The light snow this morning reminded me of a snowy shoot last January. Outdoors in winter can make a wonderful backdrop for fine art portraits. This family has older kids which made it especially interesting and dramatic.
Walking on Water
This is one of my favorite places to shoot, Old Mill Beach in Westport, CT, at low tide. Usually in the summer, but this year November was even an option! It is a magical place that is always changing, has a lot of energy and provides many beautiful lighting and background options. This family I have worked with and enjoyed for years. There was walking and dancing and hugging out on the flats. When we got back to the shore, we went over by the lagoon and found some rough wood and boats which looked great in B&W. Taking time with them as the tide came in and the daylight faded was such a creative treat. . Then we headed home.
Westport Fall Family Photo Session
Fall family session at Southport Beach
This was a shoot I did for my art consultant and framer at the beach in Southport, CT. We lucked out with a warm, sunny November day. Visit them at: https://www.facebook.com/TroyFineArt
New Canaan Wedding
Teri & Paul have a great connection, so much in love. They were married a few weeks ago at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in New Canaan and then had their reception at the Weeburn Country Club. in Darien. Surrounded by people who care for them and wish them all the best. I was honored to be a part of their celebration.
Sherwood Island beach family shoot
For me, creating fine art portraits is about going beyond a person's likeness. I try to capture a motion or gesture or attitude that will spark memories 20 years from now and remind my clients how they were when the photo was taken. I also want the image to be visually interesting. A work of art that stands on its own.
This family session was wonderful for all that. We began the shoot at the family's Westport home. The 12 year old boy loves basketball, so we got him playing. As you can see, the 3 year old girl loves ballet! Then we went to Sherwood Island Park where everyone became connected and played around and got wet and let the session unfold.
Short Cuts at Garden Cinemas, Norwalk, CT
Last night was the the JIB Productions presentation of Short Cuts at the Garden Cinemas in Norwalk. Short Cuts featured 3 rarely seen short films by Jonathan Demme, Tim Burton, Joan Micklin and Wes Anderson. Commentary was provided by Connecticut Post film critic Joe Meyers. The event was well attended by an enthusiastic audience. Dessert and discussion followed the screenings. Additional information about the films and future programs can be found at JIB Productions website. JIB Productions also produces the Play With Your Food series in Greenwich, Westport, and Fairfield.
Farewell to an old friend - Doc's Cafe
On November 12, Doc's Cafe will be closing, making way for the next phase of the Saugatuck Commons. Our family has known Yvonne since she owned Juba's at the former Peter's Bridge Market and we will miss the warmth and cheer that she and her staff brought to the Saugatuck neighborhood. I did some photos for Doc's after they opened and thought this would be a great time to share them again. Westport's Dan Woog wrote a nice piece about Yvonne and Doc's Cafe final days.
South Salem Family
A Sunday September morning in South Salem. Three exuberant children all 3 years and younger. Lots of love and connection. At the end the 3 spun for me in the beautiful dappled light.
Puttin on the Dog
Great day and great weather at Puttin On The Dog in Greenwich, CT. Met lots of people, some clients came by the booth, and it was fun to see so many dogs and their people having a great time. Adopt-a-Dog puts on a terrific show. Very casual and family oriented.
Black (& White) to the beach
More family photos from the Amelia Island trip. This is why I love black & white images. There's a timeless quality that makes them always look fresh and classic at the same time.
Florida train yard photo shoot
Most of the time I find that black and white photography is more powerful and timeless than color. But on a recent vacation to Amelia Island, Florida, we found this marvelous train yard at sunset. The colors of the rail cars and the graffiti begged for color images and I got some great photos of my boys and my sister's kids against the cool boxcars. We were almost out of light by the time we finished so I played with some filters to enhance colors. Very fun shoot.
Eastham / Cape Cod Family Destination Shoot
One Sunday afternoon in August I did a photo shoot at a Westport family's beach retreat on Cape Cod. The cabin has been in the family for years. Beautiful weather, lovely light, and fun family. This was a photo session I donated to the Silvermine Arts Center benefit auction last spring. So in addition to contributing to a great cause, I was able to do the session in a wonderful spot.
Full House - triplets and a dog
What a great opportunity to revisit my clients after 5 years. The triplets have changed so much since the last photo session that I did when they were 3 years old. There was a lot of laughter, action, and caring to go around. It's wonderful to compare photos from each shoot with clients and be able to chronicle their life journey.
No Sleep Tonite
Just did some new photos of the Connecticut cover band NO SLEEP TONITE with their new singer. One of the band members is a portrait client and asked me to do some photos of his whole band. Great fun to do. Check out their website for more details and performance schedules.
New York Newborn
And this is why I love my job. It was a Sunday morning in July on a bright sunny day. A client that I had photographed over the years: first the daughters, then the engagement pictures and now the 4 day old baby. Watching the whole family grow and evolve. I was so honored to be there with the new baby and the support team (both sets of grandparents and the new aunt). All sorts of new roles and a new person to love. And over the course of it all, I was so reminded of the way that babies make you stop and pay attention. And there is no schedule. And all these emotions came up in the course of a couple hour shoot: happiness, wonder, exhaustion and frustration. A new baby creates an intense microcosm of life distilled down to its basics.
Beach Music
I love doing promotional shots with clients who will try new things. This summer session was for a midwest music student who wanted some profile pictures for her portfolio. We did some classic shots against a backdrop and then took her cello to Burying Hill Beach in Southport to get some environmental photos that complimented her music. It was a lovely day for it and we got some great shots.
Woodneck Beach, Falmouth/Cape Cod
I spent an afternoon in Falmouth, MA, last summer with a mother and her two children on vacation. The session began at a local lighthouse near Woods Hole that opens for tours once each year and we all climbed the spiral staircase to the top for a view. Then we went to their favorite spot at Woodneck Beach to get photos of everyone playing on the beach. It was a perfect afternoon and the water so clear and warm it felt like being in the Caribbean.
Greenwich Point Park family session
I recently did a photo session at Greenwich Point Park for a family that won my donation to the Stepping Stones Children's Museum benefit auction. It was a perfect day for the session. Slightly overcast and a gentle breeze which kept away the bugs. I walked with the couple and their 3 boys around the park finding several great spots I hadn't known about.
Glass House Sojourn
Two weeks ago, I volunteered for the Dine and Design event at the Phillip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. I had always wanted to go and this seemed like a great opportunity. Well, it was even more amazing than I thought! It was a drizzly day and that made the area seem even more ethereal. Johnson and his partner had planned everything. It was so scenic and pastoral and interesting. How cool to have an underground painting gallery and a round pool and a pond with a small sculpture reminiscent of Lincoln Center. There are 14 buildings overall on the property which are all connected by paths. Because of the light rain, people would drift in and out of focus on the paths like a dream .And the Glass House has an amazing view over a valley, but then when you head down to the pond, there is just as an amazing view looking back up at the house. It is like a 3 dimensional art gallery, all thought out, and each piece planned as part of the whole. All I could think was this would be a great place to have a photo shoot with a family or friends. Any takers?
