We Love to Boogie

The dance floor was on fire tonight at Meghan and John's reception. They had the perfect Fall day for the wedding and topped it off with a bash to remember. Thanks Meghan and John!

Father of the Bride

With so much deserved attention going to the bride and groom, it might be easy to overlook other key players in the big day. I always hope to capture the undercurrent of emotion between the bride and her father. After all, this is "Daddy," who in many cases was the first to spin her around on the dance floor.

I was so happy to be a part of Danielle and Jeremy's big day at Lakewatch Inn in Ithaca a few weeks back. A first impression of Danielle's father, Jim, might lend a picture of a quiet, stoic man. After leading her down the aisle, posing for a few portraits and then getting his father-daughter dance, the tears came. Anyone who has ever been a "Daddy's Little Girl" would have found it hard to keep a dry eye watching Danielle and her daddy dance.

Derek is 1!

I was told little Derek was a bit camera shy before our shoot at Hoopes Park. His big sister Erica was only too happy to spill out the smiles for the camera. Perhaps she, Mom and Dad and all the wide open space to practice his toddling was enough distraction to help him forget I was even there! So cute!

Ellen 2011

There were so many great places to photograph for Ellen's senior session, and all those places were right in her own backyard! I think the giant, ancient willow tree (Wendy's, Ellen's mom's, excellent suggestion) was so cool because of the texture of the old bark. But, I loved using the barn wood for a backdrop. It was Ellen and her beautiful smile, though, that made it all come together into gorgeousness.

Gretchen & Chris: On Top of the World

Last Saturday was, so far, the most beautiful day this summer. Gretchen and Chris got married at Park Central Presbyterian in Syracuse, skipped over to Franklin Square for a few portraits and topped (pun!) it all off with a reception atop the Renaissance Hotel. Congratulations you two! Here's a sneak peek at just a handful of my favs.

Jane & Christopher

A couple weekends ago, I was lucky to photograph another Adirondack wedding! Jane & Chris tied the knot at the North Woods Inn & Resort in Old Forge, NY. We had glorious sunshine all day until late evening when the rain poured down on the party tents. Jane chose a gorgeous champagne tea-length gown for her outdoor wedding, and, after she put it on, she made that dress look even more beautiful!

Gretchen & Chris

With their big day a little bit more than a month away, you'd think that Gretchen and Chris would be on edge about all the prep. But, with their classes finished for the summer, these two were Joe Cools (in hazy, humid 90 degree heat no less!) during their pre-wed session in Skaneateles. The pressure is off, and it's time to have some fun, an attitude which made for some sweet and silly shots.

"Field of Hopes and Dreams"

I was assigned to shoot at the opening ceremony of the "Field of Hopes and Dreams," a tribute featuring hundreds of U.S. flags individually marked to honor members past and present of the armed forces. Each flag is tagged with names of service members recognized by family and friends. What a great way to kick off Memorial Day weekend! The flags are on display all weekend at Hoopes Park in Auburn and are worth the trip if you are close. Bring your camera!

Danielle & Jeremy

Danielle and Jeremy chose Hoopes Park for their engagement shoot, and we all lucked out with gorgeous weather and a park busting with blossoms last weekend. It was a bit warm for May Day (80+ degrees!), but it was great practice for their mid-September wedding. I think the atmosphere made for a nice relaxed shoot. But as I get to know Danielle and Jeremy more, I think they'd be happy anywhere together.

Big and beautiful books!

I opened the boxes, and there was a heavenly chorus of "ahhhh"s singing. Well, that's how it played out in my mind when the new sample books finally arrived at my door. These books are heavenly and heavy! Books that will truly stand the test of time. They are so fabulous, they must be seen and felt in person. The pictures do them only so much justice. Each book is handmade and custom designed with a wide variety of cover materials to choose from. I love that you can pick and choose the material to make your book one-of-a-kind and, therefore, truly YOUR album. But perhaps the main reason why I went with this album company is their "green-ness." These books come from a company right here in the U.S. that treats its workers fairly, uses PVC-free "pleathers," has a wide selection of fabrics, will not use hides tanned in Asia (because the working conditions are too poor) and uses recycled packaging just to name a few of their environmentally friendly features. That and the fact that their books are lovingly handmade and absolutely fabulous are the reasons I love this album company!



This first album is 12"x12" with a red patent leather and zebra patterned strip down the center. Red was a theme at Sarah and Jeff's wedding. The zebra is a nod to Sarah's hot open-toed slip-ons (pictured on the cover) she wore down the aisle! These books are designed to lay flat when opened and are flush (image goes to the edge of the page) with an almost invisible crease (no cut) at the center of the book.





This next album is the 8"x8" "parent" album. I chose the red pleather for the cover to mimic the big album. The pages in this album are thinner than the big book (see the second picture below), but still a strong, heavy stock with a beautiful matte finish.




This is the 10"x10" album. These books are also designed to lay flat when opened. The cover material is a green suede and it is so nice to hold. It's so soft!