The wedding of Louise and Aldrich at the Mill on the River

Here are some photographs from the wedding of Louise and Aldrich at the Mill on the River. If you have never been to the Mill on the River it is a great place, with a covered bridge, a waterfall and Sunday brunches.

As I previously blogged http://breaphotos.blogspot.com/2009/10/louise-and-aldrich-sneak-peak.html they had a very unique ceremony complete with Dr. Seuss vows.



The day was just so picture perfect that it looked like a painting, so I had to create a painting from one of thier photographs. Click on it to enlarge it and see it with more detail.



This next image was a HDR (high dynamic range) where three images, one exposed for the highlights and one exposed for the shadows, were combined into one photographs to bring out the details. Wow!



You can see the magic between the two of them, especially when they look at each other.



The color of Louise's dress, Martha's dress, their hair color and the Fall colors just made for spectacular photographs!




You can view the rest of their photographs on our website at: http://www.tlc.smugmug.com/Weddings/Louise-Aldrich

You can also view their slideshow here: http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?bm=88278

David's choices

David and his parents had a hard time picking out the photograph for the yearbook. David really preferred the headshots and close intimate ones and picked a more formal image of himself in this maroon shirt. His mother has a very artistic eye and asked if we could would take the photo on the left and darken the background to make David 'pop out' more, which we did.



This next image was picked for gifts for the family. David really liked the relaxed feel to it.



This next one David's dad really liked, but it was also one of Tom's favorites from the session.

You can view more of David's photographs on our website at http://tlc.smugmug.com/Portraits/David/10009298_D7Pxn#685004903_ybPXT

David

Here are some more of David's senior photos, we showed a few of the casual images and now here a some of the more formal photographs...

He was fun to work with. His mom liked the ways that his eyes get these little laugh lines at the edges when he smiles and laughs.

You can view more of David's photographs on our website at http://tlc.smugmug.com/Portraits/David/10009298_D7Pxn#685004903_ybPXT

Louise and Aldrich sneak peak

We recently photographed the wedding of Louise and Aldrich at the Mill on the River. It was a beautiful Fall day with blue skies and just a few nice white puffy clouds. The bride was just radiant -- and we were so happy that this was a Fall wedding because the color of both her dress and the maid of honor's dress, and her hair color and the colors of the fall foliage just made for a spectacular coordinated picture perfect scene. We will have more photographs of this lovely couple soon...




This couple has a great sense of humor (punny like Tom's). They had some special readings and poems and wrote their own words for some of it (which were quite sentimental because this marriage was 30 years in the making as life got in the way of their first engagement), but they also used Dr. Seuss for the wedding vows -- how fun! Tom is lucky that I had not discovered these for our wedding :-)


I found these on the internet, Louise and Aldrich did change them slightly ("like I'll love him even when his puns are bad") but you get the gist of the wonderful Dr. Seuss vows.


Pastor: Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?


Groom: Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.


Pastor: Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?


Groom: Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I'll love her all my life.

Pastor: Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?


Groom: Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life
As I now take her as my wife.


Pastor: Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you're happy or sad?


Groom: Yes, I'll love through good and bad,
Whether we're happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
ust as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!


Pastor: Will you love her if you're rich?
Or if you're poor, and in a ditch?


Groom: Yes, I'll love her if we're rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I'll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!


Pastor: Will you love her when you're fit,
And also when you're feeling sick?


Groom: Yes, I'll love her when we're fit,
And when we're hurt, and when we're sick,
And I will love her when we're rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!


Pastor: Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?


Groom: Yes, I'll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we're rich,
And when we're broke and in a ditch,
And when we're fit, and when we're sick,
(Oh, CAN'T we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I'll love her my entire life,
Yes, I WILL take her as my wife!


Pastor: Then if you'll take her as your wife,
And if you'll love her all your life,
And if you'll have, and if you'll hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you'll love through good and bad,
And whether you're happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you're poor, and when in wealth,
And if you'll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you'll love her through and through,

Please answer with these words:


Pastor and Groom: I DO!


Pastor: You're married now! So kiss the bride,
But please, do keep it dignified.

David

We recently took some senior photographs of David, a High School Senior at East Granby, at our Studio. We had some formal poses with two different shirts and ties, poses with a casual "teen" tshirt and some with his soccer uniform.

