When I think about my top ten shots from 2011, I first think about my landscape work. That is what I enjoy the most and what I devote the most time to learning. However, you really can’t neglect people, so here are my top ten people shots from 2011.

10. I shot my first wedding this year, my nephew’s. Lindsey, the bride,  really only cared about one shot and this was it. I am glad I caught it because it is not an easy shot to get right and we only had a couple of takes. I practiced this once before from across the street of a wedding party at South Park. I realized the whole jumping shot is something everyone gets asked to do at some point in his or her life. It helps to have done it before.

9. This is my oldest brother, Scott, his wife, Nina, and youngest child, Hannah. We spent the afternoon out driving along the Hudson Valley and made a last minute stop at Bear Mountain State Park in NY. The view was spectactular and the company great.

8. It is so rewarding when you capture someone’s personality in a shot. My college friend, Leanne was married in October and this shot was as she and her new husband, Dave, exited the church. It is classic Leanne.

7. Lindsey, with a more relaxed expression.

6. Benjamin posing for me. Sometimes I almost feel like my 50mm f/1.4 is too much lens for me but when it blurs out the background like this I realize it’s a keeper.

5. This is what they call the “money shot”. It’s the shot you have to get at a wedding.

4. Another Benjamin against the backdrop of the Roberto Clemente Bridge on our way to a Pirate game.

3. Good advice from a friend who is a professional photographer helped me plan this shot. thanks, Amy!

2. William seemed enthralled with his new baby sister.

1. This was just one of those happy moments. it is hard to get a pre-schooler to act naturally in front of a camera, but Lily was so overcome with being a big sister she was not even paying attention to me.

Although Memorial Day began as a day to remember those who lost their lives in the Civil War, it has grown to a day where we remember all of those who sacrificed their lives defending their country.

I do not know who took this photograph, but the boy in this photo is my dad at his brother’s funeral. My Uncle Richard was killed in WW II. As I recall the family story, he was a tail-gunner based out of England and his plane was shot down over Germany and his body was not recovered until after the war.

We wanted to try to take some more newborn photos of Abigail, this time by herself. She wore the same outfit that Lily wore when we shot her newborn photos, which was the same outfit I wore home from the hospital as a baby.

I forgot my flash trigger, so we made do with window light and a reflector.

Skaneateles Lake

Jeff, Kim, Hayden and I took a trip up to Skaneateles on Saturday to enjoy the town’s annual Dickens Christmas celebration, which began the day after Thanksgiving and is held every weekend in December through Christmas. The actors portraying the Victorian aged characters made the event a great time for all who attended as they interacted with the guests. We particularly enjoyed the characters playing Jacob Marley, Charles Dickens, and Father Christmas.

If you live in the Finger Lakes region and are looking for something festive to do this, year, drive up to Skaneateles for the festivities!

Hayden with Jacob Marley

Kim with Jacob Marley

Kim with the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Future

Charles Dickens

Father Christmas

Kim, Hayden, and Jeff

Jacob Marley

William and Lily came for a visit this weekend while mommy and daddy were hard at work getting ready for the big move. They did a great job posing for me after church, even though they were tired and hungry.