It's Alive!!!!!

Just got an e-mail from Caren. Dad's bench survived! It moved a few hundred feet inland but it survived intact.

Sandy Claims Eddie

My Dad woke me up in the middle of the night to see the wind. It was August 9th, 1976. I was six years old and experiencing my first hurricane on Long Island. We had a fairly large backyard for Long Island standards. It was the neighborhood soccer field and kick ball court with all my friends. There were two tall, skinny trees spaced perfectly that we used for soccer goals. 

 We stood at the back sliding glass door that had a huge X taped across it with duct tape, probably not the best idea during a hurricane. The trees would sway and bend in the wind with sheets of rain pelting the glass. As the eye of the Belle came on shore just ten miles away, I remember a minute long wind gust that raised the hair on the back of my neck. The trees were no longer swaying, they were just being pushed in to an unnatural position like a bully pinning a scrawny kid to the ground. They bent further and further until one of our soccer goals snapped in half five feet off the ground. 

 As a six year old there are things in life that just exist without question, like trees. They're massive, immovable objects that hurt when you run in to them. I speak from experience. So to see one tossed around like a rag doll and then snap in half was both sad and terrifying. Several other trees of the same size did not fall, but they developed large humps at their base which we used for years as ramps with our bicycles. They no longer stood straight up. After Hurricane Belle, things that seemed as concrete as the ground beneath my feet, were no longer guaranteed to last forever. 

 In 2001, I was taught that same harsh lesson again. My father, Eddie, who was stronger than any tree and more solid beneath my feet than Mt. Everest, passed away from Esophageal Cancer. He was pushed and bent by the cancer, much like the tree in my backyard, until he broke. We were left to pick up the pieces, especially my Mother, Sandy. 

 It is now eleven years since he passed, and although we've picked up the pieces, the scars of that storm will last forever. As a tribute to my father, my sister Caren had a bench placed on the boardwalk in her hometown on the Jersey Shore. It sits facing the ocean and watches every sunrise. It's a solid bench made of wood and concrete. It has sat their peacefully since 2008. 

 As Hurricane Sandy churns just off the Jersey Coast today, the fate of my Dad's bench is in jeopardy, as is the entire boardwalk the entire length of the Jersey Shore. It's ironic that the only thing that can move my Dad from the boardwalk is named Sandy.

Hover Wedding

We kicked off last weekend with the wedding of Kayleigh and Brett. They were so much fun, playing with a Film Noir feel, complete with fedora hats and a cigar bar. We started the day at Woodcliff in Perinton, then went up to the gorgeous Asbury Church on East Ave. in Rochester. We finished the day with a reception at Shadow Lake. 

 One of our stops included the graffiti wall at Village Gate. It used to be one of my favorite places to shoot until they blocked it off with a fence and razor wire. That doesn't seem to stop the graffiti artists from entering, but I wasn't about to bring a bridal party in to forbidden territory. There was a small section outside the fence though that was just big enough to get some cool shots. 

 After Village Gate, we headed up to High Falls in Rochester for some great shots around the old flour mills before making our way to Shadow Lake. We had a great time with Kayleigh and Brett, as well as with Andrew from Paper Moon Productions who was doing the video.

Blain Wedding

I am so far behind blogging weddings it's crazy. What better time to do it than when I'm awake at 4 a.m. staring at the ceiling. This is my first weekend in months without a wedding, so you'd think I'd take the opportunity to sleep in. Apparently someone forgot to tell my eye lids. 

Last weekend was the last of a long run of multi-wedding weekends. We finished the run with a great wedding with Natalie and Jarrod, who got married at Belhurst Castle. Jarrod is a pilot in the USAF and is a very big dude. He was very excited to lift his bride in the air every chance he got. 

It's always good working with some of the regular vendors at Belhurst. The awesome flowers were from Sandy's Floral Creations in Clifton Springs and we got to work side-by-side with our good friend Dave Carro from Carro Video.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

He's back! We're doing our Santa photos again this year, even earlier to give everyone time to send out their cards. We've also decided to do them on a Friday evening and Saturday this year, beginning November 9 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and then again on Saturday from 10:00-4:00 p.m. 

This is not your average mall Santa! Spend a full 15 minutes with Santa with each session to get creative for a truly unique photo experience. We have several different settings to choose from and you're encouraged to bring your own props as well. We've done all sorts of fun things with Santa, including Hawaiin beach photos, hockey jerseys, Santa wrapping kids in Christmas lights, etc... 

Each 15 minute session includes 1-8x10, 2-5x7s and 25 photo holiday cards for just $75. Session slots are limited and are filling fast with our loyal following of Santa lovers. He is the real deal. Call the studio at 585-393-9242 or e-mail info@cheslerphoto.com to reserve your spot. Prepayment is required to hold your spot.