I met Taj and Jared for their engagement session this summer in the beautiful Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston as well as the Public Garden. I had a great time getting to know them a little bit while soaking up all the charm of arguably Massachusetts’s most expensive neighborhood. Cobblestone streets, brick mansions, black wrought iron fences and bright summer flowers created the perfect backdrop.

Sadly they are doing a destination wedding in the Caribbean so I can’t join them on their wedding day, but I do wish them the very best of luck. Congrats guys!

–Erik

Shortly after the shoot, they moved down to DC so that Margaret could pursue a new career opportunity, so it was important to them to have engagement photos that will help them reflect on their time here in Boston.

Best of luck guys!

–Erik

I love shooting at the Arboretum because it’s such a pretty spot and the light is always gorgeous as it filters through the foliage late in the afternoon. It’s also pretty convenient to most people since it’s right in Boston.

Congrats guys for making it a great shoot!

They were both a little uncomfortable at the beginning of the shoot, but that’s to be expected if you’re not used to being in front of the camera. My style is to be pretty unobtrusive and just let couples enjoy their time together, so they quickly forgot about me, which is just the way I like it!

They were married a few weeks ago so there will be lots more of them to come on the blog soon!

Congratulations guys!

But I certainly wanted to share Lynn and Mike’s wedding at the Pembroke Country Club from a few weeks ago. I first met Lynn and Mike close to two years ago to chat about their wedding while they were at the very beginning of the planning process. They’ve come a long way since then!

Their wedding was on a bright and beautiful summer day with close friends and family. After an outdoor ceremony with one of the cutest flower girls I’ve ever seen, the reception was indoors in the big ballroom. The highlight for me, being a hockey fan, was that Lynn and Mike were introduced to the foghorn and techno music that plans in the Garden after the Bruins score a goal. Hockey and weddings together – I love it! After the first dances, speeches, and cake cutting it was time to party!

Congratulations to you guys and best of luck!

–Erik

During the fall of every year I get a little bit homesick for my time in Germany. It’s the “Fest” time of the year when the leaves change, the weather cools, and the beer keg is tapped. The biggest Fest of all is of course Oktoberfest in Munich, but virtually every town of any size has their own version of a fall carnival with rides, games, and at least one good sized beer tent or Festzelt. I’ve certainly spent my share of time with a Massbier in my hand practicing my arm curls and Bavarian dialect.

In thinking about this a bit, I realize that it’s not the fests, landscapes, architecture, food, or even the beer that I miss. It’s the people I’ve had to leave behind. I spent time in Germany twice in my life, once as a military brat graduating high school in Frankfurt and spending a year of college in Munich (and a lot of time at O’Fest). My second stint was after graduate school when my son Thomas was born while living in Weiden. In total about ten years total.

In that time I’ve had a lot of life experiences in Germany. My first kiss, first beer and the birth of my first child all happened there. And I’ve also experienced the pain of divorce and serious illness while abroad. But through the good times and the bad I’ve made some tremendous relationships with people that I know will be lifelong friends. From my buddy Heinz who owns a pub in the old town to American friends now living all over the country I know they’ll still be there for me.

Even though I miss them and Germany it doesn’t mean that chapter in my life is completely over. Since coming to Boston I’ve met some new friends with ties to Germany and was lucky enough to travel back there last year to photograph Julia and Mike’s wedding. And living ten minutes from Logan airport, I know I could be back there after a (relatively) short flight. And if I get really the urge to go to the Bierfest, I can always fix myself a Wurst mit Kraut, pour myself a Festbier (preferably Spaten) and fire up the iPod with oompah music.

After chatting for a few minutes near the Navy Yard Bistro (love that restaurant, btw!) we wandered down towards the water looking for interesting spots that would make for some good backgrounds. We managed to get the feel of the navy yard mixed in with some greenery at a nearby park for some variety.

Here are a few of my faves that I showed them at their viewing appointment. Congrats guys!

