Mark Gove

A Boat Load

2011-08-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Bare Skin

2011-06-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

Tickling Vanessa is something I, as a dad, take very seriously, and Vanessa knows it. Whenever I go in for a tickle that might be considered torture, I always cue it with "I see bare skin." Check out Vanessa's reaction right after I let her know she was due for some torture.

No Standing

2011-06-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

Lisa and I went to New York City for a check up for our little Vanessa. While we were there we received some New York hospitality-a parking ticket. Not to mention the fact that the ticket is for 115 big ones. What happened to the $20 parking ticket? Lisa and I parked in a "no standing" zone. We thought that a no standing zone was a loitering sign for a couple reason. For one, there was a vehicle from new york already parked in the no standing zone. There also was clearly way more people than cars in the area which lead us to believe that the sign was for the foot traffic. There was also a "no parking" sign right next to the "no standing" sign pointing in the opposite direction of the no standing zone which further led us into the decision that it was a-ok to park there.

Some people are with me when I tell them the story and some people are very surprised that I did not know the meaning of the sign. I think there are only 4 states that I have not driven in and this is the first time that I have dealt with this sign. Next time we will just use the parking garage. Live and learn I guess.

Over Zealous Dad

2011-05-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Vanessa is a girl who lives for a thrill. Her ability to climb, tunnel, bounce, explore, and discover is met with very little fear. Faster, and higher is always received by a very big smile and laugh. I'm told that the princes, fairy tales, and barbie dolls are to come. I'm doubtful because Vanessa has yet to have a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. She would much rather be dancing on the kitchen table than consoling her favorite doll.

So me being a dad I obviously want to make my little Vanessa happy. Faster and Higher! That's what makes Vanessa happy. On this particular snowy winter day I was captured by the giggles and laughs and I threw caution to the wind. Poor little Vanessa, strapped in her sled, found her self upside down and in the cold snow. She took a digger, all because of her dad. Vanessa's laughter quickly changed to crying, and the cool hip dad who could throw one heck of sledding party was instantly down graded to "what where you thinking."

Thank goodness little girls forgive and forget. I have climbed back up a few notches and things are all cool now. I just have to remember that super fast is not necessary, fast will do!

The Rumors are True.

2011-03-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

So the rumors are true. We are going to be having a baby! Check out this little video of us when we first found out Lisa is pregnant. We found out early in the morning so you get to see our bed head and Lisa's miss matched socks!

The two photos below kind of sum it up for us. We love little kids. Who wouldn't want another cute baby like little Vanessa. We are so excited to bring another little baby into this world.

I kind of think it's funny to see Lisa's expression in the photos below. She has the same look of fear in all the photos. We have proved to ourselves that we can handle one baby, but two? We have come to the realization that we are going to be moving into a different family category. We are going to be going from the cute little family to the chaotic family that's trying to hold it all together. I say bring it on. We are so excited!

Vanessa doesn't understand what's going on but she sure can sense the excitement.

Poor little Vanessa has no idea what's coming her way!

"I Love You"

2011-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

"I love you!"

Those are the first words I heard on my birthday today. And they have been echoing in my head all day. Is turning thirty weird? I can not lie, it does feel a little weird. It really does not bother me that much though. It makes me reflect and realize that I have got it so darn good. We all hope to grow old. I have become one year closer to my goal - making it to my 100th birthday. Being one year older is a blessing. We can't stop the clock, we just have to enjoy the ride.

There are some really cleaver marketing tools out there. Not to mention the amount of adds that are forced down our throats every day. A lot of you are probably reading this post in facebook. Just glance over to the right a little and you will see adds. They are EVERYWHERE. The adds really skew our thinking. There is a huge push to stay young and beautiful and that life is fulfilled through stuff. Yeah, it's fun having a cool new toy or some nice clothes - but in the end it's all junk. The clothes are going to rip and wear out and the techy toy is going to be obsolete or break in about two weeks. We will be able to buy it all at next year's yard sale for 25 cents.

I really feel like the most important things in life are being loved and being able to love our family and friends.

I nearly drown several years ago while surfing. It's through that experience I realized I had love and needed to marry, my now beautiful wife, Lisa. During the experience I did not think about my cool little Ipod in my car or my sweatshirt that had the word "Abercrombie" across the front. It was Lisa I thought off. I could not stop thinking of her as I fought for my life. I fought till I had absolutely no more strength and I realized I wasn't going to make back to shore. As I threw up my arms in defeat I cried out to my savior, Jesus Christ. It was at that exact moment that my big toe just ever so slightly touched the ground. It changed me forever. Thinking of it now still brings a tear to my eye. We always think we have more time. It may not be the case. So as cheesy as it sounds, love and be loved.

