Where it all began | Three generations of photographers

If there is such a thing as the photography gene, I'd guess it runs in my family. My mom has captured every life event of my siblings and I from first car to graduations and every holiday/birthday/lost tooth in-between. It's fantastic to look back on those pictures, especially as now we can compare my brother to his son... de ja vu anyone? But as much as my mom loves photography, she got it from somewhere too. Her mother, of course, my grandma Peg!

Grandma's attic could probably give the Eastman house a run for their money. The sheer volume of photographs is incredible. Every birthday cake, family picnic, even distant cousins I didn't know I had; she has them all cataloged, dated and organized. But do not think these photographs sit hidden in a box or album. Well, some do, but let me show you around a bit.

Photos are every where in Grandma's house. What better way to surround yourself with loved ones? All of the kids, grand kids and great-grand kids near and far, are always within reach. Some photos haven't moved in decades, others get switched around, but mostly, they are just added to. If you ever thought you were "out of wall space," I beg you to think again!

Over the years, grandma has used all kinds of cameras from the Kodak Brownie to Twin Lens Reflex to Polaroids. (Most of those cameras have ended up in my collection!) My mom recently told me how grandma was so impatient to see her photos, that when she had a few shots left on her roll of film, she would just take random photos so she could go develop them! Grandma needed the digital age, but she never liked her digital camera. Instead, she has reverted back to one time use cameras.

She gave the gift of photography to my mom as well. When my mom was pregnant with my brother, kid #1, grandma bought her a nice SLR camera and told her to capture everything. That camera was a fully manual 35mm that my parents went to classes to learn how to use. It's a testament to how much my grandma loves her family and how important photographs are.

My grandma is not a professional photographer, but she loves photography. That trickled down to my mom and to me and I'm sure photography will continue to be important to the next generation as well.

Thanks for letting me show you off grandma :) Love you! -Lori

Lori's 365 Project: Food February

Month 2 of the photo a day project, and I chose to have a theme this time. Simply: food. I've always thought of food as one of the hardest subjects to photograph. My goal here was to push outside of my comfort zone. I do best with moving things, but I wanted to see how many different ways I could light, present and work with the theme. This resulted in multiple interpretations from literally what I had for dinner, to the act of cooking, to enjoying food, to researching recipes and more. It also included an image from our visit to the Alton Brown tour, which while not a shot of food was a photo of a chef, so I count it. :)

This was the perfect month for this topic as my husband decided to test several new recipes as part of our new healthy eating plan. So I got to test my plating skills in addition to taste testing!

Weddings are typically the only time I find myself photographing the culinary arts. At which time, they are usually already professionally displayed (wedding cakes, dinner plates). So for this project, I had create the presentation and ambiance myself.

Most of the images this month were shot with my DSLR, however there were a few days I opted for the ease of my iPhone. This includes ice cream night, the Alton Brown show, and a few others. My favorite photos this month include the apple chips, peach slice in the smoothie and Molley under the table of course! Overall, I feel like I met the goal of multiple interpretations of the subject, but am glad to be moving on to a new one!

Thanks for following along! Lori

Lori's 365 Photo a Day : January Recap

Normally, I'm not one for new years resolutions. I haven't made them since I was a kid, as I would get really into it for a few weeks, and then move on. Well, I'm challenging myself this year to push my creativity with a photo-a-day project. Your job is to hold me to it! Just kidding, but you are invited along for the ride! It may not seem like such a tough task... make and share one photo everyday. I am a professional after all, this is what I do for a living. However, in the winter (aka slow time) it's easy to get caught up working on the business side of things. Days could go by where I'm absorbed in the computer, avoiding the snow and cold. By taking on this goal, I'll have to pick up a camera, any camera, at least once a day. It'll force me to think creatively and never be far from the photographer's mindset.

My plan is to have a theme for each month, and the first month was simply life. You'll see a variety of things that separately don't seem related, but together form a pretty decent overview of me. From my dogs and family, to workouts and work, things around the house, Wegmans, friends, food, comments on the weather and more.

I'm excited about this! I have decided to share my photo each day on my brand new Instagram account. (Yeah, I know I'm late to the Instagram party, but I am loving it!) So join me there for the daily updates, or check back on the blog for next months' recap.

