emilie inc. photography blog

Looking for office space?

2008-08-22T09:18:00.004-04:00

There is a 270sf office for rent on the third floor above the emilie inc. studio at 227 Congress Street in Portland. It is $600/month (all utilities included. Shared bathroom with other office upstairs, the owners of the North Star Café). It is not designated as retail, but would be perfect if you currently work from home and want to get out of your house, if you're a writer, etc. Or, I'd love another wedding professional in the building! Email me for details.

* Lauren and Kirk

2008-08-21T15:43:00.004-04:00

venue: Lauren's family summer home on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro, NH
coordinator: Amy Piper Signature Events
caterer: Sunshine Catering Goffstown, NH
flowers: Spider Web Gardens (assembled by Lauren and her mom)
cake: Just Like Mom's Pastries Weare, NH
hair: Styles by Tara, Wolfeboro, NH
dj: Peak Entertainment Vermont
dress: Madeleine's Daughter (Bridals by Marisa) Portsmouth, NH
bridesmaids dresses: Simple Silhouettes
transportation: Molly, Wolfeboro Trolley Company

Formerly of Vail and now living in New York City, Lauren and Kirk know how to throw a party! When Kirk phoned to check my availability last year for their Lake Wentworth, New Hampshire wedding, I nearly fell off my chair. Not only did I grow up summering on Lake Wentworth as a child, but I can see their wedding location from my grandparent's beach (that's their tent in the bottom right)!!

The tent up close.

The ceremony scene.

I love the super narrow focus of a few lenses I recently purchased.

Bright pink was the accent color throughout the day.

Love the sash on those bridesmaids gowns. The colors really popped in the overcast day.

I love this shot of Lauren getting ready inside and her guests being seated outside.

A shout-out to Kirk, an amateur photographer himself.

Kirk's brother was in charge of the wedding bands, and kept them securely on this carabiner.

Or so he thought.

Yes, exactly what you are thinking happened actually happened. But the ring was recovered after a few minutes of panicked pawing in the sand.

The bridal party forms a sweet spontaneous huddle.

Toes, too.

Married!

The rain started to come down during dinner and the music went up. And then things got very fun to photograph!

And Lauren took the muddying of the bottom of her bridal dress in stride.

Great effort by the women on the bouquet toss!

What a great wedding!

* Lisa and Dan

2008-08-21T13:53:00.004-04:00

venue: Sebasco Harbor Resort Sebasco Estates, ME
cake: European Bakery Falmouth, ME
florist: Rosemont Floral Portland, ME
photographer: Emilie

Lisa and Dan traveled from Annapolis to Maine for their first time to host an intimate 12 person ceremony on a Thursday evening. Rain threatened the entire afternoon, but thankfully did not start until we were comfortably seated inside for dinner.

I literally walked in to meet Lisa getting ready with her family and was pleasantly surprised (ok, shocked. I was shocked) to see her brother helping with her hair (and shoes, and train, etc). Very impressive!

Lisa, on the phone with her sweetie. Doesn't she look a bit like Kirsten Dunst?

Her sweetie, Dan.

Because of the weather forecast, and their small number of guests, Lisa and Dan were married atop the Lighthouse. We wanted to be sure to get a picture incorporating this now very significant building in a creative way. Thus began the smooching...

... and some more...

... and more. Too cute! I love how affectionate they were together.

Instead of a traditional reception, a most delicious dinner was enjoyed in the Pilot House Restaurant just next to the Lighthouse. Doesn't this picture have a Last Supper quality? Perhaps it's just the arched roof that is giving it a religious feel?

And I'll leave you with this, which was a wedding first for me. Apparently, the florist told Lisa that she wraps the flower stems of her bouquet in a condom to keep them moist, and then places tape and ribbon on top so as to hide this secret. Curious, Lisa unraveled her bouquet to reveal its truth and then left it on the table for some rather interesting dinner conversation.

Thank you, Lisa and Dan, for allowing me to witness such an important and sweet day in your lives. Your families were a lot of fun, and I am so grateful to have had the time to join you for that amazing dinner. I hope the rest of your inaugural trip to Maine was as memorable and I can't wait to hear about your meandering honeymoon around New England!

