The Sincerity of Josh Ritter

"I'm singin for the love of it, have mercy on the man who sings to be adored."

-josh ritter, "snow is gone"

Thinking back, I still remember the feeling that came over me when I heard this lyric for the first time. A rush of simplicity, sprinkled with age-old wisdom - resulting in an effortless sense of clarity. I remember thinking, "Man, this guy is the real deal - he gets it". Months later, as the winter turned it's back to welcome the spring air, I thought that it might be nice to make a video of the tune and share it with my friends right here on visual:ramblings. I did so and that was that.



Flash forward nearly a year and wouldn't you know it - I am standing in a bar in Ithaca, NY sipping beers and chatting with Josh, who couldn't have been a more gracious human being. I am happy to report that the sincerity that he delivers in his music comes from a genuine place. Often we fear meeting those whom we admire from a distance as there is no way that they could live up to what we have made them out to be. Josh Ritter is an exception. He's all that...and then some! Before we went our separate ways, Josh grabbed my concert poster and wrote:
"Tom & Kelli - May all of your dances be slow dances." - How freekin cool is that?!?!? We fist-bumped, hugged and went on our separate ways - forever connected by the experience. Thank you Josh Ritter, for being exactly who I hoped you would be :)

Here's a photo:



Now...you may be wondering why I mentioned that I recorded that song for the blog...
Tonight I am off to see Eddie Vedder Solo in Albany, NY. Call it wishful thinking, but here is an Ed Ved song that I'd like to share with you all. If history is inclined to repeat, perhaps I will have another chance encounter to share with you all on future posts...



Alright y'all...
I'm off to ROCK OUT!

love,laughter,light
t

3rd Wheel Session - New Haven, CT

Greetings Dear Friends,

I thought that I might share some images from a recent 3rd Wheel Session in New Haven, CT. A million-zillion thanks to Kara and Hans for inviting me into their lives and exposing to me a love that warmed my heart and sent my imagination reeling. The time spent with them was a reminder of how very blessed I am to connect with amazing people who encourage my madness and revel in a process that is not yet defined. For it is through my clients that I realize my own value and hope with absolute humility that my work helps them to realize theirs.

Kara and Hans - Thank you for your courage, kindness and willingness to expose the comfortable bond that you share. I look forward to September and exploring the vastness that is Lancaster, PA :)

Kara & Hans - 3rd Wheel Session

In other news, I've just returned from an amazing wedding celebration in sunny (and ridiculously hot) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Look for those images in upcoming posts.

I hope that this finds you all well my friends and appreciate you sharing a bit of your day with me.

love.laughter.light
t
(New Haven, CT Wedding Photographer)

ISPWP Spring Photo Contest Results

I am at a loss for words at the moment. A combination of excitement, humility, pride, shock and joy have rendered me less that articulate.

Here's the Short Version: The results from the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP) Spring 2009 photo contest are IN! I am honored to be a member of this prestigious organization and floored that 5 of the 6 entries that I submitted placed in the top 10 of their respective categories. Here's a review:

1st Place! - Details - Not Food or Drink

3rd Place - Getting Ready

6th Place - Getting Ready

9th Place - Details - Not Food or Drink

10th Place - Pure Art

The results from the entire contest can be viewed by clicking here. Congratulations to all who placed and submitted...it's truly amazing company to be in :) I urge you to swing by and spend a few minutes. The experience is a feast for the eyes and the soul.

Those of you who know me know that my work is NOT about me. It's not about what I expect or desire or think that I know. It has nothing to do with what I did yesterday or what I want for tomorrow. It's about being present - being in the moment - and being connected to this experience of life. I wish for my images to contain something revealing about both my subject and myself, as relevant images must contain traces of both.

I am overjoyed to receive this recognition, yet nowhere near satisfied with my journey. I pledge to continue to give my all to every moment believing above all that the best is yet to come. Thank you all for sharing in this exciting time with me. Your love and support is a greater honor than any contest can yield.

love.laughter.light
t
(humbled, honored and overjoyed)

The Arrival of Baby Luca

Greetings Dear Friends,

When Kelli Marsh asked me to tag along for an arrival celebration at the Rochester International Airport, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. All that I knew was that a young couple from Rochester had flown out to Ethiopia to adopt and bring home their baby boy. Armed with that knowledge and an open heart, I embarked upon a truly unique and shockingly beautiful experience. What awaited was a joy so powerful, so pure and unfiltered that it shook me to the very core. The reception of family and friends was so genuine and intense that it made fighting back the tears an exercise in futility. I am not ashamed to say that I was one hot mess :)

The following are some of the images gathered from that unforgettable day. I believe that they speak for themselves, so I will shut up now. An extra special thank you to Kelli Marsh and the Luciano family for inviting me along on an experience that sent my heart soaring. Be sure to swing by Kelli's Blog for more images from this beautiful day.

