Welcome to Katie and Yuri's wedding - round one. With the world turned upside down, it's hard to put on a wedding, but these two did it. They decided to go ahead with a private ceremony with their officiant, a zoom coordinator, and me to document. I felt so lucky because photographing their love was very uplifting in these times. We gathered at the Yiddish Book Center at Hampshire College on a warm May 30th, and they made some of my photographer dreams come true with this pine grove and their sweet love for each other.
Katie and Yuri, I wish you all the best, and I'll be hoping and praying for a fun big party in round two. I can't wait to see you both again and meet your families. I'm sure it was so hard for them to not be there, but I hope these photos help ease the distance a little bit.
xoxo,
Beth
What a beautiful day for a wedding. Kim and Jamie asked me to photograph their day, and I feel so lucky to be a part of their festivities. Their celebration was filled with family and friends, lots of laughter, a few happy tears, and A LOT of dancing. The ceremony and reception were both at the Rose and Goat Retreat in Florida, MA, and we were able to use the sweeping views of the Berkshires as our backdrop.
I hope you can see and feel the happiness of their day. The reception was a fun-filled party with so many thoughtful details for their guests, including scratch tickets! They hit the jackpot with each other, so we all should try our luck. Even Ben and Jerry's pulled up with ice cream during the reception. Delicious!
Kim is a dear friend from college, and I am so glad she has found her soulmate in Jamie. I loved meeting Jamie and her family, plus reuniting with Kim's extended family. We got the chance to reminisce about a Thanksgiving Kim brought me to so many years ago. She heard I was going to be on duty at UMaine when she was home in Veazie (the next town over). That would not DO! I was "adopted" and brought over for one of the most enjoyable Thanksgivings I've ever had. That is the type of person Kim is, and I can tell she found her perfect match. Their lives will be filled with laughter, love and hopefully lots of ice cream!
Much love to you both.
Beth
Welcome to Hannah and Dan's beautiful wedding day. We started at their home in Amherst where they got ready with their families and close friends. These first photos are from their first look at their house. Don't you just love Dan's laugh? It's as if you can almost hear him. Hannah was stunning, and I loved all the details interwoven throughout their day.
After a few photos, we drove south to the Red Barn at Hampshire College for the ceremony and reception. Their ceremony was a Jewish celebration, and I learned so much by observing and documenting their ceremony. The entire day was gorgeous, filled with so much love from everyone around them. Their families came from across the country and the world (Israel and South Africa!) to join them in their celebration. Can you feel the love and light? I know I can!
Thank you, Dan and Hannah, for asking me to photograph your day. I loved being a part this joy.
Much love,
Beth
Interested in mini sessions? Join me for an evening at Groff Park this summer. My first session will be Wednesday, July 11, with times at 5:30pm, 6:05pm and 6:40pm.
Since it's later in the day and most of my photo clients are under the age of 10, these sessions will be focused on playing and having fun! We'll be on the playground and if you feel like playing around in the river, that's an option too!
Send me an email to [email protected] if you're interested in booking for July 11 or if you'd like to know about later summer sessions. The fee is all-inclusive ($300), which means you get the rights to the images. You'll be able to download, print and share the photos. Each session will be 30 minutes long.
In the meantime, check out a sample of a few sessions at Groff. This is just a tiny portion of all the great photo sessions I've had there. You all know how much I love this park!
I love this job! I get to make new friends all over town, and I'm always honored to capture these moments for families. Multi-generational shoots are some of my favorites. The littlest sweetie just learned to walk!
If you're interested in a photo shoot, drop me a line. I'm on summer hours and would love to photograph you and your loved ones.
It's no secret. I love Maine, and I love being an aunt. I feel so lucky that my new job has the summers off because it gave me the freedom to go on adventures with my kiddos. I tallied up my visits to various places in Maine this summer, and I made seven trips! I'm so happy I had the time to spend with these cuties. This top photo is of my two brothers' kids and mine at South Branch Pond in Baxter State Park. The fact that all SEVEN kids are looking at the camera is a downright miracle. I'm going to treasure this one for always.
L to R Front row: Melanie, Laurel, Emma, Chandler, Aalia / Back row: Holden and Kenza
Sometimes this girl gives me an older cousin "Aalia" look, and this is one. They are both sweethearts and really enjoy each other's company. (Aalia is in the top photo all the way to right). Her dad and I look a lot alike, so it's not a huge surprise that two of our kids might resemble each other once in a while.
These photos are with Madden, our nephew on my husband's side, on Cliff Island, Maine, where we started our August road trip throughout Maine. Cliff Island is everything I ever imagined about coastal Maine á la Miss Rumphius and Blueberries for Sal... We roam wild and free all day long and eat lots of ice cream.
Then the kids and I went straight from Portland to my hometown of Patten for a few days. Here we are at Jo-Mary Campground with our band of kiddos.
And here they are at South Branch Pond. What love Emma has for Chandler!
Well, it's no secret. I love this place.
I love the people; I love the setting.
When I was eight years old, I remember walking on the trails when I first arrived thinking, "This place is so beautiful. I just can't believe it." Please note: This is coming from a girl who lived in the Northern Maine woods, so I am no shy guy to beauty. If you can picture towering trees, cabins on a crystal clear lake, and trails everywhere, you have an inkling of my awe.
Fast forward a couple days later, and I was terribly homesick. The next year my mom started coming to camp as a volunteer, and we found our way to this music/theatre week. That was 25 summers ago, and here we are. It was such a delight to spend the week with dear friends we have known for all those years, including the mom of this little one.
I credit my love of good music to this camp. Here are a few lullabies Chip and Rian would sing to us: Blackbird, Sweet Baby James, Rocky Raccoon, Teach Your Children, Helplessly Hoping... This year college-bound Chipper sang us Forever Young, and I couldn't help but think about how excited we all were as teenagers when we found out Laurie was pregnant with him.
I should mention that Holden DID come with me, but he was playing hard at day camp during the day. So I had these cute little muses to keep me company, and they were inseparable. If they weren't together, they were asking about each other.
I could go on about who much I love this place, but I'd have to write a book. I'll save that for another day.
Happy Birthday, Grammy!
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay
Forever young
-Bob Dylan
I wish I was lounging on this beach the whole time, but alas, I wasn't...
This fall, I hit my max as a working mom. Something had to give, and my photography business sat on the back burner for a few months, simmering while I spent more time with my little ones.
It wasn't an easy choice to say no and stop taking sessions for a while, especially in the height of the fall season, but my good friend, Sarah, said it best when I was feeling so torn and exhausted. She said, "Sometimes the hardest thing to say no to is something you love."
This was so true, but here's the good news: I'm back, re-energized, and game for photo sessions in Amherst this summer.
Who's ready?
If you're interested, let's talk more. The fastest way to get an answer from me is via email, and then we can set up a phone call if needed. I'll be taking the bulk of my 2017 sessions during June and July, and weekdays are the most flexible, during both the daytime and those lovely golden hours after dinner.
How much, you say? You can read more about my rates here. I charge an all-inclusive fee, which covers the session fee, editing the photos, and your rights to the high-resolution images to download, print and share as you wish.
I'm taking sessions for families, couples, newborns, high school seniors, etc. Just let me know what you're looking for.
My camera and I are SO excited to be back.
xo,
Beth
p.s. I can't promise any fall sessions right now, since I'm starting a new job at UMass. If you want a photo session, I highly recommend grabbing a summer session.
]]>I'm one lucky friend and photographer. I say it a lot, but I get the best seat at my dear friends' weddings. And Ashley is quite possibly one of the kindest people you'll ever meet. This girl covered my maternity leave for Holden five years ago, and, as you can imagine, holding down two rowdy residence halls during your first year at UNH was no easy feat... She's a hard worker everyone simply adores, and Eric, he's pretty sweet himself!
This adorable pair moved to Arizona but came back to New Hampshire for a stunning hometown wedding at the Bedford Village Inn. Ashley got ready at her parents' house with every detail carefully attended to by her sweet mom, and they were both surrounded by the nicest (and most hilarious) friends and family. As you can tell by the pictures, they laughed all day long, even through the chilly temps outside.
I hope you can see the ultimate glam that was the constant theme throughout this wedding. The beautiful gold and black accents, her hair, the dress, the bouquet, everything!
Let's get to the pictures because they are so much fun. The entire gallery will be available soon, so if you're a guest or friend, just stay tuned with Ashley and Eric about when the gallery is up.
Thank you both (and your families) for everything. I had such a blast with you all!
xoxo,
Beth
Rolling hills and foliage aside, Jackie and Joe made me laugh and tear up throughout their day. In fact, their ceremony has to be the most emotional one I have photographed. As Jackie walked down the aisle, Joe lost it. She saw him, gave him a hug, and laughed throughout the entire ceremony. According to Jackie: "If I didn't keep laughing, I was going to cry, too!"
Their whole day was filled with sweet family and good friends. I have probably never felt the Red Barn's floor bounce as much as it did with Joe and his buddies. Let's just say champagne went everywhere! And, as the DJ said, "What an easy crowd."
Their whole reception was perfect. Did I mention it was on Halloween? They had a table full of costumes including big sunglasses, Mardi Gras beads and masks, and they hosted a lovely "candy bar." I mentioned from the other weddings this year, but candy bars are my favorite wedding trend. Yum! They also sent every guest home with an Atkin's cider donut. What nice hosts!
Don't miss Joe's Nana at the end. She was the best dancer and never left the dance floor.
Thank you, Joe and Jackie. I think the world of you both.
Can't wait to design your album!
xoxo,
Beth
Andrew and Chelsea were wed at the gorgeous Clay Hill Farm nestled amongst the trees and minutes from the ocean. They were married at 11 a.m. by one of Andrew's longtime friends, and they kept everything sweet, heartfelt and the details were bursting with color. I loved the flower arrangements and cake. In fact, I even sent a photo of the centerpieces to our local florist for a work related event. What masterpieces!
