Oh this session makes me so happy. It's the time of the year when everything is a little slow. The weather is grey and chilly and you might rather find yourself bundled up with a good book than out exploring outside. We're in 'off-season' mode here on Summer Street as we busy ourselves with lots of admin work that needs to be done (hello taxes!) and planning for all of the beautiful fetes that will happen later this year. I'll come right out and say it: it's not as much fun as shooting every week. That changed last week when we had the chance to photograph Erika and Steve's Engagement Session on Steve's mom's farm in Billerica. Erika and Steve are fun loving and sweet as can be. They will be getting married in a few short weeks at the Willowdale Estate and we're so excited about capturing their wedding. They have an adorable daughter, Lyla, who was an absolute peach during their session. Did we mention the horses? They acted like old curious farm dogs as they trotted over to us and stuck their muzzle in our lens. So fun. We insisted they take a few family photos in addition to their couple photos. Aren't they just the sweetest together? I love seeing our clients not only as amazing and supportive partners to one another - but also as parents. The love that beams from this family is just more than I can take today. As always, we're left feeling incredibly grateful having the privilege of capturing life's greatest joy: love.
Cara + Jesse = Engaged
It takes a brave couple to endure sub-zero wind chills (without coats - no less) for a January engagement session. As it turns out, Cara and Jesse are more than just brave. They are kind, insightful and full of love for life, one another and their dogs. When we started brainstorming for their Engagement Session they wanted something that would capture their laid back (yet stylish!) lifestyle. We started out at the Addison Gallery of American Art on the Phillips Academy and then braved the cold at their favorite park to hike and take their dogs to in North Andover. They braved the cold and fortunately had each other to keep warm. We've found that cuddling during winter Engagement sessions is both cute *and* necessary for great photos. Cara and Jesse had this one DOWN. We can't wait to shoot their Willowdale Estate wedding in March, it's going to be so cozy and sweet!
Stephanie + Peter = Engaged
I could talk allllll day about these two. You see, Stephanie and Peter are near and dear to our hearts. Once upon a time Matt and Peter went to high school together in St. Paul, MN. They were inseparable and remained close when they went to college together at the University of Minnesota. Stephanie and I were both dance majors and lived just down the hall from one another in Middlebrook Hall. We became fast friends and were soon spending more time together than apart. As many of you know, Matt and I met on the first day of college, so all the while we dated I would spend time with his group of friends and he with mine. Stephanie and Peter had met a few times through mutual gatherings, but never really had the chance to get to know one another. Fast forward four glorious years of late night studying, piled dishes in the sink and the formation of life-long friendships it was time for Matt and I to say goodbye to our beloved friends in Minnesota and head East. There was a little peek of interest that Peter showed towards Stephanie and Stephanie towards Peter, so of course Matt and I milked that for all it was worth and practically made them hold hands during a goodbye party we had in Minneapolis. They exchanged numbers, began hanging out and within a matter of weeks they were dating. We were over the moon but didn't want to jinx anything so we played it cool. As fate would have it, they feel madly in love with one another and are now planning to be wed this fall in their backyard. We jumped at the opportunity to take some Engagement Photos in the chill of a Minnesota January day a few weeks back when we were in Minnesota. They brought their adorable pup, Flika who kind of stole the show. We are SO excited for these two to tie the knot. Congratulations our dear Stephi and Pete!! We love you to pieces!!
