Have Camera will shoot...with my "Poor Woman's Leica" - Fuji EX-2

I love my Fuji EX-2!!  It’s freed me up to SHOOT.  To shoot for ME.  It’s compact, it’s cool looking, yes, cool looking!  I mean hello, it’s my accessory-it should be cool!  It has a viewfinder, I miss looking through a VF with a travel–about-sized-camera. "I Have My Camera, I Will Shoot!"

Fuji EX 2 Have camera will shoot

One of my first real “images” with my Fuji EX-2 was from a pawn shop in Dalton, GA. I was on assignment but had time to kill before our flight, so we went into the town of Dalton. I’m originally from the south, but woa this was a step back…I’m not used to pawn shops anymore, especially ones that sell guns, they freaked me out...but had my Fuji and thought what the hey, might be my last shot, but I'll go out with a bang! "Would you mind if I took your photograph Mr. Gun Guy?”  Mr, Gun Guy said, “sure sugar”.  See how proud he is, sucking his gut in.

Pawn Shop, Dalton GA

Then in May of 2014 I took my new friend to Morocco. No, no, not the Gun Guy, my Fuji EX-2! I did hip shots through Marrakech and from the hump of a camel!  These images were printed 20 wide and could easily go further!

Merzouga, Morocco

Hip Shot

Then there’s the amateur functions the Fuji EX-2 has, which I have to admit are a lot of fun. The panoramic feature works well (shot from the Top of Dar Sefarrine, Fes). The tilt-shift (doesn’t seem to be very flexible, or I’m not using it right) is a fun feature. The toy camera I can take or leave, just as soon use the real thing, like my tried and true Holga's. I even like the Dynamic Color mode-BUT my favorite is the ability to shoot square.

Camera Series

Fes Morocco

As for portraits, well, here a couple-of images.

Oh and music, this camera works great in low-light!!

Veronica Robles

I’ll end this advertisement for Fuji by sharing that my husband, Ron Pownall, has the Fuji X100, with the fixed lens. I went back and forth on which one to get. I’m still on the fence but do like the ability to shoot portraits with a portrait focal length.

That’s my story for today, and “I’m sticking to it”, as my friend John would say!  Hope you enjoy!

The Ivy Street School - Best Friends Shoot

MAB Community Services shoot.  July 16, 2014

It all started with a prom....

In 2010, Barbara Salisbury the intrepid and talented CEO of MAB Community Services, (Mass. Association for the Blind and the Visually Impaired and the Ivy Street School, (Thriving after Brain Injury) hired me to photograph their annual prom.  It was an amazing experience and there began a relationship professional and personal which continues to this day.

Have you heard about the great work being done at MAB and the Ivy Street School? Please visit there website at: www.mabcommunity.org

Most recently, I collaborated with Barbara on a photographic study on friendship at the Ivy Street School.  These amazing kids!  I photographed them with their best friends and the end result will be printing these images, life-size as wall-paper. I credit the kids and Barbara's creative spirit in realizing this wonderful project.

With the guidance and talent of designer Edie Twining, the project is a continuation of Barbara's remarkable vision for the school. Edie's work already adds an element of color and fun to the school environment right down to the striking floors. The multipurpose room where these images will paper the walls serves as a positive space for the kids. Often dismissed and overlooked elsewhere, here these kids are encouraged, respected and now will be surrounded by the most positive images possible: Friends with Friends!

I absolutely love photographing for MAB and the Ivy Street School. I’m very grateful to my friend and CEO Barbara Salisbury for hiring me to document these amazing students/clients.

MAB.Best Friends

MAB.Best Friends

MAB.Best Friends

MAB.Best Friends

Betts Family, March 1, 2014,Bedford Ma

Betts Family, March 1, 2014,Bedford Ma

MAB.Best Friends

MAB.Best Friends

Knowing I needed an assistant, asking Judy (West) to work with me was a no-brainer. An extraordinary photographer in her own right, she’s also fun to work with and LOVES kids. We had a blast, as you can see!