One helpful part about knowing the bride and groom before the wedding is that I know some of the things important to them without them even telling me. Chelsea was always the force behind bringing Tom's shoes on campus, even going barefoot some days in awareness of the need for shoes for all children. Of course she wore Tom's down the aisle!
Chelsea and Andrew prepped me about their big, happy families, and they were not exaggerating! They each have two sets of parents who all get along swimmingly. I would say it's safe to say they are surrounded in love. After I get all the images edited, we'll have many big group photos in the full online gallery.
Here are a few of my favorite moments from that day:
1. Chelsea and Andrew invited everyone to bring in a wedding photo to display around the reception area. I couldn't resist taking plenty of photos of photos. It was a beautiful sight to see so many happy couples on their wedding days and now.
2. The ring warming ceremony. Each guest passed the rings amongst the entire congregation and then sent them back up to the front for the ring exchange.
3. The ring exchange. Chelsea and Andrew can tell us more about what happened, but I can tell you there was a lot of laughing.
4. The dancing with Andrew's (and now officially Chelsea's) 18 month old twin nieces. I mean, seriously. There could not be anything more cute.
I hope you all enjoy the sneak peek. I'll have the whole gallery coming soon to an email inbox near you! Stay tuned. Thank you, Chelsea and Andrew. Your laughter, happy moments and all-out joy made my job a piece of cake. xo!
Music graciously provided by the Adam Ezra Group. My heroes! They play in New England a lot, and I keep hoping the stars will align one year for me to go up to the Stone Church in NH for their Halloween Bash. Sadly, not this year, as I have another wedding back in Amherst but hint, hint! :)
And now for a little vendor love:
The dress: Chelsea scored this number from Preowned Wedding Dresses and it was SO lovely. Did you see how it twirled?
The shoes: Tom's
Hair: Jessica Todd at Jessica Todd Salon
Ceremony musician: Pat Keane
DJ: Ryan Parker
Cake: Hippie Chick Bakery
Flowers: Katherine's Garden
And of course, the venue who puts it all together with their terrific wedding packages: Clay Hill Farm. Chelsea and Andrew worked closely with Rachel Davenport at Clay Hill to choose their vendors.
Before their wedding, I had only met Lauren and Mike very briefly at an Atkins Farm wedding expo (with a baby strapped to my chest!). But when I got to Lauren's room at the Lord Jeff, I felt like I had known her forever. She and her bridesmaids welcomed me into their space, and we captured some of my favorite bridesmaids photos to date. You can feel the laughter and the years of strong friendship/sisterly love.
For a bit of history: Lauren and Mike met at a house party after a swing dance event about five years ago. Lauren was the dancer. Mike didn't dance, but he sure was taken by the girl with the beautiful eyes. The rest sounds like history. They have started a life together surrounded by those who love them. I should also note Mike has perfected his dance moves! There were dips, spins and a lot of laughing.
At their ceremony they put love letters to each other in a box with a bottle of wine to open on their fifth wedding anniversary. What a great idea! My favorite part of the reception had to be the extensive candy bar Lauren's mom designed. Wow. I'm happy to see this trend amongst weddings. Candy is always a fabulous idea, and Jan took it to the highest level.
I could go on forever about how much I enjoyed at this wedding: Lauren and Mike's happiness, their sweet relatives, the hoppin' dance party with a great DJ, Mike's little brothers as groomsmen, the delicious food and service at the Red Barn...
All my best to Lauren and Mike. It was such a pleasure to document your day. Now onto the good stuff. Go ahead and hit play for a slideshow of the highlights. The slideshow is best viewed on a computer with the music turned up, maybe even with a nice glass of wine.
Music is graciously provided by Nina Shallman, who has a new album coming out this summer. Nina is a singer from California and attends Amherst College. Her soulful voice will make anyone feel relaxed! I worked with Nina a few times over the past year, for winter portraits and again for a show at the Iron Horse (on page 4 of the Amherst Magazine). I highly encourage everyone to listen to Daisies on her website. It's Laurel's favorite!
The Happy Valley Vendors:
Ceremony, catering and reception: The Red Barn at Hampshire College
Flowers and cake: Atkins Farm
Music and day of coordinator: Alex and Lori Hanks
Hair and makeup: Sei Bella Salon in Amherst
Officiant: Dennis Helmus
Slideshow music: Nina Shallman
Hotel accommodations and bridal portraits: The Lord Jeff
Dan and Lindsay met as hall directors at UNH, where I used to work. We all knew them as individuals and now as a couple. I'm so happy they found each other and have thrived in their adventures post-UNH. Right now they are on an amazing honeymoon through Europe. Anyone else jealous?!
Their wedding day went as smooth as could be. I tell everyone it was the perfect backyard wedding, where Lindsay always dreamed of getting married. When I arrived at her parents' house, her mom and dad gave me a tour. The tent and ceremony site were all set up. All the colors, activities and little touches, were ready to go, and the ceremony was exactly what Lindsay imagined: right in front of the barn.
One of the most meaningful touches was highlighting the Quaker traditions of Lindsay's family (most notably her beloved grandmother). These traditions included friends standing up during the ceremony to offer their support of the couple and everyone signing the marriage certificate to be displayed in Lindsay and Dan's home. Another idea Lindsay and Dan implemented was an unplugged wedding where their officiant asked everyone to put down their cameras and phones to be fully present. Dan and Lindsay hired me for a reason, and it was my job to capture the moments. I've never had a couple do this, but I've always wanted to ask. I guess I'm too nice, but honestly, it was the best. My photos are available to everyone at the wedding, and I didn't end up with an iPad in the bridal recession. ;)
The flow of the day was lovely. Dan and Lindsay chose to do a first look, so we met up in Exeter to have them see each other and do their portraits. Then all the guests started arriving at their house. They were wed by the lovely Michelle Blanchette (another amazing former hall director), and then the party began! It was a hot day but no one seemed to mind. We all dined on lobster, laughed (and cried) during the toasts, drank a lot of beer, visited outside until darkness fell, and then the dancing BEGAN! I knew it would be a good dancing wedding with Lindsay as the host. At all our past UNH weddings, Lindsay was always leading the Cupid Shuffle, but now she was the one in a white dress but still leading!
My camera could not get enough of Lindsay and Dan's beautiful faces. Their laughter, their love and their style were too much to handle. Check out these bowties, the yellow polkadot shoes, the brilliant sunflowers...It's all there. Oh, and at the end, everyone lit sparklers, the DJ blasted "Wagon Wheel" and they danced. It could not have been more perfect.
Music graciously provided by Adam Ezra. You know, every once in a while, a little miracle happens. I was surfing Adam's website, wondering if he has released a new song that would complement Dan and Lindsay's slideshow, and low-and-behold, his group released this video of "Let Your Hair Down." You'll want to watch it, but you might want to be ready to shed a few tears. Adam Ezra is donating proceeds to the SamFund, an organization assisting individuals and families recovering from cancer treatment. All profits from the online photo gallery (coming soon) will go to support the SamFund. Thank you, Adam, for your philanthropy and for using your artistry to move us all. Everyone at this wedding will know just how powerful your work is. Thank you.
Now if you'll excuse me. I'm going to go dry my eyes.
Love you, Dan and Lindsay!
xoxo,
Beth
Classy vendors:
Slideshow music by Adam Ezra.
Amazing lobster/clam bake provided by Fosters.
Venue: Lindsay's childhood home
Brewskies by Throwback Brewery
Dress by Madeleine's Daughter in Portsmouth, NH
Hair and makeup by Elation Salon in Kingston, NH
DJ: George MacMahon of McMahon Sound Systems
Day of Coordinator: The amazing Amy Allgaier (Thank you, Amy!)
In a last-minute decision tonight, we all jumped in the minivan and went over to Lilac Land. We lasted about 5 minutes, but 5 minutes wasn't too shabby for this cute girl!
Well, if you're anything like the rest of New England, you had a snow day today. We had a great time being outside this weekend, but the temps seemed a bit too drastic to take the kiddos sledding today. Come this afternoon, we had exhausted just about every trick in the book, including plenty of Fireman Sam videos and nap time for the little one. We had a lovely day relaxing, but I decided to break up the boredom a bit and grabbed my camera for some play-time shots.
My "little" guy is looking too big!
A little yoga baby...
It wouldn't be a true "lifestyle" shot if someone wasn't picking his nose...
Oh the love...both earnest and sarcastic...
Even baby dolls get tickled!
MUAH!
Happy Snow Day to all you followers. Thank you for always supporting this dream of mine to become a better photographer for THIS reason: Taking good pictures of my kids.
]]>We started with their portraits of the two of them, and then WHO came around the corner but their minister, who also happens to be one of my favorite people here in Amherst: My husband's boss! What a delight it was to photograph a wedding with Lee. Of course he led a beautiful, heart-felt service. Alexis and Matt made a fine choice, indeed!
Their day is a wonderful memory of a nice start of summer on this snowy day.
Talk about gorgeous. The photo of Alexis on the swing still make me catch my breath. What a beautiful, happy couple.
I'm currently booking for 2015 and 2016. August and early September 2015 are booking up, but there are spring time weddings available plus fall. I will only be taking local weddings for the remaining open dates of 2015.
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Right before the holidays, this beautiful singer got in touch with me. She was about to release a new Christmas album and needed new portraits. We jaunted around my new "second home" of Amherst College. This grove of trees is quite possibly one of my favorite places. I'm so glad someone thought to plant them all.
Nina is an amazing singer and songwriter. You should definitely check out her work. Laurel especially loves the song Daisies.
Thank you Nina for finding me.
Nina's website.
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Right after we moved from UNH (or was it right before?), Dan and Lindsay officially started dating. I'm so happy for them both. I'm incredibly honored they asked me to join them on their big day next July. I'm looking forward to every little detail of their day. They came to visit us in late October for some engagement shots. We had such a fun time, both jaunting around posing and hosting them in our crazy family life. This shot above on the church steps was one of the last ones we got on our NoHo tour. I was feeling like a greedy photographer making them continue to "work" it for the camera...but I'm so glad we did!
