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Secret Raffle Winners!

We decided to do a second drawing for ten lucky winners. The following people have won a complimentary pet photography session and 5x7 gift print! Please call the studio by May 15 to redeem.

1. Ashleigh Ghent
2. Hillary Homan
3. Kelly O'Brien
4. Deanna Sherman
5. Scott Bender
6. Deldi Reyes
7. Heather Lockhart
8. Ken Cowan
9. Sarah Dukti, DVM
10. Bob Miller


Didn't win? Pet sessions are still $75 off through May 15th with mention of this email. That means a session is only $75 plus a $25 donation to charity!

Congratulations to Josh & Kelly

So this was a doubly fun wedding from March 15th. Why doubly fun, you ask? Well, the groom is Dave's best friend's brother's wedding - so I already knew at least half the family! AND, Cassandra Sullivan from Cassandra's Photography in
Massachusetts photographed it with me. I haven't seen Cassandra since the Photo Safari in NH in October, so that was great!

Let's see... got to Connecticut on Friday afternoon and got up to my super-comfortable hotel room at Avon Old Farms Hotel. Then I managed to gash my finger while opening my new flood light - the coolest of all photo accessories, if you didn't know. Then photographed their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner - plus got to see our adoptive nieces, Camryn and Reese who have just grown SO much since we saw them last in November. (Yes, Jeremy, we're calling them that now.)

Here's one of the girls walking down the aisle.

Next morning Cassandra came down from her 3-hour trek from the Cape Cod area... because I wasn't quite clear when I asked for "a photographer in the area" I guess? We met Kelly at around 1:00 and photographed her and the wedding party get ready. Probably not the best judgment to let Josh and the groomsmen get ready in an arcade, though. They got ready... eventually. (Very eventually.)

As I was saying... "very eventually."



The ceremony and reception were both held in a gorgeous old refectory. Beautiful light streaming in during the ceremony. And the ceremony itself was beautiful - very family oriented. Jim, Josh's brother even officiated, and lots of family recited readings and songs. We did some formal poses outside briefly - as it was frigid outside, and then went on a mini-photo safari with the couple inside the school building. (If you haven't guessed, Cassandra and I really like photo safaris.)


Skipping ahead through the reception... (You'll be filled in when I post the album, I promise) I think they could have charged admission! I knew Josh and his brothers could all sing... but what I didn't know (and found out during Karaoke) was that they all apparently married women who can sing too. We're not just talking "carrying a tune" either. And of course, there was Kelly's unforgettable rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody - because what bride doesn't mime Freddy Mercury on her wedding day?


Ok, so you've probably guessed that these are the "joke" pictures from their wedding. I'll post the full album next month some time!

Remembering Maggie and the importance of photography

It's no secret that as photographers, we're very invested in our work. Clients often turn into life-long friends, and thus we take a deep personal interest in how their images are perceived - both artistically and emotionally. Every so often, we are blessed with the opportunity to photography someone special - this immediate connection transposes into beautiful imagery. It is also no secret that I am a self-proclaimed pet fanatic. So, in this case, this "someone special" is a dog.

Earlier last month, I contacted several people about photographing their pets. After going back and forth with a client, we decided she should bring in her dog, Maggie. The night before the session, I get the following email:

I have a confession for you. My Maggie is a puppy a 55 lb puppy but still. All puppy to the extreme. She may not be the best candidate for you. Sitting still is not her god given talent. :-) This may be a lost cause. She's not destructive. there is not an aggressive bone in her body. But if she were a child she would be ADHD to the MAX. So if you think its best she not be a model, thats ok, you won't hurt my feelings. She got banned from puppy kindergarten and sent to Rowdy Rovers. If were going to try get her to sit in certain poses, we will be very challenged unless your very quick with the camera. Just let me know.

...Great. Well, I can't cancel now... So let's just see how this goes.

The next morning, Maggie and her mom came to the studio. Well, let's just say the prior email was a gross understatement.

First, Maggie ran into the middle of the room... and peed. (Well, really, they all do that.) Then, she chased Hailey into the back room. Then she ran into the bathroom and drank from the toilet, spraying toilet water on everything. Then she ran upstairs (where I later found more mystery pee). Then she ran downstairs. Then she ran upstairs. Then downstairs again. Then I found her lying in my bed. So yeah... "puppy to the extreme"

That said, Maggie has the sweetest face of any puppy ever. Every picture of her looks ultimately, sublimely happy. Big floppy ears, huge beautiful eyes, giant tongue... At only 6 months old, she has those great "puppy features." Everyone who's seen a picture of her has fallen in love with her immediately. I've never seen a more photogenic dog in my life.



On March 27th, two days after Maggie's proofing session was completed, Maggie was hit by a car outside her home. The vets couldn't save her.

This was such an important session for me because it made realize how photography truly captures such a fleeting moment in time. We have and need to express all the love and joy we can in this moment because nothing about the future is guaranteed. It still shocks me at how close we came to not doing this session and putting it off until later.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to Maggie's mom, or consider making a donation to a charity in her Maggie's memory. {SM}

Nancy & John's Album (a dry run)

Below is an initial proof of John & Nancy's wedding album. Make sure to leave some comments so they know what to add and take out! I'll post the final version when it's ready. Enjoy!

Back from the Super Pet Expo

If you didn't come to the pet expo last weekend... SHAME ON YOU! Fabulous time. But you know me... any excuse to play on the floor with puppies and kitties is a good time.

For those of you who didn't come to my booth (or might not remember what it looked like) here are a few pictures:







Also, we were giving out over $1000 worth of portraits! Congratulations Sujono Setiawati on winning the drawing. Can't wait to start working with you!

Here are a few more photos from the show...

This is Hailey actually playing with another dog for once. This is a 4 month old sheltie puppy (and yes, I'm biased towards shelties) who took a liking to her tie-bone. This is a big deal, since my dog doesn't play well with others normally.





And this is Elwood - named "The World's Ugliest Dog" by Animal Planet (but he's so cute!)...



And here we have a pig wearing sunglasses and a hairless cat on a leash...





Thank you all for coming to our booth and making the show a fabulous success!