MAB BF Blog_1001

Barbara Salisbury, CEO MAB Community Services - www.mabcommunity.org

Judy West, Assistant and Photographer extraordinaire. www.judywestphotography.com

Edie Twining Design.  www.twiningdesign.com

A Boston Wedding-Mike and JoAnn

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Mike and Jo met at Bukowskis in November 2011, during which they discovered a shared loved of Photo-Hunt, pets (Mike had a cat and puppy and Jo was bordering on spinsterhood with 2 cats), and pre-gaming for first dates while watching the Patriots with friends. This date lasted 8 hours and from that point forward, Jo and Mike were inseparable, spending their weekend’s pub-crawling through Somerville and their weeknights cooking aggressively complicated meals. When asked when Mike knew he loved Jo, his response was simply: "I just never didn't." Jo and Mike spent the morning of their wedding getting dressed with friends and family. Jo wore a lace and tulle Kitty Chen gown with turquoise peep-toe pumps. Her good friend from college, Kara, did Jo's (and Jo's mom, Judy's!) hair and makeup and even sewed in rhinestone-encrusted buttons she found in NYC for Jo and Judy's hairpieces! Spring-themed flowers were provided by Winston's Flowers and were stunning, featuring some of Jo's favorite blooms, including tulips and daffodils.  

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Jo's friends and family have initiated Mike through steadfast traditions such as "Tequila Thursday" (more commonly known as "Thanksgiving") and Jo has been introduced to many of the pranks Mike and his friends share.  One such prank, compliments of Mike's high school buddy, Greg, involves hiding a specific -and terrifying- porcelain clown doll in unlikely places (e.g., the refrigerator) to scare unsuspecting party guests.  Unbeknownst to Mike, Jo (having been repeatedly burned by this prank) smuggled the clown into the limo and hid it in the ice container in order to successfully teach Mike his first lesson of married life- your wife can, when you least expect it, get you to scream like a little girl. The couple then took a limo around their beloved Boston, the city which had set the scene for their relationship.  It was important for Mike and Jo to spend this time together, as they were sure the rest of the evening would be a blur, and they both agreed it was an unforgettable afternoon! They had their first look at the iconic Fenway park where they had, the night before, attended opening day. They then revisited their first date spot for a Chimay and "white trash tots".

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Then they decided to "class it up a bit" by visiting the Public Garden where they were serenaded with the Wedding March by a street cellist and enjoyed a special concert by a man who since has been referred to as "Dr. Crazy Pants" Mike and Jo knew that they wanted "just a big party" vibe for the wedding, but they also wanted the ceremony itself to be a serious, reverent, and intimate occasion.  For those who know Mike and Jo, this does not necessarily describe their personalities! Therefore, in order to focus their attention to the vows, they chose to keep the ceremony closed for only nuclear family to support this, Mike's mother served as the officiant while Jo's mother was her "Mom-Of-Honor" and Mike's father was his "Best Dad." Mike and Jo wanted a tangible symbol of the love and support they learned from their families, so devised a "tree-nurturing ceremony" in which the Mom of honor and Best Dad poured soil from Jo and Mike's respective hometowns onto the roots of a Linden tree, which Mike and Jo then watered, symbolizing their commitment to nurture and foster their relationship. For the wedding itself, Jo and Mike were thrilled to see 250 of the amazing friends and family who nurtured, supported, loved, and cared for them throughout their lives. The couple wanted a cocktail party feel where people could move around, socialize, eat, drink, and, of course, dance!  They chose the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, with its amazing structures, lighting, and space and were thrilled with the full-service catering provided by BG Events.

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Jo's father made a wonderful welcome address followed by unbelievably touching words from some of Mike and Jo's closest friends. Their DJ, Greg Lanzolitta, from Beat Train was INCREDIBLE and the dance floor was never empty.  At the culmination of the evening, Jeff Brouillet of Ready, Set, Film! revealed same-day film footage of morning / afternoon's events so that those who were not present for the ceremony could have a glimpse into the special moments.

