New Website!

  Welcome to the all new Summer Street Photography website!!! We're delighted you stopped by, and we hope you take a moment to explore all of the new parts of our virtual home. It's still the same Matt and Kendra, but we've been working with some personal trainers of sorts to get our new site looking like a total and complete makeover. (psst....You'll want to read all the way to the end - there is a surprise down there as well! )

Let's start at the beginning. Meet Melissa and Jonathan, the master minds behind the Brooklyn based design firm, Makewell. They are getting married next June at her step-dad's farm in New Hampshire, and guess who gets to photograph it? Yep. That's us. Check out this too cute for words photo that Jonathan's brother took:

Photo by: Jordan Motzkin

Aren't they cute? When they contacted us this summer about shooting their wedding next June, I couldn't help but notice their work title line on the very bottom of their e-mails. Graphic designers you say? I clicked into their site. And fell in love.

And so it began. Our site was in need of something a little more cohesive and professional. A little more, 'design-savvy'. So We hired them. Well, actually, we hired each other. We started working on the new site in July, and now, almost four months later to the date, we have a new baby. A new, virtual baby that is. Melissa and Jonathan were amazing to work with.  We got to help with the fun stuff, but they really were the masterminds behind the entire site. We love that the website is now much more technically fluid and functional; incorporating our portfolio alongside our current work as well as has handmade details like Melissa's calligraphy in our new logo and other parts of the site.

In short, we couldn't be more happy. Read on for a few new features, and then go see them in action! (p.s. if you're my mom, remember these images below are just screen shots, and you'll have to go into the main site to see them in action).

Here's the home page. Happy.

Oh hi. It's us. Bet you didn't know Matt does Karate. Venn Diagram for the win!

Jessica's dress and Abena's perfume. Part of the Portfolio sections. See that little portfolio icon to the left of our logo? Let you mouse rest on that and a drop down menu of various portfolio goodies will appear for your choosing.

More portfolio. Claire. Pretty, pretty Claire.

The new blog! We'll still be posting all of our recent work here, so this part of the site will be constantly updated with our new work. See those cute little handwritten links on the side? All Melissa. If you click on categories, a little genie will show you the various post categories. Nice and tidy.

The thing we're the most excited about with our new blog is the 'See More' feature. We'll be posting a single image from our shoots, and then you can click 'See More' to see the rest of the shoot. If you want to 'See Less' you can, with a click of a button. Also, something that we really really wanted was the ability to expand and collapse the posts without leaving the main blog page. On most blogs, when you click 'See More' or 'Read More' you're redirected to a new tab or window, and then you need to hit the home button or the back button to go back where you were. Not here. You can expand and collapse as many posts as you like without leaving the page. Amazing. Totally amazing.

Our contact page. Pretty self explanatory. This is how we get most of our inquiries, so now we're comforted by the fact that there is a nice photo of Jay and Lauren in a field instead of just text. win win.

So fun huh? We are head over heels in love with this new little baby. To celebrate the new website's arrival we've decided to do a GIVEAWAY!

We will be giving away one photo shoot to a random lucky recipient! If you win, here's what's in it for you:

-A 1 Hour Photoshoot with Summer Street Photography

-You'll receive 50 edited images on a high resolution disk with a photo release to use the photos for personal use

-Can be used for an engagement, newborn, maternity, head shot, senior, pet or fashion photo session. If we are shooting your wedding in 2011 or 2012, you can also enter to win an additional hour of photography coverage on your wedding day. Don't want to be in front of the camera? Gift your sister a maternity session! Win an extra hour of photography for your friend! You can gift your prize as well as use it for yourself. Shoot must be in the Boston area - but we will also be in Minnesota and South Dakota this winter, so if you're out there, you're eligible as well. As always, if you live in France, just fly us out and we'll shoot all day for free.

-Here's how to Enter:

-Like Our Page on Facebook, or invite three friends to 'Like" Summer Street Photography on Facebook. Once one of the three people you invite follow through, you have your golden ticket. Then those people can enter the contest as well.

-Leave a Comment here telling us what your favorite part of the new site is

A winner will be drawn at random and announced next Friday November 18th - or when we reach 1000 likes, whichever comes first.

