WGBH Billboard

Two of my photos will be displayed on the massive WGBH billboard, lit up in LED splendor over the Mass Pike in Boston. I feel like I won a Grammy or something!

Here are the photos, so you can wave at them if you happen to drive by on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

The photos are from the Merrimack Repertory Theatre's production of "Black Pearl Sings." The actors are Cherene Snow and Valerie Leonard, the play was directed by Benny Sato Ambush, and written by Frank Higgins.

A year and a red rocking chair

It's coming up on my birfday, and I usually get around to thinking about the past year. It's convenient to have a birthday in January, when I'm already exercising my brain.
But sometimes it's even easier to think about someone else's year, especially when that someone is your own kid.
Kids' lives move faster. My kid's nearly 3 feet tall now and transitioning to a big boy bed. Last year he wasn't standing on his own yet.
That didn't stop me from bringing him into the studio for some photos. Brian came with me to help with the baby-wrangling.

So here's a treat from last January.


It's true. The shoot did end in tears. But I got to take a picture of my big guy comforting my little guy. Life is good. And blog entries about one's offspring are sometimes gooey. :P

Wild rumpus

Okay, it's been a little while since I posted any photos of my kid. Here are some from yesterday.

Hooray for more daylight! The winter sun is coming in differently through the windows since the solstice last month. I've been kind of chasing it around the house. Add to that the need to chase this kid around, and we've got the makings of a wild rumpus!


That hair. Oh, that hair! As momma, I know it needs a trim. As photog, I rejoice in its waviness.

Fabuloso at MRT

Merrimack Rep has a new play - Fabuloso by John Kolvenbach. Kyle Fabel directs, and Rebecca Harris, Amy Kim Waschke, Ed Jewett, and Jeremiah Wiggins play the parts. It was pretty zany, and I had a good time moving around to take the shots.

Here are the pix the theater chose for PR. I particularly like the first one, with Ed Jewett's arms flowing up out of the frame and the big, big belly helping push that "I'm crazy" vibe.

Manga hair!

Red hair and a red jumper. I think that's what those adorable dresses are called - jumpers. I've had a lot of jumping people in my photos lately, but J was totally focused on blowing bubbles.

Her hair - her skin - her expressions - wow! I'm hoping her mom brings her in again for more photos. Impish, puckish, lovely girl. With manga hair - you know, the kind that emotes. :)

The Flying Scarf!

Donna's family! Three siblings who were so sweet with each other.

A Grandson in His 60's

This weekend, I had the privilege to chat with a grandson of Dr. Melnea A. Cass. It was Sunday on the last day of open studios, and Roger Freeman stopped by to chat. I learned some Boston history, and now I know more about the namesake of the Boulevard in Roxbury.

Roger is in his 60's (and pleased as punch with that fact). He's flown, skydived, scuba dived, rock climbed, and all the things in between. He's a lively, bright, and gentle character, and I hope to meet him again soon.

It was with great pride that he told me about his grandmother. Dr. Cass is known in many circles as the Mother of Roxbury. She's also responsible for daycare as we know it. She was a star in women's suffrage, and captained the NAACP. She was a Bostonian and she was black and she was a woman, and she stood firm on the issues she believed in. Awesome.

Rainy-day window lighting

Dangit, this kid is CUTE! Heddi and Nathan invited me to their home for family portraits. A is almost 2 1/2, and definitely knows what a camera is!

Tech notes: The first was taken on the stairs, which face south. It was a rainy day, and the light coming in through the front door and windows was soft and cool. I used a 50mm at f/2 to blow out the stairs behind him and soak in the light.

The other 2 were taken with the 28-70 zoom, also wide open. I just kind of followed A around the house as he checked out some of his favorite places.

Alanna's Family

Alanna, her husband and her daughters came to the Lowell studio for a family shoot. T. is a senior in high school, so we did her senior portrait. Alanna and her husband both have jobs where they interact with the public regularly, so we did head shots. G. is almost a teenager and we did some single shots of her as well.

But what am I posting here? Two of the photos where my lovely subjects had their eyes closed. Do they work as well as I think they work?

The Free Portraits

Here are some of my faves from yesterday's free portraits at Western Ave. I'm doing it all again today, and then again next weekend 12/12 - 12/13. Woo!

We did a lot of jumping.