Intro to Photography: Student Work

I started teaching Intro to Digital Photography to 8-11 year old kids this spring. I wondered if I could teach them full manual settings like I do with my adult classes, or if it would go completely over their head. I had a class of 5 very creative girls, so I pushed them to think about their settings and what they could control. Like a lot of other Intro to Digital Photography courses, I started with basic composition, and went into some ambient lighting techniques, so I could teach shutter speed and aperture. Seeing their faces light up when they nailed our “jumping” shot exercises was priceless. They LOVED action shots, and they all got really into the directing aspect of photographing each other. By the end of the class they had explored portraits, landscapes, fast action, controlling depth of field, perspective, details, textures, and what makes a strong composition.

By Carly

By Noga

By Katherine

By Tammy

By Nora

We had one exercise where they had to take three photos and create a short story around those three images. I wasn’t sure how they would respond to this, but some of their stories blew me away.

I planned a formal critique for the last day of class, but was also unsure of how this would go over. I explained that while it’s important to receive positive encouragement about the work you make, it is also important to receive constructive criticism to improve your work. The girls were so excited to see and hang their prints, I hoped it would go well. I shouldn’t have been surprised that the girls were nothing but respectful to one another, using encouraging words, and telling each other why one photo worked better than another. Everyone was smiling after the critique, and I was so proud of them.

Boston Architectural Photography | Children's Hospital Boston

I have been shooting projects with Walsh Brothers, Inc, since I first expanded my landscape photography to include architecture in 2010. I was honored when they asked me to capture the new wing at Children’s Hospital Boston, not only because it was a big project, but because of the purpose of the building itself. How do you make a hospital environment comfortable and kid-friendly?? It's all in the details.

The new MRI room has a unique design including lots of surrounding visual elements and a lighting scheme that fills the room with one color at a time or many.

Pretty much every room, hallway, and corner has artwork and strong visuals for the kids, and the playroom even features a colorful gelled floor that changes as you step on it.

Perhaps the greatest feature is the courtyard. Although serious precautions have to be in place for kids to enjoy this space, it is a lively space with lots of greenery and aesthetically pleasing curves in the design. The sunlight bouncing around the glass walls makes it a warm place to be even in New England’s unpredictable spring.

Just as beautiful after the sun goes down, the added lighting really enhances the beauty of the architecture and takes you out of the typical hospital environment.

Oh, and the roof shot... excellent idea but terrifying execution laying on my belly sliding further and further out over the edge to line up my shot. Harness anyone?

Architect: Payette

Construction: Walsh Brothers, Inc

Acoustics Consultant: Acentech

Hannah is not into fashion, or hair and makeup, or glamour... and she fit my modern "fashion-inspired" portrait session perfectly.

Hannah is about to be a high school senior at North Andover High, and I was lucky enough to have this beauty in front of my camera. The wonderful (and surprising) thing about Hannah is that she seemed to have absolutely NO idea how beautiful she is… I heard she wasn’t even excited for our photo shoot.

Freshly launched, my modern take on high school senior portraiture is fashion inspired… and far from your average senior photo shoot. I partnered up with the EXTREMELY talented hair and makeup team at Robert Jason Salon in Andover, MA to create a “model for a day” once in a lifetime experience for these seniors.

Hannah is not into fashion, or hair and makeup, or glamour. She loves the outdoors, and plaid shirts, and music, PIANO specifically, so I knew I had to create a stylized shoot to fit her personality. It started with the vintage piano (fine it was an organ… I only had two days to get it!), and a cowboy hat, and I could tell she was immediately more comfortable, ready to work the camera, even. And work it she did, I think she was surprised with how much she enjoyed herself, and caught off guard by how truly striking she is (though she still may not admit it).

Contact me for more info on these modern senior portrait sessions

Let's Hear It For the Working Moms, A Style Makeover (In Honor of Mother's Day)

What is the best thing about a team of 8 creative, incredibly fun and highly motivated women? EVERYTHING. During a shoot for the May issue of Merrimack Valley Magazine, I had the privilege and honor of working with these 7 women who all bring something different to the table, and what we created was not only one of the most fun sets to be a part of, but the photos we produced are among my favorites of 2014.

It’s easy for moms to get caught in a sweatshirt and yoga pant, no makeup, air-dried hair in a ponytail rut. I’m not a mom, and it’s easy for me to get caught in that rut! 

