Hannah ~ Beachside Senior Style at Rye Beach, NH

Today I’m elated to share some images of a lovely young lady that I had the pleasure of photographing recently.
Hannah a senior at North Andover High School, contacted me and explained how she wanted her senior portraits to reflect her love for sunshine and outdoors
Instead of a stuffy studio making “cheesy” poses. She chose the beach as she wanted to feel the wind, which gave her hair a wavy stunning look!

A gorgeous young lady with Hazel eyes, her eyes and expression beamed with warmth and sunshine.
I couldn’t have picked a more suitable location for her senior portraits!
I love how the images below of Hannah walking through the sea flowers and walking through the ocean water
exemplify the contrast between the sweet and casual side of her flowing into the fresh and fun.

 

She was so much fun to photograph, this smile is from her mom’s influence watching nearby!

While the beach is so gorgeous we also made sure to use the lush foliage by the water. I love the color that she chose.

And of course while having fun, we can make some fun images to!

As we were finishing up, the sun began to set so we stayed awhile longer to play in the water.

This is one of my favorite images from the shoot below. The sunset glowing behind her with just a kiss of warm light to match her amazing smile.

While listening to her mom, I snuck in this picture. It reminded me of the 50′s glamour style…

Hannah you are beautiful inside and out! Good luck to you in your senior year and all the best with your future endeavors!

The tale of: Miss Melanie

Say Hello Little Miss Melanie!

A day in the life of this adorable little lady… is full of laughter, adventure and play.  I can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon than in the park, blowing bubbles, picking flowers and discovering the scientific elements (she keeps those blocks in her purse), So cute!

With mom and dad behind her there’s nothing she can’t do!
(Well except for frolic barefoot, because she has to show off those pretty little sandals with that adorable purse!)

Mom and dad are so very proud!!!

I couldn’t resist this next image, my absolute favorites, as she played peek-a-boo through the bench!

Who can resist this face!

I had to chase her to get these last few images, while the clever little lady laughed at me as I rolled around on the grass with her!

Thank you Miss Melanie for a lovely morning adventure!

Janine & Matt’s Majestic Winter Wedding at Spring Valley Country Club!

The skies were brooding with colors of gray and blue in anticipation of flurries hesitant to fall to the ground. I’m pretty sure mother nature was just waiting to make sure Janine & Matt got to the church safely and all the guests made it to the reception… There is nothing quite like a majestic winter wedding and of course I’m biased as Janine picked my favorite colors for her wedding. I’m loving the red wedding!!!

While the gentleman were at the hotel getting ready, the girls were all bustling away at Janines’ family home. I can not tell you how overjoyed I was to see such a beautiful family attend to every single detail of her wedding and involve so much family tradition.

Such a classic beauty! Matt, you are a very lucky man.

Then we were off to St Francis of Assisi in Swansea, MA.
And here she comes!

I loved going through the images and seeing everyone’s expressions as if they waited forever for the moment above.
By the way, that stunning red winter bridal cape was handmade as a wedding gift for Janine by her mom. Just beautiful.

 

I love watching the way he makes her laugh…

 

After the church we left for the State House in Rhode Island. It was so windy and chilly but we got some of these fantastically fun shots before heading over to the reception.

All Janine wanted for her wedding day to see a little bit of snow!

Reception time at Spring Valley Country Club! More red, I just love it. Almost as much as those winter wedding boots Janine was rocking!

Janine and Matt, Congratulations on such a beautiful day with your fantastic families and wonderful friends.
I have to say your wedding was filled with so much tradition, love, and excitement that it was simply a pleasure to be there capturing every moment of it. I wish the best for the both of you and may you live every single day of your lives happier than the first one together!

 

Many Thanks to the amazing people who helped put everything together so beautifully and elegantly for Janine and Matt.

I also have to say a special thank you to my amazing and talented friend and second shooter Jeff Newcum . He got so many magnificent moments of Matt and the guys getting ready. Not only did he get those captures of some gorgeous details and extra moments, he is also responsible for enhancing what mother nature did not.
So thank you so much!

Janine & Matt ~ An Electrifying Engagement!