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A reading by Mike's nephew, Sean, told the myth of Baucis and Philemon, an elderly Greek couple who showed such hospitality and kindness to the  gods that they were rewarded with one wish, to be together forever.  The gods turned Baucis and Phelmon into an oak tree and a linden tree who were intertwined for all time, so Mike and Jo used an oak bench (crafted by Jo's college roommate's father) as a guest book, and plan on placing them together on their front lawn.

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As an homage to their remarkable journey, Jo had a surprise groom's cake made (by Dessert Works) in which Mike protects his new home, pets, and bride... from zombies. Mike's business partner and childhood friend sang an acoustic "Follow You, Follow Me" (Genesis) for their first dance, which was amazing!!

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When all was said and done, Mike and Jo were thrilled with their wedding.  They believe the day's progression was representative of their journeys. First, they were surrounded by the love and affection of the close friends and family who have known them since birth, then Mike and Jo found each other in Boston and savored a few hours together.  At the ceremony, they invited their families to witness as they officially became a new branch of the family tree, then finished the night surrounded by all those they so deeply cherish.  Looking around at the end of the evening, Mike and Jo were overwhelmed by the love and support of their guests and know they will be with them as they embark on their next journey, as husband and wife.  They couldn't be more grateful to everyone who made it such a perfect day.

Wedding dress: http://www.kittychencouture.com/ Flowers: http://www.winstonflowers.com Wedding Planner and Catering: http://bgeventsandcatering.com/ Wedding Venue: http://www.waterworksmuseum.org/ Videographers: http://readysetfilm.com/#/home/ DJ & Music Entertainment: http://beattrainproductions.com/boston-wedding-dj-reviews/greg-lanzillotta/ Groom's Wedding Cake: http://www.dessertworks.net/

Leah and Blake's Engagement Session-Smith Mountain Lake, Roanoke, VA

My sister flew me down to Roanoke, VA to photograph her daughter’s (my lovely niece, Leah) engagement pictures. I was also there to help Leah find her photographer. Now THAT was FUN.  Getting to interview other photographers, ask questions and look at their work was a delight and informative, not only for Leah, but for me too! We decided to work with Kemper Mills Fant. He’s a lovely man and does beautiful work. I know he’ll be a lot of fun to work with, too.

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©2014 Darlene DeVita Photography

 Leah and Blake (high-school sweethearts), spend every summer at Smith Mountain Lake, so, there we went. But first we had lunch, I wanted to eat at this fabulous Texas Tavern, but there was no room, the place was packed! We meandered our way through the Parkway and onto to the lake. Blake was a real sport, it was a long day…but worth it, right Blake?

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Oh, and we can’t forget Fred, their adorable little dog. Fred looks like my Lucy (Chinese Crested/Terrier)...needless to say we BONDED!!

©2014 Darlene DeVita Photography

Engagement Session in Roanoke, VA

By the way, Leah is in  PA school and Blake is a renowned NHRA Nitro Funny Car driver!

Edible Spoons- Images from the latest session with Jack Milan of Different Tastes

Images from my latest shoot with Jack Milan of Different Tastes and developer of the YUMMY Edible Asian Spoon. I always look forward to our February shoots with Jack. His artistic food designs are fun to shoot… and there are always samples to “test”.

Darlene DeVita Photography

Jack and I have known each other for years through our wedding work. Several years ago I started photographing his plates and Edible Spoons for Catersource Magazine. Each year Jack is a speaker at the Catersource Tradeshow, and each year we do a photo shoot for the show!

Darlene DeVita Photography

Darlene DeVita Photography

Oh Snap Photography_0780

Darlene DeVita Photography

My husband Ron came along this time to help us out and take a few “snaps” of us working and of course “test” the food!

Darlene DeVita Photography

Darlene DeVita Photography

Darlene DeVita Photography

Jack played around with a new buffet idea for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs …love the truck full of lettuce & tomatoes! It was a fun departure from our usual fancy, plated food and edible spoons…well some spoons!

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Darlene DeVita Photography

Jack is President/CEO of Different Tastes Catering, Chelsea, MA. http://www.differenttastes.com, and founder of Edibles by Jack, developer of the Edible Asian Spoon. http://ediblesbyjack.com/ediblespoon.html.