If you're looking for more information on Adoption Services, you can visit the Better Future Adoption Services (BFAS) by clicking here. In-Joy my friends:

Luca Arrives

Thank you for spending your time with me friends. New posts coming soon, so be sure to stop on by :)

love.laughter.light
t
(Rochester NY Photographer who is so lucky...so freekin lucky)

Destination: Atlantis Wedding

Hello Dear Friends :)

I'd like to share some images from a recent wedding on Paradise Island in the Bahamas that I was not only blessed to witness, but was doubly-blessed to to work alongside the fabulous Kenny Kim. A million thanks to Kenny, to our wonderful couple Riley & Jason - who gave us an uninhibited window into their world - and to their families for accepting us with open arms from the very first day. This was the second Atlantis Wedding that Kenny and I had worked together on in as many years. Can we make it three-for-three this season?? My fingers are crossed...

I've mixed a few 'travel' photos into the bunch as Paradise Island is a feast for the eyes & the curious heart. Enjoy! :)

Riley & Jason - Paradise Island (Atlantis), The Bahamas

Goodtimes indeed :) That's all for now kids. I hope that you have enjoyed your visit and will return soon for another installment of visual:ramblings.

love.laughter.light,
t
(Bahamas Atlantis Resort Destination Wedding Photographer)

On the Subject of Liberty

On the subject of liberty I suppose that what's most important is that liberty affords its lucky few the consent to express their opinion to inspire social evolution. This freedom to express is critical to all relationships...political, professional and personal. If used properly, free expression encourages dialogue, which inspires the progress that gives much-needed momentum to the process of betterment. As history indicates, though, this is often difficult to accomplish between groups of men as our ability to focus on the root issue is often overshadowed by the temptation to indulge on spoils of immediate satisfaction. All social systems have their flaws. Liberty, in theory, exists to correct those flaws once they are realized. I digress...this is a topic for another conversation as it exceeds the scope of this blog...we love images here, right?!?!

The following images were gathered at last week's T.E.A Party in Rochester. In my estimation, the core purpose of this demonstration was for a group of individuals to exercise the freedom to express their position on a topic of major concern. This was the essence of the reality of liberty, as dialogue is not often easy to initiate. The specifics to me were irrelevant. What was relevant was the enthusiasm...the passion...the fired-up-ed-ness! These are contagious energies which, if used properly, can move mountains.

Please note: This is NOT a political post. This blog NEVER has been and NEVER will be a forum to express political, religious or social opinion. By posting these images, I am not trying to make a statement on policy, but instead paying tribute to a freedom that it too valuable to overlook. These are simply observations that I thought might be fun to share with you all. Not to mention, it was cool to slip into the roll of Photojournalist :)

Thank you for stopping by dear friends. I'm finishing up the edit on a magnificent wedding from the Bahamas in the next day or so. Post coming soon :)

laughter.love.light
t
(Rochester Photojournalist...for a day)

Hurry Never (and other words to inspire)

Holy Blog-Slacking!!!

In the midst of all of the excitement, I neglected to share my adventures (Boo for me). For this I apologize and promise to get you all up to speed.

Since my last post we've traveled to England to share an amazing week with a talented bunch of international photographers who I am proud to call friends. In fact, Kelli and I worked as models for the group and benefited tremendously from being on the other side of the camera. We visited London and took a trek up to Liverpool, the home of The Beatles!!! Since arriving back home, we've spent a night hanging out with Josh Ritter and the boys from Gomez, shot some incredible 3rd Wheel Sessions, Weddings, and even an Arrival Celebration for a couple bringing their adopted African baby home for the first time...an unforgettable experience. In addition to that, we bought our FIRST CONDO! A two bedroom waterfront beauty on the Irondequoit Bay...fully equipped with a large porch, stunning views and a boat slip to boot!!! Needless to say, this 'slow' season was anything slow!!!

In the midst of all of this madness, one of my closest and oldest friends - let's call him Mikey Lindacher - sent along a message that has been ringing through my head ever since. I'd like to share a snippet of that with you, for his perspective is as refreshing as the spring air that fills our lungs:

"Flint, you know what I want??"

"To live content with small means. To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than style. To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy in spirit, not rich. To work hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly. To listen to stars and birds with an open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, HURRY NEVER. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony...the instruments are all around me."

**Breathe**

Thanks for that Mikey...

I'll be back soon with some images, today I decided rather to share a thought.

I hope that this finds you all with receptive hearts and soaring spirits.

much.love
t
(New York Wedding Photographer who is enjoying himself at the moment)