 

Today we’re kicking it up a notch, or a few!
Matt and Janine contacted me awhile back and as we chat over a plummy bottle of Malbec, I knew instantly how much fun they were going to be!
Matt and Janine may be polar opposites on many levels, but Oh Wow! When the two of them are together sparks fly!

We started out their engagement shoot in a small park in Boston under the Zakim Bridge. There were two spots where the light was all warm and buttery and
I couldn’t resist all that yummy light streaming right across the two.

 

You may have noticed the Museum of Science in the Background a few images back.
How could we not include an image of their favorite place to go? In fact they are even members!

So we grabbed our tickets and ventured in! 1st Stop the Butterfly Garden!

 

Matt is fantastic with all the puzzles all over the wall, he kept hopping anxiously from one to the next – it was difficult to keep up with him until I suggested they have a seat!

 

 

Then we came around the corner and the Exhibit was all about LIGHT!!!
Did I just die and go to heaven? My inner geek squealed and it was time to play! Yes, they were just as excited as I was! Wicked Awesome, and it just got even better!
I can’t really tell who had more fun with this shoot. It might be a toss up, but I certainly loved it! We have lights, reflections, mirrors, shiny things, and a gorgeous couple.
They even indulged me and let me play for a few minutes in the Photography Exhibit!

Fun. Fun. Fun!

 

I love this sequence. I saw the red lights below and I could see it happening before me so I just stood back and let them do their own thing.

 

And then something Magical happened…

Matt and Janine, Congratulations!
The two of you are so incredibly much fun and complimentary to each other in every way!
I seriously can not wait until your wedding next month!

Love is in the Air…Angela & Robbie Married at the Danversport Yacht Club!

 I’m rather excited to share this post today. The one thing I completely adore about wedding photography is meeting unique couples completely  over the moon in love with each other. Robbie and Anglea are just that. I knew from the first time I met them 2 years back that their wedding was going to be filled with joy, love, and excitement. Their wedding was one of those weddings that remind me of a classical romance for story books. They are perfect in every way for each other. From their incredibly welcoming family and friends to dancing the day away to Elvis classics, I couldn’t have been happier to help capture every moment of their wedding day.
The two of you are amazing together!

 

Angela and Robbie I wish you a life of love and happiness, Thank you so much for letting me share in your day!

Also I have to give some thanks to the rocking team of people I got to work with!

Thank you to my awesome friend Kris and Eli from Kris Rae for helping with some rocking detail and the guys shots!

Hair and Makeup: Spa Ni Joli
Ceremony: St. Josephs Catholic Church
Reception: Danversport Yacht Club
Flowers: Nicole Boulais of Flowers by Nikki
Dress:  Martina Liana from Camilla’s Arlington
DJ: Joe Toto of Groove Entertainment
Cake: Cakes for Occasions

Jessica & John ~ Love on an Escalator! A Downtown Boston Engagement Session

There are so many firsts in life.  The first time you take a step.  Your first best friend.  Your first boyfriend or girlfriend.
The first time you flew in an airplane and your very first place.

Then there are the epic firsts.  The first time you fall in love.  The first time you look into the eyes of your newborn.
The first time you step inside the walls of a Sephora retail store…

Okay.  Maybe not epic but, Ladies, I know you know what I’m talking about!

It was about a year ago, at the urging of friend and fellow obsessive, that I even ventured into the store. I stood there one foot in the Sephora at the Natick Collection in pure amazement!  I could barely move and within seconds I began to hit it off with an amazing make-up artist, Gina.  We talked make-up and skincare, color, photography & weddings.  She inspired and taught me the magical wonders of the “smoky eye”. She is quite the amazing artist. For me, it was a revelation!
My eyes were opened to a whole new world!

Everyday I’m thankful I followed my friend’s recommendation, for without that trip I never would have made that connection with Gina.
And without that connection, I may never had the pleasure of meeting Jessica and John, a truly beautiful couple!

The first time I met Jessica & John was at a restuarant in the Worcester area.  The atmosphere was funky, the wine was great and the apps were tasty!  Almost immediately I sensed something different about this couple.  There is a life and richness to their love.  You can see it in the way their eyes meet and the way their faces light up when they tell a story, especially their story.