Anna and Nick’s day of reading and lounging! Portraits in Dar’s Studio!

Oddly enough, Anna found me on-line, googling!  Her “googling”, took her to a Boston photo-lab site that had my name listed as a referral.  I use the word odd because I find it rare that I actually book a client that hasn’t been referred to me by a past client.  Needless to say I was delighted that Anna chose to work with me! Anna also found her makeup artist online too; Ligia Centeno. I'd say she had a good ONLINE experience!

Anyone can get nervous before a photo shoot but the minute Nick showed up all of Anna's nerves melted away.

These two are so ridiculously cute together! You can tell that Nick likes to make Anna laugh, he is quite a character!

The idea for the portraits, or so I thought was to shoot sweet, timeless and classic portraits; she wanted to capture them as a couple I had no idea we’d have such a blast!

Anna and Nick enjoy their downtime by snuggling together and reading.

                        The studio became a lounge area.                        They were so comfortable, I just shot and they read to each other.

Lucy of course, was a big hit, with her sweetness and licks-they used the pic of her to end the album we made!

At the end, we thought, why not, let's go outside too! It was cold...we were done!                         What a treat! We're working on making custom prints and an album; I think I'll make 2 copies!

Barbara and Doug's Wedding- Trinity Church, Newport RI and Glen Manor, Portsmouth RI.

Barbara and Doug's blast of a wedding.  Barbara and Doug met at the The International School of Brussels...

Barbara's Dress by:  MODERN TROUSSEAU http://moderntrousseau.com DJ: LARRY TOCCI  http://www.engagementsdj.com Venue and coordinator : THE GLEN MANOR, KATIE WILKINSON http://glenmanorhouse.com/ Barbara's Shoes: "OMG! I'VE FORGOTTEN"!!! Doug's Tux by: VERA WANG BLACK Caterer: Blue Rocks Catering (wedding cake included)  http://www.newportcaterer.com

Headshots with Fab Cuffs and a Very Large DOG!

Last week, I had an assignment with Channing Real Estate for head shots. www.channing-realestate.com     I did a site visit beforehand and decided outside would be best...my husband, legendary R&R photographer Ron Pownall www.rockrollphoto.com  came with me to help set up, hold the umbrella from falling (windy day) and entertain my clients. My Ron is a saint, he loves photography, loves people and luckily me!  We had a blast, as we always do!  I  knew from meeting with Catherine and her great team that it would be a fun shoot, but didn't expect to come away with art!  Thank you all for a successful and fun shoot!

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Ken with his Irish Wolfhound puppy, Nanook. He was huge! I wanted him to stand on his hind legs, but they weren't quite strong enough yet...he leap right up into Kens arms!  Such a sweet dog. He's a giant LUCY!  (my little dog).

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The day I scouted, Warren showed me the shirt he wanted to wear...LOVE IT!

It's that time of year again...weddings are in FULL swing!

It's that time of year again, Wedding Season!  I couldn't be happier!  I'm excited to start sharing my recent and past weddings with you!  So here we go.  This is Dominique and Dave's wedding at the gorgeous Lord Thompson Manor http://www.lordthompsonmanor.com/  in Thompson, CT.  This was a lovely venue, all the way around, the owners Jackie and Andrew, chef Mike and their wonderful staff, all terrific!  Dom and Dave had their rehearsal dinner and wedding celebration at the Manor. She's a cowgirl at heart, as you'll see from the photographs!  Hope you Enjoy!

REHEARSAL DINNER! SADDLE UP!

And Let the Wedding Begin!

 THE END!

Sophia and Mellisha's Harvard Square Wedding

Sophia and Mellisha met in Brooklyn and immediately felt like they'd known each other for years. When it came to their wedding, the knew they wanted it to hold all of the feelings of the evening they first met—a small gathering of people they love, a warm, familiar space, glowing light, good music, lots of laughs, and a great time had by all. They were married in the church Sophia grew up in surrounded by loved ones. When it came to the details they hand-made as many things as they could themselves to give their wedding a homemade feel. They designed they're own wedding programs and had whimsical DIY touches everywhere like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland with their reception at Upstairs on the Square. And check out those shoes and that car!