WPPI 2009 schedule

2008-08-21T12:03:00.012-04:00

I received word this morning that my master class at WPPI will be from 11a-1p on Wednesday, February 18th! My topic, brand envy, will be an interactive presentation on my experience branding emilie inc., and guidance for those just starting their own photography business. J will also be on hand to chat about the importance of consistent branding throughout your website. It's very exciting to see my name among many great friends and great talent! Watch the WPPI website for registration announcements over the next few months!

* Emily and Steve

2008-08-18T20:34:00.005-04:00

venue: Emily's family's home, Hollis, NH
reception flowers: The Garden Party Floral Boutique Milford, NH
bride's bouquet: Emily's father, The Mixed Border Nursery & Gardens
caterer: Aspirations and The Meat House
cake: Em's grandma
dress: Country Bridals Jaffrey NH (Belsoie by Jasmine)
shoes: Talbot's
officiant: Emily's brother Andrew
wedding bands: A & E Diamond and Gold Inc. Merrimack, NH
photographer: Emilie

I met Emily more than a dozen years ago when I was a senior in high school, and Em was a freshman. It was an unlikely match, but when we met during rehearsals for a school play in which we were both participating, there was no looking back. Em & I were inseparable, and have made many, many memories together since. Not many people can say one of their best friends share the same name, but for us, it's only makes sense.

Back in February, this was the email I received from Emily:

Em-
I’m assuming the answer is yes, but do you already have weddings booked for July 19th and July 26th?
~Em

And my reply:

WHY?! DO YOU HAVE NEWS TO TELL ME? I'll be really mad if you're telling me over email that you are engaged!

(and actually, I am teaching at my Cape Cod workshop on the 19th, but am available on the 26th)

Nope, they weren't engaged. They decided to skip that step. Emily and Steve, therefore, started planning what would be a surprise wedding at an otherwise normal summer bbq on the one Saturday I had free this summer. Weeks before the big day, Emily let her mom in on her little secret to give her the chance to find a dress, and her backyard bbq turned into a larger catered wedding at her family's home with the ceremony at her family's nursery and garden. Even tho the guest list swelled to 100, the theme- casual- stayed true and it was a great day.

On to the pictures...

Em's beloved pugs were the ring bearers.

Em, forgive me for posting this, but gosh, this image cracks me up. Here is Emma (as I call her) sequestered in her mother's room to get dressed. Her almost mother-in-law is peeking in the door to remind her that she was running late, and Emma takes a big gulp of champagne.

Emily's brother Andrew, in the line of fire in the busy kitchen, quickly finises the ceremony. Yes, he officiated! He was ordained for the day online.

The ceremony was under an arbor in their family's nursery, The Mixed Border.

I love this glance Emma is giving Steve.

Her parents sang them a James Taylor song.

Andrew pronounces them husband & wife!

Married!

First moment alone as Mr and Mrs.

I love this warm, glowy light!

I brought the flowers and cake from my studio opening to Emma's wedding. And altho the pink & brown did not match her wildflower decor, it was still fun to dress up the dining room table inside the house.

The cake joined the other yummy treats outside in the tent.

The nursery gardens were a perfect backdrop to the reception tent.

Seeing as we were surrounded by flowers, it only made sense to photograph their wedding bands among them.

Crayons were dispersed on the tables to encourage drawing on the tablecloths. Loved this sweet sentiment.

Two little baby birds were spotted on the ground below their nest.

Steve got a little carried away feeding their grandmother's favorite carrot cake to Emily. This image makes me laugh, and then want to throw up a little. :)

Simple. Fun. Celebration.

Emma and Steve, we are so happy and proud of you both! Even tho your surprise wedding morphed into something a bit bigger, it was still very much a reflection of you both. I really enjoyed meeting many of your extended family and new friends, and photographing in the backyard I spent many of our childhood days! Love you guys!

* Jess and Nat

2008-08-18T12:54:00.004-04:00

venue: Moraine Farm Beverly, MA
caterer: Timothy S. Hopkins Catering
florist: Lynn Curcio
band: Rare Form Boston, MA (my new favorite band!)
hair: La Belle Femme Marblehead, MA
photographers: Emilie & J

I knew Jess and Nat's wedding was going to be fantastic the moment I met Jess last year at a coffee shop in Portsmouth. We immediately gabbed like old friends, spent a year furiously sending emails back and forth as their plans came together, and even met again for lunch at one of my favorite places in Boston, Wagamama. So on our drive down to Beverly the morning of their wedding, I really felt like we were going to photograph a friend's wedding (which is often the case, I'm lucky to report!).

