AIANY New York New Design Show

On February 11, 2016 the AIANY New York New Design show opened at the Center for Architecture and it will run until May 28, 2016.  While I love these exhibits as a chance to geek out about architecture, this one is most exciting for me personally because this is the first time my architecture work is being exhibited publicly.  It's even more awesome that it's not just a random gallery, but a gallery curated by architects and dedicated to the architects of New York.  I'm especially grateful that the images chosen represent the New York Aquarium Shark Tank project I worked on with JVC Architects & Stephen M Taylor AIA, LEED, AP.

My dear friend Brian Wright stopped by and grabbed a photo of Stephen and I standing next to my images of the Shark Tank's interior "shark rollercoaster" yellow overhead crane, front exterior with viewing glass and shark, and rear exterior elevation to allow easy transport of sensitive marine life into the tanks.  The Center for Architecture did a great job of curating and designing the exhibit in such a way that I will probably go back a few more times to look at all of the other works as well.

In one of these images, it is so tempting to want to retouch an unfinished paint job on the fencing.  However, when the architects and I were discussing what should and shouldn't be photoshopped in the images, it was decided that that little odd detail helped prove that this was a real photograph and not just a rendering.

You can see a few more images from this project over on my --> Facebook Page.

Best of The Knot & Wedding Wire 2011

My sincerest thanks to my clients, whose reviews of my work and service have honored me with The Knot's Best of Weddings 2011 Pick and WeddingWire's Bride's Choice Award 2011. I have to admit that I used to think these awards were only given to people who paid to advertise with the companies offering them (since there are quite a few companies where that IS the case even though they don't tell anyone), but since I don't have paid advertising with either site, I can officially get behind what an honor it is to receive these awards. There are HUNDREDS of wedding photographers in the Boston area, and only a handful of companies receive even one of these awards each year so I'm very grateful to be one of the select few to be honored by both for 2011!!  There are times when I feel like I should be blogging more or networking more, but I'll always take a step back from marketing if I need to spend more time serving my clients so that they'll have an awesome experience.  These awards are confirmation for me that all of that hard work does pay off in the end, and is ultimately the most important part of what we do.

I also received notification that The Knot's Ultimate Wedding Lookbook, which has been in the works for the last two years, has finally gone to print and I'm happy to share that you'll find some of my work featured in the book.  The editors sent me a sneak peek of a spread where an image of mine is featured - the flaming chef in the food collage below is from a wedding I photographed a few years ago.  I'm grateful that The Knot editorial team has continued to invite me to submit images from my client's beautiful and unique weddings for publication, especially since they are such a joy to work with- which is amazing when you consider how many images they look at every day!  I look forward to sharing more of my client's weddings with them in the future (with client permission, of course!)

Thanks Offbeat Bride!

Little did Offbeat Megan realize when featuring a couple of my images recently on the Offbeat Bride Blog in her posts on Funny Groomsman Photos and Paying Homage to Your Pets, that both of the weddings from those photos are celebrating their 4th year of marriage this September (or maybe she's super psychic!)  In honor of this interesting coincidence, I thought I'd check in with these lovely couples to see how they're doing and what words of wisdom they can pass on to future couples!  Stay tuned for their response!

Boudoir Workshop - May 25th & 26th, 2010

May 25th & 26th in San Diego, CA I'll be sharing lighting, posing, and marketing resources for my Film Noir Boudoir & Pin Up Photography. There are great photographers on board sharing their tips, all with pretty different styles, so I'm looking forward to their presentations too!

Full disclosure: I'm not receiving any financial compensation to teach this workshop or to publicize it, however Pictage is covering my travel costs. I'm looking forward to being an attendee as much as I'm looking forward to teaching! I just love workshops!

Inspire Boston 2010

In February I had the pleasure of teaching and mentoring as part of the Inspire Boston Workshop & Retreat for Photographers.

 What I loved about this particular workshop was that most of it took place in Concord's Historic Colonial Inn, which provided a cozy atmosphere and gathering place for all of the photographers involved.