Now go explore the new site! And come back this afternoon, we'll be posting two more fun posts!

The S Family

It’s not all that often that we get the privilege of taking family portraits. Like most of our work, we try not to take these sessions too seriously, especially when there are kids involved! Maybe our approach is relaxed due to the church directory family photo forever stamped along the wall of my parents house…me with overgrown bangs slicked back with more jel than the early 90s deserved….my brother, bowl cut and all, with one eye almost blinking…. Yep. That’s probably it. Those formal photos can be nice, but let’s be honest….kids look their best when they are in their element. The S Family has plenty of energy to go around with two spritely twin second graders and one adorable little brother.  We enjoyed a summer saturday morning together at one of our favorite parks enjoying some croquet, swings and the good ole game of tag. It started sprinkling rain as we were wrapping up, which we think just added to the fun.

Sarah + Chris = Married

Sarah and Chris are the type of people everyone loves. They are the true definition of kind-hearted, and their hobbies span a wide range of admirable activities. For example, Chris proposed to Sarah at mile 24 while running the Boston Marathon. Sarah and Chris planned almost their entire wedding this summer while she was researching in India and he was back in Boston. They will be hiking the Pacific Crest Trail this spring as their honeymoon. So it came as no surprise when they wanted their wedding to boast the proud Vermont colors of fall and they decided to forgo a traditional DJ for a Contra Dance. Even though it rained for most of their wedding day, it only made the foliage brighter and the mood cozier as the exchanged vows under a picnic shelter. The rain stopped just in time to capture a few vibrant portraits of the two of them – just Sarah and Chris, out in nature, and happy to be married.

Lindsey

I remember the day Lindsey was born. I was eight years old, playing baseball in the yard with my brother, and my mom came outside and said, “It’s a Girl! She had a girl and her name is Lindsey!” I jumped up and down. I now had TWO female cousins, which practically seemed like getting a string of pearls since the rest of my cousins were energetic and rowdy boys (God bless them). Lindsey will be graduating from high school this year so when she asked me to shoot her senior portraits, I was flattered. I love shooting senior sessions. I had the privilege of being in South Dakota a month or so ago, and while the wind blew it’s mighty force upon our time together, we made the best of it and explored the little nooks and crannies of the town I call home. Lindsey is clearly a natural in front of the camera, and I enjoyed spending time with my not-so-little anymore cousin. I love you Linds! You’re going to go far in this little thing called life.

Leah + Amy = Engaged

From the moment we met Amy and Leah, we knew we wanted to shoot their wedding. Their love is radiant. They have the ease and grace of couples who have been together for well over fifty years. They just work together. We had a blast doing their engagement session a few weeks back at the Arnold Arboretum Park. Fall was really at it’s prime (none of that snow stuff had happened yet) and the sun smiled happily on the session. They were clearly naturals in front of the camera, making our job a piece of cake! We can’t wait to shoot their wedding next October at the Barn at Gibbet Hill – it’s going to be beautiful!

Katie + John = Married

Katie and John, oh Katie and John. These two are so sweet together. They have completely stolen our hearts. Their Indian Summer October wedding day was quite literally full of sunshine and happiness. Fruitlands Museum out in Harvard, Mass provided a quintessential ‘New England in the Fall’ backdrop for them to exchange vows and celebrate with their closest family and friends. Their love for each other radiated into each detail they carefully planned throughout the day. I could go on, but I’ll keep the chatter to a minimum and let you see for yourself just how great Katie and John are together.

