Margaret Belanger Photography

Boston Children's Photography: Young Child With Dreams

2012-01-25T17:33:00.001-05:00

Holiday photos take up a big chunk of my autumn and I hardly ever get to post the majority of the families I photograph. That changes today! I had the pleasure of photographing these two lovely kids last year and was thrilled when I got to photograph them again. We headed out to Larz Anderson Park for our session and it did not disappoint! Considering what a strange fall season we had this year, we lucked out with some awesome weather and blowing leaves! It’s so gorgeous out there. I think those bottom two photos should be huge wall canvases, too! They sort of remind me of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet and the blustery day.

Boston Headshots: You Make Me Sing Like A Guitar Strummin'

2012-01-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

The Mister

The Mister is a recovering actor (I say that because although he's not currently acting, I don't think it's something that is ever out of your system) and he recently requested some photos while he still had this awesome full beard. He really is a pensive SOB.

Also, I have decided that for a little while, I will be using just Neil Diamond song lyrics for my posts. They just make me sing.

Verrill Farm: Carry Moonbeams Home in a Jar

2012-01-22T11:40:00.001-05:00

For some reason, maybe it was the recent arrival of winter around here, I was thinking about my Verrill Farm photos last night. One of my favorite photos is of Steve Verrill eating the corn - that's apparently how to tell if it's ripe or not. I always approve of the taste testing method! Over the course of this project, I took so many photos at each of the places I visited and so few of them actually ended up in the book. I decided I was going to post the photo with the corn this morning, but then when I went to pull it from my files, I saw all these other photos that I loved that weren't included in Boston Homegrown. For instance, I love the photos of Steve and his wife Joan. Steve always wears a hat while working on the farm, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate it into some of their portraits. Verrill Farm also has an amazing farm stand and I highly recommend taking a trip out for some food! You can obviously buy local produce and even beef, but they also offer prepared foods, sandwiches, and baked goods. Yum! I've definitely been there just for lunch on more than one occasion!

*The song I used for this post doesn't actually have anything to do with the post - it's just a pretty lyric that popped into my head. Although I guess it does reference two farm animals, so it sort of fits!

My and Tony: You're My World, My Heart, My Soul

2012-01-20T16:28:00.001-05:00

My and Tony's June wedding was a smorgasbord of family, fun, and food (three of my favorite "f" words). My & Tony are such a great couple; they totally balance each other out. My tends to be a little more reserved and Tony is pretty much an all-out goofball, which you'll see in the photos. Then when they're together, they meet in the middle - perfection. Their ceremony was at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall which turned out to be an AMAZING wedding venue. Not only was the inside of the building gorgeous, but the grounds of the hall were beautiful, too! My and Tony scheduled their day so that we had plenty of time to take advantage of our location and still make it all the way into the city for the reception. This was the first reception I'd photographed at a Chinese restaurant! Chau Chow is right in Dorchester and it's already set up for a party! There was a stage and fun lighting and LOTS and LOTS of food (some of which I didn't recognize and some of which was still in the shape from whence it came). The food was served to the table and everyone just shared. It was a great way to get to know some of the guests!

My and Tony live a bit north of Boston and that's where I started my day - hanging with the bride and her family (she's one of 9 kids, so there were plenty of people in and out).

My super-talented second shooter Allana Taranto hung out with Tony and his groomsmen. Like I said, total goofballs. In addition to allowing themselves to be photographed pants-less, they also played some video games, switched tuxes on each other, and made unscheduled stops on the way to the ceremony!

My and Tony took photos with each group of guests as they arrived at the reception. Clearly, I'm not going to post them all here, but it was a fun way for me to capture each of the wedding guests!

What a fun night! Something tells me this party wasn't slowing down anytime too soon! My and Tony, congratulations! Maybe I'll even be seeing you guys soon!

New England Newborn Photography: May You Grow Up To Be True

2012-01-18T15:54:00.001-05:00

Nothing like a little newborn to brighten the day! Little Charlie joined mommy, daddy, and big sister on December 26th. What a wonderful Christmas present! He wasn't even two weeks old when I got to visit with him and photograph his tiny fingers and tiny toes and his little old man hair-do. I could sit here and write about how awesome it is to photograph newborn babies and how I love holding their little warm snuggly bodies in my arms and how special it is for parents to have these photos of this fleeting time in their babies' lives, but I think I'll let the photos speak for themselves. I'm pretty sure if you don't want to squeeze this baby by the end of this post, you have no soul.

2011 Engagement Sessions: A Choir of Carousels

2012-01-09T12:23:00.000-05:00

Every couple should take advantage of an engagement session! I can't say enough wonderful things about having the opportunity to hang out with my clients. Not only do we get to know each other better, but we become more comfortable with each other. In my opinion, that translates to more relaxed photos on the wedding day. And, honestly, that translates to quicker photos on the wedding day. I've traveled all over the place for engagement sessions - Long Island, NYC, and all over New England. I end up in some pretty cool places I never even knew existed! My clients either choose a location that's special to them or we come up with a location together. It's a lot of fun and we can always top it off (or begin it with, or take a break in the middle) with a drink! Here are some 2011 engagement session photos!

Shannon and Mike haven't even made it officially to the blog yet! Here are a few photos from their session and I'll try to get the rest of them up soon!

Boston Homegrown 2011: Have Some More Chicken

2012-01-05T11:10:00.000-05:00

Now for some food photography! For most of 2010 and 2011 I worked on a book titled "Boston Homegrown." I traveled around Massachusetts photographing farmers, fishermen, cheesemakers, and chefs. I got to meet wonderful people who were beyond generous with their time and knowledge. I've blogged about a bunch of my adventures, but still have so much more to go! In the spirit of the Year In Review, I thought I would post some Boston Homegrown photos from last winter...

First up is Coppa in the South End. Jamie Bissonnette is the chef and he is all over the place. I've even seen him cook in a skeleton ski mask. In the book, he's paired with Round the Bend Farm. You can see the photos I took there in this post.

Next up is T.W. Food in Cambridge. Yum! I highly recommend their Sunday brunches! The chef is Tim Wiechmann. Since I also photographed the restaurants' food suppliers, I got to take photos of Tim's own personal root cellar.

T.W. Food was paired with Drumlin Farm, which is not just a place for field trips! It is a real working farm that offers a winter CSA and they have a pretty big root cellar!

606 Congress still stands out as one of my most adventurous sessions for this project. The chef, Rich Garcia, prepared two dishes for me to photograph - one was lobster deviled eggs topped with caviar and the other was beef heart. Yikes! And I devoured both of them. Go figure! I blogged about it here.

606 Congress is paired with Blackbird Farm in the book. My trip to Blackbird is the only farm trip that left me with a war wound. During this entire project, I thought for sure I was going to fall in the ocean or get electrocuted by an electric farm fence, but nope. I escaped mostly unscathed. What finally got me was the barb wire (and my clumsiness). I now have a gorgeous scar around my arm from where I scraped along the side of it! Lucky for me I think it adds character. Sure, I can't be a supermodel anymore, but that's okay. I blogged about Ann Marie Bouthillette and her farm here.

The following photos are from my day with Chef Nuno Alves who works at Tavolo. So many things about this day stand out, not the least of which is because I was at his house and not at his restaurant! Since his Portuguese background, and his parents, are such huge influences on his cooking style, he wanted both of them to play a part in what he prepared for me.

I blogged some other photos from the day here. Tavolo is paired with Seafood Specialties, which is run by Chris Edelman. Chris also runs Wulf's Fish Market in Brookline, which is where I met up with him for our session. Stepping into that store is like stepping into another era, which is entirely the point.

I first met Chef Jason Bond when he was at The Beacon Hill Bistro, but since then, he's opened his own restaurant in Cambridge. Bondir continues to receive rave reviews.

Bondir is paired with Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds. I've really enjoyed getting to know Pete and Jen and the work they do! I loved buying my chickens from them this year and can't wait until it's time to do it again!

Tastings might win for being the restaurant farthest away from Boston, but it's still worth the drive to Foxboro! When I photographed there, Matthew Maue was the chef, but since then, he has left and Chef Ben Lacy has taken over. The philosophy has remained the same, though, and the restaurant is still committed to working with Brambly Farms, who I profiled here.

The Gallows is one of the newer restaurants in Boston's South End. The chef there is Seth Morrison. He prepared some nice hearty winter food for me to photograph! I also loved the decor in there!

The Gallows is paired with Snappy Lobster in the book. They are the guys responsible for sending me home with live scallops and whelks, thus providing me with my #1 most adventurous day on this project. And that doesn't even count the fact that we were out on a boat in freezing weather!

All in all, every day I worked on this project was a new adventure. I loved photographing the amazing dishes that each chef prepared and I loved narrowly cheating death (or just minor electrocution or injury) every time I visited the farmers and fishermen! I'll try to continue to blog more from this project as we lead up to its publication, which will hopefully be this spring. The photos featured in the book are just a fraction of what I shot, so it's fun to complete the story here! If you consider yourself a foodie, or if you're just looking to check out some new (to you) restaurants, a lot of the places I photographed are featured in the Best of Boston lists!

Check out this one from Boston Magazine and this one from the website Eater.com.

2011 Wrap-up: I Traveled Each and Ev'ry Highway

2012-01-04T17:18:00.000-05:00

Now that the presents are put away (almost) and 2011 has come to an end, it's time for a wrap-up blog post! I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I've ever done this, but I've been inspired by my photographer friends and by the wonderful year I had. Since 2011 was such a good year all around, I'm starting with some personal photos. I'm usually pretty lazy about posting my own photos, so this will be a giant post! Here goes nothing!

I did a ton of traveling in 2011, and most of it was for pleasure! In February, I crossed the pond and went to London for a long weekend! We saw all the sights!

And a trip to London wouldn't be complete without taking a trip to Abbey Road! Having your photo taken in the middle of the crosswalk is actually quite dangerous, so there was no posing! And while we were in London, we happened upon the BAFTAs, which is England's answer to the Oscars. You can imagine how exciting that was! We even got to see Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter. Amazing. We traveled all the way to London to see a Red Carpet!

In March, Doug and I traveled to Disney World to see my sister play in her high school band at Downtown Disney!

When there are only two of you on a trip, you tend to take a lot of self-portraits!

Me! This balloon was part of an elaborate birthday surprise - I had to deflate it and bring it back to Boston where it would be re-inflated. That didn't stop me from posing with it!

In April, a few awesome photographer friends and I spent a few days in Loon Mt. talking about pretty much everything BUT work.

In May, my sister and I flew out to Portland, Oregon to visit a college. While there, I got to visit two of my best friends from college and my good friend Rachel and we got to eat grilled cheese in a school bus.

My biggest trip this year was to Iceland. Doug and I had been plotting this trip for years and we were finally able to make it happen! I would highly recommend it as a destination - it's good for all age groups and you don't have to travel too far (from Boston anyways). You spend four and a half hours in a plane and then you're here...

We stayed in Reykjavik, but we visited Skalholt, Gullfoss, Thingvellir, and Geysir.

Downtown Reykjavik has a lot of artistic graffiti. This was my favorite!

And the Blue Lagoon. The day we spend here was one of my favorites of the whole trip. It's an amazing geothermal spa. So relaxing and rejuvenating. I even got an in-water massage, which was so funny. It was such a weird sensation (some giant Icelandic guy was dragging me around the lagoon on a pool mat while massaging my feet) that I couldn't quite relax all the way, but it was still pretty awesome! Doug and I spent way too much time trying to master an "Apocalypse Now" shot in the water...

As much as I love our photos, none of them do it justice! You should go and see for yourselves!

My last "big" trip of the year was to Miami to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday! We didn't even scratch the surface of the city, but I did get to go to a backyard pig roast!

Since my sister graduated high school this past spring, we spent a lot of time celebrating her!
There was prom...

Graduation...

And a graduation party...

I experimented with a Diana camera at my bbq and even at a couple of weddings this summer!

A friend came to town and we went to the Red Sox (my first game in a couple of years!).

We'll end the post with Christmas and New Year's!
Napkin hats!

New Year's!

My brother got engaged this year, which is extremely exciting. That photo above is me and my future sister-in-law!

I am so grateful that my job allows me the time to have this much fun! Sure, sometimes I have to schedule things months in advance, but it's so worth it! I'm just glad my friends hang in there and wait for my free weekends! They are few and far between, but we make the most of them!

Next up... The Year In Review, the work edition.

Baby's First Christmas: Now We've Just Begun

2012-01-03T23:06:00.000-05:00

Baby's first Christmas!

Imagine finding this much cuteness under the tree on Christmas morning! He is so kickin' cute! The family used the bottom photo as their holiday card - it looks awesome hanging on my wall! I could photograph those eyes and smile all day long!

Stay tuned as I attempt to blog some wrap-up posts over the next week or so! In all the years I've been blogging, I don't think I've ever done a year-end post. Looks like 2012 will be the year!

Hull Engagement Session: It All Comes Down to Me and You

2012-01-03T11:18:00.000-05:00

I am trying to make a valiant effort to catch up with blogging! Jess and Barrett's engagement session took place way back in the fall. They're from the South Shore, so Jess suggested we check out Fort Revere in Hull for their session. Oh my goodness - it was engagement session heaven! It had ocean, graffiti, old decrepit buildings, grass, and even some colorful foliage. We could have played in the fort for hours and hours!

