Thanks to the AWESOME support from the Accessium Group for getting me up and running so quickly.

If you’re looking for a new IT company, scroll on over to the Accessium Group’s website and give them a call.

The red umbrella brightened what would have been an otherwise dreary, rainy day.

Namaste

This week saw me tapping into those reserves. I am thankful I have been maintaining a positive balance in my emotional bank account.

Enjoy “Wordless Wednesday!”

This walk was what I needed. When I walk and even run (Yes, I take a point and shoot with me on my runs) I practice contemplative photography. My eyes are constantly taking in the sights and the accompanying light.

Nancy is the pumpkin carver, cookie maker and house decorator in our house. I’ve never been fond of these activities, but I do enjoy photographing them.

Have a happy & safe Halloween.

Namaste

Namaste.

Chris

Enjoy!

Namaste.

Chris

Welcome to another edition of “Wordless Wednesday.”

Thanks for reading.

Namaste.

Chris

I just had to share one of my faves from an October engagement shoot. Enjoy!

Thanks for viewing.

Namaste.

Chris

As you must know by now I have a tremendous love for the outdoors, its beauty and especially the solitude which I can find within the reach of its outstretched arms. I get out into the woods as often as I can. Sunday I was blessed with the most beautiful sunshine this area had experienced in the past several weeks. i love sunshine and there is something extra special about sunshine in the dead of winter. Is it the warmth it brings, the long shadows which are thrown or the way sunlight dances across the unbroken surface after a new snowfall? Regardless, The day reminded me of my recent trip to the Adirondacks.

From John Burroughs “Snow Walkers.” “He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter. It is true the pomp and the pageantry are swept away, but the essential elements remain,—the day and the night, the mountain and the valley, the elemental play and succession and the perpetual presence of the infinite sky. In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity. Summer is more wooing and seductive, more versatile and human, appeals to the affections and the sentiments, and fosters inquiry and the art impulse. Winter is of a more heroic cast, and addresses the intellect. The severe studies and disciplines come easier in winter. One imposes larger tasks upon himself, and is less tolerant of his own weaknesses.”

The photo below is of meditation rock. During the summer months I’ll climb out onto this rock and spend 15-20 minutes meditating from this rock. This perch allows me an extra measure of solitude as I can sit above the activity going on below me.

Meditation Rock

Footprints

Snowshoeing

A beautifully sunny day.

Henry David Thoreau…one of my favorite authors. This journal goes with me wherever I go and I find myself jotting down my thoughts and observations. A goal which I have had for the past several months is to write more; to sit down and be more deliberate in the act of writing.

Writing is one act which has always brought me some form of relaxation. My blog is obviously published on the Internet and therefore must be written on my computer. All of my writing is done first in my journal with a fountain pen. It happens to be a replica of the fountain pen used by Mark Twain.

I always use a fountain pen even when I hike. I enjoy the way the nib of the pen dances across the surface of the paper and leaves behind it a trail of ink. the ink when formed into characters and linked together  gracefully allows my thoughts to be displayed for all to read. I have even toyed with scanning my written word into my blog posts but I’m not sure if you could read what I have written. The color of ink I use is also important to me be it red, black, blue green or purple. Each ink bottle contains the life blood of my thoughts and when used work together with my hand to form the words which allow my thoughts to be expressed.

I removed my backpack and from the pack I removed a cushion, my journal, thermos of coffee and my fountain pen. I sat and gazed across the ridge that is the Niagara Escarpment. I watched as two cross-country skiers silently skied below me, oblivious to my presence high above. I heard the sound of a hawk and looked up to see it circling looking, I am sure for its next meal. The sound of the hawk accentuated by the cold breeze which blew through the trees causing the branches to rub together like bony fingers on a long dead cadaver. The only other sound was that of my breath and the beating of my own heart. Solitude.

Henry David Thoreau

A solitary skier.

A photograph of one of the orchards left in this area.

Silhouette

Thanks for reading.
Namaste.
Chris

Welcome to the Central Adirondack Region. I have a love hate relationship with NYS. I hate the high prices and taxes which we pay as a result of greedy politicians and mismanaged government but I love the Adirondacks. It is a 5-hour drive for me to the Central Region and makes for a fantastic long weekend escape.

