elliot | two years

Meet Elliot! He is a fun little man with a head full of curly hair! As in the past, many families want to get photos of their little boys before they need to chop off their hair for one reason or another. (For many, it’s a few too many lollipops getting stuck…) Of course, the hair grows back, but that first batch of beautiful hair is always the best.

Elliot was so much fun to photograph. It took him a bit to warm up to me, which allowed me to get some fantastic candid/serious shots of him. However, once his mom told me that he loves chasing her around the park and cracks up hysterically, I knew it had to be done. Word to the wise, when running backwards in flip flops on uneven grassy terrain, keep a very solid hold of the camera when you’ve got it down at knee level and firing off shots! Ha.

Elliot’s birthday is coming up in a couple weeks and he’s going to be, you guessed it, two years old! He’s learning to tie his own shoes (see below), put on his own pants, and of course, dress up like a fireman!

Happy 2nd birthday Elliot!

wedding day | york beach, maine

Recently, I captured the momentous wedding day of Jess & Mike on York Beach.

It was an absolutely magnificent day, filled with sunshine, a few clouds, and a light breeze. The ceremony was small with only immediate family attending. It was exactly what they wanted at the picturesque location of York Beach, Maine. I would sit here and type about their undying love and admiration for each other, how every look was one of trust, happiness, and love,  but I’ll let the photo speak for itself :-) Oh how I do love wedding days!

Pier 39 | San Francisco

Indigo Blue Twilight | San Francisco

This past week I travelled to San Francisco. The weather was in the 60′s, filled with low-lying fog and intermittent sunshine. On one of the evenings, I had a bit of free time and was able to visit Pier 39 right as the sun was setting and twilight had begun. The marina looked beautiful this time of day with the boats settled into the docks and the old-fashioned light post illuminating the area, I couldn’t help but take a few shots.

No photoshopping was needed for this photo. The indigo blue sky was a photographers dream. What I saw is what you get – a lovely evening in San Francisco.

Do you have any favorite photos from this time of day? Feel free to share!

trevor | 18 mos

One of the many advantages to being an on-location maine photographer is that the studio is wherever you want it to be, including your very own backyard!

One of my favorite clients to photograph is Trevor, who is now already 18 months old. I’ve been photographing this little guy since the beginning and it is amazing how much he has grown. Check out that hair!

Your home can become a studio with as many different “locations” as you’d like. Trevor’s mom is a fan of outfit changes as needed, and like a good mom, knows that he may get bored by a certain area after a bit, so she had a few places in her yard pre-planned for him to play in while I snapped the pics.

The result of photographing on the location of your choice is a much happier and comfortable child, and much calmer and less-stressed parents. We grabbed some great candids of him playing in the pool with his bubbles blowing, getting some friendly puppy-kisses from the family dog, and a planned photo of Trevor with his favorite cousin on the hammock in their yard.

Summertime

Summertime, and the living’s easy.

Ah, summer vacation, a week of bliss and relaxation. The week was absolutely beautiful in Maine, full of warmth, sunshine, and a great cooler day for a long run (I couldn’t have planned it any better). I thought about driving around to visit friends, but instead, I had some great friends come and visit me. Can’t complain with beach/lake days like this in July.

I’ve been going through some summertime photos and found one my favorites of summer in Maine.

Lightening Storm on a Maine Lake

 

This was taken on my favorite lake in Maine one late summer evening. I only got a few shots before I ran back inside to calm my family freaking out that I would be struck by lightening. Don’t worry – I survived!

What is one of your favorite summer photos or memories?

Hope summer is going well for everyone!

Caitlyn – Class of 2012

Meet Caitlyn – Class of 2012

Caitlyn contacted HAL Photography when she was planning her vacation from Vermont with her family. Having traveled to Old Orchard Beach with her family for a few years now, Caitlyn thought it would be the perfect time and place to get some dynamic and Caitlyn-style beach shots for her class of 2012 senior photos.

The shoot went fantastic! After reschedule due to (unpredictable Maine) weather, we landed a warm, slightly breezy, evening on the beach. The temperatures were perfect for getting our feet wet (literally), and the breeze gave her hair a natural boost that models use giant fans for in photoshoots. Ah, behold, the power of beach wind on a summer’s night!

Getting to know Caitlyn and her mom was great. Listening to their stories about family vacations to Maine and beyond makes me appreciate our Maine summers even more. Little tidbit of information – Caitlyn is totally a photobug. It was excellent, because she had her own style and vision, and at HAL Photography, we love to make you a part of the process. Here’s hoping you find some new favorite Caitlyn-esque photos!

Here’s a few of my favorites from our beach day.


 

New York – Post update!

As promised, here is a photo from our CIEE event in New York recently. The venue was cozy and intimate – perfect for the group to socialize, ask questions, and get to know each other.

The photo was shot with my Nikon D90 | Sigma 10-20 wide angle lens.

New York…for a day.

On Wednesday, I was asked to photograph an Intern/Trainee Mixer for CIEE. The flight down was beautiful, lasting approximately 55 minutes on a wonderful JetBlue airline – haven’t not flown JetBlue often, I can’t say enough about them, they are like flying internationally on a domestic flight. Who knew domestic airlines still give away multiple beverages (including OJ, Dunkin Donuts Coffee, and water), a free checked luggage piece, AND good snacks? Anyway, this post is not about the wonders of Jet Blue! Really, it’s about New York City!

Our event was held at the Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel on their outdoor patio tucked away between multi-story buildings. A fabulous location for our intimate gathering. Before the event began, we wandered around looking for food..decisions, decisions…and I grabbed the shot on the right of a moment in time in NYC  from a street corner while we were debating upon Juniors or a Turkish Delight across the street (the Turkish cuisine won).

Before we knew it, the event was beginning and we were rolling. It was a wonderful turnout of our Interns from all over the greater NYC area. The photos will be posted on the CIEE Intern/Trainee Facebook Page soon.

After a few hours of many smiles, new friendships, socializing, and a thunderstorm, we were packing up to make our way back home to PWM.