I'm pretty sure that if Jess and Barrett were Carly Simon and James Taylor, these bottom photos would be their album cover. We had so much fun traipsing around Ft. Revere and finding nooks and crannies to photograph. Jess and Barrett are going to have a super-fun wedding this coming fall! They love the Muppets, so that's pretty much all I need to know!

In other news, I am going to attempt to put together a 2011 Retrospective blog post. We'll see how that goes! And, of course, those of you who have been following my blog for a couple of years know that we are currently in the middle of Awards Season! That means lots of movie-going for me in an attempt to see as many nominated movies as possible. I never see all of them, but I always get pretty close!

Happy New Year!

Christmas: Our Troubles Will Be Out of Sight

2011-12-24T08:34:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas (and Happy Hanukkah) to your family from mine! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Thank you for helping to make 2011 such a wonderful year - I am truly blessed to have such amazing family, friends, colleagues, and clients in my life.

(photo taken last Christmas Eve)

Charlestown Family Photography: Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies

2011-12-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

This little girl DOES NOT STOP MOVING! But what little kids do?! Her parents and I got to chase her all over the Charlestown Navy Yard, some much-needed exercise for me, as you can imagine. I think when I first got there, she was not quite sure what to think of me, so she ran less and we were able to snap off some awesome photos immediately. Once she warmed up to me and realized I was part of the game, it was all over! But there's nothing I love more than playing with little kids and watching them process the world. It's pretty amazing.

This little one has such awesome blue eyes and adorable to-die-for dimples. Total superstar!

I wanted them to use the "baby in the air" photo for the Christmas card - I did not win that debate. I was convinced they could come up with a really witty turn-of-phrase to use, something like "drop in for the holidays." I should have held a "caption this photo" contest! I guess it's not too late - any suggestions? Leave them in the comments!

Soon this little girl will be a big sister and I can't wait to get back there and photograph the family with their new addition! And if you have any fun captions for that photo, please post them in the comments!

Boston Family Session: Never Seen Such a Beautiful Sight

2011-12-22T09:50:00.002-05:00

Now that most of the Christmas cards have arrived, I feel like it's safe for me to start posting some of the many holiday sessions I did this season!
I love this family so much it hurts. I've known Brendan since we were about 5 years old and running around our neighborhood playing games like TV Tag. He and my brother have remained close friends and he's essentially part of our family, which means his family is part of our family. I've rocked out on Beatles Rock Band with them. I've bbq-ed with them. And, every once in a while, I have the pleasure of photographing them. It doesn't get much better than that!

Just look at how awesome they are! You almost have to shield your eyes from the awesomeness. Brendan and Melissa's daughters are awesome - they are sweet and smart and fun. They're the kinds of kids you don't mind hanging around with at a grown-up party. And, of course, they're gorgeous! Brendan and Melissa are also celebrating a marriage milestone this year (10 years!), so we made some time to take some fun photos of just the two of them.

Apparently, kids get embarrassed when their parents kiss.

We had such a wonderful afternoon hanging out! Brendan and Melissa, your family rocks!

Michelle and Matt, Boston College Club Wedding: Let's Dance In Style

2011-12-13T10:51:00.001-05:00

What can I say about Michelle and Matt's wedding? It was phenomenal! So much awesome music and dancing! The groom and his father even got up and sang a duet of "Mack the Knife." Michelle and Matt are the kind of couple who you want to be best friends with immediately after meeting them. They are so much fun and so wonderful together. Everything about their wedding day was joyous. Their ceremony was at St. Mary's Orthodox Church in Cambridge. This was my first Orthodox wedding ceremony and I definitely had to stay on my toes to capture all the special moments. The fun part was that I was allowed to get pretty close to the altar, which I'm normally not allowed to do. We had the perfect day for outdoor portraits in Post Office Square, too. It's this perfect little park in downtown Boston and I was so happy we had the weather on our side. And, of course, the reception. The reception was held at the Boston College Club and the ballroom had a gorgeous view of the city! The night of the wedding was the night New Kids on the Block was performing at Fenway and you could see the park all lit up from where we were. If you listened carefully, you could probably hear women screeching, too. All the wedding guests (and maybe the photographers)tore up the dance floor. Take a look...

Michelle & Matt, congratulations! Thank you for being so patient and so very very fabulous!
Many thanks also to my awesome second shooter Julie Moscatel. We always have so much fun working together!

Turkey For You and Turkey For Me

2011-11-24T09:41:00.001-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for so much in my life. I am thankful for my job, my clients, my car, my apartment. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for the happy chaos that is my large extended family. I am thankful for traditions and how they connect people. I am thankful and appreciative for all that I have and know that I am one of the lucky ones.

Most of all, I'm thankful for my family and just how much fun they are!

And I'm thankful for the Mr. and all of our wonderful adventures, some exotic (this is us at Gullfoss in Iceland) and some more domestic (trips to Target are ALWAYS an adventure).

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

New England Family Photography: Everything Around Me Is Little

2011-11-23T15:06:00.001-05:00

There are little girls and then there's THIS little girl! She never ceases to amaze me with her willingness to be photographed! I can trace her history of being a ham way back to when she was only a few weeks old and we had this session. See? I told you! We had so much fun and really, we have a lot in common, not the least of which is the movie "Annie." The day of our session, we caught some late afternoon light and were able to make the most of the awesome backyard!

I love her outfit. So stylish!

This one melts my heart.

There were so many photos I could have posted, but I didn't want to overload anyone with cuteness! Looking at these photos has definitely satisfied your cuteness quotient for the day! You don't even need to look at photos of puppies or kittens - you're all full up! Soon I'll be traveling back to visit this little one when she becomes a big sister! That should shake things up a bit!

Michelle and Mike, engaged: You Shared My Crazy Ways

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make sure I posted some photos from Michelle and Mike's engagement session because they are getting married this coming Saturday! So very exciting! I met up with them in Arnold Arboretum to hang out and explore. And, of course, talk about food and movies. 'Cause that's how I roll.

We lucked out with the gorgeous fall afternoon! We made our way to the tree in the Arboretum where Mike proposed and took some photos over there.

After the Arboretum, we drove over to the bar where Michelle and Mike had their first date! It was warm and cozy and we got a corner table where we could hang out, drink good fall beer, and take just a few more photos!

I like the paparazzi-style look of these images.

Michelle and Mike, I am so excited to photograph your wedding this Saturday! We are going to have SO much fun!

Boston Baby Photography: Say Good Morning to the Night

2011-11-08T15:26:00.000-05:00

There is no better remedy for a bad day than an adorable cutie baby girl! And this little one has got it going on - she is cute and stylish and she has kewpie doll hair! This was her third photo shoot, so she's already an experienced model in front of the camera. I photographed her in the hospital and shortly after she was born. She's about 4 months old in these photos. I'm looking forward to our upcoming holiday session!

I love the photo of Baby H with her mom. There's something very serene about it. We always have such a wonderful time hanging out together! I have a feeling we have years of photos to go, which makes me one happy photographer!

Shannon and Mike: Like A Stamp To A Letter

2011-11-02T09:28:00.000-04:00

This is a sneak peek from one of the many engagement sessions I photographed over the past week or so. Luckily the October snow didn't get in our way!

I'm also in the process of switching my blog over to another site. As with most things website related, the work tends to be slow going because it gets put behind actually shooting and editing, but hopefully I'll stay somewhat on top of it and I can debut a new blog soon!

In other news, I was down in NYC this past week for the PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center. It's a huge photography trade show and you can sign up to see speakers and try out new equipment. It's a great way to touch and test new products (I think I found a few to add to my roster). The Javits Center also happens to be near one of my favorite places to eat in NYC - Manganaro's Hero Boy. When I lived in New York a million years ago, I worked right around the corner and my boss Max introduced me to their chicken parm sandwiches and arancini. Yum! Visiting NYC has definitely turned into a trip about food and drink! I also managed to schedule a visit and session with Emily and Nicolas and their newborn son! It's always wonderful to catch up with couples, and I had the added bonus of seeing their parents as well. And, to round out the trip, I got to go to a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon! Justin Timberlake was the main guest and he stood about 5 feet from me. For real. And I'm not going to lie - I get starstruck. I'm pretty sure I looked like an idiot, with that wide "I'm near a celebrity" smile that I seem to get in photos. Here's the clip of the opener where Jimmy and Justin run up into the audience. Justin stops right near where I'm sitting! Eeks!

One more thing, if you haven't done so yet, head over to my facebook page and "like" me! Pretty please with sprinkles on top?

Okay, back to work!

Angelica: The Promise of Septembers

2011-10-25T13:41:00.000-04:00

Angelica Toumbas is only fifteen years old, but that hasn't stopped her from forging ahead and developing a career in music! She just released her debut album, Affirmations to the Enduring, which is available on iTunes and Amazon. She writes music, sings, and plays the piano. Take a listen. Besides singing along with the radio, I lack any musical talent whatsoever, so I find it pretty amazing that Angelica has been able to do this while simultaneously attending school and being a pretty awesome teenager. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph her. You can see some of my photos in the liner notes of her album as well as on her facebook page. These are some of my favorites from our session together!

Angelica, congratulations on all you've accomplished! So exciting!
Take a minute and check her out!

Jacqui and Jon: A New Beginning Starts Tonight

2011-10-18T08:58:00.000-04:00

Making my way through all of my awesome 2011 weddings! Jacqui and Jon celebrated their marriage back in June at the Nantasket Beach Resort. It was one of those lucky wedding days where we had just finished all the portraits outdoors when it started raining. Perfect timing! In between meeting Jacqui and Jon and their wedding, Jacqui moved to Los Angeles for work. That means we weren't able to schedule an engagement session before the wedding. So, when I walked in to the hotel the morning of the wedding, it was the first time I had seen Jacqui in about a year. But it didn't matter at all - everyone was so chill and just happy to be there. The wedding was just so beautiful and the rain held off just long enough. And, with DJ Pat Lally manning the music at the reception, you know everyone was out of their seats and dancing all night! It was such a fun wedding! These guests knew how to dance!

Before every wedding, Jon and his friends have a tradition of going for a swim in the ocean. The weather wasn't even consistently warm out yet and they were stripping down and running into the water! That was a wedding first for us!

My second shooter for the day was Emily Kearnan and some of her photos are sprinkled throughout this post. We had so much fun photographing this wedding! Jacqui & Jon, congratulations once again! Next time I'm in L.A., we're hanging out!

Holly and Pete: Like A Song of Love That Clings To Me

2011-10-13T09:16:00.002-04:00

Holly and Pete got married this past spring at The Bedford Village Inn in New Hampshire. They had an amazing early spring day to celebrate. When Doug and I met up with them for their engagement session, we knew their wedding would be special - the type of wedding that truly embraced what a wedding was all about - marriage. It did not disappoint! It was clear from the beginning that Holly and Pete's families were one of the most important parts of the day. Their nieces and nephews were involved in the ceremony, the tables were named after them, and they were a big part of the reception, dancing the night away! It was so easy for us to get caught up in the joy of the wedding - it's one of the things that makes photographing weddings so awesome! Instead of slideshows, we've got long-form blog posts! Enjoy all the photos!

Holly and Pete, thank you so much for inviting us to photograph your wedding, and for being so patient with this blog post! Congratulations!

Boston Family Photography: Chase All The Clouds From The Sky

2011-10-12T10:14:00.000-04:00

Look at what I'm working on! It reminds me of Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day...

Wedding Sneak Peek: Somewhere In Her Smile She Knows

2011-10-02T11:35:00.001-04:00

Another sneak peek post with awesome couples! Today's post title is inspired by the autobiography of Pattie Boyd which I finished reading yesterday! The song, of course, is "Something," written by George Harrison.

Kim & Steve, Topsfield Commons, Topsfield, MA, the day of Hurricane Irene

Alisha & Bill, Sturbridge Host, Sturbridge, MA

Thea & Matt, Camden Yacht Club, Camden, ME (quick sunset shot)

Maine Baby Photography: Such A Timeless Flight

2011-09-24T16:13:00.001-04:00

Meet Kate! She lives in Hawaii but made it all the way up to Maine for a vacation. Maine is just that awesome. I've known Kate's mom since the two of us were in seventh grade. We navigated the rough terrain of junior high together. In ninth grade, we had a semi-secret language and a favorite Albert Einstein quote. For her 16th birthday, we conquered the Belly Buster. We went to the movies together. We went to concerts together. Flash forward to now and she's got Kate, a perfect little one year old! I traveled up to Maine to photograph this little princess at one year old in one of the family's favorite places!

She loved sniffing all the flowers!

Concentrating.

I loved watching her expression as the waves would wash up and get her wet.

Gorgeous lashes and a pretty pout.

Mom & dad might be in trouble with this little one...

Happy birthday, Kate! I hope every year is as magical as the first!

Jenny and Thomas: I Found My Locker and I Found My Classes

2011-09-22T10:37:00.000-04:00

Jenny and Thomas in love.

Cape Cod Family Photography: Our Love Is Going Gold

2011-09-13T11:06:00.000-04:00

It all started 40 years ago with this happy couple...

I was thrilled to be invited down to the Cape to photograph this family! Of course, in the spirit of full disclosure, I've known them since I was five years old. Now they have grandchildren that are that age! How time flies!

The girls.

The boys.

The grandparents.

Everyone.

It was such a thrill to be a part of this special occasion! I love that photography gives me access to parties I wouldn't normally be invited to!

