Stephane and Marie

I started the day with Marie and her Matron of Honor Debbie at the bride and grooms beautiful home in Arundel. I was unsure of exactly where I was headed until I drove up to their house; it was unmistakeable that I had found the right place. On the front lawn on the grass was a professionally spray painted sign that read "Stephan and Marie 7/27/07 with a huge red heart in the middle. I hadn't seen anything like it before and have to give huge props to Stephane for his creativity around that one. The sign was one of a few surprises Stephane had in store for Marie. The second big surprise was that Stephane had also hired a top notch videographer named Tim Frechette from Biddeford. Tim and I had a great working relationship right from the start and worked all night long to capture all the details of the day. With Greg Powers pumping the beats to keep people on the dance floor all night, and the staff at the Dunegrass doing what they do best the entire day went off without a hitch. They had great summer weather, a beautiful ceremony that took place in the gazebo overlooking the fairways of the Dunegrass, and a large gathering of friends and family to help them celebrate. Overall I think they would both tell you that the day was perfect.
Thanks so much for making me part of your day. I hope you have a wonderful life together. Here are a couple of my favorite images from the day. Check back here in the next 24 hours for a link to a slideshow of images from the day.

Jenn & Eric

Normally it takes about a week or two before we get photos online. But Kristin and I are headed on vacation for a few days and I thought the family and guests might want to see the photos from last weekend. So....... we worked like crazy and managed to get all 1000 photos and a slideshow online from Eric and Jenn's wedding.

The password is the brides last name.

This is a direct link to the photos.
http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=JennEric

A Perfect Maine Wedding At The Cliff House In Ogunquit Maine

What a treat! I got to spend last Saturday with Erin & Shawn at The Cliff House in Ogunquit Maine. This seaside resort offices perhaps the best view of the Maine coast for a wedding. Basking in the summer sun, the wedding was held outside at the edge of the 40 foot cliff over the crashing ocean below. I just can’t tell you how perfect this location is and how great this wedding was to work. My day started much earlier than normal, but I arrived to find a smiling bride and shortly after a team of happy bridesmaids. The girls and I hit it off and the bride was in her gown over an hour early for an on the spot bridal shoot in her parents pristine backyard. Spending time with the bride (and groom when possible) doing a private shoot without being rushed is perhaps the most rewarding part of my job as an artist. For me it is exciting to create unique images that range from traditional to sublime and beyond. Erin had a blast and her bridesmaids even got in on the action to make for some memorable group photos including a few down the road overlooking the ocean. (Biddeford

pool I think)

This service was short and sweet and despite a case of the nerves, Shawn pulled it off perfect. Heck, he even managed to give his beautiful wife a long kiss just for the camera. Thanks Shawn, well done! He’s not so into P.D.A.

These photos are just a few of my favorite photos from the wedding day. Below is a link to the online gallery which will have the rest of the photos shortly. The password is the bride’s last name.

http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=ErinShawn

Many thanks to Erin and Shawn for an amazing day. You guys rock!

Cheers

Tim

FIRE. FIRE.. FIRE!!!!!

I have never used the blog for personal stuff; but I thought some of you might enjoy a little story about the excitement that came about today.


My Wife, Kristin, and I spent some time on the couch listening and watching a ferocious thunderstorm that passed by this afternoon. One strike seemed closer than the rest and while we both noticed that the noise and light happened at the same time, we thought nothing of it.

Twenty (or so) minutes later I left the house to head over to visit a friend. As I drove down the road I could smell smoke. I drove down a few roads and found nothing out of the ordinary and figured that maybe a tree had been hit by lightning. I almost continued my journey across town, but thought twice about it because as a home owner, it’s my neighbors who would be the ones to call the fire department for me if I ever needed.

I made note of the wind direction and the apparent direction of the smoke and decided to check out one last neighborhood that was through the woods a bit away from the location I first noticed the smoke. As I drove through Stonegate (one of Cape Elizabeth’s nicer neighborhoods) I quickly found the source of the smoke. A house, next door to another friend’s home was billowing with smoke. No lights on, nor cars in the driveway, just smoke piling out of the roof.

Oh #$%^& I thought…….. No cell phone on hand… what next………….

A quick u-turn with Kristin’s car to find a home that looked like somebody was home…

One house had a car in the driveway and the garage was open. I raced through the side door yelling. FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE……. A teenager came into the kitchen and quickly led me to the phone to call 911. No phone service due to the storm…

A cell phone on the counter….. I called 911 and then ran back over to the house, grabbed the garden hose and pulled it to the back corner of the home which, by this time, had fire billowing from a hole in the roof. The water pressure was just strong enough to reach the roof so I spent what felt like 30 minutes spraying water into the exposed soffets of the open roof. Realistically it was probably only 10 minutes until the fire department was there, but it felt like a lifetime.

The garden hose seemed to help only a small, small amount. It was impressive how helpless I felt with the little green hose in hand and just enough pressure to get the spray up to the roof.

----------The fire department arrived---------

As soon as the fire department arrived, I left my trusty garden hose and entrusted the fire would be out shortly with the proper equipment of the fire department.

I didn’t save anyone’s life, or even save the house… but it sure was one hell of a bump in excitement on a lazy Sunday afternoon.


Cheers
Tim

P.S. No photos because I didn’t have a camera with me. And it’s probably a good thing because I think I got more water on me than I did on the fire.

