Christy Murray Photography

Check out the new blog!

2009-02-19T14:39:00.004-05:00

My blog is now new and improved - and can be seen at the following address:

www.christymurray.com/blog

I am no longer publishing on this blog - please bookmark the new site and visit often!

Kim & Chad - NYC Engagement Session & Love Story

2008-11-20T10:45:00.010-05:00

I had the pleasure of driving down to NYC this past weekend to do an engagement session with two simply fabulous people - Kim & Chad. It was instant chemistry when I met these two - their passion for not only each other, but life, is contagious. Their passion - coupled with their laid-back, fun loving personalities - make these two a great match and so much fun to work with.

Kim and Chad's road to engagement was not a simple one - it could be strait out of a romance novel. Over the years their lives both had many twists and turns - but ultimately they ended up right where they needed to be. With each other.

Kim and Chad first met at Hofstra University in 1991 where they became friends, but didn't date. After college their lives went in separate directions. It was a little over a decade later that Chad and Kim's paths crossed again at a holiday party. Kim tells me, "Chad made a toast to friends... he looked at me in a way I hadn't noticed before and I think that is the first time I think I really saw this amazing, loving, giving guy." They started dating for a few months, but then as Kim puts it, "Chad told me he wanted to take it slow." What Kim heard was he wasn't so sure about her. This miscommunication cost them years apart. Both heartbroken, Chad moved to California to move on and Kim stayed in NY.

Despite the geographical distance that separated them they stayed in touch over the years and eventually realized, against all odds, that they were meant to be together. In February 2008 Chad proposed in Flushing Meadow Park in what Kim calls "A total surprise!" Such a great story for two truly great people.

Our engagement session started out in Queens and ended up, appropriately, at Flushing Meadows Park. Here are a few of my favorites followed by a slide show.

Click on the play button to start the slide show. This slide show is a little larger than my others - but it is worth the wait! Hope you enjoy! :)

Erin's First Year - 3 Month Session

2008-11-06T15:13:00.011-05:00

Erin recently turned three months - here are a few of my favorites from their house in New Hampshire. Ethan - now just a few months shy of 3 years old, was very eager to participate. We have done so many sessions together - the second I show up he starts hamming it up for the camera. I think he is still a little shocked that the sessions aren't ALL about him anymore - ah, learning how to be a big brother! :) I couldn't ask for better kids to work with - these two just make me look good every time I work with them!

Ethan, helping me check the light... and showing off some of his moves. Future yogi, perhaps?

Erin's baby blues, up close and personal...

Even worked in a few shots for a holiday card...

Here is a slideshow with a bunch of my other favorite shots - click the play button for the slideshow with music, or simply scroll through the images...

Kelly's Maternity Session

2008-11-04T12:54:00.006-05:00

I met Kelly and Brendon at their house in Simsbury, CT a few weeks ago for their prenatal photo session. We had a great time - it was relaxed, casual, and fun. Brendon was busy painting the baby's nursery when I arrived - he was such a great sport cleaning up to hop in a few of the photos with Kelly! Here are a few of my favorites...

Kelly and Brendon expect the arrival of their first child just before Christmas. Congratulations, guys! I can't wait to meet the little one! :)

All Holiday Card Proceeds Donated to Charity!

2008-10-25T16:19:00.006-04:00

It is hard to believe, but the holidays are right around the corner. As the temperatures start to drop and I start getting ready for the holiday season I can't help but be grateful for all I have in my life. A loving husband and family, a job I am crazy about, a baby on the way... These thoughts of gratitude make me want to give back to those who really need a helping hand.

Last year I ran my first annual fundraiser for the Portrait House to benefit Habitat for Humanity during the holiday season. This year I am still donating 50% of the portrait session fee to Habitat during the holidays, but I want to do more. Donating 100% of holiday card proceeds seemed like the next logical step.

So, this year 100% of holiday card proceeds (yep, that's all of it!) will be donated to the Portrait House to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Not bad - you get fantastic holiday cards, professionally printed on fine art paper to send to friends and family - and Habitat gets a much needed donation during the holidays. It is a win-win for everyone!

Below you will find the holiday card templates available this season through Pictage. Click on the image for a larger view...

