Zach Wahls Speaks About Family

I believe that any two people in love deserve the right to marry. So does Zach Wahls. No matter what your thoughts are on marriage, and how it is defined, you should listen to him speak.



From IowaHouseDemocrats | February 01, 2011
"Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student spoke about the strength of his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Wahls has two mothers, and came to oppose House Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa. The fight to to keep marriage equality in Iowa continues, help us support Iowans like Zach. http://www.oneiowa.org/donate/donate-now"

Sigh, I'm a catholic who believes in marriage equality. Talk about being conflicted! The Catholic faith is such a big part of my family heritage, and therefore very important to me. So many of my childhood memories of my grandparents are wrapped up in religion. There are many Catholic values that I agree with and believe in. However, when my liberal views conflict with the Catholic faith I'm not sure how to define myself. Can one be a liberal Catholic? Appreciate the Catholic faith and yet wholeheartedly disagree with some Catholic views, rules & decisions? Well, I know that it 'can' happen; that's me. I supposed for now I'll continue to define myself as a conflicted Catholic. Someone who despite her church's views believes that straight or gay everyone deserves to publicly declare their love and commitment to one another...and to have that declaration legitimized by their government.

Online shopping 'clubs' & emails

Until I added in a long commute to my life I wasn't an online shopper. Now, the last thing I want to do is stop by the mall for clothes or gifts. Luckily, or dangerously, I have discovered some online shopping sites. Most of them are like online fancy versions of TJ Maxx -- heavily discounted designer brands.


 My newest discovery? ShoeDazzle. Everything on ShoeDazzle is $40 and you save an extra 20% off your first purchase. Shoes, bags & jewelry sets. The catch for this one is you have to log in once a month and shop or "skip" the month or you'll be charged $40/month and rack up a stack of credits. Luckily you get email reminders and clicking 'skip' is easy. If you skip the month you're not charged a thing. But, with deals like this how bad could having credits be? Even these awesome knee-high boots are just $40. Should I buy them? I just might...  This site, unlike many others, is knock offs not the designer brands.

What other shopping deals go I get delivered to my inbox?

Rue la la
This is my all time favorite deal site because it's a mix of designer and more affordable brands. I've purchased from them many times for myself & gifts.  Best deal I scored? A pair of Rock & Republic Jeans. New deals start every day at 11am with 'city' deals emailed around 8am. City deals are mostly restaurants & salons but worth checking out too.

Guilt Group
Here I have a best deal tie. $14 for a pair of movie tickets. OR jewelry for my sister's birthday gift. Guilt deals are mailed at noon, and like Rue la la Guilt also has a city deals page. If you're looking for the most high fashion brands, than this is the deal site for you.

Haute Look
I got the BEST green platter for my mom. She loved it. Score! This site tends to be less designer brands and more middle-of-the-road brands. The good news is that this means most clothing deals are super cheap.

Swirl by Daily Candy
From the same people who send you a daily email of what's trendy, now they too offer a shopping deal site. I got an american apparel dress, the kind you can tie a bunch of different ways, for $20. See the shirt dress on the left? That's a deal today for only $29. As Anthony says when I tell him about a good deal...you'd be losing money if you didn't buy it! This site has the quickest shipping of them all. Once you score a great deal there is nothing better than getting it FAST.

Afraid that it won't fit? Unless it says otherwise these sites offer returns/exchanges. They even provide the return shipping label. Also, most times if you take a website credit the return shipping is free. Or you pay return shipping and receive your money back. Seriously, this is way easier than braving a crowded mall.

I also LOVE the restaurant deal sites...but that's a post for another day! You might be wondering, why the fashion post again? I thought you were a wedding blogger & foodie. Well, I noticed that my post 'How to tie a scarf" was one of my reader favorites. Hmmm...who knew? So, if you like that, I hope you like this too! Happy shopping.

*Photos are not my own, they are from the online shopping pages. I did not receive compensation from any of the above sites for this post it is purely my opinion.

Website Update

I had two websites. A separate one for weddings/portraits and another for food & art. I've tried merging them into one, what do you think?

In 2010...Resolutions

In 2010...

• I got to know, and love, yoga
• Read (or listened to on CD) at least 2 books a month
• Was a bridesmaid...twice
• Took a LOT of pictures and balanced work & art projects
• Supported by husband through his first year of graduate school (Emotionally - we both have to work)
• Ran a half marathon & gained weight doing it! Yes, I got HEAVIER not skinnier,  and through it learned to accept the parts of my body that I cannot change!
• Traveled to California with my husband
• Planned time with friends and cooked them dinners
• Wrote 45 blog posts here and even more for foodie blogs for work (see them here)
• Started buying more organic and local foods
• Used more cloth napkins & less paper napkins, plates & plastic forks. Recycled. Even at work.
• Flossed, almost every day
• Learned more about wine and how to buy and appreciate it
• Reduced my debt: paid down mortgage, student loans & credit cards
• Felt almost constantly busy & most often exhausted!

In 2011...

I am going to let myself off the hook. I am going to resolve to not create a laundry list of resolutions. Instead of always thinking that I 'should' be doing more I'm going to work on being content and happy as I am.

"I should be more outgoing. I should meditate more. I should cook more. I should clean more often. I should make more money. I should dress better. I should be a better wife, friend, mother, daughter….and the list goes on. Next time you find yourself thinking, “I really should…,” stop and give yourself a pat on the back for being exactly who you are. Ask yourself instead, "What do I really want?" You deserve it." -Kristen Mucci-Mosier

GIVE WATER! Today I'm Thankful for the Things I Take for Granted

Today I'm thankful for the things that I often take for granted. What do I mean by this? Reliable electricity, the roof over my head, available (yet perhaps still working on affordable) health care, & running water. (Click on the top right of my blog to donate clean water now!) None of these things were commonplace in Bolpur India. I traveled there with Operation Smile. My part on the team was to take before and after cleft lip/pallet surgery photographs.



American kids (as I consider myself to have been 4 years ago when I traveled to India) think that they "get" it and understand that they're privileged. After visiting India  I realized that I didn't have a clue. Did you know that in parts of rural India cow waste is gathered and pressed (by hand) to dry on walls to use as cooking fuel?



This dried fuel is burned on small cooking fires like this one.



To make chai many local people boil water in this way. Where does that water come from? It it often gathered at public pumping stations and carried, sometimes extremely long distances, to the homes. I was invited as a guest into strangers' homes for chai prepared on fires like these. Although they purchased bottled water for me knowing that the local water would likely make an American like me sick. When I was there I gave away my backpack, some flip flops, clothing, and granola bars...but I was given such a more important gift in return. True kindness and generosity without expectation and the profound meaning of gratitude and the ability to truly feel it.



So today I urge you to give thanks by not taking what you have for granted. From your comfortable home all that you have to do is click the give water button on the top right corner of my blog to donate a day's worth of clean water. An email address is required to verify individual clicks, but P&G emails are opt-in! Meaning, unless you click "yes" to receive emails from them -- you won't receive anything other than one email to verify your unique email address and donate water. NO further emails! Couldn't you spare 60 seconds?

 Learn more about the clean water bloivation here. P&G is providing a day of clean drinking water (2L) to a person in a developing country through P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water Program (www.csdw.org) for every click on the "Click to Donate Water" button and click on the "share" buttons in the GIVE HEALTH widget. --- look up at the TOP RIGHT of my blog for my Give Health Widget.

Wedding Tip #34 - 3 is a good number...of years!

It seems appropriate that wedding tip number 33, about being married 3 years. How is this a wedding tip? Well, the tip part comes first and it's not long winded.

Remember that you are planning a marriage and life together not just a wedding day!


After the music stops, all of the flowers wilt, and the cake is eaten, all you have is each other. (And your photos...of course!) I'm lucky to be married to a man who is hilarious. Well, at least to me. Everyday he makes me laugh, and the follows up with "that joke was just for you -- don't facebook it!" Yeah, he knows me well. Well enough to anticipate what I'll do. Well enough to tell his friends "you're on your own bro" if they make a sexist joke around me. Neither one of us is perfect, but we're pretty good together. We're opposites, but it works. Being married isn't easy. I don't believe couples who say they never fight. Disagreement can be healthy, you keep each other from doing stupid stuff. However, at the end of the day, you take some of the things that the other one does that you find totally ridiculous, and you let it go. Why? Because in every marriage you have to make choices: do you want to be right...or do you want to be happy? Lucky for me, Anthony really enjoys being happy. ;) Happy Anniversary honey! I love you.

P.S. This post was Anthony approved, except that he thinks I'm not the only one who finds 'the dude' hilarious.

On Running a 1/2 marathon

I'm not a runner. I never have been. In typical Katie fashion I skipped over 5k and 10k races and went straight to a 1/2 marathon. Go big or go home, right? But...I'd trained all summer. I was running consistent 10 minutes miles. I was cross training with yoga. I was ready! Then a week and a half before the race I got a killer sinus infection. Race day, 10.10.10, was the first day I stared to feel normal again. I hadn't been able to exercise for the week and a half prior to race day. It was a colder morning than any I'd run - 42 degrees! My muscles felt sort of tight, but I felt pretty good. I was excited - but also nervous. I turned to my friend & training buddy Inga as we were waiting to start running and said "this is your fault!" It was her idea to do this race thing anyway! But you know what? The first 5 miles were fantastic. I was feeling good despite the last week. I was running well, and we could tell by the time displays that we were running about 10 minute miles. I wasn't trying to break any records; I just wanted to finish before the course closed at 2:30. I was on pace to finish in 2:10. I wanted to be sure to get my t-shirt and medal, and just finish. That was my only goal. As Inga and I passed the turn around point, in the fenway area, I was so excited and thinking that I could really do it!


Everything changed around mile 8. All of the sudden I felt a shooting pain in the side of my knee. I have bad knees and I was running with a knee brace because I had felt soreness before. This, however, wasn't soreness. As soon as it happened I knew something was wrong. Inga ran on and I lagged behind. Runners started passing me from behind. As I approached mile ten my knee was throbbing. Every step was painful. I felt tears welling up in my eyes. The tears were not from the pain (it was bad but tolerable) but because I was afraid that if I had to walk the last 4 miles that I wouldn't finish in 2:30. Then I might not be an official finisher...and I might not get my medal. I started looking at the spectators. A women in blue looked me in the eyes as I climbed a hill. She kept smiling at me and cheering, telling me I could do it. Lady in blue, whoever you are, THANK YOU! I wanted to stop; you kept me going.

Miles 10-12 were awful. I walked some, but even walking I felt the sharp pain. I jogged, and felt like the pain wasn't much worse than walking. I just felt like I was going so slow. All I could think was why was my stupid knee giving out? I wasn't winded! I had the stamina to finish, I just needed this joint to hang in there! I tightened the brace as much as I could. I kept jogging. I kept seeing the time displays and realizing that I was going slower and slower. I cried a little. I berated myself for crying. I said to myself, "YOU HAVE TO FINISH! This isn't fun, clearly you're not built to be a runner, but you've come this far and you are GOING TO FINISH! Just finish, get your medal, and then YOU NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN." As I crossed into mile 13 I was telling myself I could do it and tuning out the pain. I was behind a team of women all wearing pink and encouraging each other. I fed off their energy. Then I could hear the music at the finish line. I crossed into the park. One mile to go. 2:18:30. I needed to finish by 2:30:00!

The last mile wound through the Franklin Park Zoo. It was the longest miles of my life! Every step felt like slow motion, every time my foot struck the trail pain shot through my knee. But I was almost there. The time I saw when I finished was 2:32. I know it sounds crazy, but I was so disappointed. Even though the announcer was still there and there was still a crowd I was so very afraid that they'd be strict with the 2:30 cut off and I wouldn't be an official race finisher. Then I saw the medals. As a guy handed me one he said "Smile! You're done!" I felt overwhelmed. I couldn't find my husband. I could find my friend Inga. I couldn't walk without a serious limp.

Fast forward 10 days. I had seriously sore muscles for 3 days. My knee still hurts a lot up stairs, down hills, and if I go for any kind of a walk on pavement. But it's getting better. The best thing that happened was when I received the race results. It was then that I realized that I acutally finished at 2:29:33! Wait, that's under 2:30:00! I DID IT! 27 seconds to spare! On race day I wasn't thinking about how since I didn't cross the start line with the first racers that the clock was ahead of my actual time. It took my part of the crowd a few minutes to get to the start! I also saw confirmation that I did the first 5 miles in 50 minutes, and that felt really good too.

I look back on the experience with mixed feelings. I had high expectations. I expected to feel awesome when I was done. Since I hurt myself mid-race I didn't feel awesome. I just felt...so...done! I don't know that I'll ever do a 1/2 marathon again. I do know that I won't be attempting a full marathon any time soon. I could be convinced to run my first 10k. We'll see what happens with my knee. The positive side of struggling through the race is that I feel like I overcame and even bigger obstacle. Not only did I run 13 miles, but I ran the last 4 through the pain of my knee. I did it. It feels empowering; and - if nothing else - I can now cross 'run a 1/2 marathon' off my bucket list!


Thank you to my husband, Anthony, Inga my training buddy, and all of my wonderfully supportive friends! I flooded Facebook with my running updates and you all kept supporting me. You're the best. I'm a lucky girl. I always admired and respected anyone who runs marathons; but now I have an even deeper reverence for them. You people are amazing.

Photos & graphics from baa.org

Cute Birthday Cupcakes -- zero calories!

What? Cupcakes with no calories? Too good to be true? Ok, these cute little treats from 1-800-FLOWERS aren't for eating, but they sure do bring a bit of birthday fun. FUN FACT: Did you know that today, 10/5, is America's most common Birthday? Apparently 'tis the season of Birthdays! Last weekend was my mom's birthday. I had planned on going to visit her, and then I got taken down by a nasty sinus infection. (That's another story, but I'm feeling mostly better now.) Since I didn't get to drive up to see her in person I was extra glad that I had decided to send her one of these cupcakes! I saw it and couldn't help but thinking about how when my sister & I were little my mom used to tell us that carnations were her favorite flowers. She said she liked them because they last such a long time. Maybe she just said that because they were the kind of flowers for sale at our school on mothers' day? It's funny, my mom usually has expensive taste, but I know she loves these simple flowers. Every time I see cute little carnations I think of her. I was so glad that I was able to send her this carnation cupcake! What's the best part? When the cupcake in bloom arrives it actually looks like the website photo (as you can tell from the iphone photo my parents sent me).

Hopefully soon I'll get to see my mom in person so I can give her the rest of her birthday gift. Hint, it's a foodie gift that I'll be blogging -- but later so I don't give away the surprise!

*1-800-Flowers did offer me this complementary arrangement to review for my blog. Look for another blog post later this month where I'll give away a $40 savings pass from 1-800-Flowers to one lucky blog reader! While I do occasionally accept products to review on my blog, I only accept & post ones that I really love!

Quahog is a type of clam...not just a fictional town in Rhode Island

(Quahogs stuffed with onions, breadcrumbs, olive oil, celery & fresh parsley )

Anthony & I were lucky enough to be invited to stay with our friend Lauren on Cape Cod in Falmouth, MA. We had all the ingredients for a great weekend: friends, fun, & really good food! You know you're a food lover when you take more photos of your eats than anything else!

I had plenty of happy-toe-time at the beach (below) but luckily Lauren's Dad was out there Quahogging and he's a man that likes to share!

When I wasn't beaching it I ran a new personal best of 6 miles. I'm training for a 1/2 marathon...but I really run so I can eat more food! Like this Pasta with Quahog sauce.

More of this meal entailed:

Sauteed Vegetables

Grilled Swordfish (with soy sauce, garlic, olive oil & fresh parsley. Gas grilled outdoors on foil.)

Anthony & I brought this Cavit Pinot Noir, a lighter red wine, as a hostess gift. (We also gave them some Stonewall Kitchen Pancake Mix, Jams & Syrups) We usually prefer a heavy red like a big cabernet - but this is great for summer & it doesn't break the bank.

And...how did we spend our Saturday evening? Listening to live music at Liam Maguire's. We were happy find that Danny Quinn was so entertaining. He sang a mix of old Irish songs and bar sing-along-songs like 'Piano Man' and 'American Pie.' I was drinking Wachusett Blueberry beer- a delicious summertime favorite of mine.

(Above: Me & Anthony) (Below: Lauren & her boyfriend Ryan)

It was such a great weekend, I can't believe that now it's almost Monday. I need to take more long weekends on the cape!

The happiest thing for a wedding photographer...

My comment may sound cheesy - but I really mean it! I take my job very seriously and I care deeply that I do a great job for each and every couple. Happy brides & grooms make for a happy me!

See all of Bret & Anna's photos here: http://www.pictage.com/667918

or wedding highlights below:

Happy Birthday to me... almost!

Ok, my birthday isn't until next week. My husband keeps asking me what I'd like, so, here it is! I'd like a camera bag please. One that looks like a purse of course! (Click the photos to see the bags on their websites)



And if you know of any other fantastic purse/camera bags out there please share!

THAT is love...

Today is Valentine's Day. My husband and I have been married for 841 days. It is funny to be able to count the days (Facebook's weddingbook counts for me) but it also doesn't seem like an accurate count! We started dating when we were 19, and sophomores at Syracuse (2001) ... you do the math. It's been a while!

Last night, as I was photographing Bret & Anna's wedding, the couple who was married the longest was asked to give the new couple some advice. First, the husband smiled & nodded to his wife allowing her to be the advice giver. (smart man!) She recited a poem by her own mother from their wedding day. I wish I could remember the wording - but it mentioned a successful marriage needing both patience and stamina!



I remember thinking that this was truer than Bret & Anna might even yet know -- even though you could see that they are very much in love! Marriage isn't a sprint. You won't win the race with just a big start ... or fancy wedding. You need to put in the effort everyday; it's more like a marathon. There will be small setbacks, there will be times when you think to you yourself - what in the world am I --- are WE --- doing? However, through overcoming all of the challenges (like anything really worth attaining) you come to find the greatest reward.

This morning I was awake before Anthony. I left the bedroom to blog so he'd be able to sleep in. That is love.

My writing of this post was interrupted by my cell phone alarm. I had it set for yesterday morning so I'd be on the time for Bret & Anna's wedding. Too bad I left it on - in the the bedroom - and it woke Anthony up. He forgave me... that is love.

My email told me that some single game Red Sox tickets were on sale this morning. I got Anthony standing room for a Sox-Yankee's game. That is love.

Anthony came out of the bedroom and declared that he was going to vacuum before taking a shower. THAT IS LOVE!

I give a lot of wedding planning advice on my blog - what I don't do is give much relationship advice. Sure, having a wonderful wedding day is nice, but that's not really what is important. What is really important is the foundation of your love that comes before - and the lifetime of love that comes after. If there is one bit of advice you get from my blog today I hope it is this:

It is all of the small ways that you say I love you that matter!

Happy Valentine's Day!

New Years Resolutions... how are you doing?

I have the day off today because I am doing a bridal show this evening. Come see me at Spinelli's Peabody @ 6PM. This may be my last show. I get so much word of mouth work that I don't really need to advertise anymore! Plus, I'm now focusing on smaller weddings & portrait work. It is a much better compliment to my 9-5 food photographing. So far it's been a good day off. I've done yogalaties, had tea & breakfast, put up new curtains, and now I'm on to blogging! (plan for later: work on client photo albums, haircut & bridal show)

So, New Year's Resolutions. I made a couple:

1) Lead a healthier lifestyle including exercising & eating well
2) Be more conscious of the environment
3) Not blog only for Stonewall Kitchen & remember mine too!

Hey... 2 out of 3 ain't bad! Plus, being healthier is really 2 fold! ;) So, while I talk about what I've done for the first two I'll take care of #3. Sweet.

• Healthier part A - Eating better: I've made a ton of homemade soups to bring to work for lunch. Just ask my co-workers... if they see me with pea soup for lunch again... HA! I've also been on and off looking up nutrition info for the things I eat. There are plenty of websites & ipod/phone apps for this too. (I like "Lose It! - a free app")
Counting calories is exhausting and quite frankly depressing. I know that alone wouldn't work for me to be healthier! However, being able to check out and compare the food you eat is very helpful! There are often many healthier substitutes!

• Healthier part B - Exercise: YOGA. PILATES. Enough said? I joined a gym in November and started taking classes. (tried to get in ahead of the new years rush) I've learned that I hate aerobics and feel stupid doing it. Strength training is OK, but I LOVE yogalates (yoga & pilates). Zumba is ok too... so is running on the elliptical - and I know I need cardio too. But, if you're looking to just feel great in your own skin try a class or video that is a yoga & pilates mix. It puts me in a good mood for my whole day. I bought this Golden Earth kit at tjmaxx (you can also order online) and it's a good 45 min stretch.


• Environmentally friendly. My husband already calls me captain planet. And while I am no where near the hippie my sister is, I try to do my part. I'll write a whole post about this later - but some new things I've added for the new year are to take cloth napkins to work and to keep veggie scraps in a bag in the freezer to turn into vegetable stock. (Skins, peels - it's all good in stock!)

(image from: http://en.wikipedia.org)

• Blogging: Well, I blog at least once a work for work, but I haven't been to mine nearly as often. Now that I'm only part time in the wedding industry an entirely wedding tip themed blog doesn't make sense - but, tips will still pop up. I'm still not sure what the blog will morph into - but I'm looking forward to the journey!

* I very rarely receive free products and then blog about them. When I do, I will specifically tell you in my post that it was a free item. I blog about things I like - not things I get for free.

So you want to be a photographer?

I was recently talking to a friend who wants to get into wedding photography. Then I thought, hey, people helped me when I was just starting so why not pay it forward... here goes!

Getting Started:

- Purchase photographer uniform - black dress/suit! :) My super girl photo belt with Velcro-in accessories is also a must have!

(photo posted to Facebook by Tara Pullam)

- Pro equipment: You'll need pro cameras & lenses! The glass makes a big difference! As well as similar quality back-up equipment. (If you don't own it rent it)

- Education: Just like nurses need to be trained, there are skills & tricks of the trade that you should learn that you cannot pick up on your own. You may not be saving lives - but to your clients their wedding photos are a matter of life & death so don't take your responsibility lightly! Take classes & workshops.

- Assist, assist, assist. First work as a wedding photographer's assistant. Then work as a 2nd shooter. This is a great way to build confidence, skills, & your portfolio.

- Research. What are photographer's charging? Yes this will vary a lot and it will be based on experience, style, overhead... a lot of different things. You need to add up your own costs.

- Join a professional organization, PPA, ASMP, or even Pictage/Collages and go to meetings & read forums.

- Shoot a discounted rate wedding but NOT FREE. Don't devalue yourself, but explain to your clients that you are offering them a lower rate because you have experience as a 2nd shooter but this will be your first solo wedding. There are plenty of couples out there with little budget but your job is to educate them that your price is directly related your your experience. Do this to watch your own back! You don't want them telling their friends what they paid you and being stuck with that low rate. This way if they refer friends you can up your price based on the experience you've gained since.

- Practice at a friend's wedding. Only IF they're ok with it and you're not in the pro's way. A good time would be during getting ready photos before the pro gets there, cocktail hour, or dancing shots! Do as I say not as I do... if you are IN the wedding you can't shoot it. (I put the camera away to walk down the aisle)


- Know when to say NO. Some clients want more than is reasonable. If they are difficult in the beginning - chances are they won't get any easier to work with! If you get a bad vibe run the other way. You need to have a good relationship with your clients to give them the beautiful wedding memories they deserve.

- Attend wedding shows. This way you can see how photographer present themselves. This will help you when marketing yourself!

- Create a website & sample album. You can't get work if you don't have any photos to show! Don't cut corners. If you show a cheap album you're telling potential clients that you don't care about your work enough to give it a good home.

- Have fun. This is a job, but one when you're present on one of the biggest days in the couple's lives. You need to be happy to be there! If it ever stops being fun don't do it!

My blogging for Stonewall Kichen

Speaking of other places my posts are appearing... I'm now also blogging for Stonewall Kitchen. I'm their photographer, check out my photo above, as well as on the social networking team. So, if you're looking for more of my blogging just head on over: Http://www.StonewallKitchen.blogspot.com

My bloggings now on pictage.com

Pictage just published one of my blog posts. Check it out here:
http://www.pictage.com/planning-guides/destination-coastal-weddings-in-northern-new-england

or here:
http://katiering.blogspot.com/2009/04/wedding-tip-18-me-ma-coastal-locations.html

;)

Welcome Joey & this week's workshop

This week's workshop

This week I taught a photography workshop at the Worcester Museum of Art. Check our photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wamphotoworkshop



It was QUITE a learning experience! I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such great kids. However, I've also learned that I think digital photography & my teaching skills are better suited to older audiences, and a group of kids AND one age group at a time - this group was ages 5-17! In the future I think I'll teach, high school, college and/or adults so I can really get into advanced concepts of photography. Although I do have to brag ... ask any of these kids what an aperture is and they could tell you!


Welcome Joey!

Born July 6th, photographed July 9th... posted July 19th! Still balancing the time to post to my blog and my job, oh right, make that jobs (plural)! ;) Good thing I like shooting food at Stonewall, teaching & weddings/portraits so much!









See more photos here: http://www.pictage.com/668939

There are a few things I learned from my first in-hospital portrait sitting! The first few days are busy! Everyone wants to visit and that makes for very crowded small rooms! If possible I think it would be best to set aside a small amount of time with no visitors so that we could focus on getting awesome photos! Speaking of awesome photos - I did love doing an in-hospital session. The first few moments a family has together are so special - they should be captured! There is photo of my mom holding me as an infant, and I remember seeing the photo as an adult and being able to tell how much she loved me in the moment. Powerful stuff like that deserves to be photographed. That's why my favorite shots are of Jackie kissing baby Joey and the new little family together on the bed. :)

Where have I been?

(Above: photos I've taken for Stonewall Kitchen as their new photographer, linked from their website)

I've been missing from my blog. I know, I know - terrible! The last two weeks I've been adjusting to my fantastic new job at Stonewall kitchen. I am now their staff photographer - and loving it! What do I do there? I shoot food and products for their catalogs, website, recipe cards... whatever they need!

GASP! What does this mean for my wedding business?
I love shooting weddings, but since my husband works 9-5 it will be much nicer to shoot fewer weddings, work a 9-5 myself, and see him more. I do still plan on keeping my wedding & portrait business - don't worry! There are only a few things that will change. One is my weekday availability - I will only be available after 6PM weekdays (like most of my clients). From now on I'll be taking fewer wedding & portrait jobs. The good news is that means I can be sure to work with people who are looking specifically for my style and seek out superior client relationships. I'll also be hiring a company to do my image processing (editing out the best raw files & adjusting them for the best color) and album design. I tested them out recently on a friend's wedding and I think it's going to work out well. In fact, they might even be better editors/designers than I am! It just shows you should stick to what you do well. I want to focus on shooting photos and outsource the rest!

The other change you may notice is that at first glance my prices seem to have increased. This is only partially true. I have raised my prices a little - most photographers go up a bit every year. However, I have also raised my minimum to 5 hours (up from 4) and done away with my inexpensive albums (coffee table books) and will now only be offering high end flush-mount books. Why? In coffee table book the color is not as good and they are not as durable. Both types of albums take me the same amount of time, yet there is less profit in the inexpensive albums. So, with many companies like blurb offering do-it-yourself coffee table books I know my clients can still make their own if they opt to purchase digital negatives. I hope this explanation of my business changes makes sense. If you have any questions just let me know. :)

somewhere over the rainbow

I have had the busiest two weeks! I have a baby shoot, bump shoot, wedding shoot, engagement shoot & food shoot to edit! (This is just after finishing & posting another wedding's photos yesterday) Also, Sunday I had a booth at the Hyatt Regency Boston wedding show. It was actually a great show, and I met a lot of wonderful couples! I was lucky to have had two friends, Dee & Inga, come along to help. After the show, Inga came back with me for wine & sushi on the porch. As we drove from Boston to Salem dark clouds descended but that didn't stop us. It might have rained, but after, when a rainbow appeared, the photographer in me couldn't help but run for a camera!

New Website Text

Check out the new text for my bio & investment section of my website:



Who is Katie?
Katie Ring is a photographer and educator in greater Boston. She has
over five years of experience photographing weddings and portraits.
She keeps her style fresh by photographing fine art projects such as
“status update” and “fairgrounds.” Katie is formally trained in both
fine art and photojournalism and her style is a blend of the two. This
makes for one of a kind photographs! As a self proclaimed Blog &
Facebook addict; she is also a lover of tea and the color pink. She
can often be found on her porch aka “summer office” watching the boats
in Salem harbor.

Investment
Wedding photography begins at $1800 for a 4 hour wedding session.
Always included are: engagement session, planning meeting(s), edited
and optimized photographs, Pictage photo website, and print/album
credit. Katie is a wedding expert, just check out her blog! Since
every wedding is different, Katie builds custom photography coverage
for you. Why start at 4 hours? Because it’s better to have a great
photographer for a few hours than an amateur all day long! Schedule a
consultation with Katie (free!) and she will create a quote for your
unique needs and budget. Destination and all-inclusive coverage is
$2800 - $4000+

A la carte portrait sessions begin at $200. From bump to baby,
maternity photo collections capture it all! Starting at $500 for 3 (1
hr) sessions.

Because Katie strives to give each client the specialized attention
they deserve, limited wedding bookings are available. Some products
include: albums, brag books, guest books, prints, digital negatives,
photo canvases, slide shows (on DVD or with projector rental), and
easy ordering for friends and family including individual photo
downloads!

A note from Katie: "I feel truly lucky to enjoy my work as much as I
do. I love photography and working with my clients is often like
spending time with friends. Whether I am photographing your wedding
day or your children my goal is to create photographs that represent
your treasured memories and heirlooms. I love my own wedding photos,
and I am thrilled to have the honor of creating the special reminders
of memories that stay with you after the moments have passed."
-Katie Ring