Boston Newborn Photography: Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You

2011-09-01T16:47:00.000-04:00

That's right - I just quoted a lyric from the song "Bad Boys."
Here's why:

This sweet little girl happens to be the daughter of a policeman (watch out future boyfriends!) and he wanted us to incorporate part of his uniform into her newborn photos. She was such a trooper (hahaha - pun not originally intended) as we wrapped her up in his shirt and balanced her in his hat.

And here we have her in a more girly outfit.

A friend of her mom's made this tutu specifically for her photo debut. I love how colorful it is!

Sound asleep in mama's arms!

Baby K's parents are wedding clients of mine from a few years ago, so it was an honor that they asked me to photograph their new baby. I love watching my clients' families grow!

Wedding Sneak Peeks: We Build It Up And Build It Up

2011-08-23T18:56:00.000-04:00

More sneak peeks for you! Every weekend is chock full o' awesome weddings.

Amy & George, Bryant Park Grill, NYC

(My lovely second shooter, Allana, helped set this photo up and I love it!)

Jenny & Thomas, Harbor Point, Cummaquid, MA

Karen & Yvan, Rye Harbor State Park, Rye, NH

Boston Baby Photography: That's Where I Saw This Cutie

2011-08-22T21:38:00.000-04:00

Every baby needs a rapper persona!

This is my new friend Baby M. He is one very lucky boy! Not only do his parents love him, but he is the first grandson in his family! Something tells me he's going to have them all wrapped around his little finger. It will be interesting to see what happens now that his Nonna can't buy all matching outfits for her grandchildren.

Yay for adorable babies! In between the weekend weddings, I've been photographing all sorts of babies, so keep an eye out for those posts! I know I've been a horrible blogger lately. I blame the editing. And the summer.

Boston Farm Photography: All At Once

2011-08-12T15:47:00.006-04:00

As part of the Boston Homegrown book project, I traveled around Massachusetts (and even Rhode Island) photographing farmers at work. I toured the farms, met the animals, and narrowly escaped death due to clumsiness every time (although I do have a nice scar from falling into barbed wire). You may remember me admitting my fears about photographing the animals back in this post. I worried that I would want to be a vegetarian, but quite the opposite happened. I am happy to report that the trend continued. Visiting each of these farms and learning about all the love and work and integrity that goes into the whole process was inspiring! I'm slowly joining the ranks of the locavore movement. Each of these farms are so fabulous. Many are affiliated with farmers' markets, some have their own stores on-site, and all of them are partnered with Boston-area restaurants. It doesn't take too much effort to enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Blackbird Farm, Smithfield, RI
Run by Ann Marie Bouthillette & her family
Ann Marie raises 100% Angus cattle on her farm and she is awesome! It was so fun mucking out to the cow pastures and getting to meet all the cows, calves, and even a bull. Fun cow fact: cows have the same gestational period as humans, 9 months.

I loved how close I was able to get to the animals. I was able to get right in there to photograph them. I'm pretty sure this one is smizing.

Blackbird Farm does have a farm stand you can visit. They also supplied 606 Congress with the beef heart I tried (and loved). Check out their site for other restaurants they're paired with!

Brambly Farms, Norfolk, MA
Run by Ted & Sandra O'Harte and family
Oh my goodness! Piglets galore at Brambly Farms! The piglets have the run of the land up until they're about 3 weeks old so you just see them bounding all over the place. In my vision for the day, I was totally going to be able to hold and cuddle piglets. Alas, they were a bit too skittish and not at all interested in me. Here's a fact I did learn - pigs don't have sweat glands, which is why they roll around in mud; they need to keep cool. They also have a gestation period of 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days. Easy to remember!

I love this guy's expression...

Another thing I learned about farm animals is that many of them are very similar to dogs. This boar loved being scratched between the ears!

Ted & Sandra & Erin & Tara were awesome tour guides! You can order their food straight through their farm, or find it at a restaurant like Tastings at Patriot Place in Foxboro!

Frizzell Hill Farm, Leyden, MA
Run by Lynette & Rob Snedeker
For a while, I had been hearing that I was gong to go photograph "the goat lady." Apparently, if you've been paying attention to the foodie news, goat meat is the new big thing. Lynette is way ahead of the game! By the time I left her farm, I was convinced I wanted a pet goat (of course, I also want a pet pig, too, but I can't get either until I have an actual yard). We had to keep rescheduling our session due to the bouts of rain we got throughout the spring/summer. She informed me that the goats don't like the rain and they won't be happy for photos. I chalked that up to some sort of farmer eccentricity. Until I saw a goat smile.

Yup. I'm pretty sure she's smiling. If I remember correctly, this is Teacup.

You can see the buck climbing up the hill.

A curious smiling goat.

Lynette has created a wonderful & peaceful environment for all these goats. She told me her motto is "Happy happy dead." It sounds silly when you say it, but it's pretty awesome. The goats live an anxiety-free lifestyle. They roam around, they're well taken care of, and Lynette loves every single one of them. The day I visited, there were two goats on the verge of giving birth. To be there would have been the coolest and oddest Boston Homegrown adventure, but, the stars weren't aligned. I can tell you the gestational period for a goat is 5 months (I learned all about farm animal gestational periods). If you're interested in tasting goat meat, Lynette works with Chef Michael Leviton of Lumiere in Newton.

Round the Bend Farm, Dartmouth, MA
Run by T & Elen Vieira
This was the only farm I visited that gave away 3 year olds with their meat! Ellis actually greeted me at the door and joined us on our tour of the farm. He had all sorts of things to tell me!

For instance, Ellis told me this guy is named Tom.

I think if all turkeys were as pretty as Tom, nobody would want to eat them! It would be like eating a rainbow! Apparently, T & Ellen feel the same way because Tom has become a mascot instead of a meal!

Piglets basking in the sun.

I thought the piglets I saw at Brambly Farms were itty bitty, but these were even younger. They even seemed ever-so-slightly unsteady on their feet still. Again, no cuddling (but jumping around with a 3 year old brought up the cute quotient).

When I walked over to one of the pig pens, the pigs rushed up to greet me. I'm pretty sure they were expecting food and not a camera.

I hate to disappoint such cute faces!

Round the Bend has a farm stand on site that you can visit. You can also taste some of their pork at Coppa in the South End!

Each of these farms participated in the Boston Homegrown project with the utmost enthusiasm, which isn't always easy in the busy season! All of the farmers were extremely helpful, friendly, and patient. Having the opportunity to meet all of these people is definitely one of the best things about this project!

I've been an adult for, oh, about a decade now, but I can still remember how adamant I was about some of my food opinions. I never thought my mind, or my tastes, would change. I never thought I'd like asparagus. I never thought I'd enjoy eating out. This project has truly opened my mind and every day I'm awakened to something new, something I never expected to like. It's been a wonderful gift, one I'm not sure I would have been ready for before this point. There are plenty of negative aspects to growing up, but finding some food flexibility definitely isn't one of them!

Wedding Sneak Peek: I Wanna Wake Up Where You Are

2011-08-04T13:48:00.000-04:00

I thought I should at least prove that I've been out photographing real weddings on the weekends! The blogging may be lacking, but I'm working hard to stay on top of all my sessions and the editing! Here are some images from my past few weddings...

Sam & Joe at Lake Quannapowitt.

Carly & Mike at Shining Tides.

Tiffany & Sean at The Candlewood Inn.

Boston Engagement Session: I Knew I'd Never Want to Leave

2011-08-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

Amy & Chris were super-understanding when I had to reschedule their engagement session due to me coming down with a bummer of a summer cold! So, when the skies looked threatening the day of their session, we powered through anyway! Amy & Chris chose to start their shoot at Fenway Park. We were only there a few minutes before the skies opened up! We ducked into Fenway, but sadly, security wouldn't let us hang out. Oh well. We chose the next best place to wait out the rain - a bar! As luck would have it, the rain lasted as long as nachos and a beer!

The great Fenway Park!

We made our way down to Columbus Park on the waterfront. It's a great little park with access to Fanueil Hall, the North End, and the Greenway.

Across the street is the Rose Kennedy Greenway, just one of the results of the Big Dig. It has one of those fountains where water shoots up from the ground. Just to make things interesting, there was steam, too!

A little film noir.

Amy & Chris. I had so much fun walking around Boston with you guys! There's a lot more fun to come between now and your wedding day!

Boston Family Photographer: We're Having a Heat Wave

2011-07-21T16:44:00.000-04:00

This little guy was such a pleasure to photograph! First of all, I think he knew a record number of words. Secondly, he could really throw a ball! He legitimately had a great arm! He's got a good future ahead of him in school and sports! Getting to hang out with my littlest clients at their homes is always so much fun. I got to see his car collection and his books and even some of his stuffed animals (a few of which ended up on my head).

Since we had such a beautiful day, we were able to go outside and play, too! There's something so joyful about swinging!

I hope everyone is keeping cool on this steamy day!

Meritage, Boston Food Photography: And As You Feel It, You'll Know It's True

2011-07-17T19:49:00.001-04:00

Stick a fork in me; I'm done!

This is a photo from my last Boston Homegrown session, with Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Pretty amazing, right? After I finished photographing this strawberry shortcake, I got to eat it. Why not photograph that, too? My half-eaten dessert is still pretty photogenic!

After more than a year of photography and thousands of miles of driving, all principal photography for the Boston Homegrown book project is completed! And by completed, I mean that it's been taken, edited, and mailed off to the publisher!! It has been such a huge part of my life this entire time - the ending is sort of bittersweet. I'm happy to reclaim my days, but sad that I'll no longer be getting to meet and hang out with all the chefs, farmers, fishermen, and cheesemakers. I now have a very long list of restaurants to try and people to buy fresh foods from. My evolution from picky eater to less picky foodie has been pretty radical! I can't thank all the participants enough for being so wonderful to work with and for sharing all their knowledge and their passion. It's contagious! I plan on spreading the word...

Wedding Sneak Peeks: And Grabs Right Hold Of Your Heart

2011-07-11T17:02:00.001-04:00

Some sneak peeks from a couple of my recent weddings!

My & Tony

Erin & Kevin

Things have been crazy around here - houseguests, bbqs, weddings, and everything else! I'm in the home stretch of the Boston Homegrown project. If all goes well, tomorrow is my last day of shooting! Then life will go back to normal, or whatever "normal" is!

Rob and Hannah: I'm Gonna Love You Forever and Ever, Part Three

2011-07-08T15:32:00.000-04:00

Part three, the reception!
This year I've photographed weddings at some pretty kickass venues with some pretty kickass Boston views, and I think it's safe to say that we can add the Omni Parker House to that list! Here are a few fun facts about the hotel... JFK proposed to Jackie there. The Boston Cream Pie was invented there. And Ho Chi Minh was a pastry chef at the hotel. I learned all those fun facts from a chocolate tour of Boston. Yeah, that's right. I do cool things like tour the city in a trolley eating chocolate.

Back to the wedding photos! Here's one of the city views from the hotel.

First dance kiss.

Hannah dancing with one of her grandmothers! The look on her face is priceless! She is having so much fun!

The groom and his dad dancing to "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce.

The end of the night! My 2nd shooter Kristin grabbed this on our way out.

Rob & Hannah, your wedding was amazing! I hope you enjoyed your epic blog posts!

Rob and Hannah: I'm Gonna Love You Forever and Ever, Part Two

2011-07-06T15:21:00.000-04:00

I'm back for Part Two of Rob & Hannah's wedding. After we finished the family portraits, we had some time before the ceremony, which was great! Everyone got to hang out and relax a little before they had to walk down the aisle!

And the veil goes on!

I had to include a photo of Hannah's grandmothers. These women were absolute marvels! I mean it. One of them walked into the room and looked around at everyone and said, "Everyone looks splendiferous!" She really used that word! It made my night! And they did not shy away from the dance floor! It was such an honor to be able to photograph them out there dancing with their grandchildren. Those photos are the reason I'm a photographer.

The ceremony.

It doesn't matter that they had already seen each other that day - Rob still beamed when he saw Hannah walking down that aisle!

Ring exchange.

The kiss.

Rob breaks the glass.

Hannah and Rob organized their wedding day timeline so that we were also able to grab some photos of just the two of them after the ceremony. We didn't eat up too much of their cocktail hour time, but it allowed us to grab some fun, cinematic portraits of them in the lobby of the Omni Parker House.

It felt like we were on the set of a movie! A classic black & white movie. Something starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. A little lighting, a cool elevator door, some dark wood, a gorgeous bride, a handsome groom, and voila! Magic! Next time on Meg's blog - part three, the reception! Stay tuned!

Rob and Hannah: I'm Gonna Love You Forever and Ever, Part One

2011-07-03T11:06:00.000-04:00

Hannah and Rob got married on April 2nd at the Omni Parker House Hotel in downtown Boston. It's taken me a while to blog their images because I'm having technical glitches with my slideshows. So, instead, I'm just going to post a boatload of photos from their gorgeous wedding! And, man oh man, was it beautiful! And better than being beautiful, it was so much fun! Even the grandmothers rocked the night away!

The dress and the shoes!

The smiling bride. Doesn't she take your breath away?? Wait until you see Rob's expression when he sees her for the first time!

The handsome groom!

Hannah and Rob wanted to do most of their portraits before the ceremony, so we arranged for them to have a First Look on the grounds of Boston's Old City Hall. I don't think this moment between Hannah and Rob would have happened during the ceremony! This photo was captured by my second shooter, Kristin. Awesome, right?

Swish, swish. Hannah embodied all the grace of a classic bride. So elegant. This is another image from Kristin.

Rob and Hannah assembled a cracker-jack team of bridesmaids and groomsmen who braved the chilly early April winds so we could get some group photos outside!

Talk about gentlemen! Sometimes the best photos aren't really posed all fancy.

Once we had had enough of the wind, we moved inside for portraits! Hannah and Rob are naturals!

We took a photo like this at their engagement session and it was one of their favorites so they wanted to replicate it on their wedding day!

I think this is enough photos for today! I'll post more from Rob and Hannah's wedding later! They're too fabulous to be languishing in folders on my drives. In the meantime, everybody have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

My & Tony: 'Cause We Gon' Rock This Club

2011-06-26T00:04:00.000-04:00

Before I turn in for the night, I wanted to share a ring shot from today's wedding...

My & Tony's reception was held at Chau Chow in Dorchester. One of the 11 courses we were served for dinner was lobster.

Parson's Table: 'Round My Hometown

2011-06-17T09:04:00.001-04:00

I thought it was time to post a few more food photos! These were taken at Parson's Table in Winchester. Chris Parsons is the owner, head chef, and overall cool guy bringing good food to the 'burbs! He used to run the seafood restaurant "Catch" in the same location and in all my years of living in Winchester, I never went. That's because all that was before I started experimenting with seafood! Anyway, Parson's Table is great! I even photographed a wedding there a few months ago! So, without further ado...

Awesome colors! This is Lane's Lobster Salad With Charred Ward's Farm Corn and Heirloom Tomatoes.

Best looking tomato ever!

And this is Smoked Tomato Gazpacho with Lane's Lobster, Avocado, and Cilantro. Doesn't it all look so good?

Boston Wedding Photography: I Hear It's Nice In The Summer

2011-06-15T11:14:00.000-04:00

This is the view of Boston from the rooftop of The Taj at the corner of Arlington & Newbury Streets. Gorgeous, right? This is the kind of photo I take at a wedding and I can't wait to get a giant print of it for myself!

Navy Yard Engagement Session: Sway To The Rhythm of Love

2011-06-10T10:24:00.001-04:00

It seems like every couple weeks my mother is asking me for more business cards. I have no idea who she's giving them to or where she's leaving them, but there it is. She's like a one-woman PR army. And every once in a while, it pays off! Last fall, my dad was in the hospital for, literally, one night. His nurse was super sweet and engaged. Business card, business card, business card. "My daughter is a photographer" etc. Well, sure enough, I get an email from the nurse and we meet up, have breakfast at Sound Bites, and she's awesome! And that is how I met Carly!

Carly and Mike are having their wedding on the South Shore, so they decided to do their engagement session closer to the city. We hit up the Charlestown Navy Yard on a gorgeous evening a couple of weeks ago. We couldn't have asked for a nicer night!

I couldn't resist grabbing a photo of the USS Constitution.

Just warming up and already they're adorable!

A little fun in the sun. Carly and Mike laughed throughout their entire session. It was so much fun to just hang around with them!

Carly & Mike, your wedding is going to rock! Thanks for going on an adventure with me & Tess - we had a blast!

The Time Has Come For Closing Books

2011-06-06T19:41:00.000-04:00

In case you were wondering what I was up to this past week, I was celebrating my sister's graduation from high school! She had her prom and then her actual graduation ceremony. Honestly, it's pretty amazing how fast time has flown. I was halfway through high school when she was born. Now we're all old! People have been harassing me about sharing some of these photos, but I'm horrible at posting photos on FB, so I thought maybe I'd put a couple here! And yes, my family is wicked awesome!

Gorgeous Tessa & her friend, Haley, pre-prom.

Classic Tessa face!

The 2011 Graduate!

The graduate with her siblings!

The proud parents!

Tess, we are all so proud of you! Congratulations on surviving high school!

Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds: Wanted To Be A Farmer All Year Round

2011-05-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

Pete and Jen are two of the coolest people ever. I photographed them this past fall for the Boston Homegrown project and they were so patient with all my questions. We shared a mutual enthusiasm for what we were each doing and it made my time at their farm so wonderful! Pete and Jen run the aptly named Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds in Concord. Don't be fooled by the name though; they also have pigs and rabbits on their farm.

If you've been following along with my Boston Homegrown project, you know that I've been photographing chefs/restaurants that focus on locally sourced ingredients for their dishes. I've had the honor to photograph the farmers/suppliers as well, which has meant fisherman, veggie farmers, and animal farmers. That being said, I knew when I went to visit Pete & Jen that the animals I would meet were going to end up as food. As someone who shops most often at the grocery store, there's always a disconnect between the food I buy and where it comes from. This project is definitely changing that for me, but that's a different topic altogether. Going into this shoot, I wasn't sure if visiting this farm was going to turn me into a vegetarian. Let me be clear on this point: it did the opposite! It was eye-opening to see how well these animals were treated and how much Pete and Jen loved them and loved what they do. The idea that I could benefit from that made me feel a lot better about eating meat (to be specific, meat that can be traced back to a farm, etc). Honestly, it was a revelation.

Here's the thing, price is a deterrent. I get that, the farmers get that. We live in a world of convenience - making a trip to a farm for your veggies/meat is not as easy as going to the chain grocery stores. I am also a slave to this lifestyle, but I'm trying to break free. People like Pete & Jen who take the time out to educate are the people helping me to change my habits, and thus, my lifestyle. When I asked them about price, Pete said something to me that I have been repeating for the past eight months. He said, "The question shouldn't be why our chicken is more expensive, but why is theirs so cheap?" Uhm, hello? It was the simplest thing, but I hadn't ever thought of it. Spending a couple of hours on the farm with them, I saw just a fraction of the amount of physical labor that went into caring for these animals. I saw them feed the chickens, play with the pigs, and cuddle the rabbits. Why is this not the norm? If all this work goes into caring for healthy animals that then provide us with healthy meat, what on earth is happening to the chicken that only costs $8? Think about it.

Enough of that - here are some photos from my trip to Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds:

Bunnies.

Nutmeg.

Friendly piggies. The pigs were like 230 lb puppies! They would come up to me and nuzzle at my knees and try to chew my shoelaces and they'd follow you around. It was so much fun hanging out with them!

Wolfgang. This guy is definitely the BMOC (Big Man on Campus).

Pete and Jen with the egg laying chickens! One of the things that I learned was that the layers are entirely different chickens from the meat chickens. Now I get to pass that information on to you!

I can't thank Pete & Jen enough for spending their time with me and teaching me all about what they do. I encourage everyone to look into their farm. They have a mini-store in Concord where you can purchase eggs and all kinds of meat, too. I can't say enough wonderful things about my experience with Pete and Jen!

My and Tony, New Hampshire Engagement Session: Now The Parking Lot is Empty

2011-05-19T15:31:00.001-04:00

We ventured out on the early side of the day, but My & Tony assured me they were morning people! The same can't be said for the rest of Hampton Beach, NH! We pretty much had the entire area to ourselves for the majority of their engagement session. Of course, since it was so early, not much was open. That could have also been because it was a little too early in the season, too. We got to play on the beach and explore the main street. I loved all the great backgrounds we found for their photos!

On the beach!

Sometimes it's fun to shoot through things, like trash cans!

Color, color, color! Also, Funarama?? Does it get any better than that?

Love!

This was already written in the parking lot when we walked by! Perfect!

Hanging out with my brides & grooms is always so much fun! I love getting to know them in person. Always a good idea! So what if it means you take a break in the middle of your session to talk about The Amazing Race?! My & Tony, I can't wait for your wedding next month!

Boston Food Photograhy: I'll Meet You Anytime You Want

2011-05-11T12:09:00.000-04:00

As part of the Boston Homegrown project I'm working on, I had the pleasure of photographing Chef Chuck Draghi of Erbaluce, an amazing Italian restaurant located in Boston's Bay Village, tucked behind the theater district. Chef Draghi was pretty phenomenal and so much fun to work with! He prepared two dishes for me to photograph. One was an awesome salad that involved taleggio cheese and japanese mushrooms scorched with a blow torch. I could have eaten two of that salad! It was so delicious. The photos in today's post, however, come from the second dish which introduced me to my new favorite vegetable - romanesco broccoli.

To me it just seemed so magically serpentine and beautiful! It looked like something you would find at the bottom of the ocean and not on your dinner plate.

This is the finished dish:

Everything about this dish was delicious! The only thing that kept me from devouring all of it is that Chef Draghi told me that this serving was family-sized. Since I had already eaten the entire salad, I didn't want to appear too gluttonous! I can't wait to get back to Erbaluce to try more dishes off the menu! The wonderful thing about getting to meet all these chefs is that I feel more adventurous when ordering. So many restaurants to eat at, so little time!

Boston Newborn Photography: Feed Them On Your Dreams

2011-05-03T15:39:00.001-04:00

You met Baby H a couple of weeks ago when I posted photos from her mini-session in the hospital. These photos are from her first official photo session! Newborn photos are so much fun for me. Since I do a lot of my family sessions, and engagement sessions, on location, they are one of the only opportunities I have to hang out at my clients' homes. I love seeing the baby's room and incorporating it into the sessions - all the little details the parents work so hard to choose I get to see and photograph.

Baby H is surrounded by color in her room! What an inspiring room to grow up in!

(she's not feeling so inspired now, but she pulls it together, don't worry)

In Daddy's arms. She was wearing a giant tutu-like skirt and her teeny feet just peeked out the bottom.

I'm convinced that Baby H and I have a real bond. We're connecting.

I love baby close-ups!

Who me? There were plenty of adorable photos of Baby H tucked in her dresser drawer, but I just loved her expression in this one!

With Mom & Dad. I heard this somewhere and, I know it's cheesy, but one of the best things parents can do for their children is to love each other and this mom & dad will have no problem doing that! They have so much fun together and are so in love with their new baby!

Thank you, Baby H, for being such a great supermodel! I will be back to visit soon!

Allison and Russ: The Constellations Above Us Slowly Change

2011-04-26T11:37:00.000-04:00

Allison & Russ' wedding was about so much more than the two of them marrying; it was about family. They stood at the center of two families coming together. I love watching how couples incorporate children into wedding ceremonies and Allison and Russ included their children in so much of it, everything from "flower boys" to ring bearers to walking the bride in to the unity sand to a special vows portion. So much love! After the ceremony, everyone made their way over to Parsons Table in Winchester Center for an intimate reception dinner. As an aside, Parsons Table is awesome. I photographed them for the Boston Homegrown book project, so it was great going back and seeing the restaurant in a whole new light!

These pins belong to each of Allison & Russ' boys. During the ceremony, Russ said "vows" to (and about) each of the little boys and pinned these on their lapels. It was so sweet and the boys were so proud of their pins!

The rings.

The groom assembling the "ring ribbon" for the ring bearer to carry. Russ' grandfather is peeking in over his shoulder.

We were able to sneak outside to grab some portraits before the ceremony began.

Love personified.

The ceremony was pretty magical. Not a dry eye in the place!
The first kiss.

The beautiful bride.

A beautiful speech to welcome everyone to the reception.

Allison surprised everyone by inviting Chuck Costa to sing a song at the reception. He's an amazing singer, based in Connecticut, who Allison had seen perform and she was drawn to his song "Amazing Grace." It became "their song" and it was pretty awesome to see Chuck perform it in such an intimate setting. Fun fact: Chuck is the official state troubadour of Connecticut!

Cake cutting!

Good night!

This was such a special day for everyone involved! To see more from Allison & Russ' wedding day, take a look at their slideshow. Chuck Costa graciously gave me permission to use his song as the soundtrack, so not only do you get to see beautiful photos, but you get to hear his beautiful song!

Allison, Russ, and all three boys - thank you for welcoming us into your house on your wedding day! Your happiness radiated.

Karen and Joe: I Live My Life To Be With You

2011-04-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

Karen & Joe got married in March, on a beautiful early spring day! The snow was gone, the sun was out, it was perfect. Their ceremony was held at The United Church of Christ in Burlington. It was such a beautiful church! Their reception was held at Gibbet Hill in Groton. I was so happy we had good weather - Gibbet Hill is gorgeous! Karen & Joe are the kind of people you want to hang out with all day. Their wedding was so much fun to photograph! They welcomed us and made Doug, Emily, and I feel like we were part of the gang. I'm pretty sure that we're inviting some of them to our hypothetical wedding. They knew how to have a party! Here are some photos from the day...

The wedding dress.

The bride.

The ceremony.

Husband & wife! Doug got this awesome photo of Karen & Joe walking back down the aisle. I had him stationed up in a little room that overlooked the ceremony. After the wedding, the church lady asked, "So, how did it go up there?" I replied, "I think it went great!" Then she said, "Well, he didn't fall through, so..." Uhm... Was that a possibility? Look at that - Doug risks his life to get this shot.

On her way out.

Eventually, you're going to have wedding parties climb on stuff.

Yellow wellies!

Karen & Joe braved the wind to do a few more photos with me outside.

I love Gibbet Hill and this little arrangement when you walk in the door is just one of the reasons why. Karen is a teacher, so the chalkboard message is particularly fitting!

The groom getting down.

The groom's grandfather getting down.

Karen and Joe had an amazingly fun wedding! There is, of course, a slideshow to go with this post. Check it out!

