Arielle + Chris: Gwyn Careg Inn, Pomfret

It is easy to love a couple that is so obviously head over heels for each other, like these two! From the moment we showed up at the beautiful Gwyn Careg Inn in Pomfret, CT, we were swept into a day of bliss. After the threat of heavy rain, the sky lightened and everyone's spirits lifted as the sun peeked from behind the clouds. We spent time with one of the most cheerful bridal parties in the world as Arielle had her hair and makeup done in an ornate room. The rest of the day was a whirlwind as we enjoyed a sunny ceremony and even spent a few minutes at the stunning chapel at the Pomfret School. To round off the day, we stole the bride and groom away to the pond at the bottom of the hill, behind the Inn.

One of my favorite moments of the day was when Arielle and Chris decided to go spend a few minutes looking over the pond without any company. They sat alone, breathing in the day and enjoying momentary solitude. Not enough couples do this on their wedding day and I believe that those five or ten minutes remind you about the why of the event.

Thank you for letting us spend the day with you, Arielle and Chris! We wish you the best.

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Story Shoot: Rev. Laurel Scott

I love stories. By this, I mean I could sit for hours and listen to someone talk about their dreams, their struggles and their hopes. Today, I listened to a Methodist preacher, Laurel, talk about her childhood in Barbados and the transition to living in New York City. I learned that she had a period of time where she walked away from the church because the division was so counter to her understanding of Christianity, as it is for many. She told me about her mother who kept pushing Laurel to attend church, which resulted in her eventual ordination. There were many twists and turns but the path led to the pulpit. When she talks about her current church in Manchester, CT, you know she lives what she preaches. Every line is laced with a deep desire to see the community flourish, even after she leaves in June to head back to New York after fourteen years. "We need people in our church to be willing to take care of our sick and elderly, because there are a few of them who we need to look out for. We need people to call them, to check on them, and to take care of them." Those are the words of a woman who has an authentic concern for her people. She loves them.

I hope to be able to do more photo shoots like this- simply an hour of taking photos and learning a new story full of life and character.

RevLaurelScott
RevLaurelScottHands

Breakfast Blend: For the Love of It

There is a lot of pressure on photographers these days because the market is becoming saturated and clogged. With the advent of affordable DSLRs and technology, there has been a movement towards the art of using light and time to preserve history. I am happy - truly - that there are so many people who enjoy photography. After all, isn't that how most of us started? We saw some image and said, "I want to try that!" Some of us got addicted and have been snapping away ever since. It is easy to get lost in the business, though. It is important to keep up with marketing, new products, branding, etc., but I believe it is just as important to realize why we continue to shoot. I am a photographer for the love of it. I love being with brides and grooms as they take their first steps into the next chapter of their young life. I love being with families who have five children running and screaming around a field, trying to assemble for a photo. I love knowing that part of my identity is wrapped up in preserving history, for myself and others.

When I remember this, I get a handle on my perspective again. I shoot for fun, for love, because shooting for anything less is selling out. I am a photographer because of pictures like the one below- a piece of history that I will carry with me for years to come until my son has his own camera. Then I will teach him how to feel the photograph, how to sense the light, how to calculate the moment, how to wrap his hands around time and stop it; how to love the art.