–Erik

Yes, that’s a sonogram photo. But not of an actual turtle. It’s our baby girl who is due in early December.

We went to Barbados earlier in the summer and had an amazing experience where we went snorkeling with some sea turtles. It was a fantastic experience that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Underneath the surface of the warm green sea water it’s completely quiet and peaceful with nothing to do other than swim with the tropical fish.

I’m not sure when exactly, but a few months ago I casually referred to our baby as “turtle” after seeing the first sonogram photo. It kind of looked like a sea turtle swimming around in the ocean.

And it seemed to me that’s what it must be like if you’re a growing baby – nothing to do really other than float around. Sounds pretty good to me.

After referring to the baby a couple of times as Turtle, the nickname stuck. And now we have friends and family that refer to her as Turtle as well. I think it’s kind of cute.

I don’t know how long the nickname will stick, but we’re decorating the nursery with a turtle theme just in case. And if Colleen and I can’t agree on a name soon, her legal name could end up being Turtle. But that’s for another post.
 
 

A lot of couples ask me for advice when it comes to selecting a location for engagement photos. There is no right answer since they can be done just about anywhere, so I always suggest somewhere that has meaning for them such as where you got engaged or were married. The Public Garden is definitely one of the top spots for getting a distinctly Boston atmosphere in the photographs. The garden itself is beautifully manicured and the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood is just a across the street with its grand old mansions and narrow cobblestone alleyways.

Shaquanna and Deveraux are getting married a little later this year and chose a photo guestbook as a way to display their photos at the wedding and also have a nice keepsake. Best of luck to you guys!

–Erik

Starting today, we will be featuring a person, vendor, etc. that we think you should know. We are going to happily start with a personal interview with one of our own- Hannah Cotier!

What do you do at Erik Patton Photography?

I’m the marketing and photo coordinator- handling clients, consultations, general marketing and advertising, etc.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a very small woodsy town in Connecticut, called East Hampton. I didn’t realize how beautiful it is until I went back recently.

What do you like to do for fun?

My friends mean a lot to me and I take a lot of trips with them. I love traveling and so do they!

What are you passionate about?

I really love the arts. I grew up very interested in film especially as well as other mediums, but found my love in photography (why I love working in the business!). I’m also passionate about the people in my life.

Who is your favorite photographer?

Besides Erik Patton? My style is candid so I admire decisive moment photographers like Henri Cartier-Brasson. However I’m learning more about commercial and studio styles and am in awe at the talented people I hope to learn from.

Are you a dog person or cat person?

I am a huge animal lover overall, but I am a dog person at the core (don’t tell my cat, Dexter).

What are you most terrified of?

Losing loved ones. And spiders!

Single? Dating? Married?

Dating. I live with my boyfriend Chris.

What do you and Chris do together?
We love to cook together, bike, watch movies, and try new things. We are pretty low key but are also adventurous and enjoy trying new things.

What makes you feel sexy?

When I feel confident, I feel sexy, whether at work or in a little lacy two-piece.

What’s your favorite sexy shop?

I really like vintage fashion so enjoy checking out vintage shops for classic pieces. I have discovered a couple local shops including Forty Winks in Harvard Square and French Dressing in Beacon Hill. Their styles are classic and gorgeous.

What is your favorite boudoir era?

I love everything 60s. Think Mad Men and I’m sold.

What would you wear to a boudoir shoot?
I would go with a classic black lacy outfit, maybe with a garter belt and stockings or a robe. That or a pin up outfit.

So I was home in Colorado visiting my family a couple weeks ago. Part of the ritual of coming home for a visit is meeting the newest furry member of the family. See, my mom has a soft spot for animals, particularly dogs and cats. She works with two rescue groups in Colorado and often has foster animals. I think it’s great. The world needs more people like her to help the animals who can’t help themselves.