For their engagment session, Jessica & John chose to spend the day meandering about Boston’s Back Bay.  We made full use of the gorgeous Summer afternoon, beautiful landscapes and architecture, as well as all the spontaneous opportunities the city never fails to provide.  Not forgetting to mention, of course, the more subtle locations that gave us the opportunity to linger slightly longer than usual.  It’s in those lingering moments where the magic happens!  Magic like in what happens when you recreate one of their firsts…

A ride on an escalator and their first kiss!

No excursion in Boston would be complete without a visit to the Public Gardens…

and then strolling down back bay it was hard not to dip our feet in…

Then we continued our stroll down Newbury Street, complete with sidewalk performances and dancing!

As self-proclaimed Foodies, this couple loves a great meal.
What better way to cool off from the Summer heat than with a glass of Sangria at the fabulous Tapeo, one of their favorite spots.

While the idea was to take a quick break and cool off, things just kept heating up!

Jessica & John -
Congratulations on your Engagment!  I cannot wait for the Big Day!

The Tale of: Miss Maggie

Once upon a time, in a Castle by the lake, there lived a little princess name Maggie.
She spent most of her days laughing and playing at the park with her Mom.
Together, they would have great fun as they climbed the Jungle Gym and learned the ABC’s.

 

 But Miss Maggie dreamt of visiting the Fairy Land that dwelt beneath the old Dogwood tree.
It was a land full of merrymaking and adventure, gossamer and frills.
Perfect for little ladies destined to sprout wings!

 

 

Being a Fairy Princess was fun but something was missing.  So Miss Maggie decided to leave the merrymaking of her Fairy Land behind to return home.
After all, home is where your heart is and her’s would always belong to Mom and Dad.

 

 

Kate & Jon ~ Bring some heat to the Engagement Shoot!

What is more exciting than a spontaneous couple that will go to the ends of the earth to get great images that are all about them!
When I met Kate & Jon, I didn’t let first appearances fool me. Kate appeared as a sweet sophisticated woman with a glowing personality, but I could see fire in her eyes. How ironic that her soulmate Jon happens to be an EMT and Firefighter! I knew they were going to be so much fun, that we chatted hours about their outdoor adventures from their first date rollerblading downhill with eyes closed in rollerblades that were four sizes to big, to their love for Hockey – really this couple has goals- to see every hockey rink in the US & Canada with their favorite teams! It came as no surprise for me when Kate mentioned she wanted her engagement shoot to begin in Purgatory! Rock on.

So here we are in Purgatory!!!
(According to the most recent research, the Chasm was created when glacial meltwater from a burst ice dam ripped out blocks of bedrock at the end of the last Ice Age (14,000 years ago). How cool is that!

We got to crawl through the rocks and scale sides of the chasm while the two held hands and climbed away. We stopped a few times as we had a special companion in attendance. Rocky aka. Sir Rocks-a-lot! Rocky has to be the coolest cocker spaniel I have ever met.
He had no problem hiking through the boulder caves with us and even joined us for a few portraits.

After a little while of climbing and scaling and watching Kate and Jon exude happy energy, I couldn’t help but notice the sunlight catch her beautiful Auburn hair as it framed her flawless face. We were losing light in the park and that means one thing to me…time to find a gorgeous sunset!

We found a walking trail down by the river in hopes at the end to get a glimpse of the sun setting among the trees along the riverbed.

Rocky was definitely a fan of this!

And there I watched it unfold right before my eyes…
Now we have to remember a few weeks back we had so much rain when the sun finally peeked out we had updates on our facebook and twitter feeds with shouts of joy and relief for gorgeous sunshine. This shoot was the 1st day after the rains so I knew we were going to get the dramatic skies as a photographer I long for.
So here we are  with the gorgeous sunset and Kate and Jon glowing even brighter!

Jon being a the biggest fan of the Washington Capitols and Kate, a big fan of the Calgary Flames, we had to get some Jersey shots!

Angela & Robbie ~ A New England Engagement!

