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Buffalo NY Wedding Photography, Monday Musings for 8.30.2010

August 30, 2010 – 10:34 AM

This is it. Another milestone. The last Monday of August and the last Monday of Summer. This Saturday was also my birthday. (Thanks to everyone who emailed, texted or face-booked me with birthday wishes.) Like every Friday this past Friday was no exception. I left my office and never looked back.

I raced home and we drove to the 2.5 hours Alfred, NY. As I drove the Thruway munching on a Wegmans sub listening to NPR I attempted to contemplate the magnitude of the plans I had scheduled into the next two days. We arrived on campus at 8:00 PM and caught the last quarter and a half of Kujo’s pre-season game. He played well breaking up a pass play and four tackles. It was great to see him and know, first-hand he is doing well. His classes began earlier in the week. We make another trip South when he plays his first season contest Saturday September 4, 2010.

We drove the 2.5 hour drive back home and arrived home in the early morning hours. Both of us collapsed and immediately fell asleep. The next morning I packed the care and made the two-hour drive to Westfield/Barcelona, NY. I met with Ronda and Mike (the couple whose wedding I photographed last week) and photographed their Trash the Dress shoot. Once we completed the shoot I took a leisurely drive back to North Tonawanda in time to shower and change to head off again this time for dinner with friends for my birthday. Thanks Christine and Bobbi for a wonderful dinner and a wonderfully relaxing time.

Sunday was no less busy. Nancy and I spent the afternoon at the Music is Art Festival in Downtown Buffalo. It’s all good and the weekend, despite being very busy was a lot of fun.

We stopped at the cemetery yesterday and found they had installed Paul’s headstone.

I love to take Jack for a walk by the Niagara River. As you already know my camera is never left behind. I grabbed several of an awesome sunset with my trusty point and shoot.

Here’s a sneak peak from Ronda and Mike’s Trash the Dress shoot. I love showing these photos locally and discussing Trash the Dress in Western New York. I get the strangest looks and people say things like, “What? Are they crazy?” I love the concept. I think there are far too many things we hold on to and never use or see again. Send me an email with your thoughts and opinions. maybe I’ll include them in a blog post about Trash the Dress shoots and their place in wedding and portrait photography.

This one was from the beginning of the shoot.

Well, that’s it for today. Come back later in the week for more photographic fun.

Chris

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Buffalo NY Wedding Photography – Ronda & Mike: We’re married!

August 26, 2010 – 12:04 PM

Ronda and Mike were married Saturday August 14, 2010 in what I can only call one of the more memorable weddings I have ever attended as either a guest or a photographer.

I arrived at the salon for the hair and makeup photos and Ronda pulled me aside and said, “I need to tell you what the plan is. You’re the only person other than Mike who knows this but when he goes to get the garter he’s going come out with a derringer pistol in his teeth.” I asked where the pistol will be and Ronda responds, “tucked into my garter.” Of course, why didn’t I think of that. So this is where I tell you, faithful reader that Ronda and Mike are police officers. Henceforth the interest in firearms.

We completed the shoot at the salon which by the way was a pretty awesome place. It was Marcel’s in Jamestown, NY. I arrived at the church located in a town called Stillwater just outside Jamestown. Now if Stillwater sounds like an old western name keep reading. So I see the groom and the groomsman all dressed in tuxedos that are reminiscent of what Doc Holiday might have worn, complete with cowboy hats, cowboy boots with spurs and bollo ties. The guys in the bridal party also wore badges which denoted the groom as the “Marshall” and the groomsmen as “Deputies.” Now, before I forget every groomsmen also wore a holster containing a sidearm, a six-shooter to be exact. I would find out at the conclusion of the ceremony the guns were real as the bridal party fired blanks into the air to celebrate the couple’s union. There was also one member of the bridal party who sported a shotgun, and yes he fired it as well. Now Ronda had mentioned this to me but I’m not quite sure what I was thinking because when the guns were fired it took me by total surprise.

I hope everyone enjoyed the post and the photos. Thanks for reading. There are many more photos to come. You can also click here for a slide-show.

Chris

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Buffalo NY Wedding Photography – Monday Musings 8.23.2010

August 23, 2010 – 5:30 PM

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well and your last week has been fun and productive.

As I write this I look up at the calendar tacked to the wall. I realize it has been almost two full weeks since Kujo has been at Alfred University. Time has made the transition a little easier, at least on me. Stephen calls and texts us daily and we can see his updates on Facebook although as busy as he is they have become fewer in number. I have not pursued the calls as frequently as mom because I can often hear how difficult the time away has been for him and I want to be able to give him the space he needs to grow and flourish in this new environment. Nancy and I attended a BBQ cookout on the Canal last week. Hands down this was the best BBQ at the show…Skin and Bones.