In had previously traveled to the Adirondacks twice each year. New responsibilities have challenged that number but it remains a goal still.

Thoreau said, “Walk like a camel, which is said to be the only beast which ruminates when walking.”

“When we walk, we naturally go to the fields and woods: what would become of us, if we walked only in a garden or a mall?” -Thoreau

“Two or three hours’ walking will carry me to as strange a country as I expect ever to see.” -Thoreau

“When a traveller asked Wordsworth’s servant to show him her master’s study, she answered, “Here is his library, but his study is out of doors.’” -Thoreau

The road less traveled. It had snowed the previous evening and the branches of the trees which lined the trail reached out like an outfielder to catch the falling snow. The snow rested on the branch and appeared to balance in mid-air.

The cabin in the woods is over 100-years old and belonged to an individual who had previously logged this mountain. The cabin stands as a silent sentinel as to what was. It is a simple cabin reflecting the simple life led by its owner a very long time ago. As one enters the cabin they see enough room for two horses and a ladder leading to a small loft allowing the owner to rest for the night.

“What is it that makes it so hard sometimes to determine whither we will walk?” -Thoreau

The beauty and the expanse that is the Adirondack wilderness.

“When, at rare intervals, some thought visits one, as perchance he is walking on a railroad, then indeed the cars go by without his hearing them.” -Thoreau

The restored Goodnow Mountain fire-tower. The fire-tower is  said to provide one of the “best views of the Adirondack peaks.”

I love this photo. The summit of Goodnow Mountain is 2685′. The summit holds a 60′ firetower which was originally erected in 1922 with the last keeper leaving his post in 1979. The tower has been restored and at its base one will find a partially restored cabin which was used by the firetower keeper. That’s Stephen and Caitlyn at the base of the 60′ tower.

The photo below is another photo from the cabin of the firetower. The panoramic view of the surrounding peaks including the Adirondacks highest tallest, Mt. Marcy are visible from the tower.

Namaste.

Chris

I know, I know…you’re not used to hearing from me in the middle of the week, but I’ve got some news that I’ve just got to share.

I was just voted a Wedding Wire Bride’s Choice Award winner for 2011.

I could not have achieved such an amazing award without the wonderful couples who have trusted me with their wedding day.

North Tonawanda, NY – January 25, 2011 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Christopher Kijowski Photography has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for wedding photography!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Christopher Kijowski Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Christopher Kijowski Photography for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Christopher Kijowski Photography is among the very best wedding photography within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

Thanks to all of the wonderful couples who chose me as your 2010 wedding and portrait photographer.

Namaste.

Chris

I wanted to update you with some recent updates. For all of you who have been following my blog, you know I capped off the 2010 wedding season by photographing Carrie and Jim’s wedding. This is just a quick sneak peak at this wonderful couple’s beautiful day.

Please enjoy!

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post.

Namaste.

Chris

This past week I was thinking of those people in my life for who I am thankful. Like my last post said, this had nothing to do with Thanksgiving. I take time everyday to be mindful of the people in my life who have helped me achieve the success I have achieved. I am also mindful of the fact I could not have accomplished these goals by myself. You know who you are. A warm and heartfelt “Thank you” goes out to all of you.

I am so grateful for you, my readers and clients. I am also so very thankful that you take the time out of your very busy day to read my blog. We are all inundated with so much information or as Seth Godin calls it “noise” that we often become numb to the amount of information with which we are bombarded every single day. I read a statistic the other day which said the amount of information gathered in one Sunday NY Times is equivalent to all of the information an individual living in their village in the 1600′s would get in their lifetime. That’s head spinning!

Everyday I have several people who sign up for RSS feeds from my blog. For that I am very thankful. It is helpful in so many ways to know people read my blog everyday. I would love the opportunity to include all of you as more active participants in my blog.

For several years I have written a paper Gratitude Journal. I love technology but more than that I love the smell of a leather bound journal. I love the smell of the paper and the way my fountain pen glides across the page as I search for the words in my soul to express the gratitude I feel everyday. Unfortunately until someone figures out a way for me to use my fountain pen on my computer screen the words I write remain mine. I want to be able to share these thoughts with you.

