Jennifer Stone Photography

My New Blog

2007-03-01T12:48:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited to announce my new blog, which is located **here** I've spent the last few days modifying a template, moving all my posts and tweaking the code. I hope you like the new look:) If you use RSS feeds to keep track of all the blogs you follow, please make sure to update the link!

One day left!

2007-02-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

One day left to get your entries in for the **FREE** Boudoir Photo Contest. Don't wait until the last minute to enter!

4 days left....

2007-02-24T08:28:00.000-05:00

to get your entry in for the **FREE** Boudoir Photo Session Contest! I'm ecstatic that so many people have been entering!! More info on the contest and how to enter **here** So don't forget and get your entries in by midnight, February 28th.

New England Bridal Show - Sheraton Harborside, Portsmouth, NH

2007-02-23T14:49:00.000-05:00

I'll be exhibiting at the New England Bridal Show this Wednesday, February 28th from 6-9pm at the Sheraton Harborside in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I'm looking forward to meeting lots of couples! I hope to see you there:)

Day 5: Going home

2007-02-23T14:22:00.001-05:00

Last night we had dinner at Fernando's of Martha's Vineyard, which by the way was excellent, and we passed Murphy's Law. Since Brendan's last name is Murphy and has had many experience's with "Murphy's Law" we had to go back before we left Savannah and get a picture.

It was a gorgeous day, temperatures in the mid 70's and not a cloud in the sky (it's going to be really hard to go back to the cold and snow). There were a lot of people walking on the beach out at Hilton Head Island. The beach was really nice, but was kind of boring, no sand dunes, no waves and there weren't even any sea shells.

Growing up on family vacations we used to drive by South of the Border and I always used to wonder what it was. You see these huge billboards on I95 for hundreds of miles advertising the place and there never seemed to be anyone there. I couldn't believe the place was still there, so we decided to stop and get some pictures of probably the tackiest place I've ever been to.

We flew out this morning and are back in the Northeast. We had a great mini-vacation and even though I had a great time, it's always good to be back home:)

Day 4: Savannah

2007-02-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

Today we woke to dreary, overcast skies, so we decided to visit some museums in the area. The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum is just outside of Savannah and has a great museum on the the Mighty Eighth and their role in WWII. Well worth a visit!

Great photographs celebrating the end of WWII

Next we went to Fort Jackson...

We drove out to Tybee Island to see the lighthouse and I spotted this bird. It looks like a hawk, but I'm not sure. If you know what type of bird it is, email me and let me know. He was so cool, he just sat there watching me.

Tomorrow we leave Savannah to head back to Raleigh. One last shot of Savannah:)

Day 3: Savannah

2007-02-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

My feet hurt! We wandered all around the historic district today, starting off at the Mercer House, which is the setting for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. We decided to pass on the tour, as it wasn't focused on the book. We spent the rest of the time just walking around and looking at all the amazing homes as well as doing a little shopping. We had dinner on the riverfront at Spanky's Pizza Gallery.

General James Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia, in Chippewa Square.

This is Frankie. He was very friendly and was kept on a leash outside of a cute little store, and I cannot remember the name of the store right now, even though I bought some cards there.

The Book Lady, a wonderful little bookstore on East Liberty Street.

The Paris Market, a very cool store with a Paris theme.

I love these old buildings where the advertisements were painted right on the bricks.

I'm not quite sure why this dress was on display in the courtyard, but I thought it was a cool picture.

Day 2: Savannah

2007-02-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

Savannah is amazing, there are just so many cool things to photograph! We spent the morning exploring the historic district. Did you know that Savannah's historic district is the largest historic district of any US city. It is rather big and we only walked a small portion of it. We started off at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

The cathedral is right off Lafayette Square. Savannah is very unique, in that the city was designed with 24 squares, although three have been lost to "progress" (one is currently being restored, Ellis Square). River Street runs along the Savannah River and is where all the touristy stores and restaurants are located. Lots of souvenir and candy stores. They actually had the old style Coke's in the glass bottles in one of the candy stores.