We are attaching a sneak peak of a few images of David in his soccer uniform. More to come
later. Enjoy!

David Ziser's Digital WakeUp Call Tour

David Ziser's Digital WakeUp Call Tour 2009 was Wednesday night in Farmington and wow did we get our money's worth!

He talked a thousand miles an hour, had an amazing amount of energy, had a corny sense of humor and gave tip after tip. This is a man who REALLY loves photographing weddings.

David Ziser, an internationally-renowned wedding photographer, has shared his knowledge with tens of thousands of photographers in five languages and in 14 countries worldwide. Studio Photography acclaimed "Award winning photographer, David Ziser, is showing the world how to take wedding pictures." The Dallas Morning News extolled Ziser as "wedding photographer extraordinaire." David is one of 101 worldwide who hold the highest honor of "Fellow" bestowed by the American Society of Photographers.

He also gave away lots of door prizes and I won a year subscription the the Digital Wedding Forum -- cool!

We bought a zumbrella which we cannot wait to try out -- anyone want to get into their wedding dress and let us photograph you??? We would love to try out some of these new ideas and techniques that we heard about.

Kristine and John's wedding Sneak Peak

We had a lovely time photographing Kristine and John's wedding at the Heritage Hotel. Here is a little sneak peak of their perfect day!

Isn't Kristine's dress just breathtaking. You all know how much I love black and white and color and when I came into her room before the wedding to photograph her I just stopped -- she was radiant and this dress was just awesome on her! Wow!

The rock garden at the Heritage was a perfect place for a wedding ceremony. The beauty of the place! I do believe that the rock garden had the natural beauty of the Fibonacci spiral and abided by the golden ratio!

John surprised Kristine by having a bagpiper step onto the balcony and play just a she started walking down the pathway leading to the rock garden.

Jaimy's Bat Mitzvah Party

Here are some photographs from Jaimy's Bat Mitzvah Party at the Laurel View Country Club. She was just glowing all day. This party was a lots of fun. Check out these special effects, some photographers charge extra for Black and White, Black and White and Color, Watercolor, Orton Effect, Topaz, etc. Special effects are included in our photographs.



I love these triptychs because you can tell more of a story with three...

This close friend of the family, Claire, was a lot of help to us at the party and at the Bat Mizvah.

Here are some collages showing some of the tradition, some of the fun and some of the family at her party.

Lots of fun -- games (Pepsi and Coke, Chair Game, Ballon Animals etc.) and Dancing!

The photo below in the right center of Jaimy and her brother Jordan is one of our favorites from that day!

Jaimy's brother Jordan -- I just love this particular photograph of him!

You can see Jaimy's slideshow here: http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?alb=0

The rest of photographs from Jaimy's day are available for viewing and/or purchase on our website.

Bat Mitzvah photos: http://tlc.smugmug.com/Parties-and-Events/Bar-and-Bat-Mitzva/Jaimy

Party photos: http://tlc.smugmug.com/Parties-and-Events/Bar-and-Bat-Mitzva/Jaimys-Bat-Mitzvah-Party

Baby Photographer Tracy Raver makes the "Today Show"

Tracy Raver was on the "Today" show Friday morning to talk about her unique way of photographing newborns. You can watch the video on Yahoo's BUZZ http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92999?fp=1 but her philosophy is very similar to ours. We have always told new parents -- bring the baby in as soon as possible because they sleep a lot during the first few weeks and you can really pose a sleeping baby (like we did with Leilani when we put her into the dresser drawer at 8 days old. http://breaphotos.blogspot.com/2009/03/leilani-has-arrived.html

The video intreview shows photographs of sleeping babies -- and yes they seem to be posing for the camera.
In the interview with Meredith Vieira, Raver said that she strives for photos that show babies curled up, as if they were in their mother's womb. Once they are 3-4 weeks old they discover their limbs, extending them all the time and are not as easy to curl up or pose. There are lots of reasons to photograph your newborn when they are small -- after 3-4 weeks baby acne often sets in, they have surpassed that "newborn stage" and they will never be that small again, they are "uncurled" and they do not sleep the same as they did when they were littler.

