Turning 13 Rocks!

Seriously, this party rocked.

It had all the elements of a great party and I was impressed with the event planner Florie Huppert and her design team. Then, a bit envious that I wasn't responsible for the literally smokin' mocktail served during the cocktail hour. Created by Mitchel London Foods, it was a minor indication of the fun to come.

I was thrilled to be a part of the energy, fun and fabulous time everyone was having, a tone clearly set by the guest of honor and her family.

Gillian was turning 13 and wanted to have a "dance party" and she did! Still, the night celebrated the friends and family that love her and are a part of her life. Everyone played a key role in helping her rock the night away.

Part of my job is to lovingly harass the event planner for a photo must list and for weddings in particular it is a must and always helpful at any event. Even so, I work very hard to make sure the guest of honor and guests alike have their click in the spotlight. I love it when the client simply states, everyone is important, everyone goes on the photo must list...my thoughts exactly!

The dance floor was packed all night and Gillian's 13th birthday celebration officially rocked. Still, it had all the charming interactions you might expect from a group of 13 year olds. It's refreshing to see excitement, mac and cheese, innocence and an unparalleled knowledge of the current music scene all rolled into one. The adults were just as wild and it felt like everyone's punch was spiked with a hint of ultra cool the whole night thru.

Guests took a brief moment to light a candle for her and in that moment she had her own sky full of lighters....Congratulations Gillian, thank you for sharing all the magic, peace and love.

Peace, Love and Joy

It's the week before Christmas and all is bustling. All of a sudden I come across a moment when peace is recognized, captured and preserved for a lifetime. It's refreshing and magical, the best part of my quest as a photographer. It's db3's first Christmas and it reminded me what that part of my childhood was like. Christmas for me was without a doubt the most magical time of year, my parents made sure of that and I am thankful. I still feel like a kid each year, ready to share, celebrate and get lost in the wonder of it all. Watching Darin and Donita enjoy every moment with Dylan, I am so happy to give them a slice of that to unwrap again and again. Merry Christmas db3.

Tortola, BVI

Readers beware, one too many rum punches on your honeymoon and you could end up celebrating a view like this once a year with your hubby...and so the adventure continues. My husband and I have enjoyed the island of Tortola located in the BVI for several years now and as simple, stunning and sunny as it is, it never gets old. Even the journey there can be mixed and matched to suit your style. No matter what route you choose, it's a bit like Planes, Trains and Automobiles getting there. I always tote my camera but wanted to experiment a bit this time around so the images here are all taken with my iphone using a few cool apps like 360 Panorama (see image above) to enhance and have fun with. So portable, so simple, so addictive!!

Rum, rum and more rum seems to be the glue that makes it all come together. Tortola has 2 rum distilleries, our favorite being the Callwood Distillery in Cane Garden. They take their rum pretty seriously so we do too! The Soggy Dollar Bar and Foxys are the 2 best reasons to venture over to Jost Van Dyke for the day...I now understand why the last ferry ride out is at 5pm. Half naked people wandering around with their belongings in a zip lock bag makes sense if your there, trust me!

But seriously, the bathtub like water, white sand beaches and heavenly cloud formations make for the perfect get away. Island hopping is a no brainer, a ferry ride here, a cocktail there with lots of local interaction in between. The Bartenders of course can be the most informative, second only to the taxi drivers but that is another entry entirely.

Directions like these are worth following! Cheers!

Marlana and Greg

It's confirmed, Central Park in the Fall is one of THE most romantic places on Earth. This thought was one of many racing thru me as I spent the day with Marlana and Greg celebrating their recent engagement. Marlana's love for the Fall leaves and colors as vibrant as the city itself mixed beautifully with the couples romantic ideas for the day. A little bit of When Harry Met Sally meets Bogart and Bergman, this was nothing short of movie magic. Here is a sneak peek, congratulations Marlana and Greg!!

Sarah and Abby

Sarah and Abby are sisters, best friends, partners in crime and two of the the most individual and confident young girls I have ever known. I have been photographing these two since they were toddlers, here is one of the first images I took of them back in 2007, it remains one of my favorite images to date.

The holidays seem right around the corner, I know they are close when I receive an email from the Youngbergs that "it's that time of year again" with much excitement and anticipation of what this year's session will bring! Always joy and lots of laughter with a bit of mischief in between.

There are always two parts to the session. First, the more formal dress for a little holiday magic, followed by an hour in whatever they want to wear. I'm always amazed at how the personalities take off once someone feels confident in their look and kids are no exception to this rule.

It's hard to believe how time flies, it's an honor to help preserve the progression of these two beautiful girls. They are smart, fun, silly and sophisticated all rolled into one, these are city kids raised in the heart of Manhattan with energy abounding.