And this is how Susan’s article came about. Three moms from the Mother Connection were selected for the “Mom’s Makeover” article, not just to make them over for a few hours, but to spruce up their everyday style for work, and home. [See before and after]

Susan Kanoff, Style Editor for the magazine found us a great location at Lord and Taylor, and did what she does best- hand selected outfits that not only looked fantastic on these women, but gave them a glowing confidence that made me want to photograph them all day. Theresa Gallagher and Vanessa Minervini gave these women the perfect complimentary hair and makeup so the women didn’t look “super made over”, just naturally beautiful. Yolanda, graphic designer for MVM helped create a relaxed and inspired atmosphere on set and we couldn’t have brought everything together without every one of these ladies.

I think I can actually hear Beyonce’s “Run The World (Girls)” playing somewhere in the background right now.

The "Style Team"

Kim, Independent Sales Consultant

Tara, Attorney

Christina, Special Events Coordinator

Merrimack Valley Magazine and Facebook

Susan Kanoff, A Great New Look

The Mother Connection

Robert Jason Salon hair and makeup

Lord and Taylor

(Still) Boston Strong

I can’t believe it’s been a year. We are just a week away from the 2014 Boston Marathon, a historic race that has been changed forever. Last year was my sister’s first time running the Boston Marathon. Her first attempt at running 26.2 miles, and she was doing it for the Dana-Farber Cancer team in honor of our cousin, Mike. Inspiring. 13 of my family members, including her kids, were excitedly waiting to cheer her on as she passed us.

She was stopped just a half mile from the finish, and less than a quarter mile from all of us.

I’ll never shake the image of people running down the nearby alley, as if we were in a Godzilla movie. The panic in my nephews’ eyes. What happened? We heard it, we felt it, we saw the reaction, but really, WHAT HAPPENED?? Why aren’t our cell phones working? We have to stay together.

I had my camera, but I could never be a photojournalist because I couldn’t manage to take a single photo of what was happening around us, except for these two.

We were lucky, EXTREMELY lucky. We found my sister, we were together, we were safe.

I really don’t need to reiterate how devastating and horrible the aftermath was for the victims, onlookers, first responders, and the entire city of Boston.

It’s always hard to find positivity in such an event, but the way this city transformed was incredible. Everyone knows Bostonians aren’t known for being super friendly. The fundraising, the memorials, the support for the families, for one another, was tremendous. The general “you can scare us, but you won’t break us” attitude shined across the city. These inspirational victims speaking out about overcoming their injuries, triumphing over these tragic and haunting memories, still brings tears to my eyes.

My sister was running for Dana-Farber last year in honor of our cousin Mike, who was undergoing surgeries and treatment for his cancer. Living proof of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, this year he will be crossing the finish line with Steph. They are both running in honor of Mike’s dad, and my godfather, Jake, who was recently diagnosed.

Steph was also honored to be a part of singer/songwriter Michelle Lewis’s music video for “Run, Run, Run” inspired by the Boston Marathon runners. Please watch if you haven't already!

You can see or donate to Steph's Dana-Farber page HERE

The survivors and their families need to know we are still with them. See their stories or donate to the One Fund HERE

A Woman and her Pup

When I received a call from a woman about having a photo shoot with her dog, I’m not going to lie, I flinched as if a ball just came whizzing towards my face. I’ve had family portrait sessions with dogs before, and while I love dogs, it can be like adding in extra toddlers.

Sylvia came walking into my studio dressed in pink with her pup, Sofia, in her purse and enough poise for the both of them. Her photos would be a gift for her partner, and she knew EXACTLY what she wanted out of them.

We hit it off instantly and based on her personality I wasn’t surprised by how much fun she had in front of the camera… or how much fun I had photographing her.

She took my direction with such ease and confidence, and we were able to form a great connection, and create some fantastic images. So often both photographers and subjects forget that it there has to be some form of collaboration, some connection to really create great images.

In the end we were both really happy with the outcome, and I feel lucky I was able to meet and work with such an empowering woman. Sylvia owns Shaperella in downtown Andover, MA. Go visit her and you’ll fall in love with her, and probably with yourself too.

The Photography, Portrait, Architecture, and Everything-Else-I-love Blog

New blog for the new website. Out with the old, in with the new. You may have noticed my main galleries focus on architecture and portraiture. What?! They are completely different! Yes, they are, and I love them each very much for different reasons. And I’ve found that if you work your butt off, I mean really put in your weekend hours here, you can, in fact, succeed in more than one area.

In my personal work (wait, I do personal work that I don’t get paid for?! Yes that’s what keeps me sane), I am always looking for ways to combine these two loves of mine- people and spaces. I recently started a project I’ve wanted to do for years, I mean YEARS, and I am lucky enough to have found beautiful and willing dancers who are also excited about the project. I’ll expand on this much more as the project is underway, but I wanted to share a few images from our first shoot, at the Boston Public Library with the amazingly talented dancer, Lynn Guerra.

Welcome

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