08.29.08 - Kids Landon

Each year I photograph Landon, the son of my friend Vanessa (of Two Paper Dolls). This year we took it to the beach! Last year we went more urban so it was fun to mix things up a bit. Vanessa also brought along her Great Dane puppy, Clark, who is gaining about a pound a day these days...

08.27.08 - My Wedding Wedding Update

I know that since our wedding I have not posted many updates or wedding photos. The truth is that after I got back from our honeymoon, I was overwhelmed with how many amazing photos I had to choose from! Between Anna, LaCour, Jess, and some images from my friend Jen Dery's hubsand John Mireles, I finally (as in, just last month) collected all of the wonderful images we got back and tried to organize them into folders. There were more than 300 in the file of pictures I might want to put in an album alone! Now I know how my clients feel when they talk about trying to narrow down the selections for their own albums. Nevertheless, it was so sweet of Janie from The Bride's Cafe to post about our wedding this week - I sent her a ton of photos and she helped me out a lot by organizing them into three wonderful posts on her adorable blog. People have been asking to see more photos from our wedding, so here they are!

Janie has organized them into three lovely posts: Laura & John Laura & John part II Laura & John part III

08.22.08 - Kids more snuggles

This post for those out there who have enjoyed seeing all of the snuggly-sleepy goodness that's appeared on the blog recently. This particular little guy had a tough delivery but came out healthy and happy. He slept soundly through our shoot on some fabulous furniture - the perfect newborn session!

Is there anything more beautiful than a mother with her just-born baby?

If you're an expecting mother and are interested in scheduling a newborn session of your own, give the studio a call near the end of your pregnancy. Newborn sessions are best when the baby is around TWO to THREE DAYS OLD - when they're still true newborns!

08.20.08 - Kids snuggly sweetness

As I've mentioned before, one of my favorite things in the world is when my wedding clients come back and share their families with me once children are added into the picture (no pun intended). You may remember Kimmy and Jeff from last year:

And now they have a baby!

08.18.08 - News seeking teens

Attention, area moms and teens! Are you sick of the typical high school senior portraits? You know, the ones where your daughters don shoulder-baring velvet drapes and snuggle a single rose with their pointer finger? Or how about the ones that show your sons thoughtfully cradling their chin with one fist, looking glassy-eyed into their futures? Yeah, we're over them, too. For the past year or so Becca and I have been brainstorming how to shoot senior portraits that are fun and unique. Now, we here at Laura Novak Photography are looking for a few good teens to help launch our senior portrait line. Here’s the 411. We need 5-7 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS (a.k.a. going into their senior year) to do the following: - join us for a couple of meetings to help us generate cool ideas - shoot an alternative senior portrait session with Becca sometime in September or October - tell all their friends about the awesome experience they had! Easy enough, right? Compensation includes a free photo session and print credit towards anything in the studio. Please send this blog post to anyone you think would be a good fit! We're looking for teens with a ton of personality who dare to be different, who enjoy being in front of the camera, and who will have a kickin' time hanging out with an awesome photographer. Interested? Send me an e-mail at laura (at) novakphotography (dot) com with a few photos of the future senior (Facebook or MySpace totaly profiles work) and a few lines about why you think this person makes a great student model for us. More information can be found at novakseniors.com Check out these killer alternative senior photos that Becca snapped during some photo sessions last month!

Sure beats that "rose pose," doesn't it?

This guy looks like he belongs on the pages of a fashion magazine, doesn't he?

08.15.08 - News wedding loveliness

A huge thank you to Adam Cambridge for my newest creation - a brand sparkling new wedding website that has been in my head for about a year and just today became a reality thanks to Adam's creative genius! Check it out! Some main features: information on how to meet me in our new Manhattan location to learn more about my wedding services an inspiration area where you can print or email inspiration boards to others who might like to see some wedding ideas and different color palettes. brand new galleries, with one set aside for my associate photographer extroinaire Becca (available for local travel only). enjoy!

08.15.08 - Weddings Amanda + Tim: 06.28.08

In June I had the pleasure of heading off to Washington D.C. to photograph Amanda and Tim's wedding, which took place in Georgetown. There is something so very special about Georgetown. Between the feel of the old city streets, the history and architecture ... it always makes me think of my hometown of Boston. Amanda and Tim's wedding day was filled with laughter, joy and a few off-and-on thunderstorms which miracuously dissapeared right at pivotal times througout the day (but would then reappear when rain no longer mattered). The bridal party began getting ready at the Evermay, a stunning family owned estate with warm, welcoming hosts and endless rooms filled with history. Here's some of that early rain I was talking about:

So of course the bride felt a little nervous, with all that rain coming down ...

But all of the nervousness dried up like the rain when Amanda and Tim greeted each other before the ceremony:

By the time the ceremony began, blue skies appeared again!

Beautiful sunshine, just in time for portraits!

The grounds at Evermay are so beautiful.

Funnily enough, Evermay reminds me of a similar estate here in Delaware called Brantwyn.

At Evermay, Amanda and Tim had what is called a "Southern style" reception with open seating, food stations and few scheduled activities. It created the feeling of just one big fun party!

And just when the party was getting started inside, the thunderstorms rolled in for a stunning lightening show. A spectacular ending to a perfect day. Thank you, Amanda and Tim, for inviting me into your family and allowing me to be part of your day!

08.13.08 - Photography through the years...

Early last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to a fabulous workshop group in Denver, Colorado. It was so much fun, and as always, a great learning experience for not only the people I am teaching, but also myself. I talked a lot about personal style, and how I believe that every artist finds their own style not by looking at what other photographers are doing but by examining their own journey of self discovery. This made me reflect on many of my favorite photos over the years, and how my style has evolved. Most of these are wedding photographs, mainly because I have been a wedding photographer longer than I have been a portrait photographer. I should also not that I haven't tweaked any of these for tone or density because I think it's cool to see how far along digital imagery has come! From 2003:

From 2004:

From 2005:

From 2006:

From 2007:

and some of my favorites so far from 2008:

I wonder what 2009 will have in store!