Weddings have been busy and I have had the opportunity to spend time with and photograph some pretty amazing couples. This past Saturday I  photographed Jamie and Michael’s wedding in Ripley, NY. This Saturday I have my first Trash the Dress shoot. Back to Barcelona, NY where we’ll be spending some time in the lake with a wedding dress. I can’t wait.

Here’s a sneak peak from Jamie and Michael’s wedding.

This Saturday also marks another annual landmark for me. It’s my birthday. We won’t be discussing my age here but I will say except for a few creaks and groans I feel pretty good. I have no complaints and am very thankful for my family and the always amazing couple with whom I have an opportunity to spend time when I photograph their wedding.

Thanks everyone for reading.

Chris

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Buffalo NY Wedding Photography – Monday Musings 8.16.2010

August 17, 2010 – 7:37 AM

Whoops! I forgot to publish yesterday. Here we go…

Nancy and I returned from taking Stephen to school last Wednesday. It was strange to walk into the house and to not see him or hear his laughter and see his smiling face. The house was quiet and not filled with the laughter and conversation of him and  his many friends.

As parents we say we look forward to having kids. We have our children and many of us believe they become a burden to us and stop use from achieving the goals we have set for ourselves while a small minority of people allow their children to be a huge part of their life and that goal setting. There is a high degree of maturity and selflessness necessary to be an awesome parent. I think I fell somewhere in between.

Our children grow up and they move on leaving us wonder where the time has gone. We are forced to examine or maybe reexamine our lives and wonder what we have done with our lives. What value have we brought to the world in which we live? What value have we brought to the lives of others? What have we left behind to make our small corner of the world a better place.

I have a tendency to become really quiet and contemplative. People who don’t know me think there is something wrong. Often there is not. it is a self-imposed time out. An opportunity to examine or perhaps reexamine decisions I have made as well as activities going on in my life both within and outside of my realm of control.

Recently there have been individuals who have left this world at ages which I believe are too young, 21 and 47. These were not people central to or important in my life in anyway but were very central in the confirmation that there are more important things in life than just working. I push myself to be a better photographer and truly enjoy working with couples to capture some of the most meaningful events in their lives.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to photograph the nuptials of Ronda and Mike. This was an interesting wedding to say the least. I’ll leave those photos for a future post. For now here’s a few to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading and keep coming back.

Chris

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Buffalo, NY Wedding Photographer: Monday Musings: 8/9/2010

August 9, 2010 – 1:17 PM

Another Monday. Another week in the history books. Another week closer to September and the end of summer 2010. As I listened to the news yesterday I was reminded by the news anchor there are only 45-more days until Fall. Seriously?! I don’t want to know this. I want to continue to live in this fantasy that summer will never end.

Stephen leaves for college in two days. Nancy and I discussed his absence. She didn’t want to talk about it because it made her want to cry and for me it’ll take just a little bit longer to acknowledge his absence. Either way, you’ll be missed Kujo. I taught mom how to use the computer so we can Skype each other during the week.

I stepped out of the house late yesterday and noticed something on the front porch. It was a gift bag. I say an envelope sticking out of the top of the bag and when I peered inside my lips immediately curled into a smile. The bag was left by friends who had kept every news article written about Stephen over the last year. I believe I was more impressed by the obvious impression my son had made on the lives of another couple they thought enough about him to complete this task and save these articles. It reminded me of Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” and the discussions Mr. Covey has had about the importance of “leaving a legacy.” I believe this will be my son’s legacy; to be a quiet leader. To lead without having to demonstrate that level of leadership which has become so rampant in society and negatively demonstrated by some of the athletes, political figures, etc. who seem to believe the opposite is true.

I love you Stephen. You have made us so proud and have so much to be so proud of. Go to Alfed university. Study hard. Practice hard. Play hard. Never lose your focus and maintain your integrity as there is nothing more important that following your own path.

This past month I’ve had an opportunity to photograph some pretty amazing couples. Kristina and Jason then Beth and Matt. This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the Southern Tier of New York; Westfield, New York to be exact to photograph an amazing family. The couple resides across the street from Barcelona Harbor. The area is beautiful especially in the summer. Here I go again. Everyone knows what a sucker I am for the water. I could have sat in the warm sand having my face warmed by the sun and simply allowed myself to get lost in the sound of the waves as they brushed up onto shore. OK, I know I can be an emotional sap but that’s how I feel when I’m near the water.

This family was a lot of fun to shoot. I arrived for the shoot at the time the family had specified. I was presented with a list of photos the family wanted to make sure I captured. Normally I’m not a fan of “shot lists” but in cases such as this when I don’t know any of the names a shot list comes in handy. The list is even more handy when a member of the family is willing to help coordinate family members. Thanks Paige. Your work helped everything to go that much more smoothly.

Here’s a sneak peak into that photo shoot. There will be more photos to come later this week. as every couple or family I photograph warrants their own blog post.

Thanks again for reading and keep coming back.

Chris

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