Still, I joined the online forum as that seemed like a much more reasonable place to start exploring this photojournalism thing that so many wedding photographers talk about.  Fast forward a year and I was hooked.  The forum was bursting with talent, a special kind of talent, free of ego and eager to help (a rare find in the wedding world).

Early last spring, Foundation Workshop 10 (FW10) was announced and I closed my eyes, held my breath, and signed up.  I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew it was time to open myself up to a new type of learning experience.  Plus, I’d become bored with my nice, safe, pretty pictures, and I was itching to dig a little deeper.

A week last Saturday, I found myself among friends.  Some I’d met on the forum, some I knew in real life, but also many new faces.  I knew it was a pretty special group of people, but I had no idea that I’d soon come to think of them as family.

After twenty four hours of lazing in the sun, drinking margaritas, and catching up on gossip, we split up into our teams and work began.  Each team consisted of a team leader, two mentors, an assistant and six students.  And yes, that kind of ratio is necessary for this level of learning.  At some point between Sunday evening and Monday morning we were told our assignments.  Mine: a dance studio in nearby Granbury, TX.

On Monday we photographed.  Some students spent 14 hours on their assignment; mine lasted just a few short hours each afternoon (I was thankful for the additional sleeping time, truth be told!)  Around 8:30pm, we gathered again as a team, and the critiques began.  Each student received around an hour of hardcore critique.  My team leader, the wonderful Tyler Wirken, decided we’d be Team Tough Love.  He wasn’t kidding – it was painful, but the laughter (and hugs) we shared made it more than bearable.  Bedtime was sometime after 2:30am … and some of my team mates were up before dawn to set out for their assignments.

On Tuesday morning, I broke down.  I had completely bombed on Monday.  Everything I thought I could do, now seemed impossible.  Even basic stuff like composing a frame.  I’d received incredible on-site tutoring from Tyler, and a very fair critique later that night, but suddenly my world had been turned upside down and panic set in.  My mind went completely blank.

One of the things I love most about this special community is the support in place.  There were two counselors available to talk to, as well as our team assistants.  After pacing the hotel helplessly for an hour, I gave in and called all of them.  Janine, our team assistant, was still at the hotel and she immediately found me and talked things through with me for well over an hour.  She helped sooth me, first, then helped figure out a practical plan for shooting so that I could focus on smaller tasks rather than rushing out and trying to do it all.  I cannot thank her enough for her support.

I bombed day two, too, but while at my assignment I received several hours of one-on-one tuition from both Tyler and one of our mentors, Erwin.  Between them, they taught me how to hold my camera correctly (seriously!); how to stop, focus and look for images; how to compose, then recompose, and recompose again; how to select the lens needed for the task; how to wait for the moment; how to square up to my subject … and another hundred things that I hope may eventually come back to me.  I still wasn’t getting much in my camera, but at least the learning process had really started.

Wednesday came and I woke up a different person.  I was calm, at peace with myself, and focused.  It was a strange feeling for someone with mild OCD who likes to chase metaphorical squirrels.  Strange and beautiful.  Before heading out to my assignment I recited my mantra: “Stop.  What is interesting?  Visualize the shot.  Move.  Compose.  Recompose in tiny movements.  Wait for the moment.  Then shoot the shit out of it!”

I only had two hours to photograph on Wednesday, but in those two hours I worked my ass off like I never have before.  I was seeing differently; my mind was calm.  I observed, I listened, I waited.  And then I captured some of it.  I didn’t have much, and it still wasn’t the work I’d hoped to be producing by the end of the week, but my outlook had changed and finally I was smiling.  On the drive back to the hotel, I switched off the radio so I that could focus on the feeling of elation I was experiencing.

I didn’t need to be told I’d done well that night, but when Tyler and Erwin told me how freakin’ proud of me they were, I came close to tears.  It was a good night.

The workshop officially ended on Thursday with dinner, followed by slideshows of our best work.  My presentation was one of the weakest there, but that was the last thing I cared about; I had come SO FAR.  I had learned how to see, how to calm my mind, how to focus.  We had been told over and over that the slideshow didn’t matter – and I finally realized it was true.

My turn came and I was standing against the back wall.  Tyler grabbed one of my hands, and Caroline, one of my team mates, grabbed the other.  Thank God.  Because as soon as those images came up, I started convulsing, and bawling.  With joy!

Each student has a different experience on Foundation, but many experience incredible growth, sometimes photographic, sometimes personal, oftentimes both.  I am so grateful to my teachers, to my team, to my friends.  There are no words to thank those who helped me on my journey last week, but I know that those people know who they are, and what they did for me.  I love you, family.

We can only share two images online; here are two of mine:

We spent an hour and a half just wandering the streets, enjoying the soft, white snow, and getting some very cute pics.

Nothing makes me happier during an engagement session than real belly laughter.

How cute are these guys?! It’s ridiculous!

We made a little stop for some coffee and hot chocolate, then headed to a kids’ playground for some fun swing-set photos:

A couple of photos with their cats inside the apartment (that’s Sam on the right, and Stella on the left – love those kitties!)

Thank you both for a super fun afternoon, and your patience over the last two weeks. I hope you’ve enjoyed your teasers!

