Chicago Family Portraits | The Alanis Family

While in Chicago last week, I shot the Alanis Family in Lincoln Park. We originally wanted to shoot at Shed Aquarium, though there was a Manchester United game nearby which made it impossible to find parking on a hot, summer day. So we opted for a quiet corner of Oz Park, nestled between the tree lined, fitted brownstone quadrants of Lincoln Park. 


Rosa and I met in New York while she was studying for her PhD at NYU. Like the rest of us, she fell in love with Jaime, also a PhD student, who lived in Chicago. Naturally, Rosa relocated and bought some new snow boots, since this California girl was about to experience "... the coldest winter of my life!," as Rosa puts it. It wasn't long before Rosa and Jaime were married and now they have two beautiful boys, Antonio "Tonito", 2, and Emilio, 2 months. The Alanis' are a beautiful family with charismatic, electric energy.  Despite the Chicago heat we had a ton of fun and are already planning a winter shoot! 

Brooklyn Wedding Photographer | Chris & Kate's Fort Greene Engagement Party

When I answered an ad a couple months back at ICP that Kate had posted for a "non traditional" wedding photographer, I had a good feeling about it. I don't usually have good luck with these sort of exchanges especially with the traffic ICP receives. I was a little tickled that Kate and her fiancee Chris had taken the time to look at my work, and in her initial outreach, made it a point to mention that. When she invited me to Brooklyn for lunch, I was certain about our partnership.

When I had lunch with Kate she mentioned not wanting engagement photos and instead invited me to their engagement party/ belated birthday shindig at a friend's Fort Greene brownstone. The space was ah-mazing, by the way. After all, they are part of a wide circle of BK architects. The event was a true labor of love with their nearest and dearest pitching in from homemade burgers to bacon wrapped dogs and key lime pie and bite-sized biscuit strawberry shortcake for dessert. It was a seemingly perfect event for Chris and Kate and their +1, Griff. Don't worry he's just a dog and will make a cameo appearance the day of their wedding.

After nearly a decade of writing their story together, Chris and Kate will tie the knot this October at Mt. Gulian Historic Site in the Hudson Valley. Courtships like theirs simply don't exist any more; ten long years, multiple cities and the growing pains of your twenties?! It must be love!

Before signing off, I have to make mention of one last thing that solidified the fate of Chris, Kate and I finding each other like a needle in a haystack. When I first arrived at the party, Kate asked if I had ever tried boiled peanuts. Yeah, yeah, I know Brooklynites are foodies and all, but I have never seen these anywhere except my Filipino family parties growing up. What a pleasant surprise to learn the happy couple spent a year moonlighting at Brooklyn Flea selling these! Congrats Chris and Kate!

New York City Maternity Portraits | Alex & Little Cimmiyotti

I was lucky to spend a beautiful summer morning in the Central Park's Conservatory Garden with my glowing girl friend, Alex . Girl friends, no matter the age, are like chocolates; you can never have too many and the best ones always go first. Needless to say, I can hardly believe Alex is a soon - to - be, first time Mother. 

Alex and me go way back. Yeah, that's right, back to the days when we were {single and} running the NYC streets hitting happy hours on weeknights and enjoying day long shopping excursions to Macy's for shoes we had no business buying. Those were the days! We spent many a day reminiscing about college, where we were involved in every organization known to man, and now here we are, longing for our early New York days. It is a special honor to share such a history with friends; Alex is not only a college friend, but a lifelong friend. 

Jason and Alex are expecting the newest addition to their family early next month. I'm sure it's a mutual sentiment that we can't wait for Little Cimmiyotti's arrival and to document their brood as it grows. Isn't Alex simply radiant? Congrats to the Mommy and Daddy to be!