Love you guys! Can't wait for July.
xo,
Beth
Can you hear them laughing? I still can!
I never knew I was so funny...
When hearts like ours meet."
-Mr. Johnny Cash
"Oh I'll be June, and you'll be John.
and we'll play aloud to every song."
-Anna and Dave Patterson of the High Spirits
Welcome to Siobhan and Henry's beautiful wedding day at Smith College in Northampton, MA. The couple traveled from Alaska to meet up with their families to visit and celebrate in their marriage. I had never met Siobhan and Henry before their wedding (or even talked on the phone!). Her mom found me and booked me for their day. The entire wedding was planned from a distance, with her mom and dad living in Arizona and Henry's parents in Buffalo. It was a great combined effort for their families to bring everything together. Henry's mom MADE the beautiful cake herself. What a work of art!
As the photographer, I truly enjoyed Siobhan and Henry's wedding. Their main focus throughout the day was to be able to visit with their guests who all traveled a distance to be with them. We did a set of portraits of them before the wedding, along with their family photos to not be rushed after the ceremony. The rain held off until the actual ceremony when it poured and umbrellas came out, but everyone smiled and soldiered on! It only actually rained during the ceremony, but before and after provided lovely clouded skies to provide beautiful light for us.
Instead of a wedding party, Siobhan and Henry asked close friends and family to read at the service and serve as a choir to lead the congregation in songs. They started off with a beautiful rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love" and ended the ceremony with a laughing, rousing version of "Ring of Fire." Hence why I chose my friend Anna's music for the soundtrack. A fun song about Johnny Cash and June Carter? How perfect? Anna and Dave perform at weddings in Southern Maine. See the vendor information at the bottom of the blog for more info!
At this wedding, I saw a lot of laughing, hugging, and simple happiness of being together, and because the day was a relaxed pace, I had the time to be creative, capture candids and tell the story of their day in a nice documentary style. In the photos, I hope you can see what I saw this beautiful October day. The love they feel for each other is evident. Most grooms are smitten with their brides, but I could tell Henry really was (and of course vice versa)! They cared for each other and saw their day with a relaxed attitude, even though I know it was a challenge to bring it all together from quite a few time zones away.
This venue at the Conference Center at Smith might be one of my favorite new locations for a wedding. The lighting was fantastic, and the spaces for the cocktail hour and the reception overlooked the river. Smith College is one of the most gorgeous campuses in the country, and the staff was excellent. Henry and Siobhan made a stellar choice, even without having any ties to the college.
Henry and Siobhan (and your mom!), thank you for booking me and inviting me along to your beautiful day. I hope you enjoy the photographs as much as I do. You were both stunning and happy.
All my best,
Beth
Below are my top 10 favorite images of the day but above are 60+ for viewing with music from the High Spirits. The entire gallery (400+) will be up in the next week or so. Guests, stay tuned to your email from the couple!
My favorites:
Beautiful flowers were courtesy of Old Friends Farm in Amherst.
The cake: Henry's mom
Venue: Smith College Conference Center
Catering: Chanterelle (both casual and elegant options!)
MUSIC HIGHLIGHT:
If you are getting married in Southern Maine, Anna and Dave Patterson of the High Spirits would be an excellent choice for your ceremony and cocktail hour music. Anna and I grew up going to the same Music Theatre summer camp, and her voice is rich and soulful. She married an awesome guy who can write and sing some amazing songs. They can also perform any amazing covers of songs dear to your heart. Check them out and tell them Beth sent you!
You can see them perform live here:
http://www.wcsh6.com/video/2781754617001/1/The-High-Spirits-perform-in-the-207-studio
Their website: http://www.thehighspirits.net
Thank you Dave and Anna for providing this Johnny Cash inspired song!
]]>"Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing."
-Robert Louis Stevenson
Hit play and click on the little square to make it full screen!
Here are the highlights of my oldest and dearest friend Corissa's wedding to Jason. Where to even begin?
Corissa and Jason met in high school on a Close-Up trip to Washington, DC (this girl was her roommate). They stayed in touch and fell in serious love over ten years later. They've built this life together based on a long-ago friendship and have weathered some of the hardest storms anyone could face. Jason's laid back, quiet presence compliments Corissa's friendly, outgoing personality perfectly. They are loved by everyone and this day came together nicely for them. It was filled with many home-town touches. Every vendor was a part of her life. Her hairstylist was a fellow cheerleader of ours, her DJ is the go-to guy for Patten weddings, another friend made beautiful bracelets for Corissa and her awesome bridesmaids, and talk about being floored and honored...She asked me to be her photographer.
I'm so ridiculously happy for her. Can you feel the joy and happiness in these pictures? I think it was a seriously amazing day, and Corissa was the most organized yet go-with-the-flow bride. I was amazed.
On a sad note, there was someone missing on this day. Corissa's dad, Richie, passed away a little over a year ago. Being someone who has known her relationship with her dad since we were 4 years old, I can say it was a model. A dad who loved her to the moon and vice versa. He was missed for sure, but I know his spirit was there the whole time. He was the sun beaming down on her as she walked down the aisle. He was the happy-go-lucky, hard working attitude that defined the day, and there was not a dry eye in the place in her mother/daughter dance. "So fathers be good to your daughters/Daughters will love like you do/Girls become lovers who turn into mothers/So mothers, be good to your daughters too."
Marie and Richie, you were both always a second set of parents to me and everyone else. Thank you. Your homes were always welcoming to all, and thank you Marie for teaching us how to dance...It was a supreme honor to photograph (and be with) Corissa and Jason. I'm so happy for you all. Jason's family is so incredibly nice. What a blessing to be surrounded with wonderful family, near and far.
So much love to the two of you. May your marriage be as much of a beautiful blessing as your wedding day. It was wonderful. Thank you Jason, for humoring me and my camera. You're a good one. Corissa is a lucky gal!
Many more pictures are coming. These are just the icing on the cake. Friends and family, stay tuned to your emails from the couple.
They were married at the Morgan Hill Event Center with some of the nicest staff ever.
Flowers from Lougee and Fredericks: http://www.lougeefrederick.net
Harmony Bidwell Student Cosmetologist (look her up on Facebook). She's in the Portland Area
DJ Shawn Rigby: http://www.mainedjs207.com
As for the music on the slideshow. I have used this song so many times recently, but seriously. It could have been written for these two, and Eric Bettencourt is from our hometown area, so...Here it is again. Mad props and thanks to Eric for letting me use his music. He's home in Portland this week doing a few shows!
http://www.eric-bettencourt.com
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The other day my little man and I went for a walk. We took our time, looking around and met up unexpectedly with a Grandpa and his granddaughter, who is almost exactly a year older than Ho. We had a nice walk, which gave me some time to take some photos of just my little man. I am relishing any time we have one on one. It makes all the difference (to both of us).
It might have rained on their wedding day, but these two don't need luck. They are truly in love!
I was honored to be emailed by Tray to ask if I would be available to do photograph he and Alex's wedding. I was excited to meet them both. They are living and going to school in Arizona but wanted to come back to the East Coast for their wedding. Friends and family came from near and far to celebrate their love. I was honored to be in their presence.
It did rain throughout the ceremony and reception, but these two's spirits were not dampened one bit! They worked hard to get everything together under the tent behind Alex's aunt's house, and the party was a huge success. Plenty of dancing, laughter, and the food! The food was amazing. Alex's cousin is a chef who worked with his dad to prepare the dinner. It was probably the best wedding food I've ever had. So delicious.
Thankfully the rain did let up a little bit and the guys and I were able to do their wedding portraits in the backyard. I'm so glad they were brave and didn't care about a little rain.
It was such an honor to be invited to document their beautiful day. Let's just say, they were ridiculously nice. I didn't know them before the big day, but I'm so glad I do now. They both make the world a better place. Thank you both. I just wish you lived closer!
Music is graciously provided by Eric Bettencourt:
http://ericbettencourt.bandcamp.com
A musician from my hometown, making it big! I love this song, especially for couples who have been together for a long time like Alex and Tray.
Please note, these are just the highlights of the wedding. Many more photos are coming to Alex and Tray's gallery in about a week.
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Okay folks, let's make it no secret. I love where I live. See these boys? They are literally looking at my house across the soccer field to my house. Groff Park is where I live and photograph families a lot! It's basically my own little studio. I know the perfect spots any time of day, and there is an awesome playground for all ages.
This extended family contacted me in the late summer to say they would all be at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Could we get together for a photo shoot? I loved the energy of these boys. Kind of reminded me of someone I know well! We had a good time getting some sweet family shots plus playing "campfire" and exploring the playground.
Thank you for booking me. What a joy it was to meet you and best of luck in your big move.
My sweet little babe is now a year. She's growing and changing every day. I'm amazed and trying to keep up. While her brother was at school today, we had ourselves a little photo shoot. I went a little "Dance Mom" crazy getting her ready for this...Always good to put myself in other moms' shoes, right? Let's just say I washed her hair in the sink and brought out a hairdryer (which only produced puzzled looks and slight hysterics!). Moms, don't be crazy like me. She didn't care what she was wearing. She had fun just crawling around the backyard, making me chase her.
She sure is cute though!
"She's getting married overlooking the mountains she's grown up seeing out her window her whole life."
-Mr. Jeff Bohne
Here is Jen and Karl's beautiful, laid-back, fun day at the Red Barn at Hampshire College.
I received an email from Jen shortly after she was engaged, asking if I knew of any good photographers in the area or if I would be interested in photographing her wedding even as a guest. Well, sure! I told her I love photographing friends' weddings because I get so invested and emotional about the pictures. Jen's brother Billy is one of my husband's best friends. I was elated to photograph her wedding, which was literally up the street from our house. Her parents are essentially our neighbors here in South Amherst, and I have enjoyed this entire winter and spring chatting with her dad about the big day. (He and I are swimming buddies at the pool). As her mom Sabine said, "This is a home-grown wedding."