Boston Newborn Photography: With A Sweet Dream in Your Head

2011-04-18T14:01:00.000-04:00

Watching my childhood friends become moms is a pretty amazing experience. I think as photographers, we're trained to be observant, and it's so nice to sit back and watch people fall in love, with each other and with their new babies. Every once in a while, I get to sneak in to the hospital and photograph these babies as real newborns! Baby H was less than 36 hours old when I photographed her for the first time.

Little pouty newborn face.

She knows what a lucky baby she is!

A week or so later, Baby H had her first real photo session. She made an excellent model! I'll share those with you as soon as I can!

My Love Will Be Your Food

2011-04-05T13:20:00.000-04:00

The past couple of weekends, I have photographed some pretty kickass weddings. Amazing venues, amazing dresses, amazing flowers, but most importantly, amazing couples celebrating their amazing love. Add that all up and it equals a million photos! So, as a little sneak peek, here are a few kissing photos!

Karen & Joe:

Allison & Russ:

Hannah & Rob:

I am so excited to work my way through all of these photos! I've got a Boston Homegrown deadline looming on the horizon, so once that's taken care of, I can double my wedding editing efforts!

Your Portrait Fills the Sky

2011-03-31T18:24:00.000-04:00

I photographed babies M & M when they were only nine days old! There was Little Girl M and Little Boy M. Plus, big sister A! Talk about a house full of love! So many people to hug and cuddle.

Twins!

Little Boy M looks so serene in this photo. He's just checking me out and ignoring his sister.

Four itty bitty feet!

Don't eat your sister!

That's better! I love this close-up of these two precious babies.

In mom's arms.

Big Sister A wasn't sure what was happening when we tried to squeeze her into a photo with the new babies. She's all, "What's going on? Who are you? Why are you squawking?" I love the curiosity!

It was so wonderful to see this family settling in together. When I photograph newborns, they're so little - everything is brand new both for them and their families! Mom and Dad, thanks for having me over and inviting me to photograph all three of your babies! They are beautiful!

I Seem To Lean on Old Familiar Ways

2011-03-29T15:06:00.001-04:00

My father informed me today that it had been a while since I posted anything, so I thought it was about time to share this adventure with you. If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you probably read an abbreviated account. If you've bumped into me in the past couple of weeks, you probably joyfully listened as I regaled you with a tale of the sea, the same tale I am going to share now.

A few weeks ago, I headed down to Scituate to meet up with Adam & Larry of Snappy Lobster for my Boston Homegrown project. It was a tad chilly out, but we braved the wind and cruised out to their "lobster landing." Just three intrepid sailors. They showed me their catch - lobsters, scallops, and whelks (whelks are snails). After I finished photographing them, Adam and Larry generously gave me two scallops and some whelks to take home (I could have sworn they gave me 4 whelks, but when I got home there were only 3...). I vowed that I would cook these things for dinner! Up to that point, I had never cooked anything from the sea in my life (I once made a ceviche, but there's no actual cooking involved in that), but I felt like this was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up. All I had to do was make them edible and I could feel like I had done something wonderful and totally out of my comfort zone. That was it, I was hooked - these creatures from the sea had met their match!

On the way home, I called my cousin Leigh, my Boston Homegrown collaborator and my culinary phone-a-friend. She assured me the sea creatures would last until the next day - keep them in the fridge on ice. In order to transport them home, I had secured them in the plastic container thingy that new sheets come in - you know, the one that zippers on three sides? So when I got home, I put these living things in a shallow baking pan filled with ice and then set them aside in the fridge. I couldn't help but poke and prod them occasionally to make sure everyone was still alive. I started to think, "Maybe they should just be pets?" When Doug got home, I proudly showed him our dinner. He loves his seafood. Somehow, he met this challenge much less enthusiastically than I expected. He wanted nothing to do with living things in the refrigerator. I was on my own. Sort of. (I promise there are photos coming up.)

This is my Auntie Joannie:

And yes, she is totally as fun as she looks. Owing to her culinary curiosity, she decided she would stop by to see if the scallop shells were as big as I told her they were (about 8" diameter). I told her if she was going to stop by, she was going to help me shuck them. Sure enough, she showed up with an iced coffee and two pairs of latex gloves so we could set to work!

This is what we were starting with:

This is a close-up. See, the scallop is smiling!

In order to do this correctly, I turned to the only accurate information source I could, the internet. We read about how to open the scallops and then snapped on our latex gloves! Essentially, you have to take a knife and convince the scallop to let you slide it into the shell (I used a soft coaxing voice - it seemed to work). Then you need to scrape across the bottom of the shell. When you feel a release of pressure, like you could open the shell up, you know the scallop is dead. Then you open up the shell and essentially get rid of all the other gunk (also known as vital organs) and you're left with what actually looks like the scallop you'd get at a restaurant. Auntie Joannie went first. Then it was my turn. I got the angry scallop, the one that played dead and then snapped at us when we tried to open the shell. Awesome. I'm not going to lie - killing this thing was a little traumatic. Sure, I kill bugs when it's warranted, but they're so little - very rarely do you physically feel the effects of killing them. This was a little different. I actually took a knife to this thing and then felt the life go out of it. I am certainly no vegetarian, but I had never even boiled my own lobster (remember how I don't eat or cook things from the sea?). A strange experience, to be sure. But here are the results:

Just like a restaurant! And see how I artfully placed them on their own shell? Brilliant!

If I were writing a play, this is where the stage directions would say, "Auntie Joannie Exits Left." She deserted me to take care of the whelks by myself.

They were even more bizarre than the scallops. I found a You Tube video that showed a guy cleaning one and I tried to follow that, pausing and playing while I completed the action on my end. Twirling that body out of that shell was beyond bizarre. Doug was home from work by this time and he couldn't quite understand why I needed to bother. For me, I needed to finish this project. I couldn't let the whelks win! This article may have helped me in my quest to cook the whelks correctly, but I was unfortunately on my own. I wouldn't say I destroyed them exactly, but I didn't do them any favors. Which is why this is not a photo of cooked whelks:

These are the delicious scallops! I had never eaten scallops before, so I had half of one and Doug enjoyed the rest. The whelks were not a big hit. I pretty much forced Doug to try one. All I asked for was a nibble. So that's what we did - we each tried a little bite. It was not the yummiest thing, but I suppose it could have been worse!

So that's pretty much it - The Great Scallop Adventure of 2011! It was so awesome! It was something I had never ever done and I did it! It felt so good. I am not a food blogger - I just blog about the food I photograph - so this doesn't really do the experience justice. I probably should have taken photos of the gross insides, but I was too busy just experiencing it all! Thank you, Adam & Larry! Not only were you super fun to hang out with, but you supplied me with a pretty amazing (and hilarious) story!

All Caught Up in the Reverie

2011-03-17T09:37:00.000-04:00

It took a while to find a decent day, but Hannah & Rob finally got their engagement session! They chose the Charlestown Navy Yard for their location and it was perfect. Green space, brick space, water space, and the city skyline. Not too shabby.

One of my favorites!

I love the quiet moments. I know you can't see Hannah's face, but the (e)motion is what's important.

Hannah & Rob were total naturals! I actually turned around to find them "posed" like this on their own!

Another take on that same "pose." Love.

And last but not least...

Doug and I had been up traveling since 2a, so thank you to Hannah & Rob for putting up with our delirium! We had an awesome time and I can't wait for their April wedding!

Let All the Dreamers Wake the Nation

2011-03-15T11:55:00.000-04:00

I went to do a corporate headshot session today and look what I found waiting for me!

Baby E is just two weeks old today and she was in the office with mommy. I couldn't resist snagging a couple of photos of her. This is how the conversation went:
Me: "Can I photocopy your baby?"
Mom: Blank stare. "Huh?"
Me: "I'm not going to press the button."

Luckily I know some pretty cool moms. And with that, Baby E entered the workforce! In duplicate.

We Are All Born Superstars

2011-03-14T12:07:00.000-04:00

Oh, you want to use that brick wall as a background? And that means we have to perch your newborn baby on the back of the couch? I'm in!

I love how small newborns look when they're held in big hands!

Beautiful little girl.

First family portrait.

I first photographed A & F this past November for their maternity photos and was thrilled when I got the email celebrating their new daughter's arrival. We did this session when Little Z was just under 2 weeks old (my favorite time for newborn sessions). I love spending time with families when they are still basking in the glow of this new little light in their lives. A & F, thank you for inviting me into your home during such an exciting (and sleep-deprived) time!

Here's Your Miracle

2011-03-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a girl who didn't eat fish. Then one day, she discovered the haddock at Coda in Boston's South End. This girl went from having a polite bite to eating the entire dish!

Chef Charlie Redd converted me with this delicious food. This was the first time I ate haddock and probably the first time I ate this much fish in one sitting. I couldn't stop. It was served with a butternut squash puree and farro salad and every bit tasted as good as the last. His restaurant, Coda, is this great little place on Columbus in the South End. It's open for lunch and dinner and it's definitely worth stopping in! I was there while they were open and the staff knew everyone in the place by name. It just seemed like one of those places where you could become a "regular." They are participating in the Boston Homegrown book project which also means that whenever possible, they're using locally sourced food. Yum!

I had to save most of them for the book, but here are a couple of my favorite photos from our session.

As a total aside, my good friend Anne of Cozy Noggin is offering my friends a 25% off coupon to use at her etsy store. You can use the coupon code MBPHOTO25. Happy shopping!

And if you haven't taken a minute to do this yet, check out my Facebook business page and "like" it! Thanks!

Two Branches of One Tree

2011-03-08T17:32:00.000-05:00

These are some more of my second shooter images. They're from a winter wedding I photographed with Kristin Chalmers Photography. As a second shooter, you have to be particularly good with people. Unlike the primary photographer, who has most likely spoken to the bride & groom multiple times before the wedding, the second shooter is meeting everyone for the first time on the wedding day. Lucky for me, Colleen and Mark could not have been nicer or more welcoming! Kristin and I had a wonderful day photographing their wedding. Everything took place at The Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, MA. It is a GORGEOUS venue, with a million and one options for winter weddings. In New England, it's nice to know you can still have a beautiful and romantic wedding even when it's 10 degrees outside! So, without further ado, here are some of my favorites from this beautiful day.

The bride getting ready.

The bride's father getting ready.

A flash of color.

Rings! I couldn't decide which photo to post, so I'm including two!

I got to explore the balcony area during the ceremony and I loved the vantage point it gave me! This is my view of the first kiss.

The gorgeous centerpieces!

When Kristin and I saw this bathroom in the bridal suite, we knew we'd have to come back here to do portraits! To me, it just had this crazy Alice In Wonderland feel to it. I loved the wallpaper and the shape of the tub! Colleen and Mark were such good sports about hanging out in the bathroom for portraits!

The first dance, again from the balcony. Look at how Colleen is looking at Mark - totally and utterly and hopelessly happy and in love!

I love the room - so beautiful for a winter wedding!

It was such an honor to be part of this wedding! It's hard to believe that the 2011 wedding season is officially kicking off in just a couple of weeks! Then it's just go go go!

So High, You Got Me Movin'

2011-03-01T16:44:00.001-05:00

When I met Kim Marden, he was wearing a Dave Mason concert t-shirt and I knew we would get along! He runs Captain Marden's Seafoods. I got to visit their wholesale facility where they prepare all the fresh fish before they get sent to the different restaurants. They also have a restaurant & shop in Wellesley. The fish looks pretty good...

I loved the look of this little guy - bright orange on the white ice!

I love the jewel-like quality of this fish, especially with the ice.

Here's his face:

And another photo of a lobster about to eat my face off...

Every morning, Steve from Capt. Marden's heads up to Gloucester to the fish auction. I saw a million little fish in this building and they never stay longer than a day! I had such a fun day. I definitely had to wipe some fish slime off my camera lens and I even got to wear a hairnet thing!
See:

While the Ocean Blooms

2011-03-01T15:32:00.000-05:00

I had a vision.
Nature had other plans.
Sarah's maternity session was supposed to be outside in the woods, but the day of our session was wicked windy and Sarah was battling a cold, and there was no way I was forcing anyone to leave the warm house! So, what do we do? Make the best of the inside! I knew Sarah & Derek had a cool bedroom with a skylight, so we could shoot in there (although we almost missed the light because we talked so long), and the baby's room was just about done, so we could use that. Perfect! Some of these photos are a little more stylized than I usually shoot, but I was enjoying playing with the light. I used a grid on my flash to give it that vignette feel. To me, some of them look like American Apparel ads or something. What do you think?

We started in the kitchen where they have a super cool chalkboard wall (it was literally just wider than Sarah - we had to shoot nice and tight!).

The aforementioned bedroom, skylight, and gridded flash.

Backlighting! The only light in this photo comes from the skylight. I love the way it just outlines them.

Total cuteness!

The baby's room has stripes on the walls. Awesome! Add a little direct flash and, voila!

Belly mugshot.

The baby's room has this awesome tree decal on the wall.
Here's a wistful, stylized photo...

Do you remember the end scene in the movie "Notting Hill" where Julia Roberts is in the park, lying on Hugh Grant's lap, and she's pregnant? That sort of acted as my inspiration for this shot.

Sarah & Derek were such amazing sports throughout this whole session! I LOVE the images we got from our afternoon together. I can't wait to meet their cute little baby! Not too long now...