This time the new member is Bella. She a coon hound mix that was bred to chase raccoons and other small animals up into trees. This means that she’s not a small dog and that she needs lots of exercise. And because she was a foster dog, she didn’t get really any training on how to be a good puppy.

She jumps when she’s not supposed to. She eats the cats’ food. She barks almost incessantly when she wants in, out, or sees anything that’s worth chasing. I came up from the basement half awake one day with a cup of hot coffee and nearly spilled it everywhere as she jumped all over me in a fit of excitement to wish me good morning.

But when the house quiets down and she’s had a good walking, Bella is a real sweetheart. She loves a good scratch behind the ear and will sit quietly on the couch next to you while writing blog posts. She’s not perfect, but few of us are. It helps to be reminded of that every once in awhile.

While engulfing ourselves with the ins and outs of weddings, we have come across this trend: DIY. More and more people are saving money and having fun crafting the elements to their big day themselves. These ceremonies are not only cost efficient and beautiful, but unique, creative, and personal.

For these reasons, we are  instilling “DIY Friday” to the blog! Every Friday, we will go nuts for DIY and post information, tips, wedding features, and more each week. Don’t think you can do it? We’ll show you things we promise you can do, and you will love! Don’t have the time? DIY always at least provides great ideas. Get excited…and get crafty!

For today, we leave you with Emily and Scott’s inspired wedding, filled with DIY projects!

http://www.diywedding.org/summer-weddings/emily-and-scott

There are an enormous amount of anxiety provoking details that go into planning a wedding. You may feel like your head is spinning out of control, but one thing to do to keep body part intact is to be as prepared as possible.

These occasions are important and you want to look your best… so plan a make-up consultation. It could be nervewracking and you may worry about wasting your time, but here are some tips to finding your glamour look.

1. Check out some make-up looks books or pictures of colors and themes that  you like. Bring them in and explain what you like and don’t like about them.

2. Take a full page color picture of your gown or outfit and bring it with you. It’s important in order to put together an entire look.

3. Abide by the buddy system- bring someone you TRUST along with you that will be honest and knows you well… and will hound your stylist if need be so you don’t have to.

4. Bring your own makeup along with you so the artist knows what you like, he/she could even give you tip on how to use what you already have, never a bad thing.

5. My last piece of advice- book our wonderful makeup artist, Michelle Poor! She is gifted and has done an amazing job for our boudoir and other shoots.

Hannah is originally from rural Connecticut and migrated to Boston for school. She loves the city and finds inspiration both in her past and present location.

She lives with her boyfriend Chris, their cat, Dexter, and dog, Alfie (who is actually their roommate’s pet but whom she has become extremely attached to).

She loves to cook with Chris, always discover new things and travel when possible, bike around the city, and enjoy a yoga class here and there (which she is also trying to get Chris to part-take in, if not only for the entertainment). She loves the people in her life and is forever grateful for them (they’re pretty great).

Many other passions have always been found in the arts- she treasures many mediums but photography is her love.

She can’t wait to dive in and get started!

Congratulations guys and I can’t wait to shoot your wedding in October!

A common question that arises with boudoir photography is: do I have to get naked? The misconception is that you do, but the truth is you don’t. You can be as nude or covered as you’d like- whatever makes you feel comfortable and sexy. These shoots are a way to document your beauty for yourself or someone special in whatever way you see fit…and you are beautiful.

When it comes to boudoir, the options are vast. It is not a Playboy shoot unless you want it to be. Dropping your clothing is a decision you make, but a lot of gorgeous boudoir shoots feature women in items ranging from extravagant lingerie to their boyfriend’s button down shirt. You are ultimately in control.

And no matter what you wear or what size and shape you are, it is the photographer’s goal and job to accentuate what you love about yourself. Even if you have physical insecurities (everyone does), they will disappear in a photograph. There is no reason not to celebrate your beauty, you may even have fun!