 Of course, it was also great that we had nearby access to all of the photography amenities at Lens Pro To Go.



The classes were intimate, rich with content, and there was plenty of time for mingling and mentoring in-between sessions- which I find to be a critical piece in a retreat-style workshop. My presentation was a reverse thinking way of approaching pricing, which was designed to really make people define what they want out of being self-employed. I always feel like I need a couple days to really get detailed on any one subject, especially when I'm speaking to a large group of people who have different needs and are at different places in their business. Which is exactly why I loved being a mentor as part of the retreat. Even though it was only supposed to be 30-45 minutes with each person, I often ended up mentoring for more like 90 minutes just because I really wanted to help each person and not just skim the surface. I just love helping people, and I feel like we can accomplish so much more when it's one on one.



Special thanks to The Graziers who really put the bulk of the effort into making Inspire Boston happen. I know it's been a dream of theirs for quite some time.

Featured on Boston Channel 5 Chronicle!

Tonight at 7:30pm, The Boston Channel 5 Chronicle is doing a feature on local Art Colonies and I'm very proud to say that Western Ave Studios will be featured as part of the program! I was out running on assignment most of the day they were filming, so you won't see me personally anywhere in the program, but you will get a taste of the wonderful artist community I work in every day!! It's just another great reason why you should come and visit my studio! ;-)

Clicking the image below will take you to the video preview of the program:

Thank You Bloggers!

It's not always easy to find out who's blogging my work because not everyone lets me know before blogging images they find on my blog or in my Flickr stream through the Creative Commons License Agreement search feature. Luckily Google Alerts is keeping an eye out for me, so I know who to thank for sharing my work with others!

To all bloggers out there, THANK YOU for loving my work and sharing it with your readers! My goal is to give you more blog about in 2010 than I did in 2009!! Click on any of the blog headers below to see various blog features of my work! (Sincere apologies to all bloggers I've missed!!)

Happy 1st Anniversary WeddingBee Pro!!

Over a year ago, I was contacted by the delightful Bee Kim, founder of WeddingBee- where many brides blog about their journey through wedding planning all in one place! I thought the blog was the best thing since happy meals, so when she asked me to become the first photographer blogger on a new blog dedicated to wedding professionals, I didn't hesitate to say yes. Since today is the official 1 year anniversary of the WeddingBeePro launch, I thought I'd share a little about my journey of being a featured blogger.

I knew WeddingBee was big, but I didn't realize what kind of spotlight I'd be under when I joined WeddingBeePro - to me it was just another opportunity to help brides on a larger scale- but I quickly found that it elevated me to a status I wasn't quite ready to handle, especially after having the busiest year of my business on top of moving to a new city. I felt really guilty when I had to take an extended break from blogging and social media, just months after the Pro blog launched, in order to catch up on all the private parts of my life that had slipped through my hands over the last couple of years while my business was taking off like crazy. I had been trying to do everything myself, which I now realize is impossible if you actually want to be successful. However, I'm so grateful that taking time off allowed room for so many other wonderful photographers to become featured bloggers. WeddingBeePro has become a collection of some of the most talented, thoughtful, humble, and loving wedding professionals in the industry and I'm so glad that I get to be included in that bunch of people.

I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community of people who love and share love on a regular basis. It's inspiring and joyful to see people pour their hearts into their work. I almost considered walking away from it all this year after the stress of the prior year, but after taking time to find greater balance in my life, I'm happy to say that this really is the best career I could ever have. I get to utilize so many of my talents in different ways and then share everything I love with people who love it as much as I do. Now, before you think it's an idyllic life, let me remind you that there is a balance to everything and there are plenty of painful, stressful, and boring parts of this job as well, but when all is said and done, they make the reward that much sweeter.

I sincerely want to thank Bee Kim for creating a wonderful and thriving community of bloggers. I know she works incredibly hard with very little reward or recognition because so often she's just behind the scenes pulling the strings and connecting the dots. I know that there are a lot of other bloggers and wedding industry professionals out there who have probably considered giving up at one point in time because they felt like no one cared. So if you love what someone shares with the world, please let this be the day that you take a moment to let them know how much you appreciate them. Bloggers are a special breed of people who give, often without receiving much of anything in return, but are inspired and motivated by your appreciation for what they take the time to share. :-)

Published in The Knot Michigan!