Live from The Oscars in My Living Room

2011-02-27T18:02:00.090-05:00

It's Oscar night! I usually don't blog the red carpet, but I thought maybe I would do it off & on while I sit here with my glass of wine. Doug is in the kitchen preparing the food, which I can't wait to munch on. As my wise friend Luke said, "This is your superbowl, buddy!"

RED CARPET
Jennifer Lawrence is the first to arrive. I haven't seen all of her dress yet, but it looks pretty and age appropriate. Am I going to eat my words?

Kelly Osborne has a wacky Bride of Frankenstein hair-do and her lipstick is suddenly rather purple. It was much more subtle in the pre-pre-show.

Melissa Leo looks great. This dress is much better than the one she wore at the Independent Spirit Awards. People are definitely starting to arrive. Are the people on the red carpet aware of commercial breaks? It's weird that they have to adjust their red carpet schedule so they can talk to people on camera. I guess it's all about promoting yourself, though. No screen time, no movie/TV show/designer plug.

While Ryan is interviewing James Franco & Anne Hathaway, let's talk about them... Are you looking forward to this hosting team or dreading it? I'm inclined to say James Franco is a loose canon and I'm a fan of that, especially at the Oscars!

Do my eyes deceive me or was that Daphne Zuniga??

In case you're wondering what I'm wearing for the Oscars, I've got on a clearance sweatshirt dress thing from Macy's that my mom bought for herself and then handed down to me. I'm guessing I look like my grandmother in one of her housedresses, but I'm comfortable. And I'm wearing leggings. And slippers. It's hot. Or a hot mess.

Hailee Steinfeld - adorable, age appropriate, oddly well-spoken. She would be good on Dawson's Creek or Gilmore Girls. I actually really enjoyed True Grit. I happen to enjoy Westerns (I guess I owe that to my dad and grandmother), but I think it crosses genres. She helped design her Marchesa gown?! Awesome!

I think Michelle Williams took Busy Phillips as her Oscar date. If you don't watch Cougar Town, it's so funny and Busy Phillips is a riot!

Okay, it looks a little less "wardrobe malfunction" than I previously thought. Mila Kunis will probably stay in her dress tonight. Sorry, everyone!

I actually enjoy Mandy Moore. Tangled was wicked cute. And she's surprisingly tall. Russell Brand brought his mom. Adorable.

Michelle Williams' dress is beautiful! It makes her look tall and I don't think she is. I have come to the conclusion that it's so much easier for tall people to look sophisticated than for short people. Actresses may be the exception, but that might be because everyone is tailoring their clothes for them.

MIchelle Williams is wearing Chanel. Not being super fashiony myself, there are definitely designers whose clothes I consistently like. Oh, to be able to afford Chanel! Also, interesting that Busy Phillips stayed in the background there. Unless I'm wrong and it's not her. But I think it is.

To anonymous who commented that I'm out of my mind, indeed I am! At least on Oscar night! I like to pretend that people are actually reading this while they're watching. My imaginary adoring fans!

Zachary Levi! I love Chuck! He's going to be singing at the Oscars? Awesome! That'll make the musical numbers more interesting.

I love Amy Adams' dress. SO far, no one has stuck out as bad. Maybe Jennifer Hudson. I'll have to see her up close. And I guess I wouldn't say it was bad, just my least favorite.

Every time I see someone with a pixie cut, I get so jealous! I wish I could wear my hair that way! But my hair is curly and my face is too fat.

Do we dare talk about the J. Lo Venus razor commercial? Weird thing to be a spokesperson for. I actually just watched El Cantante the other day. She was pretty good. And although I am pretty sure Marc Anthony is just a walking skeleton, he wasn't nearly as repulsive as I thought he might be. I literally expected to have to turn the movie off because he freaks me out, but he wasn't bad. And that's pretty amazing praise coming from me! At least about him.

Mandy Moore's dress is Monique Lhullier - no wonder I like it! She's one of my favorite wedding/Oscar dress designers!

Mark Ruffalo is with someone named Sunrise. I don't think I need to say anything more.

Here's my first controversial statement of the evening - I really dislike Jesse Eisenberg. He seems like a jerk. That's not to say he isn't a good actor, but he seems cocky. He talks about not owning a tv, etc, but frankly, if you're an actor, you SHOULD own a tv. If I was an animal trainer, you would want me to actually study animals, right?

Geoffrey Rush was amazing in The King's Speech! I want to say that was my favorite movie of the year. Honestly. SO surprisingly compelling!

I think Cate Blanchett is having a puppet show where her chest should be! She's wearing a dress and there's a curtainy thing going on at her torso. Hm. I'll need to see it again before I cement my decision.

Jennifer Hudson looks gorgeous! I mean, in general. Her dress is nicer closer up than it looked when I saw the wide shot. I'm not wowed, but it's pretty.

Giuliana & Kelly are saying that they love Cate Blanchett's dress. What do you guys think? I'm just not sure. It looks so rigid around the outside and then pleated. Hm. Thoughts?

Jeremy Renner. Now all I can think about is the gossip about Christina Aguilera crashing his birthday party, getting trashed, and passing out in his bed.

Ooh. I like Scarlett Johannsen's look. I may have spelled that incorrectly. My bad. I like her casual hair.

I'm in trouble - we've got another hour of the red carpet and I've already written this much. Ridiculous. Oh well. Hopefully you'll all stick with me. Hopefully I'm saying what you're thinking. Or, feel free to chime in if you disagree!

Somebody needs to fix Helena Bonham Carter's bangs! We saw her in England and she looked wacky. I know that's her schtick, but still.

Hilary Swank - ruling is that they've softened her up a bit!
Just got a glimpse of Mila Kunis - she's the first potential wardrobe malfunction I've seen. She looks gorgeous and shiny, but she's definitely precariously poured into that dress!

Celine Dion - age-appropriate, pretty dress. Penelope Cruz just had a baby - insane body! And Sandra Bullock! Awesome! Now everyone is arriving!

Nicole Kidman is my worst-dressed for the evening right now! Why would you want to look BIGGER than you actually are?!

Uproar in the house! Reese Witherspoon's PR person looks horrible chewing gum on the red carpet! Someone should fire her!

How can you not love Sandra Bullock in her gorgeous red Vera Wang dress?!

Natalie Portman looks awesome! Love her dress. Adorable.

Tim Gunn! He's the only reason to watch the network red carpet. Otherwise it's pretty lame.

Less than a half hour to the actual broadcast!

Keith Urban is wearing tapered tuxedo pants. I think that's a definite DON'T. WTF? They remain my worst-dressed.

We're ready for the show to start now! They're just about to start! Are you all with me??

OSCARS!
Good intro! But we were hoping for appearances by Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd. And yes, Anne Hathaway is wearing a different dress than the one she walked in wearing!

Moms are standing up in the audience! And grandmothers, too! His grandma is on you tube!

Gone with the Wind! Where's Olivia??

I'm so confused as to what they're referencing! Gone With The Wind, Titanic, Tom Hanks!

Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland! That rules out the intro's trifecta. But if a movie is going to win Art Direction, that's a good one!

Did that guy just put a mini hat on his Oscar?

Cinematography: Wally Pfister for Inception. He should do something else with his glasses. And I'm actually surprised at how young he is. I expected him to be older for some reason.

First commercial break! So far, so good.

Kirk Douglas! He looks good! Pretty mobile. And people are standing! He's presenting Best Supporting Actress! The dude is 94!

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo! That would have been my guess!
"You're much more beautiful than you were in The Fighter." - Kirk Douglas to Melissa Leo

It's amazing how awe-stricken someone can genuinely be when they win. Melissa Leo has won just about every Best Supporting Actress award out there this year, but she is still floored by this honor. It makes people that much more attractive. That humility. That sincerity.

It's 9:00p!

Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3! No big surprise there. Of course, it's also nominated for Best Picture.

Best Animated Short: The Lost Thing
I saw every Animated Short nominated and it totally should have gone to The Gruffalo! The Lost Thing was one of my least favorite ones!

Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, Social Network. Not a surprise.
Original Screenplay: David Seidler, The King'S Speech "My father always said I'd be a late bloomer." Saw him in London after the BAFTAs!
Cutest Couple so far - Javier Bardem & Josh Brolin. They look like they're ready for Communion.

A song for Hugh Jackman??

I expected James Franco to be skinnier than he is. He's pretty boxy. "She's a dame."

I love Helen Mirren! She's beautiful!
Best foreign film: In A Better World, Denmark

It's now 9:28p. The verdict is that we're going to be here all night.

I love Reese Witherspoon's dress! She's definitely rocking the hair extensions, though.
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale. He totally deserves this award. The category is full of awesome performances, but he just disappeared into the role. And it's always funny to hear his accent because you can never detect it in his roles!

Anne's next costume change!

Original Score: Trent Reznor, The Social Network
Who knew Trent Reznor would end up an Oscar winner?!

Sound Mixing: Inception
No matter hor dirty Matthew McConaghey might be, he's still hot!

Sound Editing: Inception

So far, no upsets and nothing really exciting. It's all gone according to plan. I think the most "interesting" part has been Kirk Douglas' presentation. I'm not blown away by the hosts- I don't think they're doing that much better than anybody who came before them. Although Anne Hathaway has a pretty good voice.

Scientific Awards. Happy for the winners, but this tends to be boring.

Makeup: The Wolfman
That guy just said, "Crikey."

Best Achievement in Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, Alice in Wonderful
It's Colleen Atwood's 3rd win and 9th nomination. Not a bad career.

I'm so glad Barack Obama has time to make a snippet for the Oscars. Is Randy Newman's mic working? He sounds really quiet.

Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore are adorable! It's nice to see that he's really singing.

Best Doc Short: Strangers No More
I am one degree separated from the makers of the doc "Sun Come Up" so I was rooting for that one!

Live Action Short: God of Love

OOOOOOPRAH! You get an Oscar, you get an Oscar, you get an Oscar....

Best Doc: Inside Job
That movie made Vanessa angry. I didn't get a chance to see it, but I have a feeling it would give me serious agida. And the first political speech of the night!! Someone was going to have to do it!

Billy Crystal! The best thing to happen to this telecast all night! He got a standing ovation and Oprah didn't!

Visual Effects: Inception

Editing: The Social Network
Did I mention I really don't like Jesse Eisenberg. Sorry.

We like Florence Welch. She's not the original singer. Rumor has it that Dido is the original singer but she couldn't attend. We'll take it. I'm still upset about the fact that Bruce Springsteen wasn't nominated last year.

Best Original Song: Randy Newman, Toy Story 3. This dude has been nominated 20 times and this is only his 2nd win! Doug and I are huge fans of the Monsters, Inc song!

Is this the dead people? Yup. It is. I know some people like find this segment boring, but I really like it.

I think I like Anne Hathaway's blue dress. Slinky.

Best Director: Tom Hooper
Upset!! First upset of the night! I was pulling for Aranofsky, but thought David Fincher was going to win. Wow!

I like Annette Bening's dress - pretty color and seems very old Hollywood to me!

It's 11:07p.

I love Eli Wallach! He's so great!

Oddly, I think the show will be over by 11:30p. Will wonders never cease!

Is James Franco stoned?

I love love love Jeff Bridges! I also love how much he still loves his wife. Vanessa & I saw him in concert this fall (yes, you read that correctly) and he was great, but a little sweaty.

Right now, Jennifer Lawrence looks pretty California, Baywatch. Marked difference from her character in Winter's Bone.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman!
Her fiancee just helped her up the stairs. I love a gentleman!
She is thanking EVERYONE. But I like her.

Anne Hathaway seems to be doing a lot of the hosting on her own. What is James Franco doing? Waiting to lose his Oscar?

I'm cheering for Colin Firth for Best Actor!

He won!! Best Actor: Colin Firth
He is soooo cute! He's a favorite among the ladies. It may have something to do with Bridget Jones. I'm just saying. If you haven't seen The King's Speech yet, definitely go see it!

One last dress for Anne! And now Steven Spielberg!
Best Picture: The King's Speech
For a while it seemed like The Social Network was the frontrunner, but I'm glad this movie pulled ahead! As much as I liked The Social Network, I wasn't rooting for it. I was rooting for this movie. Everyone was amazing! The movie was just so cool to watch - very interesting visually, which isn't obvious.

Okay, time for Jimmy Kimmel and bed! Maybe I'll recap tomorrow!
Thanks for reading!

***Wow! That was quite the night! Here's what I have to say about it all in the light of day...
1) Overall, quite pleased with the winners. I loved that The King's Speech pulled ahead there and took top honors. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed that movie. Maybe it's because I didn't have the highest expectations. I'm not a "Royal Watcher" or anything. The acting was great, the plot was great, but I was really fascinated with the visual choices they made. Sometimes I felt like I was watching an Alice in Wonderland type movie. They used interesting angles and interesting locations/sets. There was a visual creativity that was unexpected.

2) Definitely disappointed by the hosts. Anne Hathaway was a bundle of energy who couldn't get it quite right and James Franco seemed stiff and disinterested. I really thought this was a chance for silly to reign at the Oscars, but even when they had him dressed up like Marilyn Monroe, it all fell flat. Now, all the blame can't be put on the hosts - there's a team of writers coming up with all that schtick. Maybe instead of getting younger hosts, they need younger joke writers.

3) Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban stayed my worst-dressed couple of the night.

4) Where is George Clooney? I do not like it when he doesn't grace us with his presence.