For the past several months I have written a post called “Monday Musings.” These posts are a way for me to share a brief look into my personal life and also a way to share some of my photography that is not related to my professional work. I love making photographs and weddings, portraits and seniors are just a small sampling of my interests. I do not plan on stopping these posts but will work to make them a little bit more personal and allow you to have an even bigger glimpse into my life. I am also hoping you will help me with those posts. I am hoping to encourage all of my readers to write more comments for the posts they read. I would then love to be able to incorporate your thoughts into future posts as well as themes for future photo shoots.

I have recently thought about taking my journal online so I can share those thoughts with all of you. I am also borrowing an idea from another wonderfully talented photographer from whom I have learned much over the past few years, Anne Ruthmann. Thank you so much Anne for this wonderful idea.

Won’t you please join me? Leave a comment in the comment section regarding the post you have read or leave a comment and let me know about the people in your life for whom you are thankful.

Namaste and thanks so much for reading and following my blog.

Chris

Last Friday I had an opportunity to hang with members of the Accessium Group and photograph the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Wine Festival for Breast Cancer. The Sabres Alumni are very active in the community as they help organizations raise money for very good causes.

The even was fantastic and had a turn out of over 1000-people. A conservative estimate puts the amount of money raised at $60,000. Not bad. The wonderful folks at the Accessium Group. They volunteered their computer genius and were able to keep track of the auction winners.

I just had to add this photo of Danny with Rob Ray.

Buffalo Sabres Coach Lindy Ruff with Ken Tirohn, COO of the Accessium Group.

Next week is Thanksgiving and I’m hoping everyone is thinking about what they have in their lives for which they are thankful. Next week we’ll post a little something about Thanksgiving.

Thanks again everyone for reading.

Chris

This has been a busy week with quite a lot going on.

I was absent from my day job last Monday and took a much needed rest from the hurried pace which I keep just about every other day of the year. I had a goal in mind for that day off and knowing myself I wasn’t very good about attaining that particular goal. I did however attain another goal I had set and that was to complete the album design for Laura and Tim’s wedding album. Goal accomplished!

Tuesday night I headed over to the Avanti mansion in Hamburg for a networking event for wedding professionals.

Friday night my wife and I headed over to HSBC Arena where I photographed an event for the Accessium Group. The Accessium Group are sponsors every year of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Wine Festival. Photos from this even have been edited and will uploaded in anticipation of another post later this week.

Saturday we traveled to Utica, NY where we witnessed the Alfred University Saxons take on the Utica Pioneers. Thew weather was wonderfully warm. Warm enough I wished I had wore shorts. The temperature topped out at a balmy 63-degrees. AU was successful in it’s final regular season contest of the year beating the Pioneers on their home field 37-20. AU finished the regular season with an 8-2 record and are at the top of the Empire 8 Division with a Division record of 5-0. Not too bad.   This win propels the AU Saxons into the Division 3 playoffs where they fnd themselves playing the Maritime Privateers from Throgs Neck, NY. When I find out what a “throg” is I’ll let you know.I seriously wish I could take credit for this photo or even having visited this spiritually wonderful location…but I cannot. i know the location is “somewhere in Alaska…” but that is all I know about the photo.

I was hoping to have either a family portrait session or an engagement session to share with you but both photo shoots cancelled yesterday and rescheduled.

Thanks everyone for reding.

Chris

I believe I am slowly getting back on track publishing at least two blog posts each week. Today is a day off for me. i took the day off from my day job and am spending the time resting and relaxing. I wish I could honestly believe that because God only knows I’ll find something to do to work on to further my business. i would love to believe that I would do absolutely nothing but that just won’t ever happen.

I’ve driven past this fence several times and it has captivated my attention every time I’ve driven past. I neglected to bring any camera other than my trusty point and shoot. So here goes. I hope you enjoy!

Another Saturday brought us to Alfred, NY for another D3 college football game. The contest this week saw Alfred University face off at home against the division rivals from Ithaca, NY; the Ithaca Bombers. The game was exciting especially after Alfred dropped the last contest to a non-division rival from the University of Rochester. That’s a game that forced out of my memory. I am sure the players and coaches would agree. Kujo is #43.

AU walked away with another win. The final score was 31-17. AU scored first and never looked back. Congrats AU on another win and on a birth in the D3 playoffs. Next week it’s a road trip to Utica where AU will play it’s final regular season game.

