Destination: Asheville

Hey Hey!!

October is quickly coming to an end and thus concluding one heck of a two-month stint. Last stop before some much needed down-time...Asheville, North Carolina for my good buddy Corey McNabb's Rockstar Wedding Photography Workshop. My flight out here left super early Sunday morning which was bittersweet in that I had to get out of bed early (bitter) but I got to see the sunrise from 30,000 ft. (sweet) and arrived in Asheville early in the afternoon, which gave us time to go exploring (sweet). Corey, myself and my new photog buddies Amber Holritz and Zac Thomas loaded up in Corey's budget automobile and took a cruise along the majestic Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a beautiful afternoon spent with beautiful people. I'm really excited for this experience. Here are some pics from that morning and afternoon. The first two were captured using my state of the art cell phone camera:this one i call slanted sunrise #4...






what are they shooting at???

Tara Jordan put on a killer opening party at Corey's Studio. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She even brought in a rock n roll "rockstar" ice sculpture for a centerpiece...it was rad!!!

Looks like Parker Pfister is ready to get into the vino! This could spell trouble.

Time for fun with ice. Here's Sophia Jekic giving me the googley eye.


I told you that this could spell trouble! What is up with this??
This last one is worth sharing. It's from this afternoon's modeling session at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. I decided to go with the ol' lensbaby to shake things up a bit. A big thank you to Jon Leidel and the lovely Anna for giving us so much of yourselves during this shoot.
That's all for now. I hope that this finds you all well.

All the Best,
t

Into the great wide open

Hey Hey!

I've been away from the blog for a bit as the last few weeks have been a whirlwind. I hope that you've all been able to go on with life in it's absence. So much to write about...so many amazing adventures. I'll start with a few images from a senior shoot I did back in late September. Hard to believe that its been a month since!!

For those of you who don't know, I cameo as a bartender a couple of nights a week at a restaurant/bar in Rochester's Park Avenue Area called Hogan's Hideaway. I've been there for over three years now and cannot begin to express how grateful I am to have such an encouraging and supportive community on my side. The staff and patrons there have become cherished friends and an integral part of my life. Thank you to you all for your continued love and support.

Joe Spencer is one of its owners and an indispensable presence within the restaurant. Joe is a fair man and a great leader and-whether or not he knows it-has taught me a lot during my tenure there. Back when I started Joe's son, John, was a freshman in High School...kinda quite...reserved...awkward as all 13 year old kids should be.

Well...all of that's changed. Over the past few years I've watch John blossom into quite an incredible young man. I'm proud of him in an 'olderly-brother sorta way'. He's grounded, intelligent, humble and witty - quite a combination going forward. Don't ever stop growing John...I'm excited to see what the world has in store for you!!

Here are some images we captured during his senior portrait session behind the Village Gate Mall in Rochester's Art District.

All the best, John...now and forever.

In other news...

I just finished a design for an upcoming music book featuring the music and lyrics of Tony Cavagnaro. Tony's untimely passing last month has resonated throughout the community, leaving us all feeling a huge loss. The book, along with other cool buddhahood memorabilia, will be on sale at a benefit concert at Water Street Music Hall on November 18th. It's going to be a groovy day with killer live music all day long by giant panda guerilla dub squad, hypnotic clambake, the park avenue band, the buddhahood and more!!! Please swing in and get down if you have some time on that Sunday. All proceeds go to Tony's wife, Jan and son, Calvin. C U there!!!

Here's a preview of the book cover:

Other than that...life is Rock n Roll. I just got back from a 5-day stint in the Bahamas where I had the opportunity to shoot with the incredibly dedicated, talented Kenny Kim at the Atlantis Resort. What a blast!! Wait'll you see those images...pretty cool (if I don't say so...). I'll be down in Ashville, North Carolina next week at the Rockstar Wedding Photographer bru ha ha hosted by Corey McNabb. ...can't wait to see you all!!