Liz + Jimmy = Married

Liz and Jimmy are high school sweethearts. At their reception, they had two large picture frames, one featuring a photo from their engagement session with us (awwww…) and the other, sweetly displaying a photo from when they were sixteen years old. Both sitting in the back of a pickup truck, shyly looking at the camera, unaware that moment would be displayed years later on one of the biggest days of their lives together. It was clear that they not only had a rich history together, but that their families and friends had watched them grow and develop together toward their wedding day. What a happy day they had. After getting ready at her mom’s house in Milton with her best friends and bridesmaids, Liz and her girls took a trolley to St. Agatha Church for the ceremony. Jimmy, nervous yet calm as a cucumber, welcomed his bride with a smile and a tear in his eye as she was escorted down the aisle by her grandfather. In Catholic Wedding ceremonies, often the couple will say their vows and exchange rings and kiss before the Priest has finished the ceremony. Immediately after Liz and Jimmy kissed, the biggest, most energetic applause roared from the audience. And it didn’t stop! People clapped for probably a minute straight. It was pure happiness. Once the crowd quieted down, the Priest exclaimed, “That was the best applause I have ever heard! And in church no less!” It was true. We were grinning from ear to ear. So were Liz and Jimmy. We also have to give a shout out to our dear friend, George from George Rivera Photography who joined Summer Street for the day to help capture their wedding. He is an amazing photographer and a super laid back person to work with. We loved seeing his artistic eye spruce up our style. The second photo of Jimmy was taken by George, and I think it’s my favorite Groom shot to date!

Ellie + Mike = Engaged

If our photo sessions were to win superlatives, Ellie and Mike’s Engagement Session would be ‘Most Pin-able’. Those of you who do Pinterest know exactly what I mean, and those of you who don’t? Let’s just say there is a LOT of goodness happening here and it’s cuter than a button! Ellie and Mike live out in Washington State and will be getting married next June in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We will be traveling to shoot their wedding and we just happened to catch them this fall while we were all visiting relatives in SoDak (as we affectionately call it) and were also able to pair up with their super talented Wedding Stylist and Day of Coordinator, Amy who whipped together the sweetest arrangement of Engagement Photo goodies. Seriously, we are in love with these two. They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. We had one small time frame during our time in SD that we were able to do this shoot, and God decided to bless us with a wind machine but Ellie and Mike (and Amy, hello flying props!) were troopers and WORKED it. Love this session. Just love it!

Marie + Mike = Married

This wedding. I'm telling you. GORGEOUS. Every inch of it! What's more, is that for these two, it was not about that, but their love managed to infuse every inch of their day making it beautiful from the inside out. From the beginning, one of the first things Marie and Mike were excited about in their wedding planning process was their ceremony. The solemnly grand backdrop of St. Mary's Dominican Friar's Church provided an elegant and sacred space to exchange vows. The excitement beamed on their faces as they exited the church and we took a stroll through Yale's campus capturing some portraits which were again GORGEOUS - but how could they not be when we had subjects as stunning as Marie and Mike? Their reception was held at the Union League Cafe and really felt like one large dinner party with french food, a four piece band and croquembouche - could it get any better?

Maggie + Louis = Married

Having been to a good number of weddings this year, we have observed that the events where the couple takes the time to infuse their personalities into the day always leads to the best guest (and couple!) experience. We love it when we leave a wedding and say, "that was an awesome day, and it was so them." That's exactly what happened at Maggie and Louis' Harvard Square Wedding. It was classy yet approachable....playful but collected...formal yet fun. Having had the pleasure of knowing Maggie and Louis first as friends and then as clients, we were able to shoot their day in a way we felt reflected their taste and personalities. They both got ready at the Mary Prentiss Inn (which has a soft spot in our hearts since we did the same for our wedding) and had a first look in the Harvard Law School Yard, just steps away from where Louis' Grad school building is, and of course on Maggie's alma mater grad school turf. After the first look, we made our way over to the Harvard Memorial Church for the signing of the the Ketubah and their ceremony where they had friends read some of their favorite passages in French and English - including reading the text from 'Aladdin's' A Whole New World. Best. Ceremony. Reading. Ever. Since the weather was practically perfect, we enjoyed our time through the Harvard campus and the square capturing some of the first moments the two of them had as husband and wife. The evening was completed with a first class dining experience at Upstairs on the Square which made a vibrant backdrop for a wedding party.