I recently had the privilege of doing a shoot with Joe Devenney, a local Boston musician. It was not only fun, but a great chance to try something a little different and stylistically more editorial.

Meet Joe!

Joe Devenney is a professional guitarist sprung from Philadelphia. He recently graduated from Berklee College of Music and specializes in modern rock/progressive electric guitar, however he plays a number of diverse genres of music. He currently performs in the Boston area in a variety of musical projects.

His first, The “Joe Devenney Band”, is an instrumental modern rock guitar-based group that he formed in his first year at Berklee. He later joined  ”Meridien”, a progressive hardcore band. In both projects, he is the lead guitarist, producer, booking agent, manager, and music director.

Recently, he has become the lead/rhythm guitarist and co-songwriter for “Dearest Pinky”, a progressive rock band under the music direction of Berklee faculty and professional guitarist Scott Tarulli.

In addition to this work, he also has been teaching guitar privately for 6 years.

This summer he’ll be on the road so look out for his tour dates in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston with “Dearest Pinky”,as well as “The Joe Devenney Band” in Los Angeles.

To learn more, please visit:

Facebook.com/joedevenneyband

YouTube.com/joedevenneyband

Purevolume.com/meridian

Dearestpinky.com

Hello everyone!

My name is Hannah Cotier, I have just been warmly welcomed to the Erik Patton Photography team as the new photo and marketing coordinator!

I recently graduated from Emerson College with a degree in marketing communication and photography. There, I worked on various campaigns and projects and took a range of classes to gain a skill set in both fields.

During these years, my favorite career experience was an internship in the photography department at NBC Universal in Los Angeles—here I realized I could combine marketing and photography into one title, essentially getting to take part in my passion for my job (what’t better than that?). Now, I am fortunate enough to get to do the same once again at Erik Patton Photography.

I will be assisting Erik with our social media platforms and will get you frequent updates, information, and on goings every week. Keep an eye out for some new promotions, partnerships, events, and more for both wedding and boudoir coming soon! I will also be accompanying Erik on set and am greatly looking forward to being present for the production of some beautiful work.

Erik has a great team, wonderful clients, and some exciting things coming up for you so stay tuned!

We did the pictures late in the day to get some really warm sunlight since it was a nice bright day. I really like using natural light as much as possible for engagement pictures and the setting of the Arboretum couldn’t have been prettier. Quite a few things were in bloom since it was late spring.

We wandered around the grounds a bit finding some nice spots that were a bit hidden which meant we could take as much time as possible without feeling rushed or getting in anyone’s way. After a couple of hours of walking and photographing, we were all getting tired and finished up with some great shots on our way back down the hill.

The happy couple is getting married this October. Congratulations guys!

–Erik

A sneak peek from Lynn and Mike’s wedding this past weekend. More to come.

I don’t consider myself a “music photographer” per se, but it’s always fun to try some new things so we had a blast playing around with different ideas for different shots. They’re fun and playful, so getting some great photographs was pretty easy.

In addition to working with Helicopria, I also did some work for a couple of other musicians whose work I’ll post here a little later. Here are a few of my favorite shots from our session.

We did the obligatory posed shots in front of the mill itself, but I like to explore to see what else may be around. Behind the mill building is a small wooden building that looks like it was once used as a maintenance facility of some kind. It has a great vintage color and texture that was perfect for using as a backdrop.

Below are a few of my favorite photographs from the day. Congratulations guys!!

After the event we kept in touch and not too long after that she and her fiance JR booked me to photograph their wedding down in Orlando. I hadn’t been down there since I was a kid and it seemed like a great excuse for getting out of a frosty March New England.

Below is one of my favorite photographs from their portrait session. We had some amazingly beautiful late afternoon sunlight.

Erin and JR were married at a church in downtown Orlando. Most people who come down here land at the airport and head straight to Disney, but there’s really a hidden gem in Orlando’s downtown area.

She chose to finish up her getting ready at the church. With her sister and best friends she had lots of help.