Keep Clicking, Lori

Cookies, cookbooks and wedding albums: Rochester NY wedding photography

I have this Betty Crocker cookbook that my grandma gave me. When she gave it to me I was in college. Back then, the extent of my cooking skills included cereal, easy mac, ramen noodles and the occasional trip to Boston Market with my roommate. I laughed, unsure of why she thought I'd ever need it. On certain occasions, I even tried giving it back to her – unsuccessfully of course. I also have some handwritten cookie recipes. I have sampled many cut out cookies, and my favorite has always come from a 3x5 handwritten index card that my mother gave me. Years ago, I copied that card into my own book of recipes. Somewhere along the line, it was handed down to her.

Yesterday, with my hands full of cookie dough and that cookbook open in front of me,  I realized how much that cookbook and 3x5 index card now meant to me. Leave it to me to find symbolism in a cookbook, right?

In a nutshell, I've been given a history to keep. That cut out cookie recipe contains a lot of great memories of my childhood. If that 3x5 card hadn't been written for her, I'd probably never have those memories of baking with my mom. Someday, I hope it contains memories for my own kids to cherish.

So if a recipe can hold so much meaning, imagine what my wedding album means to me. It's literally my family history. The story told within the pages is beautiful. Honestly, no disc of images can replace that album. It's tangible, photographic proof of my family's origins.

Back in the film days, my parents had to put their wedding photographs into an album, or they wouldn't have seen them at all. There were no iPads to view those images on. I'm glad for that because if they hadn't taken the time to have an album made, I wouldn't get to see that history. Someday, I'll be the keeper of those photographs, much like the handed down recipes. 50 years from now, I want my children to be the keeper of my albums and books – not useless unreadable discs or out dated thumb drives.

Trust me, we get that you want all of the digital files. We both did too. Post them all over Facebook, tweet them, load them to your tablet, that's all fine with us. But if you're in the market for wedding photography, we hope you'll consider an album or book.

A wedding album might be something you don't think you need right now. And yeah, that's a little bit true  –  you don't need it right now. Right now, you're a newlywed, or soon-to-be newlywed. Those memories are still so fresh in your mind, you can recall the tiniest details of the day. But when your kids ask about your wedding day, what will you show them? What will you hand down to them from your family's story? We want you to have an actual book of your history, to give your children, who in turn, may give it to their children also.

While you're at it, give them an old Betty Crocker cook book too. Someday, they'll thank you.

The cookbook in question, and my disastrous kitchen on cookie making day.

Books, Rochester NY weddings

Cookie-4

Rochester NY Wedding, Wedding Albums

Rochester NY Wedding, Wedding Albums

Our newest album (right) is a fun new size for us.

Rochester NY Photography, Christmas Cookies

If you're looking to add an album to your collection, contact us - whether you're a past or present wedding couple...it's never too late!

erin's favorite things: the fall edition

One minute I'm walking Allie in 90 degree weather, the next... I have a hoodie on and noticing a little crispness in the air. My Vera Bradley flip flops are still on my feet, but now they're showing their wear from daily usage. Sadly, I'm coming to the realization that summer is winding down. This does not, I repeat, this does NOT mean I've decided to wear shoes instead of flip flops. But it does mean I get to enjoy some of my absolute favorite foods and activities as fall approaches.

For example - like millions of others, Starbucks has me absolutely hooked on their Pumpkin Spice Latte or "PSL" for the devoted.  To be clear, I don't visit Starbucks on a daily basis - but when the PSL comes around every year, I'm like a mouse to cheese. Ohhhhh, I think I need one right now in fact...

Most of my favorite fall activities revolve around the foods of fall. So after we pick up my pumpkin spice latte, we head over to Schutt's Apple Farm for some cider and donuts - er, fried cakes (sorry dear). Every year we take a morning to pick up some apples, cider and a dozen of their delicious glazed donuts. And yes, before we even leave the parking lot, there's only 10 left. I'd take a photo of the donuts... but I think we already ate them all...

As the season progresses, we'll head back for more cider and donuts, as well as pick out our pumpkins and mums for some great fall decor. We'll enjoy as much of the local flavors as we possibly can before the season changes once again.  As sad as it makes me to see the leaves start falling, I truly enjoy all of the bounty that comes along with it.

