This foggy morning reminded me of a foggy Sunday morning a few years ago when I was walking at Compo Beach with my camera. There was a football game where the men were playing like in a dream, they would come in and out of focus. I took some photographs of the action. I love some of the ones where the game was like a dance of football players, with no background or context. It was so ethereal and beautiful.
Some children do seem like old souls and this little guy seems old beyond his 5 months. He is like a little entertainer. I have never seen a happier baby who liked to smile and laugh throughout the shoot. I've photographed this family with their two daughters for several years. Adding a little boy into the mix, as well as one with such an exuberant personality, has changed the family dynamic and added much happiness! I could have been at a comedy club while I was looking at the images with the mother today. We could not stop laughing!
A lovely young mother and her confident daughter and her doll met me at Earthplace for a fall photo session. They played on the playground and then we took off on a short walk on one of the trails. The light was magical and the two of them connecting was beautiful.
Looking back over shoots from the year, this was a funny weather story. It was pouring rain a half hour before the shoot! But on the radar, it looked like the rain would pass. So the family was open to trying the shoot and so was I. Nothing like the beautiful weather right after a rain. The shoot was at Compo Beach and the teenagers had not been very excited about having all their friends see them during the shoot. Problem solved! Almost no one there and the light was spectacular. The family often looked like they were in a spotlight and then the rainbow came. As my father used to say, "You don't have to be smart if you're lucky!"
I love working with clients over the years and seeing how their lives evolve. I met this young woman when she needed headshots for work. Then a few years later, she wanted engagement photos for she and her fiance. And now I just had the privilege of celebrating her pregnancy by capturing images of this special time. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were many inspiring props and places to shoot at her house. At first, I had her sit on a tan rug with a very organic shape that mirrored her belly. The colors in her house are creams and whites and so the color was so soft and muted in the images. Then the shadows in one of the rooms captured the shape of her belly. Her husband went out to pick some tulips. They looked like a metaphor for my client's growing baby, as they were blooming so beautifully too. And then, as luck would have it, my client had pink pants that matched the tulips. I could never have planned this! And that's what makes these shoots so special.
I know that life is full of sad and happy times, but not often do they both happen in the same day. About a month ago, we received an email from my son’s college saying that 3 boys were killed in a car accident. We felt heartsick as one of the boys’ mother had helped Connor with his essay to get into Carleton. The family asked me to photograph the memorial service and internment at the cemetery. It was one of the saddest things that I have ever done. But I was moved by the incredible love and caring that surrounded the family. As it happened, the night of the internment I was booked to shoot a father and daughter going to the Princess Ball. The little girl and her two sisters were having their makeup put on and their hair curled. There was a beautiful princess dress and a big dog and dancing with Dad and lots of hugs. Again I was moved by all the love and caring. I know life has ups and downs, but that day I photographed the extremes of love.
It was a bright sunny Sunday up in Newtown and I had a shoot with a family with a 5 week old baby and their 2 year old animated daughter. During all the activity the baby slept so peacefully. There was a white fluffy rug in the daughter's room which became an amazing backdrop for the 2 kids. Lots of great interaction. And the two Boston terriers were a bonus!
This was a wonderful project for the grand opening of the cafe at Wave Hill Breads in Norwalk, CT. The owners wanted to give their customers a sense of what goes into their artisan baking and put a face to the dedicated staff that works overnight. The images were used in the announcement materials as well as for a wide-screen digital slideshow for the opening and the 1st month of the show.
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.
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.
This was a wonderful indoor/outdoor photo shoot with a couple I photographed 7 years ago after they had their first child. It was terrific to see how their family had grown and to capture the energy and character of these kids. We had a lot of fun.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