So now that I'm thirty I may not be able to hang out with all of you super cool twenty somethings but I have got the cutest little daughter that thinks I'm amazing. I have a beautiful wife, that I can love, that I know loves me. I have family that I see almost on a daily basis. And to top it all off, I have some great friends that are like family. I honestly feel like I'm living life to it's fullest potential. I'm so glad that I'm thirty!

Blake and Steve are Gettin' Married

2011-01-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Steve and Blake have an energy that is hard to ignore. Their zest for life is contagious. If you are lucky enough to meet them, you will feel like you have been best friends for years. It's no surprise, with their love for people, that Steve is a head chef of a big restaurant and Blake is a beautician extraordinaire. What also comes as no surprise, is that these guys are made for each other and are in love.

Naked

2011-01-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

Check out this photo taken right after bath time. Vanessa loves to be naked! Lisa and I will dry her off and then toss her into the blankets a few times. Probably her favorite time of day!

Big Girl Walking

2011-01-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

Vanessa has been able to walk for sometime now. She just really never seemed to see the need to walk and preferred to crawl instead. Just recently she has made the big switch over to walking as her main mode of transportation. It was so weird for me to see Vanessa, who has mainly crawled, stand up really tall and start walking.

She is so proud of her new accomplishments, and is realizing there definitely is a lot of perks to walking. She is always carrying stuff with her, and is able to really play on a whole new level with Simon. She also feels validated. I really think she feels like a big girl now.

Check out this little series of photos below.

We would start her out by propping her up.

Then we would let her go. She was really wobbly at first and would use her hands to counter her unsteadiness.

An almost fall.

Save!

She is so proud of her self!

And repeat. Practice makes perfect!

Here is a little clip of Vanessa when she was first learning to walk. If she is holding something she seems to walk better. Facebook/feed readers click here for video

Check out how happy she is when she is able to save her self from falling. This photo reminds me of a gymnast after a dismount.

Don't try this at Home

2011-01-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

This is how Vanessa would start the night.

Warning: Don't try this at home. Vanessa being the little heart throb that she is, spent the first 11 months in bed with us. I'm not talking about the first or last little bit of the night. She spent the majority of the night with us every single night. We generally would start off with her sleeping her first hour or so in the pack 'n play next to the bed. This would give us a little time to do a few things around the house and if we were lucky watch a quick show on hulu before we went to sleep.
Vanessa is the lightest little sleeper ever. Lisa and I would get completely ready for bed in the bathroom so all we had to do is quietly get into our bed. Synchronized, of course, to limit the amount of noise that we made. Nine out of ten times this did not matter. She would hear the wood floor creek or hear our heads hit the pillow and her eyes would open right up. From there she would cry with anticipation of being picked up and brought into our (her) warm bed- tucked in, of course!

We soon realized that we were creating a little monster. She was in control. She loved soft blankets and sleeping very very close to her mother and she knew how to get it. I feared that if we did not make some changes soon that we would be in a future episode of the Super Nanny. I loved having her with us at night. Lisa and Vanessa snuggled most nights, but there were a handful of nights where she decided to snuggle with me. Sleeping right next to your baby girl as her fingers rap around one finger of yours is indescribable and incredible.

Notice in the photo below how Vanessa has one hand on her mom. That's how it worked most nights. I really think that Vanessa loved feeling the breath of Lisa on her face. During the night Lisa would move more toward the edge of the bed so she would not feel so smothered and Vanessa would respond and wiggle in closer. Lisa would wake up with out an inch of wiggle room one way or the other.

Lisa and I decided to face our fears and actually let Vanessa sleep in her crib in her own room. We both thought we would be facing the wrath of an upset baby and no sleep for many nights. We were both so so wrong. Vanessa slept all through the night the very first night. We have been going strong for a little over 2 months now with out any problems with the exception of maybe one night. I must say I miss it a lot but Lisa is getting much more (and better) sleep. Vanessa seems more content in her own room, as well. Putting her to bed is so much easier than it use to be in the past. Life is changing very quickly right now, but, I'm enjoying every minute of it!

Simon always jumps in bed early in the morning. If I'm up he takes my spot. Check out Vanessa's gloves!

The Cake Destroyer

2010-12-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

Check out this photo of the birthday girl! I love love love this photo of Vanessa. I think it may be on my top 10 photos ever. I would fight fire for this photo. If a photo could sum up the essence of Vanessa, this would be it. Vanessa has my heart in a way that nobody ever has, and, it makes me feel vulnerable. Vulnerable because I really don't want Vanessa to change. If I could, I would trade a lifetime to replay a day with Vanessa being one over and over again. I know I can't, and, I know she is going to change and grow. Everyone tells me it only gets better and I know it will! Enjoy the ride, I say!

Lisa spent all this time making a gorgeous puppy dog cake only to be destroyed by Vanessa. Tragic? Absolutely not! Destruction could not get any cuter than seen in these photos and video below. With Vanessa being a one year old, it was only suitable to let her feed herself a huge piece of cake. It was classic! The cake went pretty much everywhere except down the pie hole. She enjoyed every minute of it, but, it was a bazillion times more fun for us, as parents, to celebrate her first birthday. Like I have said in the past, it has been the fastest year of my life, but, the most fun!

Vanessa pretty much dominated her piece of cake!

Check out the contrast in the these two photos. Cousin Clara could definitely teach Vanessa some manners! :)

Unlike her mom and dad, Vanessa has one of those fancy tongues that can twist and fold into wierd shapes.

Facebook/Feed Readers view the video here.

What do you think? Was a doggy themed party the right way to go?

Puppy Dog Birthday Cake

2010-12-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

Vanessa is a huge fan of dogs. It really is her favorite thing. So Lisa, being the kick butt mom that she is, decided that Vanessa's first birthday cake needed to be of a dog. Not any dog mind you, this birthday cake was modeled after Vanessa's favorite dog, Simon.

Lisa labored over this cake. By the time she was done there where pots and pans everywhere. Frosting found it's way up the walls and on the floor and there where plenty of empty containers of frosting and cake boxes.

But in the end Lisa created a cake of perfection. It was absolutely perfect and perfect for Vanessa. Easy for me to say but it was worth all the hard work. I should also note that Simon put in his time as well. Not only as a model, but for cleaning up any little frosting mishaps that hit the floor. If you look close you can see him hiding in the background just waiting for payday!

Wedding Photographer Maine

2010-12-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favorites from an engagement session I did with Stacy and Troy. We bounced around on this session and went to three locations. Maine is such a great place to get married. There is so much beauty in this state. All of these amazing locations are all within 10 minutes of each other. I'm so happy for Stacey and Troy they are just fabulous together and I can not wait to shoot their wedding next Summer!

Being a Dad

2010-11-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect. I do believe that I cherish life on a daily basis, but, I also realize that one little problem can take my focus off of the beauty of life. It's so easy for me to concentrate on a few things that are not going my way and to neglect the amazing life that God has blessed me with. Life will always have it's challenges. What's most important is how I handle those challenges. Problems themselves in my view can be a blessing. They provide contrast to life, which allows us to gauge life so we can see how sweet things really are. I also feel that problems are healthy. We all need to go out and fight a little. Who wants everything handed to them on a silver platter? I don't want to be the lion at the zoo. I want to be the lion out in the jungle who gets to fight and hunt and hold his own.

This Thanksgiving one of the things I'm most thankful for is my little Vanessa. She has allowed me to be a dad. She has certainly come with challenges. Challenges that Lisa and I with the help of family and friends have defeated. There will be new and fresh challenges to come, but right now, I'm standing on the top of the mountain we have climbed, and the view is so so sweet. I love being a dad. It is more rewarding than I ever thought. The most beautifull sound I have ever heard was the first time I heard Vanessa giggle. The feelings and emotions that it created can never be described with words. This is just one example of many! In short I'm so thankful that I'm a Dad.

The AMAZING photography is by my ever talented, drop dead gorgeous wife, Lisa.

The end of the party

2010-11-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I just shot this photo a few minutes ago and it very easily shows that we had one heck of a first birthday party for our little Vanessa. The most fun I have ever had!

Blake and Steve Sneak Peak

2010-11-19T06:42:00.000-08:00

Beagle Time Lapse

2010-11-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

Simon is a huge part of our family and he loves it that way. In fact Simon can get more laughs out of Vanessa than I can. He is truly loved by all of us. We recently bought a suv so he could come for more rides with us. That being said he can't always come with us. Sometimes our schedule does not allow for him to come or it's simply just to hot or cold for him.