Favorite Photos from 2012 - Wedding
What an amazing year it's been. Whenever we stop to count our blessings (which we try to make a daily habit of) we are floored by the opportunities we have to work in a medium we love for really good people. Yes, we take thousands of photos at every wedding and spend countless hours ensuring each image is taken care of and presented with the same joy we captured it with - but without you - our clients and supporters - our work is nothing. We'd have no beautiful flower arrangements to ooh and ah at, we'd have no sweet glances to capture when a couple sees one another for the first time on their wedding day, we'd never hear your loved ones toasting to eternal happiness and we'd certainly have a lot fewer friends. The truth is, weddings are filled with emotions and it's a complete honor to be able to bottle those up and give them back to you each and every wedding. After a wedding is over, when we're home and editing photos on a tuesday morning, we're still laughing about the way your Uncle Randy took center stage during 'Gangnam Style', we're still inspired by the hard work you've put into your wedding details and with each and every couple portrait that we edit and refine, our observations of your love reinforces why marriage is such a beautiful thing. We love capturing these moments and giving them back to you as a visual journal of one of the happiest days of your lives. We can't help but feel as though the joy and love of these special days rubs off on us too. It's contagious, and we can only hope 2013 will bring as much hard work, excitement and happiness as 2012. Happy New Year, Friends!
Favorite Photos from 2012 - Engagement
We're on to part II of our three part 2012 recap, Engagements! Time and time again, Engagement Sessions prove to be a fun and productive time before the big day. They are low pressure and extremely useful. Like we tell our clients, we're used to working with real couples (not models) so while we have little tips and games to play during sessions, it's still a great idea for you as a couple to get some experience under your belt being in front of the camera for eight or more hours on your wedding day. This way, you can get to know how we work and shoot, and we can get to know you better too. Most people wouldn't plan a wedding without attending a catering tasting, getting dress alterations, a makeup trail or doing a venue walk though - so why would you skip out on a test run with us before the wedding day? Plus, it's always great to have a nice photo of you and your fiancee for Save the Dates, Wedding Websites, mom's mantel or even a facebook profile photo to commemorate the exciting time in your life. Engagement sessions can be nerve racking, but every. single. couple. we've photographed left saying "that wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be, in fact it was pretty fun!" In addition to our own wedding clients, we also get the honor of photographing a few couples each year who live in Boston but are getting married in a different part of the country or world. These are a few of our favorite Engagement images from 2012. Tune in later for a HUGE post of some of our favorite wedding images!
Favorite Photos from 2012 - Lifestyle
Gathering photos for our end of the year recap is not an easy task. It involves searching through each and every shoot, wedding and personal folder to gather some of our favorite images. When I first started, I had gathered over 700 images. Narrowing down from there was not an easy task, so rather than relentlessly selecting *just the right photos* I decided to adopt the mantra "done is better than perfect." So, you'll be getting not one, not two but THREE separate blog posts today categorized into three types: Lifestyle (see above), Engagement and Wedding. We'll post all three today - so get ready for a lot of photos! It's been an incredible year filled with photography, so we hope you enjoy a small recap of the hundreds of thousands of times we clicked our shutter this year. The above photos include many personal projects (from Paris to Guatemala to the Badlands of South Dakota) and also a few snippets from the senior, family, baby and head shot clients we get the honor of photographing each year. The majority of these photos were taken on film, which is our preferred method of taking personal photos since it forces you to slow down and think carefully before you take the photo - something you don't always get the luxury of on a wedding day. We hope these photos make you as happy as they make us!
Neelum + Brian = Married
Neelum and Brian were married on a beautiful December day. The clouds built with moisture all day and just a few minutes before we stepped inside the downtown Boston Sheraton Hotel, giant snowflakes began to fall from the sky. There are occasions where we don't get to meet the bride and groom until the wedding day, and since Neelum and Brian were planning their wedding from a distance this was one of those times, but meeting Neelum and Brian for the first time on their wedding day was like meeting a long-standing pen pal. We'd been talking throughout their engagement so once we actually got to meet them it was totally comfortable and easy. I started with Neelum as she got ready for the ceremony in a room that had a stunning view of Boston. She was calm and excited as she dressed in her beautiful red gown and glittering jewels. Doesn't she look gorgous in her bridal portraits? Simultaneously, Matt was grabbing some photos of Brian and his guys. I love the outdoor snow series. Next we geared up for their ceremony where their family and friends greeted them with sweet smiles and lots of laughter. By the time the ceremony was over, the sun had set (thank you, December) but we still managed to capture Neelum and Brian's newlywed glow with the help of the holiday twinkle lights and some off camera lighting rigs. Neelum and Brian are troopers for heading outside in freezing temps and heavy wet snow for us to get photos of them. The evening concluded with a cozy dinner in the chandelier-draped ballroom followed by toasts and dancing. Neelum and Brian, we are honored to get to tell your story, and wish you nothing but the best. Congratulations!
