Christmas in August? Maybe Crazy Eddie was right!

I am showing my age here, but I remember "Crazy Eddie" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Eddie ) had famous Christmas in August sales ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO9XC3tAbkQ )....this was back when nobody started Christmas sales until after Thanksgiving.
As You know, Christmas is early this year because of the eclipse, falling on December 25th, instead of the usual December 25th.

It has been a fun week! (Okay, not really)

We started the week off by spending the night in the hospital with my Brother, and ended the week with my Daughter, Sunny Logann, leaving daycare early, with a fever. A trip to the Doctor on Saturday Morning, and our fears are confirmed. Coxcakie Virus. It is one of those things kids get. No treatment except for the symptoms and she is just going to be unhappy for a few days. She has moments where she is happy and laughing...then suddenly she is not.

We were playing on the grass Saturday afternoon, when in an instant, she went from happy to not. Even with the puss on her face, she is still adorable.

In other news, Confetti, my Wife's cat of 19 years, was put down today. I am not a cat person...but I actually did like the little fuzzball. When my Wife Erica and I met, I had a Golden Retriever. The month we bought our home, Madison passed on after 13 years. Hardest thing I ever had to do. So I know how hard it was for Erica to make that decision this Morning. I am trying to be as supportive as I can.

Edit Wednesday August 20th***
Ok, so Erica caught it from the baby and added bronchitis. She enjoyed high fever, chills ( I had 7 blankets on her!) and aches. I took care of her and baby on Monday, pushing a shoot of a brownstone in NYC until Tuesday, when Erica's sister was able to take over.
I got to spend a few nights on the couch (to not get sick...not that I did anything wrong!).

Tuesday I was on site at 5Am to get night and twilight shots of the exterior. Much easier to shoot at 5am, when there are no passersby than at 8PM, when there are tons of folks walking the upper West side of NYC. The extra day actually worked out well because the home staging consultant did a fantastic job and even as I was shooting, we worked together to present the home at it's best. Stunning woodwork and craftsmanship that you just don't see everyday. Tons of cool pocket doors, stained glass transoms and a NYC rarity...a real backyard!

August 23rd NYC Photowalk is Sold Out!

Wow! That was fast. All 50 spots are spoken for on the August 23rd NYC Photowalk I am leading.
The group will meet at the Columbus Circle Fountain, walk under the Trump globe then meander through Central Park, stopping at the boat pond, bridges and tunnels, exit the park at the Hayden Planetarium and walk down Columbus and Broadway to Lincoln Center.

From the emails I have received here are the answers to the FAQS:
No experience needed.

A $4 disposable camera would work as well as the latest greatest camera. In fact, maybe better because you can take risks with it you would not take with a $5k DSLR.

This is more about learning to see creatively, than the tech side of photography.

Everything in Central Park has been shot before, but not through your eyes. Come up with a theme or mission to force yourself to think creatively.
Something like:
Show your feet in every picture, but still have the picture offer a strong sense of place, or a "moment". Could be a sock puppet, could be your hand....could be anything...does not have to be your feet...but the idea is then you start to think of how to show you are in Central Park and how your shoes might be interesting as part of that. My wife has a bunch of pictures taken from a lounge chair in resorts or beaches on various vacations. We call it Toes Around the World. Don't look for it in a musuem anytime soon, but it is cool and creative. Or you could try to show a sign or a name in every picture, perhaps take every picture from 5 inches off the ground...something to force you to see differently.

Travel light.

Less gear means more mobility and forces you to use what you have creatively

The schedule is for a two hour walk. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. At the two hour mark we should end up at the Lincoln Center Fountain. From there, if there is interest in folks grabbing a casual dinner, we can do that (separate checks? Split costs? Whatever) and then photowalk some more as the sun sets in Manhattan.

There will be a widevariety of skills with us. The best of them will make mistakes,and the newest will have happy accidents. Such is life.

More details on this Photowalk?
http://www.photoshopuser.com/photowalk/city/nyc.html

Read the FAQs posted there as well.

Want to see a previous photowalk?
http://www.opensourcephoto.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=31365&st=40

Update on my Brother

Seems to be a really bad sinus infection and tonsilitis. Not fun, but hey, compared to all the other reasons to have to go to the ER all night...not bad. Glad he will be OK. I Didn't sleep though. Starbucks? Anybody see my Starbucks? I need some double espresso love.
Thanks for the kind emails...I appreciate your good wishes.

No Title

My Brother Randy. Bad pic, but the only one I had in my phone to post to the blog.

Life is fragile

I took this in the rain because I liked the way water basically fosters life everywhere. But I am looking at it now, on my phone, and thinking that even stainless steel is fragile.

I am actually an optimist, and am confident that my Brother will be fine.

