happy halloween!

Georgie and I are just having a little fun with mac's super fun photo booth in between Lightroom imports and exports! Ah, the glamorous life of a photographer! While preparing for the big day (Halloween!) with the kids, Dave brought down a storage bin full of partial costumes we've collected over the years. In it was a Wonder Woman costume I bought at Buck a Book almost 10 years ago that is still a bit big for Georgie but she still loves it! Man, I loved that store!
We have quite the beautiful fall day for trick or treating, and are having my great friends Paul & Krystal from Studio Foto in addition to more friends and family joining us for chili, spaghetti and some c-a-n-d-y! We always have a blast walking around the neighborhood which swells with kids from all over. Our house is super spooky and tricked out with ghosts and some fancy pumpkins that me and my Hauntie Donna carved out last night. Very scary! Maybe we'll even get our slick fire pit http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifrockin' tonight after the festivities and warm up by the fire for some spooky stories!! I think Paul is planning on coming as the grim reaper but I told him he can't be too scary looking or my monkeys will have nightmares! Or I will.
Have a safe and fun Halloween! Send me your costumes- I would love to see what everyone is dressing up as... I am still not sure, but I'll keep you posted!!

just kiding! I'm back up

OK OK! So I go on this live chat thing with my Comcast representative / analyst, Ish. He tells me that my in-box is WAY too full! And I can basically not accept any new emails until I clean it out. HAH!
Remember to make your bed every morning (seriously!) stop tracking mud across my clean floor, and clean out that dang in-box!!

email is down, sorry!

just wanted to let anyone know that is trying to get in touch with me that my email is down and has been since last night. If I haven't responded to an inquiry or other email this is why- so please re-send anything important! Thanks Geoff Boka for letting me know! :)

katherine + ted wedding at the hartford club

I had the pleasure of meeting Kate & Ted a few years ago at Kate's sister Beth's wedding in 2005. They were clearly in love then and still have that totally 'in love' glow! Kate's dress was stunning- and all of the details were gorgeous. One of the highlights was when Ted joined the band on bass for a rousing rendition of 'Mustang Sally'- He was AMAZING! Some of you have noticed that I have changed my main web site slide show and have included a bunch of Kate & Ted's wedding- how could I not?? Congratulations Kate & Ted! I am looking forward to our shoot in NY... if you are up for it still! :)

face first, sort of

The Talented Mr. Reilly of Face First Films has a documentary that he edited that is airing on ESPN this coming Tuesday October 30th at 7 P.M. called 'The Lost Boy.' This piece has been something that Jeff has spoke about often and has taken great pains to make it something that he is proud to put his name on. Now this was not done as a Face First Films venture, but through Jeff's work- he is employed as a full time editor. It is really only a matter of time, and I really believe this, before Jeff breaks out on his own full time. A big move, as most of us self-employed fools will tell you! But Jeff's clear passion and love of his craft is just so contagious that it is virtually impossible not to see it happening. I have pledged to do any and everything that I can do to help make that happen as it is a rare and wonderful thing to see someone so clearly love what they do and on top of that to be so freaking GOOD at it! Make sure to check out his piece this Tuesday!

samira + patrick e-shoot

Last week yielded a very fun engagement shoot- I brought Samira & Patrick, both HUGE UCONN Football fans, to Rentschler Field for their shoot and then on to the UCONN Storrs campus, where Patrick went to school. We had such a blast! The stadium manager was so nice and totally patient as he gave us the grand tour and let us stop and shoot at each place! I am sure most people expect you to just pop off a couple of shots and be on your way, which I tried to do but there were so many fun places to explore! Did you know they have their won jail cells?? The turf was a thing of beauty, and despite being skeptical at first, I think that Patrick & Samira will enjoy the image we got of them lying on it! So lush!! Samira is so cute and had the most adorable pink wellies in her car that she donned for our romp in the fields of UCONN! You all know by now that I love my feet and shoe shots and she was more than happy to oblige! You guys are adorable and I had such a good time driving down memory lane with you both and exploring the stadium, what a treat!!

happy birthday mom

Today would have been my Mom's 61st birthday. Happy Birthday Mom, wherever you happen to be haunting right now!! I joke but my Mom and I discussed this before she died, that she could and would come back to haunt me. We just couldn't come up with a sign- so she could totally be haunting me and I am just not getting the messages! Typical!