Oh, and did I mention the baked goods? I sort of went on a "Martha Stewart"/Pinterest kick this weekend and baked tiny little apple pies, and some delectable pumpkin muffins.

Apple picking with the family also makes for a great family portrait session... interested? I'm happy to join you - especially if there's a promise of apple cider involved!

favorite things: Lori's turn

If you read Erin's post, you know that we like to get to know our clients. This post is so that you can get to know us a little better. So here are a few of my favorite things, and I'll skip the ones Erin already mentioned that we share. (I mean, how can you go wrong with flip flops & lilacs?)

These are a few of my favorite things...

Guacamole. I was only introduced to this delicious and healthy snack within the last few years, but we have quickly become best friends. (Kind of like me and Erin! haha) My husband makes the best guacamole, but my soon-to-be sister-in-law makes a mean one as well. The difference is tomatoes, and I like it both with and without. Chipotle makes a good guac, and we love the Holy Mole at Maria's in Webster. Really, it's hard to find a guacamole I DON'T like, other than Wegmans. They do a lot of things right, just not the guacamole. Which leads me to favorite thing #2...

Wegmans! We love Wegmans so much in this house, that my husband has literally told me we can move anywhere... as long as there is a Wegmans close by. So friends, good news: we're never leaving the north east! But really, if I'm not home, there is a good chance I'm up the road at Weggies. Specific favorites: vanilla crumb muffins, garlic tuscan bread, the cheese department, the customer service... it's just all good at Wegmans.

Before you think all I do is eat....

Hiking. I'm so proud to live in Trail Town USA. We love it here in Perinton, and so do our dogs! We have tons of options for great paths, climbs and parks within walking distance, or just a short drive away. From the canal trail to Indian Hill, the Crescent Trail or Fellows Road Park, those are where we love to spend our time off.

Biking. I'm always torn between hiking and biking. Hiking is family time, but biking is Lori time. I love squeezing in a ride with friends or the rec group or even making up my own routes. I tried spin class for the first time this winter, and though it was a great workout, I prefer the wind-in-my-hair feeling of a road ride.

One of my favorite hikes last year was at Letchworth, even Molley enjoyed the view!

Letchworth Park is beautiful in BW and Color! Thats HDR on the right

A slow shutter speed image taken while riding

A few captures from rides around the city and canal

So that's it for this installment of favorite things. What do you think – want to meet up for a hike or ride? Give me a shout out and let's set something up! :)

A Gift in Memory of my Aunt Michele

There are certain days in my life that I will never forget. The day John proposed and the day we got married are two of the best. I remember every detail. There is another day I remember so acutely that I can't believe it was 5 years ago today. Unfortunately, it was not one of the good days. It was one of, if not the, hardest day of my life. My family was gathered at my parents house, celebrating my nephew Joey's first trip to New York when a cop knocked on the door. My aunt, my god mother, my role model, was killed instantly in an accident while riding her bicycle.

I'm already choking up as I picture the scene, the days following, and the wake. I miss her so much, and I know I am not the only one. She was loved by so many people: family, friends, students, & teammates. It's often the little things that remind me of her, like shopping for Christmas gifts and feeling like I forgot someone. I didn't forget, but this year, I'm going to give the gift to someone else.

In honor of my Aunt Michele, I want to give the best gift I know how: photography. Things can change in an instant, so this is the opportunity for someone, whether it's the perfect moment or not, to record this moment in life. Celebrate what you have, cherish it, love your family. I'll help.

To honor her memory this month, I want to give a session to someone deserving. The only requirement to enter this giveaway, is that you share something in common with my Aunt. I'm pretty sure almost everyone is eligible. Michele Duprey was:

• a teacher (physical education, health)
• a coach (lacrosse, softball, track, basketball)
• an athlete (softball, rugby, golf, cycling, running, okay: all sports)
• a dog lover (dalmatians in particular, she fostered & adopted several)
• a musician (guitar and vocals)
• a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and niece
• a former corvette owner
• a lover of life, travel, wine, & family

To enter yourself or a friend, fill out this short form by July 5th. (We'll notify the winner the following week.)

If you have a memory of Michele, feel free to share it in the comments below. She may be gone for now, but she will never be forgotten. Her memory lives on in all of us who knew her.

With Love, Lori

Left: One of my all-time favorite photographs, taken at Michele's last Christmas with us. On the right, her last school portrait.