All of the vendors are based in Amherst, except for the rockin' DJ who was a friend of hers from college. The flowers and cake were from Atkins. The lead musician is a fellow swimmer of her dad. The Red Barn put on a marvelous feast and service. Their friend Andy was the officiant, and her mom grew the amazing garden (something she's known for) in her backyard where the bridal party pictures were taken.
Karl and Jen have brought together wonderful families. Karl has two fun-loving kids who seem to have joined the Cray family seamlessly and happily. Everyone knew going into this wedding that it would be a lot of fun, and boy they succeeded! I would say everyone had a fabulous time celebrating these two coming together.
Congratulations Jen and Karl. I'm ready for another Cray/Meyer Fest!
The music is provided by Eric Bettencourt, and the title is "Under a Tree." Quite fitting, right? I love highlighting up and coming artists to spread the news about their work, and they so graciously let me use their tunes. Eric's gravely voice will draw you in!
http://www.eric-bettencourt.com
He's from my little town in Maine, so I hope you enjoy a piece of my home to yours!
Vendors:
Atkins for the flowers and cake: http://www.atkinsfarms.com
Bel Canto for the ceremony music: http://www.belcantochamberplayers.com
The Red Barn: https://www.hampshire.edu/event-services/the-red-barn-at-hampshire-college
Aux Boston for DJ services: http://auxboston.com
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Sigh. This baby was what I would call...Perfection.
I don't even know what else to say, but how grateful I am to this family for openly letting me into their home and helping me produce these beautiful images.
Welcome to Emily and Ray's wedding day!
I found this wonderful couple through my friends Tina and Kristin. Kristin and Emily have been part of this "tribe" of family friends for their whole lives, which is amazing in itself. I felt lucky to know Kristin's family, but I can see that it just keeps growing with all of their friends! Emily is working on her PhD at UMass, and Ray just finished his! I'm so impressed with their dedication and hard work. I would say that pursuing their educational goals together has been a cornerstone in their relationship so far. If they can do this, they can do anything!
I loved this day. It was casual, beautiful and focused on spending time with loved ones, which was just what they envisioned. I journeyed out to Rhode Island to document this fun day, and the Botanical Garden at Roger Williams Park was absolutely beautiful, as you can see in the photos.
I wish you all the best and hope to keep Emily company during her last year at UMass.
They are the sweetest couple.
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Julia and Eric met while working at UNH and they have brought Res Life and Admissions so much closer! Res Life friends are now besties with Admissions. I am just so happy for the both of them. Eric has found himself a lovely lady (a friend and colleague I always have admired), and Julia has found her "lobster." They are perfect for each other. They appreciate humor, being silly together and are so incredibly happy in love. I think I know Julia pretty well for having worked with closely her for 4 years, and immediately upon meeting Eric, I knew she had found the one to make her laugh, love her to the moon, and make an amazing life together.
I would write more about how blessed I am to have Julia (and now Eric in my life), but alas...their gallery would never get done! I do have to put it out there that Julia is one of my favorite people. I was her host when she interviewed at UNH, and that evaluation was pretty darn easy! I had hoped she would take over the hall I was leaving, but to my delight, she was placed in the hall next door to me in the New Quad. That was a really fun two years together. I left the wedding wishing I could time travel (or shape the future) and get to work together again.
All my best to the two of you.
Thank you.
Love,
Beth
Music generously provided by: The Adam Ezra Group
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Just inquire on the "Contact" page.
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Now booking senior portraits. Two different packages available (with digital images included with both).
Inquire today!
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Oh you can't get much cuter than this.
LoLo is modeling apparel from Bula Jean's Boutique, a sweet mom-owned Etsy shop local to us.
I love her stuff, so I was quite pleased to provide her with a squishy baby.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BulaJeansBoutique
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Oh my gosh. Yesterday, both kids napped for about 2 hours at the SAME time. Glorious! (I napped on the couch too).
It was a good afternoon, and now look at me...all this blogging!
The light in Laurel's room was perfect, and I was able to capitalize on her sitting up by herself without crawling away yet. That day is soon! This top photo of her is one of my favorites to date. Thank you sweet pea for being so gosh darn cute!
p.s. My trusty photographer friends were right. I LOVE my new lens.
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They are just stinkin' cute. I can't wait for June!
On a personal note. If you've noticed that Laurel's middle name is Julia, it's no coincidence! When I found out I was having a girl, I was watching the movie "Julie and Julia." I thought, "Wow, I really love that name, and my friend Julia is the bees knees. Perfect!"
I'm happy to see already that Laurel Julia already seems happy and friendly just like this really great friend. Also, I don't think she knows it, but Julia texted me just as we were coming out of our ultrasound for Laurel to tell me she was getting married.
Get ready UNH. We're ready to party!
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He's fresh. He's new. He's beautiful.
Congrats to my dear, dear friend who welcomed this little guy into the world recently. He's joining the best family.
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I'm lucky. I can't help but get this cutie up on my blog! As I've mentioned lately I've been reticent about blogging...My priority is getting images out to clients as soon as possible, but I do love showing everyone how happy my clients make me.
Last year I photographed this sweetie for her newborn photos. Now look at her! A lot changes and happens in one year. I kept saying, "Oh my gosh. I LOVE her!" She was so happy and go-with-the-flow, as you can see!
This photo session also makes me feel grateful for those times you make friends with someone randomly. Her mom was our post partum nurse for Holden 3 years ago. We hit it off as a family and remained friends ever since. It's nice to take stock on how you meet your friends. It's as if a whole new world has opened up after having kids, and I will be forever thankful for this time in my life.
If you live in Boston and follow my work, I occasionally take clients there around Jamaica Plain specifically. Just message me for my availability.
Happy Birthday sweet girl! I'm so excited to watch you grow.
figure out what next year's goals are,
and reminisce about the beautiful images from last year.
On a whim, I created this poster to help highlight the business. I had this vision of creating a poster of our Amherst friends, so I started a hand-written list of some of my favorite shots. The list just kept growing and growing! I would need at least 5 of these posters to get most of them in. I'm a lucky, lucky photographer to be surrounded with such fun kiddos.
Stay tuned to the blog and your email inboxes for spring specials in April and May!
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I photographed this family this fall and wanted to share a few of their highlights. This top one of the daughter: one of my favorites ever. This little guy too. His mom opened the door, and he greeted me with the biggest smile. So adorable!
He started going to day care. That was a big transition. I look back on that and am still amazed he cried so much. He never had a problem being apart from us, but that was a really big first step.
He can really talk. He was talking at two, but now he says a lot and about everything. He is hilarious. At least once a day, he says something to make me stop or completely laugh out loud. We need a quote board.
He became a big brother. Like the day I took him to the pool, I get these little glimpses of what our life used to be like. Life has changed a lot, and I need to remind myself that he is still a baby and needs momma a lot.
And finally...He's learning to be diaper free. Perhaps maybe the biggest accomplishment of all?
I love you so much Holden, my heart could burst. I am exhausted 99% of the time, but I still think you are the cutest, the brightest, and the funniest guy I know.
Just another take from some of the gorgeous models (and foliage) from this year.
I must add that I adore these two girls. I'm sure more of them will come to the blog soon...but this photo stands alone. :)
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I'm just going to let these speak for themselves...but I have to say, they are some of the best I've ever taken.
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Cutest of the cute...
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Oh man,
I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. Most of that is intentional. I love blogging, but it's actually pretty time-intensive for me. I made an easy pact to myself that I would only blog weddings in the height of this season. I've had a full schedule with sessions too, but my hope is to blog a favorite image or two from sessions once the dust settles. There are some pure gems!
This photo of Holden is a part of a series that I snapped yesterday after Josh took him to Boston to Nana & Grandpa's for the weekend. He came home totally exhausted on fun. He fell asleep in the car 15 minutes before arriving home and just melted into me. It was the sweetest homecoming ever.
I'd love to write more. Laurel rolled over today (from back to front) for the first time! That's about all I've got...I started this blog almost an hour ago, and this is how far I've come...
Off to at least start editing a session before the big baby photo shoot tomorrow!
]]>Wendy looked beautiful as always, and the day just flew by seamlessly. The attention to detail was evident everywhere. The colors were lovely, their wedding party was fun, and I had such a nice time capturing pictures of people I care about. Her dad might have been my favorite to capture (aside from Rick and Wendy of course!). Howie is a fun loving guy and I think I got some good ones of him! From the ceremony to the fun pictures at Capitol Park to a rockin' reception: It was a great wedding day. Once the music started, Wendy did not leave the dance floor. No surprise there though!
I hadn't met Rick until about an hour before the ceremony. I instantly "approved." Throughout the day, I saw that Wendy found herself a truly nice guy. I'm so happy for both of them and honored they entrusted me to capture their day.
xo,
Bethany
Click on the slideshow below for a few of my favorites, and by a few....I mean almost 100. It was a very fun wedding. My mom, dad and baby girl all make appearances. :) The entire gallery will be coming soon!
Since this is a family wedding, I have to blog a little bit about how much this meant to photograph their wedding. I have a lot of cousins and technically Wendy and her brothers are my second cousins. However, my friends from camp always referred to her mom Susie as my aunt, and I never felt the need to correct them. I would say our moms are as close as sisters. Even though we lived three hours apart, we visited them in Augusta and they were regular visitors at our house too.
If you know what a "flashbulb memory" is (when you can remember where you were when you heard certain news), I was about seven or eight years old, laying on my bed reading when my mom came to tell me that Susie had her baby: Wendy. I was excited there would be another girl, and she was the cutest baby! I wish I had a picture to post on here of the two of us. I have literally had the joy of watching Wendy grow up.
Oh, and I accredit being around Howie as part of my great music influence...I mean, with a band called "Howie and the Hubcaps" how can you not be love rock 'n roll?