Settle in for a lengthy slideshow here.

I met Jess and the maids at an adorable salon in Marblehead, the town Jess grew up in. It was perfectly shabby chic with lots of pink and sweet, sparkly details.

Jess' maids were such fun throughout the day. Few wear make-up on a daily basis and all were fascinated with Jess' elaborate application (which even included a heated mascara brush curler. Brilliant).

They giggled like school girls when they pulled out their old yearbook.

I always love catching the reaction once the veil goes on, and it all comes together.

Meanwhile, J was with the guys as at their hotel, and then at Moraine Farm (what a great venue! Our first time there and I cannot wait to go back) waiting for things to get underway.

As they were assembling for some posed formals, a spontaneous (and clearly fake) kung-fu fight broke out.

Jess' mom's reaction to seeing her in a wedding dress for the first time. How precious.

In the limo (the biggest I have ever been in) en route!

Beautiful hydrangeas accented the ceremony chairs.

The amazing ceremony site in front of Moraine's tea house.

Married!

The reception tabletops.

First dance bliss.

Very funny toasts!

Jess and Nat opted for a dessert bar instead of a cake. What a perfect opportunity for a creative ring portrait!

The glow of the tent against the night sky.

Jess and Nat, I know you know how much you mean to me. Many thanks a million times over for sharing your love with us, and inviting us to capture that for you and your families always. Looking forward to catching up with you again soon! Hugs!

vendor tour: Peter Miles

2008-08-18T12:07:00.003-04:00

Those of you who attended my grand opening had the pleasure of listening to the very talented Peter Miles. Known to his friends only as Miles, he recently relocated to Portland from Vermont, and is taking the city by storm with his fresh, honest sound, performing at favorite local venues during the week (RiRa and Bull Feeney's, to name a few) and is available to perform your wedding music on the weekends! I highly recommend Peter as your ceremony and/or cocktail musician. And his band, The High Road, performs at wedding receptions throughout New England.

Miles website: here.
Miles performance schedule on MySpace: here.
Order his new CD: Live, Life, Live here.
And, a few pictures from a recent stroll around the Old Port:

* Dana and Ed

2008-08-06T12:47:00.003-04:00

venue: Spruce Point Inn Boothbay Harbor, ME
florist: Boothbay Greenhouses Boothbay Harbor, ME
cake: Steve Watts Sweet Sensations
officiant: Sally Bullard
dress: Alfred Angelo
hair/make-up: Spruce Point Inn spa
photographer: Emilie

Bostonians Dana and Ed are one of many match.com success stories. Although we didn't meet in person until a month before their wedding, I, too, enjoyed communicating with them online! Ed is currently enrolled with the Center for Digital Imaging at Boston University, so we have a lot in common. Dana works for Marriott and wanted to plan a wedding that was different from the many she has seen in her hotels. Spruce Point Inn was the perfect location!

Dana getting ready, a bit nervous for the big day's events.

Our groom, Ed.

And the flower girl wanted to be sure to include their cat, Winston.

The poolside ceremony. It was a very overcast day, with occasional glimpses of sunshine, but no rain!

The sweet flower girls' buckets made by their great grandmother.

Married!

Everyone requests a shot of these Adirondack chairs at SPI.

I have not been to a wedding at SPI with so many children before. Their energy was such fun!

The little boy in the center is writing a note to one of the girls. Gosh, doesn't this bring you back to elementary school?

And this is the adorable gal he was after, posted here as evidence of how it started should we all gather again for their wedding someday. :)

Wave cards told guests what table to sit at.

Custom M&Ms spelled out the news.

Emotional toasts.

Beautiful hydrangeas accented the cake from Steve at Sweet Sensations.

I never tire of the funny faces couples make when cutting their cake.

Dana's parents have both passed away, so her brother stepped in to dance with Dana at the reception while Ed danced with her grandmother, and a slideshow played images of her family. What a moving moment.

A beautiful evening on the coast of Maine.

Dana and Ed, your love for each other, your friends and your family was evident in every minute of your day and I was so honored to capture that for you. Thank you. Good luck with photography school, Ed! And please stay in touch! Hugs!