This past week I have been busily putting together wedding albums for couples. This past week I received yet another sample studio album from GraphiStudios. I must say I am absolutely impressed with the quality and the turn around time from this company.

This past week I had quite a bit of time to sit back and think about my

Thanks for reading everyone. Have a fantastic week!

Chris

Another month has gone by this one so rapidly it’s difficult to recall. What I find absolutely amazing is that wedding season has almost come to an end for me. I have been lucky enough to book one last wedding for 2010. My last wedding of the year is scheduled for New Years Eve. A party within a party. Should be fun! Thank you to all of the couples who allowed me to be a part of your special day and document your wedding and engagement.

When I think of wedding season ending I think of the busy days and weeks which I had for several months. Working full-time as a social worker and working to build a full-time wedding and portrait photography business in Buffalo, NY in this economy is trying. I keep hanging in there because I absolutely love the couple and the family’s who I have had an opportunity to photograph. October brought with it two engagement shoots, a family portrait shoot and a wedding and I felt busier during October than I had in the preceding months.

Another milestone was my son’s 18th birthday. Stephen is a pretty amazing kid. He is humble about his accomplishments which I believe is one’s greatest virtue. I love the fact that he steps out of the house ready to make a retrurn trip to Alfred University and he approaches me in public and I still get a kiss. It is moments like those which make me feel as though I am the wealthiest person on the planet. I have had the opportunity to watch you grow into a fine young man. When we see you after the games I find myself trying to recall your birth. Eighteen years ago was not that long ago. When I see you on the sidelines and think of everything you have accomplished…I am simply amazed. Happy Birthday once again Stephen. Thank you so much for all of the memories both on and off the football field.

I also began running again and am happy with that decision. I missed the introspective mornings I had on the road when there is no one else around. I complete the run for the day and spend another few quiet moments on the front porch with my dog and a cup of coffee. Doc Sheehan wrote in his book “Running and Being”, “At the age of 45, I pulled the emergency cord and ran out into the world. It was a decision that meant no less than a new life, a new course, a new destination. I was born again in my 45th year.” For me it was not my 45th year but my 47th year. I do feel reborn. Running for me always did that and it continues to allow me to accomplish that goal. Doc Sheehan went on to say in this essay, “Most experts suggest we make a new start in a new career, develop new interests. I say begin at the beginning. Begin with the body. The body mirrors the soul and the mind, and is much more accessible than either. Become proficient at listening to your body and you will eventually hear from your totality—the complex unique person you are.” I find myself rereading “Running and Being“ every couple of years and am waiting for it to come out for my iPad as the pages are yellowed and falling  into disrepair.

That’s enough for today. Thank you faithful reader.

Christopher

I extend my most humble apologies to you. Two weeks have gone by as I have not published “Monday Musings.” I offer no excuses other than to say I had other business related responsibilities which required my attention. Things have been taken care of and we are back.

Another week has raced by so fast. I can’t believe how fast the weeks seem to pass. Days continue to become shorter and the shadows longer. The week which just passed found me doing a balancing act not unlike that of the great high wire walkers of the past as they traversed a distance while balancing on a wire no larger in diameter than your thumb. This was a week where I was so busy I had to simply look at one day at a time. Any larger view became too unmanageable. To tell the truth, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being busy is better than not.

The week began with two engagment sessions and ended with a wedding. The days in-between were punctuated by editing and uploading photos from those shoot. The MacBook Pro was killing it. Without a question the busiest photography week, with respect to shooting events since this year began.

This past week Priscilla and Kevin arrived in Western New York from Concord, North Carolina to begin their “wedding week.” Wednesday night we photographed the couple’s engagement session and Saturday the wedding. Thankfully we had beautiful weather for both. A full post of the couple’s wedding is being prepared.

Football season is in full force while the baseball playoffs have begun although I am done watching as my beloved Phillies have been knocked out of contention. Wedding season is winding down. One more wedding remains to close out 2010 and that wedding literally closes out 2010. I am caught up on editing and now putting the finishing touches on albums. I still find it hard to believe there are several brides I have photographed this year who still haven’t identified the photos for their albums.

Here’s a quick sneak peak from our most recent wedding. You should know Priscilla and Kevin by now because I’ve posted at least once from their recent engagement session. I hope you enjoy.

m

Thanks so much for reading.

Chris