When we do leave Simon home he is always a huge ball of energy when we return. He is always SO happy to see us. Sometimes he goes so nuts we have to let him outside so he can burn some of the energy off.

I've always wondered what he does when we leave him home. So I decided to do a little time lapse photography to see what he does. After watching the video I have a pretty good understanding why he has so much energy and why he does not like to be left home. Life is pretty boring with out us I guess!

Simon loves to snuggle.

Here he is getting dried off after his bath.

DJ Vanessa

2010-11-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

As you will soon see Vanessa loves loves loves music. Her taste in music is actually quite diverse at the moment. She definitely loves the light and happy tunes her toys play her but we will catcher her jamming away to our music as well. She also loves to hear us sing her songs, which are quite horrible, but for what ever reason she believes they belong in Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 hits. To bring her to even higher heights we will dance and sing. We basically have a mini concert in our home ever night. The music gets her in the happiest of moods and it makes her whole body move.

If this video does not make you smile there is something wrong with you. :)

Vanessa's captive audience is not feeling the groove.

Summer Street Kennebunk Halloween

2010-11-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

So, Lisa has been dying to dress up our little Vanessa and the hound for months now. Here is a little collage of Vanessa as a flower and Simon as a squirrel. It's sad, I know, but we do live through our kids. :)

We not only took a visit to the grandparents for Halloween where the flower was greeted like a princess, but, we also went to Summer Street in downtown Kennebunk. The police had the street shut down and we witnessed hundreds of little kids dressed up as vampires, ghosts, firefighters, rock stars and, yes, flowers and squirrels!

It can take several shots to get the right one!

Here's more proof that Lisa LOVES to dress up Vanessa.

We made sure to knock on one door while we were out. Vanessa was greeted by the sweetest old lady who gave Vanessa her first piece of Halloween candy.

Taijia and Eric

2010-10-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

As you can tell Taijia and Eric had a fabulous wedding. The wedding and the reception were held at the beautiful Maine Irish Heritage Center. Below are some of my favorite images of the day. Above is a slideshow with a lot more images to view. Taijia and Eric have been married since June and they recently announced that they are going to be having a baby!! Congrats Guys, Lisa and I are so happy for you.

Also, If you would like to look at their engagement photos click here.

Safety in a Necklace

2010-10-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

When Vanessa had her surgery we did everything possible to make sure our little girl was as comfortable as could be. It was our number one priority. We brought many things to make her feel as though she was still at home. For example, her own pack n' play (for the night before), blankets, her night light, her glow worm and many other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. After Vanessa's five hour surgery we were able to see her. The swelling had just begun and moved in very quickly. I swear you could see the swelling move in by the minute. Her eyes were completely swollen shut... and then some. She could no longer see. The thing that brought her the most comfort was Lisa's necklace. Although she could not see her mom, she knew she was near. It was amazing to see how quickly she adapted to her condition. Her sense of touch was definitely increased. When her hand would lightly hit something she would quickly respond by a firmer touch to investigate further.

This photo is not from the surgery but is a great example of the comfort Vanessa got from holding onto Lisa's necklace and knowing mom was very close by.

The other thing that brought a lot of comfort to Vanessa was her glow worm. She absolutely loves her glow worm and the songs he sings.

Here is another photo that is not from her surgery but it represents how much she loves her glow worm. There have been many nights where Vanessa has fallen asleep looking into glow worm's eyes.

The whole surgery experience is so trying and exhausting. I would not wish it on anyone. There were times when Lisa and I both broke down because we could not handle it. I really feel for families who are going through a difficult medical situation.
Our surgeons are the best in the country for Vanessa's condition but it came at a price... the inner city hospital. Hospitals are supposed to be a place for healing and rest. I can say the inner city hospitals are anything but that.
Our stay was roughly a week and we changed rooms three times and shared our small rooms with a family that spoke only spanish. The hospital was so loud and chaotic as well. Add all that with frayed nerves and high emotion and you have a very unpleasant situation. There are families that have hospital stays months and longer. I really don't know how they do it. The prayer and support from friends and family is HUGE. I know that's what got us through our ordeal. We are so glad it is behind us. God is so good.

