If you look through the album, you’ll see a double rainbow show taken during Kim and Joe’s reception.  Before you start wishing for a rainbow on your wedding day, realize that it has to rain a little bit on your wedding in order to have a rainbow.  

By the way, Will Clayton at the Samoset has a switch in his office that let’s him turn the rain off, so we haven’t seen a lot of wet wedding days up there, but Kim and Joe were okay with him watering the golf course for a few minutes once they were safely inside.

If you want to see their complete gallery instead of their wedding album, click here. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy turning the pages – Will

 If you want to see their gallery instead of their wedding album, click here. 

 FYI, the watermark logo in the bottom right of the album pages is only on the web copy, not on the actual album.  We put logos there so other photographers can’t show our images and albums as their own quite as easily – it happens.

At Bethany and Jed’s wedding, Lucia and I got to explore two York locations we’d never been to.  Bethany got ready at the Harbor Crest Inn, which I think is managed by the York Harbor Inn, but is very clearly it’s own property, and a completely different experience.  I highly recommend it for brides as a place for your family and bridal party to stay.  

Then their ceremony was at the York Golf and Tennis Club, which is another jewel.  I hope you love their album as much as we do.  If you want to see the original gallery from Bethany and Jed’s wedding, just click here.

In a perfect world, Portland would have a few clothing designers who would lend me outfits on a regular basis for the models I shoot.  Unfortunately, I don’t know these designers, and sometimes I want to photograph something different than the clothing my models own.  Two weeks ago (just before out studio exhibit) I asked a model I like working (Kaitlyn Gradie) with and a make up artist whose work I love (Jacquelyn Michaud) to come in and play, and I promised I would dress Kaitlyn in newspaper and it would look good.  And then I made a dress out of the Boston Globe (actually, 3 copies of the Globe).  My assistant Ali (Alison Thomas) made the flowers for her hair and belt (for the image above, the flowers became a parasol), and Jacquelyn (who told me this afternoon she doesn’t like to be called Jackie) gave Kaitlyn exactly the modern look I wanted for our shoot.

Okay, I’m not winning any awards for my loose-in-the-bodice pleated dress, but Kaitlyn totally made it work in the images.  I hope you like them – Will

Kaitlyn Larger Than Life

On Friday night, as part of the First Friday art walk in Portland, we hosted an exhibit at our studio entitled ‘Ingenue’.  These were fine art black and white portraits of 22 models I photographed over the last six weeks.  

For the exhibit, we invited all of the models who participated to come and answer questions about the images, as well as meet new photographers they hadn’t worked with.  I can’t begin to tell you how amazing this experience was for me, and if you missed it, you missed something really special.  The images that hung are reproduced below, but aren’t nearly as impactful without the live model standing in front of them.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t brag a little about how great the models were that participated in this exhibit.  Yes, I’m pretty good with fine art lighting, and in my mind I knew exactly how this exhibit would come together, but all I told these brave women and men was “I want you to come and be totally honest with the camera.  I want you to bare your soul as well as your body.”  Pretty vague, right?  The models were trusting, giving, and excited to participate.  They covered all body types, and different age brackets, and the success of these images is due to the combination of their efforts with my vision and direction, and I’m grateful to everyone who let me photograph them for this.

I hope you enjoy the images.  

Will

If you ‘d like to see Betsy and Nate’s original gallery, follow this link.

If you’ve never strolled along Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport, Maine, just as the the cool evening breeze blows in, you have no idea what you’re missing.  The Nonantum Resort is located right on the water, blocks from the Atlantic, and in the cutest little village where an ex-president lives in Maine (did you see how I tried not to offend the Camden or York folks there?).  Tim and Dawn did an amazing job with this wedding, and Jackie and Seth had a terrific wedding all day long.

 

What do you think you’ll do after Greely? I’ve been looking at colleges. My family also went down to Boston this past summer to get my aptitudes tested, since I previously had no clue what to major in. I think I’m going to go into Interior or Industrial Design or Architecture.

And you mentioned architecture – do you have a favorite building? One of my favorite architectural landmarks is the town of Santorini, Greece. The white buildings with the blue domes by the sea are so beautiful!

Got a favorite store? Mexicali Blues has a lot of neat stuff. Every time I go in there, I just want to buy everything!

 

So you’ve made it to your senior year. Tell me something you’ve done that you’ll never forget. One of the hardest and coolest things I’ve ever done was to hike up Sugarloaf Mountain during the summer.

Who did you do that with? My family – my mom, dad, and brother, Sam.…. We kind of lost the hiking trail, so we ended up climbing up one of the black diamond ski trails. But, the view from the top was breath taking!