Congratulations to Shannon & Kayu for creating such a beautiful wedding! Amanda from Bliss Weddings & Events in Michigan did a fabulous job of coordinating the event and bringing it all together behind the scenes and Delia Turner was my awesome second photographer for the day. You'll never believe where the flowers came from... Costco!! The lovely potted cupcakes were a DIY project too! How fabulous is that?!?! Definitely check out Epic Motion's video from the wedding (you'll see some Anne & Delia cameos- HA!)

Here are just two pages of the five page feature in The Knot Michigan Spring Summer 2010:


To see the rest, you'll want to look for the cover below. They even have a little spot photo of Shannon & Kayu in the table of contents!

I'm So Blessed.

I miss you guys!! This year has already been non-stop with amazing things happening left and right! Since I last blogged, I've had meetings and big projects filling up every free moment in between the time I wake up and go to bed! I feel bad that I haven't had time to share them all with you, but it's all been happening so quickly that I can barely keep up with it myself!! I still want to do a year end review and set goals for this year and I still have tons of weddings and other work to blog about!! Can I put the world on pause please so I can catch up with everyone?!

Here's a super short sampling of what's been happening in my life lately, for the slightly more extended play by play, check out my twitter feed:

• I was invited to present at Mystic 4, alongside some amazing photographers I admire
• My mom spent a week at our place and helped us FINALLY empty a whole bunch of boxes from our move and organize us to a point where we feel like we're living in a home and not just a box storage facility (I love you mom!)
• I interviewed 12 possible interns and got to choose two super talented and incredibly smart women who I can't wait to work with each week for the next 6 months
• I began an extended project to bring attention to the local hungry & homeless situation as well as the state and federal public services available for people who find themselves in these situations
• I was interviewed by the local paper on my outlook on public service
• I was sold on EBay (with Free Shipping! HA!) to raise money for Thirst Relief International
• I was interviewed and featured in Design Aglow for tips on how to use social media
• I was interviewed and featured in Bride's Magazine (New Jersey & Philadelphia) for lighting tips at receptions
• I was interviewed and featured on the Pictage Blog for Mingle with Engle's Photographer Spotlight
  
• The fabulous WeddingBeePRO has continued to feature my past blog posts on their amazing resource blog for brides
• I hosted an online video chat night where I answered questions live from photographers and wedding planners (I also have to give a shout out to the awesome wedding planners who answered a lot of other photographer questions! Thanks ladies!)
• I was invited to lead & organize the Boston PUG group, and just hosted my second monthly PUG meeting
• I was invited to give a presentation on community blog development for the stakeholders and developers of Lowell, MA
• I photographed the annual Lowell Winterfest activities including the Soup competition, Human Dogsled competition, Merrimack Valley's Got Talent competition, among many other Winterfest activities
• Alex (my hubby) and I launched Lowell Handmade and are in the process of founding a non-profit to help support the local arts
• I've been recruited to be project manager for an art auction fundraiser for the Artist League of Lowell.
• I've been coordinating the 2nd Annual Photo Lovecat Giveaway Gala at WPPI
• I've been coordinating a very exciting blog and book publication for Las Vegas Weddings
• I've been invited to be a featured presenter at the Thirst Relief and Pictage Booths at WPPI
• I've been meeting Boston area wedding professionals who share my same passions for Green & Sustainable practices

... and that doesn't include just the everyday stuff of trying to keep up with clients and vendors around the world on various time zones, taking care of computer/billing/communication problems that arise, being airport transportation for my frequent flyer family, being my own secretary and editor, being a good pet parent to my dog, and being a caring sister/wife/daughter/friend. Phew!! Did you get tired reading all of that?! I know I'm tired just after writing it all out... and I have to get on a plane in few hours!