Michele and I at my baptism

This cross is at the site of her accident. A pair of her sneakers hang there as a symbol of her love of athletics.

Here's to 5, or 45 more: a very happy anniversary

Last week I mentioned it was our 5th wedding anniversary, a big milestone! If you know my relationship with my husband, you'd know that he's the chef that counteracts my cereal addiction, and the calm to my impatient side.  You'd know that he's smart and analytical. He runs numbers, while I run the creative department of our household - most of the time that is. And despite my obvious love for all things love, he's the more romantic of the two of us.

When it comes to being cute and romantic, he steps up big. I don't think he likes it when I talk about him. But if I don't brag about him, how will other husbands and boyfriends have a standard to live up to?  :)

On the morning of our anniversary, my day started like any other. I stumbled out of bed, and headed to the couch where I continued to wake up while Matt readied for work. And as I watched Matt Lauer & Savannah Guthrie discuss the morning news, suddenly the computer sang out the intro to David Letterman's "Top 10 Countdown" followed by:

Matt: "The Top 5 Gifts Erin Will Receive on our Anniversary!!" Me: "Wait what? 5?! Oh man, I think I need to go shopping."

The morning then started with the gift of travel - to a cute B&B in Canada on our upcoming trip to the 1000 Islands.  Number four arrived around noon, the "expected gift." A beautiful bouquet of purple flowers was delivered. Which, while beautiful and I loved them - the effect of having flowers delivered to your office is dulled when your co-workers include only a dog who is more interested in the delivery guy. Number three, was "traditional." It was a beautiful handmade wooden jewelry box. Number two was my favorite perfume. I had run out a few years ago, and he remembered! And finally, Number one was all Vera Bradley for my "soon to be new" office... love. I swear, my coffee tastes so much better from my Vera coffee cup.

Gifts aside, the thought that went into the whole day mattered more! Simply put, I am a lucky girl.

We move into a new home in two days, and it's a little bittersweet.  We have so many memories wrapped up in this house - the day we brought our puppy home, getting engaged, getting married, parties with friends and family, our daily routines and little moments. We've been talking about how all of that will be a little bit different in our new house. And just as soon as we dig out out from underneath all of the moving boxes, I can't wait to find out how.

See you on the flip side friends! ~ Erin

My Three Grandmothers

This is a personal post, dedicated to my three grandmothers, Nina, Peg and Mary. I love you!

A Little Background

I was lucky enough to grow up with both sets of grandparents close by. I didn't realize how unique this was, until a recent chat with my husband. He only ever knew one set of grandparents, and it was a 6 hour drive to go visit them. My family was close, and losing my grandfathers were two of the hardest days of my life. I still remember them very clearly. Grandpa Pete left us when I was in high school, and Grandpa Dupe when I was in college. When John and I got married, I inherited his set of grandparents, and was excited to have a grandpa again. I now have three grandmothers and one grandfather, all of whom are wonderful beyond words.

My Three Grandmothers

Between the three of them, you could say they've "got it all." Cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, knee conditions, lung conditions, vision impairment, carpal tunnel, arthritis, and more. But more importantly, they have hope, love, faith, family, humor and strength beyond measure. I have learned much and am continually inspired by their lives, courage and outpouring of love.

A few weeks ago, Grandma Dupe decided to have a party. She wanted to see her favorite people again and tell them how much she loved them. It was a chance for us to eat together, laugh together, and make more memories. Coincidentally, Grandma Mary decided to do the same thing in Connecticut. The whole family got together "just because" we wanted to celebrate life. We spent back to back weekends celebrating the lives of these great women. Of course, I had my camera along and enjoyed seeing the joy and happiness on everyone's faces.

Celebrate Life

The message I want you to take away from today's blog post is this: Celebrate Life. In regards to photography, this is one of the driving forces behind my art. When we talk about photography as an "investment," this is why. Your photographs will steadily go up in value to you over time. Why are albums the things people reach for in a fire or flood? They are memories that only exist in tangible form because of photography. My point is: take the picture. Make the memory. NOW. Celebrate the good times, and be sure to record and cherish them, as I cherish these memories with my grandmas.