Cards are available in three sizes: 4.25 x 5.5, 5.5 x 5.5, and 5 x 7

Choose one of the pre-written greetings for the inside or create your own custom greeting with up to 14 lines of text.

You may order the cards directly through Pictage or contact me and I'll be happy to walk you through the holiday card ordering process. :) You can check out the details and pricing by clicking here.

Portrait House Fundraiser 2008

2008-10-10T12:26:00.005-04:00

Interested in participating in a discounted portrait session where 50% of the session fee goes directly to families in need? Join me in my efforts to raise money for Habitat for Humanity through the Portrait House, a nationwide organization of photographers offering their services in exchange for a direct donation to Habitat. Click on the graphic below or scroll down for more details!

Last year I raised over $1000 for Habitat for Humanity - let's try to blow that number away! The fundraiser only takes place once a year and is perfect for holiday cards and gifts.

The Details:
When: Now until Thanksgiving 2008.
Cost: $200 (A $300 value) $100 goes directly to Habitat.
Includes: One hour portrait session at location of your choice, a password protected, online gallery to share with friends and family, and a medium resolution CD containing all final images.
All proceeds from holiday cards will also be donated to Habitat for Humanity. Could it get any better?

Ready to sign up? Spaces are limited - contact me at pics@christymurray.com to reserve your time today!

Liz & Baris' Wedding - Tappan Hill

2008-10-03T14:42:00.004-04:00

Liz and Baris were married recently at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown, NY. I am still not quite done with the final edits, but here are a few of my favorites so far...

Baby's First Year - Cade is 3 Months!

2008-10-02T13:36:00.004-04:00

Here is the second installment of Baby Cade - now three months and growing!

Here are a few of my favorites in a photo montage...

Arman's Turns One!

2008-09-29T14:48:00.003-04:00

Here is the final (...wipe back the tear) session of Arman's first year. What better place to do the session than at the beach where Arman can play in the sand, get his toes in the water. We all had a great time - especially Arman, who was bribed into smiling with gold fishes. :)

Here is a slideshow with some of my favorites...

Sabrina & Jason - The Waterview

2008-09-28T14:45:00.008-04:00

No, I haven't forgotten about this blog... but honestly, where did the months of August and September go? I'll do my best to catch up in the next month or two - here is my latest (sorry, not in chronological order).

Sabrina and Jason were recently married at The Waterview in Monroe, CT. I felt an instant connection when I first met them over a year ago. We had an absolute blast doing their engagement session in New Haven, so I knew shooting their wedding was going to be tons of fun!

This wedding was also special in that my husband came along as a second shooter - such a treat! We are both weekend warriors, so our schedules don't usually permit us to work together. He did a fantastic job - thanks, Dan!

Karina & Pete - The Wedding

2008-08-19T12:56:00.005-04:00

I can't say enough wonderful things about this couple - they truly get it.

When I woke up the morning of Karina and Pete's wedding I looked out the window - it was not raining - it was pouring. There was literally a sheet of water coming off the roof. I took a deep breath and began wondering how Karina was doing - her wedding was in just a few hours, outside, in her parents back yard.

I was admittedly a bit shocked when I arrived at her house and found a smile on her face. She proudly announced that she decided early that morning to take a run to the store - if it was going to rain on her wedding day she was going to have some fun umbrellas and a killer pair of rain boots. The day, after all, was about celebrating her love and commitment to Pete - she was not going to let a little rain get in the way.

As it turned out, the weather cleared up and the rain gear was not needed - although we did decide to use the boots and umbrella in a few of the pictures. Here are some favorites, followed by a slideshow...

Kelly & Chris - The Wedding

2008-08-12T13:19:00.007-04:00

Kelly and Chris were (finally) married on August 2nd in Portland, Maine. If you don't know the story about these two check out the "Love Stories" section of the blog.

Here are a few of my random favorites, followed by a slideshow...

Please note the water foul that graced our presence as we were trying to run through some of the formals. I just had to laugh - that was certainly a first!

Maya, Lexi and Emma - Fun in the Park

2008-07-09T04:10:00.008-04:00

Here is the latest installment of Maya, Lexi and Emma - some of my favorite girls in the world!

We all (including Dad) headed to the park for some summertime fun. We lucked out - a thunderstorm just passed through, so we had the place to ourselves. Mom and Dad were smart - they just relaxed and let their girls be themselves. I am sure on the outside this session looked like pure chaos with girls running in all directions . I positioned myself in the spot I wanted to shoot and just waited for them to run by. After a few minutes they forgot I was even there... and that's when I got the good stuff. Hope you enjoy!

After running, and running and more running they were ready to sit still - we had about 45 seconds to pull this off!

Maya, who is five, was very eager to help. Here she is carrying my reflector for me - which apparently also doubles as a sun hat. I'll have to keep that in mind... :)

With all that running we only had one casualty - Maya was a trooper.

Guys, thanks for a great afternoon! Can't wait to spend some time together soon!

I love tears...

2008-07-09T03:49:00.003-04:00

New to blogging, I usually just post photos from recent sessions. With great testimonials starting to roll in for this season, I've decided to add a few to the site.

Just got an email from Kelly - a client of mine that is getting married in just under a month. We are in the process of setting aside some time to talk about all the final details, timeline, etc. of her wedding.

In her email she writes this...
Chris and I are so excited to have you there!! Have I told you how many
people have told me that they actually cried looking at our engagement
pictures!!?? About half a dozen!

I love tears! Thanks for the great email, Kelly. Can't wait to work with you guys again! The engagement session was a blast! :)

Michaela & Ryan's Engagement - Portsmouth, NH

2008-07-08T18:26:00.006-04:00

I spent some time with Michaela and Ryan a little over a week ago - giving us a chance to talk about their upcoming wedding and do an engagement session. I feel like the last few weeks I've been trying to squeeze photo sessions in between rain storms - this one is no exception. We were originally going to shoot later in the afternoon, but with a gloomy, wet forecast we decided to do the session a bit early. We finished up without a drop of rain. :)

I love shooting in Portsmouth - it reminds me of my native Portland, Maine. Here are a few...

Arman is 9 months old!

2008-07-08T18:12:00.003-04:00

Arman is now 9 months (well, 9 months and a few weeks... but who is counting?) Our first attempt to capture Arman at 9 months was not as successful as we had all hoped. It was a dark rainy day, all adults involved - including myself - were exausted, and Arman - the star of the show - was teething. After an hour and a half we decided to can the session and reschedule.

Our patince payed off! The next time around we got a beautiful sunny day and a happy baby! Yippee! Keeping it simple we put a blanket down and let Arman play - here are a few of my favorites of the day...

Stuart & Lauren - Boston Commons

2008-07-01T21:18:00.003-04:00

I drove up to Boston last week to meet with Stuart and Lauren for their engagement photo session. I think I can safely speak for both of them when I say the weather report was making us a bit nervous - but with their wedding date rapidly approaching and their busy schedules we knew we had to give it a shot (with a large umbrella in tow, just in case). As it turned out the weather cooperated just long enough - I didn't run into any hail until I was snug in my car and headed back out of town. Whew!

There are images that scream at me to be black and white - sometimes it ends up being just a few a session, and then there are sessions like this one where black and white images seem to dominate. :)

I am a big believer that less is often more. My absolute favorite images from the session were taken when I had Stuart & Lauren simply sit in the lawn and enjoy each other. Giving them their space, I worked around them to get some of these fun shots...

Just as images scream to be black and white - this one HAD to be in color. :)

Destination Maine - Weatherly & Noah

2008-06-27T08:12:00.009-04:00

I recently traveled up to Maine to document Weatherly & Noah's wedding in Ogunquit. The ceremony and reception took place at Arrow's Restaurant (http://www.arrowsrestaurant.com). I could write an entire entry on the restaurant alone - let's just say Gourmet Magazine rated them 14th out of the top 50 restaurants in the country, and Bon Appetit rated them as one of the top 10 romantic restaurants... but I digress...

It was important to Weatherly to have a green wedding - from the local veggies (grown in the extensive garden at Arrows) to the gift bags she gave out. I love it!

Weatherly and Noah are two of the nicest, most genuine people I've ever worked with (and I work with many, many fantastic people). Congratulations guys!