* Elisabeth and Ward

2008-08-06T12:38:00.005-04:00

venue: Blair Hill Inn Greenville, ME
florist: Hearts Desire, Guilford, ME
cake: DKB Catering Greenville, ME
dress: BCBG
hair: Vanessa Springer, Greenville, ME
engagement ring: Simon G
officiant: Cindy Hanscom, Town of Greenville
photographer: Emilie

Ward got a great birthday gift this year- a wife! He and fiancé Lisa eloped at the magical Blair Hill Inn in Greenville, Maine, with two of their closest friends. They were married by Cindy Hanscom, who works for the town of Greenville and is the mother of the bride, Sara, whose wedding I photographed at Blair Hill last fall!

Although they live in Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Lisa and Ward have a camp nearby and chose to elope at Blair Hill for it's beautiful Maine vistas. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas and didn't show off the gorgeous landscape to its fullest potential!

Lisa especially loves Maine pines.

The men went for a hike the morning of the wedding.

Lisa's very cool BCBG silhouette.

Flowers.

Ward's wedding and Lisa's engagement rings.

Just as we went out on the lawn for the ceremony, the weather started to clear!

Lisa was so happy to be marrying her best friend.

The setting.

Married!

Lisa treated Ward to a little blue box birthday/wedding gift. My kinda gal!

And a poem.

Private table set for four.

And one final, classic Maine scene. The black flies were awful!

* Cheryl and Jason

2008-08-06T11:58:00.003-04:00

ceremony: St. Pius Lynn, MA
reception: Salem Country Club Peabody, MA
florist: Flowers by Darlene Salem, MA
band: K2 Boston, MA
cake: Montilio's Brockton, MA
dress: David's Bridal
photographers: J & Michele Stapleton

Is someone excited to get married?

Seeing Dad.

Cheryl with her girls.

Jason (far left) with his guys (by Michele).

Before the family formals at the country club.

I bet this dad was a lot of fun to grow up with!

Yummy sherbet by Michele.

We don't take formal table shots but prefer candid images like this instead (by Michele).

A different view of the bar.

Excellent final image by J. Love the balance of the folks flanking them.

more party pics

2008-08-01T12:44:00.005-04:00

These are from my mom's point & shoot camera (which means, please excuse the red eye). :)

Row 1: Me & mom; Mom, me, Aunt Suzanne & Uncle George (from Vermont)
Row 2: Me & J's mom, Barbara; J and his mom (who traveled from Arizona!)
Row 3: My best friend Kara and my stepfather Steve; David & Elaine McCartney with me (I babysat their children throughout high school)
Row 4: Rich and Brad, J's father and brother (who traveled from Colorado); me & childhood friend Scott Edmunds

the grand opening

2008-07-30T20:06:00.007-04:00

Even tho I have been working in my studio since May, I decided to mark the birth of this tremendous project with something official, fun, and a little fancy. So last Friday, about 150 people came over for drinks and hellos, and checked out the new space from 5-10p. The beginning portion of the night was a vendor preview for other professionals in the industry to have a chance to mingle and network, while the later portion of the open house was for friends, family and clients (some of whom traveled great distances to attend- thank you!). It was a smashing success, and it wouldn't have been nearly as such without the support from so many kind and talented vendors who donated or discounted their services for the event:

Aurora Provisions
Beautiful Days
Bei Capelli
Casco Bay Frames and Gallery
Debra Corey Designs
Flora Fauna
Harmon's & Barton's
Joya Beauty
Let Them Eat Cake
Maine Cakes & Cookies
music by Peter Miles
Old Port Wine Merchants
Puttin' on the Glitz
Signed, Sealed & Delivered
Simple Complexity Designs

An additional thanks to Port City Life Magazine and Portland Monthly Magazine for covering the event. And congratulations to Rachel McGarry and Kris Wright who won the drawing for a portrait session and a framed print by Casco Bay Frames & Gallery!

I was busy greeting and hugging all night long (brides and grooms, I have new-found respect for you!), so delegated the picture-taking to emilie inc. associate photographers Geneve and Wyndee who documented a bit of the festivities for me. I regret that there are not images of all our families and many friends who traveled a long distance to be there.

There were so many flower deliveries throughout the day from friends who sent their well wishes for the evening from afar. Thanks, all!

Yummy eats from Aurora Provisions in Portland's west end.

