Steph has been a close friend to my wife and I since the long forgotten days of college (we’re so old). Her contagious smile has always been something to cherish and I don’t think any of us have seen it quite as much as since Tim has come into her life. There is just something about the two of them together that makes you wanna smile as big as Steph does. Some people call it chemistry but I think it’s just good ol’ fashion true love. Congrats again guys! Sneak Peak it!
After a hectic 2010 and beginning of 2011 my wife and I decided to get away from the mayhem that is our everyday lives. Being that this would be Jordan’s first time away from home let alone his first time on a plane we were more then a little anxious. The goal was to reduce the amount of potential infant flight stress otherwise known as mommy and daddy pulling their hair out. Funny that I used to be the guy that when I got on the plane and I saw the lady with a baby I would pray it wasn’t me sitting next to her. Row 12, 13, 14 crap they’re coming up… Here’s my seat right in front of the screaming baby GAH. Trust me however bad your feeling for yourself the parent holding the child has it waaaaaaaay worse. That being said with a 2 hour flight out and a hour and a half flight home Chi-Town seemed perfect. Still there were so many things to worry about. What to pack? What to do about bottles and baths? What type of detergent does the hotel use? I could go on for days… literally. In the end though, the weather was amazing, Jordan had a great time (he loved that hotel room) and to top it off he even slept through the entire flight back. I kind of just wish that I got to have one more slice of that Chicago deep dish pizza… soooooo good! I suppose bumping into Mr T (I PITY THE FOOL) about makes up for that. So where to next? Disney perhaps? A white sand beach? Wherever it may be I can’t wait! Jordan pack your bags and let’s get going cuz we’re leeaaaving on a jet plane…
Note to self: Next time get swimming specific diapers so Jordan doesn’t look like a marshmallow when we pull him out of the pool.
So checking the forecast for Queena and Joe’s wedding the Monday before the big day weather.com called for a rainy snowy mix. After the Winter from hell, having snow in April didn’t seem so far fetched. Come Saturday though sunshine and blue skies prevailed. I guess not even Mother Nature’s bad mood of late could ruin this day. Sometimes destiny has its way of making things work out for the better.
I’ve known Queena for the better part of two decades and I can honestly say that I’ve never seen her happier then when she’s with Joe. This wedding has been years in the making and just like the bride it was beautiful. Congrats again guys! Sneak Peek!
A sleeping baby, a digital SLR, and excessive time with nothing to do because the mrs is studying equals (drum roll please)… SLOW SHUTTER BABY SHOTS!!!
After years of constant flashes and badly timed candids my family has grown weary of my lens always being a few inches from their faces. I can’t really blame them, 100,000 flash blindness episodes will do that to just about anyone. Thanks for always putting up with being my photographic guinea pigs!
Finding new ways to light a scene is always exciting when you have some extra light to throw from interesting angles. It’s thanks to my wonderful wife who despite my obsession with photography still finds ways to feed my passion. What better way to say I love you then a new flash to play with (okay maybe a 5D Mark III trumps that but perhaps that post will be up in the not so distant future… hint hint). So two 580EXiis, two Radio Popper sets and some kiddies for subject matter later and we were in strobe city. Fun with off camera lighting time at its finest yay! I’m sure the wife and son didn’t mind the time off to rest their weary corneas.
Jason if you are reading this STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS USED IN PICTURE 5!!!
Just like every other photo junkie on the planet I’ve always got my nose in the hottest new gear and photo trends. It’s so easy to get lost in a mountain of expensive gear where we look to what we have instead of what we know to get that perfect shot. A recent convo with Wendy G, a super duper talented photographer, got me to thinking. Sometimes you gotta go back to the basics to appreciate the art in what we do. Thus started my quest for the camera that made me fall in love with photography some 18 odd years ago (don’t do the math!). The Pentax K1000 is simplicity personified. Aperture, shutter speed and ASA, no more and no less. A purely manual camera that doesn’t even need batteries to work! A quick search on Craigslist led me to Devi who was kind enough to part ways with a dear old friend. A quick exchange ensued and her last words were, “I’m just glad the camera is going to a good home.” Devi, I totally understand and she will be well taken care of and appreciated, I can promise you that. Well, at least once I can find some film she will be… Film pics to be posted soon EXCITING!
It’s the day after Christmas and the snow is a falling and a falling and errr a falling. Actually it’s like a blizzard out there on the streets of Manhattan. The snow really makes the city seem surreal. Street lights bouncing off snowflakes sure do make for an eerie glow. The sound of traffic muffled by a million falling snowflakes gives a strange sense of peacefulness. If you close your eyes and take a deep breathe you almost feel like you’re not in the city at all. Ahhh how I love Winter.
So our plans to take Jordan out for a leisurely stroll for the first snow storm of his life were met by an official blizzard. I guess in the battle of Mother Nature vs Stir Crazy Baby, Mother Nature wins hands down. However, regardless of snow conditions and school cancellations, out goes daddy (that’s me) to forage for supper. 5 blocks and a couple of quick shots later (that’s photos not tequila) I had Taco Bell in hand.
I guess the meterologists were right for once. There’s at least 10 inches so far and no sign of it stopping anytime soon. Let’s hope the morning commute won’t be as bad as I think it will be. YIKES!
*Morning update – work was closed but apparently so was my immune system… I caught the flu GAH… Safe travels everyone!
(Midtown Manhattan the night of the storm.)
(Midtown Manhattan the day after the storm. Yup that’s a car under there somewhere. It’s been a few days now and the car is still there. Don’t say I blame the guy.)
In life there are so many things to be thankful for. Here is how I like to spend my Thanksgiving in 3 easy to follow Ninja steps. Please do not try this at home. All events were carefully monitored under the supervision of professionals (my son and his cousins).
Step One: Eat… Eat it all. Don’t think about the caloric intake or about the work out that will follow next week. JUST EAT! 
Step Two: Hang out with your family and friends. 
Step Three: Take a nice long nap!
I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving now get back to work!
You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Seems like Spring came back just for the two of you. A truly magical wedding filled with laughter and tears (happy ones folks happy ones). May you have a lifetime of love and happiness as pimp as your entrance was. Revolving trap door on the dance floor WHAT! Sneak Peek it.
I’ve been trekking between Manhattan and Westchester for so long now that the 2.5+ hours each day that I spend commuting seems oddly normal. Walk to the subway, subway to the train, train to the local station, walk from the station to the office and then back in reverse 5 days a week. As big as Manhattan is and as insane as rush hour in the city may appear you still manage to see the same faces day in and day out. Familiar strangers with their noses pressed into their smartphones, New York Times and Starbucks coffees. Sometimes it’s nice just to stop and watch the world go by in its controlled chaos.