What are you listening to for music lately? I recently fell in love with Bruno Mars, but Lady Gaga and Rihanna are usually pretty reliable, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s talk about your photoshoot – you did a park session, right? That’s right. The variety of backdrops at the park made each of my images unique; there was a pond, and there were tons of flowers and trees to pose by, not to mention a pretty little stream. Color is important to me, and the park had plenty of it!

I’m happy you liked it. How did you select Focus Photography to capture your senior portraits? Before I came to Focus, I was looking in depth at another photographer, when I took a look at the Focus website. I was really impressed by the combination of creativity and professional quality of your images. At first, I thought the prices were out of reach, but then I realized that the prices for the other photographer were about the same, if not higher, and plus, Focus’s images were better. I’m so glad I chose Focus!

 

 

 

We’re glad too! So, how did you like your images? I am so pleased with how my pictures came out. I think you really captured me at my best. My mom almost cried when she saw a few – that’s a good sign!

The anticipation was definitely worth it. In many of the images, you were able to capture my serious side, something that does not often show itself. I also liked how some of the pictures weren’t exactly portraits, but more like pieces of art that happened to have me in them.

Do you have a favorite?There were so many awesome photos, so it was really hard to choose a favorite. The one my mom and I finally decided on is in sepia, and it is a close up. I don’t actually remember you taking it – I think I had just finished blinking, because my eyes are just slightly closed and I’m looking down at the camera. I love it because I have never seen myself look so glamorous!

 

 

 

The most memorable moment of the shoot was when Will made me stand in the stream with my dress on. Right as he was about to take a picture, a bunch of ducks swam right into the middle of the scene! They were so cute!.

I had a lot of fun photographing Abbie – thanks for reading the story and checking out the images –Will

Here’s a change of pace for my wedding narratives.  You know I loved this wedding, the Wentworth was beautiful, the staff was amazing, the food was delicious, and people had an amazing time.  How about, just this once, we leave it at that, and I let the images speak for themselves.  If you need me to talk more, comment me.  Otherwise, look through the gallery, and enjoy the images.

Will

It doesn’t take more than a moment of looking at our blog to realize that the Samoset Resort in Rockland, Maine is one of our favorite wedding locations.  It’s casual at the same time as it’s elegant; it’s coastal but also a golf course; it has a killer pool and tent, but also several large ballrooms.  The staff is extraordinary, but also laid back.  I could go on, but instead, let me tell you about the amazing turn of events for Lauren and Jason, who came up to coastal Maine for a fall wedding.  They were a tent wedding at the end of the season, and at 11:00 a.m. on the morning of their ceremony, the wind blew the tent down.   And the two large ballrooms were both booked.  Plus, by the afternoon (when the image above was taken), there was a really cold wind whipping off the water, and the cocktail hour was scheduled outside.

Was there panic?  Commotion?  No.  Very quietly the wedding was set up inside in a third ballroom, and the cocktail party was moved into the restaurant.  No one was heartbroken, everyone was grateful and happy, and the party was out of control.  We’ve been lucky to shoot at the Samoset several times a year for the past half-dozen years, and I’ve never once seen a coordinator flustered, a server less-than-helpful, a bride and groom not absolutely thrilled with the Samo, or a wedding that wasn’t glorious there.

Enough words – let’s look at the gallery.  Hope you like them.  Will

Ashley and Chris got married at the beautiful Landing in Scarborough, Maine.  They did their ceremony on the balcony overlooking the dance floor, and no one had to drive to their reception.  But we met them earlier in the day – Ashley got ready at the Hilton in Portland, and then went to the Eastern Promenade, where Chris was waiting for her.  We had an amazing time – I hope you enjoy the gallery.

Who knew that a ceremony on a hill overlooking one of the most beautiful bays in the world would be every bit as beautiful as the coastal view itself?  Jim and Tonya had the warmest of families, and by the end of the night, when we were leaving the Saltwater Grille in South Portland, we were as much fans of theirs as they were of us.  Hope you like the images.

The words ‘showered with love’ give new meaning for Jessica and Mike who shared a wonderful wedding day with their family and friends – albeit a rainy one.  No worries for this fun-loving couple, with all the love and attention they were showered with that day, no one paid any attention to what was happening outside.

Jess and Mike’s Wedding was made extra-special by these fine Wedding Professionals:

The Fireside Inn, Portland ME

David’s Bridal, So. Portland

European Bakery, Falmouth ME

And us of course, Will and Lucia, Focus Photography

When Courtney and John first told us about their plans for the big day, they said they wanted intimate and elegant, but they also wanted fun.  They certainly succeeded with all of those things…. but also managed to hit on a little note of ‘grandiose’  - have you seen the Landing at Pine Point ?  It’s got to be coastal Maine’s best kept secret!!  These are a few of our favorite images from their magnificent wedding.  And Courtney and John – we’re going to miss you when you move to Seattle!