A stunning flower display from Harmon's & Barton's in Portland.

A coffee table display by Judy and her team from Flora Fauna.

Funky fruit and flowers by Debra Corey.

And garden casual from Kate Martin of Beautiful Days.

Gayle Forte of Let Them Eat Cake provided a beautiful emilie inc. wedding cake.

And Diane of Maine Cakes & Cookies made scrumptious starfish favor cookies for everyone in emilie inc. pink & brown.

If you don't know the music of Peter Miles, you need to. We spotted him on the list of performers at the North Star Café downstairs and were smitten with his sound from the first note. Peter did an amazing job providing a beautiful soundtrack to the event. I'm not sure how he didn't lose his voice after 5 hours!

A small reminder of my breast cancer Pink Initiative program.

A detail of some Cypress folios on display.

And you can't have a celebration party without the bubbly- pink, no less!

Some last minute adjustments before guests start to roll in.

emilie inc's newest associate Meredith manned the door with a clipboard and guest list to check off everyone as they arrived (here she chats with emilie inc. insurance agent Lisa Coughlan- thanks, Lisa!).

Joanne of Joya Beauty and bride Stefanie Crystal were a huge help with some last minute tasks. Stefanie is the bride in the canvas on the wall over her shoulder!

J played bartender for a minute to coordinator and flower designer Kate Parker before his brother Brad took over for the evening.

The studio starts to fill up!

I had the pleasure of getting prettied by Joanne McDonough of Joya Beauty, and Nancy at Bei Capelli for the evening.

J and I chatting with Laurie Hyndman, editor of Port City Life Magazine.

Chatting with Katina LaFazia, editor of La Bella Bride Magazine in Rhode Island.

L to R: Kate Parker, Lena Hartford and Joanne McDonough. Your one-stop shop for wedding flowers, hair, and make-up!

This is Charlie, the friend of my interior designer Tracy, who tagged along with her to the party with a fresh black eye (still didn't catch the story behind it). Joanne sat him right down and touched up his bruise. Ha.

L to R: Linda Pattillo, Sharyn Peavey & her daughter and Meagan Gilpatrick.

Family friends Lauren Nauman (facing) and Lisa Sullender.

Childhood friends Arwyn, Alan and Kelly mugging for my mom.

Checking out the frames.

Brides Sarah and Kelsie.

My stepmother Paula browsing.

My Nana and Grandpa giggling with J.

Beloved bride Alisa and her father Jon peeking at a book.

And lastly, my favorite pink and brown cupcakes sent by Tina and Molly from Chicago who couldn't make it. So sweet! Literally!

Blog Nosh

2008-07-21T10:46:00.005-04:00

J spotted this great online magazine Blog Nosh, that republishes blog posts of note with topics ranging from education to religion to art. Definitely bookmark Blog Nosh as a great one-stop-site for the best of the best. They featured my post about my first studio art walk from May. Thanks, J!

Roots recap

2008-07-20T21:31:00.006-04:00

Roots is over. :(

I am totally sleep deprived (4 hours each night), bug-bitten (how do bugs reach those hard-to-reach places anyway?), and sad... I have a lingering emptiness in my gut missing my new friends.

Organizing a workshop is much more work than I ever thought possible. And although it wasn't perfect (which is hard for me to accept, as I most definitely struggle with being a perfectionist! Is there a support group for me?!), it was definitely outstanding. I'll be posting highlights of the students' work here this week, but first, a few snapshots of the end of the week...

By late-night Wednesday evening, Greg was editing from the couch with his feet up, and appletini on the brain- literally.

Thursday was spent completing the final edits, picking music & assembling slideshows for later that night, writing captions & headlines for the newspaper layouts, and the general shock & awe that things were wrapping up!

Capt. Smith pulled up to our dock that afternoon to treat everyone to a leisurely river cocktail cruise. It was exactly what we all needed!

Eric, per usual, was very excited about this.

Tyler grabbed my camera for this image. Students, notice the cool repetition and balance? :)

Sam and Meredith share a laugh.

When we arrived back at the house, Jake's Bake was waiting for us!

Our chefs treated us to an amazing clambake. Aren't they so cute?!

And Wild Bill Corney provided some Buffett-style tunes.

The first course was chowder and clams.

Sam wasn't so sure.

Down the hatch!

Eric, per usual, was very excited about this (wait, have I said this before?!).

