Anne-Spotting: Second Shooting

I have a confession: I love second shooting.  It's not really possible to live off of second shooting or even replace expensive gear on a second shooting wage, but you also don't have nearly as many responsibilities, pressures, or expectations as you do when you're the main photographer.  You just show up for the event, create tons of great images, and then wash your hands of the rest.  There's a certain creative freedom that comes with not being required to get "the" shot- and I love remember what that feels like every once in a while to help spark new ideas and creativity I can give my own clients.  I did quite a bit of second shooting as I was toning down the marketing efforts of my own business in preparation for (and return from) my Adventure Year, but since my work from these events are spread out on everyone else's blog - I wanted to share them here so I can always go back and reference the work I've created for other people.  So, here are some of my favorite images that I've captured for other photographers - which is why you'll see their watermarks and links to their sites where you can see more. ;-)

State Room Wedding Details with Krista Photo

I love atmospheric details - and sometimes they get missed when we need to focus as primary photographers because we never want to get too far away from the action.  They're usually more interesting for us from a creative perspective rather than meaningful for our clients. ;-)

Ames Hotel Getting Ready with Krista Photo

Above was one of those moments where I couldn't eliminate the distracting person in the background but I just HAD to get the shot without it being "perfect" because the look on his face was too priceless. Below, Krista had run upstairs to get a shot from above, but I loved the light and detail of the staircase, so I grabbed it from the front.

Fruitlands Museum Wedding with MKD Photography

I love it when clergy surprise us all with quirky little personal stories and analogies.  A minister who can create laughter at a wedding is a true joy for everyone in the room.

I always try to find a way to grab a "working image" of the photographers I work with so you can get a real sense of what things are like behind the scenes of creating beautiful imagery.  In this case, Mike & Kate were doing double duty because it was a family wedding.

Gibbet Hill Wedding with Krista Photo

I was herding the wedding party from the sidelines, but there is always a lot of adjustment that needs to happen with large wedding parties before we can get just one "normal" posed group photo....

Granite Links Golf Club Wedding with Krista Photo

While everyone else was enjoying cocktail hour - I saw this little girl twirling and running through the grasses down the side of the hill, quite care-free about all the hubbub happening inside...

The biggest drawback to second shooting for me, personally, is that these aren't "my" clients, which means I don't get to have that lovely 2 year relationship of anticipating these amazing moments together and then reliving them through the album design process together.  All I get are the fond and fun memories that I captured for someone else based on only what was happening right then and there on the wedding day- but not the satisfaction of seeing how their lives transform and evolve over time, or how meaningful certain images were to family members that I never could have known if I hadn't spent time on an album together afterward.  So, while second shooting is fun and it fills in some of my creative itches- there's nothing like working one on one with a couple and their families from before their wedding to well after.  It's a joy and an honor to be present to these transformational moments in people's lives- and even more satisfying when I can continue that relationship beyond the wedding day.

Millenium Bostonian Hotel Wedding - MariaLisa & Liz

We could see the sun set on Boston's Faneuil Hall from the windows of the Millenium as Liz and MariaLisa were getting ready for their wedding ceremony.  They both looked stunning and their families were in full force, helping with all of their last minute details.  Together, they are the perfect Yin & Yang pair, complementing and strengthening each other.  MariaLisa, the organized planner and deadline keeper, and Liz, the free thinker and fashion finder.  On the wedding day they both walked down their own aisle in unison with their families, meeting in the middle, and by the end of the ceremony hardly a dry eye was left.  Their love for each other was contagious and as you'll see in the slideshow toward the reception- their energy infected everyone in the room.  You'll also see some of their unique and meaningful details playing on the idea of city night lights, and even a little horse drawn carriage, representing one of their favorite romantic memories together.  Don't miss MariaLisa's fist pump in the middle of the ceremony, when she was had snuck in a vow that Liz would agree to let her have a puppy!  Press play on the slideshow below to see a preview of their wedding day (note: music will play- adjust your speakers to your preferences.)


Venue & Catering: Millenium Bostonian Hotel
Flowers & Decor: Ilex Designs
DJ: Ari Rosenfield of Beattrain Productions
Wedding Gowns: Alfred Angelo Bridal Company Store
Wedding Party Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse
Wedding Party Dresses: Bride-N-Belle Boutique
Cake: Konditor Meister
Cityscape Canvas "Guestbook": www.greatbigcanvas.com
Groomsmen Shoes: Puma
 

Francisco Family Adventure Pt. 1 - Boston Buddha Vararam Temple

During February, I was on my own personal secret mission to give back and pay forward in whatever way inspired me.  When I read Rhoda's blog post, Why Weird is Wonderful: A Letter from a Single Mom to her Daughter, I remembered what it felt like when I was her daughter's age.  Eleven years old, trying to figure out my identity and where I fit in with my peers, while living with a single mom who was doing her best to be a sole provider.  Around 12 years old, during the middle school and high school years, my hormones kicked in along with my desire to rebel against my mother and carve my own path in the world as a moody and independent teenager who didn't need mom's help anymore.  How I wish I could have captured my mother and I just before that shift, when she was my biggest superhero and I was her little eager apprentice.