5) I liked the ending where the kids sang and all the Oscar winners were on stage. That's a new one. I loved that Melissa Leo was totally singing along.

6) I know people get bored by the lifetime achievement awards & such, but I wouldn't have minded hearing some of those people speak. They've earned it. But I'm that rare breed who doesn't change the channel for the lifetime awards or the "people who died this year" montage. Speaking of the "People Who Died This Year," they left out Corey Haim and Maria Schneider (from Last Tango in Paris). Yahoo was already abuzz with the omissions this morning!

7) I was hard on Jesse Eisenberg. I was told that you can study acting without owning a TV. Fine. I still don't like it.

8) Although I liked the references to past Academy Awards, they did not integrate them well into the broadcast. I do know want a holograph of Bob Hope introducing Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem (or whoever it was he introduced). That's just weird. The connections they made were so thin - it just seemed clunky.

9) No Banksy at the Oscars. Do you think they voted for Inside Job just to avoid the potential?

Okay, maybe that's all I have to say about the matter for now! I had seen all the nominees for Best Picture and they rounded the category out nicely. Now I get to go back to the movies! Feel free to add to the comments. What did you think about the hosts? Who was the best dressed? Who was the worst? You must have an opinion, right?

Come On Let Your Colors Burst

2011-02-22T18:04:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you've heard, but I decided that 2011 didn't officially start until February 15th. And 2011 is all about taking things to the next level! It's all about shaving my legs more frequently (yes, I just put that in my blog). It's all about changing my jewelry and not using my camera bag as a purse. And, as always, it's all about working on my business and making it the best that it can be. Cheers to 2011!

This may seem like a small step, but I'm so excited about it! This is a wedding guest book. The photos are from the couple's engagement session this past summer. I love the photo covers! You can also have fabric or suede or leather covers, but the photo covers are my favorite. So you have an idea, this album is 8"x12".

These books have a center crease, but no gutter, which means you can put a photo across the center without losing anything. See? I put a fancy graphic in there so you knew what I was talking about.

See the thick pages? They're watercolor paper, which means they have a little texture to them and pens will write easily on them.

Just one more because I love it! When I design a guest book, I leave plenty of negative space for your guests to sign their names.

How do you like me now, 2011??! Next up, marketing pieces for portraits and weddings. Keep the momentum going!

Take Another Little Piece of My Heart

2011-02-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

One of these days I will have to sit down with a glass of wine and chronicle my transformation from macaroni lover to foodie (although when asked by Jamie Bissonnette of Coppa what one food I would take to a desert island, I still said macaroni). I can tell you that it started with the Boston Homegrown project and the day I ate the live clam with chef Nuno Alves. Every day has been an adventure since then.

Rich Garcia is the fantastic (and super-friendly) new executive chef at 606 Congress in the Seaport. I got to spend some time with him in January. He did not disappoint as far as food goes - creative, colorful, and delicious!

These are not just any deviled eggs. They are Lobster Deviled Eggs topped with Caviar. Yes, I ate one. Is it me or are eggs just plain amazing?

But this, this was just delicious. Honestly. This is the dish that inspired the title of this blog post. This is beef heart.

Obviously you need to get over the mental obstacle of eating heart, but if you can do that, you're golden. It tasted like really really good steak. I could have eaten a bunch of these little pieces. And it was so pretty to photograph! Chef Garcia served it with beets and some greens and it just looked awesome. I had to reserve a bunch of great photos (of both dishes) for the book, but I couldn't resist posting these.

So, yes, I moved on to beef heart. And a couple of weeks ago, I ate beef tongue. Where will it end? What do you think will be (or has been) the craziest thing I eat? And did anyone actually expect ME of all people to become a foodie?!

You've Got To Breathe Her

2011-02-17T14:32:00.000-05:00

I rang in the New Year surrounded by about 200 of Amy & Chris' closest family & friends and they sure did make it fun! Noisemakers, glowing balloons, hats, 2011 glasses, and lots and lots of dancing! Their reception was at the Lafayette House in Foxboro, MA. It's this really cool venue that was established in 1784. Rumor has it, George Washington slept there. And now, I've photographed a wedding there!

My second shooter, Rich, spent time with the guys before the wedding and they hung out in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium. A perfect location to get some shots of the groomsmen!

Occasionally you get a flower girl who doesn't want to wear the fancy dress and/or refuses to walk down the aisle. Not this little one! She wanted to be part of EVERYTHING! She was so excited to be a flower girl and loved all the frilly details. Here she is getting her wreath put on:

Before the ceremony, we grabbed some photos at the bride's family's house. This is one of my favorites because it clearly makes me laugh. The bride and her mom.

It's winter! Everyone braved the cold for a few outdoor photos.

Exchange of rings.

One of my favorites from the night!

Dancing!

And, of course, there's the slideshow. You should take a few minutes and check it out!
Amy & Chris, thanks for not only sharing your wedding day with me, but also the beginning of 2011! You guys are awesome!

The Gold of Sunshine

2011-02-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

Back in college, my roommate Anne was pretty much the only person I knew who knitted. In fact, she owes me a pair of knitted pants, which at the time, seemed like the craziest thing someone could knit. All these years later, Anne is still knitting, creating wonderful hats, mittens, and other fun things. Welcome to Cozy Noggin!

Other fun things like these knit birds! This is an example of a baby mobile that would hang above a crib.

Hats! This is the style of hat that started Cozy Noggin.

I'm not going to lie - I totally kept this hat for myself!

I love these fingerless mittens! They are perfect for photo shoots because I can keep my hands warm and my fingers free!

If you like what you see here, check out Anne's Cozy Noggin etsy site or "like" her on Facebook!

You're The Getaway Car

2011-02-07T13:35:00.000-05:00

Julie & Tim are one of my 2010 couples whose wedding I am just blogging now. They got married in mid-December, surrounded by their family & friends. They put on quite the party. The reception was held at Spring Valley Country Club in Sharon, MA. It's a pretty amazing place to photograph a wedding. Everyone there is so nice and accommodating. This was my 3rd time shooting there and every time has been awesome and different!

My second shooter, Kristin hung out with the guys and that left her in charge of getting the ring shots.

She also got this awesome shot of the guys on the way to the limo.

You can see the bride's bouquet in the slideshow, but I also loved the bridesmaids' bouquet of roses.

The wedding party. So much fun!

It's not every day your portraits of the bride & groom involve a soda fight.

There was a cigar station at the wedding and with the heat lamps outside, plenty of people took advantage!

This photo has a really cool "across a crowded dance floor" feel to it.

The happy couple sharing a dance.

Julie & Tim, thank you for inviting me to share your wedding day with you! We had so much fun! To see Julie & Tim's slideshow, click here.

Your Heart Is True

2011-02-02T10:03:00.003-05:00

Now that I'm done editing my photos, I get to comb through some of my other shoots from 2010! These photos are from a wedding I second shot for Kristin Chalmers Photography. We had so much fun photographing Lisa & Jerrel's wedding - they are so much fun! Their wedding took place at The Tupper Manor in Beverly, MA. What a beautiful place to get married! It makes me happy to finally post some of their photos on the blog!

Remember when the world outside looked like this?

This color doesn't even look real!

The rings. This just happens to be Lisa & Jerrel's wedding date.

Since I was the second shooter, I spent a lot of time hanging out with Jerrel. The couple opted to do a "first look," which means they saw each other before the ceremony. I grabbed this photo while we were waiting for Lisa.

Here she comes!

A cupcake tower! Yum! I loved the way it looked against the walls, too. Made for a very pretty picture.

So, you may recognize the lyric from the post title; it comes from the Golden Girls theme song. Yup. And you know why I chose it? Jerrel used the lyrics as his vows. I'm not even kidding. I would say that half the guests didn't realize what they were hearing. Since I was chillin' with Jerrel beforehand, I had the inside scoop (of course, you know I would have recognized it anyway!). Too funny. Like I said, awesome couple, awesome wedding!

Two Is Twice As Nice As One

2011-02-01T18:01:00.000-05:00

I met this family in the fall of '09 when I photographed a pregnant mommy. A few months later, in January '10, I did newborn photos. Both little girls were hams for the camera. It's been a year and nothing much has changed! They are so much fun to photograph.

I love the hint of the older sister in this photo.

Extreme close-up!

Sisters.

Peek-a-boo!

Little girls love to spin in dresses and it makes it easy to get a great expression!

Today I finished editing my last 2010 wedding! Phew! I'm in the final stages of photographing and editing for the Boston Homegrown project I've been working on for about a year now. I have a deadline next week and then the final deadline in March. It's been such an incredible journey and I have met so many wonderful people. Not to mention, I've tried so many crazy foods! Some of you may have seen my Facebook updates on clams, bluefish, oysters, beef heart, and beef tongue. You all can say you knew me when I only ate pizza, chicken, and macaroni.

*I'm watching "The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story" and they wrote the song "Let's Get Together" featured in "The Parent Trap." And that explains today's blog title.

You Breathe in Life Forever

2011-01-29T20:05:00.002-05:00

Look at this little dollface! So stinkin' cute! Pink patent leather shoes? Yes, please!

That smile and crinkle - I'm a sucker for the crinkle.

She had gorgeous Betty Boop eyes - pretty much the biggest, roundest eyes I've ever seen!

And she was blessed with the full package - lashes with a capital "l"!

This little girl entertained me during a pre-Christmas session (yes, I'm still blogging those). I couldn't get over how friendly and smiley she was. And, of course, the eyes. When I look back through the photos from her session, I can't help but giggle - she just looks so happy!

We Got A Hot Crustacean Band

2011-01-28T18:11:00.000-05:00

I took this photo today on my visit to Captain Marden's Seafoods. I couldn't wait to post it! I love the colors, the perspective, and the look on the lobster's face! You lookin' at me?

You're The Only Bait In Town

2011-01-25T18:00:00.001-05:00

I love the colors of this fish fin! I took this photo during the session I had with Max of Shack Foods. Plenty more to come, but I couldn't resist posting this one. Or using this song as the post title!

Young Girl With Fire

2011-01-24T18:21:00.000-05:00

I love this family! They made an appearance on my blog in the summer of 2009, back when Miss M was an only child with a little sister on the way. Fast forward to 2010 and the family has grown by one super-cute little girl. Honestly, it's almost too much cuteness. And energy.

Mom & B.

Sisters.

It is not easy to play "chase" and take photos simultaneously. Luckily, Doug was there with me that day so he stepped in when I needed a pinch-runner.

Family Portrait. I love how casual it is and how happy everyone looks! It doesn't matter if they're not all looking at the camera!

Little Miss B needed her own little shoot. I love the little nose crinkles!

This is M with her grandfather. One day in the future, this photo will be one of her favorite things. Everything about it says love.

Here's the thing - children don't stand still. Instead of trying to contain them, I try to play with them and incorporate the playtime into the picture time. I love love love the photos from this session because they're full of energy and movement and personality. And, of course, love.

*Today is Neil Diamond's 70th birthday, so in honor of that, the post title is from "Shiloh."

Looking In Your Eyes, I See A Paradise

2011-01-22T10:44:00.001-05:00

When I first met Karen and Joe, I knew I wanted to photograph their wedding. What started out as a meeting turned into a three hour dinner. They are so friendly and fun and overall awesome. They're getting married in March at the gorgeous Gibbet Hill in Groton. If you haven't been, they have delicious food (both at the restaurant and at weddings). The grounds are beautiful and perfect for photos. To contrast with the barn-like feel of their wedding venue, Karen, Joe, and I spent the day traipsing around Boston for their engagement shoot.

We started off in Fanueil Hall.

Then we walked over to City Hall Plaza. Boston's City Hall is a concrete piece of Brutalist architecture that generally looks like an eyesore. However, if you take your time and use your creative eye, there are plenty of beautiful spots for photos.

Then on to Beacon Hill! We wandered through Lousiburg Square and down the narrow streets.

We did a little urban exploring and maybe casually trespassed. Maybe.

Mid-shoot, we stopped to "refuel" at the place where Karen & Joe met. It was great to incorporate this location into our session and we ended up with some great photos!

I can't wait to photograph their wedding in March! I know it's going to be a blast. Karen was a bridesmaid in one of my 2010 weddings, so I know what kind of crowd will be there!

*Karen and Joe can not be held responsible for the post title. Their musical taste might not be as cheesy (and varied) as mine and this just happened to be the song I was listening to (made myself a rockin' Yacht Rock mix!).

Movin' On Up

2011-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

A post just isn't a post without a photo. This one is from the window of my hotel room in Mystic, CT. Who knew we'd be getting so much more snow the past couple of weeks? Anyway, this is a little announcement about Margaret Belanger Photography - I finally "finished" creating my Facebook business page. I started it over a year ago and then let it sit before coming back to it today. So, if you're on Facebook and you haven't done so yet, check it out and "Like" me!

Let's Put It On Repeat

2011-01-18T10:28:00.000-05:00

This fall, I photographed musician Krista Baroni for her latest project. She's been hard at work in the studio recording new songs and creating a new sound. Our challenge was to match the photos with the new music. So, you should all go to her website and take a listen.

If you ask me, this is what Krista was meant to do. I've known her for over 5 years now and it's been a pretty incredible journey. She's not just an amazing songwriter and singer but an amazing friend. I'm looking forward to the day when I get to say, "I knew her when..."