Standing Room Only

2010-10-27T02:44:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little Vanessa is growing so quickly. We are getting ready to celebrate her first birthday in less than a month. This past year has been the quickest year I have ever had, but it has been the most rewarding as well. I wish I could slow it down but I know I can't. That's why I always have the video camera and camera very close by. I want to save the moments any way I can. Some photos I have taken of Vanessa mean so much to me. I think I would go into a burning building to get them If I had to. I will be posting some of those photos in the next couple of days. Check out this short little clip taken yesterday of Vanessa standing and clapping with out any assistance. It has only happened a handful of times. She also took two or three steps all by her self for the first time yesterday which did not make it on tape but I am so glad I got to see it.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

2010-09-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Check out Jessica and Rayna's wedding which was held at the beautiful Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Maine.

Metopic Craniosynostosis

2010-07-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

My baby girl Vanessa, has a rare medical conditon called metopic craniosynostosis. She is going to be having an extensive operation this Wednesday. My wife and I are litteraly counting the hours untill the operation is over. The stress at times is tangible and is growing as the operation nears. I'm completely amazed by the generosity, giving and support from friends, family, and yes, even strangers. God has blessed us. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. I'm not sure if we could have done this with out you. If you are a family that is just starting this journey please email me. We would love to help and support you in any way that we can.

Jessica and Rayna's Engagement Session

2010-06-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from my friends Jessica and Rayna's engagement session! Jessica and Rayna have a huge appreciation for the outdoors. So much so that they both work in the environmental field and spend a lot of their leisure time hiking. It's only fitting that their wedding will be at the beautiful Botanical Gardens this July.

Vanessa goes to the Beach

2010-05-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Vanessa Meets Simon

2010-05-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

Check out what happens when we bring our baby girl home for the first time to meet our dog, Simon.

My Beautiful Girl

2010-01-26T20:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of my beautiful two month old daughter! Also, in my free time (currently not very much) I have been working on a much needed new website. I hope to have it completed before spring, so stay tuned for that!

Nate and Amanda

2010-01-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Contact Me

2009-12-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

Vanessa Brooke

2009-11-28T10:21:00.000-08:00

Lisa and I are now proud parents to our first child, Vanessa Brooke.

If you are having trouble watching the slide show above use the video option below.
For best viewing watch the upper slide show.

Deanna and Jon's Wedding

2009-11-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

Jason and Maeghan

2009-09-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

Taijia and Eric Engagement Photos

2009-08-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

Katy and Ryan's Wedding on Bailey Island

2009-07-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Another Photo Contest

2009-07-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here is another photo contest that I'm going to add to the growing list of ligit photo contests. To see the growing list click here.

Click the logo to check out the site.

Here is the description right from the site: "I ♥ Faces is a photography site focused on the art of capturing faces and their various emotions. Each week, people from across the world have the opportunity to enter their favorite face photos into two categories ~ kids and adults. A "Guest Photographer Judge" will pick a winning photo from each category that will then be displayed on our home page."

Fine Art

2009-07-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

I took this photo about an hour ago. Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July from Kennebunk Maine

2009-07-03T22:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! I am so glad I am from the United States of America. I'm a proud American! Enjoy your freedom!

This hurts my Rock N' Roll image.

2009-07-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

The fact that I'm a novice bird watcher may hurt my rock n' roll image, but it's the truth. My Grandmother recently gave me the book in the photo above. I have also received a couple bird feeders from my wife and family. The book has helped me identify a couple sweet and fairly rare bird sightings which are pictured below. There is so much beauty around us!

Indigo Bunting

Scarlet Tanager

Two Cool Videos

2009-07-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

So here are two cool videos you should check out. The first video I think is the coolest and a must watch for anyone who considers themselves an artist. The video was created by one of the coolest photographers around, Zach Arias. The video starts off a little slow but the beginning is needed to drive the point home. This is a must watch in my book. The second video is a fun video of a dude that took his picture everday for 6 years. Definitely not a must see but it is pretty neat.

Deanna and Jon Part 2

2009-07-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pics from Deanna and Jon's E-Session. If you didn't see the first post you can view it here.

A Christmas List in June

2009-06-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

I don't know why different things grab my attention and don't let go, but they do. So here is a list of some things that I just plain old want. I could say that it's a survivors kit for the end of the world with an old super 8mm video camera to document it all.