Reception: Upstairs on the Square

Live Jazz: The Kevin Harris Project

DJ: Ari Rosenfield, Beat Train Productions

Flowers: Nancy Hausman Designs

Car rental: Don Buchholtz, Classic Cars and Byways

Trolley: Brewster Coach Transportation Services

Stamps, Ink, and Cardstock for table settings, etc.: Paper Source

Alex and Martin's Boston Public Library Wedding!

I was very eager to photograph Alex and Martin’s wedding. They are a lovely couple, both inside and out, and, photographically, they knew just what they wanted.  The main ingredient was elegant black and white images. Even though I’m shooting digital now, my background is medium-format B&W.  I was excited to shoot a wedding which called for lots of B&W in such a wonderful setting as the BPL. In keeping with the library theme, Alex carried the Kate Spade Emma-book clutch, and the ring bearer carried a vintage George Washington book. She and Martin met on an elevator, so we added an image of them in the vintage Boston Public Library elevator.

Take a peek at the images.  It was wonderful wedding…how could it not be with beautiful and scrumptious food by The Catered Affair and flowers by Winston Flowers…the list goes on.  And most importantly. the wedding was a smashing success because of Alex and Martin and their families & friends!

List of Vendors following the post.

Vendors:

Dress: Elizabeth Fillmore Bridal

Shoes:  Giuseppe Zanotti Design

Bag: Kate Spade

Make Up:  Sarra

Hair: Trephin Salon Moe Smith

Groom/Groomsmen: Ralph Lauren & ThomasPink

Lighting: DJ Raffi

Band/DJ: Rich Dimare Kiss 108

Violinist: Classical Oasis

Caterer:  The Catered Affair

Venue:  The Boston Public Library

Jennifer and Marshall's Wedding - Cambridge Boathouse, Cambridge, MA

I think Jennifer, Marshall and I had the same feelings for each other when we met, I could not wait to photograph their wedding and they couldn't wait for me to photograph them! As Jen says; "it was like reconnecting with an old friend." I wanted to hang out, grab a beer! Jen and Marshall wanted a their wedding to be a celebration as unique and non-traditional as they are; a big party that was a testament to their love, their family and friends. "We wanted it to be a night filled with music, laughter, food and love".

Indeed it was - a friend from college performed the ceremony, the vows were their own and the band included the groom, his college friends, the bride's uncle and her mother's friend. AND THEY ROCKED!

I hope you enjoy the photographs, I certainly enjoyed making them - Jen in that fabulous dress and Marshall with this retro tie and fab suit, I was in heaven! Oh, and not long after they booked we discovered Jen's uncle is a dear friend of mine; another "kismet" if you will. Thank you Jen and Marshall!

IMAGES FROM TURKEY - April 29-May 14, 2010

Finally, images from Turkey. What an amazing country. It was everything we expected and more. The people were lovely, so kind and gracious. No matter if we were in the city or out in the country it was nothing but kindness and smiles! The landscape of course was equally as lovely. Istanbul, a thriving ancient yet cosmopolitan city, Cappadocia, WOW - I always loved the Flintstones and I got to see where they lived! Seriously though, the history was astounding. We did the much recommended Balloon ride, stayed in a Cave Hotel and had our own Turkish bath! I hope you enjoy looking at the images.

Highland Kitchen Shoot, Somerville, MA

What a fun shoot, what a great restaurant! Warm people, delightful drinks, a gastronomic delight...can't say enough! Check them out, Sunday Brunch, Sunday night music (i.e., Roy Sludge-www.myspace.com/roysludgeandfriends) Monday for Chicken night, Tuesday for spelling Bee, goes on and on!  Take a peek at my images on their website, oh and tell them Dar sent you!  www.highlandkitchen.com

Jack in the Hats • Chelsea Studio

What a fun shoot!  This is Margaret Nichols and Kevin Carter of La Fete Catering - http://www.lafetecatering.com eldest son.  I got this  hat in FL, it was a big hit there and a bigger one here in my studio, it's become one of my favorite props!

Rosie and Jason do the Hora!