Erika + Jeffrey = Engaged
If this isn't the sweetest thing you'll see today I will personally buy you a coffee. I mean seriously. Look at these two. Erika and Jeffrey are adorable *on ice skates*. That is talent, folks. Matt and I insisted that we better not join them on the ice because of the nature of camera equipment, a quarter of an inch blade holding us up on ice and dozens of other people who may run into us while shooting - but we all know that the real reason is because there is no way we could have photographed their adorableness on ice. We would have spent the entire time shifting our feet awkwardly on the ice and fallen down too many times to count. Not Erika and Jeffrey though. I swear they are secret hockey and figure skaters in their free time. They both laced up and whirled around the pond with such ease and grace. While stationed on the edge of the rink and watching them glide round and round together I even overheard a few onlooking girls talking about how watching Erika and Jeffrey "made them really happy." I couldn't agree more. We had a great time photographing them on the rink and off on the streets of Beacon Hill and can't wait for their Smith Barn Wedding this June. It's going to be a blast!
Rajween + Raj = Engaged
Let's get 2013 off on the right foot, shall we? We shot Rajween and Raj's Boston Engagement session just days before their wedding in Singapore. They both live in Boston and had been engaged for almost two years before their wedding day. They decided having Engagement Photos in Boston would be a perfect way to commemorate this time in their lives, and we couldn't agree more. Don't they look stunning amongst the deep, rich light of a December afternoon? I love that Rajween brought along cupcakes with their wedding date on them, and loved even more when she decided Raj needed some frosting on his face. These two are fun and light hearted, which pretty much guarantees that they'll succeed at anything marriage brings their way. Congratulations Rajween and Raj!
Six One Seven Dance Collective
There are some days that I feel the need to pinch myself. From as long as I can remember, my dream in life has been fill my days with good things: family, good food, beautiful friends and lots of art. These are the things that light me on fire and ignite the best parts of who I am. The fact that I get to make art for a living still blows my mind and there isn't a day that goes by that I feel incredibly grateful for this gift. As many of you know, dance is my first love. I've been dancing for over 20 years, have traveled around the country and world training and performing and have a BFA in dance. For any dance major, the ultimate goal is to be able to incorporate dance into your life post graduation in any way possible. We unfortunately live in a time and place where arts funding is limited making jobs very difficult or nearly impossible for many extremely talented dancers. I knew this going in (and out) of my college program, but somehow knew it was all going to be okay and that if I was pursuing something I loved more than anything that I would learn things along the way that would make it work. After moving to Boston from Minnesota I never once regretted my decision to study dance - even though the free lancing dance world can be exhausting and you live on close to poverty level salaries. When photography came into my life, I realized that it wasn't necessarily dance itself that has me in rapture - it was creating art. Now my days are filled with lots of weddings and beautiful love stories to document, but I still get to dance. It's a beautiful thing and I'm beyond grateful. Three years ago I started a small dance company here in Boston in hopes to have a deeper and more meaningful relationships with dancers and choreographers. When the company started, I had no idea that it would be where it is today. No, it's not an international success with dozens of funders or scholarship programs or national tours. In fact, I'm sure that many people in the Boston Dance Community don't even know we exist. Instead it's grown into a beautiful space for dancers to share bits of themselves and their lives and for us to create art together to address these snippets of our collective perspectives through performance. It's a beautiful group of women who are open and honest with each other and have hopes for making our world a better place simply by being better people. These women inspire me every week to live bigger and take risks. Once I year I convince them to allow me to photograph them - and once I year I feel the most exhilarating surge of excitement combining my two creative pursuits. Aren't they beautiful?