So this an old super 8 video camera. A canon 814 to be exact. You can pick up these darn things for a quarter at a yard sale but if you try to buy a working one from ebay it could cost around $200. I'm totally wanting to make authentic old looking videos. Just picture the intro to the Wonder Years. That's the vibe I want to capture!

Next on my list is a short wave radio. If you have ever played with one of these things you will know why I want one. You can tune in the most obscure radio programming you have ever heard from around the world. When the end of the world is very near and all of the current ways of staying up to date on the news are no longer available, come see me. I will have my short wave radio and will be able to fill you in on all of the latest happenings.

The next thing on my list is one of those learn how to tie knot kits. I really could work on my knots. My father can tie the craziest knots you have ever seen. He always says "I learnt that in troop 134". So yeah, I never went to boy scouts and my manhood is at stake. Also, It could really come in handy when the world comes to an end.

So today I stopped to save a turtle from crossing a busy highway and I saw this old picture in the grass. I thought it was perfect for this blog post. Merry Christmas to you and please watch out for turtles!

Clara

2009-06-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Self Portrait Sunday

2009-05-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Kennebunk May Day Festival

2009-05-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Kennebunk May Day Festival rolled right by my house this morning, so I had to pick up the camera and take a few pics. Enjoy.......

Video from a Wedding

2009-04-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video clip from a wedding that lisa and I shot in New Hampshire. I really wanted a lot more video of us working up a sweat and being in the zone. We both got caught up in the beauty of the day and our only video is less than a minute long. So here it is. Enjoy.....

Another Hound Post

2009-03-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

So I just snapped this photo about 10 minutes ago. I really need the weather to start warming up a touch so I can shoot some more engagement sessions instead of the hound. I know I'm very partial, but you have to admit that the dog has something going for him.

Simon

The Honeymoon and our underwater camera

2009-03-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

So Lisa and I have been married for almost 2 years now. When we went on our honeymoon we bought those cheap waterproof cameras to document our snorkeling. The funny thing is we never had them developed. So last weekend Lisa and I had a lazy saturday afternoon and we decided to get those darn things developed.
It was really fun to see the pictures. I had a small revelation while looking at the photos. It occurred to me that the only photos that we were interested in was the photos of us. It's relationships that matter the most. It all boils down to our family and friends. The pretty pictures of the fish below will not grace our wall. It's the photos of my wife and I together that I will cherish.

Lisa and I went a little overboard with our honeymoon. After we spent a couple weeks in Rivera Maya, Mexico, we went to Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia was almost entirely paid for (we went over budget by like 20 bucks) by money we had saved in our "jar." The "jar" was funded by birthday money, a lot of returnables, spare change, and whatever money we could scrounge up. We even had our "monthly dues" and "late fees" There was one sacred law concerning this "jar." Once the money went into the jar it could not be taken out for any reason until we were married.

This is how we roll.

2009-03-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is how the hound, Simon, and I like to go for a ride. He sits on the armrest and it puts him at a perfect height to keep watch for any dogs that may be along the roadside. I guess as cheesy as the bumper stickers are, the "dog is my copilot." Gotta love hound dogs!

Deanna and Jon

2009-03-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

A little over a week ago Lisa and I did an engagement shoot in downtown Kennebunkport. We were a little concerned that the weather was going to be to cold or snowing. We were lucky and the weather worked in our favor for the most part. It was a little on the chilly side.

I love the engagement sessions. It reminds me of when I was engaged. It was such an exciting time for lisa and me. I feel so fortunate to be around people who are engaged. The happiness and the emotions that are in the air are amazing. I think every time I do an engagement session some of that karma rubs off onto me.

I love photography and naturally I want to take great photographs. But more importantly I want to capture emotion. I want to save it forever. The photo does not have to be perfect technically, I just want real emotion. It's a life long quest. I think this last shoot is the closest I have come........

This is me taking the picture below.

When I showed this picture to my brother he said it looked "very honest." I think that describes this photo the best, honest!
Deanna and Jon we are so excited for you guys! Congratulations!

Fun Free Photography Contest

2009-02-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

I went to the Kennebunk library yesterday. I always like to check out the free magazine swap table. I noticed a very cool magazine, it's called JPG. The magazine is almost one hundred percent photos with very little text. The real cool thing is the photos are submitted and voted by old joes like me. Anyone can submit and vote on the photos! It's kind of like an American Idol for photography. You can check out the magazine by clicking here.