Stephen crammed in a little last minute editing.

Dear friend Jenn digging in.

Andrea, right, is Arnold's wife and 6 months pregnant with their second child. Her belly was too cute not to photograph. She's talking with Linda, who has to be one of the kindest people ever.

The next course was lobster, sweet corn, sausage (or tempeh and/or swordfish & veggie kabobs for me), potatoes and cole slaw. This was a first for many of the students.

Yum!

After dinner, we set up for the slideshow presentations on the deck. Watching everyone's presentations under the stars was a surreal experience, made extra special by some of the students' subjects who came by to watch the show. One such person is Anne LeClaire, noted author and family friend. We took a quick picture with her husband to show my family (so here you go, Grandma! This is for you!).

I didn't take any photos during the slideshows, mostly because I was either a) talking, b) engrossed in watching or c) crying. Eric jumped up on the porch roof to capture this overall.

Thank you all SO much for working so hard and sharing of yourselves with us and this experience for the week. I am so proud of everyone and can't wait for next year (more on that soon...).

Eric's viewpoint

2008-07-17T00:43:00.003-04:00

Workshop participant (and excellent friend) Eric (:e:) shared a few images from around the house and out on location today with several of the students (his assignment wrapped up yesterday).

Dan at the Youth Academy.

Sam and Vince at the Monomoy Theatre.

Meredith at the YMCA.

portraits on the workshop lawn.

opening invite info

2008-07-16T20:14:00.003-04:00

If the USPS failed to deliver your invitation to next week's studio opening celebration, here are the details. Please RSVP to 207.272.2285 or email (photo@emilieinc.com) no later than this Friday! You must be on the official list for entrance. Thank you! Hope to see you next week!

the fun continues

2008-07-16T18:36:00.005-04:00

I can't believe it's already Wednesday! This workshop is flying by!! Students are wrapping up their assignments today, and we'll spend tomorrow assembling slideshows and page designs of their work for the Thursday night clambake and student presentations.

I'll catch you up on some more images taken around the workshop house (I'll post pictures of the students on their assignments tomorrow!).

I woke up to this on the fridge- just like home! Sorta.

This is Greg's editing room inside the main farmhouse.

I scored these great presentation screens from Office Max by Epson that have such a simple set-up. They just expand like an accordian.

The man himself. Love that smile, Greg!

Exhaustion begins to set in... (this is James).

It's important to try and eat healthy during such an intense week of work and very little sleep...

But when Linda came back from her assignment at the ice cream shoppe with more than 10 flavors for us to try, nutrition was quickly forgotten.

This is Arn's "Arnie Shack" team editing set-up.

Linda's edit.

Vince takes a try at the editing chair with Stephen.

Meredith listens in.

I love this image of Vince.

The light at sunset is absolutely amazing here (wait until you see some of J's sunset images from his assignment!).

Greg, Eric and I went outside to take advantage of it. Greg took this picture of Eric shooting me filming (Arn brought Newsday's video equipment and I'm having a lot of fun with it!).

And another angle.

Eric takes to the the tree.

And Dan and James jump in, too.

Some quick portraits Greg took of me.

The light disappears quickly and then we settle in for the night.

J spent the night at his assignment last night (to get a sunrise image today) so Greg took a look at his work this afternoon.

Things started off well...

And then J realizes he forgot to do something Greg asked him to photograph.

And J contemplates if he should go back to try again.

Overall, J did an amazing job and I'm so proud of him! I can't wait to post his final project soon!

We've been going to bed at 4a the last few nights. Brushing my teeth last night (this morning?), birds were singing and I could hear the putter of the fishing boats on the river heading out for a day of work. Crazy!

hello from the Cape!

2008-07-15T12:28:00.005-04:00

Wow (!!) is truly the only word that comes to mind that best describes the past few days of the Roots Workshop.

This is where we are staying for the duration, Churchill Farm in South Yarmouth.

The farmhouse houses most the bedrooms and Greg's team editing room.

The guest cottage and bunk house, where Arn and his team are staying, quickly dubbed the Arnie Shack.

Our gorgeous little private paradise.

