Caitlin and Tyler: Revolvers and Chucks
The 2021 wedding season was another weird year thanks to the pandemic but I was happy to see that it came alive. Once the warmer weather rolled in and people were able to get outside it all felt like a great return to some semblance of normalcy.
Caitlin and Tyler were my first wedding of the 2021 season and they were cool as hell. I get along best with laid-back people. They were certainly laid back but they were also both into really doing their own thing. Their wedding definitely fit well with their personalities. There is this really distinct memory that I have of being in their house and taking photos of Caitlin and her pink hair putting on a custom pair of Chucks. If there was one photo that really defined their wedding for me it would be that one.
2021: Another Weird Year in Review
The best of 2021. My favorite shots from every non-commercial session in 2021.
I used to really love winter because it gave me a lot of free time to unwind from a chaotic fall and focus on growing my business without crazy deadlines every day. With grad school and a growing focus on commercial work, though, winter is a bit less free. Actually, I take that back. Grad school is the main issue. So many papers.
Still, winter is an important time for reflection and I always enjoy doing these year in review posts. They remind me that I have a good job and that my business is sustainable but they also remind me that my job is fun. I remember every single one of these sessions and they all involved at least one good laugh. If I get to laugh at least once during a day at work then it’s a win.
Here are my favorite shots from every non-commercial session of 2021.
A Family Portrait on Lake Quinsigamond
Family sessions come out the best when they take place at a location familiar with the family. What better place to have a family session than your own backyard? If you happen live on the shores of the beautiful Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury then that’s just a giant cherry on top! Check out some photos from the Meyer family’s family session at Lake Quinsigamond.
About ninety percent of my family sessions take place at local parks and about ninety percent of THOSE take place at Moore State Park in Paxton. This is fine with me. I have built my family sessions around the idea that they are simply a walk in the park with the occasional photo break. This allows me to capture some great group portraits in natural, comfortable environments while also being able to photograph genuine interactions. The key is comfort.
Occasionally I will have a client who want their session to happen in their backyard. I am always game for this because even if most backyards are smaller than a park, they are the place where people are generally very comfortable. Smiles come easier and some of the anxiety that is common when being photographed dissipates.
If your backyard is Lake Quinsigamond, well, score!
The Meyers live in a condo community on the shores of Lake Quinsig and their backyard - even in the sense of the greater community’s backyard, was beautiful. I enjoyed working with the Meyers and in between talking about drones with David (the dad) we managed to get some fun photos as the sun started to set.
Check out some of my favorites:
If you are looking for a family session in your backyard, a park, or a luxury yacht that you want to invite me on, check out my family session page by clicking here!
Clare and Julian: A Sunset Engagement at Holy Cross
Check out some photos from this sunset engagement session at Worcester’s College of the Holy Cross.
Wow, what a busy few weeks. I am just getting around to sharing Clare and Julian’s engagement session photos from last month. This was my first engagement session in a while and it was my first time ever setting foot on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross despite driving by it a thousand times a week.
When Clare and Julian first reached out to me about shooting their engagement session at Holy Cross they knew that they wanted to capture the sunset. It made total sense because they had spent a lot of time walking around the campus during dusk during the pandemic. It makes even more sense when you factor in the fact that the Holy Cross campus sits on a massive hill that towers over the city. The views are killer and the campus exists in its own little world.
I liked Clare and Julian from the start. We had a lot in common and a laidback attitude and sense of humor being part of that. It was a lot of fun walking around their haunts on the verge of their graduation from medical school. We even found a little time for a few cap and gown photos.
We had actually postponed their session because there was some possible rain and definite clouds coming in for their original date. I love shooting in cloudy weather - I actually prefer it - but the vibe is totally different and when you want a sunset session a cloudy day just aren’t going to cut it. It was 100 percent worth the wait!
Check out some of my faves from my session with Clare and Julian!
Evelyn Paints: A Paint Smash Session
Evelyn came into the studio dressed as a rainbow- which is exactly what the studio looked like after she left. Paint smash sessions are always adorable and are basically guarantees for great photos. Check out some of my favorite photos from Evelyn’s paint smash.
This is my second paint smash session in as many months- which is cool considering I had never heard of these before. These are a blast to shoot because they are easy (minus cleanup - which isn’t that bad). Give a little kid a paint brush, some washable paint, and a giant piece of paper and you’re guaranteed to get some winners.
This is Evelyn. She is the child of two of my friends so this session was extra casual- though paint sessions are never particularly formal. She took a little bit to warm up to me, then to the idea of getting paint all over the place but she had fun- clearly!
Tom’s Blog:
Pictures are worth a thousand words but check out what goes on behind the scenes during my sessions.