Cam is the second member of the Pierrot family I’ve had the opportunity to photograph senior portraits for, and this shoot lived up to all the expectations set by his sister, Whitney, some 7 years back! Cam is an East Aurora High School senior this year and a member of the football and basketball teams. He also loves the outdoors and so Knox Farm State Park made the perfect backdrop for his senior portrait photography.
Seniors often bring along some props for their portrait session to represent their hobbies and interests. A trumpet, a soccer ball, things like this. Cam brought his girlfriend, little brother and mom. Love it.
Without further ado, a few favorites from Cam’s senior portrait photography session at Knox Farm State Park!
Cam’s little brother, Max was a lot of fun to have along on the shoot. AND he found a snake!
Many thanks to this lovely family for trusting me with Cam’s senior portraits. Best of luck with senior year, Cam!
Hope to see at least one of you again in another 7 years when Max is a senior!
If you or someone you know is looking for senior portrait photography at Knox Farm or elsewhere, please reach out here!
I FINALLY had the opportunity to photograph an entire wedding at the incredible Hotel Henry here in Buffalo, NY. When Alex, Andrew and I first started talking about their wedding photography, there were two things that immediately stood out. One, they wanted to incorporate their pet turtle in to their engagement session (yes, that happened). Two, they were getting married in this stunning architectural marvel. Ever since the Hotel Henry opened I waited for this opportunity.
The Hotel Henry was built nearly 150 years ago and originally served as an asylum. The building itself was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and the grounds by Fredrick Law Olmstead, the same landscape architect who designed Buffalo’s incredible park system (and Central Park!). The building was abandoned in the 1970s and sat vacant for decades, despite its designation as a National Historic Landmark. In recent years, the campus has begun a redevelopment transformation that has been truly remarkable to see. While the legacy of mental health care here in this facility is veiled with some dark history, seeing the space now being used for joyful celebrations of life and love feels like a beautiful renewal. Don’t get me wrong, this place has an eerie vibe at times, but it only adds to the wonder of the place.
Aaaaaanyway, we’re here because Alex and Andrew got married! We began the day in the hotel portion of the complex where the couple got ready in adjacent rooms. The guest rooms at the hotel are beautiful. But one of the BEST parts of this building are actually the hallways. Alex and her bridesmaids took over this beautiful nook for their makeup appointments and breakfast. It was the perfect space to spread out and enjoy the morning. This handsome ring bearer made for quite an entertaining greeter as well!
Hanging Alex’s wedding gown on this amazing column was no easy task. When I came in the room, the dress was hung on the back of a door and… it just wasn’t going to do. With the help of an ambitious and far taller than me bridesmaid, and a little ingenuity, we got the dress on the glorious column.
Meanwhile, second shooter extraordinaire, Jenny, joined Andrew and his groomsmen in their room while they prepared for the day.
EARMUFFS!
We had a whole series of “first looks” with Alex. First up was her bridesmaids, then down the hall to meet her dad, and finally to a different hall where we met Andrew.
One of my absolute favorite things about the Hotel Henry is the ever growing collection of truly good artwork. Every time I visit, there are more pieces on display and it truly feels like an art gallery as much as anything else.
From the Hotel Henry we ventured around the corner to classic Buffalo pub and the site of Alex and Andrew’s first date, Cole’s, for a few quick photos.
From here we wandered over to Buffalo’s beloved Delaware Park, another glorious Fredrick Law Olmstead design, for our wedding party portraits.
Back to the Hotel Henry for our family portraits and wedding celebrations!
During cocktail hour, Jenny and I snuck away with the bride and groom for a few pictures outside the Hotel Henry where we were able to photograph the couple with one of Buffalo’s most iconic buildings as our backdrop. Hotel Henry really is a dream for wedding photography, one of my favorite venues in Buffalo!
Wedding reception time!
That’s it for Alex and Andrew’s wedding photography at Hotel Henry in Buffalo! If you or someone you know is planning a Hotel Henry wedding, please feel free to reach out for more info here!
Many thanks to Alex and Andrew for having us photograph your beautiful wedding! And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!