We also visited the Isaiah Davenport House, but of course I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside:( It was so funny, our tour guide could not bring herself to say Civil War, it was either the War of Northern Aggression or The Unpleastantness. The wrought ironwork around Savannah is amazing, so many cool designs to photograph.

Bonaventure Cemetery plays a prominent role in The Midnight of Garden of Good and Evil and I spent some time wondering around the cemetery capturing some of the unique stonework and wrought ironwork. Even during the daytime cemeteries feel haunted.

And finally, after being in freezing Maine, it is so nice to actually see flowers blooming:)

We had dinner at Bella's Italian Cafe, which would have been really great, but they put way too much ricotta cheese on my white pizza. But they were really nice about it and didn't charge us for it.

We've Arrived - Day 1 in Savannah

2007-02-18T21:50:00.000-05:00

It was an early morning at Logan Airport... up at 4am to catch our 7am flight to Raleigh-Durham. We had originally planned on flying into Raleigh Durham because Brendan was going to be running a workshop for the College Board there, but just last week the workshop got cancelled. We decided it was too expensive to change flights, so we would just drive down like we had planned.

Off to Savannah!

Of course we under estimated the time to drive to Savannah. We were thinking it would take about 3 hours, but in reality it was about 6 after stopping for lunch and breaks. If the speed limit hadn't been 70 (which really means 80) it would have taken us a lot longer!

By the time we got to Savannah we were exhausted, after getting up at 4am and all the travel, all we wanted was a good meal and a nice glass of wine. We haven't really even had a chance to explore the area, but we did drive through the historic district and I can't wait to take pictures...it looks so awesome. We had dinner at the Moon River Brewing Company which was great, although they ran out of sour cream and tomatoes for my quesadilla's...bummer:(

Today it's my....

2007-02-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

BIRTHDAY:) I'm not going to tell you how old I am. Besides you're only as old as you feel, and I feel much younger than I am:)

My sister gave me a gift certificate to GiveAnything.com which I'd never heard of before. It looks awesome though...there are over a hundred stores you can spend the gift certificate at. It will be hard to decide what to get.

Brendan's birthday present to me is a trip to Savannah! We're leaving tomorrow, so stay tuned...I'll be posting our adventures on my blog.

If you haven't seen or read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I highly recommend it. I read the book years ago and we decided to rent the movie last weekend to get a taste of what Savannah will be like. I can't wait to visit all the locations in the movie, as well as take pictures:)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T15:53:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

We're in the middle of a noreaster'... the snow is coming down and the wind is blowing and I am definitely looking forward to warmer weather:)

Don't forget about entering for a chance to win a free boudoir photo session - details **here** Applications have already started coming in!

Caitlin & Josh - We Will

2007-02-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

I spent yesterday with Caitlin & Josh in Portland photographing their engagement session. It was a perfect day for photography, a bright overcast sky, which diffused the light nicely. It actually warmed up to 26F, which felt absolutely balmy compared to the single digits we have been experiencing. I had so much fun with them in the Old Port area and at Payson Park. I just love Portland and the Old Port is so awesome! There are so many cool places to get pictures and some of the streets you feel like you are stepping back in time. Their sledding adventure didn't turn into quite what they were thinking of. The sled wasn't slippery enough...as Caitlin said it was like canoeing down a hill:) We had fun anyway! Here's a **slideshow** of our adventure. I can't wait for their wedding, August 18th!

FREE Boudoir Photo Session

2007-02-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Stone is pleased to offer one **FREE** Boudoir Photography Session to a lucky bride in the Maine, Massachusetts or New Hampshire area (you may either have been recently married or have a wedding scheduled for 2007/2008).

What is a boudoir photo session? Boudoir photographs are beautiful portraits in an intimate setting that are classy, tasteful, romantic and sexy. It's not about having the perfect body (who does anyway?), it's about being comfortable with yourself and love who you are. There is no nudity involved, only implied nudity. Boudoir photographs make wonderful suprise gifts to a fiance or husband!