The little Waiting Room

It would be a shame to waste those comfy vinyl chairs.

An unfun phone call

My brother was feeling a little sick the past few days. He went to the doctor today, got some prescription meds and should have been feeling better. But he had a headache that makes migraines look fun.

He couldn't take it anymore and went to the hospital. Well, I knew I would be waiting...they have a whole room just for that and I know they would not want to waste all the work they put into it. I waited with him while they triaged folks with bloodier issues. After a few hours we went to the smaller waiting room, then to a bed in the ER.

They are running the usual tests and cat scans, etc. Hopefully tomorrow we will hear good things. He is staying the night and I have to be focused tomorrow, so at 12:45 I left him and will pick up in the AM.

Photowalk NYC 2008 is Almost Full !

We are limited to just 50 participants and my group is almost full!
Although most of the group are pro photographers, You do not neeed to be a pro for this, just enthusiastic. The best camera to bring, is the one you have.
What is Photowalk NYC? It is a two hour tour through NYC exploring the best photo ops.

I am leading a group of photographers on a photowalk of Central Park and the upper West side next Saturday.
There are details and a sign up page here:
http://www.photoshopuser.com/photowalk/city/nyc.html
There is NO cost, unless you join us for dinner. The more the merrier, so join us and learn something!

Like many photographers, I meet up with and train with several local pros on a consistant basis to discuss our craft, try new techniques and learn from each other. This is the first one I have held to the general public and it should be a lot of fun!

How to reduce the cost of your Long Island Wedding

I originally saw this on Consumerist, one of my favorite blogs. They got it from CNN and I have a link to the whole story here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/08/01/wedding.list.quiz/index.html
I recommend reading it. Really funny and really interesting idea. The basic premise is:

"Too often, women are pressured into inviting way too many people to their weddings out of a sense of obligation. Parents, prospective in-laws and grooms can turn a simple wedding into a grand affair.
And as soon as that engagement ring catches her eye, that occasional lunch acquaintance feels entitled to share in your happy nuptials.
Then you realize too late that the majority of people at your wedding don't really know you or what has been going on in your life up until your big day."

They go on to suggest a quiz to see who makes the cut and gets an invite:
"Here are 10 questions couples can use to trim that guest list and weed out the people you really don't want at your wedding.
1) Name the city I'm living in now (Good one to weed folks out, especially if you have moved a lot. Don't use this if you've lived in the same place for 10 years).
2) Name at least two of my closest friends.
3) Name my current employer and my past employer (Again, if you've remained in the same job for 15 years, this does not apply).
4) Do I have any kids?
5) Do you know the name of my fiancé? Bonus question: Where and when did we meet?
6) Do you know where my parents are and whether they are still alive? (Imagine a friend at your wedding asking how long have your parents been married when they divorced years ago).
7) Name at least two of my hobbies.
8) How old am I? (My favorite is when family friends would query, 'Are you 28 now?" Imagine their surprise when I proclaimed, 'yeah, 10 years ago!')
9) Where did I go to college? (Some people might not remember whether you attended college or even graduated.)
10) Name my last boyfriend before this engagement. Bonus question: if you can name the last two and why we broke up. If you get the bonus question right, that might automatically get you in.
Scoring helps determine whether you get invited.
If you score 50 percent or below, you definitely are not getting invited.
If you score barely over 50 percent, you are on the waiting list. If someone who scored better than you cannot attend, you might get an invitation. This barely acceptable person who might be invited may get you a great gift because of their guilt for scoring so low.
If you score over 60 percent, you get an invitation."

Wet NYC Wedding Photography

I am more of a hat guy than an umbrella guy and I always laugh when I see people ducking to avoid getting hit on the crowded streets of NYC by the virtual sea of umbrellas on the sidewalk.

Today...you might need both a hat and an umbrella. It is pouring. Like cats and dogs. Like building an arc type of rain.

Here is a glimpse of my walk to the office, caught with my cameraphone. What does this have to do with Wedding or realestate photography? You want someone who can view the same scene a hundred times and still create new and exciting ways to see it. Someone who can tell the story visually in an dynamic way. I limit myself to only shoot 15 Weddings per year, so I can give full attention to my Bride and Grooms. They are more than clients. They are customer relationships that often turn into friendships. This type of personal attention...you can't get that from the "wedding factories" that pump out 3 weddings a weekend all year long. And it shows in the results. Your day is unique and special. Your images should be too.

Use the "contact me" button on my website and let's talk about your upcoming event to see if I am the right fit for you.

Blue Van

Janeda & Michael Married at The Sands

Could not ask for a better day and the beach was just right for some fun photos.

Janeda looked stunning and while Michael and his groomsmen were in classic tuxedos with the reds to match the theme.
There were few dry eyes in the house after two very special readings just before they took their vows.