Please note: I will be at the annual Wedding & Portrait Photographers International Tradeshow & Conference until February 19th - so please forgive me if I have a difficult time returning phone calls or emails- my schedule is pretty packed while I'm there! I'm doing my best to manage it all right now, and look forward to having a MUCH more manageable workload after WPPI is over!! Every one else's deadlines have been so crammed into the first 6 weeks of this year that I've barely had time to breathe. I sincerely appreciate your understanding!!

Where in the World is Anne Ruthmann?

Thank you to everyone who showed interest in doing an internship with me!! I'm so grateful to have received so many calls!! I will be conducting phone interviews over the next week to narrow it down to a few I'd like to meet in person- I can't wait!! If you were wishing you could intern with me but live in another state- believe me, there are PLENTY of photographers who would LOVE to have you!! Just contact the ones you admire and tell them you'd like to be an intern!! Everyone could use a little extra help- and if you run into a photographer curmudgeon along the way- just brush them off and try someone else! (Why waste your time on a Scrooge anyway?!)



Since I'm really in need of a helping hand to manage all of the very wonderful and amazing things going on - I'm going to dedicate the rest of this post to Thing T. Thing from the Addams Family. Thing was always there when you needed a hand, and in true celebrity fashion, has even made a few cameo appearances at some of my weddings!! I'm so glad that Thing is always to the rescue so that I can focus on taking photos!



Here's a list of semi-public events where you'll be able to find me in the coming months- and remember, I always keep my Dopplr Travel Schedule on the side of my blog in case you'd like to schedule a meet-up in advance while I'm already in another city! (Note that these are not ALL of my engagements or events, just ones that are more public than private.)

January 18-20: Mystic, CT - Invited Presentation for Mystic 4

January 27-28th: Lowell, MA - Food Bank Documentation Project, Presentation for the Center City Stakeholders, and Arts League of Lowell Meeting.

January 30 - February 2: Lowell, MA - Lowell Photography Weekend, and Intern Interviews



February 5-8th: Lowell, MA - Event Photography for Lowell Winterfest

February 10th: Waltham, MA - Leading Pictage User Group Meeting

February 12-19th, Las Vegas, NV - WPPI Tradeshow & Convention. Launching the Vegas Wedding Project. Hosting the 2nd Annual Giveaway Gala. Speaking at the Pictage Booth. Mentoring for Thirst Relief.



So, yeah... just a few things coming up in the next 30 days!! HA! What would be better than a helping hand? Two!!

Mystic 4 | A Meeting of Minds | January 18-19, 2009

From what people have told me about past Mystic events, it seems like a really cool gathering of minds sharing ideas about the art, technique, and business of photography (mostly from the wedding photography perspective) in a very stripped-down setting without all of the hoopla and advertising that comes with traditional conventions and tradeshows (though there will obviously be some, since vendors just can't resist an opportunity like this).

I'm incredibly honored that I have been invited to present alongside some of the very same people who I've admired since I got started in this industry. As many of you know, I enjoy sharing my personal thoughts and experiences with others in the hopes that it can help them, and I'm really excited to have this opportunity to do it in person, in a format where we can then have follow-up discussions in person.

The organizers have told me that Mystic 4 is already booking so much more quickly than it has in years passed and there are a really limited number of seats. Who can blame people for signing up early? At the cost of only $150 to attend, with lunch included, it's one of the best deals in the industry!! (Note: presenters are not being paid for their presentations.) To see many of these presenters individually you'd have to shell out a heck of a lot more than that... believe me, because I have.. and yes, it was worth it. I'm really excited to see what the other presenters will be talking about and I'm just incredibly honored that I can be a part of it!!

Here's a brief intro to what I'll be talking about: (the title is a JOKE people - relax!)

Anne Ruthmann
"How an Ugly, Fat Girl became a Popular International Photographer"
She didn't get lucky photographing celebrities. She isn't skinny enough to fit into designer clothing. She doesn't have a portfolio filled with lavish, over-the-top weddings. Yet, clients are willing to book her sight-unseen, fly her across the world, and even pay 5 figures for her work. Anne has learned what clients want most and why they will go out of their way and break their budget just to have it. She'll share her secrets to branding, pricing, and client care that have contributed to her rapid success in wedding photography.

