T Minus 4 hours

See you at Mayor Mike's tonight! The unveiling is set for 7:00 but GET THERE EARLY (doors open at 5:00) it can get pretty packed and then there is a line, and then you're like, WAITING and then you might like MISS IT and stuff...! So come on down, have a nice cold drink with me and chat!

If you can only get there late, still come support something good in Hartford!

samira + patrick wedding at racebrook country club

OK, so here is the butterfly inducing wedding of Samira & Patrick at the Racebrook Country Club in Orange where I was AAF (all a flutter)! My main big guy Mike was off galavanting in California for a family wedding (check his blog he got some great shots from his wedding!)and so I had the super talented Eric from RAW Photo Design tag in for some Carla Ten Eyck super fun shooting time!


Now I had probably shot Samira's beautiful custom made dress like 12 different ways and mostly in the blue room where she got ready... but there was something really rich and pretty about this shot- not to mention that this green was one of her wedding colors. A lot of my dress shots have been all light and airy lately, which I love, but a trip to the dark side is fun too

Mr. Eric from RAW caught me shooting the rings on this wicked cool PINBALL MACHINE that they just happen to have! Not only that, but it is like a tic-tac-toe one, with X's and O's just for me to play with! Come ON!!

And so I play!

How can I NOT shoot her shoes on this? I can't refuse myself and so I give in. And shoot!

She had some of her bridesmaids dresses and her Mom's dress all hanging in the world's cleanest closet! With some green accents in there! OK, I mostly took this shot for my husband Dave so that he can drool over the clean closet, sorry honey, it's never gonna happen!!

I love the starkness of this shot of Samira and her Mom Mary putting on her bracelet

I had some fun catching Samira in the mirror, the blue only made it more fun

Like THIS much fun! I like this rich shot as well- that seemed to be the theme of this wedding for me, really rich vibrant colors!

As we are getting ready to go to the club for our first look session I saw this cool napkin on the counter and grabbed Samira in the background

There is something so quiet and intense about this shot that I am really digging. I love how it's not perfect- there are some crazy shadows (done intentionally) where you can't see Patrick completely, makes it a little more mysterious...

So we got to go to Racebrook before the ceremony for photos before, one of the BEST decisions of the day, thanks Samira and Patrick! (It was just so hot!!) I love the rocking chairs on the deck and kept 'rocking' them HA HA HA!!

Eric is a multitasker, doesn't he look pretty with flowers?

A little variation on the shot above- Eric put the flowers there and I really liked them in the foreground

Now this little one was a TRIP! She is so adorable and had so many adorable moments, like coming down the aisle....!!!

Yes. The maid of honor had hot pink shoes! The flowers were ridiculous! And GREEN! And super pretty!

I had a great time shooting the bridal party- they were really funny to boss around- the one guy on the end to the right flew all the way in from JAPAN to be at the wedding!

Come on!! How cool is Patrick?

I love this one! Eric got a great shot of me setting this one up, where Samira's brother is giving me the hairy eyeball! Check out Eric's blog, it's hilarious

Samira and her Dad in the car before the ceremony

This little pumpkin made it about half way down the aisle and then just freaked out- it's a lot of pressure being on the spot when you are only two! Her cousins were so nice and helpful and they all made it down, tears and all! I just love the lady cracking up on the left!

So two of the flower girls didn't wear shoes, I guess they were pinching their little tootsie toes... so how cute are these little bitty toes peeking out of the aisle?

Love this shot of Samira's bridesmaid helping her get in the car

It started raining so we had to keep them inside the car and get creative with our shots

I wanted to work the reflections a bit and am really happy with this shot

One of the details I loved the most was the framed family wedding pictures they had all over the lobby- going like way WAY back too! They all had name tags telling who was who. This one is of Mary and Mohammed, Samira's parents.

My second favorite detail? The wheatgrass name card holders! So pretty!!!

Samira & Patrick just love pictures and really gave me SO many opportunities to shoot- before the ceremony, afterwards and during the reception we stepped out to enjoy some of the nice warm light on the deck


Their cake was FUNFETTI! And super pretty!

Yeah, that's right! We rocked the photo booth and had a BLAST!!

Eric, Samira, Patrick, me, and Talia from Sixpence For Your Shoe, taking a fun-time break

ha ha ha! Check ME out!

So every year I do Mayor Mike's they do a little write up in the Courant about the show, and pretty much every year they neglect to even mention my NAME, let alone give me any kind of props for shooting!

This year someone must have made a phone call.... which I am thankful for! I guess I am in today's Hartord Courant blabbing on and on about stuff... kind of like now!!!

It is also online as well, but no picture of me, that is only in the hard copy.

You can check it out HERE

do you STILL get butterflies??

Because I TOTALLY STILL DO!

Wow, yesterday's wedding at the Racebrook Country Club had me all a-flutter for several reasons-
I just still get a nervous excitement before each wedding- not nervous in that sense but in like, what kind of crazy fun stuff am I shooting today and what new things will I try- how can i push myself?

Then when I am shooting I just get all AMPED and fluttery and kind of have several mini freak out sessions inside my head all day, OK sometimes I let it out and flail a bit! Which only seems to add to the nuttiness, my brides feed off of it and we get all crazy together, it's fun! I mean, really, they have spent HOW LONG planning for all of these details and to have someone yelling about it is kind of validating, no?

And so I yell! And freak out! And make sometimes weird and embarrassing noises that I blame on Mike!

Yesterday was no exception, I was in Full Freak-out Mode (FFM)!! Samira & Patrick had so many great details and colors and we just had such great light and they just went with what I suggested and totally trusted me!

So I just had to post a quick shot from right before the ceremony that had me AAF (all a-flutter)

I can't wait to go back and get this blog post ready to go up, I know Samira & Patrick can't wait to see some stuff, even in Hawaii!

Thanks for giving me so much to work with!

xxoo

Here's to always having butterflies!

amanda + jeff PHOTO BOOTH MADNESS!!!

Mr. Michael Romano did the honors and rocked this super fun and super ridiculous photo booth AND slide show!!
I am so glad Amanda wanted this, it really adds a fun element to a wedding!

Mayor Mike's New Nine THIS Tuesday the 22nd!

I ALMOST let this one slip by without mentioning it- what am I busy or something?? ;)

But I would be remiss if didn't let people know that this will be the fifth year I have shot Mayor Mike's New Nine for Mayor Mike's Restaurant in downtown Hartford. I have had the honor of being asked to document nine awesome people hand-picked by the former Mayor of Hartford as people who have in some way contributed to the success of Hartford as a community.

I love it not only because I love shooting it, but because I love all of the incredible people that I get to meet from all walks of life in Hartford. Musicians, artists, boxing commissioners, former NBA basketball players, educators, you name it!

Each July we have an opening / unveiling where the new nine see their pictures for the first time in front of a crowd of people- and it is BIG- 20x30 black and white prints, beautifully framed and hung. No pressure to get it right, huh??!

I am a ball of nerves because I want them to be thrilled with their images so bad- it's the ultimate in putting yourself out there to be asked to be on the wall - that's one thing- but to actually be on it, so BIG, and for an entire YEAR...? Well, that is another thing entirely!

So here are the particulars: please come and celebrate with me!

When: This TUESDAY July 22nd at 5:00

Where: Mayor Mike's restaurant, 283 Asylum Street Hartford CT

What: Unveiling / Fundraiser - (there is a small donation at the door benefitting the Greater Hartford Arts Council & Channel 3's Camp for Kids)

Here are some of my favorites from the past four years!

Luis Sanchez

Manny Liebert

Donny Marshall

Paul Brown

kim + baby romano = one cute little belly

As many of you may already know my big guy Mike is expecting a baby in September. Now when I found out that Kim was pregnant from that very second on I KNEW that I was going to do something super special and super top-secret for Mike. That was WAAAAYYY back in January, so I have been keeping this from Mike for a looong time and I was about ready to burst with excitement I just couldn't wait for it!

Not sure if you notice or not but I tend to get a little excited about shoots....

So Kim and I planned our super top-secret rendezvous to take place in the beginning of July at Watch Hill- Mike and I had just shot our clients Jen & Paul there and I was just in love with the late afternoon light and the beach and the waves and the lighthouse and cool little duney-hoo ha fence and the life guard chair... little did Mike know how hard I was scoping for locations each time we went out on an e shoot!

I had Kim bring several different changes of clothes and some baby pictures of her and Mike and some other fun things for our shoot. We had so much fun and were just so pumped to pull one over on the ever-observant Mike Romano! It is almost impossible to do and it all almost came crashing down but I did some tricky verbal maneuvering and saved the surprise in the end!

I gave Mike and Kim their book yesterday and just got all choked up (but I did not weep, surprisingly Robert Norman!!! :P ) just watching them look over their book. The looks on their faces said it all for me, and most importantly I know how much Mike appreciates it.

Well Big Guy, here's to you becoming a Daddy. I know you are going to be a big softie who is just going to do anything for your little boy...!

I love you guys!!!

Now as soon as I saw those cute plaid shorts on Mike's blog I was hoping she would bring them to our shoot! How bad-a$$ is she? Yeah, I'm pregnant but I am CUTE!!

I was really loving these facing the ocean shots. Yes, I know it is not hitting you over the head that she is pregnant but that's OK!

I know how my boy loves his reflection shots so I knew I had to rock some. I also Love love love them and it was fun to shoot a different perspective of a maternity shot

I knew I wanted to use this fence and really like the way that Kim is leaning on it!

I had asked her to bring some blue clothes or accessories since she is having a boy and I am all about gender stereotyping early on! :) The blue dress blue sky blonde hair combo is really pretty!

Now poor Mike, Kim really doesn't like having her picture taken! But come ON!! How cute is she?

I love the next series here- the light was just awesome

This may be my favorite shot of the whole shoot.... there is just something about it- the color, the way her toe is really delicately pointed, I think it all just works

I also love this shot- it feels very fashiony but comfortable



Yeah, I am sure I broke some unspoken beach law by hopping over but I did NOT go into the dunes! I just wanted to shoot through the fence and frame Kim. Is that so wrong?


I love this kind of 'maternity shoot rule' breaking shot here- I know these are imagined rules that I am making up but I felt like I had to have the belly outlined all nice and here I just blew it out! I love it. I also like how the fence is all subtle along the bottom edge of the frame and by shooting wide open I helped fuzz it out nicely

sass- UH-FRASS!!



I shot this from the life guard chair

warm light, warm water... warm fuzzies!

come on! These Robeez are so freaking CUTE!!


This is them checking out the book! I think Kim likes it, right? Now if you look hard enough you can see a bit of a smile on Mike's face!!!