Bar Mitzvah Beginning

I love the story that happens at bar mitzvahs. There is this undercurrent of excitement, with the anticipation of the bar mitzvah boy's reading and the support and love of the family. There are precious moments like the brother locking arms with his sister and waltzing in together. Or the uncle picking up the brother and holding him upside down. The beautiful strips of red light added a spiritual quality, which seemed fitting for the occasion. And since the bar mitzvah boy is into theater, his jump outside was just a preview of what was to come at the party later.

PAMPELA

This is a family I have photographed for a couple years. This year, the littlest one, kept calling me Pampela, which totally made my day. We played outside running and swinging and then came inside at the end. After talking with the mom, I looked back and the grandmother was reading to the kids in the beautiful light. And then the son, who had disappeared, came back with a camera made of construction paper and took my picture! I never know what will happen on my shoots, but love all the surprises that come, totally unexpected. They are gifts!

Birthday Shoot

On my birthday this year, I had the opportunity to shoot in the morning. An extended family was coming together from all over: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California and just down the road in Fairfield. The cousins had so much fun being together and the whole family played and laughed and so it was the best way to start my birthday!

Zen Baby

Had a fun shoot with an exceptional baby. This baby looked at the camera, paid attention to mom and dad, smiled occasionally, did not cry once and fell asleep at the end of the shoot. Even his older brother was very low key and also happy. It was a magical shoot. The baby reminds me of a little man, with all his little expressions. Very animated for a baby. That is why he is the Zen Baby!

Four Generations plus One on the Way

One of my long-standing clients asked me if I would photograph her with her mother and grandmother two days before Christmas. And as a bonus, my client is pregnant with a baby girl! I love photographing multiple generations in a family. So meaningful! We got some beautiful shots of the three women. At the end, my client's one-year old son came for a guest appearance. He had so much fun playing with his mom's belly and the grandmothers showered him with love as well. What a great gift to all be together for Christmas.

Nantucket All Together

A family that I have worked with for years had one day when they were all together on Nantucket. We planned for a Saturday evening. On the way over on the ferry, I got a call saying that it was pouring on Nantucket. A moment of concern! Then I looked in the direction of the winds and less dark skies were coming. So we decided to go ahead and were rewarded with beautiful skies that cast a gorgeous even light. I've learned that almost every kind of weather has a unique beauty.

Returning

A family that I photographed 10 years ago, came back for a session this summer. The oldest son is now heading off to college. The boys were so connected with each other and the whole family when we photographed at Burying Hill Beach. One of the best parts of my job is getting to know families and watching them grow.

The Happy Little Man

Some children do seem like old souls and this little guy seems old beyond his 5 months. He is like a little entertainer. I have never seen a happier baby who liked to smile and laugh throughout the shoot. I've photographed this family with their two daughters  for several years. Adding a little boy into the mix, as well as one with such an exuberant personality, has changed the family dynamic and added much happiness! I could have been at a comedy club while I was looking at the images with the mother today. We could not stop laughing!

A Walk in the Woods

A lovely young mother and her confident daughter and her doll met me at Earthplace for a fall photo session. They played on the playground and then we took off on a short walk on one of the trails. The light was magical and the two of them connecting was beautiful.

Wild Weather Rainbow

Looking back over shoots from the year, this was a funny weather story. It was pouring rain a half hour before the shoot! But on the radar, it looked like the rain would pass. So the family was open to trying the shoot and so was I. Nothing like the beautiful weather right after a rain. The shoot was at Compo Beach and the teenagers had not been very excited about having all their friends see them during the shoot. Problem solved! Almost no one there and the light was spectacular. The family often looked like they were in a spotlight and then the rainbow came. As my father used to say, "You don't have to be smart if you're lucky!"

Sad/Happy Love

I know that life is full of sad and happy times, but not often do they both happen in the same day. About a month ago, we received an email from my son’s college saying that 3 boys were killed in a car accident. We felt heartsick as one of the boys’ mother had helped Connor with his essay to get into Carleton. The family asked me to photograph the memorial service and internment at the cemetery. It was one of the saddest things that I have ever done. But I was moved by the incredible love and caring that surrounded the family. As it happened, the night of the internment I was booked to shoot a father and daughter going to the Princess Ball. The little girl and her two sisters were having their makeup put on and their hair curled. There was a beautiful princess dress and a big dog and dancing with Dad and lots of hugs. Again I was moved by all the love and caring. I know life has ups and downs, but that day I photographed the extremes of love.

A New Baby and her Big Sister

It was a bright sunny Sunday up in Newtown and I had a shoot with a family with a 5 week old baby and their 2 year old animated daughter. During all the activity the baby slept so peacefully. There was a white fluffy rug in the daughter's room which became an amazing backdrop for the 2 kids. Lots of great interaction. And the two Boston terriers were a bonus!

Winter Past

The light snow this morning reminded me of a snowy shoot last January. Outdoors in winter can make a wonderful backdrop for fine art portraits. This family has older kids which made it especially interesting and dramatic.

Walking on Water

This is one of my favorite places to shoot, Old Mill Beach in Westport, CT, at low tide. Usually in the summer, but this year November was even an option! It is a magical place that is always changing, has a lot of energy and provides many beautiful lighting and background options. This family I have worked with and enjoyed  for years. There was walking and dancing and hugging out on the flats. When we got back to the shore, we went over by the lagoon and found some rough wood and boats which looked great in B&W. Taking time with them as the tide came in and the daylight faded was such a creative treat. . Then we headed home.

Fall family session at Southport Beach

This was a shoot I did for my art consultant and framer at the beach in Southport, CT. We lucked out with a warm, sunny November day. Visit them at: https://www.facebook.com/TroyFineArt

Sherwood Island beach family shoot

For me, creating fine art portraits is about going beyond a person's likeness. I try to capture a motion or gesture or attitude that will spark memories 20 years from now and remind my clients how they were when the photo was taken. I also want the image to be visually interesting. A work of art that stands on its own.

This family session was wonderful for all that. We began the shoot at the family's Westport home. The 12 year old boy loves basketball, so we got him playing. As you can see, the 3 year old girl loves ballet! Then we went to Sherwood Island Park where everyone became connected and played around and got wet and let the session unfold.

Black (& White) to the beach

More family photos from the Amelia Island trip. This is why I love black & white images. There's a timeless quality that makes them always look fresh and classic at the same time.

Florida train yard photo shoot

Most of the time I find that black and white photography is more powerful and timeless than color. But on a recent vacation to Amelia Island, Florida, we found this marvelous train yard at sunset.  The colors of the rail cars and the graffiti begged for color images and I got some great photos of my boys and my sister's kids against the cool boxcars. We were almost out of light by the time we finished so I played with some filters to enhance colors. Very fun shoot.

Eastham / Cape Cod Family Destination Shoot

One Sunday afternoon in August I did a photo shoot at a Westport family's beach retreat on Cape Cod. The cabin has been in the family for years. Beautiful weather, lovely light, and fun family. This was a photo session I donated to the Silvermine Arts Center benefit auction last spring.  So in addition to contributing to a great cause, I was able to do the session in a wonderful spot.

Full House - triplets and a dog

What a great opportunity to revisit my clients after 5 years. The triplets have changed so much since the last photo session that I did when they were 3 years old. There was a lot of laughter, action, and caring to go around. It's wonderful to compare photos from each shoot with clients and be able to chronicle their life journey.