: D
]]>It was a perfect day, and the lighting in the Pines Theatre for these two was sublime. I've said it before...but if I were to convince my husband to get married all over again...we'd get married here. Look Park is the most picturesque setting, and I wanted to just keep taking pictures of them there all night...Ridiculously gorgeous. Please click on the slideshow below this stunning collage. Music Provided by the Adam Ezra Group. His information is provided below. I highly recommend!
Good stuff!
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Ah, life is just beautiful. I am elated Katie and Michael asked me to photograph their wedding. They were married at MY favorite place in the world, and I bet it's one of theirs too: Camp Mechuwana. We all grew up going there as campers and staff members. If I could describe this place and the community behind it, I would be at this blog all day. It's breathtaking, spiritual, relaxed, accepting, loving, and most of all, fun. Everyone comes as themselves and is loved for it.
I am so glad Katie and Michael met. I've known them both forever (Michael since he was probably 4 or 5!), and I just adored being a part of their day. I had the best time, and have enjoyed re-living the entire experience through these photos. I hope you all enjoy. The photo booth was also a rip-roaring good time and deserves its own blog post. To follow in a few days...
To make the slideshow full screen, hit play and click the little box on the lower right hand corner. Make sure your sound is on. :)
Music provided by: Eric Bettencourt
Website: http://http://www.eric-bettencourt.com
Eric is a fantastic artist from my hometown. Please check out his work! This song spoke to me as soon as I heard it. Katie and Michael knew each other for a long time before they started dating, and then everything just "fell into place." Thank you Eric for the great music!
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I'm catching up in my blogging world! Here is another photo shoot I completed right before heading out on maternity leave. This little girl's grandpa found me around the holidays and booked a session for his daughter. He even had the chance to come out from California and be in some of the shots.
They were such a nice family, and I had so much fun photographing them at the Quabbin Reservoir! I had suggested we meet up there, and they jumped at the idea. It was where they got engaged!
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Well, she's almost a month old, but she's here!
Laurel Julia Wallace
We love her.
She's a doll and incredibly sweet.
This isn't her official birth announcement picture because those are going out this week (and wouldn't want to spoil the surprise), but this is one of my favorites.
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Aren't these girls the cutest??
This photo session was incredibly fun for me. The girls were sweet and the parents felt like old friends. They almost named one of these cuties (of course I can't remember which one now...) Laurel! I had this realization while I was doing this photo shoot that many of these kiddos I'm photographing these days may be my Holden's classmates (at least come junior or senior high because there are 3 elementary schools). How funny will it be to go to games, dances, etc and see these sweeties? Will Holden have friends over, and I'll dig out photos (literally or digitally) of his friends??
I met this super fun family because they participated in a silent auction I donated this session to. In February, friends of ours lost their house to a fire, and the community rallied to help support them. It felt very nice to be able to do something I love to help support our friends and have the chance to meet this amazing family.
Thank you S family!
This sweet, sweet pup would be a great-great grandmother in human years. What a good sport!
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I really love my job because I'm present for so many milestones in people's lives: Weddings, new babies, and this was a graduation. I stepped onto campus, which I drive by daily and am there at least once a week, and the entire place was transformed into this festive event to celebrate the accomplishments of all the students. I love a graduation, and it was so fun to see the Mayer family again. I felt so honored to be a part of this special day and capture a lot of sweet moments in a short period of time. Everyone was so proud!
Well I was one BLESSED photographer on the weekend I did mini sessions. Such adorable kiddos. I could have spent hours choosing photos to preview on here, but I just went with one or two from each session that just spoke to me. It was a lot of cuteness in one day! Thank you to all the families who participated.
We all were a little worried about the rain all day, and yes, it did rain during the ceremony but we soldiered on! The pictures ended up coming out beautifully and those two were such troopers. There is one very clear picture of the rain coming down during the exchange of the rings. Again, I can't say enough wonderful things about these two and the people who love them. I'm buried in adorable photos of these two. This entire day was just focused on LOVE. In fact, Jesse and Sarah love each other so much, they had already gotten married a year ago (to the date) because they just couldn't wait to be married. This was their full ceremony with friends, family and everyone to simply celebrate with them all. I love this piece of their story.
Oh, and what a reception! The dance floor was packed from the start and so many great dance moves. I hope everyone enjoys the slideshow. Many more photos are coming to an online gallery. Stay tuned!
Excellent music provided by Adam Ezra "Ok by You" http://www.adamezra.com
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I had the best time a few weeks ago with this family. The mom reached out to me to inquire about family photos. The last ones they had professionally taken was when their son was 5 or 6 years old...before his sister was born! Since she's graduating in the next few weeks, and they are a "legacy family" at Amherst College, they wanted to seize the opportunity while visiting campus. I have really enjoyed learning more about their family, laughing with them, and hopefully doing another project with the mom soon.
I am incredibly excited to offer Mini Sessions for the very first time ever. I have always wanted to do them and now is the perfect time.
Mini Sessions are ideal for little family updates, maternity, seniors, and engagements. They are not recommended for newborns or families larger than five people (including little ones). I'm more than happy to come do a customized session for those milestones.
Please message me via the contact form on the website or give me a call 603.247.3337 to talk about details. You'll have an online gallery to purchase prints, digital images or you can purchase all the images for a discounted rate.
Here's to spring!!
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Announcing beautiful Rowan! She was the sweetest, which is really no surprise based on her parents. As with many of my photography clients, I have a connection to them. Kim was our post-delivery nurse for our birth of Holden. She made us feel so welcome, cared for, and both Josh and I felt connected to her immediately. She went to UNH and knew one of my supervisors and a former hall director. We stayed in touch, and when she was pregnant with Rowan, she asked if I would be willing to photograph her as a newborn. We both agreed it was a lovely full-circle experience for both of us.
As I held little Rowan for the first half hour of our session/visit, I realized she was the first newborn I've held since knowing I was pregnant. She snuggled nicely with my little girl and made me even more excited for a new little bundle. Even though Rowan wasn't interested in sleeping (she snoozed for about 2 minutes...evidenced below!), but she was a dream. Sweetest of all sweets...I'd take her home, but I know her parents are beyond smitten with her. :)
It's been a long time since I've been blogging, and I've missed it. I love blogging! A lot has happened this winter. I still feel a bit overwhelmed with the notion of being a mom to two babies, but I'm also very excited. We found out last week that we're having a girl! When I first found out I was pregnant, I felt like it was a girl, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high. I thought to myself, "It's just because you've been around so many beautiful baby girls this year..." I also thought I was just going to have boys for some reason, so I feel very lucky and excited for something new, something different, and probably lots of cute girl clothes.
The other day, I was emailing with my very good friend Angela. She has a boy and a girl, who are spaced just about the same as Holden and his future sister. I had a realization that I have been just trying to stop and appreciate everything about Holden that makes him a boy lately. He has boundless energy and can be such a love. I've never had a girl, but I'm sure some things will be the same and some will be different. I know that based on Holden's sweet personality (like his dad's), he'll be a really good big brother, even if it takes him a little adjusting.
This past week, we went to our park across the street. It has been a long winter of looking longingly across the street to the swings...We had the sweetest summer last year with playdates and meeting new families at the park. I can feel this summer will be even better with knowing so many more families, and even a few live pretty close to the park!
Holden and I went down to the stream to look for ducks and who came along but a sweet doggie and his family. The nice family was headed on an adventure of hiking on the trail, so of course we couldn't just go back to the park....We must follow that dog! The last picture is of Holden screaming, "Doggie! Doggie!" He is completely enamored with dogs, and he seems to like labs the best. The bigger the better for this guy. He's never phased by a large dog and always wants to pet them. He told me today that he wanted to ride Barney (our neighbor's dog...). I wonder how long I can be a dog free home...
I'm off to wake Holden up soon. Thankfully he has napped today, despite his naps being all off from daylight savings time. It's a beautiful day here, and we will be abandoning all housework and heading to the park!
]]>Ashley contacted me a few weeks ago asking if I did head shots. I do! She's graduating soon and needed these for an upcoming audition. I think we have plenty of good ones! This girl couldn't take a bad picture if she tried...
It was so nice to meet her and be back on a college campus, especially one that is similar to my UNH and UMaine. I was instantly homesick for the college experience and my old students. I couldn't leave this lovely, sunlit building without an overpriced latte! It was delicious, and the barista didn't hold back with the chocolate syrup.
My hope and goal for this next year is to book more high school (or heck college seniors). I miss this age group a lot. I love talking about futures, majors, etc. I did go to school for that... ;)
Thank you Ashley for reaching out! Best of luck to you.
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It's been a while since I've been blogging, but here is a sweet session from before the holidays. We were keeping these photos under wraps to release after grandparents got their holiday gifts!
Meet Henry and his sweetest little sister Nora. This family is another one of our good friends in the area. We feel so blessed to have so many great friends in this town, especially because everyone has kiddos! We had a really fun session back in November. I can't believe it's been so long ago! Henry chatted me up more than ever, and Nora could not have been more easy-going. (Well maybe she had a few cries here and there, but nothing mom and dad couldn't solve.).
Thank you Adria and Ian for inviting me into your home. I just loved this entire session, so difficult to pick favorites, but these ones are too sweet for words.
Here is my baby! I know it's been forever since I've blogged, but I'm finally feeling energized again. In case you haven't heard via facebook, Holden is going to be a big brother this summer. I have entered the 2nd trimester with open arms! I'm still very tired come Holden's bedtime, but the total-all-day-fatigue and the sickness is fading a bit. Feeling like a new woman, and I even did this photoshop project over naptime.
So here is our boy! I hope I think to do this on every birthday (and for his sibling too!). Since he's not quite old enough to be interviewed about his favorite things yet, I thought about a typical day and these are usually the phrases that come out of this guy in the past month. He has many, many good friends who get mentioned regularly, but Mya is usually his response for just about anything. I used to think it was a phase...
We hope you all have a wonderful "Snowy Day" (another favorite book!).