After she and JR were all ready to go, we did their first look in the courtyard of the church. I think JR felt a little silly standing there all by himself, but that quickly turned to tears once he saw Erin in her wedding dress. It was pretty emotional for both of them. There was no doubting they were deeply in love and looking forward to their new lives together.

After a few impromptu pictures outside the church, it was time to get down to business.

Erin’s dad owns this cool old Model A car that they used to head over to the reception. He even let them write all over it.

Once we arrived at the reception site, it was time for Erin and JR to spend a few minutes alone together to catch their breath and make some portraits. Using that beautiful light we did a combination of more conceptual portraits as well as more traditional ones. The sun was just setting so the sky was this brilliant pink.

Then it was time to head inside for the reception. Toasts, dinner, cake and then dancing the night away.

Erin’s sister gave a beautiful speech that resulting in more tears of joy.

Erin and her dad danced to a medley of different songs for their father daughter dance, complete with choreographed moves!

All in all it was a great wedding and I’m glad to have been part of it. Congrats to Erin and JR as they begin their new lives together.

Venue and Catering: Dubsdread Historic Ballroom
Wedding Coordinator: Ashlie Hampton, Weddings in the City
Cake: Allison Watson, OMG Pastries
Flowers: Daisy’s Flower Market
DJ: DJ London Undergraound
Harpist: Christine MacPhail

Brinda and Ramesh were having so much fun enjoying just being together that they were actually told by the security guard to watch the amount of public display of affection! Apparently such things aren’t permitted in the library. But it sure made it easy for me to get great pictures of them just relaxing and being themselves.

They are getting married later this year in my old stomping grounds of San Francisco. They moved out here to Boston for work, but with lots of friends and family in the South Bay they’ve elected to have the wedding back in California. I’m sure it will be great.

Best of luck to you both!

–Erik

 
If you know some one who might be interested, City Cats in Arlington would love to hear from you!

It gives you a chance to get to know me

Engagement sessions allow you to spend a couple of hours getting to know me and getting comfortable in front of the camera. Photography is a very personal experience for most people, so it helps if you’re comfortable with the person behind the camera. With lots of time to chat, you’re free to be yourself and not worry about doing the right thing.

I want to get to know you!

More often than not, most powerful photographs made by portrait photographers are those where the photographer has an emotional connection to his or her subject. By getting to know you during the session, I can get a feel for your personality and the kinds of photos you would like for your wedding.

No pressure

The great thing about an engagement session is that there’s no pressure. You get to relax and just be yourselves while enjoying spending time together. Unlike formal wedding pictures, there’s no need to make sure everybody’s smiling and posed properly.

Engagement sessions are very fluid and intended to capture candid moments. There’s plenty of time to try a different angle or shot without feeling like the moment is happening only once. If you blink or make a funny face, there’s plenty of time to do it again.

Practice for the big day

Once you get to your wedding day, having me take pictures of you will seem like no big deal. Hopefully by then, you’ll be an old pro at working with me and know exactly what to expect. You’ll have seen the final images from our session and have a good idea of what the pictures will be like.

You’ll know how I direct you and be able to recall certain looks and poses from the engagement session if I ask you to do something similar.

The pictures have lots of uses before the wedding day

You’ll be able to use the images from the shoot for all kinds of things before the wedding. A lot of couples like to use order a book that they then use for the guestbook at the wedding. Other couples will have prints made as thank you gifts for friends and family. I’ve also seen where couples use the images for their wedding websites, save the date cards and even the wedding invitations!

When I do engagement photos, I tend to wander around. A lot. I bet we walked a couple of miles all around Boston during our session making sure to find the best light and backdrops. Here are a few shots from the North End and downtown.

They both love cannolis so much that they’re planning to have them at the wedding. After a quick bite of pizza I grabbed a few shots of them having fun with their favorite dessert…

A little more walking around and just spending time together. I love it when I can capture moments such as these when they’re happening naturally.