You in the Moonlight

2011-01-13T17:41:00.000-05:00

Normally, Christmas Eve is reserved for family time. However, when L & S announced they were getting married on Christmas Eve in a small ceremony at home, I convinced (begged, coaxed, strong-armed) them into making sure they had a professional photographer there. Lucky for them, I just happened to know one! I know they'll be so happy to have these photos. Better yet, their kids and their grandkids will love seeing these images!

Let the celebration begin!

The bride getting all dolled up!

The rings.

L & S saw each other before the ceremony so they could have some time together before the guests arrived. It worked out perfectly!

The ceremony. Here's what I loved about this ceremony - the officiant politely instructed all the guests (of which there were less than 30) to refrain from taking photos. Me loving this has nothing to do with wanting to be the only photographer in the room. It forced the guests to truly pay attention to what the officiant was saying and what the bride and groom were feeling. It took away that extra distraction. I love photographing weddings, but having a camera up to your face all day disconnects you from what's really happening. I'm at the wedding so that guests can relax and be in the moment. That's what all of L & S's guests got to do at their ceremony. They got to witness a wedding between two people truly in love and the feeling in the room was palpable. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when the ceremony was over.

Now that's a kiss!

Yup. Really really married!

Everybody Jump For Joy

2011-01-11T15:09:00.001-05:00

Yet another Christmas shoot that had yet to be blogged! Such an adorable family. No one even minded the wind, which was pretty blustery that day!

This is my cousin Leigh's family. She and I have been spending a lot of time together this year because we're working on a book together! She is writing all the profiles for the Boston Homegrown project I've been working on. We're in the home stretch now. I just need to get through all the editing!

I'm back from my conference and trying to take advantage of all the inspiration by revamping my business a bit. All sorts of exciting things are happening. Every year keeps getting better and better. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - I am truly lucky to be doing what I'm doing. I love my job.

The Golden Globes are Sunday night and I've tried to prepare, but I didn't get nearly as close to seeing every movie as I thought I might. Oh well. I might try to get to another one before the week is over, but the snowstorm may get in the way!

He Will Be Like You and Me

2011-01-06T09:08:00.000-05:00

I'm just getting around to posting some of my pre-Christmas sessions and this little guy has waited long enough! He did such a good job during our session.

Babies in hats are adorable.

Such a little man!

I love close-ups of babies.

Today I am off to Mystic 6, which is a big photography conference/seminar. It's pretty amazing and intense. Every year I take copious amounts of notes and return home inspired to take my business and photography to the next level. Plus, it's just a lot of fun. And for an old academic like me, being in a classroom pretty much 10 hrs a day, is awesome! I'm even contemplating buying a new notebook so everything is nice and neat!

When You're Rocking and Rolling

2010-12-28T13:46:00.000-05:00

Everyone loves The Bean. I think it stems from not only being an adorable baby, but because everyone loves The Bean's parents, too. At least I do! I snuck over in the midst of holiday madness to photograph The Bean and crew. So much fun!

The Bean in her sparkly Christmas dress. You can't see it in this photo, but rest assured, the glitter made its presence known!

The Bean goes back to her studio photography roots (it's where her mom & I met).

The Bean and Mom.

The Bean is well-loved.

The Bean can sit up! And seems pretty proud of herself.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I took a lot of photos at our Christmas Eve celebration and hopefully I'll get to post some on here, too. Although I may have to get permission first - there was a lot of "What happens on Christmas Eve, stays on Christmas Eve." Don't look at me. I just blow torched some s'mores and called it a night!

Fill My Heart With Song

2010-12-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

This fall, when I wasn't photographing my own weddings, I did a lot of second shooting. This wedding took place back in October and I had the pleasure of working with my friend Julie of Julie Moscatel Photography. The following photos are some of my favorites from the day.

The bride's gorgeous earrings...

I thought Liz looked so glamorous - very old Hollywood.

As you know, I love photographing the rings...

This was my view of the First Look...

One of the best times for the second shooter to experiment is during the ceremony. Here are a few of my shots from the church...

And, of course, I love my detail shots...

All of these photos were taken for Julie Moscatel Photography. To see her take on the day, you can view her blog.

My Missing Puzzle Piece

2010-12-24T11:07:00.000-05:00

I am blogging things way out of order here, but Amanda & Dave have waited long enough! Their wedding should have been posted a month ago! They got married in the beginning of October on a gorgeous fall day. Remember those? I loved the colors of this wedding, too - deep brown and Tiffany blue. A square-layered cake frosted in Tiffany blue with a big ribbon on top? Yes please! Enjoy some of my favorite photos from the day!

One of my favorite getting ready photos of 2010!

Look at this gorgeous church!

Their wedding party was so much fun! They were definitely willing to do whatever I asked, which is awesome. I love this photo.

The first dance.

All the cool kids are watching the slideshow, so you should, too!

Pressed in Organdy, Clothed in Crinoline

2010-12-21T10:28:00.000-05:00

You know those friends who've seen you at your worst? Your craziest, angriest, saddest, tipsiest moments were witnessed by them? I've determined that if, years later, those friends are still around, you should probably hang on to them. Not only does it mean they're good friends, but you don't want them spilling your secrets. I've known E since we were freshmen living in Mary Low at Colby. We bonded over a mutual love of Jimmy Buffett and I credit her with introducing me to the Barenaked Ladies way before they had mainstream radio play. We survived living together, post-college, in Manhattan. Now we're "adults" (although she's always been more adult than me) and she's got a brand new baby! Oh my goodness - how precious! When I photographed her, she was just about 3 weeks old. Brand spankin' new!

Teeny tiny on the couch.

New daddy.

Crying baby! I love this photo - one of my all-time favorite crying baby pictures!

New mommy.

Santa Baby.

It was so much fun getting to hang with this family for the evening! That little girl is one much-loved bambina!

I am going to be catching up on blogging now - busy season is pretty much over! I have two more weddings to shoot - one on Christmas Eve and one on New Year's Eve - before it's officially 2011. In the meantime, it's Awards Season, my favorite time of year! I've been doing a good job of pre-emptively getting to the movies, so my list isn't too bad. I currently have 10ish movies to see. I'm hoping to knock two off my list today. One is inbetween theaters and DVD, so I'm not sure I'll get a chance to see it. A lot of the movies haven't received a wide release yet, so who knows if they will even open in Boston before the Golden Globes (1/16). I'm just going to go go go and see whatever I can!

Enjoy your holiday season - it finally snowed around here yesterday!

So I Sing A Song of Love

2010-12-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

Family sessions abound in the fall and winter! I've said it again and again, but I love getting to photograph the same families year after year. Last summer (as in summer '09), I photographed T & E's wedding in Boston. Earlier this month, I photographed their new little baby girl. Miss J (any reference to ANTM is entirely accidental) was just over 3 mos when these photos were taken and she is kickin' adorable! Just take one look at her and your heart will melt and you will want to cuddle her all day long! Here are some of my favorites:

I love this family photo. No one is looking at the camera, but the photo is overflowing with love.

Babies making funny faces rock.

This little munchkin was definitely happiest with the least amount of clothing on!

Definitely one of my all-time favorite tiny feet shots!

Hear Those Sleigh Bells Jingle Jangle

2010-12-09T19:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Santa's helpers need a little nap.

I Walked Her Home & She Held My Hand

2010-11-29T11:49:00.000-05:00

A & F are natural models! I met them out at Lars Anderson Park for some maternity photos. They were not deterred by the dreary weather, which ended up being gorgeous throughout our session. They're going to be leaving New England before next fall, so capturing the autumn environment was important to them. Lucky for me, between them and the landscape, the photos are naturally beautiful! Take a look for yourselves.

And one of the glowing mama-to-be!

Turkey For Me, Turkey For You

2010-11-25T08:52:00.000-05:00

What I am most thankful for on Thanksgiving is actually a whole bunch of "whos."

These were taken at a Memorial Day BBQ at my brother's house and I love them! These photos make me so happy, but not nearly as happy as spending time with my family in person. We are all up early on this lovely Thanksgiving to go to the high school football game. None of us care about football at all but my sister is marching in the band - it's her last year. And I hear they're doing the choreography from Thriller. I'm in!

I hope you all get to spend time with the people you love most today!
Happy Thanksgiving!

I Don't Want To Be Anything But Your Everything

2010-11-19T17:33:00.000-05:00

Holly and Pete will be one of my first weddings of the 2011 season! We photographed their engagement session around Boston, starting at the Public Garden and ending at the Boston Harbor Hotel. It was a gorgeous fall day! Doug and I had a blast walking around with Holly & Pete. It's awesome when hanging out with your clients makes you that much more excited to photograph their wedding! I can't wait!

I love Holly laughing in this one!

I Just Can't Live Without You

2010-11-18T13:06:00.000-05:00

Joanna & Charles have waited so long for their blog post! I have been so busy editing and shooting and then editing again that blogging has been low man on the totem pole. But I'm back!

Joanna & Charles got married this past September on a gorgeous fall day. It was such a fun wedding - everyone was awesome. There was even a groom's cake disguised as a pepperoni pizza. In a pizza box & everything! To make the night more interesting, the groom made a wager with his sister that he would eat ALL his food, since that tends to be something most brides & grooms miss out on. We were charged with collecting the photographic evidence - making sure we got every full plate and every empty plate. Needless to say, Charles emerged victorious! So, here are some fun photos from their wedding day...

The groomsmen made a side trip to Sonic for some burgers before the wedding. They had one rule to follow - no condiments!

The bride getting ready.

I love this photo! There was no full-length mirror in the room where Joanna was getting ready, so her sister brought her one. So, there's the bride, flanked by her sisters, her sister-in-law, and her mom.

Awesome colors!

The happy couple.

Bubbles during the last dance.

To view their slideshow, all you have to do is click here.

Joanna & Charles, thank you so much for your patience and congratulations!

I'm Living For Givin' the Devil His Due

2010-11-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

You're probably wondering where I've been the past few weeks. Well, I've either been in front of my computer or out photographing. There was a minor head injury that had me laid up for a week, but other than that, I swear I haven't been lounging around watching television! I finally feel like I have a handle on my editing (thank you, patient clients) and I can make a (triumphant?) return to blogging.

As you know from previous food posts, I've been working on a book entitled Boston Homegrown. It profiles Boston-area restaurants/chefs who rely on locally-sourced foods - produce, meats, and fish. I am not in charge of the text, but I am in charge of the photographs. It has been an awesome inspiring experience. I have loved every minute of getting to know the chefs and the farmers. I thought photographers were a passionate bunch! The dedication and love that these men & women infuse into their days astounds me. I can't wait to share other food posts with you, and eventually the book, of course!

This summer, I visited a chef at his house and was greeted with an enthusiastic, "I hope you're hungry!" It was amazing! Now, I should preface this by saying, I'm no fish eater. My general rule is that if it swims/breathes underwater, I'm avoiding it. So what do I do when I am faced with a multi-course fish meal? Smile and eat it! For the purposes of this post, I'm just highlighting the clams!

These clams came straight from Pat Woodbury's and were super-fresh!

So fresh, in fact, that when I squeezed a little lemon juice on to this guy, he recoiled (in my head, it screamed, too, like a cartoon yelp). Yup. That's right. Still alive. And my lovely cheffing companion said, "Did it move? It's still alive! That's how fresh they are!" What a treat! Well, live clam, down the hatch you go!

Clams in a pan. Sort of like snakes on a plane, but less dangerous.

Cooked clams. These guys went on to garnish the main dish, but that's for another post.

It was a pretty amazing day! This is only a fraction of the photos I took. I imagine that you weren't expecting clams as my first post back, but rest assured there will be people pictures coming up, too!

(Re: post title - the song is by Blue Oyster Cult - both clams and oysters are a class of mollusks called bivalves, so that's pretty close. Plus, I have to save "Pulling Mussels" in case I get an actual mussel dish.)

And The Painted Ponies Go Up and Down

2010-10-20T09:14:00.000-04:00

There is a lot of kissing in this post! That's what happens when you photograph people in love. I knew Michelle & Matt were going to be fun when I suggested meeting up in the city at 8a and they were totally game. Since the Boston Common teems with people on fall weekends, shooting in the early morning was the perfect solution!

Michelle & Matt climbed trees, broke into carousels, danced, and pretty much did everything I asked. I'd like to think the end result was totally worth it!

Thanks, Michelle & Matt, for being so awesome! I can't wait to photograph your wedding next spring! Hooray!

Close Your Eyes and Trust It

2010-10-15T23:07:00.001-04:00

I'm trying something new today - a blog collage! Woo hoo! I learn something new every day. Doug and I traveled out to San Diego in September to photograph Adriane & Dave's awesome wedding. They got married at the beach on Coronado, with the Hotel del Coronado (and, of course, the Southern California landscape) in the background. The hotel holds a special place in my heart because they filmed Some Like It Hot there. If you haven't seen it, get to it.

Our base of operations in SD was the W Hotel and Adriane & Dave found themselves occupying the "Extreme Wow" suite, which was pretty amazing. Rumor has it that Tiger Woods shacked up there for a few weeks and the ladies just went in and out. Thank goodness for talkative hotel staff, huh?

This collage represents just a small fraction of the hotness that was their wedding. These two people are so much in love - it was an honor to be there to photograph their wedding day.

To see more, and set to music, you can always watch the slideshow! I highly recommend it.

Stay tuned for some of the photos from their non-traditional Day After Session!