Krista Photography

Goodbye Blogger!!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:59:00 +0000

After much consideration and painful decision-making, I'm afraid I'm leaving this Blogger blog behind and moving on to bigger and better things!

Please allow me to introduce you to my NEW BLOG!!! Isn't she beautiful?! Please hop on over to www.kristaphotoblog.com to check her out!!!

YAY!!!

Anne & Sean's eSession - Hingham, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:50:00 +0000

Anne & Sean are yet another of my couples who live in NYC but are getting married in the Boston area. Anne grew up in Hingham and they're having the wedding there this September. It's going to be a very cool day with lots of little colonial touches that will give the day a lot of character. For our engagement session, we decided to meet down at Anne's parents' house and take a tour of the town and see where everything will be on the wedding day. We basically ended up just going on a nice long walk and hanging out for the morning - it was great!

Anne & Sean had these neat little toy airplanes, and we had to test them out!

While we were hanging out at the house, playing with airplanes and frisbees, Anne's Dad gets out this massive antique flag and lays it in the yard. It was so cool! We had to take a few shots with it :)

After that we walked into town and made lots of stops along the way...

The Old Ordinary

Walking in to town

We also walked through the Hingham Cemetery, just for kicks, and found this headstone. It was too appropriate not to take advantage! Creepy though it is, do you see what gorgeous eyes Anne has?!

After the cemetery, we ended up at the harbor

And my absolute favorite part was when they agreed to jump off the rocks onto the beach!

And then we walked back to the house. Pretty fun way to spend the day, if you ask me!

Anne & Sean - thanks so much for a fun afternoon - and for my exercise for the day :) I had a great time hanging out with you guys and totally can't wait for the wedding!!

Alli & Glenn's Wedding at OceanCliff - Newport, RI

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:50:00 +0000

So, as you may remember from this post a while back, Alli and Glenn's wedding was a bit unusual! Due to a random case of the chicken pox, Krista wasn't able to be at the wedding; fortunately Melissa Coe and Jessica Cardinalli were kind enough to step in and cover the wedding for her. I've been doing an internship with Krista since February to learn more about how a photography business is run, and have been assisting her at most of her weddings this summer as well. So, for Alli and Glenn's wedding, I went along with Melissa and Jessica to try to assist them and get even more photos of Alli and Glenn's special day! Since Krista wasn't able to be at the event, she asked me, Elizabeth, to write this post to give you all a sense of the day...

Driving down to the Oceancliff Hotel, the weather looked to be anything but cooperative - rainy, misty, and downright ugly. However, by the time we arrived, the skies were clear! And soon the weather was sunny and beautiful, and the bright blue sky was a perfect backdrop for the bright, crisp colors Alli & Glenn had chosen.

While the bridesmaids had brightly colored dresses with white bouquets, Alli's bridal bouquet was highlighted with vivid peonies. I took my time making sure that we had some photographs that captured the beauty of the florist's work!

Melissa captured this beautiful silhouette of Alli, as well as the following series of her dress and getting ready.

Melissa got a number of beautiful shots of the rings and other pieces of jewelry throughout the day; this one stood out above the rest.

Alli and Glenn met before the ceremony to enjoy a few moments together to take it all in, and to take some portraits so they would have more time later to enjoy their reception.

We drove down the coast a little way to a spot they'd chosen, where Melissa captured this moment.

I stayed back and got this shot of them walking up the road a short way.

Jessica did a great job catching them from a completely different angle and perspective.

I love the sense of movement Jessica captured in this shot.

The view from OceanCliff was a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony!

Jessica captured this moment when Alli's dad walked her down the aisle to meet Glenn.

One great thing about having the ceremony at the top of a hill was that I was able to walk down below, then around to the back of the guests, to get two different perspectives on the setting.

Melissa captured this shot during the exchange of rings

Jessica was waiting for the newlyweds as they came down the aisle, surrounded by their family and friends. You could tell all through the ceremony just how important it was to them that the people they cared about were a part of this day!

After some group portraits, we took a few more portraits of the two of them as the sun was setting. I was glad to be able to capture a sky that reflected the bright colors they had surrounded themselves with all day.

I'm glad that I was able to be a part of this wedding. Not only did I get to work with and learn from two different photographers, I also had the chance to shoot at a beautiful venue and get to spend time with a fun group of people. Alli and Glenn, thank you so much for letting us be a part of this important day in your lives! Your understanding and flexibility in what could have been a difficult situation is a testament to your characters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I (Krista) also want to thank Alli & Glenn for being so great through this whole chicken-pox-fiasco! It's a photographer's worst nightmare to not be able to shoot a wedding they're scheduled to document, and your gracious understanding was total blessing.

And a special thank you to Melissa Coe and Jessica Cardinalli for dropping everything at a moment's notice to help us all out!! You ladies, as well as Elizabeth, did a great job capturing the day and it's wonderful knowing that even though I couldn't be there, Alli & Glenn were in (lots of) good hands!