And finally the spot where Jayson proposed!

Congrats guys and best of luck to you!!

–Erik

More on them, their wedding, and images coming soon!

So, as Tim Gunn of Project Runway fame like to say, we “made it work.” After chatting for a few minutes in the lobby of a nearby hotel to get warmed up, we walked over to the Prudential shopping center and eventually settled into shooting at the Marriott hotel in their lobby space as well as on an upper floor. Security came by to ask what we were doing, but quickly congratulated them when we told them we were doing their engagement session.

Shannon and WaiJe were great to work with. They quickly became comfortable with the camera and I could really feel the energy between them. It’s clear that they’re head over heels for each other. They’re getting married in October and I wish them nothing but the very best.

–Erik

Thanks guys for asking me to do your shoot and best of luck!

–Erik

In the image above, Amanda willingly sat on the ground for me for her bridal portrait. I bring a white sheet with me to help prevent the dress from getting dirty. Being willing to try something a bit out of your comfort zone can really create some unique images.

Both of these two pictures were little more than quick snapshots. For the image on the left of Rachna, we had been shooting outside of the reception location in and around this little white gazebo with her freshly minted husband Rohan. I wanted to show the beautiful henna artistry she had done on her left hand while also showing the detail in the dress. A slight tilt of the head and voila!

Julia’s shot was also a quick grab shot. I had her squat down so that she was putting all of her weight on the front of her feet. It does require a bit of balance, but is great for minimizing distracting backgrounds and showing off the bouquet.

These two images were both taken indoors. Madeline’s shot on the left was done with simple window light. I asked her to simply look out the window. Bridal portraits don’t require looking at the camera or even smiling!

For the image on the right, we took a few minutes to try some different poses. I particularly like this one because I think it’s kind of statuesque and fits with the architectural details of the stone fireplace and window.

These last two were also taken outdoors. For the image on the left, I simply had her stand in front of a pretty stone wall, turn just a bit and hold her flowers at about her waist. Brides be sure you hold the flowers lower to show off the dress.

And for the shot of Jill I had her do the exact same pose I had Julia doing by squatting down into the balls of her feet. The only difference here is that I had her turn the other direction.

Bridals can also be done as their own individual shoot. In fact, it used to be that the bridal photo session was done in the studio and was quite a big production. These seem to have gone by the wayside a bit as more couples now prefer to do environmental engagement sessions. A recent twist on the bridal session is the so-called “trash the dress” session where the bride and groom have some fun with the dress after the wedding, rather than before.

Regardless of how or when you have your bridal portrait done, I think it’s important to spend at least a couple of minutes on it. You’ve worked hard to find the perfect dress and look amazing on your wedding day, so be sure to get the best photo from it that you can.

–Erik

1. Schedule it well before your wedding day

    
   Ideally you’ll want to plan your couples portrait session to be a few months before your wedding day. This gives you plenty of time to use the pictures for other things like save the date cards, guestbooks, or ordering parent albums.

2. Pick a location that’s special to you

    
   Engagement sessions can be done just about anywhere, so pick somewhere that’s meaningful to you. I’ve had clients do them in vineyards, urban neighborhoods and college campuses. They can also incorporate some of your favorite activities. For example, if you’re both avid skiers, then you might want to do something around your favorite ski mountain.

3. Be prepared to be flexible with inclement weather

    
   I’ve been rained out of more than one engagement shoot, so it’s always a good idea to have a rain date in mind just in case mother nature isn’t cooperative on the day of your shoot. If you don’t want to reschedule and it’s raining, think about an indoor or covered location that might work to wait out a passing shower.

4. Wear something comfortable

    
   Make sure that you’re wearing clothing that will keep you comfortable during the shoot. You never know in the Boston springtime what you’re going to get. An extra layer or two on a cool day can go a long way to keeping you nice and warm. And if you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, be sure to have sturdy shoes.

5. Think about how you’ll look together

    
   Virtually all of your pictures from the shoot will of both of you, so it’s important to think about how your outfits will coordinate together. Generally speaking solid neutral colors without patterns or stripes work best.

Engagement sessions are one of my favorite things to photograph. Following some of these basic guidelines will help to make sure to get the best out of your shoot.

I lived in Germany quite a long time myself growing up as a military brat and later after college, so it was great being able to get back for a visit. Great wine, beautiful landscapes and new friends made it hardly seem like work. Putting their album together was great because it reminded me of such a great trip. It’s always fun to go back through the images of past weddings because I always have such a great time.

The album is 12 inches by 12 inches on each page, so each spread below will be 12″x24″ when printed. That’s the largest size album I offer and is impressive when you look at it. It also has an additional eight spreads in it beyond the default ten to accomodate additional pictures. You can put more images on a page to reduce the number of spreads, but I think pictures look best when they can be viewed nice and large. That’s why I try to limit each page to a maximum of just four or five.

Thanks for taking a peek!

–Erik

So I ran around like a mad man getting everything ready. Cleaning the house, Christmas shopping and putting up the tree were all done in about three days. And in between I was still working my regular job at Tufts while also trying to get my business in order financially for the end of the year. I was busy, but that’s the way I generally like it.

My son Thomas and his step brother made it into Logan the day of the blizzard. Theirs was only one of two flights on the arrivals board that wasn’t either late or canceled. I was stoked. Everything was coming together perfectly.

Christmas morning came and we were up early. And then it hit me as we were unwrapping presents. I was getting sick. At first it was just a few aches and pains, but by the end of the day I was toast. Flat on the couch and not wanting to move. My perfect Christmas was unraveling.

The next ten days, yes ten days, were spent feeling sick at various levels. Coughing, headaches, nausea, I pretty much had it all. A few days after I got sick, Colleen got sick too. And another few days later Thomas was sick with what I had. It wasn’t the Christmas present I had intended to give everyone.

But we made it to the other side. The kids were desperate to get out of the house, so even though it was 60 degrees outside we went snow tubing. I wasn’t yet feeling like I could slide down a steep hill on my backside, so Colleen and I stayed in the lodge.

I had brought my camera along to get some snaps of the kids tubing. Thomas will be 15 in a couple of months and is at the age where he refuses to be the least bit interesting in front of the camera. So I thought I’d shoot some action shots when he was having a good time in the hopes of getting some nice images of the boys together. But after being told I could only shoot from the observation deck that plan pretty much fell apart. So I turned my camera towards a small pond right behind the lodge.

As I was shooting my mind began to wander. There’s something about being in a quiet spot in the woods that forces you to look inward. The holidays can certainly be stressful and getting sick on top of it made it worse. But when I took just a few minutes out from trying to make everything perfect, I realized that I had lost some perspective on what really mattered.

Once I got done shooting these pictures I felt better both physically and mentally. They’re just simple snap shots, but they’re a visual reminder to me to not lose sight of the important things in life.

Wishing you a great 2011.

–Erik

I’m really looking forward to their wedding next summer. If it was as much fun as their engagement, it’s going to be quite the experience. Congrats to you guys!

This is a great opportunity to do something special for your fiance or husband while also giving him a present he’s not likely to forget any time soon. We’re limiting the number of sessions to only eight slots so that we can concentrate on really making your session fantastic.

Michelle will be there to not only do your makeup and hair, but she’ll also be present during the shoot with coaching tips and to retouch your look if necessary.

If you’ve been curious about trying boudoir, but didn’t want to commit to a full shoot, here’s your chance to give it a try. For more information or to reserve a spot, use the contact form on my website or give me a ring at 617-959-0767.

Tania completed veterinary medical school at Tufts University in Grafton a few years ago when she then moved to the central valley of California to begin her work as an equine veterinarian. While there, she met her future husband Patrick who lives outside of the Sacramento metropolitan area. For their honeymoon they spent two weeks in South Africa, for which I’m very jealous.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the day.

I wish them both the very best of luck as they now begin a new chapter. They’re off to Texas where Brendon has another year of service. Here are a few of my favorites.

More soon.

Thanks to Lisa Tilley for having me come out to help. Lisa is a friend of mine from back in my photo school days, so it was great being able to catch up with her.

Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

I enjoyed getting to know Heather and Rick on their wedding day. We had some great light after the ceremony to do some quick artsy shots. Heather mentioned they were somewhat camera shy, but they did great just being themselves and enjoying the moment. The key to getting really good wedding pictures is to focus on each other rather than the camera and they did just that.

Congrats guys and best of luck!

I wanted to share with you guys some work that I’ve been doing at the New England School of Photography (NESOP) for the last six months or so.

A couple of years ago I decided to take a workshop at NESOP to work on my portrait skills. I was doing OK with my people pictures, but I hadn’t had any formal training in how to do it the “right” way. During my time in the class, I learned a ton about lighting, posing and how to build a rapport with the people in front of my camera. It was a great experience that I highly recommend to any one interested in modern portraiture.

My instructor for the class was Kate Joyce, pictured right. She very patiently answered all of my questions, of which there were probably too many, while also making me think about how to improve my own work. Once the course was finished, I kept in touch with her so I could continue bugging her about my work. She’s an awesome wedding photographer, so check out her site.

Fast forward to about nine months ago. I get a note from her asking if I would be interested in being her teaching assistant. I had spent a lot of time in the portrait studios and used to do some teaching in a previous life, so I jumped at the opportunity.

So most every Tuesday evening for the last six months I’ve been helping Kate at NESOP with the modern portraiture workshop. I enjoy answering questions from students and it’s always great to learn new things from them. I also get to sit in on the lectures which helps to reinforce those things that slipped through when I was a student in the class. Assisting duties included answering the phone, hauling gear up and down the stairs and occasionally acting as a model. All around good stuff.

I’m sad to say that our second run of the workshop is coming to an end next week, but it will free me up some to work on a secret project I’m planning on launching this fall.

If you’re a high school senior or parent interested in doing a photo shoot like this for senior pictures, you’re in luck. Under Massachusetts law you’re not obligated to go with your school’s contracted photographer so you don’t have to get pictures just like everybody else’s. I shoot environmental portraits in an editorial style that look more like they belong in a magazine than in a yearbook, so I can make pictures that reflect your personality.

Drop me a note at erik@erikpatton.com and I’ll be happy to give you more information.

We started with a few pictures in their hotel suite. They stayed at the magnificent Taj Hotel in Boston.

It was a short walk across the street into the Public Garden where they had their ceremony under the trees next to the pond. The weather was perfect.

Woo hoo!

After the ceremony we wandered around the park taking lots of portraits.

Best of luck!

Thanks again to Heather Fuller for having me come and shoot with her. Below are some my favorite images that I captured during the day. Check out Heather’s Blog for some of her favorites.

I had a great time at the reception with lots of fun music and really tasty Indian food. Below are a selection of my favorite images of the evening.

I learned from chatting with her that she was getting married soon, but hadn’t yet started the process of looking for a wedding photographer. She mentioned that she was getting married in her hometown of Orlando, Florida and had several questions about wedding photography. After a few conversations about logistics, I’m happy to report that I’ll be photographing their wedding in Florida this March. For a peek at what they have planned, check out their wedding website.

In addition to having the wedding in Florida, she and JR are leaving Massachusetts to head back to Florida for good in just a few short weeks. So for their engagement session they wanted to do something with a distinctive Boston feel to it, so I thought what could be better than Beacon Hill and the Public Garden. We wandered around a bit looking for great backdrops with warm late afternoon light. Here’s what we found.

Enjoy!

Here are a few of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!