Shooting with Pete: A Post by Courtney

I asked Pete if I could write a blog entry.  I wanted to write about how we have been working together more and more and how fantastic it is.  I asked him to put together these two diptychs, and then when I sat down to write, I realized I didn't take any of these photos!  In fact, my cousin took the photograph of the field that is paired with the one of her in the field! This was a fun and frustrating shoot to do.  I'm allowed to say that.  They are my cousins.

Four kids from 22 months to 7.5 years old were difficult to get on the same page.  We have done a couple other shoots with them, but the images that came from this one are my favorite.  Pete and I spent some extra time playing with them so that we could capture the joy on their faces, and the laughs between the cries.

The photo to the left is one of mine from that shoot.

Pete and I have now shot a couple weddings together and I've assisted in countless portrait sessions.  When we met (which will be two years ago the end of August), photography was the first thing we talked about.

I have a degree in studio art, with a concentration in photography.  Pete taught himself.  Anyone who knows us knows that Pete can go on explaining the ins and outs of cameras, lenses, lighting, and famous photographers forever, and that I love to set my DSLR on automatic and shoot.  In my right brained personality, I can't get a good handle on the technical aspects of it.

One of the things we talked about when we were going through pre-marital counseling was how we needed to complement each other.  Photography is one of the areas where we excel at this.  I can see opportunities for growth and marketing, Pete can photoshop hives off of a bride or electrical cords off of a carpet so that all of her pictures are flawless.  We each have different styles when we photograph, but we are continually learning from each other.

So the more weddings we book, the more portrait sessions we do, the better we get as a business and as partners.  Soon you'll see a fresh new PJN Photography.  We're working on getting a logo!

We're also doing a couple of shoots with Janelle Tavormina of LOOK soon.  We love her because she's a fine artist (printmaker to be exact) turned hair and makeup artist!  I love her so much that she did my hair and makeup for our wedding (photographs from the wedding should be up soon).

Kate and Cory - Wedding Preview

You know you have a special wedding when the bride and groom both glitter their no-sweat chucks. Kate and Cory had an amazing wedding in Killington, VT. A beautiful ceremony in a little stone church that featured this amazingly warm light from the stained-glass windows; it was a real delight to photograph. The reception was an event that reflected the personalities of Kate and Cory; from the serenades to the rainbow-layered cake... it was nothing but smiling faces, tons of dancing, great vibes, and a gathering of what seemed like the happiest people on earth. Here is a little preview of Kate and Cory's wedding. Congratulations you two!

New Orleans

For our honeymoon, Courtney and I traveled down to New Orleans. We instantly fell in love with the French Quarter: the historical atmosphere, the friendly people, the jazz, and of course the food. For me, the experience was everything I had hoped- being able to just walk down the street hearing the brass bands, smelling the fresh sea food, going to Cafe Du Monde for beignets- it was, in a way, stepping back in time. Here are a few of the sites from our trip. Thank you to everyone who helped make our trip possible.