They do themes for each issues. One of the next themes is "house" so I submitted a photo of our home.

Another great and fun photo contest is Jones Soda. The idea is pretty much the same as JPG Magazine but the photos end up on soda bottles instead of a magazine. You can also bypass the voting and just order some bottles with your photos on them.

Click the logo to check out the site.

Here is the description right from the site: "I ♥ Faces is a photography site focused on the art of capturing faces and their various emotions. Each week, people from across the world have the opportunity to enter their favorite face photos into two categories ~ kids and adults. A "Guest Photographer Judge" will pick a winning photo from each category that will then be displayed on our home page."

Let me know if there are any other cool photo contest out there and I will be sure to add it to the list.

Coffee

2009-02-24T09:41:00.000-08:00

Lura Getting Ready

2009-02-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

As you can see Lura looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day. Her dress, shoes, earings and neckless where a match made only in heaven. She got ready at her aunt's which was maybe two minutes from the church. Lura planned her day well. Things seemed to move quickly but very smoothly. Good planning goes along way on your wedding day. So here's to Lura......

Little Lowrider

2009-02-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

I found this video and wanted to share it with everyone. The video is actually captured using a cannon dslr, the 5d mark II to be exact. It looks like the new dslr cameras may follow the way of the point and shoot cameras by adding video to the camera. The video quality is just amazing!

Lisa and I have been getting a lot of inquires the past couple days for weddings next summer. It looks like we are going to have a very busy summer. I can't wait, it's going to be so much fun!

I hope to be posting some Wedding photos of Lura and Reggie's wedding in the very near future. I'm so happy at how they are turning out. So stay tuned for those......

Enjoy the video!

A New Scarf

2009-01-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

My wife just finished knitting this amazing scarf. I have never really used a scarf much. I'm so hooked now. It keeps you so much warmer. I love it.

So yes, Lisa is incredible. I'm taken back and have a loss of words for my wife and the amazing fit that we are together. The amount of laughter that rings through our house in a single evening is nothing short of extraordinary. When we are apart we can't wait to see each other. It takes a lot for us to get on each other's nerves. We love to spend time together. I'm so thankful. God has blessed me so much!

A Young Artist, Rock Band, and a Birthday

2009-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Lisa and I have been living life to the fullest these past couple weeks. We have been spending a lot of time with family and each other, which is a very high priority for us. New years weekend we celebrated Christmas with Lisa's side of the family. My niece, Clara, is a blooming artist. I just know it. She loves to draw and play music. She got a drum for Christmas and she loves to play it. She just gets cuter by the second. Check out this master piece she drew for us all.

Chris got the game "rock band" for his wii. We spent many hours playing this game and trying to perfect our rock stance.

We just recently celebrated Lisa's dad's birthday. We ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Fuji, in downtown Portland. It's the kind of place where the chef cooks in front of you and throws the knives and plays with fire and all that kind of cool stuff. The food is just amazing, as well!

The Kennebunk Post and Christmas Day.

2008-12-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

It was such an honor to see my photo in the Kennebunk Post. I did a blog post about these photos a few weeks ago. If any one is interested they can see these photos and the blog post by clicking here.

Christmas was such a blast. Lisa and I were able to be the host for a major holiday for the first time. We moved all our furniture around and even pushed our piano to the opposite side of the house to accommodate our family coming over. We also moved our beloved Sony Bravia from our bedroom upstairs to the downstairs living room.

The one down side to this Christmas was the fact that we were not able to see all our family. Lisa's mom and dad are in Florida and my mom is in Africa doing missions work.

My sister asked me to take a picture of her beloved dog Emma. It gave me a chance to use my new lens. The 24-70mm f2.8 for all of you camera geeks. It is one of the first shots I fired off with the lens. I must say I'm so in love with this new pice of gear :)

Rock N' Roll

2008-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I have been sitting on for quite a while. I finally had a chance to pull them out and work on them today. I'm pretty darn pleased on how they are coming out.

Here is the same photo in black and white.

A Slideshow for Matt & Michelle

2008-12-16T11:19:00.000-08:00

So here is a slide show of our close friends Matt and Michelle. They had a fantastic wedding. I wanted to use their first dance song for the slide show. The song is a little on the short side so it limited me with the amount of slides I could use. So here it is! enjoy.....

New Gear 24-70mm F2.8L

2008-12-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

So I just wanted to share with every one my new purchase. It's my first "L" lens. It's being sent out monday. Here's a couple of pics for everyone.

