The Velvet Fly {Editorial}

I am pleased to post some of my favorites from another shoot I did for New England Finery magazine, product of the talents of my good friend and neighbor, Yvonne Blacker of Yvonne Blacker Interiors. This was particulary special because the piece was featuring another creative and talented friend of mine, Lorrinda Cerrutti and her realized dream of opening a clothing boutique in Boston. She and I used to teach together, and we would also daydream together about the visions we had for using our creativity to grow our own businesses. About five years ago, around the time I left teaching to pursue photography full time, Lorrinda and her partner BethAnn Hoyos opened their exquisite boutique the Velvet Fly in Boston's North End. The Velvet Fly features fashion and accessory treasures that range from boldly modern to exquisitely vintage. We were lucky to have some gorgeous models featuring some of the vintage looks: Courtney King, Julie Sterling Williams, and Nicole Carlson (the latter two are photographer friends of mine, and I was impressed that they were able dazzle in front of the lens too!). They were troopers, and toughed it out, striking gorgeous poses despite bare legs and freezing heel-clad toes! It was such a pleasure to document the fabulousness of "the Fly." Every item in the store: the garments, the decor, the jewelry, even the fashions modeled by the lovely owners, are lens-candy for a photographer, and even in that small space, I couldn't keep my shutter still!



My girls were there for part of the shoot--Maeve modeled designer bags, while Viola showed off the outfit and accessories she had picked out herself that morning.


The image on the left ended up being the magazine's cover shot.


On the left, beautiful Lorrinda, co-owner of "the Fly"

Our other two models arrive!

"Fly girls."




Lorrinda refinished this antique sofa--it was the perfect prop for our shoot.

Ashley and Chris {Engagement in Granby, CT}

Again, I am taking us back to the snowy winter behind us, to a crisp late January evening with Ashley and Chris in rural, charming Granby, CT. A beloved aunt of mine lives in Granby, so I decided to combine a visit with my mother's wonderful sisters with a romp through icy farm grounds with sweet Ashley and Chris. A friend of Chris welcomed us to his farm, and he let us explore his fields and woods, lifted Ashley and Chris up in his tractor, let us climb to the hayloft in his barn, even let us into the horse pasture (with Ashley's heels sticking into the solid ice that covered the field) to visit the horses. After, I convinced them to stop at the town library (which I had scouted on the way there), a lovely historic building with wonderful antique treasures, and a few vintage cars decaying in the back--delicious! I loved the the fading color of the cars, and the texture of rust and peely paint against the low blue winter evening light. We were frozen solid by the end of the session, but I think it was worth it...

Tyler and Ava {Adorable at 11 months}

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing a few more photos of twins Tyler and Ava, who are now 11 months old. They are now crawling up a storm, and keeping their wonderful mother (my dear friend Gretchen) very busy. And they couldn't be cuter! We had some girly fun with Ava, dressing her in a blue tutu and feather headband--she absolutely loved it, which was so adorable because with two brothers, she doesn't get to be all girlied up very often! Tyler was very busy, and not easy to reel in for a photo--but once those round, deep eyes fixed on me, I was smitten! Oh, and I should mention the behind the scenes--or I should say, right up IN the scenes shots, involving my own little ladies, who were "assisting" with the shoot....I was trying to shoot the babies amidst a whirlwind of big kids romping around, and in the case of my little ladies, sometimes busting right into the shot. On the other hand, big brother Cole had lots of interest in playing, and little interest in the camera (which is why you don't see him here). Viola was dressed as first a Native American, and then a tutu'd butterfly...and Maeve's choice of attire was a polka dot bathrobe. On the fashion front, my girls like to keep it interesting.

Take a peek at the pair of adorableness known as Tyler and Ava!

Little Ava, all dolled up!




The proud mama with her babies...

My little butterfly.

Maeve infultrating "the set" during Ava's tutu moment.