Another thing that struck me while reading Rhoda's post, is that I don't have any images with my grandmother, mother, and myself in the same image.  I have images of them separately, but I can't recall seeing any of us all together.  My grandmother didn't live long after I was born, and in many ways, not having a photo of us together makes her feel even more distant and separate to me.  I didn't want this to be the case for 11-year-old Hannah.  While her grandmother Rose has multiple children, Hannah only has one grandmother, and she's so lucky that they live together and get to spend so much time together right now.  As we all know, life is too short, and these moments don't get to last forever.

So, on an inspired whim, I offered the Francisco family a gift- to document a small slice of their life just as it is right now.  A day of them sharing and discovering things together, with me tagging along capturing moments as they happen on a random Saturday in February.  Here is what I saw, and what I learned....



We started our shoot with a few quiet moments at the Boston Buddha Vararam Temple in Bedford, MA.  Like most things in New England, the outside of the building is fairly understated and the real beauty unfolds as you discover the secrets within.  If you decide to become adventurous and visit a Buddhist temple, it is customary to remove your shoes at the door.





It is still through watching her mother and grandmother, that Hannah comes to understand the importance of rituals, sacred traditions, and ways of fostering a spiritual connection. The subtle differences in how they hold their fingers, whether they close their eyes, and bow their heads, reflect their uniqueness and similarities all at once.





Subtle moments, such as grandma Rose, remaining in her own space and prayer even after her daughter and granddaughter have stood up, show the differences in pace and ritual as they relate to their personalities and different stages of life right now.



While this particular temple mostly serves Thai speakers and visitors, it is open to everyone with guided chants and meditations on Sundays, and even melon carving lessons on Saturday evenings, which we discovered by speaking to the monk who was present while we were there.








Hannah loves taking photos with her phone and created some great little portraits of me, which she edited with filters and snowflakes all while we were having lunch at Flatbread Co. before we started our adventures together.  She sings along and dances in her seat when she likes a song- in fact, we both had a little jam in our seat moment when Mumford & Sons started playing- and she loves beautiful handcrafts like this paper bouquet sitting near the door as we left the temple.



Tomorrow, I'll share the second part of our adventure together. Feel free to sign up and have my blog delivered weekly to your email, or to subscribe for instant updates using any of the RSS feed options.

Lenox Hotel Boston Wedding - Elyse & Justin

Winter weddings are so special and rare- a chance to celebrate with friends and family when most people simply hustle home to huddle under a blanket.  The sparkle of snow crystals dusting everything, the starry night unencumbered by the leaves of trees, and the feeling of people hugging a little tighter and holding hands a bit more to keep warm.  Even though Elyse & Justin were married in November with fall leaves still holding onto the trees, their wedding reminds me of the cozy elegance of winter with acrylic chairs resembling the sheen of ice, crystals sparkling like icicles from silver branches, long sleeves, lace layers, white bow tie, and Hershey kisses like Valentine chocolates.  They had lots of unique little touches, like their dog Remi as their ring bearer, a sugar bar to represent their love of candy, a specialty cranberry cocktail, and some very unique life size planter-pot characters.  There were some priceless moments during the toasts when Elyse's family pulled out some embarrassing moments from her past, and a heart warming end to their evening with everyone crowding the dance floor around them.  Press play on the video below to see a slideshow preview of their wedding day (note: music will play- adjust your speakers to your preference.)


Venues & Catering: The Lenox Hotel
Portrait Location: Boston Public Library
Photography: Anne Ruthmann Photography 
Florals & Crystals: ilex Flowers
DJ: Mike Amado
Dress & Alterations: L'elite Boutiqe Boston
Cake: The Icing On The Cake
Donations instead of favors, made to: MSPCA and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Kisses Sweeter than Candy

I ducked behind the floral arrangement dripping with crystals as Justin turned around to see Elyse for the first time on their wedding day.  He had the biggest smile I'd seen all morning, and the kiss that followed was so sweet you can almost taste the powdered sugar...