I'm gonna run and get the details of my Brett Michael's costume finalized as I have to party like its 1999 (or better yet, 1987!!) tonight at my sister Ali's place. If you read this in time and want to come by, all are welcome...costumes are mandatory. In the immortal words of Brett Michaels:
"I grab my hat and I grab my shoes. Tonight I'm gonna hit the streets and cruise." ...what a poetic genius?!?!? (not) ...or another shining example of why the 80's were just plain bad news. i don't want to get into it.

All the Best,
t

e-Shoot with Amy, Rufus & Biggie

Hey Everybody!

I recently had a killer e-shoot with a fantastic couple from right here in Rochester. Amy and Rufus will be exchanging vows on December 1st of this year. I get the vibe that their wedding is going to be...well, you know...OFF THE CHAIN!!! They are such a fun couple who are so good together.

Thank you guys for your respect, love and energy...it's a real pleasure to work with you.

Everyone, including Biggie (their dog), arrived at the shoot fired up. Here are some of the images that came from it:

not quite sure what was going on here. but if you ever happen to be shooting an engagement session and you come across a smiling big toothed dragon...use it!! how can you not?!?!?





Rufus' family owns 5 Jack Russell Terriers. I grew up with 1 Jack Russell and he was a bit much at times!!! I can't imagine.




Biggie kept up the whole day...although as you can see here, it put a hurtin' on the little guy!!
my favorite #1


my favorite #2
What a perfect day it was...

Over the past two weeks, I've shot weddings, engagement sessions, senior portraits and even cityscapes. That makes for plenty of new images and stories to share. Please check back often and send a shout out when you can. It's always good to hear from you guys.

All the Best,
t

Crunching the Numbers

9.1.2007

1 day
2 cultures
2 ceremonies
4 locations
5 wardrobe changes
3 photographers
5 cameras
4,000 + images
250 guests
100,000 smiles
50,000 tears (of joy)
2 souls very much in tune
1 amazing couple =
1 heck of a day

That’s how it went down when Thurka and James tied the knot in Rochester on a picture perfect Saturday in September.

The day was split into 6 stages:

-Preparations for the Catholic Ceremony at the Strathallan Hotel on East Avenue in Rochester (James comes from a Catholic background).
-A Catholic Ceremony at the spectacular Saint Michael’s Church on North Goodman St.
-Cocktail Hour at the Rochester Museum & Science Center.
-Preparations for the Hindu Ceremony back at the Strathallan (Thurka comes from a -Hindu background).
-Hindu Ceremony at the Science Center.
-Reception at the Science Center.

Whew…what an experience it was! I knew that I had to bring my A-game so I brought along two of the best. Thank you a million times over to Erich Camping and Kelli Marsh for providing me with your talent, energy, concentration, support, sanity, inspiration and of course, mind-blowing imagery. I love you both dearly.

And to Thurka and James…YOU DID IT!!! I told you that it was no sweat! Seriously though, your love and devotion is unparalleled. On behalf of myself and the crew, I want to thank you for granting us the honor of documenting your day. It was unforgettable. Lots of love for a very long time.

So...
A long day deserves a long blog post, right?!? I'll forewarn you...this is a loooong one. So settle in and get fired up!!! Enjoy guys...I'd love to hear feedback, preferably positive but constructive is acceptable!!


I'll kick it off with one of my favorites of the day, and perhaps the season so far. You know what they say, you can dress them up...


Here are some details from St. Michael's. It was majestic!

Kelli caught the image below during rehearsal. So great Kel. Rock star...like Brett Michaels caliber rock star shot!



...and so it begins...









The following sequence comes from three different vantage points, by three photographers, using 5 cameras to capture the same moment. Pretty wicked job guys.

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Here's a shot worth sharing. Never mind the crazy looking guy on the left...who invited THAT guy?? What's important here are the two folks in the middle who are two of the realest, kindest, most dedicated people that I know. With all that I am, I am grateful for you both. Oh, and it's also important to note the girl in the green dress in the background who's giving a thumbs up in the distance. That's a riot!!!
All the Best,
t