Saving Spring

This past Friday and Saturday in Maine it felt like spring was finally springing. Bright green sprigs of new growth were peeking through the brown and tan decaying leaves. Most noticeably the daffodils were starting to come out. For me, daffodils are literally the trumpets of spring. With my new resolution to shoot everyday, I got to work. My intention was to document the coming out of these happy yellow flowers from pod to bloom. As my husband saw me lying on the ground happily shooting away, he told me that they probably wouldn’t make it through the night and come to full bloom. We were heading back into below freezing temps that night. We would most likely have daffodil popsicles by morning. Blast! (Insert visual of me shaking my fist at the sky) Some of them were just starting to bloom but not many. So we cut them. For some reason, it felt odd to intervene. I usually leave flowers alone to bloom, wilt and let nature take its course. However, if they weren’t going to get the chance to bloom anyway, then why not? We cut around fifty stems, put them in mason jars and brought them inside. I am happy to report that they all bloomed and are currently gracing our dining room table. I have been obsessively photographing them since. Until spring truly comes to Maine, these will have to do. 

Hope Springs Eternal

Sunday was the first day of spring, although here in the northeast you wouldn't know it. While things are certainly starting to thaw out, the visual offering is variations of brown and tan with tinges of green here and there. The remains of last summer's Queen Anne's lace and hydrangeas blow in the mid-March breeze outside my window. Although I find something hauntingly beautiful in the skeletons of summer’s past, today I needed a little color for my soul.  I have also been in somewhat of a creative rut for a bit. I have been creating images, but not really anything that I felt was worth sharing. I have been marinating about what drew me to photography in the first place. What subject matter was I most passionate about? Botanicals! So I hauled out the only plant in my house that had blossoms on it; my good ole’ cyclamen. Like my creative flow, this cyclamen plant has been to brink of death but has been revived with a little attention (plus some water). I took about a 100 images of this tiny flower and narrowed it down to this one. I tried some different textures when I edited it. I am pleased with final image and feel a renewed sense of inspiration. Happy Spring everyone!

Jesse & Elaina

July 29, 2013
Onawa Lake, Maine 

Event Designer- Amber Small, Sweetest Thing www.sweetestthingweddings.com

It is not often that I have an opportunity to spend as much time as I would like with my betrothed couples. The timing worked out and Jesse and Elaina were so gracious as to offer for me and my husband to come up to Onawa Lake a couple of days before their wedding day and stay at one of the family camps. Now I’m used to gorgeous Maine scenery, but I was absolutely blown away by the pristine beauty of this very special spot that was chosen for this marriage. Add to that the warm and welcoming family atmosphere and the stage was set for one of the most heart felt, genuine unions I have had the honor of witnessing. Elaina and Jesse are so well suited for each other. They were married surrounded by their closest family and friends, and under the watchful gaze of Borestone Mountain. Elaina absolutely glowed and Jesse couldn't have been more mesmerized by his beautiful bride. They were both genuinely giddy with happiness and love for each other! It was a truly amazing affair and everyone involved was incredibly gracious and wonderful to work with. Jesse and Elaina, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your marriage celebration.  Thank you for letting me experience Onawa! I wish you all the happiness your hearts can hold. 

Blessings to the both of you!

Sara

2012; A Year in Review

2012 was an incredible year. I witnessed and captured sixteen amazing weddings this past summer, got hitched myself and became a stepmother to two lovely girls, ages twelve and fourteen. In the fall I started a new teaching position at Hebron Academy. I am sharing my love of photography to a wonderful group of young adults. I am also the campus photographer and head of the yearbook for Hebron. (Incidentally, my great-grandmother Sara, for whom I am named, graduated Hebron Academy in 1904.)

My life is full of blessings. It was so full this past year that it didn’t leave me much time to post on this blog. I also found myself with a lack of motivation to take any images that were not related to my photography business or the school. I have been slacking with my personal photography…that is until I got an iphone 5.  As a professional photographer I have, in the past, baulked at the “phone camera” but I have to admit I am impressed with the quality of the iphone camera. It is also the only camera I carry on me most the time so it is easy to capture the every day moments of life. Time is passes quickly and children grow up fast. Memories fade.

I am happy to report that Christmas, sledding, digging ourselves out of a dumping of snow and cross country skiing excursions have been well documented these past couple of weeks. I feel re-connected with my happy place. My New Year's resolution is to take more personal photos and share them.

As for this blog post I decided it would be fitting to post some of my favorite images from 2012.  This of course doesn’t make up for my lack of blogging this summer’s weddings in more detail but planning and executing one’s own wedding at one’s home no less and keeping up with all that’s entailed in running a photography business takes up a lot of time. Go figure!

So I ask that you enjoy this for now and I promise in the future I won’t leave so much time in between posts. Happy New Year to all of you and many, many blessings to you and your family!