Have Wedding... Will Travel!

Having recently returned from a trip to Europe, we've definitely got the bug for travel! It's a good thing we're photographers because often we find that travel is simply part of the joy of what we do. Our couples agree: Those that commission us are also willing to expend themselves just a little bit to travel to our studio, where they can see our incredible album samples, large wall prints, and enjoy some relaxed conversation as we begin building our relationship with them from the very moment we invite them in. The results in the photos are so worth that first meeting together. For those who don't have the option of meeting us in person, we're happy to take care of your needs via phone and email.

Whether your wedding is on the North Fork of Long Island, out in the middle of Pennsylvania, in the beautiful region of Saratoga Springs or the Finger Lakes region in upstate NY, or in the Boston and New England area, we're happy to join you to shoot your wedding! The variety of places we go definitely bring local flavor to your experience and to the pictures.

We've often joked that the farthest we'll travel is Australia. And it's true! So if you have some truly spectacular plans for your wedding, but think that it's too distant for us to travel... or for you to meet us... think again. You won't find anyone else as happy to be there with you to shoot your wedding.

Its your wedding. It's our planet. Let's take beautiful pictures together.

We've Been Away; We're Back!

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that Jenni and I have been through some difficult times recently. But besides the incredibly supportive friends that we've had around us to lift us up and support us, we've had some beautiful couples that have delighted us with their warmth and fun personalities, allowing us to create gorgeous images for their weddings and their engagement sessions. What a tremendous boost you guys have been for us! More on that in another post....

We kicked off our 2007 year with a trip to Europe, one that we've been wanting to take for a long long time, and it turned out to be no better time for it --- we went to London and Paris, and finished up by attending a photography workshop with our close friend and multiple award-winning wedding photographer from Australia, Jerry Ghionis, in the town of Manchester, UK.

We're brimming with images and ideas after this incredibly inspiring trip. More than a vacation, it was a chance to just sit back and breathe and reflect and to also look forward. We can't wait to tell you more about it.

For now, we still have a lot of unpacking and organization to take care of. But we'll be in touch real soon with some images and experiences from the trip. Thanks to all of you for waiting for some new stuff from us! Drop us a note by clicking on the "Comments" link immediately below. :-)

My Parents' 50th Anniversary

Even though I've been in New York for many years, in many ways I'm still a southern boy at heart. My parents raised me, my brother, and my three sisters in an area just west of New Orleans. I've been back to visit on occasion, but this visit was different. It was to celebrate with my parents their 50th wedding anniversary.

The celebration was a bit belated partly due to Hurricane Katrina, which obviously changed the lives of everyone living in the Gulf region, and which put a temporary hold on our travel plans. The other reason was that three of us "kids" are now married and scattered across the continent with families of our own. It took a lot of coordination to bring everyone to get together for this occasion, but we were finally able to do it. In fact, one of my sisters and her husband surprised my parents by driving from an assignment in Mexico, so that we could all be together.

My mom and dad got married at an early age... dad was an athelete of 18, and my mom was an advanced school student of 16. They moved in with my mom's parents, who already had a large family. There was minimal electricity in the house, not enough room, and other conveniences were at a premium. But my mom's parents loved their new son in-law, and he helped expand the house. Since he knew some electrical work (learned from his own dad), he helped rewire their home and bring their place into the 20th century.

Clearly, my mom and dad didn't always have things easy. But they stuck together even though they were only kids who hardly knew anything about life. As each new baby was born to them, they learned a lot more about life than they expected. And through it all, they gave so much back to us --- a good work ethic, an honest concern for others, a sense of spirituality and who we are as people, and a desire to always do the best we could with whatever was given in to our hands at any point in our lives. We've each done that. And now some 50 years later, even though my dad has been through strokes and a broken hip, and my mom has suffered severe health issues of her own, I think my parents are perhaps more deeply happy than ever.

For this occasion we were all together again, along with our mates. My brother and his wife brought their two sons, the youngest one meeting his grandparents for the first time and who has the name "Ulysses" as his middle name (my father is also named Ulysses... I'm a "Jr."). My mom cooked meals for us that I haven't tasted in years. Mmm-mmm-MMMM!!! And we stayed up late talking about what they'd been through together, and how they were able to help their community post-Katrina. And sometimes, as families do, we all just talked about nothing at all. It was awesome. I appreciated every minute of it.

Here's something else that struck me: My parents in many respects are the same two people today that they were when the top image in this blog was taken. The same two kids. Maybe that ought to be so obvious. But as a photographer today, I can now see the young kids inside of them that I never really knew when I was a kid myself living under their roof. That's family. That's love. And that's what it meant to me to go home. I have so much to be thankful for, when it comes to my parents and family.

Jenni and I have a lot to be thankful for as wedding photographers. We know that what we do for others will only grow in value over time.