A wedding was on the horizon.  The Bride & Groom had decided, after many failed attempts, that the only way to introduce their friends would be to bring them together as part of their bridal party.  And so Angela, a bridesmaid, was paired with Robbie, a groomsman.  Thus begins their story…

It was at a pre-wedding party where Angela & Robbie first met.  Robbie made a tray of Homemade Pumpkin Whoopee Pies (um, yum!) to bring to the festivities.  Angela saw this the perfect opportunity to make her interest known.  Like any Whoopee Pie loving person (and who isn’t!), she took one for the team and consumed not one, or two, but THREE pies!  Thankfully, Robbie got the hint and quickly became her friend.

A few weeks later, Robbie asked Angela to join him for dinner at an Italian restaurant in Boston.  Their connection was instantaneous.  Time flew as they chatted the night away.  Before either was aware, they had closed down the restaurant!  Soon after they had their second date, followed by their first kiss.  The rest?  Well, the rest has all led up to this moment where Angela & Robbie now stand, ready to walk down the aisle, just as their friends were when they first met.

Robbie proposed to Angela last winter so it was only fitting that it the Boston area would get hit with a snowstorm the day of their engagement shoot!
This first image is one of my absolute favorites!  So beautiful!  So perfectly Romantic!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only thing predictable about early Spring in New England is how UNPREDICTABLE the weather can be!  In the case of Angela & Robbie’s engagement shoot, Mother Nature did not disappoint!

On the day of their originally scheduled shoot, She (Mother Nature, that is) hit us with a snow and rainstorm that not only provided us with the beautiful images above but also caused us to end the shoot early and schedule a follow-up session.

A session that fell on a day with warmer temperatures, no snow, plenty of sunshine and, yes, a moderate amount of wind!

The contrast is remarkable, yet gorgeous!

 

 

 

I couldn’t get enough of this gorgeous location! No wonder it’s a favorite spot for these two!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little Pier was so much fun! We might have stayed a little longer if the wind didn’t practically blow us off!

 

 

What New England shoot isn’t complete without a view of the Boston Skyline! I’m in love with these silhouettes!

 

 

As we ended the shoot, we ventured back to Angela and Robbie gorgeous seaside neighborhood!  The day would have been incomplete without a family photo.

Say hello to Gia!

Clearly this little angel is Angela and Robbie’s pride and joy!  Isn’t she lovely?!?!

 

 

 

Angela & Robbie -
You are a true joy to be around!  Thank you for the honor of being a witness to your love, friendship and the start of a wonderful life together!

Congratulations to you both!

 

An Inspired Shoot: Mad Love for Mad Men!

Who doesn’t love a good intrigue?  Better yet… Who doesn’t love Mad Men on AMC with its alluring & seductive cast?!?!

While Ego rules in the world of Mad Men, there is something utterly tantalizing and glamorous about the 1960s advertising industry.  I’m not sure if it is the appeal of powerful men and ruthless women, the conflicts that arise between the boardroom and the bedroom or the indescribable magnetism of Don Draper
but it has me hooked, yearning for more!

When I discovered that one of my favorite photographers, Victor Sizemore (an international photographer based out of L.A.), was organizing a Mad Men in Vegas Stylized Shoot and Mentor Session during this February’s WPPI, the wheels started spinning in my head.  I knew I had to be there… somehow.  What’s more, Summer Watkins, an amazing & talented photo stylist & blogger-extraordinaire, of Grey Likes Weddings was teaming up with Victor to stylize the shoot!

My heart leapt.

This Rockin’ Racy, sometimes, Redhead knew that this was no longer a question of how to be there… I WOULD be there!

Bright and early, I arrived at a Penthouse Suite at the Palms Casino, Las Vegas.  The Suite was amazing! It was sexy and sleek with Hardwood Brazilian Ebony and Marble floors, accented with sleek aluminum, and an entire wall, the length of the Suite, of floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Vegas Strip!
It was a remarkable location, as if designed specifically for the shoot!

Victor was prepping us for how the morning would unfold when in walked two stunning couples, beautifully made up by the talented and lovely Amelia C!
It was as if they just walked off the Mad Men set!

It was game time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so very much to Summer, Victor, Amelia and the Models for such a well-planned and  inspiring shoot!

I’m already counting down the days to next year!

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