Elizabeth & Ryan's Wedding - The DETAILS

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:55:00 +0000

Not only was Elizabeth & Ryan's wedding joyous and emotional, it was incredibly lovely as well! They got married at Elizabeth's parents' home in Marion, down on Buzzard's Bay, and did a wonderful job making it a classy and beautiful event! They had 3 separate tents for the ceremony, dinner and reception and the flow of the day around the property created an air of anticipation and excitement. From the flowers, to the cake, and the setting - the whole thing came together perfectly. It's amazing to me how the combination of little details can make such a big impact on the feel of an event...

The back of the house, where the ceremony was held.

Here's a taste of some of the details in the house

The patio for cocktails and the view of the back yard

The dinner tent was set up over their pool. I've never seen that before, doesn't it create such a cool ambiance?!

The tables were lavish and interesting, with big candelabras and antiqued vases of all shapes and sizes full of flowers lining the whole table. It was beautiful!

In these photos you can see the house, the ceremony tent, the cocktail patio, and the reception tent, and just barely the dinner tent in the back. It was so neat to have everything in one location, but they were able to give each piece of the day it's own space with it's own feel.

It's so great to see all the planning and dreaming and designing come together and give a wedding such a wonderful feel!

Special thanks to:

Gregory's in Wakefield, MA for the amazing flowers

La Fete Catering in Natick, MA

Elizabeth & Ryan's Wedding - Black & White FILM

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:50:00 +0000

If you follow my blog, or have been to my website, or if you know me at all, you know that I love to shoot black & white film! My first job in photography was working in an all film studio and while I've made the transition to digital, I still think film is the best! It's gotten wicked expensive, and it definitely has limitations, but it also has character and an archival quality that I love. So, I tend to shoot at least a little bit of film at almost every wedding these days. Just a few rolls splashed in throughout the day. Of course, if any brides out there wants me to shoot a wedding entirely in black & white film - I would love to do it again!! :)

Here are some of my favorite film images from Elizabeth & Ryan's wedding...

Taken with my Widelux

The next 2 were taken with my Holga

Taken with the Widelux

Do you see why I love it so much?!

Elizabeth & Ryan's Perfect Wedding - Marion, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:37:00 +0000

Elizabeth & Ryan's wedding was absolutely perfect! Seriously. As I walked around throughout the day, I heard people say that word again and again... perfect! Perfect weather, the perfect location, the perfect dress, a perfect couple... the perfect day!

There's a gazillion photos I want to share, but here are a few of my absolute favorites....

A champagne toast for the ladies while getting ready

And cigars on the porch for the gentlemen

I love how it takes a team of women to put on a wedding dress!

My assistant, Elizabeth Hannah got this awesome shot

Isn't she gorgeous?!?!

Mark Higgins came to second shoot with me, and got this shot during portraits with the bride, of Elizabeth's sister. The poor girl had a heck of a time keeping her makeup on with all the happy tears she was shedding!

The anticipation builds as Elizabeth watches the guests begin to arrive through the window...

The wedding was all held at Elizabeth's parents' home in Marion. Many little girls imagine walking down aisle on their wedding day, but I wonder if Elizabeth ever imagined it'd be the stone path she'd walked on so many times?

I love the moment right after the ceremony when the Bride & Groom get to talk for the first time and be "alone" for a moment before the bridal party gets down the aisle! It's always so emotional and exciting.

After the ceremony we headed down to the dock for some portraits in the last bit of sunlight. It was beautiful!

I love the movement and the body language in the next few.

Mark grabbed this shot of me taking the photo above. He rented a 200mm f/2.0 lens from LensProToGo and got some fabulous results with it... and probably some permanent back damage as well - that lens is HUGE!

Elizabeth (assistant, not bride) caught Mark & the lens. This is him taking a picture of me taking a picture....

I remember quite specifically Elizabeth telling me the first time we spoke on the phone that she wanted some unique bridal party shots. She almost sent them all off to the cocktail hour before we could do it, but I'm soooooo glad we called them back! These were definitely more fun than the usual :)

Elizabeth's take on the bridal party shots was pretty cool too!

After portraits, we headed back up to the house for the reception. Elizabeth's Dad gave a wonderfully touching toast. Here, he's thanking his wife for all her hard work on the wedding and for being a wonderful wife & mother. It's so nice to see families where the parents love each other this much!

Ryan's toast to his bride was equally moving.

One of my favorite images that Mark shot...

I love grandpas :)

Ryan's parents with their arms around Elizabeth. American culture has stereotyped in-laws to be just awful (a la Everybody Loves Raymond), so I really appreciate how special it is when parents-in-law love their new daughter or son like their own. My parents both have that, and so does my sister and it makes such a difference in the life of a new family!

Last shot of the night!

There were so many more images that I just loved. If you'd like to see more of my favs, you can check them out on Facebook. And come back tomorrow to check out my favorite details and film shots from Elizabeth & Ryan's wedding!

Elizabeth & Ryan - I enjoyed your wedding so much!! It was a wonderful day and witnessing how much your friends and family love you two was an extra blessing. Thank you for welcoming us in - I hope you love the photos!!

Britt & Mike's Wedding - Black & White FILM

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Ok, ok, for real, this is my last post for Britt & Mike's wedding!! I shot a few rolls of black & white film that day and just got the film back last night :) I just had to share a few!!

This one was shot with my Widelux panoramic camera

And this one was shot with my Holga, which is a toy camera :)

Another widelux shot

This was shot in 35mm film, and is meant to be printed all as one image. Unfortunately, my lab cut the film right in between two of these images (which is why I'll be cutting all my own film from now on). There's still a few ways we can print it and get the same effect, but this is how it was originally intended. Thank goodness for film scanners :)

(there should be 5 in a row, so if you can't see all 5 expand your browser or click on the image)

Another Holga shot

Are they cute, or what?

Ok, that ought to just about do it! I hope you've enjoyed the many many images! I'll be moving on now, I promise... :)

Britt & Mike's Cape Cod Wedding - Details

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Britt spent so much time planning and working on the little details to make everything special for her and Mike's wedding day, that I think they deserve a post all their own. Take a look at some of the fabulousness!

Her shoes were awesome - even though she went barefoot or in flip-flops more than half the day ;) Her rings are beautiful, and the dress was breathtaking!

Britt's necklace was just the right amount of bling to top off the simplicity of the dress. And do you love the peonies in the bouquet, or what?!

This collage is a taste of all the lovely touches I spied while Britt was getting ready. The bridesmaids each chose a pair of hot pink shoes, while Britt's were gold. The flowers were straight out of an english garden - kind of wild, but so beautiful you know it was planned. And the flip-flops that Britt spent hours and hours making for each of her girls! Buckets of goodies for the guests, not to mention champagne in a can, complete with straws!

One of my favorite details was the antique post-cards incorporated into the day. Britt found antique cards from towns all over the Cape and used them in the invitations as well as for place cards and table numbers. It gave the wedding a very cool feel!

I also really liked how she accented the pink flowers in the bouquets with blue hydrangeas for the rest of the day. It all just went together so nicely, and was so very Cape Cod!

Some of the vendors who made the whole thing possible...

Catering - Sumptuous Catering in Orleans, MA (Shannon Mahoney)

Flowers - Fancy Flowers (by Meredith Fancy)

Bride's Dress - Nicole Miller (Britt's Mom had a Nicole Miller dress too!)

Bridesmaids' Dresses - J. Crew - they each picked whichever they wanted in navy

D.J. - Cape Cod DJs (Rob Cushing)

Cake - Cottage Street Bakery

Tent and lanterns - Undercover Tent Company

Britt did all the table numbers/menus/placecards/decor herself with help from her dad and bridesmaids! She did an amazing job planning this wedding! She put so much thought into each and every detail, and it really showed. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!

Britt & Mike's Cape Cod Wedding - Chatham, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:10:00 +0000

I am so excited to share the rest of Britt & Mike's wedding with you! I've been excited for this one since the first time I met Britt & Mike last summer. I've really had a chance to get to know them over the last year or so as we've done two engagement sessions. It is fun to get to know a couple during shoots and meetings and phone calls, but then to meet their friends and family and see them through that lens is doubly wonderful. These two people are dearly loved! The whole crowd was warm and genuine, and certainly fun! It was a truly wonderful day...

Britt & the girls got ready at the house where the reception would later be held.

I love this emotional shot Elizabeth captured of Britt's parents watching her get ready!

Britt's dress was AH-mazing! I literally gasped when she pulled it out of the closet. Not the most professional moment of the day. But it was gorgeous - the color, the material, the cut were all perfect!

Britt's reaction to seeing herself in her dress brought us all to tears! I think that can be one of the most overwhelming moments for a bride - when it really sinks in that she's getting married today.

Meanwhile, down the road, James Federico of The Feds Studio was helping me out by photographing Mike and the guys getting ready. I always laugh because there's really nothing much to guys getting ready. Just tie their tie and hit the road!

Once everyone was ready, we headed down to the beach for the ceremony. After all the rain we'd been having, we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day! :)

James captured this image of Britt's parents and grandmother laughing - love it.

Don't worry, he got the ring on her finger!

James' shots of the kiss were my favorites

Happy tears!

A few minutes alone with Britt & Mike at the beach...

Elizabeth caught this shot of me during the portraits. In case you want to know what you should expect on your wedding day... You should expect me, hiding in the grass, or laying on the ground, and basically doing whatever I can to get a cool shot and to make sure I can't wear really nice pants... ;)

Then we headed back to the house and grabbed some group shots and a few more portraits of the happy couple. I had to jump off the dock and onto the muddy shore to capture the next two, but it was worth it.

After portraits it was time for the fun to begin! The evening started with some wonderful toasts. First up, Britt's Dad...

The Best Man

Then Britt's sister and Maid of Honor, Devon gave a very touching and tearful toast

Cutting the Cake

Their first dance

And then the fun really began! I'm leaving out some crazy dance moves, a keg stand, and more - but you get the idea! This party was rockin'!

The most dedicated and dramatic catching-a-fish dance move I've ever witnessed...

and the last dance

Britt & Mike - thank you so much for having me there to document your day!! Your wedding was so much fun, and I felt so welcomed in, like one of your guests. Heck, your cousin Kerry practically inducted me into the family ;) I hope you love the photos!!! I can't wait to get going on your album....

I'm a feedback junky

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Well, I'm finally back from a wonderful vacation back home in Indiana! It was a great trip, and hopefully I'll get around to blogging about it before next year's trip ;) For now, I've got about 100 emails to go through and about 45,000 images to edit. No big deal, should be done by the end of the day... ha! Maybe not.

I just wanted to post and let you all know I'm alive and back to work. And, I just had to share this sweet message I got from Shoshanna's mom...

"I've been meaning to write for the last week but I knew you were on vacation...I hope it was relaxing and fun. The photos are beautiful! I find myself looking at them every day and I always see something I haven't noticed before. We are all very happy with them. You really captured the spirit of the day."

Totally made my day!

Ok, now back to the Inbox... :)

Elizabeth & Ryan's Wedding - SNEAK PEAK

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Here's another quick sneak peak, this time from Elizabeth & Ryan's gorgeous wedding down in Marion, MA! I can't wait to finish the edit when I get back from vacation to show you more of this picture perfect wedding!

Britt & Mike's Wedding - SNEAK PEAK

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:45:00 +0000

I'm not quite finished editing the images from Britt & Mike's fabulous wedding on Cape Cod, but I thought I'd share a couple from the day as a little appetizer :) They're such a fabulous couple and I LOVED their wedding so much! Lots and lots more images to follow after vacation...

Could they be any happier??

A few moments alone after the ceremony

Um, this is my FAVORITE!

They had an awesome bridal party, I'm glad they were willing to put up with some of my crazy ideas for portraits :)

Britt & Mike - I can't wait to show you the rest! As soon as I get back in town... :D

Out of The Office

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Well, it's that time of year again! Time for Guenin Family Annual Vacation!! Which means, I'm heading to Indiana for a couple weeks :) First up, I'm shooting my cousin's wedding, then a week at home with my parents, a few portrait shoots while I'm in Indy, and then 3 lovely days in Cincinatti with my WHOLE FAMILY (see last year's family photo below)! It should be a great trip!

I won't be answering emails or non-urgent phone calls while I'm gone. But, I've got a couple blog posts brewing for you so you don't miss me too much ;)

Have a great couple of weeks, friends!!

Shoshana & Andy's Wedding - Newton, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:23:00 +0000

My first wedding of this year was the wedding of Shoshana & Andy. Not only was it the first, but it was also the biggest wedding of the year, and has been the most arduous to edit! I ended up with THREE second shooters, so there were 4 photographers covering the wedding, and we had over 6,000 images between us when the day was done! My interns and I have gone through the images at least 4 or 5 times, and we've finally got it down to a manageable size for sharing with the world. In case you've been wondering where I've been, that ought to explain it :)

This was my first Orthodox Jewish wedding as the primary photographer, and it was so much fun! The energy and excitement throughout the day was contagious, and the details and traditions were so meaningful and touching. I'm excited to share some of my favorites at last!

Shoshana's father looking on as her veil is placed. She looked so beautiful :)

Her necklace was gorgeous, and a family heirloom, I believe

The happy bride

I love these next two shots that Ben of Avenna Studios captured while photographing Andy getting ready and during the Tisch.

The Ketubah, hand-made by a member of the family

Shoshana, her mother Teri, and Andy's mother waiting for the guests to come greet them during the Kabbalat Panim. I love the excitement between Shoshana & Teri!

After the Tisch, the groom is escorted by family and friends, singing and dancing, to where the bride is waiting for him. I love the moment as the bride is blessed by the fathers. In this photo, Shoshana is being blessed by Andy's father.

And this is the highlight of the Bedeken, the moment when Shoshana & Andy see each other for the first time and Andy lowers the veil over his bride. Vince from Avenna Studios caught this moment beautifully.

It's such an emotional part of the day!

waiting for the ceremony to begin

Giving her away

As Shoshana reached the chuppah, she circled Andy seven times

Andy placing the ring on her finger. (Another great shot from Ben, who got the prime spot on the bema during the ceremony)

The sanctuary at Congregation Mishkan Tefila is so beautiful!

Shortly after the cermony, we were able to take Shoshana & Andy outside for a few portraits. We were so lucky that the rain held off for us! (in case you're not from around here, it's been raining in Boston for like 6 weeks now...)

They're totally cute together :)

Vince captured this one, which I love

Their rings were totally unique (but the same as each other's). Andy's grandfather made them! Such a talented family!!

And this is what it looked like during portraits... I'd normally have more of the other photographers inside capturing the cocktail hour, but Shoshana's mother really wanted to make sure we got plenty of portraits of the two of them together. Apparently Teri's photographer forgot to get a single portrait of Shoshana's parents together on the day of their wedding. Can you imagine?!

We took a few inside the lovely sanctuary as well. The light was just so nice, and the stained glass so interesting and colorful!

Once we were done with portraits, the party really began! One of my favorite things about Orthodox weddings is that they REALLY know how to celebrate! Nobody else dances with so much enthusiasm and energy :) I love this shot Vince caught during the Horah.

Shoshana up in the chair

Gorgeous flowers by Sarah's Garden

During some parts of the reception, friends and family perform for the Bride & Groom. These ladies were dancing maniacs!

Shoshana's sisters tap danced for them

Andy singing for his bride

Cynthia captured this embrace after the song was finished. I love the faces of the guests cheering for them :)

Shoshana & Andy, thank you so much for having us as part of your day! We had a fabulous time, as you and your guests clearly did as well. Congratulations to you both! I hope you're getting settled and enjoying some better weather down there in Atlanta. I look forward to working with you on your album after you've had some time to look through all the photos! :)

If you'd like to see more of my favorites, check out the album on my Facebook Page :)

Many thanks to all of the fabulous vendors who worked on this wedding...

Catering & Coordination - Andrew Wiener of Catering by Andrew
Flowers - Sarah Burkstein of Sarah's Garden
Music - The Nafshenu Orchestra
Venue - Congregation Mishkan Tefilla
2nd Shooting - Cynthia Hauk

And a special thanks to Ben & Vince from Avenna Studios for all your help with the day! It was great working with you guys!

Meaghan & Steve's Fishing Engagement Session - North Reading, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:30:00 +0000

When I first moved out to Boston, my sister insisted that I had to be friends with this girl named Meaghan. Kyla told me how hilarious and awesome this Meaghan was, and she wasn't kidding. She's got this dry sense of humor, and is just the kind of person that you can't help but like. Meaghan was part of my LIFEgroup at GENESIS for almost 3 years and has become a very dear friend. When she & Steve started dating, it didn't take any of us very long to realize that they were perfect for each other. I'm not sure if I've ever met two people better suited for one another. And what's even better is how ridiculously happy they are together!! I was totally pumped when they asked me to shoot their wedding because I couldn't wait to capture that joy :)

When planning their eSession, I told them (as I tell all of my clients) that we should do something that's very "them." I try to make the Engagement Session like a snapshot of the couple in real life. My hope is to capture them doing things they like to do together, and just being themselves. For Meg & Steve, I knew that we had to go fishing! These two go fishing all the time, and I find that so fascinating since I haven't fished in like 20 years :) Steve thought that was the best idea ever, so a couple weeks ago we grabbed their rods and headed out to the pond...

Meaghan

and Steve :)

He had to show us his "big catch"

Honestly, this next photo says more about their relationship than I can express. The way they're holding each other and still holding their own poles, the subtle smile on their lips as they kiss, every little detail speaks to who they are and what their life is like. I'm tearing up just looking at it - it's just so THEM!

After we caught a few fish, they let me take a few portraits in the nice warm light.

They're so cute :)

Meg & Steve, I love you guys! I'm so happy for you I could burst :D

It's not all sunshine and roses

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Sometimes I think this blog makes it seem like my life, and my clients' lives are so perfect and wonderful. It's probably because I mostly post about photo shoots - photo shoots of happy people in love. And that's the part of my job that really makes me happy. That's the part that makes the other parts worthwhile. And on the somewhat rare occasion I post about my life, I'm mostly posting things that were fun enough to take pictures. (I guess posting about my cat dying wasn't very fun, but you get what I'm saying, right?)

Well, it's not all sunshine and roses, and this past weekend was proof. I was scheduled to shoot 2 weddings this weekend and through different, and horrible circumstances outside my control, I wasn't able to photograph either of them...

Last week, I came down with chicken pox. Now, I've had chicken pox TWICE already (lucky me, huh?), so this third time was very mild. But chicken pox is airborne and that's not good for someone photographing other people's weddings. Even though I felt fine, and the lesions were starting to heal already by Friday, there was still a chance I could spread the infection. So, on Friday morning the bride and groom and I finally made the decision that it would not be wise to take the risk by having me there.

Thank God for the Boston Photographers Guild! The BPG is a group of local wedding photographers who come together online and in person for support, encouragement, and community. Before I had even contacted my bride, I sent word on the BPG forum asking for help. And with just a couple hours' notice, I had a great photographer to replace me at the wedding along with a fabulous second shooter and assistant!

I can't tell you how hard it was to send another photographer to shoot one of my weddings in my place!! I knew she'd do a great job, but I also knew she wouldn't take the same pictures I would. I'm a control freak and putting the event, my business & reputation in the hands of someone else, made me realize that I was totally not in control. Talk about humbling! I also knew I'd miss seeing it all come together. I'd miss meeting the families and seeing the couple enjoying their day. I realized just how much I enjoy getting to know my couples when I'm at their weddings! You just see such a different piece of people when you see them with their closest friends and family. And I love that. I was so sad that I couldn't be there.

Thankfully, the bride & groom were incredibly gracious and understanding. They even called me from the airport before they left for their honeymoon to let me know how wonderful the day went, and that while they feel like everyone did a great job, they still missed having me there. It was so comforting to know that we did the right thing, and they it worked out well - but it was also really sweet to know that they missed having me there as much as I missed being there.

I wish I could say that that was all that went wrong this weekend, but that was just Friday...

By Sunday my chicken pox were all but gone, and I felt very confident that I was no longer contagious. Thanking God, I headed down to the Cape excited to shoot the wedding of two friends. I arrived just in time to find out that they had called off the wedding :( It was so incredibly sad, and my heart aches for both of them. Everyone agreed that it is better they call it off than to go through with it with doubts and end up unhappy or divorced. But, that doesn't make it less painful or sad or awful.

My brother posted a blog the day before that turns out is unfortunately well timed. He wrote, "To my friend who is suffering right now – my prayer for you is not so much that you would have answers, but that you would see God. Despite the pain, confusion and hurt, my prayer is not for relief, but that you would see God with clarity. For I know if you can learn to see Him in the pain, you will never miss Him when there is peace. If you can see Him in the storm, you will never miss Him again in the calm. If you see Him, you will see a God who not only sees you, but you will see that He cares." I pray that for these friends as well - that they would see the God who is their strength, their comfort, their refuge, and the One who loves them.

These last few days have been stressful, and sad. There have been lots of tears. But this is real life. Things happen. People get sick. Things don't go according to plan. We have to rely on other people and let them help us. Sometimes we have to make decisions that hurt. And somehow, life goes on. And I think we're stronger in the end because of it.

I hope that this is not only the first but also the LAST time I'll have to miss a wedding I'm scheduled to photograph. And I pray that this is the last time one my weddings gets canceled. But, I am thankful that if that's not the case, God has a plan for all these things.

Shoshana & Andy's Engagement Session - Boston, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:02:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I photographed Shoshana & Andy's engagement session. It was a dreary day and as I drove down to meet them, it started to rain. I was afraid we'd have to do the session inside, but it turns out Shoshana & Andy were totally up for shooting in the rain! So, I put a plastic bag over my camera and we drove over to the Arnold Arboretum. Lucky for us, right as we pulled up it stopped raining and the sun came through the clouds. It was perfect timing!

Big trees, tiny little people :]

I love a playful couple

These two laugh, a lot

sweet

We found this very cool tree, and I had to put them in it!

They were troopers and went down into the swampy field for me. I was very glad I wore my sneakers this time!

How awesome is it that Shoshana's yellow shirt matched the flowers perfectly?!

Butterfly kisses

Amidst all the fun laughing shots, I really liked this quiet, subdued photo the best.

After we'd had our fill of trees and flowering fields, we headed over to JP Licks and filled up on some DELICIOUS ice cream! And just in time too, it started raining almost as soon as we got inside.

I realized as I was editing this that I'd shot yet another cow. Not sure what's up with all the cows lately...

The hardest part is choosing a flavor!

It's always nice to share :)

A perfect end to a fun afternoon

Shoshana & Andy - we had a great time hanging out with you two! I'm still amazed at our luck with the weather :) Thanks again for the yummy ice cream! Photos from the wedding will be coming soon...

Alli & Glenn's eSession - Woodstock, CT

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Alli & Glenn live in New York City, we met in Boston, their wedding will be in Newport, and we shot their engagement session in Woodstock, CT! Talk about a New England wedding, this one includes almost all of it!

Woodstock is such a cute town and there were so many options for their engagement photos. Unfortunately it was spitting rain through the whole shoot, but Alli & Glenn were good sports and didn't mind getting a little wet :) We started out at Glenn's parents' home where they have some beautiful blossoming trees. (btw, this photo totally reminds me of my friend Amanda's logo!)

I love barns! I'm so glad they hadn't painted this one yet.

After a little while at the house, we hopped in the car to see what we would find. Alli thought of this great little wooded area, and it turned out to be fabulous! Plus, it sheltered us from the rain.

They're cute :]

I just love Alli's gorgeous green eyes!

It was right about this point that I almost fell on my face running through the woods in my Birkenstocks so I could lay on the ground and get these shots. Mental note: don't wear birks on engagement shoots anymore...

This is one of my favorites from the day!

Hey, look, we found another barn!

I saved the best for last... We stumbled across a field full of cows hanging out beside the road, and we just couldn't resist taking a few photos with them. I mean, what's an engagement session for a NYC couple without some cows and a farm?! ;)

I love how the cows were posing for the camera!

This one really wanted to be in the picture

It was definitely was one of the most entertaining eSessions I've ever shot!

Alli & Glenn, thanks for a great shoot! I don't have many couples who would be up for having their engagement photos taken with cows, so thanks for being adventurous with me :) I'm totally excited for your Newport wedding in, woah, less than a month!

Elizabeth & Ryan's eSession - Marion, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:35:00 +0000

Elizabeth called me months ago about her wedding to Ryan this June. She lives in Chicago, which means I liked her right away ;), but we never got a chance to meet until a couple weeks ago at their engagement session down in Marion, MA near Buzzards Bay. We met up at the home where the wedding will be, and it's such a gorgeous location - I am so excited for the wedding day! Elizabeth was just as pleasant to be around as she seemed on the phone, and Ryan is definitely her perfect match. It was very fun to finally meet them and we had a great time together taking photographs all over the property!

These two have such a great dynamic - they're so fun and playful, they clearly love being around each other!

They're also gorgeous!

Elizabeth is the kind of woman who greets you with a firm handshake and leaves you with a strong hug. She laughs HARD, with her whole body! You've got to love a woman like that!

It was totally worth walking through the mud to get these!

I have really learned to love shooting into the sun!

Coolest thing about this image is something Cynthia pointed out to me while she was editing the shoot... Even with all the light coming through, you can see Elizabeth's eyelashes. I love little details like that!

Just trying something different with the edit on this one... what do you think?

This is what this scene looked like from the other side

love it!

We walked through this little archway into the neighbors' yard from some images with a totally different feel.

there's that laugh again!

Elizabeth & Ryan, it was SO great to finally meet you! I had such a great time getting to know you both. I can't wait for your wedding - it's going to be beautiful and so much fun!

If you'd like to see a few more of my favorites, you can check them out on my Facebook Fan Page :)

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Well, I'm back from vacation, and it was FABULOUS! Hopefully it won't take me another year to get photos up for you guys ;) Since coming home, I've been catching up on emails, shooting, and editing a LOT of images! There should be a bunch of new blog posts coming very soon, starting NOW!

Going on Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:48:00 +0000

It's been a busy week around here! Wedding albums being designed and ordered, I've had 3 photo shoots, and most importantly - I've been busy preparing for my family vacation in FLORIDA!! :D As of tomorrow morning, I will be on vacation for a whole WEEK! YAY!!

And just because I'm getting pumped up, here are some photos from last year's Florida Vacation!

My niece Reilly

My sister, Kyla and baby Caeden

Michael & Tristan

One of my favorite photos EVER! Me with my little Reilly. Gotta love that face!!!

We had a family portrait session on the beach one evening. I'm debating whether or not to bring my tripod so we can get one of the whole fam... It's a whole other bag though and you shouldn't have to carry a lot of stuff on vacation!

The kids were having a great time, no really

The kids and their Kiki :)

It works a whole lot better with my sister running around and being ridiculous behind me. Way more genuine smiles - especially when she fell down in the sand ;)

My Mom & Dad - the amazing people who make it happen!

And this will be my view for the next few days! Don't be jealous ;)

I'll be responding to emails and phone calls when I get back. Have a great week!!! :D

Beth & Steven's Wedding in Newport, RI

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:31:00 +0000

Last season I had the chance to second shoot with a bunch of great photographers, but haven't had a chance to share any of the images with you. Until now :)

This event was shot with my dear friend Erica Pelaccia. We drove down to Newport, RI for the beautiful wedding of Beth & Steve at The Officer's Club at the Naval Station Newport. Here are a few of my favorite images from the day...

Beth & Steve got married outside by the water, with the sun getting ready to set behind them. It was a beautiful scene, and definitely a fun challenge to shoot!

After the ceremony and the family portraits, we got to spend a little time with just Beth & Steve and the golden sunset. It was gorgeous!!!

Erica working her magic :)

Their reception ended up being one of the funnest parties EVER! It started with a choreographed first dance...

Then the father-daughter dance

Then the best part was that the band was an 80s cover band!!!!! They even dressed up!!! Oh my gosh, they were SO AWESOME!

At first I was a little worried that the crowd wouldn't be into an 80s band, but I was WRONG! This crowd ate it up!! Everyone from kids to 80 year-old grandparents were gettin' down on the dance floor all night long. It was a AWESOME!!!

Erica, gettin' down with her bad self! I love you, Erica ;)

The party was so fun that we closed the place down! On the way to the car, I saw this and just had to get a shot... Gorgeous!

Thank you Erica for inviting me to come shoot with you! It was lovely as always :) Thank you Beth & Steve for having me at your wedding - it was great to meet you guys and enjoy a night boogying with your friends & family! And thank you Fast Times for the best wedding music ever! You guys ROCK - I've got to make plans to come out for a show in Boston soooon!

The Rescue

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:50:00 +0000

For those of you who have followed my blog for a while (like since the beginning), you know that I'm a HUGE fan of Invisible Children! Invisible Children began as a documentary about children in Northern Uganda who would commute miles each night from the villages to the city to avoid being abducted and forced into the rebel army (the LRA). [If you haven't seen the film, please buy it and watch it - or ask to borrow it from me!!] And now, Invisible Children has become a movement of young people who want to do something to end the 20+ year war in Uganda.

Peace talks have failed once again, and Invisible Children, along with much of the international community is calling for the arrest of Joseph Kony (the leader of the LRA) and the rescue of the thousands of abducted children who make up his army. On April 25th, 2009, Invisible Children is calling on the youth of the world to abduct themselves to free the abducted by participating in an event called The Rescue. The Rescue is taking place in Boston, and dozens of cities all over the world. Go to the site to find a city near you!

A couple years ago, IC put on a similar event called DisplaceME to raise awareness about the plight of Ugandans being forced to live in IDP Camps because of the ongoing war. A group of my friends from church and I went down to New York to participate and it was a very cool experience - one that I never did share on this blog... No time like the present, huh? :)

This is Bobby Bailey, one of the filmmakers who started Invisible Children.

love this

it was a cold wet night, but people stayed and really slept in card board shelters! (except me, I'm a wimp and I slept in the car ;)

I really love this organization! I wish I could be there to participate on April 25th (though I'm not sad that I'll be on vacation in FLORIDA). I'm happy that I can support Invisible Children by just passing on the word - and because they're one of the organizations I support through my wedding photography GIVE program - where 10% of every wedding photography goes to charity. Maybe someday I'll get to go to Uganda and shoot some photos for them... Hey, I can dream!!

Take a minute and go to www.invisiblechildren.com to learn more. And if you have 30 minutes to watch a powerful video on child soldiers, please click HERE.

SpringFest

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:28:00 +0000

One of my 2008 brides, Jessica, emailed me the other day about a charity event she's planning and asked if I would help spread the word. If you've visited this blog before, or visited my website, you know that I'm very much into charity work, and using my photography and my business to support organizations that are really helping people. I checked out the info on Jessica's event and I think it sounds great!!

SpringFest is a charity fair hosted by Berkland Baptist Church to raise funds and awareness for the China Nest of Hope Orphanage in Beijing, China. The orphanage is part of the China Nest of Hope Foundation, a charitable organization that strives to help orphaned and underprivileged children in Beijing. SpringFest festivities will feature family-friendly activities like games, arts and crafts, demonstrations, music, food and more. There will also be a charity raffle with awesome prizes like airplane tickets & iPods, and winners will be drawn throughout the day.

I love that I get to work with great brides like Jessica, who do cool stuff like this! Visit www.SpringFestBoston.com for more information about SpringFest and about the China Nest of Hope Orphanage, and hopefully I'll see you there! :)

McGarry Family Chiropractic - Winchester, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Krista Photography) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:01:00 +0000

A couple years ago, I started seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis. I'd been having some pretty regular shoulder and neck pain for a few years, and decided it was time to do something about it. Turns out, carrying heavy camera equipment on my back and holding a camera to my face and a flash over my head for hours at a time, is not so good for my spine. Like many people, I was really skeptical of chiropractic even though lots of photographers had told me it had really helped them. Dr. Lieschen McGarry had become a friend through church, and so I figured I'd give it a try since she was someone I felt really comfortable with and could trust. She explained to me that when your spine is out of line (subluxation), it can disrupt the nerves sending signals to your whole body, which can lead not just to pain but to all sorts of health issues. She also showed me how when your spine is out of line for an extended period of time, it can cause structural damage as well (subluxation degeneration). Looking at my x-ray was a little scary (apparently I have the spine of a 40-year old), so I started going for adjustments on a regular basis, and still do. And it's really helped!

So, when Lieschen told me she was working on a new website for the office and needed some photographs, I was thrilled to work with her on them!

We started out with some headshots...

Gorgeous, and talented - gotta love it!

This is Maggie, one of the office assistants

And Jessica

They're a great team!

This is the view from the adjustment room - that's lovely downtown Winchester

Dr. McGarry explaining Subluxation Degeneration to a patient

Two of the adorable babies she treats

A big part of Dr. McGarry's practice, is working with families and children. A lot of people freak out at the idea of adjusting children, but she's incredibly gentle. We photographed her adjusting some babies and kids, so people could see what that looks like.

See, smiling faces :)

Thanks Lieschen for such a fun and different shoot! And thank you especially for all the care you've given me over the last couple years! I don't know how I'd make it through a wedding season without you :)