Hats off to the professionals who made this great day shine:
The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough ME
Minotts Flowers, Portland ME
DJ Jeff Rockwell, Portland ME
Madeleine’s Daughter, Portsmouth NH

If you’d like to see their original gallery, click here.  I hope you enjoy Jenny and Lucas’ album as much as we do.  Will

From the moment we met George and Julie, Lucia and I loved them as a couple.  They’re fun, caring, emphatic, romantic, upward, sentimental, adorable, and a whole lot more.  Their wedding was all of that.  We met Julie at their apartment, then went to George at the church.  They had a first glance ceremony before the wedding, then a great church service.  After, the Italian Heritage Center in Portland for their reception.  We’re so very glad we met them both.  Hope you like the gallery.

Every once in a while, you get the extreme pleasure of meeting someone who opens their heart and soul to you and makes you feel like family.  This is the case with Donna.  A few years back we photographed Donna and her daughters on Peaks Island, and this year we were beyond thrilled to spend a few days in Boston with them when she and Bob decided to get married.  Bunker Hill, the USS Constitution, The Bond, Christopher Columbus Park, a horse drawn carriage and then the actual wedding on Boston’s Elite Yacht - can you say wow – ?!!

 

 

 

I wore a pink-purple sweater with lighter jeans and a formal black dress with white and red silk that I actually wore 4 years ago for my Bat Mitzvah! They came out absolutely incredible!! .

 

 

 

 

Sarah’s mother Maxine describes her as an old soul. After photographing her, I was astonished by her presence – the way she could just stare into the camera and hold the viewer’s attention.

But even with her classic beauty and ‘old soul’, her answers to our interview questions are refreshingly normal. I’m thrilled to introduce you to Sarah Foster.

Tell me a little about yourself.  I’m a senior at Westbrook High, and I’m involved in marching band, jazz band, theater, and tennis at my school, and the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble and Orchestra outside of school. I am also in the National Honors Society at my school, which is so much fun! Music is pretty much my life, though.

Why are you excited for your senior year? I think the best thing about being a senior this year is that I’ve already got 3 years of high school under my belt.

When I first started high school, I was shy, had a limited circle of friends, and was never interested in trying anything new. Now, in a really important transition in life, I’m more outgoing, love making friends, and am really interested in trying a little bit of everything.

It’s just made this upcoming year that much more exciting, and I just can’t wait for it to really kick in!

What’s after Westbrook? I’ve been looking at some really great colleges that have a little bit of everything because I’m interested in doing a little bit of everything, from music, to ecology, to theater, to nutrition, and plenty of other things.

Do you have a favorite band? Well, I have one absolute favorite band, Streetlight Manifesto, which I would recommend to EVERYBODY, but I also love Coldplay and Jason Mraz.

Where do you like to shop?
I think my favorite store was Borders until they decided to close down. I’m a huge bookworm.

What’s your idea of fun? I think snowboarding and music are the coolest things ever!

 

I have one absolute favorite band, Streetlight Manifesto, which I would recommend to EVERYBODY, but I also love Coldplay and Jason Mraz.

 

 

Working with Will (at Focus)was incredible! Not only was he a lot of fun, but he really knew what he was doing. You can tell that he always wants to take pictures that compliment a person’s individuality and the poses and styles he comes up with are creative and unique. It was really a blast working with Will, and I’m SO glad I got the opportunity!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the most important question: How do you like the way you looked in your images?  I LOVE THE WAY I LOOK IN MY PICTURES! I really saw for the first time how much a certain color or angle of the shoulder could make such a huge difference in the way a person looked or the impression they gave off. We had a very difficult time choosing pictures.

Do you have a favorite image?
Both my mom’s and my favorite picture was the head shot of me in my purple sweater.

Would you recommend us?  To upcoming seniors, I just have to say that you should try to do the most with Focus as you can! Go to the beach and the studio and just have a blast with it!

Both Will and Lucia are AMAZING people and I’m really glad I met them! Don’t be nervous, I can guarantee that you’ll be surprised at the amount of fun you can have and the amazing results you’ll get!

I would definitely recommend Focus to anybody!!

 

I LOVE THE WAY I LOOK IN MY PICTURES!… I would definitely recommend Focus to anybody!!

it was great getting to know Sarah. She did a combo session with both a studio and a downtown segment (roughly an hour for each). Sarah – anything else? THANK YOU GUYS SO SO SO SO MUCH!! I was worried I wouldn’t get good pictures taken anywhere, but this shoot exceeded my expectations SOO much!