Baby Jack!

Recently I have been extra lucky because so many of my friends are giving me such great subject matter; babies!!! This is Jack, Jessica and Rob's baby! He is such a good baby and was a wonderful model during his photo shoot!








This shot of Jessica's Dad really touches me. I feel like I was able to capture one of thousands of hearts to hearts these two are going to have!

Fire Island Ice Cream!

Fire Island is in full swing! Last weekend when I got off the ferry I saw this scene. All I could do was laugh at these adorable little kids all lined up completely immersed in their ice cream. Such a Fire Island moment.

I decided to use this image to play around with some filters. I have always been such a straight shooter, trying to capture life and then represent it just how it is and or was. Recently I have had more thoughts about this idea from having some conversations with other photographers who do like to manipulate. Its fun to play around with the tools of the digital age. The problem I have is that my mind wants to see the photograph how my mind remembers the moment. When it comes to other people's images I tend to love the manipulation, but of course my mind has nothing to compare the image to.

The top image was cross processed to create some funky colors and the bottom image was a combination of black and white filters.

Outside of the box Mother's Day Picnic!

A few days before Christmas, during a time when everyone is running around frantic getting last minute gifts, I received an email with the subject : Mothers Day 2008. Huh? Yes it's true, there was a man out there thinking about his wife and how to surprise her on Mothers Day! How many husbands do you know who think like this? When the day finally arrived it was so exciting for me because it was my first "secret" photo shoot. The husband felt that the ultimate surprise would be to come home that day after the Mother's Day picnic and show his wife pictures on the computer, pictures she had no idea were being taken! Cheers to caring husbands who take the time and energy to think outside of the box!

A Party in the Park with Jungle Jim!

NYC is always pushing its limits on creative ways, even for birthday parties! Check out these live animal party shots with who else but "Jungle Jim"!




















I love this last shot. There is something about the pink clothes and the little girl hands gently passing this lizard with so much love. Stereotypically we tend of think of little girls and women not liking these kind of animals and shrieking as we run from them...not true with these little girls.

Sean Bell

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7......50" This is what was heard last Friday across 125 in Harlem during the Sean Bell demonstration as passionate people let their voices be heard in a peaceful civil rights demonstration. 6 rallies were set up all at bridge locations across Manhattan and completely brought Friday rush hour traffic to a grid lock. Over 200 people were arrested as they protested what they believe to be an wrong decision in the Sean Bell case.

Lauren and Brendan's Wedding

Lauren and Brendan got married over a month ago- but I have been trying to figure out how to post images larger and also more of them on my blog. Well its done, now you can see them big and more of them! Lauren and Brendan's wedding was a full day of laughter, tears, love and fun! I am so grateful that they choose me to document their big day! Congratulations to the both of you and your families.

Thank you Heather!!!

No you are not seeing things, the image from below is now larger! I now have the abilities and the knowledge to have a new and improve blog with larger images! I am so lucky to have had a tutorial from Heather Dipiazza. Heather is a professional photographer and graphic designer and her knowledge of both fields and photo shop is amazing! Best thing about Heather...she has been hired as our wedding photographer! Greg and I are so excited and I feel so at ease because I know she is going to do an amazing job! If you click on the title of this photo (thank you Heather) you will be connected to her blog!

New Yorkers in Spring

The day I was born...many years later!

Off to Fire Island we went to clean up the beach house. This is the view from the equivalent of my birthday pony ride- Greg pulled me on the wagon the whole way to the house! We were stopped by one woman who wanted to know what she could do to make her husband pull her on a wagon!
One of the greatest parts of my birthday was meeting Victor on the Long Island Railroad! As we were riding on the train I noticed the man in the next seats over writing in a sketch book that had photographs in it. He was writing pretty privately but those of you that know me know that I have a long neck! I waited patiently for him to look up- and when he did I jumped at the chance to ask him if he took the pictures! He had and they were AMAZING!!! We chatted the whole way and he was so inspiring! One of the things that we discussed were photographs we have mourned because we were not able to capture them for various reasons. Maybe the camera was not on hand, maybe the situation was not safe- could be anything. This morning when I woke up I thought about these pictures that I had wanted to capture but I let go. I knew that two of them were here in Harlem and did not involve people, so I jumped on my bike and captured two of the morned images.

One thing I wonder about is this phenomenon to throw sneakers onto the telephone lines and why it is done. Is it done when the shoes no longer fit them and they have a new pair, or is it done to people by bullies and then they have to walk home without shoes?
I saw this neighborhood memorial weeks ago and wondered if the bottles were always there. Well I got my answer, the bottles must stay. I jumped off my bike and I got all the looks from the neighborhood hood people, these were the looks that originally kept me from taking this shot! I figured that everyone must have known this young man whose life was taken too quickly. I looked them in the eye and smiled and then took the shots with respect. Nobody said anything to me. Maybe Spanish Harlem wont mind after all if a crazy white girl runs around and takes pics! I hope not!

Spring is here- finally!

I dont think any of the other seasons get welcomed with such joy and pleasure as the first real Spring day! For us NYC people that was Friday and Saturday of last week. I love the picture above of this teenage couple basking in their love and the sun, on a slab of rock overlooking the Hudson river.
These pictures were taken on the Hudson River bike path. There is one section by 116 where there were so many Pear trees clumped together that standing underneath it one was just completely lost in a world of beautiful spring blossoms.