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{You can make the slideshow full screen by pressing the arrow on the bottom right of the slideshow, after hitting play.}
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I had the chance to meet this lovely family last weekend. This little brother is about a month old and was as sweet as can be! He wanted to be awake the whole time (well he did get a little tired towards the end), but that was okay by me! I love this above shot of his ear and little feet! So cute.
His big sister was quite a doll too. I must clarify to all of my family that we're not related...but does anyone else think she looks like some of my pictures of when I was around 3 years old? I had the luxury of having an assistant with me for this photo shoot. I usually fly solo for all of my adventures but my very talented, photo enthusiast brother was in town. I really enjoyed meeting this family. It was more like a visit than a photo shoot, but of course we got some great shots. Who couldn't with such cute, sweet subjects?
Thank you for having us over!
Has anyone else heard the song "Cousins" by Tom Chapin? It's the best, and totally a fluke that I heard it. I picked up the CD from the library and this amazing song was on there. If only I could find it to have you all hear it!
Anyway! I've spent too much time looking for it. You can at least hear some of his fun music here: http://www.tomchapin.com
You may recognize The Potters (some of my long-time clients-and friends), and these are their cousins up from PA. I absolutely adore these photos.
They first invited me up to their farm to talk about photographing their wedding, and I wanted to move right in. On their wedding day, I really enjoyed getting some detail shots of their farmhouse. Everything was cozy (and so well decorated!). I loved meeting the sheep, a lama, and their sweet dog "Puppy." Between the two of them, they have a great group of grown children. I had a nice time getting to know them and photographing them with their moms. Such a nice bunch!
Their ceremony was lovely. The food at Gloria's was delicious, and the art decor here was fantastic. Everyone was just so great to talk with. In lieu of dancing, Aimee and Emmy decided everyone would like a sing-a-long better, and they were right! Everyone jumped right up the piano and sang their hearts out. I loved it all. We also gave a whirl at my first Photobooth set up. We used one of Gloria's rooms that she had orginally made for her daughter as a young girl with a fairy tree, costumes, etc. I brought my vintage cameras and a few of us had a really great time laughing and being silly. I'm hoping to incorporate more photo booths at receptions.
Okay...I could keep going, but please, enjoy the pictures. If you were a guest, the gallery will be up on my "client" tab in 2 weeks. Just ask Aimee or message me for the code.
Oh but wait, how could I forget? I made sure to provide an Adam Ezra song because when I was doing the initial meeting with Aimee and Emmy, I showed them my website. Emmy looked at me and said, "Adam EZRA??!! I know his mom! He's the best! He is just so nice." I have no doubt, so thank you Adam for the best music ever. I love this song because it has two reasons for Aimee and Emmy. Don't we always feel like "coming home" when we're with the one we love, especially if it has taken a longer road to get there? I liked "Home Again Soon" for this reason, but I also thought of it through the eyes of their children and how much they must love coming back to their moms' home.
xo.
Music: http://www.adamezra.com
Venue: http://www.gloriosaco.com
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This was a special session for me. Sometimes I just want to pinch myself that I'm able to document these times in the lives of my friends. Clients are amazing too, but friends...sometimes the pictures just melt my heart a little bit more thinking of how well I know these kiddos and their parents. Mya and Lloyd's momma is a good friend of mine. I like to tell people that Lauren and my husband go way back...from high school (maybe even junior high?), college at Tulane, and living out in Colorado together. If any of you reading the blog knew me in high school, I reckon they are like Josh Rice and me. Gosh I miss him!
Anyway...I digress. Lauren has now become one of MY closest friends. She's witty, and I can say anything around her...I'm just sad she now works 4 days a week! Josh kept telling me when we were moving here..."My friends will be your friends"...and it's true. I'm as happy as can be, and I adore this family so much. Lloyd is Holden's good buddy and pretty much the sweetest boy ever. We've been planning this session for a while, and one playdate afternoon I saw Lloyd in this chair {above}, and I made a mental note to incorporate it into our photos. I literally want to steal him out of this photo. If I get my act together and put up a gallery in my office...these two photos are in it.
Mya is the spunkiest, funniest, most caring and patient 5 year olds I know, at least I know she's extremely patient with Holden and his adoring affection for her. She really wanted to keep playing on the monkey bars on Friday, but Holden REALLY wanted her to catch him down the slide for perhaps the 5th time...She was such a trooper. I'm excited to watch her grow up. Just not too fast!
Precious on both counts, don't ya think?
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Hello world! Sweet little Laila is here! I'm friends with her momma Danielle of Winsome Smiles Photography: www.winsomesmiles.com. She's based in my area too, and she's not only a great friend but a wonderful photo confidante too! It's really nice to have folks to network with and take pictures of our cute babies together! I got lots of mommy/baby shots because I know how much I treasure the ones I have of Holden and I.
Laila was so easy. I don't think she even made a peep. It was really nice to get to snuggle her!
This lovely lady Andrea contact me a few weeks ago to see if I would be available for a different type of wedding coverage. She and John were getting married but just wanted a photographer for family shots pre-ceremony at their house. Sounded fun to me, so I loaded up my gear and headed to her house. It was a very fun hour of meeting their families, capturing some sweet moments, and sharing in their joy.
Congratulations Andrea and John!
This is Andrea's sister, her husband and ever-so-cute baby!
Just a few of my favorites of our two little friends: Mya and Lloyd
Too many cute ones to choose from!!
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So this week, I've decided I have the luckiest job in the world. I had met these parents at the family center in town when they first moved here not too long ago, and I was so excited to see an email from them telling me this little bundle had arrived. I went over the next day and got some great cuddle time with this sweetie. Her older sister was quite the doll too! The picture of her in the polka dot dress might be one of my favorite toddler shots ever.
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More cuteness coming soon.
"I don't mean to shake your slumber
Lying there you look so sweet
Before the birds begin to wonder
Rise my love and follow me
Welcome to this world
Whether you are ready or not
Welcome to this world
Come give it all that you got
Before you know it you'll be
Singing right back to me
Welcome to this world..."
(perhaps some of the best children's music out there...)
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Liz and James met up with me in Boston this past weekend for a jaunt around Franklin Park. Liz and James have booked me for their wedding next summer here in Amherst. I am beyond giddy to have the short commute to their venue (1.5 miles!). They have solidified their reception location as the Lord Jeff in downtown Amherst, which is beautiful, cozy, and relaxed. From meeting these two, I have a feeling this is what their day will be like. Thank you both for meeting me at this new location and for booking me! I am really looking forward to documenting your day.
Amazingly fitting music by the Adam Ezra Group: www.adamezra.com. Thank you for writing the most perfect song for this wedding. Settle in for a long slideshow. The music is great, and once you hit play, you can make it full screen by clicking the little window in the bottom right. Enjoy.
Personally speaking, it was an honor to photograph their wedding. I would have traveled anywhere to be a part of Anne's day. She truly took me under her wing when I was a first year college student, recently diagnosed with Celiac's disease. I was 6 hours from home, navigating the dining hall, finding gluten-free food, etc. She advocated for me and truly helped shape the rest of my college experience by making sure I had plenty to eat in the dining hall.
Sometimes people go above and beyond for someone, just because. Anne did that for me, and I am forever grateful.
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Meet the sweet Corinne, who is going to be a big sister in a few months. I'm so excited her parents asked me to photograph this sweetie. She was a DREAM to photograph. Every time I'd pick up my camera, she'd say ever-so-softly, "Cheeeeese" with a huge grin. I seriously wanted to take her home. I can't wait until I run into her at a playground or a playgroup again!
It was a beautiful wedding at the Hotel Northampton. The best man was the bride's brother, and the maid of honor was the groom's sister. Her dad even officiated the wedding! I loved the intimate feel of this wedding, their focus on family, and how friendly everyone was!
I even reunited with some long-lost friends (an aunt and uncle of the groom). It's true...I know everyone.
Pauline and Wayne: I hope you enjoy the slideshow. Your day was wonderful, and I can't thank you enough for inviting me to join with you. I had a ball. More pictures coming soon.
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I said it in my last post...but I really do have the best cousins. Valerie (the mom) is one of my many 1st cousins, and she's as nice as a person can be. When I mentioned that I'd be up in Northern Maine for a little bit and looking for people wanting portraits, Valerie jumped on it. She loves taking pictures too, so I'm happy to be able to get pictures of her!
I loved traipsing around the Lumberman's Museum and snagging some scenic family shots like the one of the pretty fabulous Mount Katahdin. Technically the mountain was behind all of my backdrops for the Patten sessions (you just couldn't see it in Mindy's photo shoot!). It was really great photographing a young lady like Josie. I'm usually chasing the toddlers, but we crawled through culverts!
Thank you for a fun afternoon! More great pics coming your way.
My cousin Mindy is one of the nicest people ever, and she's done an amazing job with these three girls. I feel like it was yesterday that Miss Hannah (the oldest) was born. I had such a blast with these young ladies. So fun to chase, pose, and just laugh! We played around their grandparents' house (where I hung out all the time growing up), and then we went down the "old farm" at the end of their road. That's a pretty special place for me because my grandfather grew up on the farm, and I spent many days visiting my uncle when he lived there. Now my mom owns the property after my beloved Grampy passed away last year. Us girls had a great time traipsing through the fields and imagining where the cows used to live. :)
Thank you Mindy for a beautiful afternoon and the sweetest subjects ever. This is just a sneak peek. There are SO many!
xo,
Beth
Just a little walk up the Owlsboro Road.
{Gosh I love my family.}
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"When we grow up, I'm going to bring my kids to your studio."
-Emily
(Katahdin High School Yearbook 1999)
10 years later. Same place of their wedding vows. Same sweet couple. 3 beautiful kiddos.
