Lavender Minis at the Farm at SummitWynds

On July 9th I will be hosting my second annual Lavender Mini Sessions at the Farm at SummitWynds in Holden / Jefferson, MA. Mini sessions are great because they let you get a taste of my family photography experience without the money and time investment that usually come with a full session. Mini sessions at the farm are even better because those photos are set against beds of purple lavender that really scream summer and New England.

I offered the same lavender minis last year and they were a huge success in that they were fully booked and everybody had a lot of fun. Most people who booked were families who wanted photos of the whole family, just the kids, or a little of everything. I also had a couple celebrating their engagement - an awesome idea!

Below are some of my favorite photos from last year’s Lavender Mini Sessions at the Farm at SummitWynds. If you want to learn more about this year’s lavender minis click here!

Favorites from 2023

Last year was a real hectic year here at Tom Godfrey Photography and for Tom Godfrey general life. My daughter, Eejin, was born in the last weeks of 2022 so 90 percent of 2024 was climbing the often sheer face of the first-time parents learning curve. I also entered into my last semester of graduate school which was great because they saved the most intense work for the end. In October, by far the busiest time of year for any family / lifestyle photographer in New England, I was also trying to conduct interviews, research, and write a 60 page paper on the connection and value of diaspora as seen by second generation Asian Americans. There was not much sleep involved but it’s done! My degree is currently sitting at the top of a pile of stuff in my office that I have yet to sort. Then my wife SiEun, Eejin, and I went to Seoul after the holidays.

This is all to explain why I am posting my favorite photos from 2023 in almost-March of 2024. Here are some of my favorite non-commercial photos from this past year.

Cap and Gown Photography in Worcester, MA

Cap and gown photography has always been around. It is a great way to celebrate a graduation - whether that’s a high school graduation or college graduation. It became more meaningful during the pandemic when graduation ceremonies full of family and friends stopped being a thing. The photos from these sessions became more important because they were how friends and family experienced some bit of our academic accomplishment - especially if they didn’t watch your ceremony on a grainy livestream. My first cap and gown session took place in Shrewsbury in 2020 and since then have become an in-demand service that I offer all around the Worcester area.

I approach cap and gown sessions like every other session - stress free. I keep my posing pretty natural and the mood light. Most sessions usually last 45mins to an hour or so but there is no real time limit - though I do offer a short and sweet mini-session for these. We usually do a mix of portraits in your robe and in normal clothing in a few different spots as the setting allows. You are more than welcome to invite some of your immediate family along for some group photos but I suggest you keep this group pretty tight - most people feel a little weird with a ton of people staring at them getting photos taken.

Cap and gown sessions with friends is also popular - especially to celebrate high school graduations. This makes sense, right? I mean, high school is just as much about social connections as it is about academics. These sessions are a mix of mini individual portraits and fun group shots that will 100 percent involve at least one cap throwing.

Check out some photos from recent cap and gown sessions below and head to my dedicated page for pricing and booking info- with college graduation around the corner the coming weekends will book quickly!

Learn more by visiting my cap and gown page. Sessions start at $300.

All you need to know about New England Wedding Photographer: Tom Godfrey Photography

New England Engagement and Wedding Photography

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It’s mid-February and that means Valentine’s Day is over. While many people only remembered it was Valentine’s Day when the news anchors were all dressed in red, for some it was life changing. According to an American Express savings-tracker report, around 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s day. That’s a crazy number and finishes out the busy season for engagements which starts in November. That means things are starting to heat up as a wedding photographer in New England

As a formerly-engaged-currently married person, I know that wedding planning can be an ordeal. Here is a two-minute guide to what I offer. If what I offer appeals to you then use the form below to shoot me an email or check out my full wedding page by clicking here.

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Style

Natural. Candid. Photojournalistic. Documentary. These are the buzzwords that match my style. Acknowledging the big moments while focusing on the little things that go unnoticed is how I approach weddings. I see weddings as a connected narrative over a list of standalone shots. People hire me for candids, not posed group photos. I’m like a fly-on-the wall that isn’t afraid to jump in with an idea.

Looking for engagement photography? This is included in all of my wedding packages but I also do a lot of stand-alone engagements.

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Personality

Wedding industry folks tend to have big personalities. There’s this trend where wedding photographers say things like, “girl, I will be on the dancefloor with you by the end of the night.” If at any point I end up dancing at your wedding it means that something has gone seriously off the rails. I am me. I am laid back, mellow, easy-going or any number of adjectives to acknowledge that I don’t have a high-stress approach to almost anything. I probably wouldn’t make it as a lawyer but I work well as a wedding photographer. I have a dry sense of humor that borders on sarcasm and I count a number of my previous couples as actual friends. I like pretty much everybody and most people like me.

Pricing

My most popular package is six hours of wedding photography and a complimentary engagement session for $2500. There are options above and below this. All of my packages come with unlimited downloads, an engagement session, and travel within New England.

Want some more information with no pressure to commit to so much as a phone call? Fill out the form below. Seriously, I won’t call you and I won’t send you a bunch of emails - just the one with my guide.

2022: A Year in Review

This has been a busy, busy year. In a lot of ways, my business has changed more this year than it has in any year before. This became apparent to me while grabbing photos for this post when I realized just how much of what I photograph is now commercial, real estate, or editorial. Families and family moments, like weddings, are still a huge part of what I do and I am proud of the photographs that I came away with this year. Here are some of my favorite shots. I let a few headshots and houses slide in there but for the most part there are a lot of families and a lot of genuine love. The last two are of my daughter, Eejin, who is one of the reasons why this year was so busy. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2023!