Here are just a few photos...

The ladies before the ceremony on the beach in front Weatherly's family's home. I love the playful and excited energy in this photo.

I have so many favorites I've decided to put them into a slideshow - be patient, this is a big slidehow. You also have the option of clicking on the bottom right hand button on the slideshow to view the gallery of images one by one. Hope you enjoy!

Baby Cade - Newborn Session

2008-06-23T16:12:00.005-04:00

Meet baby Cade - born on June 8th and weighing in at 8 pounds even. :)

I've been working with parents Stephen and Lisa for a few years now - first photographing their engagement and wedding in 2007, then Lisa's maternity session this past spring, and finally Cade's first "baby's first year" session a little over a week ago.

This session was very relaxed and natural. I was honored to document one of his first days home. :) There will be more of this little guy to come as I document Cade's first year!

Click the play button to view the slideshow.

Kari & Broc's Engagement

2008-06-20T21:20:00.008-04:00

I just finished up an action packed week in Maine - here is the first of the sessions I am done working on - Kari & Broc's engagement.

Kari & Broc were one of the rare couples I book over the phone without a face to face consult. Amber Small of Sweetest Things Weddings put me in contact with them - check out her site at http://www.sweetestthingweddings.com. Every bride should have an Amber - ready to take care of every last detail, right down to sewing you into your dress. If you are planning a destination wedding in Maine, this is your girl!

After many conversations on the phone it was a pleasure to finally meet Kari and Broc face to face and spend some quality time getting to know them. Their wedding is coming up next month - until then, here is a sampling of some of my favorite shots. Believe it or not, these guys were nervous about being photographed - they look like such naturals!

Lucas & Alisa's Engagement

2008-06-07T09:25:00.006-04:00

I've known Alisa and Lucas for years - we went to high school together. Little did I know when they started dating that they would be contacting me some 14 years later to shoot their wedding. I am so excited I can hardly wait!

We met up last weekend at a park near their home to do their engagement session - here are some of my favorites...

A New Waterhouse on the Way!

2008-06-06T10:05:00.007-04:00

Here is the latest installment of the Waterhouse family - they are expecting an addition to their family in mid-July, so stay tuned for Baby's First Year sessions to come. :)

When I did Jess's belly shots with Ethan a few years ago it was mid-winter - an outdoor session was out of the question. This time around she wanted to be near the water so we headed out to the ocean for a relaxed and casual session with the family.

Ethan was very cooperative for a few minutes - then he had his own agenda. Those unexpected shots are always my favorite...

Ahh, to be young... :)

Can't wait to get this shot again in a year or so - this time with both children.

And finally, the montage...

Destination Minnesota - Wallis & Levi's Wedding

2008-05-23T17:26:00.014-04:00

Last weekend I flew out to Minnesota to photograph Wallis & Levi's wedding in the small farming town of Winona. The wedding itself took place on Levi's family's 300 acre farm in the middle of a hay field. Mind you, no electricity or paved roads here - this was rustic chic at its best!

I have SO many favorites - here is a sampling...

It sprinkled a bit just before the ceremony, but cleared up just in time...

Love the stones for the bridesmaids in heels...

Their English Bulldog was clearly ready to start the party.

I am a sucker for anything sentimental. Look closely and you'll see the first note Levi ever wrote to Wallis tied in a scroll.

Want to see more? Stay tuned - I'll soon be adding a collection to my destination wedding web site...

Dana & Brian's Engagement

2008-05-22T17:05:00.007-04:00

Every time I sit down to write a blog entry I feel like I am bragging about the couples and families I get to work with - Dana and Brian are no exception. These two get it. Both are incredibly talented, down to earth, and most importantly, are true to who they are. I photograph from the heart, always looking for moments that capture genuine emotion and a real story. These two are as genuine as they come - I am thrilled to be working with them. Thanks, guys!

We met earlier this week to walk through their wedding venue (Waveny Mansion, New Canaan) and do an engagement session. Here are a few...

... and the slideshow with a few more of my favorites...

Elizabeth - 6 Months

2008-05-15T10:03:00.011-04:00

Babies grow up SO, SO fast. When I document a baby's first year of life I am always after the moments that truly embrace who they are at that exact moment.

