's home, he was a bit shy to meet all of us.

We were thrilled to find that Peterson was no longer living on his family's homestead alone. His aunt had moved in to care for him, and had hired a farm-hand to help out and take over the chores that Peterson had done. And in January he was supposed to move to his Grandparents' farm to live with them and the rest of his extended family. What a blessing that his family has been able to step up and take care of him!

We were all surprised and thrilled to watch Peterson running and playing with his friends. He seems to be in great health and having so much help around has freed him up to just be a kid and enjoy life. What an incredible blessing!

He loved Adam's video camera

and turned out to be quite the videographer himself...

As excited as I was to see Peterson happy & healthy, no one was more glad than Ryan. Peterson & Ryan have spent many days in Zimbabwe together and though they don't speak the same language, or live lives that are remotely similar, they are good friends.

Peterson & Ryan showed us to the place on the property where Prudence and their mother was buried. He is such a brave little boy.

I am so blessed to have met Peterson. I hope that I will meet him again someday, and I pray that he would stay healthy and get to keep being a kid for as long as possible!

I'll leave you with the many faces of Peterson...