We photograph babies of all ages, but under three weeks is best and the first 10 days are magical. The next best time to photograph them is a developmental hurdle when they can sit up, usually around 6 months and then again when they can stand of their own at 9-12 months, but before they are walking everywhere. One of our favorite sessions is with a 11-12 month old in a diaper with some balloons and a birthday cake -- and just let them have fun!

See the video here http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92999?fp=1

Better yet, schedule a photo session with your newborn. We do sell gift certificates (they make great baby shower gifts) and we do schedule appointments when you are pregnant, based on your expected due date and with the knowledge that flexibility is key.
You can see a few of our previous baby sessions here: http://breaphotos.blogspot.com/search/label/baby

We would love to see your little miracle (or the newborn of friends and family) at our Studio.

Jaimy's Bat Mitzvah

We just photographed Jaimy's Bat Mitzvah at the Temple Beth Sholom (remember Jaimy's great iPod session). Here is a sneak peak of the Bat Mitzvah photographs. Jaimy's hebrew teacher proudly said that she did so well it was as if God was speaking through her.

We will have more photos from her reception afterwards at the Laurel View Country Club later.



This is one of Rabbi Scolnic's favorites and is a symbolic pose, with the Bat Mitzvah girl reading with the sacred Jordan River as the backdrop and an important part of her journey...

Do you like the silhouette version on the left or the flash version on the right better? I like them BOTH!!



Jaimy is artistically inclined so I thought that she might enjoy some artistic versions of herself too.




Fun!

Kristine and John

Wow, that was fast! Kristine and John emailed right away and said that they loved the photos and picked this one for their signature photo...




For this photograph they were actually lying down in the covered bridge. Tom was using his wonderful prime lens, the 70-200 f2.8 and I was bouncing light back in with a reflector. I really like this photograph of the two of them -- and the way that her hair is just beautifully golden in this photo -- wow!

Kristine and John -- Southford Falls CT

We photographed Kristine and John (and their adorable little dog) at Southford Falls as a pre-wedding photo session. The weather was perfect! They were both very willing to try anything (even lie down in the covered bridge) and we got some awesome photos. You can click on these to view them larger.

You can view other photos from their photo session on our website: http://tlc.smugmug.com/Portraits/Engagements/Kristine-John-Southford-Falls

There are some many great photo ops at Southford Falls, but the covered bridge still remains one of my favorites. The three photos in the collage on the left was post processed to bring out all of the detail in the wood. And I love the trio on the right in black and white just emphasizing them.



Here are four more of my favorites...which photograph will Kristine and John choose for their signature photo for the reception at the Heritage ?? so many to choose from...

They brought their cute little dog with them. Many couples like to have their dog in their photos, engagement sessions, and even weddings. This poor dog thought that it was going for a nice walk along the stream, but was very disappointed at going to a photo session instead.

There are some great outtakes of the dog in this gallery http://tlc.smugmug.com/Portraits/Engagements/Kristine-John-SFalls-unedited

For these next two photograph, compare the two photos side by side -- Kristine and John look great in both of them but I edited the waterfall to simulate a slow shutter speed, giving the water that silky look.

having a little fun too...

We are looking forward to photographing their wedding this Fall.

Eliza's Bat Mitzvah Party

You can view the slideshow that we created from her Bat Mitzvah here: http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?bm=88278

Eliza's party was at Hula Hanks in New Haven -- it was a happening party!



Eliza's parents picked this photograph for a large wall portrait for their home. We created the final image from this photograph on the left, and edited it for them to remove the people out of the background.




You may recognize the young lady in the middle photograph as Leah, Eliza's longtime childhood friend. We had photographed Leah's Bat Mitzvah a few weeks before Eliza's.



Anyone that has seen our Blog and/or our photographs knows that we just love black and white and color -- here are a few B&W&C from Eliza's party, I love the impact that she has here -- literally making her the Diva of the day...



Noah is Eliza's younger brother, a very fun loving and spirited young man, he made his way right up to the DJ and had fun! He was also very comfortable out on the dance floor.

We had fun and played around with lots of camera settings when the dancing was going on. It is more fun capturing high energy events with some non-traditional photography skills, like panning and slow shutter speeds...

You can view the rest of Eliza's photos in four galleries on our website: http://tlc.smugmug.com/Portraits/Bar-and-Bat-Mitzvahs