I’ve been traveling back and forth to Maryland lately.  When there, I stay with friends who are a HUGE hockey family!!  As I walked in the door Tuesday night I was told “The Big Game” was that Friday night.  The show down was to be between the Gators (girls team) and St Paul’s (boys team) – bragging rights were on the line.  I’m not sure exactly when the idea for me to go and shoot the game came up – but I whole heartedly agreed.  It was going to be a challenge – weird, low lighting and fast moving subjects – plus it was “The Big Game”!  How could I miss that!?!  Action sports are not typically what I shoot – but I’m really, really happy with what I captured!  Gators Girls you played with your hearts and I love that!!

I’ve also posted a few more images to the Lil Blu Dragonfly Facebook Fan Page in the album Gators Hockey.   Gator Girls – take a look, become a fan and tag yourself to share with friends and family!

*Parents* – if for any reason you’d like me to take down an image – either here or on Facebook – let me know and I will take it down immediately!

I’m sitting here spinning a ring around my pinky finger.  It’s the turquoise ring I saw my Grandmother wear everyday.  In fact, I so closely associate this ring to my Grandmother that for the first two years after her death I didn’t take it out of the drawer.  I rarely wear it, but lately I’ve been drawn to it.  It called to me to pull it out of the drawer and wear it this past Christmas and on my birthday – almost as a way to have a part of my Grandmother there to share in the joy.

This January I went to a photo seminar in Mystic, CT – Mystic 5 – where I heard the fabulous David Williams speak.  He asked a question of the audience – “Think of a loved one.  Do you have every photograph you could ever want of them?”  This question reminded me again of my Grandmother.

You see my Grandmother was the champion of all my dreams.  I was able to be an exchange student to NZ because of her and go to photography school.  She bought me a brand new 501c Hasselblad to take with me – a film camera I will never part with!  She loved art and film and we would make dates to go see the latest art/foreign film release.  David’s presentation helped me remember these wonderful things about her and reconnect with some of the reasons why I became a photographer.

Two of the first images I ever took with the 501c were of my Grandmother sitting in my parents living room.  Portraits were very important to her.  She dressed up, put makeup on and donned earrings for this sitting.  Interestingly enough it’s one of the few times she’s not wearing the ring.  I love these two images.  Of all the images I’ve taken they rank amongst my most favorite.  To me they are the complete essence of my Grandmother and how in my mind she still lives.  So with this post I honer her – the woman who was always the champion of all my dreams.

This post has been a long time in coming!  We were originally scheduled to do this shoot back in May.  Due to blah weather, we had to reschedule and then reschedule again and again!!  I can honestly say I’ve never had to reschedule a sitting this many times due to bad weather!!  We finally found a day where it was gray but not pouring – only took 6 months!!  I love the interaction and play in these images.  So with out further ado here is the B Family!!

Now for something different from me – senior (high school senior that is) work.  I had the opportunity to photograph 2 brothers.  Their mom wanted a classic portrait of them individually to mark this time in their life.  I started talking to Dave (co-owner of Strawberry Road) about not only doing the traditional portraits but creating some images that the guys would totally be into.  When I called to confirm our shoot date I asked Will to think about what type of image he wanted and would totally rock his world and to have Stephen do the same.  I’m very very happy with what we all created!! First up the traditional head shots.

Will

Stephen

Will has a collection of Japanese swords and is going on an exchange to Japan in the near future.  Combine that with his love of Kill Bill movies we were inspired to create these images!

Stephen is really into music and playing trombone which inspired us with an old jazz type feel.

After the shoot Dave and I talked about doing something really fun and unexpected for the guys and what we came up with was poster for Will and an old time album cover for Stephen.

Thanks so much Will and Stephen for going along with us!!

Seems I’m having a run on preemies – Lil Miss Alexa was 2 weeks early and arrived with a very full head of hair!!

What a silly, happy face – love it!

I love this image – she looks like she is having all sorts of happy thoughts!

Seems I tired her out!  She had no interest in sleeping until the very end.

This Lil beauty surprised everyone and came 7 WEEKS early!!  She’s one strong peanut – just like her mom!

I absolutely love this image!!

In February my entire family – my parents and sisters with their families – went to St Maarten for vacation.  I decided to challenge myself and play with only two lenses and some off camera flash.  Without further ado – here are my sometimes less than willing subjects – my nieces and nephews!!

Dorrie – I love the look she’s giving me because it’s so her!  My Mom wants a 20×24 canvas of this for her house!

Cooper – always running!! Never stops unless of course you have snacks preferably of the chocolate variety.

Kai – such a sweet sweet boy and the fish of the group.  I swear he has gills!

Sanna – she charmed everyone and stunned the breakfast joint with her amazing eating abilities – ate all of us under the table – no idea where she put it!!

I had such a blast playing with other photographers in Providence the other day. Just watching people work and think was so much fun. As my friend Dave shouted out in the middle of the day “This is better than Disney World!!”. Here are a few of my favorites.

I’m so excited to share this design! I’m so loving the possibilities of trifold cards. It was so much fun to shoot and it is the boys to a T!

I’ve fallen off the blogging wagon again I know – but I’ve been working on some really great projects. 

A client of mine gave me a challenge – come up with a storyboard (collage) of all the photo shoots we’ve done. Here’s why it was a challenge – the majority was on film and black and white. I had to mull it over for a little while – but I love the finished version. They are 3 20×24 standouts (images mounted on 3/4 board ready to hang) – one for each of the boys and one of them together.

Your going to get tired of seeing these boys – but I can’t wait to show off the Christmas card we came up with this year – coming up next!