I was fortunate to be able to work with Amos Chen as my second shooter. You can see Amos' work here:

http://lovebloomsphotography.com/photos/portgallery/

Amos has a great eye for romantic shots. He is part of a group of pro photographers I train and work with and was part of the group on last Wednesday's NYC PhotoWalk Field Trip. I have not gotten around to editing the images yet from that trip, but you really want to check out these two links to see it!

http://bedazzledphotography.blogspot.com/2008/07/april-and-dan-osp-meet-up.html

http://www.opensourcephoto.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=31365&st=60

If you stand around with a camera in NYC, nobody even sees you. But, get 15 photographers setting up lighting in Central Park and shooting some awesome models....EVERYBODY stops and wants to see the celebrities!

No additional All Star Parade Coverage...

Baby is sick.Just a cold, but has a fever, so I am heading home with her to so she can rest and get better. Dr.'s Orders.

So, no more red carpet photos.

NYC All Star Parade...

Daddy! Look! It's Superman!

No sweetie, that's just an All Star.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to love a good parade. But you do have to be awake. Everybody else seems excited!

I'm sure there are folks who take the bus who are less than thrilled.

But, where else can you see the whole street covered with red carpet? The Emmy's? No!

ONLY in New York City!

ROAD TRIP ! VT for the 4th....Q3 MMP

My wife and I are up in VT for the 4th on our Q3 Marriage Maintainance Plan. Four times a year, we make it a point to get out of town and just enjoy each other. Nice just to get out of the everyday grind and celebrate why we love each other. This time, we have the baby with us.

We are up at our favorite place, The Snow Goose Inn, in the Mount Snow Region of Vermont and we are exploring route 7a and route 100. One thing is for sure, the most popular cars in VT are Saabs and Subarus. Almost every vehicle that was not a pickup truck or Harley was a Saab or Subaru. Although you can find classics, like this Dodge Challenger enjoying the curves of Mount Equinox.
UPDATE: 778 miles in 4 days from NY to Boston, through NH, Vermont and Western Mass...our 03 Saab 9-3 got 32 miles per gallon. I am not exactly easy on the throttle either. Gas in VT was $3.99 for regular. $4.49 for regular on 95 in Southern CT.

Moo !
Cows are very friendly. They have no problem coming right up to you and saying hello over the fence. Of course, they don't know about the awesome burger I had at Jerry's Deck in Wilmington!

Baby likes horses. No...you can NOT have a pony!

Jill & Michael's Wedding! It was a HOT one!

Yeah, sure...it was a little warm out. The Groomsmen were pretty much melting under the bright sun.
The ceremony was classic, and Jill looked superbly elegant.
The Bridal Party was lookin' SHARP!

But the party...the party was downright HOT! Jill and Michael can dance! Their family and friends were tearing up the dance floor at The White House during the reception.

I shoot and train with a great group of local photographers and I was fortunate enough to have Taria from Personal Touch Photography working with me. She is a master at organizing formals and has an easygoing style that works well with her ability to get people where you need them for a great image.
Check out her blog at http://www.tariareed.com/blog/

Also check out the proofing site from J. Mitchel Photography July 13th, when you will start to see the images from Jill and Michael's Wedding online!

Wedding Day! Jill & Mike are getting Married Today!

Jill and Mike are getting Married Today!

They are a really great couple. We had so much fun doing the E-session! I will be shooting their Wedding Today in Middle Village and the reception in Whitestone. Look for updates tomorrow and if you know them, then you know the password to see their pics on the proofing site!

First Tomato of the Season!

It is going to be a good day today. Walked out into the garden with the baby this Morning to feed the last remaining Koi (the racoons treat my pond like a sushi bar!) and we stumbled upon the first ripe tomato of the season!

It is all in the viewpoint...

There are a million great images, all around you.

J. Mitchel Photography steps away from the cliché and tells the story with a unique twist.

Thinking creatively will get you images out of the ordinary, whether you are shooting a wedding or just saying what a gray day it is in NYC.

J. Mitchel Photography provides the best creative Wedding Photography for select Brides in the NY Metro area. Amazing NYC and Long Island Wedding Photography starting at just $1500. www.JMitchelPhotography.com

Baby Update...First Food That Is Not In A Bottle!

Well, it had to happen sometime...Sunny Logann, my Daughter has been staring longingly at my wife and I every time we eat. So, after consulting our Dr., Today was the day for rice cereal mush.
UHHH! What is this stuff!

THIS is what food tastes like? I am NOT impressed.
Well, just to make you happy, I finished a few ounces. Let me just wipe the taste out of my mouth. That stuff is gross. Give me my bottle back.
That eating...that is some hard work. I'm wiped out. I am just going to take a nap while finishing my bott zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz