התערוכה "השתקפויות" תהיה מוצגת בעזריאלי באוקטובר

The wedding dress

I almost forgot I promised Beth from “Formally Yours” http://www.formallyyoursbridal.net to be a bridal dress model for her runway show at the next PWG bridal show. Driving to her store for the fitting I was thinking to myself: “this will be fun!”

Being in the industry and photographing weddings for so many years, capturing all the joy and excitement when the bride puts on her dress, I never felt it firsthand since I never wore a wedding dress before (well once when I was 16 for a TV show clip I was in but that really doesn’t count).
The only way I can describe Beth’s store “Formally Yours” is comparing it to a candy store for a 6 year old. I didn’t know where to look first. All these gorgeous dresses hanging around me – where do you even start?

Beth pulled out a couple of dresses she thought would work, and I was sent to the dressing room to try them on. The first dress was a very chick, contemporary style with a flowing fabric that was just begging me to hold it up and turn all around in front of the big mirror. What a fun dress!

With me there were two more models for the show – one of my brides, Dawn, who is marrying Alex Diaz from XL106.7 this November, and her maid of honor. Looking at the thee of us having so much fun in the wedding dresses I couldn’t help but think of that episode from Friends when Monica, Rachel and Fibi were playing “catch the bouquet” wearing wedding dresses in Monica’s living room. I was getting ready to suggest our own little game of “catch the bouquet” but Beth brought out another dress for me to try on and I was sent back to the dressing room.

On the hanger the dress didn’t impress me much. As I slipped into it I felt the cool fabric gently wrap around my body like a glove. I walked out of the dressing room and Beth laced the back of the dress. I was so comfortable in it I couldn’t believe it. “Wait” said Beth and ran and grabbed a diamond tiara, but instead of tying it in my hair, she made it into a chocker. She stood back and looked at me, and I could see in her eyes what I was feeling “beautiful” she said. I turned and looked in the mirror and there, staring at me, was a beautiful bride. What so many men couldn’t do, the dress finally did– I felt a sudden pressing urge to get married.

Actually, I just wanted to wear this dress forever. No need to necessarily get married. I’d be fine with going to the grocery store in it to pick up some milk, or run a few errands. As far as I’m concerned I could sleep in it too. Never have I felt so comfortable and beautiful simultaneously in a piece of clothing. I understood for the first time truly how my brides felt on their wedding day.

My plans on escaping through the side door wearing the dress must have been obvious since Beth suggested gently that I take the dress off. As I was, in the dressing room, I caught one more glimpse of me in the mirror and remembered how that Friends episode ended: Rachel, still in her wedding dress and in a very playful mood, is answering a knock on Monica’s apartment door:”I d-o!!!” she says as she opens the door, and there stands the guy she likes who she just started dating and they went through a little rough patch..He takes one look at her in the wedding dress, turned around and walks away, and as she closes the door she says to herself: “and that’s that”.

So, I was wondering with big smile on my face: do you think it would be too much to put a picture of me in the dress on a singles dating site?...

And one more afterthought : as I am waiting for the fashion show next weekend all I can think of is Kerry from Sex and the City falling flat on her face as she makes her debut on the cat walk…this, of course, will not happen to me…I can only hope.

Day after the bridal show – didn’t fall flat on my face oh thank you the gods of wedding dresses! Had a great time and the pictures to prove it thanks to Chris from http://www.chrisgillyardphoto.com, a good friend and a talented photographer. Even got to play “catch the bouquet” with the audience :-)

Baby Samantha

Amanda & Mike brought their 3 weeks old baby Samantha to my home studio, “here she is” they presented her to me as only proud parents can. And surely, there she was, this bundle of joy, all snug up in her car seat, living example of “bliss”.

Amanda brought a purple area rug she wanted to use as a background, and Mike willingly became the “background stand” as he held baby Sam in his arms for her very first professional portrait session.