Maybe you can tell? I feel pretty darn lucky to have the chance to photograph my best friend Emily's family. She and I go back to my junior year/her senior year of high school. You know when you meet a friend that you just click with IMMEDIATELY? We went to a pretty small school, and of course we knew of each other since junior high (and our dads worked together). It wasn't until our very last year in the same school that we hit it off. That year we were pretty much joined at the hip. Ask anyone...We were those girls who giggled incessantly, drove teachers nuts, and sang a lot of BNL at the top of our lungs (very, very badly).
I feel blessed with all the amazing friends in my life, but I feel extra lucky to have a friend who made me laugh myself silly in high school, stood up for each other at our weddings, and now coaches me through every motherhood twist and turn. I have WAY too many pictures of these kiddos, but these ones melted my heart the most.
xo,
Frack
Check out some of my engagement work under: Portfolio, love and engagements. They are one of my favorite sessions to photograph!
I'm also happy to extend this to couples booking me in Boston and other areas I travel to on a regular basis. We just may either need to do the shoot in Amherst or in Boston while we're there to visit family.
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This lovely family has been with me since the beginning of this photography journey. I call them my first official, bonafide clients! (aka someone who I didn't know before photographing them). Lindsay and Dan asked me to photograph Nick's baptism when he was 3 months old, and now they have the beautiful baby Mac in the familiy. I believe this made their fourth session! I am so lucky to have such great clients, even if I don't live near them anymore! I took a quick jaunt up to photograph these sweeties the night before Jamie and Mike's wedding. Guess who will be my next wedding in September? These sweeties' auntie!
See you guys in September!
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Well it's official. Two of the nicest people in the world now have a baby...making them the sweetest family of 3 ever...If you know these two, you can attest that I'm not exaggerating! I was so thrilled when Sarah announced she was pregnant, and we've been able to write back and forth for probably over a year now about pregnancy, newborns, my toddler woes, and every day life.
Prior to Lindsay and Kyle's wedding, I figured out that Sarah and Jon weren't too far from the wedding, so I unabashedly asked if I could crash at their house. What a fun get-away for me! We had a delightful mix of having plenty of time to catch up, watch the Olympics, hold Baby Graham, and laugh (a lot!). I had such a nice time. Thank you Hotel Stearns for such a nice stay! Now come to Amherst. I swear our guestroom isn't that small. :)
The lighting was perfect...
Gosh. I just want to see him every day!
As you can probably see in the pictures, these two had a ball. It was a hot one at the beautiful Lake Winnepasaukee, but they took it all in stride and seemed to just love every minute of their big day. It was beautiful. Loving families, happy guests, fun bridal party!
What a fantastic reception too!
You can click on the "full screen" option once you hit play. The full gallery will be up in just a week or so (by August 20th).
Here is the link to where they will be:
http://www.bethwallacephotography.com/clients.html
Just type in Lindsay's maiden name.
Enjoy!
]]>You may recognize another couple in some of the photos from my last wedding. I must say it was pretty special for me to be able to work with Allie and Erica throughout the fall semester to see how their details and plans were shaping up. Allie and Charlie made all of the centerpieces by hand. They cut every single wine bottle to make the votive holders.
Allie and Charlie: I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek. I am loving going through all of your photos. Thank you for inviting me to document this special day with you both and your amazing families. (I had to include the belt excursion in there!). It's not every day you get to go with a groom to JC Penney and chauffeur the groomsmen around Portland.
After you hit "play", go ahead and click to view full screen (bottom right hand corner) to fully experience the slideshow. The entire wedding will be up on my client portal within the next week or so: http://www.bethwallacephotography.com/clients.html, and just type in this lovely bride's maiden name as the password.
]]>They all came to visit us in our new home! Holden can now say "Brian" (or Bri-Bri), "Beth" (very exciting for me although he also does the sign for bath while he says it...), and he can say "Owieeee."
I love these pictures of Owen and his parents. I think I took all these shots in about 15-20 minutes in total...Not bad!
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I'm playing around with a new slideshow feature offered on my site, which I plan on showcasing for at least a few of my upcoming brides. Thank you to my friend Nicole at http://www.nmdphotography.com for guidance and support!
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I would like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Kryst! Absolutely as cute as can be, and I have been happily working through so many images of their beautiful day. I'm not quite sure how to put it into words when one of your closest friends asks to hire you to photograph her big day. It's honoring, it's trusting, it's amazing. I was right there with them for almost every minute of their big day, and I feel so, so lucky. Thank you Johnny and Erica for asking me to be a part of this. You two are going to lead such a fantastic and fun filled life together.
Sending you all my love.
Enjoy the sneak peek!
Erica's family farm.
Sigh. Sweet dads are perhaps my favorite...
FANTASTIC wedding party.
I made that...
What a reception! Live band, full dance floor (all night!), and so much energy.
Okay, so below is a Polish Bridal Dance. Similar to a dollar dance but with more tradition...
I knew Johnny would need to break his way into the crowd, but holy smokes! I had to run and push my way out to not get trampled, grab my stepladder and thankfully my friends Greg and Allie held both sides of the ladder while I snapped as many photos as possible. Total mayhem and amazingness! The floor was shaking with all the clapping, stomping and polka.
I wish you two the utmost happiness.
The full wedding photos will be available by July 30th at http://www.bethwallacephotography.com/clients.html
and the password will be Erica's maiden name.
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I was lucky enough to be asked to photograph Christina and Ben's wedding, and it was such a treat for me to get to be back in Orono again. Christina and I worked at UMaine together for a few years, and I even had the chance to live in the same hall as her and Ben for a semester. They were the best neighbors! Christina is hands down one of the nicest people I know. I kept saying that at the wedding, and everyone agreed wholeheartedly.
She and Ben met while she was at UMaine, so they found it fitting to get married up there. It was just a beautiful wedding day: great weather, super nice families and friends, and plenty of happiness. Such a fantastic way to kick off wedding season.
Here she is getting ready:
Some sisterly love!
Then we journeyed off to the Littlefield Ornamentals garden, which just may be my favorite place at UMaine. Ben and Christina opted to see each other prior to the ceremony. I always love it both ways. Seeing each other here first or walking down the aisle! Both great. It was super fun to have time with just the bridal party in the garden.
More sisterly love!
And then we're off to the ceremony at Webster Park!
This shot below might be one of my favorite ceremony shots ever. The ring, grandpa officiating the service...Love it!
Thank you Ben and Christina for having me join your amazing day. I have so many pictures for you. It was nearly impossible to figure out which ones to post for the blog! Your gallery will be up by July 17th, 2012 at http://www.bethwallacephotography.com/clients.html
The password will be Christina's maiden name.
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Oh, my Madden. Well, he’s not really mine, but he was for about 2 hours on Tuesday! Michelle had stayed the night, so she hung out with Madden a bit while I put Holden down for his nap. Then I had Auntie/Madden time, which I realized we really haven’t had in a long time (if ever!). I see Madden a lot (at least once a week), but I don’t think I actually had time just to play and talk with only him.
We read books, played with bubbles, and mostly, I helped free his hands and feet from being totally eaten by the couch cushions. Very dangerous work you know! We had a great time hanging out, and I got to get some sweet snaps of him, which is fitting because he truly was my model as I started this venture a few years ago. I absolutely love these top four photos. They all strongly reflect his personality. Thoughtful…curious…goofy…sweet…kind…
The last picture is for Yazzie (Holden and Madden’s Grammy). She had a knee replacement the day before, and Ho, Josh and I went to visit her that night and brought these lilies. Wishing you a fast recovery Yazzie!
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Day 6!
So, day 6 was really last Sunday but I gave myself a freebie. I had planned on taking photos that day…I had sent Josh away for a pre Father’s day gift to golf with 3 of his buddies, and I hosted the ladies and babies here for brunch. I went to grab my camera once, but with 6 kiddos under the age of 5 running around, I decided it wasn’t worth digging out the camera. Granted, my camera would have loved that many babies, but I enjoyed just being in the moment.
On Monday my friend Michelle came to visit. 3 of the photos are pre-visit.
A clean floor is a beautiful thing, even if I dislike actually doing it, I always appreciate a clean floor (for about 3 hours until it’s snack or meal time again).
My very good friend is the Crock Pot. She makes it possible for me to feel like I can provide decent meals for my family (and friends!). This dish was an orange turkey dish. We had whipped sweet potatoes and a spinach, strawberry and goat cheese salad to go with it (on the porch!).
Some of our daisies. We have a lot of flowers around our house, and even though we don’t know what greens are flowers and what are weeds…this season it’s been nice to see random flowers blooming. Daisies are my favorite.
I refer to Michelle as the professional Auntie. She’s awesome! Full of life and energy, Holden was drawn to her. We had a wonderful visit and even got to go out on the town for cocktails and then gluten-free chocolate cake. Awesome!
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Day 5 was a great day! Much better than any dentist could be. We woke up with no plans at all for the day. We decided to rally and start our weekend ritual of pancakes and loud 80s music. I guess I didn’t get a shot of the pancakes but I did have fresh strawberries. My absolute favorite fruit ever, but they must be fresh and in season!
We headed to the park (this one is about 20 minutes away) to catch at least the end of our nephew Madden’s t-ball game. He’s a great hitter…and obviously keeps his eye on the ball while he’s in the infield…
We ran into our friends Mya and Lloyd with their grandparents at the park too. What a fun surprise because Holden’s first name he can clearly say besides Momma, Dada and Poppa has been Mya, usually at top volume. Sometimes he has called Madden Mya too, but he definitely knows who Mya is now. What I’ve really enjoyed is that he’ll be in the backseat saying, “Mya, Mya, MYA! I love Mya.”
We went on a train ride through the park, which was very cool. As we were headed out of the park, I texted our friends Scott and Erica to see if they’d want to come over for a BBQ. I wish I had gotten some pics of their cute kiddos, but I did snag this shot of the swing that may make for a big piece of art in our house someday.
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Day 4:
As you see, there are only two pics from today. I thought about sneaking some others in from other days…It’s not like our days are really all that different, but there was definitely a reason I only took two.