A big Buffalo ballroom wedding was planned for May at 500 Pearl. But 2020 said… nah. Erin and Rigo decided to postpone to the fall as so many couples did, only realize the realities of that were dwindling as time went on as well. But the show must go on and so these two devised an entirely new plan for a late summer micro wedding in WNY instead. Erin and Rigo were able to keep their ceremony location, St. Peters Church in Lewiston and moved their reception to a perfect river side tent at the Youngstown Yacht Club.
I began the day with Erin at her family’s home for a few quick photos before heading to the church. Meanwhile second photographer, Steve, joined Rigo at the lovely Niagara Crossing Hotel and Spa in Lewiston.
Erin and her dad arrived to the wedding ceremony at St. Peter’s Church in style in one of his vintage cars!
I happened to grow up in Lewiston and actually went to St. Peter’s church as a kid. This ceremony was so nostalgic for me having spent so much time here back in the day.
This is Erin’s Grandma, still taking speaking engagements in her 90’s. (:
We took a quick ride down to Lewiston Landing for portraits of Erin and Rigo with their families and their wedding party. The gorge of the lower Niagara River is seen in the background – such a gorgeous spot for portraits!
From Lewiston we left friends and family for a little bit to venture off to Buffalo. Erin and Rigo live in Brooklyn now where they are both teachers. They consider themselves “city people” and really wanted a more urban backdrop for some of their photos. Going to Buffalo specifically was extra personal because while Rigo is from Brooklyn, he actually attended Canisius College here in Buffalo! The couple met back in Brooklyn, but Buffalo is still a special part of both their histories, so taking this short drive was a no brainer.
This silhouette from Steve is the coolest happy accident ever. I sent this photo to him to tell him how much I loved it to which he replied, “totally on purpose!” All I know is next time I’m here I will take a shot like this on purpose (:
After our portrait session, we met back up with the rest of the guests for a small, intimate wedding reception at the Youngstown Yacht Club!
The Yacht Club is situated on the lower Niagara River, just shy of where it meets Lake Ontario. They set up a tent right by the water with sunset views for miles. It was really such a beautiful, tranquil setting for a micro-wedding reception!
I see a future photographer right here! He was taking photos of the reflections in his sunglasses! Very cool!!!
That’s a wrap! Many thanks to Erin and Rigo for having us document their lovely wedding day, it was such a pleasure!
Additional thanks to all these great venues and vendors who made the day what it was!
Tessa Mozzi’s Senior Portraits at Long Point State Park and in Bemus Point, NY
The third and final Maple Grove Senior for this week was Ms. Tessa Mozzi! Tessa loves all things related to the water and the outdoors – this seems a common theme among seniors from Bemus Point. Having a hometown on a lake tends to shape people that way. We started our senior portrait photography session at Long Point State Park, a beautiful park featuring woods and a beach, right on Lake Chautauqua in WNY.
This specific location was at the request of Tessa and her mom. They found this little bridge while biking through the woods and thought it would be the perfect spot for some senior portraits. And it was!
This next spot was another location picked out by Tess and her mom! Its actually a boat museum called the Lawson Center. The giant buoy was the draw, and the rest was just a bonus <3. This dock is centrally located right in downtown Bemus Point on Lake Chautauqua too. This area of WNY really has so many great locations for senior portrait photography!
Our last stop for this senior portrait photography session was actually home sweet home for Tessa. Their charming family home had quaint gardens, porches, etc. that made beautiful, and more importantly PERSONAL, backdrops for our portraits.
Let’s all take a quick pause to appreciate Tessa’s fabulous shoes.
I love the kitty inspecting from the bottom right. <3
A chair, good light and a row of hedges. The simplest things in life are often the best.
Last but not least, some gorgeous late day golden hour light, right from the living room sofa.
Congrats on senior year Tessa, hope it’s a memorable one!
If you just can’t get enough of these Maple Grove Seniors, check out this session with Tessa’s classmate, Megan!
And if you or someone you know is looking for a senior portrait photography session here in WNY, please have them reach out here!
