A question I often get asked is “Do you take maternity/pregnancy photos?”. To answer simply, yes. This is something I’ve done quite a bit of but not often blogged. So former Elario All Star Jivon came in months ago to pick up her wedding books. We all remember Jivon’s engagement session and wedding right? On her way out she said to me something like “by the way, Anthony & I are expecting in September.” I told her, she should have her tummy photographed. She reluctantly said “maybe” while giving me that Jivon look with the eyebrows. Her friends and family know the look I’m talking about. Anyhow, I don’t think a week went by and Jivon emailed me saying she wanted to do some belly shots (haha). What a great moment in life to have documented. Also, Jivon’s a pretty easy subject to photograph. When she opened the door to her house (which is where we shot) I was like “you’re expecting?” From straight on she doesn’t even look pregnant. Anyway we shot this whole thing on the grounds of Jivon and Anthony’s gorgeous brand new home. They had all kind’s of fields and what not. They even have a barn with horse’s (none there that night) and baby goats also known as “kids”! I’m thrilled with these images and appreciate Jivon letting me put these on my blog. Come on though, she looks incredible! So congratulations to Jivon and Anthony, check back in early October to find out what they have.

Peace,
JP

Last time we saw Jivon.. and Anthony…

See what I mean? From the front she doesn’t look pregnant.

Stunning…

If you read my write up above the look on the right is what I was talking about.

Off to the barn area I just loved this fence.

You make my job too easy Jivon.

While she changed clothes I got to meet the baby goats. I love the chain my man on the right is rockin’ The noises these things make are so funny too.

Theres the belly…

Another great location on their property. I might just show up some day with some subjects and start shooting.

How perfect of a bump? My guess is a boy…. I got a 50/50 shot!

I just love this one…

and this one.

i like this one too.

all the lines are just great.

as I mentioned above, Jivon and Anthony do not know what they’re having. You’ll all have to check back in October when I blog it…..

just know they’re not having any baby goats ;)

Hey all! So sorry for my absence here on the blog. It’s tough when you have just 11 days until you get married. I planned to blog my butt of this month but things happen and I think I can get a pass since it’s my turn to tie the knot. I do plan on having 2-3 more posts within the next week so make sure to check back. Anjella & Sarmads wedding was just wild so wait till you see this blog.

So with this post I thought it would be fun to share some party photos. I normally don’t blog party shots but these images I wanted to share. So on with the post…

Peace,
JP

I love this ending shot from Jaimee & Sean’s first dance. They danced to “Can’t take my eyes off of you” Frankie Valli

Then late night it turned into a disco!

Something tells me this is a Bon Jovi or Neil Diamond song…. just a guess.

This was Journey “Don’t stop believing”

I take it Alissa didn’t know this song?

Why not?

Cause if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it.

These sisters made my dancing blog post last year.

This girl was funny….

Eye of the tiger here! Wow no one was getting that tossing bouquet haha!

Say cheese!

Packed dance floor!

I just laugh at this one.. Matt was buggin mid air.

I have no clue what was happening here but I love it.

Sorry I can’t dance with you!

Where did the chicken come from?!?

I’ll end with this just because I love this shot…

What up peeps? This is a fun post right here. I thought I’d title it “how’d i miss that?”. Everyone who follows this blog knows my wedding or engagement session posts can run long. There’s a reason for that and thats because I think there are just so many great images to blog. Sometimes after I blog something I look back on the event a month or two later and say to myself, “I should have blogged that.”  So here are some images I should have blogged from 2009.

Peace,
JP

When I viewed this image the second time around I loved it. It became an instant new favorite from their session.

How I did not blog this one boggles my mind. The color is just ridiculous.

This should happen at every wedding.

I love this spot in Troy. I could have shot the whole session here.

The Canfield Casino made such a sweet backdrop for this winter wedding.

Everything about this image makes me smile for Melissa & Jerome’s September wedding.

The yellow in this pic is almost as awesome as this bride & groom.

Here is what we call that good good light.

At this wedding the light was doing some nice stuff. Rain was on the way, had this couple not opted for a first look we would missed this moment because on their way out of church umbrella’s covered their heads.

How could you not just love this engagement session?

I picked 2 because I could have picked 22 more from this one.

This one sums up this couple in a nutshell. Really all thats missing are Yankee hats and DMB tickets.

I had to throw her in. Mona rocks!

But Andrew rocks too. All couples should laugh like this.

I love this color palette. Stay tuned for their bling shot.

Its funny to think two days before their wedding I froze my but off. Late in their wedding day resulted in some of that good good light.

These guys tie the knot 21 days after I do. Same location too! The color in this shot is really awesome.

Speaking of color. This is why you get married in October.

Speaking of October,. this location was as empty as it was the day we shot there. Sorry guys I couldn’t resist. But I do love this shot.

This photo makes me miss summer.

Another fav of mine from Jivon & Anthony’s engagement sesison.

Their wedding photos rocked too. The color & light was just nutty.

Gotta love images like this.

I must have said something funny here.

I don’t know how I missed this shot. Its my all time new fav from their wedding day.

Another classic October image.

Such a great image from Nicole & Nick’s or “The Nic’s” engagement session.

I search for a sky like this at every wedding. I actually call this a Tuesday night sky since they seem to only show up on Tuesdays not Saturdays.

June in a field. We all know I shot in my fair share of fields in 2009.

Another field. Only in October. True story Tracey walked barefoot this location because her shoe’s hurt. What a trooper!

When you can’t shoot outside, you shoot inside.

The color in late August at Saratoga National is sweet. It was actually a lot darker than it appears in this photo, gotta love 1.2 lenses.

Light was no factor at Lindsey & Ryan’s September wedding. Neither were moments like this.

The shoe’s, the spot, all awesome.

I see you Sarah.

All that lens flare is simply beautiful.

Sarah & Ben in one of my favorite Saratoga locations.

The classic car with the classic white church in a classic toned image is all around awesome.

Jaimee & Sean, you gotta love this wedding.

I wont lie, It was pretty cold here. Was it worth it? Hell yeah!

Alissa & Shane were just off the hook all day.

I wonder what he was saying. My guess, “Andrea, you know this image is going to be off the hook right?” ;)

Ah yes folks with the year ending and a new ones beginning that means it’s time for some of that “best of” and behind the scenes stuff. Since last years behind the scenes post was so popular I thought I must do one from the 2009 season. This is a long post and has lots of images. I couldn’t narrow them down, so why not share all my favs? There is 54 images below this test. It’s crazy right? So what? They’re all fun images. I’d love to thank all my 2009 blog stalkers and would love to hear more from you all in the comment box below. Don’t be shy, I don’t bite. But back to all the followers… Thanks sooo much for coming back often, looking, sharing with others and I know we’ll be giving you all some awesome stuff for the 2010 season. In fact, I promise! Happy New Year ya’ll. See ya next year!

Enjoy, leave love,
JP

I’ll try to do these in chronological order beginning back in April when the season kicked into full speed…..

This is a typical reaction I might do if the last thing I shot really was awesome.

Throughout this post you’ll see a lot of these “the making of” images.. Me and Al Woodard shooting some awesome shots of the famous Jaimee & Sean’s wedding.

This one’s special to me since it was the first bride & groom I’ve ever asked to sit on the ground without any sheets, blankets tarps etc… I just said “trust me Jess…” and their images rocked. Shortly after this bride sitting on the bridge shot you might have noticed a trend popping up throughout the local wedding scene of brides and grooms sitting on bridge / ground / field. I know for certain it’s become a staple in my arsenal of images….. And YES brides, you can tell me no.

The result..

This is just funny.

I just love the look on the brides face when my lovely and talented fiance Kris Ann was showing her bouquet for the first time. More than that though, look at the joy in Kris Ann’s face knowing she’s sending a satisfied bride down the aisle.

Remember that shoot at Saratoga Race Track? Anthony might try and front but that guard was making him nervous. Jivon would back me up.

Remember that shoot I did in Fenway Park? Did I mention I was scuffing my Frye’s all over this dugout? Hope John Henry doesn’t read my blog.

Just after I took this shot they took their hats off…

And look where they put them! I thought it was totally fitting seeing how their season ended with PapleBUM! I’m sorry but as a Yankee fan I needed to get my dig in.. 27 baby!

Me & Pops taking a break…

A little directing going on here… I just like this shot..

“The making of” a ring shot in a hotel room.

Another “the making of” shot..

Pop’s and I will often meet up at the reception location before a wedding. At this one I was elected to drive and I title this one “Where’s the brides house?”.

I bet I could have got them to sit on these yellow lines if not for the 55mph motorists on the road. This “the making of” is pretty neat.

“The making of” one of many images of Kristin on her wedding day.

“The making of” a standard shoe/dress shot. Jivon’s bedroom had easily the best light ever.

In Jivon’s fathers museum I mean garage. Big Joe was in love with all the Corvettes in there.

I like this shot because I know I just shot some of my favorite images from the 2009 season. It’s just has a cool look to it. Big Joe’s always been awesome with those super wide angle shots and I think this is one is a standard “Big Joe shot”.

This is me saying to myself… “I wonder what size Kris Ann is?” I was caught in the act jacking some flip flops.

When I shot this image of my pops I told him all that was missing was a big “E” off to the left.

Music Man Mike Garrasi chilling with Big Joe who is clearly snacking on a roll or crackers or something yummy from Angelo’s pantry.

Typical, we’re ready, they’re not.

Big Joe looking all cool like he’s part of the wedding party or something.

“The making of” the get a little closer shot.

In Congress Park during wedding season on a Saturday you’d be amazed how many wedding partys come thru and sometimes you run into other photogs.. My buddy Alisha Clark clearly taking a break with cola in hand.

Sometimes I just can’t find him when we’re working.

“The making of” the guys shot in front of the greatest looking church in all of Saratoga.

“The making of” an in your face bride portrait.

Who say’s I can’t do a bling shot? This awesome “bling” was a napkin ring holder or something I found.. haha cool right?

The Franklin Plaza mirror. I know every photographer who’s shot there has at some point in time done this… I especially like the hat on the tall guy. Something looks funny there.

Another mirror shot….

“The making of” one of my favorite images from Sarah & Ben’s awesome October wedding..

Photo by Mayor Jennings.. You can count on him jacking one of our cameras at any given event. He must only shoot Canon Pops.

Having a serious chat with wedding planner Katie O‘… probably sounded like this. JP: “So we’re running behind?” Katie O’: “Yeah but only 15 mins.” In Katies defense I’m certain it was not her doing for a slightly delayed start. Here’s a news flash folks… nothing ever runs on time, not weddings.

So the girls were not ready and I went to the guys room and got this awesome ring shot.

Then Al & I waited for the guys and goofed off..

Another “the making of” the guys shot..

One of my fav’s of Big Joe in action… the light is just sweet.

Stop! Mirror time! This woman’s clearly watching herself walk. Everyone does at the Hall of Springs.

Another “the making of” a really awesome ring shot.

When you both work in the wedding biz this is how you spend your quality time together..

“The making of “my favorite shoe shot this season.

Me & the famous Alayne of Make Me Fabulous.

Just for the record… I’ve been meaning to address this. Its Al Woodard, not Al WoodWard! One “W” in the last name. Everyone gets that wrong and it drives me crazy. Al on the other hand just laughs.

Classic HOS mirror shot.

“The making of” the “squat shot” or to sound better the crouching shot. This was coined by a popular west coast shooter [b]ecker I give props to the originator.

“The making of” I just love the light in this image. Thanks to our assistant Kat for bumping it back at em’

Kat likes pumpkins lol! They were actually sticky haha.

On day three of a three wedding weekend I might make this face. This is my “are we ready?” look.

Lexie likes to blog too! Seriously this is the messiest you’ll ever see my office. The fall kicked my butt.

Diane of Video Craft and myself mirroring it up in the casino.

And with this image I think we’re up to date! See ya next year!