Well I thought it was a cold...

The morning following Jeannette and Lionel's beautiful wedding @ the Foundry last week, I jumped on a plane to Vegas for the WPPI Convention. It was an experience I'll never forget. I brought back tons of information, new ideas, inspiration, and "the Flu." The night before I flew out to come home I started coming down with what I thought was just a cold, but I wasn't that lucky. The convention it's self was so much, that you needed about a week to recover.

Besides the flu, the trip was awesome. I was able to network with so many photographers from around the world, listen to and learn from the top wedding and portrait photographers in the world. As I mentioned earlier, I've come back inspired and with a new found focused on what I want to accomplish with my clients and images. It's going to be a great year.

I just have to get past the next few days and finish shaking this flu. Check back this week for more on Jeannette and Lionel's wedding day, and my experiences at WPPI. I promise to start returning calls and emails tomorrow.

A new season begins.....

This weekend was very special for me. If you've followed my exploits here, you may be able to tell by how quickly I'm posting. Jeannette and Lionel, an awesome couple, and even greater people exchanged vows at their wedding, and as Lionel put it during his speech, "began their marriage." Until he said that I honestly never looked at the difference between the wedding, and the marriage. My friend Ryan Jensen worked with me for the first time, and we had a ball. Ryan has a great eye and an even better sense of humor. It was actually at Ryan's home that my girlfriend Simone and I watched the Giants win the Super Bowl. It's always a great thing when you can do something you're passionate about for a living, but when you can do it with great clients such as Jeannette and Lionel, and a cool, talented person like Ryan, it makes life that much better.

I'm only going to post a few images from the day, and tell you the rest of the story tomorrow, because I'm actually updating at the airport on my way to the WPPI convention in Las Vegas. This will be my first time attending (not Vegas) and I'm really excited. There I'm going to join my friends and a few thousand of my peers for this convention. Workshops, networking and whatever else one does in Vegas will make this a great trip.

Well here's the preview, more to follow....

Time for a Face Lift....

I thought it was time to make a few changes. I guess that may have been one of the first things you've noticed when you came to my website or blog today. 2007 was such a Blessed year for me. Part of it was meeting great people in the form of both clients and fellow photographers, expanding my knowledge in photography, and more importantly growing as a person. Besides GOD (as always first in my lineup), family and friends, there are a few people I really have to put on the map.

While there are a number of photographers who's work I admire and inspire me, there are three that have done that in person, and have become not only my peers, but my mentors (not sure if they are aware of that), and great friends. Jennifer Davis, Roberto Falck, and Jason Groupp, are 3 of the "hottest" people I know. Jen has taught me patience; I know she'll get a laugh out of that; Roberto helps me to remember my imagination is a great tool that should never be over looked; and Jason inspires me to explore my surroundings, look for things that will increase the passion of my images.

James Ravenell, not only a photographer but an awesome friend. We kind of balance each other out at times and he is always there to lend an ear, and a camera.

My girlfriend Simone and my Godmother, what can I say. They're always there when I'm excited, pissed, whatever the mood, they're there watching my back and pushing me forward; reminding me of what's important and keeping me grounded.

I have to finish this list by starting at the beginning of it - Blessings that only GOD can provide. My final wedding of the year was that of Kristine and Warren up in Rhinebeck, NY. If you haven't read my post on that weekend, you can click here to catch up. What I didn't post about that weekend is that someone very close to me passed away a few days prior to me heading upstate. I was crushed, but felt that she would smack me in the head if I didn't proceed as planned. After assisting James on one of his weddings that Friday, I began the following day documenting Kristine and Warren's wedding day. After the ceremony we went out to the lobby of the church. It was here that I first noticed this huge book with one phrase printed in the center of the page. I raised the camera to my eye and took the photo, but it wasn't until after I pressed the shutter button did I see what the words actually said.




For me these words summed up my cousin's life in a way I didn't know was possible. Needless to say the reality of her passing crashed on me at that moment, not the best timing in the world. Now here is where those Blessings kick in. I was very Blessed to have two understanding and compassionate clients in Kristine and Warren. See, I told them earlier in the week what happened, and they checked in on me while I worked with them all day and I can tell you it wasn't the service they were concerned about, it was me. James also knew and kicked in like big brother and kept me going. Jason actually showed up to the reception as a guest, he's very close friends of the bride and groom. Jason actually came out to help with the night shoot, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. And of course Simone was there for me via phone the whole time.

Having all of these people in place let's me know GOD's blessings are real.

All in all, it was a great way to end 2007.

Thank You everyone.

WALK, GIVE, PRAY,CHEER, LET'S TRY TO DO SOMETHING

Recently my girlfriend Simone decided to take an active role in one of the many fights against cancer. She pledged her support to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. On October 4th and 5th, here in New York, Simone will join thousands of other people for this great cause. Proceeds from the Avon Walk help under insured people obtain screening, support and treatment that they need. Of course the support of cancer research also benefits from this effort greatly.

For me, this has a special and very personal meaning, as my mother passed away from cancer some time ago. Simone herself lost her father to cancer. I know we are far from alone in our personal attachment to any fight against cancer. While I'm not going to join Simone on this walk, I'm supporting her goal with contributions. Yes, I meant to say "contributions" and not "contribution." My first pledge will be joined by a matching contribution, and hopefully two more that depend on two special brides out there. If your wedding day happens to be on October 4th and 5th of this year, the same day as the walk, and you honor me by hiring me to document your wedding day, I'll make another contribution from each of those weddings to the walk. I'll even make the donations in honor of or in memory of your loved one or someone special to you.

For those of you not familiar with the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, sponsored walks take place all over the country through out the year so like I said above, "Let's Try to Do Something." If you'd like to pledge a contribution you can follow this link to Simone's Avon portal, and pour your heart out. If you'd like to walk yourself follow the Avon link and sign up in a city near you. Or if you like to travel, sign up for one in a city not near you at all. If you can't walk Pray for someone that can, cheer for walkers as they finish their journey. You can even volunteer to be part of their support crew. Let's just try to do something.

NEED I SAY MORE???