Studio Update!

Well, it looks like it is really happening!! After months of delays..I will be finally getting the keys to the new studio at The Crocker House in New London on January 1st!! I was actually happy that it didn't happen sooner as my plate has been just too full this season to take on anything else. 45 weddings, new house that I had to get ready to move into, old house to get ready to sell, family, etc. etc. etc. The new venture is both extremely exciting for me..and insanely scary at the same time. But you won't get anywhere in life without taking risks!
Walls were painted this weekend and I will be stopping down to check them out tomorrow. I can't believe how hard it was picking out colors!!! I wanted a edgy contemporary feel, yet also wanted to keep it warm & inviting. I really hope I am on the right track.
The studio will have a lobby with reception desk,plasma screen, couch, & Eames lounge chair. Then, as you proceed down the brick hallway, my office, then the camera room. At the end of the hall is the bathroom/changing area, and screening room (projection area). Lastly, there is a production office where all the work will get done! There are 14 foot black ceilings and hardwood floors throughout. Location is awesome and I will try to post some recent pics tomorrow of it's progress. Until then, here are some images on the outside of the space.

WPD Photo of the Month!

Here is the image that was just selected as The Wedding Photography Directory's Image of the Month! Titled "Bright Future" , you can read the story behind creating the image at the WPD's site when it's posted in a few weeks.

Fun with zooming

Here's a image of my Xmas tree. I shot it handheld at 1/4 second and zoomed the lens during the exposure. Pretty coolio. Happy Holidays!!

PPANE Conference

Well, I just got back from the PPANE conference in Sturbridge, MA last night and to my pleasant surprise..won the Fuji Masterpiece Award for my print "Beautiful Day" ! I actually had 2 prints take Blue ribbons and 2 take Red! It is quite an accomplishment to win the Fuji Masterpiece Award and I feel very honored to have won.
I also got to see a ton of great speakers at this year's conference like David Jay, Mark Garber & Jennifer Gilman, Vicki & Jed Taufer and Jeff & Julia Woods whom I had the pleasure of sitting down to lunch with! Also, thanks to Dan Doke..it was great finally meet you. Thank you to all of the speakers..I picked up some very valuable tips from everyone.

The latest...

Yeah..I know..I promised to blog more regularly but my life has been so insane for the past few months..it was put on the back burner. We recently moved into our new home in Preston, CT and I still need to get our old home ready to sell! Then, ArtImage (new studio) is due to happen Oct 1st. I will have the keys but I doubt that the studio will be open for anothe month after that...just too much on my plate right now!!
Will keep you updated!

Eric & Jamie

OK gang..I am really going to try and be better at blogging regularly here and have alot of catching up to do, so I will be posting images from some of my recent weddings. Here are a few highlights from Jaimie & Eric's wedding taken at Anthony's Ocean View in New Haven, CT. Jamie & Eric are a really a fun couple and Jamie was definitely a bride that was determined to ENJOY her wedding to the fullest! You GO Girl!! Congratulations again J & E!!

Caitlyn & Greg

Here are some images from Caitlyn & Greg's wedding held at St. Clement's Castle which was also on Saturday June 9th. They went with a super cool celestial theme! I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with the both of them and their wonderful families. Thanks guys!! I went through and picked out my faves but there were about 300 of them! Here are a select few..

Wedding marathon weekend!

Last weekend was a marathon for me as I shot 2 full weddings on Saturday and another full one on Sunday! Here are a few images from Monica & Will's (wedding #1). The weather wasn't cooperating and it's not super creative...but they were troopers and trounced around in the rain with me. Note to future brides: no one wants rain on their wedding day, but it doesn't have to ruin your photos!!

Studio delay

Well, we had our offer accepted on a new home this weekend, which means that I will have to put off the studio for a few months. I am setting a new date of Oct. 1st now. Would have LOVED to have been in for the summer but everything is happening at the same time and I can only do so much! We are due to close on the new home June 15th, and need to do some work on it before we move in on July 1st. Then, I have to get our current home in shape to put on the market! Combine this all with my busy season, and something has to give! I will keep you posted!

Even More Ink!

Thank you to The Norwich Bulletin for the feature article "Photo Finish" on the front page of the Living section yesterday!! I must say, the photo was better than the one in The Villager article..but it just confirms that I definitely belong BEHIND the camera instead of in front of it. Thank you to Amy Lawson for doing such a nice job on the article.

Getting some more ink!

Just an FYI that there will be a feature article about me coming out tomorrow in The Villager Newspapers! Hope I don't sound like a complete knucklehead, but it's hard when you actually ARE a knucklehead!

A couple of more wins!

Well, it seems that the hits just keep on coming!! I finally entered some prints for the first time in the CT Professional Photographers Association print competition last night and placed 1st in the Candid category for "With you every step" (which is the same image below that won the Eventpix/WPPI competition last week) and actually placed Best in Show for my image titled "Beautiful Day" !! My colleague and friend Charleen Larkin of Charleen's Portrait Studio also placed 2nd in the Portrait category for her print titled "Fierce!". Way to go Charleen!! We are making some noise in the Quiet Corner!

Freitas/Diaz fight

Just a little FYI that I am now getting the pleasure of shooting boxing matches for Northeast Boxing News and will be covering the Freitas/Diaz fight next weekend that will be televised on HBO. Can you ask for a better seat or what? Ringside! I will try to keep my Rocky Balboa impressions at bay. "He'll knock ya into tomorrow Rock!....this guy's a wreckin' machine!". Thanks to Sandy & Ron for giving me the opportunity..thanks guys! And, remember...Mickey loves ya.

Planet Earth on The Discovery Channel

OK..so has anyone been checking out the Planet Earth series on The Discovery Channel? Talk about incredible photography!!! These guys will basically do anything to get the shot. As a photographer, I just marvel at the viewpoints and unique footage these guys are able to get. Last night's chapter was related to fresh water, and there was some footage of monkeys that swam under water...incredible. This is really a wonderful project and I really advise everyone to watch. It will make you look at our planet and its' life forms ina whole different and beautiful way. Hope you enjoy as much as I do.

I WON!!

Ok all, this little ole CT wedding photographer is simply walking on air here since I just heard that I was the Grand Prize winner of The Best of Weddings Contest through Eventpix/WPPI out in Vegas!!! I win a new Fuji S5 Pro, a full set of Kevin Kubota's actions, some framed prints of my images, and the winning image posted on the Eventpix site for 6 months. (I was really hoping for a leg lamp). This really is a major accomplishment considering the talent/images entered in the contest and I am speechless. All I can say is WOW!