Big love

As Mother’s Day fast approaches, I thought I’d take a minute to pay tribute to one of the most amazing moms I’ve met in the past year (aside from my own of course). This is Katy Therriault of Fairfield, mother of 3 year-old Billy who has suffered from a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) since he was a tiny baby.



The poor kid can barely move, can’t swallow, has a feeding tube and needs to have multiple procedures done on a daily basis to make sure that his lungs are clear and to prevent him from getting something as simple as a cold which can be deadly for him. Amidst all of his trials, you’d better believe that his mom Katy spends every minute of her day making sure that he has the absolute best quality of life that he can.

I only spent an hour with the family but that was the biggest impression that I came away with. Katy has help from her husband Scott as well as multiple nurses but it was obvious that she is his primary caregiver. Her dedication and love were so evident and overwhelming. Aside from Billy’s tough path, he sure is one lucky kid to have a mom like Katy.

Wingin' it

For my entire photographic career, I’ve always been pretty crafty at making the most of backdrops that aren’t much of anything into something somewhat believable. I rarely shoot in studio type scenarios but a friend of mine needed some portraits and as a change of pace I thought what the heck---let’s give it a whirl. Not to reveal my secrets (wink wink) but these images were all taken in my totally dusty and disheveled basement.





An old remnant of red velvet helped to punch up a backdrop, the stabilizing beams were a nice item for Michaelyn to lean against and Ol’ Glory, which has been hibernating in my rafters until July 4th, added just the right touch of Americana to her Red Sox portrait. And Freddy-D, I’m still using that primitive light kit you sold me eons ago. It makes me cringe when I meet photogs who think they need to have most expensive and best of everything (equipment-wise that is). My advice? Just kick around the basement and put those creative juices to work instead!

Cinco de Cinco de Cinco

Today is my friend Matt's son Tyler's birthday. He was born on 05.05.05---how cool is that? Anyway, there was a big bash in his honor on Saturday night and it was a barn burner. Piñatas, fireworks, breakdancing.....fun was certainly had by all.

Uncle Dennis reached in from the left to jam on the "DJ scratch pad". Nice!

Oldies but goodies

Aaah, the Baldwin Players! They are my favorite senior citizen performance troupe bar none. I get to photograph them quite often because my boss knows I covet those assignments most of all. This month's show was called "Old-Fashioned Melodies"----and boy did they deliver!

May Day

May Day is undoubtedly one of my fave days of the year. A local private school, Unquowa in Fairfield, hosts a May Day celebration every year and it's always cute. Nothin' says spring like a good ol' fashioned Maypole and a crown of daisy petals!

Lawn porn

This week I photographed Bridgeporter Antonio Goncalves and his yard full of what, at a distance, appear to be a playful grouping of mermaid figurines but upon closer inspection were nothing but a melange of sleazy mannequins that were painted in full harlot regalia. The assignment was a little uncomfortable considering the fact that Goncalves kept rubbing the manneqins, particularly their legs, with an awkward smile on his face. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could but I was magnetized by his ridiculous collection of items. It was a goldmine!

OK----recognize this head from the game "Operation"?

Victorious! Over what, I haven't a clue.

See? I told ya.

Circus act

Today's schedule brought me to an elementary school in Trumbull where a gaggle of kids put on a circus for the rest of their classmates. It was cute to shoot but to those of you with raging clown fear---BEWARE!!