Maria and Bill’s Wedding at the Bedford Village Inn

So the Bedford Village Inn happens to be the venue I’ve photographed the most events this year-4 weddings in all. The latest was Maria and Bill’s wedding. Maria’s mom surprised the couple with a horse-drawn carriage to deliver Maria and her father to the ceremony and for the newly married couple to take a ride around the property after their ceremony. Bill bravely proposed to Maria in front of a crowd at Faneuil Hall in Boston. Becca, my intern from MassArt for the summer, attended her first wedding as my assistant and to try her skills as a second photographer.

Amy and Mike’s engagement session at the Boston Public Gardens

I photographed Amy and Mike’s engagement photos at the Boston Public Gardens May 2, 2009. I had only just begun the session when I noticed a family with a little girl who, by her appearance, looked like she may have been in treatment for cancer. The father watched us and upon realizing I was a professional photographer, approached and asked if I could take a photo of his daughter with the beautiful light in the park. They had flown in from Chicago in a rush against time for surgery in a Boston hospital for their daughter, who I’ll call “Hannah from Chicago.” He explained that she was supposed to be in remission until a recent appointment when another tumor was found in her brain. He was very apologetic for interrupting, but I think Amy, Mike and myself were moved by the request. I was more than happy to oblige, and Amy and Mike didn’t mind giving up some time on a beautiful sunny day. Amy works in a medical profession, so she knew what was at stake.

I followed up with Hannah’s father Neal a few days later, and here was his reply from his blackberry, still at the hospital: “I am replying from hospital. Surgery successful. Tumor (re-occurance) completely removed per this afternoon’s MRI! We are so relieved. Thank you with you kindness regarding the photos. We felt bad interrupting your job, but were simultaneously chilled by the possibility that she might not be able to walk or smile if the surgery failed.”

I was glad Neal was brave enough to approach me. To me, this is a reminder of why photographs are so important. You never know when life will hang in the balance and it’s important to capture the good times. It was a good day, and I was grateful to be a part of it. Interesting how timing came together to make it all happen. Here’s a photo of Hannah, along with photos of Amy and Mike:

Visit my booth at the Fenway Bridal Festival!

Come see me and some of my associates at the first-ever Fenway Park Bridal Festival, which will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Everyone who attends has the chance to win one of four wedding ceremonies at Fenway Park.

View private event space available for weddings inside Fenway Park.  You can tour select locations throughout the ballpark including the EMC Club, State Street Pavilion, Right Field Roof and Big Concourse.

The event will also feature a “Grooms Room” for prospective grooms to relax and enjoy themselves during the event. The room will feature ideas for groomsmen gifts, showcase a cigar roller, have NESNHD broadcasts of the Red Sox vs. Yankees game on multiple televisions along with a Nintendo Wii videogame console. The grooms-to-be will also have an opportunity to take batting practice in a batting cage.

Fenway Park tours are available during the day.

General Admission tickets to the Fenway Park Bridal Festival are $15.00 each and are available by calling 1-877-REDSOX9 and online at www.redsox.com. For questions regarding the festival should be directed to fenwaybridalfestival@redsox.com and 617-226-6792.

There’s also a champagne breakfast and fashion show:

Champagne Breakfast / Wedding Trends Seminar – $60 (includes General Admission ticket)
The Champagne Breakfast and Wedding Trends seminar will showcase the culinary creations of Fenway Park Senior Executive Chef Ron Abell and will feature other experts discussing the latest on theme weddings, jewelry settings, bridal trends and more with Rafanelli Events. The seminar begins at 8:00 a.m. in the State Street Pavilion. Additionally, Kathleen Lockwood, wife of former Red Sox pitcher Skip Lockwood, will be donating an autographed copy of her new book and memoir, Major League Bride: An Inside Look at Life outside the Ballpark.

Fashion Show – $30 (includes General Admission ticket)
The Fenway Park Bridal Festival fashion show will feature elegant fashions for today’s Bride, Mother of the Bride, Bridal Party and more. The designs showcased will compliment a variety of body types and meet the requirements of a range of wedding budgets. The Fashion show will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the State Street Pavilion.

Glassblowing at Diablo

I mentioned in a previous post that I’m developing an interest in glass art.  My girlfriend Nancy gave me a gift certificate to Diablo Glass School in Boston and I took a weekend course there Feb. 14-15. 

My classmate who took this photograph is Rachel Moyal, who happened to be a cast member on MTV’s Real World Austin show. 

Glassblowing is very unforgiving.  You have to work, pay attention, and not make mistakes or you’ll risk breaking the piece or messing it up. 

I suppose that’s kind of like candid documentary photography–it’s not an art form you can work on and come back to later.  You’re in the moment and working fast. 

I find this kind of creative pursuit very rewarding.  You’re immersed in what you are doing and it clears your mind because you have to focus on what you are doing since you have to constantly mind the molten glass. 

Keith Cerone, one of my instructors, started out as a sculptor and now does glass sculpture.  You can see some of his work at his website, www.certainsculptures.com.

Back from the 2009 Digital Wedding Forum Convention

I was out in Carefree, Arizona Jan. 10-15 for the 2009 Digital Wedding Forum Convention. It’s good for seeing what is available for products and services in the industry, learning new techniques, business management tips, and for inspiration. One of the best speakers was on the first day, keynote speaker David Williams. He’s an Australian wedding and portrait photographer and among the many valuable thoughts he shared was for photographers to regularly visit art museums to look for inspiration and posing ideas. I’ve always liked going to art museums, and I decided to make an effort to go to as many as I can as often as possible. Since coming back, I’ve gone to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The Newark Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, and the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, the last because I heard they were closing and I hadn’t visited, so I figured I better before it did.

I have also developed an interest in glass art– and just my luck, there was a glass studio at the Carefree Resort. I stopped in for a look and ended up taking an intro class in glass fusing with Ken Bolton from Desert Glasshopper Studio & Gallery. Have a look at me working with Ken below and some scenes from the desert.

Stephanie & Rob

I photographed an engagement session with Stephanie and Rob at the Arnold Arboretum in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston Nov. 1, 2008.  I’m shooting their wedding at the Boston Park Plaza in July. Stephanie works for the Museum of Science, which also hosts wedding receptions.

Derek & Alissa

I photographed Derek and Alissa’s wedding at the Arnold Arboretum in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston Oct. 11, 2008. Their reception was held at the College Club of Boston.

I photographed Derek and Alissa’s wedding at the Arnold Arboretum in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston Oct. 11, 2008.  Their reception was held at the College Club of Boston.

Stephanie

Stephanie poses by a birch tree at the Arnold Arboretum in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston.

Stephanie 2

Stephanie on a walk at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain.

Heading to a Wedding

Krysztof and his best man, who made the trip from Poland, walk to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Jamaica Plain, in preparation for his wedding to Clary.

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