a cold grey winter day in the northeast

Today was overcast and grey, typical for winter in the northeast, although yesterday when I was working inside the sun was out in all it's glory!  No matter, the images I had in my head were better viewed without the sun.  I brought my 35mm lens and shot at 1.6mm, a challenging focus point, but one that I knew would give me the depth of field I wanted.  Inspired by my current Define School class, Forward Momentum with Posy Quarterman, this was a practice shoot with my daughter using a lens I was ready to sell as I used it so rarely.  My go-to lens has always been my 85mm with the gorgeous bokeh, but I wanted to try something new and play out some ideas I've been thinking about.  Thanks Alex for being my favorite model! We had fun and I look forward to more shoots in the future using my now trusted 35mm lens.  All images edited in Lightroom using VSCO Film Kodak Portra 400 and Tri-X.

exploring the Charles River Gateway in Medfield

My daughter and I recently spent some time together on a windy overcast day exploring the trails at the Charles River Gateway in Medfield.  It was a weekday so we had the place to ourselves except for an occasional dog walker.  The Gateway serves as a model of successful river restoration and adds another treasured outdoor space for all to enjoy.  Since I had my Nikon D700 and 85mm lens with me I couldn't help but take a few photos and test out the light.  Images edited in Lightroom using VSCO Film Kodak Gold 100 and Ilford HP5.

favorites

Many years ago when I first purchased my Nikkor 85mm 1.4G lens I had a short session with my daughter in our yard while I played around with the lens wide open.  It was late afternoon in January and the light was low in the sky making it the perfect time to create some cool bokeh and beautiful moments.  These photos sat in Lightroom until recently when I edited them with VSCO and now they are some of my favorites of our time together.

experimental movement

I am currently taking The Art of the Unexpected through The Define School and studying the works of the Impressionist painters and other revolutionary artists.  We're experimenting with slow shutter speeds and movement in an attempt to create images with impact and emotion.  It's a fun process trying out different techniques and exploring new ideas.  All images edited in Lightroom using VSCO Film.

street photography

I recently took to the streets to candidly photograph the scene on Newbury Street in Boston and the Boston Public Gardens as part of my Define School class on Lessons From the Masters.  I thought it would be an uncomfortable experience as I had never done this before, but I used my inconspicuous Sony RX100 and was able to get up close and personal with some of these images without anyone objecting. 

Tangerini's Spring Street Farm

There is a local community farm that I have started to visit lately and in July something very exciting happens.  The field of sunflowers start to bloom and the whole place lights up with their magic.  The growing season is short and in a matter of days the field will be alive with the gorgeous color of these happy faces.  I took a walk around the place today to check them out and wandered a bit through the fields, stopping inside the barn to buy some fresh grown organic greens before heading home.

old photos

I recently came across a photo of my daughter in middle school with her Golden Retriever pup.  I remember hanging out in the backyard waiting for the school bus with her new puppy, Miley, and how they were both so excited to see each other after a long day apart.  It was a quick moment with the camera, a moment that feels like yesterday and yet so much has happened since.  As time goes on photos become more precious to us as these days and years pass by so quickly.  Miley still gets excited when we walk in the door and even through all the college years she remains a faithful dog, loyal to her family and her best friend.

backyard finds

One of my favorite things to do on an overcast summer morning is walk around the yard with my Sony RX100 with macro lens and photograph new growth.  Here are a few finds from my latest excursion.  All images edited in Lightroom using VSCO Kodak Gold 100.

life's like this

Life’s like this.  The comings and goings as our children grow up and move on leaving us to embrace the present with a full heart even when they are off doing their own thing.  I love having photos around to remind me of the fun we have when my daughter is home, so the day before she went back to college I asked her if she would once again give me just a few minutes outside with the dogs.  After the usual running around we attempted to gather them together in one spot where I knew the light was good.  Baxter was cooperative as he always associates my camera with cookies, but Miley is camera shy and it was quite a mess trying to get her to even look.  Here are a few of those in-between moments that once again tell the real story!

winter break

My daughter is home from college on winter break for a few weeks.  It is such a joy to have her around and I cherish each and every moment we get to spend together.  I have one daughter and I have loved taking photos of her all through her growing up years, but now I have to bribe to get her to take a few minutes in front of my camera.  Often she will jump around and run with the dogs and tell me that she's helping me practice for kids and dogs who never stay still.  I beg her to stop jumping for a minute so I can focus and try to capture her gorgeous face, all the while knowing that this is helping me improve on quickly getting my settings right no matter what the activity.  Here are a few that I love, although she is looking off and probably planning her future away from my camera!  Baxter on the other hand will pose all day as long as there is a cookie on the other end.