Boudoir photography is all the rage right now and there are some amazing photographers who offer these sessions including Jessica Claire, Angelica Glass, and The Regeti's (who put together this great website Boudoir Photographers Network). These photographers truly inspire me!

The winner will receive a private photo session (location and date to be determined) by Jennifer Stone and receive a beautiful AsukaBook designed by Jennifer Stone to present to their fiance/husband.

All applicants must be willing to approve a minimum of three images from their session for Jennifer Stone to post on her blog/website. If you are interested in a free boudoir photo session, please email me the following by February 28th:

1. Name
2. Wedding Date
3. Address
4. Phone#
5. Email Address
6. A paragraph describing yourself, your personality and why you feel you should receive a free session.

The winner will be announced March 14th.

**The winner may not pass on the free session and the session/guestbook has no cash value.**

Back in the office

2007-02-03T13:59:00.000-05:00

I'm back in the office after a great trip visiting my family in Florida. I flew out of Orlando on Friday morning just after the devastating tornadoes hit Central Florida. Early that morning I woke to the rain and wind pounding the house, while lightening flashed outside and the thunder was so loud! My heart goes out to the families that have lost their loved ones and property.

On a business note, 2007 is booking up extremely fast, with 27 weddings booked right now. I only have a few weekends during the peak wedding season (May-October) left with availability:

May 12-13
July 28-29
October 20-21
October 27-28

February Desktop Image

We're off to the Zoo!

2007-01-27T22:02:00.000-05:00

Please...can we go to the Brevard Zoo!

Where do we want to go first?

Feeding the giraffe

Feeding the Lorie's...this one flew right on my shoulder to eat!

High Five!

I have a secret!

I love trains!

Time to go home....

JetBlue - Boston to Orlando

2007-01-27T21:56:00.000-05:00

I had a great flight down to Orlando, flying JetBlue for the first time. They are a great airline to fly... and it was so nice to leave the freezing cold for some warmer weather:)

Out of the office

2007-01-26T08:36:00.000-05:00

I am on my way to Florida to visit my family and will only have sporadic access to email. So if you don't hear back from me right away, I will get back to you I promise. I'm headed for much warmer weather:) It's 7F right now, but so windy it feels like -12F!! Stay warm.

It's not just about taking pictures

2007-01-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

When you are looking for a wedding photographer, you're not only hiring someone to take your pictures, but someone who spends time with your images after the wedding day making them look even more amazing then they would right out of the camera. This is what we in the "biz" call post-production work and each photographer has their own techniques, style and vision for their wedding photography. If you gave a group of photographers the same image file out of the camera, we would all come up with something completely different for that same image. Some photographers provide "shoot and burn" packages, meaning they spend very little time doing post production work. They take the pictures right out of the camera, then burn them to a CD for you. This is not my style of wedding photography. I view my wedding images as art. They are as special to me as they are to you and I spend a lot of time with them. Some images I spend more time with than others because they mean something special to me...maybe it's a moment or a detail from your wedding, that I hope will bring back an amazing memory for you.

Here's an example from Lara & Brian's wedding. I just love this picture! It was right after their ceremony and they had just walked down the aisle past their family and friends and stole a kiss during a private moment in the chapel foyer. It was such an intimate moment between them, a moment I wanted to capture for them to remember forever.

before....

and after...

Brrrr....it's cold!

2007-01-18T08:58:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's not as cold as yesterday, when the thermometer read -4F, and that was at 9:30 in the morning!! It actually feels warm today compared to that;) I hope everyone is staying warm and getting ready for the snow storm due to arrive tomorrow.

My Bridal Show Booth

2007-01-14T19:15:00.000-05:00

The Bangor Bridal Show is over and I had an such a great time meeting couples and hearing about their wedding plans. I was surprised at how many brides I talked to were planning their 2008 wedding. They have gotten a jump start on the planning, but it is suprising how fast that time passes, how much there is to do, and how fast your favorite vendors get booked up! I was quite happy with how my booth turned out, and the many compliments I received means I chose just the right pictures to display. Thanks to everyone!

Don't Forget!

2007-01-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

The Bangor Bridal Show is today and tomorrow!

When:
Saturday 1.13.2007 - 6-9pm
Sunday 1.14.2007 - 11-3pm

Where:
Spectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Road, Bangor

Hope to see you there!

Lara & Brian - 01.07.2007

2007-01-08T19:36:00.000-05:00

My first wedding of 2007! Lara and Brian had the most beautiful, evening wedding in Maine! The ceremony took place at the Flagstaff Memorial Chapel in Eustis, Maine with their closest family and friends in attendance. The chapel was so tiny, I actually drove right by it! It was such a quaint chapel, but with bright overhead lights on it wasn't the intimate setting Lara and Brian wanted. What they really wanted was a candlelight ceremony, but they also did not want any flash photography during the ceremony, which would have really limited the pictures, so they decided on doing a portion of the ceremony in candlelight and said their vows with the lights on, which I thought was a great idea. Their reception followed at the Inn on Winter's Hill in Kingfield a gorgeous bed & breakfast. Here is a **slideshow** of some of my favorite images. Congratulations!!

New Lens!

2007-01-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

I just purchased a 50mm 1.4 lens to add to my gear bag. I am so excited! I love it and can't wait to use it at Lara & Brian's wedding this weekend and get some amazing pictures! Of course London became my unwilling test subject. I just know he's thinking "will you please hurry up, I want to get back to napping on my favorite blanket." And of course I had to take a self-portrait...it's very difficult to compose a picture, when you're holding the camera backwards:) Hope everyone has a great weekend and don't forget to check back on Monday for a sneak peek at Lara & Brian's wedding.

Favorite Images

2007-01-04T07:46:00.000-05:00

I'm a member of the Digital Wedding Forum (DWF) which is the most amazing community for wedding and portrait photographers. Of course now that we are starting a new year, we all look back at 2006 and want to share our favorite image of the year. This is imposssible!!!! There are so many great images from every wedding I photographed, how can I possibly choose my favorite???? Plus my favorites are always changing!!! So to all my 2006 clients even though I chose this image, I LOVE so many images from each of your weddings, many of them are hanging in my office!

The reason I love this image is because Meagan & Chris had just finished listening to the toasts and I happened to be walking behind them. They had just raised their glasses and I just knew they were going to kiss:) My favorite images are always the ones where I'm in the right place at the right time and capture an amazing moment:) One of the most important aspects of wedding photography is being able to anticipate those moments. When I do capture a moment like this it is so exciting for me because I know it is an image that will bring back so many great memories from the day.

Destination Weddings

2007-01-02T07:34:00.000-05:00

You're planning a wedding in a far off and exotic location, maybe because it's a special place for the both of you or maybe you just have a sense of adventure. Your closest family and friends will be there to share your love and celebrate the beginning of your new life together. Planning a destination wedding can be daunting. You may not be able to travel to the area before the wedding, so most of the planning will be done long distance, trusting in the vendors you have chosen to make your day special. One of the most important things to remember is that you will want the most amazing pictures to remember not only your wedding day, but this gorgeous and romantic place that you brought the most special people in your lives to. It's hard enough to hire other vendors that you won't have a chance to meet beforehand, but if the photography is one of the most important aspects of your destination wedding, why not find and hire a photographer who is near you; a photographer who can get to know you personally beforehand and someone you feel comfortable with. As a destination wedding photographer I share that love of adventure and travel with you and offer the opportunity to not only capture your wedding day, but those special moments before and after. Since you will be spending more time at your destination wedding location, opportunities to explore the area and photograph the two of you in either a "we will" or "we did it" sessions in the place you have chosen to start your new life together are a great way to capture more relaxed pictures of the two of you. My second passion next to wedding photography is travel. I've traveled all over the world, from South America to Europe and many adventures in the United States and Canada and each experience has provided me with so many amazing memories. I'm available for several destination weddings each year...I already have one booked for 2007 in Chicago, which I can't wait for, it's where I was born:)