Christine + Jay = Engaged

When Christine and Jay wanted to have a Boston flair in their Engagement Photos we immediately started brainstorming and thought it would be fun to shoot in Charlestown and the North End - which are not always the first areas people think of for an engagement shoot - but both areas are SO completely Boston. For those of you who have walked the Freedom Trail, you may know that the distance between the North End and Bunker Hill is not too far, but it certainly involves a good 20 minutes and a varied trail of pavement, cobblestone and a steel bridge. So when Christine rocked the walk from Charlestown to the North End and back in heels, I was impressed. As it turns out, there is more than just tough feet to be admired about these two. They compliment each other so perfectly that they already have the ease of seeming like they've been married for years. No trip to the North End is complete without a Cannoli, so we were quite happy to see that Jay and Christine agreed with our philosophy. We can't wait for their 2012 wedding at the Seaport, it's going to be a blast!

Ly + Kieran = Married

It seems like we do so much gushing over here that by now you either think we are super excited all the time or that we're making up how great our client are. Fortunately for us (and you) neither are true. The truth is, we feel absolutely blown away by how much we love our job and our clients. Take Ly and Kieran's wedding. We had so much fun at their wedding that we decided that if we had to re-do our own wedding, we'd probably try to emulate the spirit of their wedding day. Ly and Kieran live in Ireland (she's American and he's Irish) and threw a spectacular celebration in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire with their closest family and friends - complete with 50% Irish Accented Guests. They rented a large vacation home on Lake Winnipesaukee and started their day off with a heartfelt Vietnamese Tea Ceremony. During the Tea Ceremony, the Groom and his family and friends enter the Bride's house with gifts and offerings. It was so sweet to watch Ly and her sister giggle with excitement as Kieran's family drew closer to the home. The couple serves Tea to their parents and grandparents and the bride's family presents their daughter to the groom. Ly admitted to not fully knowing what was going to happen during the Tea Ceremony, as did Kieran, making the service full of laughter and anticipation.

After the Tea Ceremony the wedding guests were invited to relax around the property until the Western Ceremony. We took full advantage of the time getting every little detail and taking a million photos of Ly's gorgeous dress and ensemble. The mood around the property was so laid back, people mingling, talking, listening to music and dipping their toes off the edge of the dock into the lake.  Their Western Ceremony was filled with more laughter and love, followed by some sunset portraits in a nearby field and a rocking tented reception with some of our favorite dancing photos of the season. Ly and Kieran, it has truly been a pleasure working with the two of you. We hope you're enjoying your African Honeymoon Adventure and hope we can cross paths across the pond!

Liz + Jimmy = Engaged

We met up with Liz and Jimmy at Marina Bay in Quincy last week to capture the last moments of their engagement before their wedding next weekend. We had a great time getting to know them a bit more and hear about their final planning details coming into line, as well as utilizing the varied landscape the area had to offer. A boardwalk, ship deck, park, gazebo, monument and twinkle lights in a one block radius? YES please! You may as well get comfy soaking in their cuteness because there is more Liz and Jimmy to come on the blog as their wedding quickly approaches.

Lauren + Neil = Married

Lauren and Neil were married on a Sunday. We love Sunday weddings because they are like big family reunions. People eat slower and talk more. They hug abundantly and laugh with gusto. We loved watching the way their guests cheered them on as they celebrated their first day as a married couple. They held their wedding ceremony and reception at the Crystal Lake Golf Club in Mapleville, RI - and it was an ideal venue. They had a ceremony in a tucked away wooded area and took a boat back to the reception site. Some people have getaway cars...Lauren and Neil had a getaway boat! After a few portraits with their beloved Dog, Morgan - they had a lovely reception with some of the cutest centerpieces and probably our favorite cake of the season. Lauren and Neil, it was such a pleasure capturing your day - we wish you many years of happiness together with Morgan and Batman (and maybe even some human babies too!) !

Jen + Ed = Married

Peanut butter and jelly, yin and yang, lobster and butter...some things are better together. Nothing else could describe just how good Jen and Ed are together. They delight each other, support each other and - as we got to witness on their wedding day - they love each other more than words. They had a beautiful wedding day on the coast of Nahant, where you could watch the sun set behind the Boston skyline. Matt was quite fond of their cupcakes, and I her dress. The day went off without a hitch thanks to Phebe from Making Me Planning and Event Firm. Congrats Jen and Ed, we were so happy to be a part of your day!