Lucky 7's

This day I was reminded in a deep way why I love what I do. I truly enjoy every wedding I get to be a part of, but for some reason that I have yet to put my finger on, this day had something extra. A piece of it though was the mutual appreciation we had for each other and the desire to create something a little different yet still classically beautiful.
I had the fortune to spend some time doing an engagement shoot about a month before the wedding and to sit and talk with Jake and Amanda about their wedding. Only the cool thing about it was that we talked about each other's lives too. We talked beyond our business relationship in a way that really allowed me to get a glimpse into what these two are all about. We chatted jobs, families, hopes, and yes also the wedding.
When I showed up on Saturday morning it was as if I was walking into a friend's house and I just happened to get to take pictures too. The day only got better, and when I left after the last dance I couldn't wait to get home and see the images. I stayed up til 2 am downloading and browsing through the days events. These images are just a few of my favorites. I've also made a slide show that can be seen at: http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=Amanda+and+Jacob

Keep in touch you two!!

Happy 4th of July Corey and Terrilyn!!!!

After years of watching the usual parades and fireworks of independence day it was a wonderful breath of fresh air to photograph the wedding of Terrilyn and Corey. Often times when I arrive at the brides house the mounting tension of the day can be cut with a dull butter knife. Not on this day though; I was wonderfully surprised with how calm and at ease all of the ladies were. When I arrived we sat down to a bite of pizza and drinks to talk about how the day was going to unfold. I instantly felt at ease with everyone and knew we were going to have a great day together.
Things definitely ramped up from there and instead of mounting tension, excitement and anticipation ruled the day. The wedding itself took place in a large stone cathedral style church. The lights was soft and full of color from the stained glass, and the acoustics were near perfect. When the grooms father played guitar and sang as part of the ceremony the soft sounds of the steel strings and wood body, matched with the baritone voice was as if from another place.
We then headed off to celebrate in grand fashion at the Dunegrass in Old Orchard. The bride and groom danced and partied into the night with friends and family to a variety of music that satisfied all generations. At the end of the night I drove down the highway smiling and recounting the days images in my head. I was jolted out of my trance by a 'beep-beep' from a Jeep with no doors cruising thru the rain. I looked up to see the bride waving at me as they zoomed away into a land of wedding night bliss.
Congratulation Terrilyn and Corey, and thanks for including me in your day!!!!!

To see a slideshow of a few of the photos click here
the password is the grooms last name

7/7/07 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

07/07/07 The famous wedding date of the season! There must have been church bells ringing across the world. My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend the day with a great set of families to celebrate and capture the memories of Kathleen and Geoff. The morning began by rallying the Geoff and the groomsmen into their Tuxes and getting some fun shots of them showing off their golf swing and of course, having a quick beer to ward off the heat. We then headed to get some photos of Kathleen and the lovely ladies of her bridal party. I was slightly shocked that they were ready so fast and we had plenty of time to get some solo and group photos – well done ladies – Sexy, Sassy, and Seventeen!

Kathleen and Geoff were married in Nahant, a quaint seaside town north of Boston, and they had a lovely service that spoke to their devotion and future happiness together. My wife always tears up during wedding vows, and this was no exception. Once the service was over, guests followed a bagpiper and headed over to the Nahant Country Club for the reception. We were lucky enough to steal the new husband and wife for a few minutes and grabbed the last light of the day in some amazing photographs on the beach. The sharp rocks and the smooth ocean really reminded me of what marriage is all about in the first place – a navigation through the rough and smooth to finally be standing in the same place knowing that there is

someone by your side looking out with you and for you.

The reception was a great party, and hosts Mary and Brad were wonderful hosts. There were speeches, song dedications, and even a serenade to the couple from the groom’s sister – the immortal “At last” by Etta James. All the parent dances and the couple’s first dance were chosen to fit the unique relationships they share. We left the reception happy to have taken part. But the story doesn’t end there……

Luckily, this was a wonderful wedding, but on the way home, things took a turn for the worst as our car battery died on Interstate 95! I managed to get us off the highway onto the grass, but as we had no electricity, no flashers could warn people of our presence. At this point it was 12:30am! And of course, out AAA had run out and we had to renew our membership before they would send a tow truck. We ended up being towed almost 100 miles from ~Boston to Portland, Maine! Once we dropped off the car, we got a taxi back to the house and made it home around 4am. What a night! All in all, it’s a funny story, and the only problem left to deal with is how I can make

sure my dog sleeps in a bit longer, the 5:30am wake-up call was not as welcome as usual!

Cheers to the happy couple – best wishes and have fun in Mexico.

Check out the photos. The password is the brides last name

Marcie and Ryan

The stifling heat of last week broke and was followed by a breath of arguably, perfect summer weather. Luckily for Marcie and Ryan, the straw they drew was the one for the height of this stretch. Seventy five degrees, gentle northwesterly breezes, and picture book cumulus clouds rolling toward the coast was the rule for the day from start to finish. We started in a cozy hotel where the ladies readied themselves and ended dancing into the evening in a lesser known nook of the Augusta Civic Center. I enjoyed my day capturing the story of their wedding.

Sarah and Jason

Photographing a couple’s wedding is an amazing honor for me. As an artist it allows me an all day pass into one of life’s’ most intimate and exciting days in a women’s life. Last November I had the pleasure of shooting Kristen Labrie’s wedding and was invited back into the inner circle of the Labrie family again this past weekend to capture Sarah’s wedding day.

As I walked into the Labrie home for the second time, the excitement was almost identical to the mood from the past November. Bridesmaids running about with final bridal preparations well underway with makeup and the gowns. Somehow it just felt soo different to me working with the same family again. So much fun!

We had more than enough time for formal photos before the service at the Labrie house and again on the Bates Campus quad. The men all had flasks the take the edge off and I managed to even get of photo of a few of the ladies taking a nip.

Below you will find a few of my favorite photos of Sarah and Jason. And keep an eye on http://www.rileyclients.com/slideshowk.php?path=SarahJason for the rest of Sarah and Jason’s photos coming soon! The password to the rest of the photos is the brides last name