Last week I had the honor of receiving an assignment from a national magazine to photograph two Veterans for an article on honoring the American Flag. Charles Bennett and Travis Hill peacefully protested the display of the American Flag on the floor of a hallway in a university. Hundreds of American Flags were laid on the floor of the University’s Student Center as part of a graduate student’s experiment to see who would walk on, or around the flag.
Mr. Bennett, Travis Hill and numerous other members of the greater university community protested the use of the flag in this way. At first they picked up the flags, but were told that they were not allowed to do that. As a last resort, they peacefully stood in front of one of the American Flags, arms folded, ensuring that at least One American Flag did not get walked on.
I was incredibly impressed by these guys. No matter where we all stand on this war, this administration or even the use of the American Flag… I admire people who stand up for what they believe in, and do it in a compassionate and peaceful manner. During the photo shoot, I learned that they both had gone to war for this country, putting their own lives in jeopardy to protect our freedoms. The flag is a symbol of that sacrifice and of their fellow soldiers who never returned home.
It was an incredible reminder for me that I could never be enjoying my family this Memorial Day without the tradition of sacrifice embodied by these two guys. To all those families out there who have made that sacrifice… thank you!
Though often we feel like we’re in the movies (covering the bizarre, beautiful and always interesting)… I was as surprised as anyone to get the call from a Hollywood movie studio. We still get the occasional residual checks from Christine’s stuntwoman days… so I figured it must be for her, but later we realized that there’s a new movie being filmed in Philadelphia called TENURE (starring Luke Wilson).
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Anyway, one of their main characters is obsessed with sailing in Maine… and they saw some of my work in a few magazines and thought it would be a great fit. How cool is that? I think it’s as close as I’ll ever get to being in the movies… so look for these images in a few months when the movie premieres!
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As most folks know, my transition from full time photojournalist to wedding photojournalist began with destination weddings. After so much time in overseas countries covering gritty stories in incredibly remote and harsh locations… a wedding in Europe, Central America or Asia was an absolute dream!
They’re still some of my favorite venues if for no other reason that they usually span several days, and as a professional “storyteller,” there’s ample opportunity to get to know everyone and cover every element of the weekend. Here’s an example of one such wedding I shot at The One and Only Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was named “Favorite Destination Wedding” by theknot.com:
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Luckily, many of the great clients I work with create wedding weekends in that same spirit regardless of location. Their “destination” weddings may be a few states away from where they live, or in their adopted home city. The same elements of celebration, thoughtful activities and beautiful locations apply.
It’s a wonderful trend that I’ve delighted in noticing. Families are increasingly spread all over the globe and the weekend wedding celebrates not only the wedding day, but the friends and relatives that make the couple who they are. When I shoot in Maine, a schooner cruise, lobsterbake or sea kayaking trip is common. In Napa, it’s wine tasting, horseback riding and hot air ballooning.
Wherever your wedding is and whatever your interests are, taking the time to share your special place with those you love goes a long way to solidifying your location as a destination… regardless of the distance. Even if your wedding isn’t far from home, check out a recent book we collaborated on that features our work. It’s filled with ideas that are sure to inspire!
