Capodimonte

When my grandmother - Rosemarie (nee Mancusi) Monari passed away in 2017, my father gave me a set of her candleholders. I remembered she collected porcelain and crystal, most of which were kept untouched in a glass case - elephants, swans, etc - in a room with white carpet and furniture beneath clear plastic. 

I've never been a collector of the fragile, although of course I value the loveliness and origin of the notoriously beautiful, hard-to-fire Capodimonte. I wondered if the lustrous glaze had ever held burning candles. I keep them bound and protected until I find their safe home here.  

Until then, the candle sits in me - hot firelight burning slow messily waxing a series of past and present lives. Capodimonte literally means “top of the mountain” and so here rest deep in the farm hills the unvarnished beauty of these Naples-forged flowers; stubborn soft paste.

The Work-Away

I spent time in the attic on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, rewrapping and containing 'what is' or 'will be' and purging 'what nots'. In the dim light, I was brave, and stepped into the 1950s vintage leather of Jolie Madame, which still holds it's bergamot, jasmine, patchouli, and oakmoss notes. I truly could not believe it.

After washing a couple of old Cabbage Patch kids for my daughter, I meditated with the aroma for a long time. When I fell asleep, I dreamed I was in a European work-away, a towering drafty Pisan-style stone building with floor-to-ceiling window light in most rooms. I was told by the woman who headed the operations that I could use a large unoccupied wing for portraiture if I helped to pin fabric on women for dressmakers, and strip away sheets from guest beds. The sleep was deep and long, and I felt hard-worked.

As The Perfumed Dandy said in the perfume forum The Black Narcissus there is something 'undeniably grimy about Jolie Madame, in a world-worn way.' World-worn, I like that. Was it a past-life recall, this dream? I don't know, but the nostalgia is sticky like essence of amber on my skin.

Product Photography Pictured (from top to bottom) because I never let dark, precipitous days get in the way of focusing on my craft and improving my state of mind:

Jolie Madame (Vintage Balmain Parfum (1953))

Jolie Madame (Eau de Toilette Spray Mist (1953))

Miss Balmain (Vintage Balmain Parfum (1967))

May Maternity Session

This session was a gift, literally, from the moment it was conceived until I hit send. If photographs are the universal language of our era, then let me stay the moment and capture #allthelove!

A picture-perfect, mid-spring morning – dew still resting atop blades of grass, fog still clinging to the Catskills, blooms alight. Laid back, classy and beautiful is the way to describe this couple, expecting their first (little girl) baby this month. This beautiful duo needed little guidance in showing their adoration for one another, and for their baby-to-be. So grateful to bear witness.

Congratulations to this pairing on their recent nuptials and babygirl to come. I hope their affection shines through in these pictures just like it did my lens on this gorgeous May morning.

Thank you for your trust, and for just being your perfect selves.

Poet's Walk Proposal

On the first snowfall of the season, boot traffic was extraordinarily high at Poet's Walk Park in Red Hook, NY, but there would be no cold feet this day. Tony had whisked his longtime girlfriend Melissa away from the neon lights of Manhattan for a romantic getaway weekend to celebrate her birthday and their anniversary, but little did she know he was planning to top off their mini-cation in the Hudson Valley with a surprise marriage proposal. 

I sat and waited, my heart racing with each visitor to the gazebo -- from a Labrador retriever and his owner on a brisk trot, a spirited couple briefly twirling and singing, to another scraping the loose fresh powder together for a snowball.

Tony and Melissa followed.

I knew I would have only seconds to capture the raw emotion that comes with the wish and promise of forever. He unraveled the poem he had written for her as they both stood in the rustic entryway, snowflakes quietly blanketing the earth around us, and I watched them in the reflection of my display. And, there it was; the bended knee, the unmistakable signs of 'Yes', and a steady stream of tears. 

A pop of seasonal red, an unbreakable golden circle, and a surreal journey none of us will soon forget. Love is a blessing; capturing it is humbling.