Reggie and Lura's Slideshow

2008-12-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

Anthony Vito Fiandaca and some Thanksgiving Pics

2008-12-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sometime this week I'm going to be doing a photo shoot of Anthony Vito Fiandaca. I will be sure to add some pictures soon. Check out this video documenting a song he recorded at the Ghost Mill Recording Studio. The studio is owned by my brother and long time friend Jesse Dold. The photos of the studio in the video where shot by yours truly.

Also here are a few pics from my thanksgiving weekend.

Recording Anthony Vito Fiandaca at The Ghost Mill

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

2008-11-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

Nothing to Do

2008-11-21T06:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun little video I made. If you have an extra minute hit the play button.

Camera in Jeopardy

2008-11-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

So Tuesday Night I decided to do some street work. It's such a great way to have some fun and relax. I was feeling so good I put my camera in jeopardy. I have since realized that It was not the brightest thing I have ever done. When I look a the photo It almost justifies the fact that my camera could easily have been run over.

I made sure the settings on the camera where ready and then I set the camera in the middle of the road and hit the shutter. The shutter was open around 30 seconds. It's a long 30 seconds when you watch cars zoom past your camera. The only hedge of protection was a flimsy plastic "yield to pedestrians" sign. Also notice that in my hastiness I set the camera slightly off center of the yellow lines.

Home sweet home. This is where Lisa and I live.

Liz senior shoot

2008-11-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

I recently did a senior shoot with Liz. She goes to Knoble High. We went to this awesome looking converted barn in Hampton NH. It seemed like everywhere we went there was another great backdrop for a nice shot. After we were done shooting at the barn we went to Hampton beach. It was really nice to go to Hampton beach. It's been a long time since I have been there.

This is the shot she is using for her yearbook.

Mutt=Love at our house

2008-11-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Simon is our hound dog. He is usually the topic of discussion at the dinner table. I know it's pathetic but it's true, we are in love with a dog. I'm thankful that we have a king sized bed because many nights he is under the covers.

Simon came from Kentucky. He was scheduled to be put down because nobody wanted him. Lisa found him on petfinder. She knew instantly that he was meant for our home. We were going to go on a road trip and save him. With a few phone calls we found out that he could catch a ride in a van with a bunch of other dogs all the way to New Hampshire.

The amount of energy Simon has sometimes is nothing short of scary.

Most of the time he is pretty chill. He loves to snuggle.

When we first got simon we were in an apartment in Wells. Our landlord had given us the thumbs up on a small dog when we first signed the lease. Simon is borderline small. He is more like medium size. Every time our landlord would come around we would keep him away from the windows :)

He even has his own chair.

Reggie and Lura

2008-10-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I did an engagement session with Reggie and Lura. They are getting married January 10, 2009. It was a fun and relaxed time. I got to show them downtown Kennebunkport and some of the fun little things around town like the "wedding cake house."

Pastor Poole is going to be their officiant. He was my old pastor when I was growing up. I haven't seen him in years and I'm really excited to see him.

Our good friends Matt and Gena

2008-10-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Matt and Gena recently tied the knot. They asked me to shoot a few photographs during the rehersal which I gladly did. I also took a few photos at their wedding, as well. The beautiful flower arrangements where done by Gena's sister, Erica. She is very talented! Lisa and I were Lucky enough to have her do our flowers at our wedding.

Despite the rain, the party was rocking. If anything, the rain made the evening more memorable!

Our Friends Matt & Michelle

2008-10-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

Our friends Matt & Michelle recently got married. Matt ask me to photograph the guys getting ready. I was honored and it was so much fun. Matt and his buddies really no how to laugh and have a good time. The wedding location was so beautiful. It so nice when the cermony and reception are at the same place.

A Beautiful Family of Three

2008-10-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to do a family session with my brother and sister in law. Chris, Tanya and their cute little girl, Clara, were such a joy to photograph.

These guys are a great example of a loving and caring family.

They don't get any cuter than this!

I'm one proud uncle! :)

I must say Clara is pretty dang quick on her feet.

My first official Blog post

2008-10-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

Simon is a Mac fan.

I have been talking about blogging for quite a while now. So considering I just bought a new Imac :) I have no excuses not to blog. I want to have an average of at least 1 blog post a week. So if I'm not meeting my quota let me know.


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