Love is Cool

6 years ago today Nelson and I took the plunge and decided to get married. Happy Anniversary to us! Love is not easy, love is not blind but it is beautiful and challenging every day. On a random afternoon I decided to take these images of Nelson to help launch his Facebook status. It took only a few minutes to update his image and secure his rightful place on the social media circuit. I love these photos because they simply look like Nelson but with me behind the lens, I can't help but think a few of these moments were meant just for me.

It felt like a moment out of a classic Woody Allen film as we sat together in front of Frankies on Court Street, having his usual smoke. Nelson is a New Yorker, born and raised. Not a day goes by that I'm not pleasantly reminded of that, it's one of the many things I love about him most. I have only (only...) 16 years here in NY but I feel more and more attached to New York, especially with Nelson by my side.

Celebrating this year feels easy, almost a bit too comfortable. A friend recommended we check out The Dutch for gourmet burgers and oysters on the half shell which sounds perfect to us. More likely we will meet at the bar, Dirty Martini for him, something sparkling for me. It's fitting because that is where we met. It was a misty Fall, Monday evening and we happened to be the only two people in the place. He claims it was love at first site, but every once in a while I'm reminded, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." We'll drink to that!

Cirque du Soleil Premiere

Dreaming has always been a thread I continue to tug at in almost all aspects of my life. I enjoy following the Fellinis of the world, it was my interest in capturing color, character and emotion that lead me to pursue photography in the first place. Finding "like minded" people can be reassuring most days. Finding inspiration in the work of people you admire is necessary. I remember seeing my first Pina Bausch (dance/theater) performance and feeling as though I knew exactly what I needed to do and that it not only existed but was do-able. When I saw my first Cirque du Soleil show, I was again, connecting to something that inspired me, a performance as individual as I always wanted to be.

When the call came from Elegant Affairs Caterers to photograph the premiere party for the Banana Shpeel show in 2010. I was flying high and as nervous as a performer on opening night. The call came again this year, this time to photograph the premiere party for Zarkana. I grew up going to see Barnum and Bailey Circus, I even interviewed with them for a possible internship during my first year in NY in 1993. I was ready to take the position until my ex at the time declared that people would believe I was actually "in" the circus and not working behind the scenes. At the time, that seemed like good advice so I declined the offer and went with a Broadway PR firm instead. That same year my mom took me to my first Cirque performance on Randall's Island.

Discovering Cirque du Soleil opened my senses, redefined the traditional circus act I was use to and offered up a world of inspiration to me as an artist. These are few of my favorite roaming characters and scenes from the party, guests were invited to be apart of the freak show. I never thought I would get closer than my usual seats somewhere in the mezzanine but I guess I belong here, with the dreamers, performers, the strange and beautiful souls that continue to take our breath away.

Micro Museum Turns 25

Micro Museum is not a furniture store or a museum for small objects, Micro Museum is a living art center located in the heart of Smith Street in Brooklyn and dedicated to interactive, media, visual and performing arts. Founded in 1986 by Kathleen & William Laziza, they sort of remind me of Sid and Nancy without the bad parts. They get my vote for most inventive couple (and couple of artists) ever. They also do an amazing job at bringing a constant collection of artists together and the 25th anniversary celebration did not disappoint.

During the event I was introduced to several new artists including (but not limited to): the visually stunning Muffinhead Daehniffum, the cool and warmly talented Fredrix, and DJ Vanessa of Space Camp Radio, a radio station that mixes the "energy crisis, space and damn good tunes" daily. The evening also included a last minute organ player, she replaced another musician that suffered an untimely emergency and couldn't make it. I believe his misfortune may have been our good luck. She performed one of the funniest songs about parking tickets that I've ever heard. Okay, it is the first song I've heard regarding the subject but she was wonderful.

Many of us have seen this next artist walking around with the amazingly vintage camera taking pics of people on the spot and in the moment. Suddenly, in classic poloroid fashion, you walk away with an instant memory. Well, his name is Louis Mendes and even he stopped by to wish the couple happy anniversary and took their picture of course. Catching the artist in action put a giant smile on my face, like I stole a slice of one of NY's finest.

I have benefited from the Micro Museum myself by exhibiting my photography, using the space for rehearsals, and dance/theater performances. I've been lucky enough to document the Laziza family on more than one occasion and I always look forward to it because I know the session is limited only by our imaginations. Their support of art and artists is not limited to the museum, Kathleen and William enjoy all that other artists have to offer. Having them at an event feels exciting and important all rolled into one.

If you have never been, please visit www.micromuseum.com to see what kind of magic they might be pulling out of their hats. Melissa of www.celebzter.com was there capturing lots of video footage throughout the night. Micro Museum has a history worth preserving, exploring, and most of all celebrating for years to come. Happy 25th Anniversary Micro Museum! Thanks for being bright, bold and beautifully individual now and always.