Erin & Joe : Wedding : Camas, WA

I was honored to attend my cousin's wedding last weekend.  Luckily, by virtue of what I do, I was able to get out there for the festivities.  Life probably wouldn't have allowed it otherwise. But hey,  they needed a photographer! So I hopped a plane (well, a few planes) and went out west.  It was a lovely, sweet affair.  So much family I rarely get to see and a collection of new faces I was stoked to meet.   The tears were falling and the dance floor was rockin....just how a wedding should be.   Joe and Erin are blessed to be  surrounded by a wonderful group of people and  supportive circle of friends.  I am super excited for them as they start their life together.  Thanks cuz!  It was a blast. 

Noah: Newborn : Burlington, VT

With lasagna in one hand and camera in the other I arrived at the house of some dear friends on a sleety Saturday.  Food and photos, what more could new parents want?!  Well, perhaps sleep would be nice, but I'll let the grandparents help out with that.  As I walked in,  the wet chill was immediately melted away by this little guy. Oh my.  I know I say I'm done with babies,  and I'm almost positive I am, but little ones like this make me think again.  Of course, as long as I can show up at peoples houses when they have them all new and fuzzy with their baby smell and tiny grunts (I could go on and on with all the wonderfulness that is newborness), and I can hold them and bounce... maybe that will be just enough.   Maybe.  Hm, how many newborn sessions do I have on the books?

Congratulations Matt & Heather!  He is perfect.

Note: By "done with babies" I mean having babies, not photographing them. I will always be up for photographing them! ( just not pushing them out of my body ).

The VanMullens : Family : South Burlington, VT

I was happy to spend the afternoon with the VanMullen family, one of my personally favorite families.  Because everyone knows that families with two boys are the coolest.  And ones born in October and December,  are even cooler...

If you haven't guess it, these two guys are the exact same age as mine. And by exact, I mean, like less than a week apart...both of them! So strange to be in someone else's house with the exact same dynamic going on.  To see how similar, or even more interestingly, how completely different it is.  For instance, where are all the shoes!?  My house is covered in rain boots, sneakers, and now the snow boots are coming out.  I am not used to navigating without avoiding the  little rubber soled floor mines. I suspect some of it has to do with their ginormous mudroom closet.  Why didn't I take any photos in there?!  

((sigh)). I heart that closet. 

destination anniversaries...bonus!

Because Vermont is such a huge "destination wedding" site, so many of the couples I get to photograph come from somewhere else.  Most people can't imagine how hard it is to plan and execute a wedding from afar. Luckily, I can relate...because I did it too!

A decade ago I was working for an aerospace company in Connecticut and planning my North Carolina wedding...mostly via fax machine.  Seriously, you guys don't know how good you have it with the internet.  Oh sure, the internet existed, but it was not the well oiled machine it is today.  Knot.com...um, no.  Hell, social media in general was pretty unheard of... unless you count Friendster.  Logistical challenges aside, it was perfect.  My favorite seaside with all my favorite people;  declaring my love and commitment to the man who is now the father of my two amazing boys.  It was heaven.  And the cool thing about a destination wedding?  You always have an excuse to go back!

A couple weeks ago it was our 10 year anniversary. So we loaded everyone up and drove 15 hours to the Outer Banks.  And just like it always is...heaven.



I am so proud to be married to this man. I can't wait to go back and celebrate the day we became a family over and over again.

Megan : Senior Portrait Session : Burlington, VT

Senior shoots.  I so wish there was such a thing when I was in high school.  Where I grew up, we all showed up at the gym,  waited in line so a photographer could lead us to a stool placed in front of a big backdrop of fake clouds. Once they lay the black sash/shawl thingy across your chest...

smile!

click.

NEXT!

That was it.

I wish I had a copy to share...I don't.  That's how awesome that photo turned out.  (I won't even go into the Glamour Shot nightmare that followed. My mom still claims to love those photos.  I just pray my children never see them).

But with a "shoot" you get so much more than a snap shot.  A collection of photos capturing that youth...or rather that merging of youth and adulthood.   Just as the whole world is opening up, to freeze those last bits of childhood. When the apron strings are thread bare, just about to give and release you into the "real world."   Full of dreams and fears. Excitement and anxiety.  A time before the grey hairs and baby weight.  When skinny jeans might have actually been doable.  I mean, THAT is something to document.  (okay, I'm not sure skinny jeans were EVER doable for me, but I must say I at least exposed my upper arms now and then).

Such are things I think about when I get to hang out with my seniors.  I love hearing about their plans, their bits of drama.  I mused with Megan about heading to school in the city next year, while marveling at her fresh freckles and coveting her earrings.  I need more shoots like this...to keep me young.

The first is "THE Kiss"...the rest are just a bonus.

My favorite smooches from the most recent Two House Photo wedding.  To see what Carin got and a bit more, be sure to check out the Two House blog.

Brrr....it's cold outside

The arrival of sweater weather means one thing....