Cheers, Lori

little morning rituals: allie & erin

I roll over to pull the covers up over my head, and there she is. Her nose is nearly touching mine. Her eyes say "Good morning, mind if I squeeze in here?"  If I don't notice her because I'm slow to wake, she sends me another message. It's either in the form of a soft pawing at the covers, or a kiss directly to my face. She waits, almost patiently, until I pick the blanket up and she pushes her way under the covers. And then with a big sigh, she curls up next to me, and cuddles the last 20 minutes of my morning with me.

When I finally pull myself up out of bed, she rolls onto her back and into my vacant spot, and I give her a good belly rub. It's as if she's saying "I've given it some thought, and I decided to make easier for you to scratch my belly, oh, and ps - thanks for keeping my spot warm."

It's become a ritual I've come to love. Granted, it's a barely conscious ritual on my part at 7:30 am, but she doesn't care. I often wonder if she knows how lucky and spoiled she is.

But then again…I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one.

welcome mouse! the family is growing...

There is something that you need to know. Erin and I ... we're dog people. We love our fur babies and treat them as children (except when we put them in their crates when we leave the house). We translate for them and put words in their mouths. We consider Molley and Allie frenemies. They love each other, Molley just likes to chew on Allie's head a little, that's all.

Well, the family is growing! John and I just adopted our second puppy from Lollypop Farm. She is a sheltie mix named Mouse. It took a little over a week for Molley to realize she wasn't leaving, but they really are the perfect pair. Molley loves to play chase and keep away, and Mouse is more than happy to oblige. That's not to say Molley doesn't get a little jealous still, but we're working on that!

All three of the girls are very sweet. Even so, we do put them in their crates for meetings. This is why we ask for appointments – so we can make sure they get their treat and are put away. Molley is the loud mouth, so you may still hear her say hello when you come in. :)

Yesterday, we tried a little photo session with our three girls. There were lots of treats involved, of course, and it was still challenging to keep them close together for the photo. The couch ended up being a great way to get them close without all doing the same thing. I kind of like how they are all doing something a little different in this photo (below right)! We'll have to try it again when they are a little more comfortable with each other, as this was also the first time Mouse and Allie got to meet. Anyways...

If you're a dog person too, which many of our clients seem to be, we'll happily let you meet them at the end of your appointment. Once the food is put away of course!

Do you have a furry family member? We'd love to meet em! We love family portraits no matter what breed your children are :)

welcome to lori & erin photography

It began as something we joked about. Our friends in the photography industry began to confuse me for Lori, and vice versa.Then as we started working together, second shooting for each others weddings, we joked about someday joining forces and taking over the photography world together. As the time passed, the joking led to thinking- what if?  Could we really take over the photography world together? Ok fine, so maybe taking over the world is a bit of a stretch… this isn't rocket science after all.

But working together wasn't such an "out-there" thought, was it? We already knew each others' photographic style, workflow, and even most of each others' crazy little quirks. We've only known each other for three years, yet it feels like we've not only become great friends, but sisters as well. On top of all that, we do our best work when we work together.

So, no, it's not crazy…it's actually quite perfect.

So as of today, the i's are dotted and the t's are all crossed. We are super excited and extremely proud to share that Lori A Coleman, of Light & Ink and myself, Erin Perrotta from Perrotta Creative are now one business: Lori & Erin Photography.

We're still the same people, with the same photography styles and silly senses of humor. In essence, the only thing that's changing…is our e-mail addresses.

With that, we warmly welcome you to Lori & Erin Photography.

We do what we do, because we love our clients. We enjoy photographing you, your loved ones and your relationships. Then we love to watch you relive those moments through your images. We are blessed, not only to have each other, as friends, "sisters" and now business partners – but also to have you along for the journey with us. So thank you, for your support, trust and mostly for just being you.

In conclusion, welcome, welcome, welcome! We can't wait to have you on board with us as we begin this new endeavor, so thanks for checking us out online. Now, come check us out in person. Please, come in and have a glass of wine with us; because above all else, we love to make new friends.

contact us today!

For our current 2013 and 2014 Perrotta Creative and Light and Ink clients: Please note, your current contracts and work remain intact. All 2013 and 2014 Perrotta Creative wedding contracts are being honored and are covered as they were written. If you would like to update your contract under our new name or have any questions at all, please contact us at 585-678-1905. Thank you!