Bio:
Anne is a self-taught photographer who started photographing weddings in 2005 while living in Detroit, MI, went full time in 2006 while moving to Terre Haute, IN (a rural farm city) and just recently moved to Lowell, MA in 2008. In those few short years she has gained an international following of wedding clients, won awards in AGWPJA and WPJA, been published in several different wedding magazines and was recognized as one of PDN's Top Knots for 2008. Before realizing her passion for wedding photography, Anne spent 10 years working in finance, marketing, and management for everything from large corporations to small non-profits. She regularly shares her extensive business knowledge and experiences on various forums, in private consultations, and on her business blog PhotoLoveCat.com.



I have to admit that I'm really nervous about being the last presentation on the last day because that means there's even more pressure to make it fun and interesting!! I have to end things on an AWESOME note so people feel like they had the best experience ever!! No pressure! *Taking a deep breath* I'll be working hard on my presentation over the holidays and will probably be practicing on anyone who will listen to me!! HA! Did I mention I'm a perfectionist (and much better at writing than speaking)? If you didn't click on one of the links above, here's the link to see the other presenters and to reserve your spot before it sells out!!! I look forward to seeing you there!!

-> CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP! <-

WPJA Award Winning Images

Yesterday the Wedding Photojournalist Association announced it's Q3 Contest Winners and I was excited to see that two of my images placed in the contest!

This image was from Moreen & Tommy's wedding in Chicago, IL this year. Unfortunately a family member's car had a flat tire which needed to be repaired in between the ceremony & reception. You just never know what will happen, so it's always good to have a back up plan!


When Kat & Dave chose the Rialto Theatre in Joliet, IL for their wedding reception, I knew that capturing the grandeur and elegance of this location was going to be an important element in their wedding photography. What's even more amazing is that I was able to light this entire room with one flash!

The WPJA is one of the few professional organizations for wedding photographers that will actually deny applicants membership if they are not considered to represent the photojournalism style authentically. The quarterly WPJA contests are designed so that members can have their work judged by photojournalists who are currently working in and leading the field of photojournalism outside of weddings. I felt that this round of contest winners was very exceptional and I'm so proud to have my name featured alongside such genuine and artistic storytellers. To see all of the winning images and the photographers who created them, visit the WPJA website.

Just Launched: WeddingBee PRO

Yesterday, one of the most popular wedding planning blogs in the world WeddingBee.com (named affectionately after it's founder's first name, Bee) launched a new blog called WeddingBeePRO dedicated to weddings and wedding planning, but written by wedding vendors and industry professionals!! This is the first blogs of its kind for the wedding industry - aggregating the posts of many different wedding vendors to bring them all in one place, helping brides make more informed decisions about their weddings! I'm incredibly honored and excited that the WeddingBee community asked me to help launch this new and exciting project!! Feel free to check out my intro post, "The Making of a Wedding Photographer" which talks about how I got into this fun and exciting industry in the first place! While you're there, stick around and greet some of the other wedding professionals by leaving warm fuzzy comments for them!



to continue reading this article, click here --> "The Making of a Wedding Photographer"

Featured in Better Homes & Gardens!

Congratulations to Jessica & Ben who had their Organic Creamery/Farm Wedding featured on the Better Homes & Garden's Real Weddings!! Check out the article and see all of the unique touches that this couple included in their Jewish ceremony and relaxed reception...
http://www.bhg.com/crafts/weddings/real/organic-farm-wedding

To all of the couples out there who are itching to be featured in a magazine... here's what magazine editors are looking for:
- Beautiful, clean photography that's not overly photoshopped with great lighting, composition, and attention to detail (ie. get a great photographer and your wedding will look fantastic no matter what!)
- UNIQUE details! If you've seen it before, they've probably seen it before a hundred times! For unique florals or decor- let your florist go wild with their imagination! Give them a color palette or just a few words to describe your personal style and let them interpret it as they see fit! Give your vendors creative freedom and they will create beautiful work for you!
- Different locations! At this point, the magazines have pretty much published all of the "normal" wedding venues. They're craving a different spin on the wedding day- so think outside of the "box" like Jessica & Ben did! Choose a place you love, that says something about who you are as a couple. You'd be pretty surprised at the places you can have a wedding these days!