J and I arrived on Cape early Sunday morning to hit the grocery store (three carts later, we finally had the fridges-there are 5!- stocked with breakfast eats, munchies, coffee essentials, and of course, beer). Mentors Tyler and Jenn arrived first, and helped situate the students as they rolled in, helping each choose a bedroom and settle in for the evening. Each student received a pail with Cape Cod treats and workshop information on their arrival (a sweet play on the overnight guest bags often seen at the weddings we photograph).

We spent the early evening getting to know one another on the back deck as J played grill master and treated us all to some yummy burgers and dogs and other summer favorites like cole slaw, watermelon and make-your-own sundaes.

Later, we moved into the main house for some brief presentations on how to better prepare for the week (by me), a general Q & A (by Tyler) and the history of photojournalism (by Greg). Late night, the teams separated to have a more focused chat on individual strengths and weaknesses, and goals for the week. And then the staff reassembled to divvy up the assignments to the student whose self-described needs best matched each assignment.

After going to bed after 2a, things got rolling very early Monday morning with several students leaving for their assignments before the sun was up (lobster men start their day at 5a, as does the homemade ice cream production at a landmark Cape Cod ice cream shoppe). Students departed the rest of the morning in staggered patterns, first filling up on bacon & eggs & shared anxieties with those who gathered to fuel up for breakfast.

Mentors spent the entire day driving the length of the Cape to pay visits to students at their assignments... summer camp, a wildlife animal rehabilitation facility, classic baseball game, historic P-town lighthouse, and even a nudist campground (where the student was only allowed if he participated... something we knew in advance and had to carefully handpick a student who might be up for this sort of experience. The student, Eric, was immediately enthusiastic about the opportunity and has been doing an amazing job!).

Like in the morning, students rolled back to the house in stages and the out loud critiques began with each team. This is an excruciating process for those who have never had someone else look at their work, frame by frame, and dissect every choice you made as a photographer in capturing those images. There weren't any tears, but there were many "aha" moments as students- sometimes not even those whose work was displayed on the screen- increased their knowledge of composition, lighting, lens choice, exposure and when exactly to release the shutter to capture the best moment. It was intense! And again, a late night. One group didn't end until after 4a.

(A daytime editing session:)

The process will repeat itself again tonight and then tomorrow, before assembling a final edit for slideshow and newspaper mock design on Thursday. It's challenging to operate on so little sleep, but the energy of the group is contagious and I really think everyone is gaining more than they imagined from the experience already. I know I am!

J is here as a participant and is doing so well! He has an assignment to cover a lighthouse keeper's house that is available for families to rent during the summer. Tonight, he's going the extra mile and staying overnight with the family to get a sunrise image tomorrow. Tyler snapped this sweet image of me (on the phone checking in with one of the mentors) as J heads out this morning.

More soon! Now that everything is flowing smoothly I can concentrate more on taking lots of images of our retreat experience.

Roots

2008-07-13T08:47:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe it's actually here, but my Roots Workshop starts today! J and I are on our way to Cape Cod to greet everyone as they arrive for the week this afternoon at our workshop house. Check the blog for updates and photos throughout the week! It's going to be insanely busy, but hugely fun! I will return phone calls and emails whenever possible.

featured on Pictage

2008-07-11T19:29:00.003-04:00

Hot on the heels of that not-so-favorable photo experience in the Press Herald yesterday, a Q&A with Pictage was posted on their blog today featuring some simple questions and a few of my images. Take a peek!

the other side of the camera

2008-07-10T08:35:00.009-04:00

Portland Press Herald veteran photographer Doug Jones (he's been shooting for 30+ years) came to my studio yesterday morning to photograph me for John Rolfe's Shoptalk column which appears in today's paper. What an odd experience to be photographed for the newspaper. He walked in with a camera body and a wide angle lens (yes, I realize I look as wide as a cow. And what's with that tuft behind my right ear anyway?) and a flash on a monopod. He literally took 4 frames, and went on his way. I asked him if he had a lot of assignments that day, and he said things at the newspaper were painfully slow. I remember my newspaper days when I would spend as much time as necessary to meticulously get the perfect portrait, that both me and my subject were happy with (and would never pull out the wide angle lens!).

I digress... The article itself is quite fun and John did a decent job reporting everything I was rambling about (could there be any more run-on sentences?), with few errors (such as I don't have a wedding in South Africa, I had just received inquiry for one the morning of the interview. Fingers crossed, because that would be a great adventure!).

Click here to read the article in full.

Pictage Partnercon 2008!