Happy holidays and much love to a wonderfully beautiful couple. Thank you for trusting me to document such a fervent moment in your lives.

ANGIE + WILLIAM'S OPUS 40 NUPTIALS

“May my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home.” – Marianne Williamson

On the afternoon of Angie and William's wedding, I stood with the town justice as a small party of guests made their way up the bluestone path toward the Opus 40 monument in West Saugerties, N.Y. On this day, our dear friends were going to be married, officially, and I eagerly awaited to capture the magic. 

Autumn clouds breezed over us, gently shifting the fog from from the Overlook Mountain peak in the distance. Angie was the last to arrive, her eyes already glittering with tears as she steadied her heels on the uneven path toward her soon-to-be husband. Their vows were emotional and deeply personal. Ducking and gliding to capture them at the monument alter, I navigated the legendary quarryman's earthwork, I was moved.

After family members posed for portraits, I ushered the bride and groom away for some quality time and their love and dedication simply continued to unravel itself as gracefully as it always does. He gazed at her in awe – stunning in the autumn's afternoon sun – with her fiery auburn and golden locks cascading across her shoulders. Will cautiously guided her over the patchy layers of stone and, together, they elegantly made their way from one scene to the next doing what felt natural – just as they have always done during the last 18 years together. 

Although the colors of the season have only begun to turn in the Catskills, there stood just one tree – calm and confident – steadfast with its brilliant scarlet. Nature's most arresting displays always have a purpose. A quiet and radiantly spirited tree, framing their love and their love alone, back lit by the last warm glow of this special day's eventide.

Thank you Angie and Will for letting me in to capture this milestone. I will be forever grateful.

CUSACK-SILINOVICH FAMILY

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” – Celia Thaxter

It was a blessing spending time with dear friends the Cusacks on a perfect Sunday afternoon in the country, nestled between the breathtaking Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River. The essence of country living is how you live, and this family lives, laughs and loves with a rugged tenderness that fills the soul brimful. Knowing how much this young trio does for others, this was my chance to capture them alone with each other – where hugs are harder, laughter is louder, smiles are bigger and the love is forever. 

Combing Lighthouse Drive, we slowly stepped in and out of the late-day’s speckled light. 

Scanning the Esopus from the docks, the steel blue creek flickered around us as if the words of Celia Thaxter herself glinted across the water like Morse code.

With gratitude warming the heart on this perfect summer afternoon, we weaved in and out of the shoals surrounding the Saugerties Lighthouse.

Eventually, we let the slow-setting nautical sun lead us home on its terms.

The gust of excitement had me bursting my heartstrings when Angie asked me to capture this special time in their life. This was their very first time doing a family session and there were clear signs that once-little Quentin is growing up fast. These times are so precious; youth is fleeting. 

Thank you Cusacks for a lovely afternoon, and for allowing me to share your joy and happiness! What a beautiful family!

CHRIS + CHRIS' WEDDING

Chris + Chris' Marlton, New Jersey wedding was filled with colorfully candid moments. Their beautiful story is about a thrill-seeker and a chill-seeker perfectly paired in a joint leap of faith for a first-rate landing in love.

On the morning of these cherished friends' wedding, their words of advice echoed: "be kind always, even when we're angry", "don't say something just to be hurtful because those words can never be unsaid", and "always appreciate what we do for each other because when we feel appreciated, we will continue to grow." 

With a suburban split-level full of cheerful relatives, a garden decorated with Punny Pallet Signs and a slow-setting sun still high in the sky, the ceremony and reception site simply felt like home. Guests were welcomed with open arms and creative touches adorned every nook of the property as two women readied themselves for their new life together. 

The brides – and their entourage of family and friends – were open to the artistic visions that were floated their way with echoes of laughter rising into the ether. Intensity of the momentous day lifted like the steam burning off of the surrounding flora from the morning's summer storm. Worries dissipated into peaceful, wedded bliss.

A HUGE and heartfelt thank you to Chris + Chris for choosing me to document your special day – it was humbling and a privilege to be entrusted to capture and witness your love and the love of your family and friends.