WPJA Action Winner

I'm honored to have another image place in the Wedding Photojournalist Association!! This is from the Q1 2008 contest (I didn't submit anything for Q2.. but there's always Q3 & Q4!) and was taken during Caroline & Dave's wedding, which I'll be blogging about next (sooo many awesome photos from that wedding)!! I love that WPJA actually includes judge's comments (sometimes), which you can see underneath the image! Thanks to Dave and all of his guys for giving me an award-winning moment to capture!!

Published in Brides Magazine!

I actually have no idea what issue this was because all I got was this .pdf from the publisher! I'm honored that they contacted me about one of my images for an editorial feature on Homespun weddings, especially because I looooove DIY & home weddings! Seriously- they are my favorite! My image is at the bottom, of the fiddle player- who did an awesome job at Dena & Jeff's wedding in South Haven, MI. He totally rocked and I hope he's OK with his new semi-fame! HA! Thanks Dena & Jeff for having such an awesome wedding that editors are still looking at your images years later!!

Thank You Southern Weddings!

Southern Weddings is a beautiful publication- not just for the fabulous dames of the South, but for all of the lovely ladies who enjoy sweet sophistication typically found in the South. At Lauren & Eric's wedding, I can't tell you how many times I heard people whisper things like "this looks like something straight out of Southern Living," so naturally, I was honored when Southern Weddings decided to feature some of my images from Lauren & Eric's wedding!! I can only imagine how excited Lauren was when she got the news! CLICK HERE to see Lauren & Eric featured on the Southern Weddings blog- and while you're there, check out all of the other beautiful ideas and weddings featured!



PS. In case you haven't noticed (yeah right) I've been a bad blogger lately and I'm CRAZY behind on blogging all of the fabulous weddings I've been shooting! Hang in there with me! I WILL catch up... eventually. I have TONS of awesome images to share!

Vote for Blu Girl of the Year!!!

OMG! Thank you to the wonderful people who nominated me to be Blu Girl of the Year!!! How awesome are you?! I look at the other fabulous nominees and I would seriously vote for any one of them! They are all such wonderful women, and I'm really lucky to know some of them personally. ;-) Being nominated is just the first step!

Tell Blu who the Girl of the Year should be!!
->>CLICK HERE TO VOTE<<--

MOVING UPDATE: After 20+ hours on the road, we're finally at our new place in Lowell, MA! Woo Hoo!!! Funny thing is, even though we're here... our furniture won't be arriving until Friday, so we'll be camping out on our floors until our stuff catches up with us. Luckily, we learned from our last move and planned ahead to get our cable internet installed early so that I can get right back to work (at least on the stuff I can do online)! Here's a little video I made to show you our new place....

PDN: Top Knots of Wedding Photography

I'm very honored to be recognized as one of the 2008 Top Knots: New School of Wedding Photography, by Photo District News. Thousands of photographers enter images for judging, and only a handful make it in!! This contest is unique in that it is judged by magazine editors who are responsible for selecting images for wedding publications like The Knot, Brides, and Elegant Bride. Thank you to all of the editors who valued my work and selected my images!!!

I was fortunate enough to have TWO of my images selected to be featured in the publication and online!! Here they are:

From Holly & Sam's wedding... "Life is Short, Eat Candy."


From Matt & Sharyn's wedding... "Stylish Birds at the Clarendon Ballroom"


The magazine (PDN, April 2008) should be on the newsstands for another week or two- so go check it out to see it in print!! I also want to congratulate my good friends who were recognized in the Top Knots this year as well: Abbe Rose, Anna Kuperberg, Sergio, Mary Marantz, and Bill Holland!! I'm honored to be featured among such talented artists!!!