Our theme for the shoot was tangerine/orange, to which we added soft gold and cream highlights.  I had a fantastically talented team to work with, including my favorite florist in New England, New Leaf flores in JP.  Jeb and Daniel at New Leaf really pushed the boundaries for the tablescape, sourcing amazing china from Bloomingdales Chestnut Hill, and using the gorgeous gold table mats we found there as decoration, tying the whole shoot together.  We were also lucky enough to work with Lena at Hair That Moves and Jana Lamas for hair and makeup; Wild Orchid Baking Company made the super fun cake; Albertine Press was in charge of all the paper goods (I LOVE the flower motif that she chose); Be Our Guest provided the tables and chairs; Flair Bridesmaid on Newbury Street not only loaned us the gorgeous gowns but Stacey also came along to help fit and style, thank you Stacey!  The accessories came from Anthropologie, Stella & Dot, and Salmagundi ( a local store here in JP that specializes in wonderful hats).  Finally, we couldn’t have done this without our wonderful models, Catherine, Charlotte and Chantal.  Thank you ladies for your enthusiasm and beauty!

And of course here’s what you’ve been waiting for: a sneak peek of the article!

I also had another photo from Kathleen + Andy’s wedding featured full-page in the magazine (that’s pretty cool!)

And here are some of my own favorite images from the color shoot … enjoy!

We started out at their gorgeous apartment where I was very happy to spend a few minutes taking photos of their doggy, Winnie. Winnie is one of the sweetest, easiest dogs I’ve ever photographed, and she’s SO good-looking too. There’s something almost regal about her.

I had Leah and Jim invite Winnie onto the couch for this little series – love it!

Jim and Leah live right on the Southwest Corridor, and it’s pretty much photo heaven all around there. We took a few photos at the Christian Science Plaza (and managed not to get chased off by guards, hurray!) I love the repeating lines here:

You didn’t think I was done with the photos of Winnie did you? Such a pretty girl …

We headed back to the tiny park next to Leah and Jim’s apartment for these next few. These two are pretty darn cute together.

And a couple of final favorites from across Huntington. Thank you both for a very fun afternoon and for letting me totally indulge my dog-loving nature. I can’t wait for your wedding in April!

My weddings this year took place in Boston, of course, and all over New England.  And two in Seattle (yeah!)  Some of my favorite venues below include Belle Mer in Newport, RI, Saltwater Farm Vineyard in CT, The Towers in Narragansett, Turner Hill in Ipswich, MA, Castle Hill Inn (another beautiful Newport, RI venue), Taj Boston, Boston Marriott Cambridge, DeCordova Sculpture Park & Museum, The Liberty Hotel, Museum of Science Boston, Four Season Boston, Omni Mount Washington Resort in the White Mountains, The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Wentworth by the Sea Country Club, Rockport Art Association, Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA and a lovely backyard wedding at a private residence.  Enjoy – and let me know if you have any favorites!

In 2011 I had the good fortune to photograph in some amazing places, and the photos below came from Seattle (a super cool indie wedding no less), Wentworth by the Sea Country Club, The Connor Family Retreat, The Liberty Hotel (and the Cambodian ceremony the day before at a private home outside Boston), Turner Hill in Ipswich, MA (possibly my favorite estate venue in the area), Belle Mer (my new favorite Newport, RI venue), The Paulist Center in Boston, a private home south of the city, a winter wedding on the beach in Plymouth, MA, Le Meridien in Cambridge, The Boston Marriott Cambridge (an amazing Indian wedding!), The Taj Boston (love that rooftop terrace), The Omni Mount Washington Hotel in the White Mountains (a fairytale venue if ever there was one), Cambridge City Hall (my most intimate wedding of the year with just the couple, myself and the officiant present), an old favorite – Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA, and a number of cute churches dotted around the New England area.  Enjoy!

The photos below come from weddings in grand hotels, such as the Four Seasons Boston and Taj Boston, from couples’ homes, parents’ homes, even tiny rooms in the most modest of hotels and inns … The weddings took place in Boston and all over New England … even two in Seattle … and I photographed Jewish weddings, Christian weddings, my first Indian wedding, my first Cambodian ceremony, and a ton of multi-cultural and non-religious weddings. I’ve experienced the full gamut of emotions, and I hope some of them are apparent below. I’ve seen a whole lot of nervous anticipation, emotional tears, but most of all, excited and delighted couples, full of laughter and huge smiles. Enjoy the highlights reel – with more coming soon!

Here are some of my favorite spreads from the album … it’s so nice reliving this beautiful wedding through the album.

Thank you to my clients and friends: Julia + Anel, Sam + Stephen, Emily + Kerry, Amanda + Matt, Emily + Mike, Kat + Alex, Evelyn + John, Bung + Alex, Shana + Rob, Katie + Jon, Chrissy + Jason, Emilie + Alexei, Rowe + Dan, Jen + Morgan, Beth + Mike, Jess + Derek, Lara + Jessie, Jessica + Sarafina, Lynette + Chris.

And here’s the silk bound parent album – notice that these books have a seam down the middle of the page:

And here are the two albums together – the parent album has much thinner pages, so although both books have the same design and page count, the signature album is much thicker and heavier:

And of course I have to share a couple of the spreads too – it’s so fun reliving the wedding day when I design the albums (and it’s *such* a treat getting to look through the finished books before sending them on to their new owners):