Hampton Beach Family Portraits

In the winter, Hampton Beach is an entirely different world. It is missing masses of teenagers in swimsuits, open t-shirt shops, smells of fried dough and pizza, and the beeps and whirls of the arcades. It has the feel of the western ghost towns. On the day I was to photograph a family there, it was blustery and in the high 40s. Thankfully, the snow had not yet arrived. Below is a sneak peek of my portrait session with Chris and her children.

Cody & Brody - Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love watching the Macy's Day Parade, cooking with my mother, talking for hours with family, and eating turkey! Thanksgiving is a day for remembering all that we are thankful for. It is more of a reminder to me of all I take for granted. I hesitate saying this, but I have far more than I REALLY need. God is so good to me!

I am so thankful for my family. There is nothing in this world that can replace family. We are only given a limited amount of time on this earth and should make the most of every opportunity we have with our loved ones. My family's pets have always been part of every holiday and event. I always have so much fun watching them and this year I spent a little time photographing them.

Festival of the Trees 2009

Experienced the Festival of the Trees in Portsmouth for the first time. I almost wish the festival was after Thanksgiving. I am now in the mood for Christmas! The festival consisted of a trail that wound its way around several Christmas trees as well as an old farmhouse. The trees and the rooms in the farmhouse were decorated by local business owners. You were given colored Popsicle sticks, which you used to cast your vote on your favorite tree and room. My favorite tree was one decorated as a ball gown by Choozy Shooz. I have a picture below. There was also free hot cocoa and chowder for all in attendance. This was a great event if you need a quick filler for your evening and want to get in the holiday spirit.

Photographer Friends

I have lived in New England my entire life and have never been to Rockport, MA. What a quaint town! I had the privilege of spending the day with Dave, from Mere Image Photography ,and Joe, from DiMattia Photography. We meandered our way around the town while taking photos, tasting local foods and enjoying one another's company. Joe's favorite spots were Helmut's Strudel and Tuck's Candies. We all enjoyed tasting fudge and watching as it was made at Rockport Fudgery. I'm looking forward to more photography outings with this group!

Danielle

This past summer, I joined a group called the Portsmouth Newcomers in order to meet new people. The group organizer schedules activities at locations all over the seacoast. I chose to get involved with the weekly beach volleyball group. It was a great way to make new friends while getting exercise and enjoying the outdoors. I highly recommend it! The photos below are of Danielle, the daughter of one of my teammates. To view more, check out my Flickr page.

If you are interested in portraits, please contact jwood@mindstirmedia.com.

A girl and her dog...

I was wandering around New Castle Commons on Sunday as I was waiting for my portrait client to arrive and I ran into Teddi and Mini. Teddi was taking self-portraits with her camera phone. I couldn't help but ask if she'd like me to take a few pictures for her. It was a pleasure meeting you Teddi! I hope you enjoy these.