I woke up to see this beautiful, thick fog in our backyard. By the time I had Holden situated in his high chair, coffee started, and daddy downstairs, the fog had lifted a bit. Not so much that it impaired my shot too much. I really love our view.
So, later that morning Josh and I both had dentist appointments. Call this trivial. Call it privilege middle class woes…but I was pretty annoyed, disheartened, jaded, etc. My 2012 New Years Resolution was to floss every single night, and I have done it all but maybe 2x (which was because we ran out of floss). The hygienist was basically singing my praises to the moon and back, when the dentist rolls in, pokes briefly at my teeth, asks about my childhood fillings and promptly tells me I need 2 fillings replaced, 3 small cavities filled, oh and I clench my teeth apparently. $400 mouth guard for me. Then she annoyingly pats me on the shoulder and says, “No root canals!”
No wonder people hate the dentist. I’m still happily flossing but I think I’ll get a second opinion or just make my own opinion.
Quite a blog post for two beautiful nature photos!
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Day 3
Today was a good day. I got back on the running trail, with my trusty co-pilot. I swear running (really any work out) is how I stay sane. I definitely felt at my best this day.
Here are the photos:
Left 3
Morning hydrate!
Post-run meal. I only take photos of my healthy meals…
Someone was in a grumpy mood, so I thought I would initiate a dance party. Fail.
Middle photo: Our beautiful bike path (aka jogging stroller path). Pinch me!
Right 3
And finally…I broke my rule about just one photo. These three are too perfect together.
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Day 2:
Okay, not as many images…but a fine representation of our day!
Our 2nd day:
My absolute favorite pajamas. I would actually like a pair myself. They are hand me downs from Callum, soft, worn, soooo cozy. Not to mention they are blue to match a little someone’s eyes.
My new morning ritual since we moved in. Yazzie’s hot cocoa recipe with a twist (a dash of coffee to get me going).
We meet Erica, Gretchen, Myla, Charlie, Eli and Leo at the park.
Eli diggin’ in
“Nap time is the right time.”
Goodnight Moon.
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Welcome to my 7 days in our life project. I’ve wanted to do something like this for a while. My plan is to take photos of our day in a purposeful way. My guidelines are as follows:
- Use a lens that I am trying to master. At this time, it’s my 85mm prime lens.
- Try really, really hard to only take one shot. No overshooting. No rapid firing. I will wait for the image.
- Take somewhere around 8-10 images a day.
- Give myself creative leniency when needed!
Here was our first day (Left to right):
Morning reading
A day would not be complete without a trip to the park…
Coloring a birthday card for cousin Kenza.
Photo editing during nap time
King of the Castle!
A new hand-me-down toy from cousin Madden. Love at first sight!
Night time flowers
Tunnel
I don’t use this thing that much…
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I've had the pleasure of photographing the Potters kiddos a few times now. Their mom sought me out back in the day when I was just starting this venture, which seems far away and not so far away...depending on the day!
I had such a fun time with these three kiddos. Lots of crazy silliness, beautiful outfits, and super fun expressions. Nick (below) might be my new BFFL in the Happy Valley. He asked his mom if I could come over for lunch and a sleepover! Haha.
Sweet Elliot has joined the mix since our last photo shoot. I think they would have missed him if I had buckled him into Holden's car seat and sped away... Tempted!
Maggie is such a sweet big sister (and model!)
Hey everyone,
Meet Gretchen, Rick and their adorable kiddos. When we first moved here, I met Gretchen through Kate (aka Callum and Drea's mom). Gretchen is a stay-at-home-mom too, and as you can probably see, Eli is just about Holden's age. When I was editing photos, I asked Holden if he wanted to see Eli on the computer, and he was super excited and signed for "more."
I know I've said it before, but I feel very lucky these days. Gretchen is the master of all play date arrangements, making our transition to Amherst so much better. I had such a nice time on Sunday getting to spend more time with her whole family. Myla just might be my most enthusiastic model to date!
I call this one...SUPER DAD!
Thank you Gretchen and Rick for suggesting Mount Pollux. Pretty amazing location!
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Spring sessions have begun, and it was such a pleasure to kick off the season with the Fishers. We've been friends with them for a long, long time, and I consider myself so fortunate to be new to a town where I get texts pretty regularly that say:
"We're headed to the park! Come out and play."
We had a wonderful time spending the morning at their house, doing a little work, eating some good food. I think I can keep this up.
Over the next few weeks, my blog followers will see more photos of our friends here in the Happy Valley. What a nice way to start my business in a new town...
And below is quite possibly one of my favorite series of photos ever...
Which one is your favorite??
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Oh Hey cutie!
This picture of Chandler caught my eye as I was editing tonight. He may have been acting crazy (classic bewitching hour at dusk...) but this photo was perfect!
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"Well she can rock them babies when the sun goes down
She's the ol' time queen of the hand-me-down....
she make both ends meet right in the middle you see
but when the lights are low and the time is right
and her sister's got the kids for the night
well she still looks like sweet sixteen to me.
....cause she's got a rock 'n roll heart
I knew it right from the start
She's got that smile that still tears me apart
and she's got a rock 'n roll heart...
Well she's the girl next door
she's the bell of the ball...
I don't know how she does it all
The house and the kids and all that she does for me
but she loves to work and she loves to play
I can't say how she got that way
It's a natural thing that comes so easily
...when she's got a rock 'n roll heart
I knew it right from the start
She's like a light that shines in the dark
and she's got a rock 'n roll heart...
And when she goes to work in the morning
She got the radio a blastin' all the way
she's singing while the traffic is a hummin'
cause that's the way she likes to start the day
....cause she's got a rock 'n roll heart
I knew it right from the start
She's got that smile that still tears me apart
and she's got a rock 'n roll heart..."
-David Mallett
To my mom and all the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day.
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I'm very lucky. Our friends, who are like family, live about a mile away from our new home. I sometimes have to pinch myself because we get to see them at least once a week now. Baby girl Drea blessed their lives about two weeks ago now, and I had the pleasure of her company for a photo shoot at 6 days old. She may not have wanted to miss much of the action, but she is the sweetest, most mellow baby ever.
Exploring the "Back 40"
Pretty excited about this picture. That's NOT computer generated vignetting.
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Our friends, the Potters, threw a fantastic Easter Egg Hunt last weekend. Here are a few snaps of the sweet kiddos.
Whoa!
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Something like this coming soon to establishments across the Happy Valley...
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Who needs a big brother when you have good friends/cousins like these??
(Yes, Holden is in there!)
Our friend Callum came over for dinner last night. According to his mom, the conversation about him visiting went something like this...
Mommy: "So you're going to go over to Beth and Josh's for dinner, so they can watch you while Daddy and I have meetings."
Callum: "No no. Holden is my friend. I am Holden's friend, and we are going to play."
Holden was not feeling especially photogenic last night...
And then...Here are a few pics from last weekend with the Madster. I decided to just combine and make one big post about our little friends.
My little model is getting so grown up!
Priceless!
"Bye Bye Momma!"
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Thank you to those who follow the blog. It's kind of a been a bit more of our adventures in the past few months than about photo projects. I have made a big shift in what I do from day to day. This past summer I wouldn't have thought I would enjoy staying at home with Holden 24/7. Well, not exactly 24/7 because I went out to dinner with a good friend tonight, which in our conversation about being moms and just life in general, I found myself talking about how much I am loving our life right now. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED my job as a hall director. I loved living in the dorms. I loved eating in the dining halls with all of our friends, but now...I'm loving life even more. I was more ready for a change than I realized.
I had a bit of a rough summer staying at home with Holden. He wasn't sleeping through the night, and I piled plenty of pressure onto myself throughout the summer and fall. Now the pressure has shifted to just making sure he has a great day and that I can be creative with cooking for the first true time in my life. My sweet husband will eat anything. I know it's an especially good night when he goes for seconds and doesn't reach for a bowl of cereal at 7pm when he thinks I'm not looking. ; )
This past week we have started going to the family center in town (basically a drop in play space). So great! Holden has transitioned to usually one nap a day, and he has so much fun at the family center in the mornings before lunch and nap time. The warm weather has started to creep up on us, and we just purchased a bike helmet and seat for Holden to ride along. Poppa just got a new bike too! Hopefully before this week is over, we'll be taking some evening bike rides on the rail trail by our house.
To be real, there are some moments/days that are better than others. A good example was yesterday when we thought our furnace blew/caught on fire...but everything was fine. It's felt like a case of the Money Pit some days, but most days and moments are pretty gosh darn good.
Have I mentioned that we live across the road from a park?
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We took these during Hunter's photo shoot. Holden certainly didn't mind donning a tutu!
He'd be such a pretty girl...
Or Sir Elton John!
We're loving it here in Amherst, but we do miss our Patten family.
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We're moving, as probably most everyone knows by now. The process of packing up has begun, or will begin after I sign off the blog today. We've been doing a lot of driving in the past week, and so many thoughts of potential blog posts have been designing in my head. Hopefully soon I'll have some time to post about what I'm going to miss about Durham, what I'm looking forward to in Amherst, and what I'm feeling...
I know it's a mix of bittersweet emotions and plenty of hope and excitement. I have loved UNH and the NH Seacoast, but the shine of something new and different is appealing.
For all clients and future customers, we will be moving the business to Amherst, Mass. When I'll get started...I'm not sure on that one, but it will definitely be once the snow melts. I am considering myself a destination wedding photographer this summer, and I'm pretty excited to visit all these places...Orono, Portland, Lake Winnipesaukee, Portsmouth, northern Vermont, and Scranton, PA. I do love the Office! ; )
Okay, now off to do some cleaning/packing. I'm itching to download my pictures of Christmas, but I know I'll "wake up" from my editing dreams and at least a few hours will be gone...I was in Auntie Photographer Heaven this weekend.
Looking back on my photography adventures this year, I've learned a lot. A lot about photography, a lot about myself, and a lot about what I need to do to balance (or strive to) for my little family.
"I wouldn't change a single thing."