I debated not posting about this, I kind of feel like Debby Downer when I talk about it- I mentioned to a friend how I am tired of my grief, so I can imagine other people would be as well. And believe me, I am totally not offended if people truly are. I am that girl- the girl who can't stop talking about her dead Mom! I mean, if she were alive would I talk about her as much? The reality is that yes I would. My Mom was so cool and had such a big heart. She loved peppermint patties and inappropriate commercials and reading Dean Koontz and Stephen King and non-fiction books about people driven to the brink. She had a sharp wit and a big laugh and loved re-living memories of her own Mom, my Nana, who died when my Mom was a young Mom herself. I somehow knew that I was to live the life my Mom lived- grieving while parenting, my whole life. Like, when she would talk about my Nana, I would be almost preparing for it, like- 'take notes, sister- this is totally gonna be you' How I knew this is anybody's guess. The one good thing about that whole scenario is that my Mom talked about her Mom so much that I felt like I knew her too. Talking about someone who died in my family is just the norm- it's as if they are still here, just not chiming in all the time, so you kind of get free reign over what to talk about, all the time. It was like that with my Mom during her last few years, actually! She was on a ventilator, she had a trach and couldn't speak. Oddly enough I am rather skilled at reading lips- so much so that I could understand her without even looking at her at times. Yes, that is true! My sisters and aunt would turn to me, like, HUH? And I would translate. 'Mom said I am her favorite, so don't bother.' Well, she WANTED to say that. :)
So here it is, her birthday, and I thought I would spend the day doing something for the house, her house, that she loved so much. I re-painted the foyer, and will post before and afters once it's done, it already looks AMAZING! I may just get kicked out of Connecticut because I painted unpainted wood trim which is like a freaking felony here. Come arrest me! It looks KILLER!!
And the slide show is for her. Of Jack and Georgie, her little namesake who looks freakishly like my Mom. She has her same blue eyes and spicy personality... I had them totally rolling around in Jack's yard (our neighbor) a la our child hood days! It feels good to carry on the tradition of taking pictures on our crazy porch of my 'little ones.' Thanks for reading my rambling! I love you Mom!

the only 10K i am hitting is on my blog, baby!

WAGNER! Of the Teresaa Wagner variety, please and thank you! She is comatose with excitement at my blog content! Nice shirt Matthew! ;)


Adrian Correia, jockin' me on his Mac!

Jeff Reilly aka Face First Films and the dubious Bob 2.0 getting me getting them, all for the blog baby. All for the blog.

can't a girl love herself? Come ON!

The stunning Amy Ross Jacob of Ross Jacob Photographers, at the start of her day- 'a cup of java, a good hair day and carla ten eyck's blog'


YAY! Jean is finally O-U-T!! She is my magnificent second shooter & ace assistant!

Ideagirl aka Tammy, sending her support while channeling a can of spam! :)


Jaime O. from Wichita Kansas way, giving carla ten eyck photography the official 'thumbs up!'


stevedepino.com outs himself as a carla ten eyck photography lover


paul & krystyle of studio foto making faces


the amazing jen assistant to the stars of studio foto welling up with emotion


the Mister & Mrs. MARANTZ of Justin Marantz Photography are double the fun


I appeal to Strider as well, here he is with the amazing Amanda Harris of Orchard Cove Photography


Robert Norman could only fit half of his head in the frame


RE, after shooting 3 weddings in a row



This is how Matthew J. Wagner normally looks

Who knew that last October I would be as much of a blogging addict as I have become? OK, maybe I had high hopes- I love talking to myself (which totally drives Amanda & Jean crazy when they work with me) so what's the big deal about typing to myself, really? Except that there are people out there that actually read it! Mostly a lot of lurkers, hi to all of you, I know you are out there I can totally see your IP addresses. I know, I know, get outta your metadata! But would it really kill you to post? Come on. DO IT! I totally care. Please enjoy the photos of some of my my devout and loyal blog followers- I have readers from as far as New Zealand (hi Matt & Sarah!) to Wichita Kansas(Hi Sister O & CRG senior & jr.!) to California (what's going on Dr. Dre?!) to the big C-T! Way too many wonderful people to mention. Just wanted to say that I appreciate the support, or the stalking- whatever you want to call it- like a whole lot. Seriously, really and truly! Thanks!!

Feel free to send in a picture of yourself enjoying my blog, I will post it!!