As it is with baby’s Sam’s age, since no bargaining or begging is applicable, and no noise makers in the world can truly grab their attention since they are still in what I call “womb paradise”, I do what I can which is to be patient and follow their timeline. Luckily Sam was in a very cooperative mood and alert, with eyes open for us throughout the session. We got some great shots of Sam, and when Mike got too hot under the area rug (“the only time in my life can make a lawyer wear a carpet – and willingly” I joked) we utilized the background for some beautiful family first portraits.

As I was editing the session’s images looking at Amanda radiating happiness I was thinking of how rewarding is my profession, down to the personal level. Amanda was my divorce lawyer. She walked me through and held my hand during this very emotional and trying process. Having the opportunity to give back using what I do best couldn’t make me happier.

Welcome to the world, Samantha! See you in a couple of months for more portraits.

Johnston Wedding

On the morning of the wedding day was picked up at my hotel by the very calm groom and his brother Matt or better known today as “the best man” and off we went to the church.


As soon as we arrived Mike and Matt’s mom, Deb, pulled me aside: “I have to talk to you” she said. Concerned I followed her…what happened? As we found a quite spot she reached in her beg and pulled out a little torques wrap “this” she said, ”is for you. We love you so much and can’t say enough about how much we appreciate you coming all the way out here to shoot Mike & Emily’s wedding”. And she pulls out of the wrap a Tiffany’s necklace…needless to say, I was speechless.





But even if I could talk I had to choose my words carefully since Deb was already tearing up and this was just the morning of the wedding day, we had a whole day ahead of us, and I didn’t want to be too emotional and have her fall apart and ruin her beautiful makeup. So I thanked her gracefully, asked her to help me put the necklace on, and went on to shoot the bride getting ready.


Emily was lots of fun, all giggles and excitement. She finally started feeling the butterflies in her stomach when she put on her beautiful dress. And when she walked down the aisle, Mike couldn’t hold back the tears as he was looking at his beautiful bride.



Even when the minister chocked up on his tears, Emily didn’t break. She was playfully trying to sneak a kiss to Mike, who almost fell for it but then remembered that today he had to wait for the minister’s permission.


After the kiss sealed the deal, Mike & Emily were greeted with bubbles as they made their way to the very cool collector’s car that took them for a quick spin, and they were back at the reception to be introduced as “Mr. & Mrs. Johnston!”


The cake that was created by Emily’s mother was nothing less than an art piece, and whenever everyone started clapping Mike & Emily came running towards each other and embraced in a kiss.
Reminiscing on the quick shot I snapped back at Matt’s wedding of Jerry, Mike & Matt’s father, carrying Deb’s purse, the Johnston’s wanted to recreated that “Kodak moment”. Mom brought all her best purses, one for each guy, and we had some fun playful pictures taken. We also recreated the Kodak moment of Deb and her twin sister kissing the groom. It was a funny picture when Matt was the groom, and proved to be as funny with Mike.


And at the end of the day, after all was calming down, I walked over to Deb, and gave her a great big hug. Now it was ok to cry, and so we did, as I was calling her a “crazy woman”, and telling her now she raised the bar to all my couples – from now on I expect to get a “bling bling” on every wedding I shoot!


Matt and Crystal got up bright and early Sunday to take me to the airport, and as we said out goodbyes I knew I was going to miss the Johnston’s. There is still one single cousin…hmm…no pressure Justin…

9/12 an email from Deb came in:

Rinat:

Matthew just gave me a call to let me know the pictures of Michael and Emily's wedding were on-line. He told me to read the blog first, loved the pictures of you modeling the wedding dresses, you were just beautiful and you look like a natural!! Now I know why are so good at capturing photos. I read the blog and was brought to tears - hope you know we will always remember you. I am going to order the picture of you and I and put it in my own wedding album I am creating of both Matthew and Michael's weddings. The "purse" photo was even better the second time around!!!

Better close for now but just wanted to say thank you for the memories of both sons' weddings - you are the best!!!

Love, Deb

P.S. The family photos downtown are great too!