Nothing says "hey, look at me, I am 6 months!" like hands in the mouth, feet in the mouth... pretty much everything in the mouth!

That is certainly true with little Elizabeth who recently turned 6 months - for her, to know is to taste. Here are a few of my favorites...

And a slideshow with a few more...

Alchemy Studio Salon

2008-05-13T14:02:00.006-04:00

The fabulous Samantha Drake of the Alchemy Studio Salon in downtown Hartford approached me a month or so ago about photographing her work for an upcoming color competition. Here are a few of my favorites.

A special thanks to NiRo Couture for supplying us with the fantastic wardrobe.

Destination Pennsylvania - Melissa & Gerard's Wedding

2008-04-30T10:27:00.012-04:00

Melissa and Gerard were married this past Friday in the Poconos. Congratulations guys! Here is a random sampling of photos from their celebration...

I love the shadows in the isle of guests taking photos...

Practicing their first dance? I will be photographing these two (Weatherly & Noah) in just a few weeks when they get married in Maine.

Tricia & Rollie - A Love Story

2008-04-22T18:10:00.016-04:00

Knowing each of my clients is important to me. I don't want to be a stranger when I show up to photograph your wedding day. I am after a genuine story - whether it is an engagement story or a wedding story - how could I get that if I didn't know who you are?

I love to hear the story of how my couples met, how their relationship progressed, and of course, about the proposal. The delivery of the story is often half of the fun - observing the loving glances, the teasing about how one pursued the other, the story of when one figured out the other was "the one."

So here is my latest love story - Tricia and Rollie.

Tricia had just finished college and landed her first job working at Yale University. During the summer she took on a job working working at Lockwood Farm (she had a childhood dream of being a farmer).

Enter cute boy on the tractor - Rollie. Rollie grew up on a farm raising sheep and cattle - farming was in his blood. At a young age he discovered his true passion - beekeeping. A passion so strong that he studied beekeeping at Cornell University and is now one of the largest beekeepers in Connecticut. How cool is that?

One day Rollie brought home a goat for Tricia - and the rest is history. She now raises goats on the farm next to Rollie's hives.

Here's to following your heart's calling!

It was only fitting that we did their engagement session on their farm in Southbury. I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites, but here they are...

LOVE the texture of this red barn!

Rollie was nice enough to show me his bees - I now know all sorts of facts about bees that I didn't know before. For example, the males (called drones) can't sting - I can vouch for this, I actually held one. Who knew?

Tricia and Rollie were nice enough to leave me a jar of their honey at my local farm stand - thanks guys! It is fantastic! You can check out their farm web site at Honey Meadow Farm.

These two will be getting married in October - and we'll be trashing the dress shortly after on the farm (of course!).

Honey Meadows Farm

2008-04-20T11:19:00.005-04:00

Saturday I was at Honey Meadows Farm for an engagement session with Tricia & Rollie. The engagement photos are still being processed, but here are a few featuring their goats. :) Not my usual subjects, but they are so cute I simply cannot resist. Peanut (who is literally the size of my small cat) stole the show - it was love at first sight with this guy...

I arrived at his feeding time. He is so small he's got to be bottle fed. I had the honors... (Don't get excited mom, it is still going to be a few years before you have grandchildren...)

And no, I am not feeding him beer. That is one of Rollie's bottles - more about him in the next post.

With feeding time taken care of we started the session, sort of...

And finally, one of my favorites - the barn.

Photos of the actual session to come!

Merrianne & Tim - The Engagement

2008-04-18T19:07:00.008-04:00

I just shot Tim and Merrianne's engagement session last week in Southford Falls Park. These two have such a fantastic energy - loving, fun, goofy. While these guys act youthful and playful it is clear that they have a deep bond with each other. The hour and a half went by in a flash - looking forward to their big day in August! :)

My youngest client yet...

2008-03-30T08:09:00.008-04:00

This past week I had the incredible opportunity to document my youngest client yet - I met and photographed baby Justin at the hospital when he was a mere 6 hours old!

Perhaps the most touching moment of the session was when Ryan (now a big brother) and the grandparents met Justin for the first time. Here are some of the photos capturing the first glimpses...

Such a big yawn for a little guy...

Still haven't seen enough? Here is a slideshow with the rest of my favorites...

The Maternity Session

2008-03-15T18:38:00.012-04:00

I see beauty in every stage of life. I suppose that is why I do what I do - I enjoy capturing beauty (whether it is in a newborn baby, a bride, a grandmother). But for me there is no more beautiful time in a woman's life than when she is pregnant.

You can imagine how thrilled I am when my clients call me to let me know that they are expecting and want to plan a maternity photo session. These sessions cater to the expecting mom. Done in the comfort or home or outside in nature, these images celebrate the miracle of life and the beauty of being a woman.

Maternity sessions take place about 7 months into the pregnancy. Here are some of my favorites from this past year...

Girl Time

2008-03-14T15:39:00.008-04:00

My friend Lida and I have been making time for "girl time" for over a decade. These days our girl time also includes her daughters - nearly 5 year old Maya and the nearly 3 year old twins Lexi and Emma.

This past Saturday we got together for lunch and an impromptu photo session. Not striving for perfection we let the girls pick out their own outfits, let their hair go wild. Reality at it's best.

Lexi and Emma may be twins, but their personalities couldn't be more different. Emma is sweet and reserved - Lexi has a personality that is larger than she is. No need to say who is who in these photos!

Wise and mature beyond her years, big sister Maya takes her energetic sisters in stride.

Already he likes his carrots...

2008-03-11T15:27:00.004-04:00

Arman just turned six months, and already he likes his carrots! Well, his stuffed carrot, anyway. This was our second installment in the "Baby's First Year" for Arman. Here are a few of my favorites...

HospiceCare in the Berkshires Gala - May 17, 2008

2008-02-27T11:46:00.004-05:00

This year I am donating a free portrait session ($250 value) to help the wonderful folks at HospiceCare in The Berkshires.

HospcieCare in The Berkshires, Inc.'s Annual Gala and Auction will be held Saturday, May 17, 2008 at Spice Restaurant, North Street, Pittsfield, MA. Tickets are $125 per person and include hors devours, dinner, dessert, and music by Mary Verdi and her five piece band. Want to help out? We'd love to see you at the event that is sure to be lots of fun! You can visit their web site for ticket information - HospiceCare in The Birkshires

Karli's Turning One!

2008-02-24T21:12:00.004-05:00

Karli is coming up on her first birthday! Here are a few of the shots we got at her house this weekend...

Karina & Pete - Central Park NYC

2008-02-08T14:40:00.002-05:00

Karina and Pete contacted me a few months ago to shoot their wedding in early August that will take place at their parents house in Portland, Maine (LOVE IT!). I had the pleasure of meeting and working with them this past weekend in New York City where they both live and work - Karina is a Kindergarten teacher and Pete is a music teacher and jazz musician (check out his site at www.peterobbins.com). These two are so in love an a joy to work with - here are a few shots from our session... (click on the photos for a larger view)

Kelly & Chris - A Love Story

2008-02-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

I met Kelly a few years ago while I was assisting Russell French (a fabulous food photographer) in his Portland studio. Kelly was, well, let's just say she was ready to take the next step with Chris. See, they had been dating a few years... okay, so it was almost 10 years, but who was counting?!?

Here is their love story in Kelly's words...

"Chris and I met over 11 years ago. It was the summer before our senior year of high school and I was working at the Smiling Hill Farm ice cream shop. Chris also worked there and I thought he was adorable. He was so sweet and so funny and very different from other guys so I asked HIM out. We've been together ever since.

In February of '07, over a month after our 10 year anniversary he (finally!) popped the question. It was an average Sunday we were going to meet our parents for dinner (a common occurrence since our families are close). We were on our way to dinner when Chris mentioned that he was just going to swing by Smiling Hill Farm, which turns into a x-c ski shop in the winter, and check out the rental shop for rates and hours. I had been talking about how I wanted to go over and ski sometime so I thought it was a great idea. When we pulled in it was just about closing time and I thought the people working there would hate us for running in. But Chris just walked in ahead of me past the rental counter and when I went after him I found him standing nervously around the corner. I realized then what was happening. He said some very sweet things (that I wish I could remember) got on one knee, pulled out the ring and the rest is history!"

You can imagine how thrilled I was when she contacted me to shoot her wedding!

When we were designing their engagement photo session we decided it would be fun to shoot at several meaningful locations. Here are a few of the shots we took during the session - which, of course, ended where it all started - at the ice cream shop at Smiling Hills Farms.

Want to see a few more, check out their slideshow...

PHotographer of the Month! Me?

2008-01-26T14:52:00.003-05:00

I have just been named Photographer of the Month by the Portrait House. You can check out my interview on their blog: http://theportraithouse.blogspot.com/

Don't know about the Portrait House? You should! Check out their web site at www.theportraithouse.org.

The next fundraiser will take place this spring! A great big thanks to those of you who participated - we raised over $1000 in just a few weeks. Just think of what we can raise this year!

Rekha, Ryan & Mark (and a little one on the way!)

2008-01-21T01:16:00.002-05:00

There are many things I love about my job - one of them is watching families grow. I met Rekha, Ryan and Mark during a fundraising portriat session for the Portrait House. (Thanks guys!!) The relaxed session took place in their house on a Sunday morning.

Here is a short slide show containing a few of the images captured. I have to laugh when I watch it - their cat was such a poser! There is a first time for everything!!

Ethan turns 2...

2008-01-14T13:46:00.001-05:00

Meet Ethan - he turned two this past weekend. Happy birthday, Ethan!

I've been working with Ethan since before he was even born. It started with the prenatal session, then the baby's first year. It is hard to believe that he is already two, talking in sentences, and climbing on the furniture like it is a jungle gym (he has even figured out how to climb up onto the kitchen counters... I witnessed it myself!)

Ethan is all energy all the time. When the photo session was over Ethan was ready for a nap - and so were his parents!

Here are a few of the shots I got while he was standing still! :)

The Sikand Family

2008-01-11T15:34:00.001-05:00

I love working with children and families in their own environments. Now that the weather is cold many of my photo shoots are moving indoors - living rooms and playrooms are now my studio. What is so fantastic about these sessions is that children are comfortable and in their element. They are surrounded by familiar toys and furniture and are free to express themselves as they would on any other day. As a documentary photographer this type of setting is perfect. Even the most reserved or shy child easily warms up to me and shows me a little piece of their world.

Here is a slideshow from one of my recent sessions shot in December with the Sikand family. It was a unseasonably warm day for December. When the kids grew tired of shooting inside we simply moved out to the front yard for a little bit of play.

Many, Many, Many Thanks!

2007-12-16T19:10:00.002-05:00

A special thank you to all the families who supported my efforts to raise money for Habitat for Humanity! I still have a few more photo sessions to go before this seasons fundraising efforts are complete - but here are a sneak preview of a few of the sessions!

It is so much fun to work with clients who have become friends - Kendra and Burcay welcomed a new baby boy to their family this past September. Congrats guys!

Lisa and Steve decided to use their portrait session for Christmas cards. Toro (their dog) was oh so patient with us!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

2007-12-16T14:11:00.002-05:00

What do you get when you mix a wintery afternoon, a happy couple, and a pug in a bright green sweater? A fantastic photo shoot!

Kim and Steve weren't going to let a little December weather get in the way of their engagement photo shoot - with everybody bundled up (including the pug) we headed out to their favorite park just outside of Boston for some fun playing in the snow.

Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser

2007-12-03T15:03:00.002-05:00

It's the time of year where we all start thinking about giving back - so why not get a little when you give?

This year I am joining forces with The Portrait House (www.theportraithouse.org) to raise awareness and money for Habitat for Humanity. The Portrait House is a network of the nations top photographers who are working together to raise $50,000 by this time next year to sponsor a home for a family in need.

How does this all work? Your $100 donation to Habitat gets you -
A 1 hour photo shoot (ME, NH, MA, CT, NY)
Online gallery of your images
High-resolution CD containing all images from the shoot

Spaces are limited and must be scheduled between Nov. 25, 2007 and Dec. 24, 2007. If all goes well I plan on offering this again next year as an annual fundraiser.