2008-07-07T23:29:00.005-04:00

J and I will be presenting at Pictage's Partnercon in LA September 9-10th! We will be giving a joint presentation on brand envy! Other speakers in the conference line-up include Denis Reggie, Robert Evans, Mike Colon, Carlos Baez, Gene Higa, Jules Bianchi and Me Ra Koh, among others.

Photographers: you can only attend this conference if you are a Pictage client. For more information, click here.

cordially invited

2008-07-07T00:02:00.000-04:00

Hundreds of invites were mailed last week to past and present clients, vendors, press contacts, friends and family announcing the official studio opening reception celebration on July 25th.

Thanks to the kindness, generosity and talent (!) of the following vendors, the evening will certainly be one to remember!

Aurora Provisions
Beautiful Days
Bei Capelli
Casco Bay Frames and Gallery
Debra Corey Designs
Flora Fauna
Harmon's & Barton's
Joya Beauty
Let Them Eat Cake
Maine Cakes & Cookies
music by Peter Miles
Old Port Wine Merchants
Puttin' on the Glitz
Signed, Sealed & Delivered
Simple Complexity Designs

If your invite did not make it to your mailbox, send me an email and let me know an updated addresses for you. It's an invite-only soireé and you have to be on the RSVP list for entrance.

dog days

2008-07-06T22:27:00.020-04:00

I hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July weekend! I photographed weddings on both Thursday and Saturday, so I actually found myself at the studio editing on the 4th with my doors open for the First Friday Art Walk.

And here's some of the other things we've been up to lately...

As many of you are wondering, J did not place in the Your Piece of Maine contest which initiated the taping of his marriage proposal at the end of May. He's bummed, and a bit offended, but we're both thrilled to be moving forward with our own wedding plans. We're very close to setting a date and I won't share much else except that it will be very small, some place warm, and during a time in the year when our schedules aren't busy photographing weddings in New England.

I went on my first camping trip! Friends Sam and Kyle, and their two dogs Nikon and Alder, were fantastic hosts and set us up with a pretty cushy experience near Rangeley, Maine. J, Destin, Dakota and I are already looking forward to going again (Dakota went for her first canoe ride with us, right, taken by Sam).

Looking for a place to vacation with your pooch in Maine? Check out this link or this link.

J and I took a pet first aid class. Sounds crazy, but it was quite informative and important. Contact your local Red Cross office to see if a similar class is offered in your area (check out those cute dummy dogs from class!). If not, I'd recommend picking up this book which includes an instructional DVD.

Next week is Roots Workshop, the photojournalism retreat I am hosting on Cape Cod. It has been an incredible amount of planning for the last 15 months, and I am very excited to see how everything finally unfolds. There are 14 terrific participants traveling from as far as Arizona, and even Canada, to attend! Check back for pictures of the week!

I hope you all are enjoying this most amazing time of the year and properly stuffing yourself silly with local strawberries, walking in the grass with your shoes off, and breathing in the sweet, salty air of the beautiful sea breezes.

vendor tour: Puttin' on the Glitz

2008-07-04T21:52:00.000-04:00

owner: Assiah Russell
address: 150 State Street, Portsmouth NH
website: www.puttinontheglitznh.com
phone: 603.436.5600

I first met Assiah last summer at Stefanie and Tom's wedding. Stefanie and her bridesmaids all wore Assiah's stunning jewels, each a beautiful combination of colors and sparkle. Assiah opened her darling Portsmouth shop three years ago seeing a need for women to have fun daily jewels with personality and pizazz not to be tucked away in a jewelry box. This upscale accessory store is a must-see on your wedding To Do list!

The tiny store, a jewel in itself, is located on State Street near Prescott Park.

The window display definitely caught my eye.

And inside, my mouth dropped. How small, yet how well stocked with stunning pieces.

The very glam, Assiah.

Assiah has such great taste and vision for her selections and display.

I met my mom June and stepfather Steve for a quick bite to eat, and to poke around the store.

Steve was trying very hard to get in the photos as mom tried on some necklaces. :)

We liked this one- casual and fun.

Looks nice, mom!

This cuff was a bit over the top (and weighed a ton!), but would be perfect for a formal night out!

I came home with something special to wear for my opening party. You'll just have to wait and see what it is!

Thank you, Assiah! We had such fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks!