South Hadley Wedding

On Saturday, I was in three towns for Amy and Chris's wedding. We started in Easthampton, MA for some quick shots at the bride's parent's house. Then on to All Saints Episcopal Church in South Hadley. It was packed with guests—it was standing room only, and on what felt like the only hot day in June! After some formal photos at the church, we ended up at Oak Ridge Country Club in Feeding Hills.

Williamstown Wedding

On Saturday, I was in Williamstown, MA for Jess and Michael's wedding. They are both Williams College alums, and were married at the Williams College Chapel. The reception was just up the street at the Williams Inn.

We had great weather and were able to do some shots in some of their favorite places around campus.

Linden Hill School

The last two days, I've been in Northfield, MA, taping the end of year ceremonies at Linden Hill School. I believe this is my fifth year taping there. Thursday night is their awards night, where they hand out sports and academic awards. Friday morning is Prize Day, graduation for their 9th graders who are moving on to high school.

From their website: Founded in 1961, Linden Hill School is the nation’s oldest junior boarding school for language based learning differences. Linden Hill’s highly individualized approach to crafting a learning remediation program for each student has gained Linden Hill an international reputation as a leader in language-based learning remediation for middle school boys.

Lenox Wedding

On Sunday, I was in Lenox for Arian and Aaron's wedding. They were married at Cranwell Resort on a beautiful May day. The ceremony was outdoors on the beautiful lawn. Everything was so enjoyable, from the ketubah signing to the reception toasts. There wasn't a moment where people weren't smiling and laughing.

The Cranwell staff, under the direction of Samantha Talora, was superb, as usual!

Bat Mitzvah

On Saturday, I was in Florence, MA taping Izzy's Bat Mitzvah. The service was at Beit Ahavah (they use the Florence Congregational Church), and the reception was at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

Sports Recruiting Video

On Saturday, I was at the New Haven Track & Field Center, shooting a recruiting video for two runners, a brother and sister. Sports recruiting videos are often used to give a college coach their first impression of a high school athlete. They are more commonly used in basketball, soccer, baseball, or football recruiting.

I taped each athlete running a 1600m race, and they each won their heat! What's usually done next is adding graphics & text, like a short bio or list of accomplishments. Freeze frames and graphic arrows can be used to highlight a player, so the coach knows who they're supposed to be watching.

With scholarship money hanging in the balance, recruiting videos are becoming a common investment for potential college athletes.

Pearl Bridal Boutique

I was dropping off my taxes at my accountant's office in Holyoke's Open Square. As described in their website, Open Square is a new mixed-use urban community in the heart of Holyoke's Historic Canal District.

As we were discussing weddings, my accountant suggested that I stop in to the Pearl Bridal Boutique in the next building. I hadn't been there before, so I stopped in and met Ryan, the owner, and explained a little about my business. As for the boutique, it's very stylish and hip looking, set in a renovated factory building with a lot of brickwork and natural light.

As Ryan put it to me in an e-mail: "We too are trying to do something different. We like to be thought of as a specialty bridal boutique. Meaning that you will find designers and accessories not found anywhere else. Brides are able to sit back, relax, and be pampered in a private loft style setting. They feel like they are in a couture salon in Boston or NY, but are here in W.Mass."