Pigeons, street performers and artists creating bubbles the size of… well, cars. I took it all in from the wooden bench in the heart of New York City… Central Park. I may or may not have been over an hour early for an engagement session (ok, I totally was – you never know about traffic these days!). Sitting there I found my self doing something I never did when I lived in this amazing city a few years ago.
For an hour, I just sat and was still. I soaked in the sights, sounds and smells. The rush was happening around me but this time it didn’t sweep me away. I wasn’t thinking about Metro North times, my next meeting on the east side, or this weeks client presentation like I used to. In my stillness I was able to just people watch…. To watch the girls with their rompers and gemstone flats ride their bicycles through the park… The tourists walking hand in hand enjoying being in alone and taking pictures of themselves every few steps… The rollerbladers appreciating the carless pathways and maneuvering around the men in suits cutting through the park on their way home. The dogwalkers, the flood of different languages, the horse drawn carriages, and the smell of pretzels… It reminded me of all the things I fell in love with about the city and some of the reasons I left the hustle and bustle.
I never thought I would say this, but today I thank you New York City for the stillness.
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That warm buttery sunset light mixed in with ocean breeze,with a dash of soft sand… It was the perfect concoction for Dana & Dimitrios Fairfield beach engagement session.
Can’t wait to share more from their amazing engagement! But here is a little peak for now…
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Posted in Personal
I am so excited for Jeni and Dave’s amazing Greenwich wedding to be featured on Le Magnifique today! Le Magnifique features gorgeous real weddings and wedding day inspiration – I am honored to have this wedding be included. Click here to see the full feature!
Happy Tuesday!
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She appreciates the small beauties in life. She believes in second chances and the beauty of the first snowfall. She is generous and giving. She loves spending sun filled days in her garden. She is so sweet and looks for the good in each person. She is faithful. She is a cancer survivor. She believes where there is a will, there is a way – and lives accordingly. She loves and lives whole heartedly. She is one of the most incredible women I know and she is my mom…
Yesterday on Mother’s Day my family celebrated the amazing women that my mom is. My sister snapped these iPhone pics – the first one of a potato we pulled up from her garden (of course we all spent time gardening together!) and the second one of me and my mom after a post-dinner family walk! : )
Love you Mom! xo
It’s funny the things you remember from when you were younger. I remember like it was yesterday and think it’s where my love for getting stuff in the mail started. When I was a kid I would totally call “dibs” on getting the mail. Ya… they weren’t my cooler days.
Each day I would race to the mailbox to see if one had arrived. Every few weeks I would receive an envelope with a hand written letter from North Carolina. From Tree Toad Court to be exact. On the days when a letter would come I would rip open the envelope as I walked back to the house. I would sit on the front stoop to read it’s words from start to finish, and then again. Those were going to be good afternoons. The words would take me on a journey… I loved it.
The letter would be of a story – sometimes true, sometimes false. I would never know for sure, but would have to guess if it was fact or fiction. I would read through the pages faster and faster trying to figure it out. My favorites would be the stories that were clearly false from the very beginning, but would transport me to the depths of my imagination. I had a direct connection to an amazing storyteller down south and I felt pretty lucky. Regardless of the contents, at the end, it would always say “…just another tale from Tree Toad Court. Love you, Nana.” My grandma sent me these letters which were such a special gift and something in my childhood I hold near and dear. She told amazing stories through her words, and now I get to tell them through photos…
I took two photos of this moment at a recent wedding, one in focus and on purpose. And this one: blurry, by accident, and beautiful…
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 Posted in Personal
Sweet Potato. I love pretty much anything sweet potato. Anything. But these sweet and salty crispy creations have a special place in my heart when it comes to a delish snack. I may or may not have to stop myself from eating the whole bag in one sitting.
Dreams. I believe in this quote whole heartedly. I constantly have to remind myself not to just dream the safe and obtainable dreams. But to dream the scary, seemingly impossible dreams. Anyone can dream in their comfort zone.
Headbands. One of my favorite accessories. However I wear my hear – straight, curly, somewhere in between – love how headbands can give that finished polished look. Even when my hair is a hot mess on a terrible hair day, it is my go to. Some have baseball hats, I have headbands.
photo credit: Pinterest.com
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 Posted in Boudoir
Last month’s Boudoir Weekend with the the fabulous Giggar Makeup Artistry was completely amazing and so much fun! I had the opportunity to photograph such gorgeous women who were beautiful inside and out in their own way. Seeing them laugh, smile, and channel their inner fierceness was so rewarding.
There is a distinctive moment during the beginning of each photo shoot after a few photos are taken. The nerves fade away and the women embraces her true beauty and uniqueness. It is a transforming and empowering moment and each time it is clearly identifiable. I find myself smiling behind the lens as the moment unfolds and she begins to really feel how beautiful she truly is…
Thank you to all of the beautiful ladies that were part of this boudoir weekend… For having the courage to be vulnerable and strong. For embracing your beauty and allowing me to capture it. I had such an amazing time and at the end of the weekend my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! : )
All of the fabulous ladies who were part of the weekend are surprising their significant others with the photos, but one already shared them and graciously allowed me to share some of the photos here on my blog… Serious gorgeousness.
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This weekend officially kicked off wedding season for me and it was…. amazing. Filled with a beautiful rehearsal dinner, a spectacular wedding, and a gorgeous bridal shower, I woke up this morning feeling energized and excited. But above all, lucky. I woke up this morning to live out my passion another day…
I love this quote by sara teasdale… Annnnd this background photo which surfaced yesterday. A local reporter snapped this photo of me this weekend photographing my beautiful couple at the beach. 
Safe to say it’s a very Happy Monday!
photo credit: WestportNow.com
On the eve of the anniversary of their first kiss, which was on June 26th, Jason wanted to make sure Joyce hadn’t made any plans for the day of their anniversary… Because he had. But, only problem is Joyce didn’t know he had things planned for their anniversary. She was so upset and heartbroken – had he forgotten, did he not care? Oh, but he had not. Far from it. As midnight approached Jason, with champagne in hand, suggested they go up to their building rooftop. They would often spend time up there to take in the view and feel the NYC breeze. Thinking that Jason was trying to make up for having nothing planned for their anniversary the next day, Joyce agreed. Once the clock struck midnight, and it was officially June 26th, Jason got down on bended knee. Joyce still had no idea of what was coming… Jason pulled his thoughts together and asked Joyce to spend the rest of her life with him. Totally surprised she said yes!
They spent their anniversary day taking in the sights and sounds of the city and just spending time with one another. And to end their perfect day, Jason had planned for their families to all be in town that evening to celebrate the engagement! Talk about some secret planning!
We headed to Brooklyn for their engagement session – one of my favorite places to shoot. With the cobblestone streets and view of the NYC skyline, it was the perfect setting to photograph this amazing couple! Can’t wait for their wedding later this year!
Joyce you are stunning…
I just adore this one of them. You two are such a beautiful couple, inside and out!
And to end, two of my favorites from their session….
Tags: brooklyn bridge, brooklyn engagement, brooklyn engagement photographer, brooklyn engagement photography, brooklyn engagement photos, brooklyn engagement session, brooklyn engagement shoot, Brooklyn NY engagement, brooklyn ny wedding photographer, brooklyn photographer, brooklyn wedding photographer
by ashleytherese
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