Recycle Your Wedding Flowers - Green Ideas

A couple years ago I met a local florist, Belle Feuille Floral Design, who recycles the big beautiful floral arrangements left over from events like weddings, funerals, and church services, turning them into floral gifts for hospice, hospital, and cancer patients.  What a beautiful way to spread the love and make an investment in gorgeous flowers go even further!  A quick search on the web reveals that she's not the only florist who utilizes a team of volunteers to help spread the love- so as you're meeting with florists for your wedding day- ask if they will recycle the flowers or if they know of a local program that will pick up your flowers after the event for donation.  If your florist doesn't offer a program like this, ask your family members if they know of a retirement home or hospital that accepts floral donations, and if members of your family would be willing to help deliver the flowers after the wedding.

Unexpected... Dad and the Dress

Most men stay out of the room while women are getting ready together and they rarely ever touch the bride's wedding dress on the wedding day. Perhaps it is that simple fact that makes this one small moment so unique and exceptional. To describe the relationship between a father, daughter, and mother in something as simple and ordinary as helping a bride with her dress, is exactly what makes me so nostalgic about freezing little unexpected slices of life.

Remember when...

... your wedding ring was brand new?
Shiny without a scratch.
Foreign to the finger.
Catching the corner of your eye.
Reminding of one who loves you.

Doug - A Personal Lifestyle Portrait in Greater Boston

When Doug contacted me about doing a portrait for him, I naturally assumed we'd be doing professional headshots for his online business presence. I had originally met Doug over coffee at Brew'd Awakening to discuss website development for the LowellHandmade.com project and I learned that he had developed the website for my local Aveda Salon: Salon City. I was a little surprised when I asked him where he'd like to use the images and the response was not for his business website, but rather for a personal profile. I was so delighted that not only would I be creating something more personality driven, but also something that might lead to an attraction. I'm a total romantic and I can't hide it. Just the thought of love makes me all giddy inside and turns my cheeks into pink squishy balls of joy! I still wanted to make sure I got at least one good portrait for professional use, just because it's good for everyone to have, even if only for a Linked-In profile:



For me, the key to a great personal lifestyle portrait is to capture images that are friendly, inviting, and tell a little story about you. If a picture can say a thousand words, we want to make those words a clear and honest reflection of who you are so that they attract someone who shares your values and interests. When I asked Doug what kind of things he likes to do when he's not behind the computer, he mentioned that he loves riding his bike and he's currently in the middle of some home renovation. So, we hung out at his home for a little bit and then took his bike out for a short walk in a local park. The other key for me with personal portraits is to make the photo look as if a friend with a really nice camera could have taken it - not too posed or overly creative, just natural and relaxed, as if it were happening in the middle of an activity. We want to make sure it doesn't come across as if someone is a model or that they are using a stock photo of someone else, but that it just happens to be a really great picture caught on the fly. Why can't anyone do this? Because not everyone knows how to use all of the technical tricks to make people look more beautiful while doing it. (Thanks to another web guru, Lara Swanson, for the link!)



I actually like that he's talking in this one because it feels more candid...




So, I'd love to hear from you... do you think I was able to create something that matches his story and is flattering to him?

LOVE IT: The Swapaholics

The Swapaholics combine three of my favorite things: fashion, recycling, and an amazing deal! If you've never been to a Swapaholic event, there's no better time than during Boston Fashion Week to check out their Sip & Swap this Thursday at Arts at the Armory in Somerville! Founders Amy Lynn Chase, owner of Haberdash Vintage, and Melissa Massello, creator of Shoestring Magazine, make a powerful pair of fearless fashion finders, bringing their  expertise together for the benefit of lucky swappers. Armed with an impressive team of volunteers, each event provides an opportunity to trade in your less-wanted items for something you'll love more! The best part? You know the entire stash is fresh that day direct from other swappers just like you, and whatever doesn't go home- doesn't come back- it heads off to Salvation Army where the less informed can wade through racks of unwanted clothing and pay more for one piece than you traded for all you can carry!  Want to be in the know before you go?  Check out these  6 Tips for Becoming an Expert Swapaholic!

I had a ton of fun documenting the Canal District Clothing Swap earlier this year, and even did a mini-fashion shoot with Jen Loves Kev and Orchid Grey, who are part of the Delightful Dozen collective of fashion bloggers who trade fashion pieces and interpret them in new ways.





Click play on the slideshow below to see my coverage of the entire swap!

Boston's Faneuil Hall

I love going to different locations for engagement portraits because I always find something new to inspire me! I also love incorporating interesting architecture whenever I can, and Boston's Faneuil Hall provided the perfect combination of architecture and inspiration for this engagement photo! I'm thinking about making this a large canvas or standout on one of my office walls, but I can't decide which one I like the most - what do you think?

Free To Be

We started these engagement photos right on Boston's famous Freedom Trail. Like any other major city with an active downtown area, there are people everywhere. Now, I'm pretty awesome at making a crowded place look like there are only two people there, but when the local characters actually add something a little more interesting to the shot, well.. sometimes I can't resist.