Heather and Jon

We had a great time this past weekend with back-to-back weddings in Geneva, the first at Ventosa Vineyard on Saturday and then Belhurst Castle on Sunday. On Saturday, Steve and I spent the day with Heather and Jon. Their ceremony, held at St. Francis in Geneva, was performed by a good friend of theirs who was actually doing his first ever wedding. He's a Deacon and will soon be ordained as a Priest.

Heather is a regular visitor to my blog and Facebook page, so I already felt like I was coming to a friends wedding even though we only met face-to-face a handful of times.

During the reception at Ventosa, we were treated to a beautiful thunderstorm approaching from across Seneca Lake. It was awesome to watch it grow as it got closer with huge bolts of lightning arching toward the ground from high above the base of the clouds. It was awesome to watch until it arrived. When it did, it came with horizontal rain and winds that resembled a hurricane. Guests ran inside from the covered balcony in a frenzy to escape the torrent. When it was over, we were handed a beautiful sunset.

Warbirds Over Long Island

While I was at the airshow, I had the honor of meeting fellow Long Islander and P-51 pilot Chris Baranaskas. Chris pilots the P-51 "Glamerous Gal" as a co-founder of Warbids Over Long Island, and is dedicated to the presentation of World War II planes and the history that surrounds them. You can visit their website at Warbirdsoverlongisland.com.

Chris's Mustang was featured in the book, "Front Row Center 4: Inside the Great American Airshow" by Erik Hildebrandt. He had copies of the book at his tent which he signed for my kids. The photography in the book is awesome whether you love planes or not. Check it out on Amazon with the link below.

The book tells the story of Chris and his father Bob and how they started Warbirds Over Long Island. While browsing their website tonight, I was saddened to discover that Bob passed away in April of 2009 in a crash over the ocean off Long Island in his vintage P-40 Warhawk while practicing for an upcoming air show.

This excerpt from their website is from Chris and what his father meant to him and the entire aviation community:
"There was not a day that my father didn’t climb into that cockpit and realize that he was entrusted with a piece of our American military heritage so that he could tell our country’s story. It is a story that doesn’t end with his death and it is a story that is as important today as it was when his P-40 was built during World War II. Through Warbirds Over Long Island his passion was to get people in touch with our heritage which is why you would find him after a flight going over to the fence line and talking to visitors and guests about the fighter he flew and the men who went into combat with it.
Pilots especially will appreciate the power of what I say when I tell you he was much more than a loving father and devoted grandfather. He was – in every sense of the word – my wingman. And now my wingman is gone but our mission continues. I believe every one of us who is part of the Warbird community has an obligation to employ these former weapons of war as my father did, as living tributes to those who preserve, protect and defend. My father lived that credo to his last moments."


Christopher Baranaskas
 

Taps

Four P-51 Mustangs approached from the south, cruising by 500 feet above the grass landing strip. Nobody uttered a word as "Taps" played in the background. At the center of the strip, one of the Mustangs pointed the nose toward the sky and banked away from the others for the missing man formation. I've never served in the military, but I am eternally grateful for those who have to preserve my freedom, especially those who have paid the ultimate price for it.

We were at the Geneseo Air Show this past weekend, which was an amazing display of military and aerobatic aircraft from World War One through the present. The highlight of the day was an incredible display of power with a flight demonstration of an Air Force F-16. There is no sound quite like it on earth than a fighter going by at just under the speed of sound with full afterburners on. It is the pure definition of American pride.

Membership Has It's Privileges

We are proud to announce our new Studio Membership program for those clients that want come to us on a frequent basis. The program is designed for those who want to have photos taken on a frequent basis, allowing them to get the sessions they need as well as a discount on reprints and specialty products. Here's how it works:

For a $99 annual family membership fee you get:

Three sessions per year plus you automatically get

our 15% discount level regardless of your order size.

You will also receive priority appointment slots for

our mini sessions and specialty sessions, such as our

Christmas in July event.

Members will also receive priority pricing on family events,

senior portraits and wedding pricing.

After 5 consecutive years of membership, you will also receive

a free 8x8 10 page/20 sided coffee table album from any or all

of your sessions.

With our studio sessions typically starting at $125, the three sessions will save you $276 per year. Add the 15% discount on reprints and it's clear that membership does have it's privileges.

*The 15% discount does not apply to our mini sessions and special events since the pricing on those events are already discounted.

Steel Rails

Just before we left for the campground on July 4th, we went down to Kershaw Park to watch Kate Lee perform at the Gazebo. One of my favorite songs she plays is "Steel Rails". It brings me to a time well before I was born, when rail travel was the premiere mode of transportation.

As a child on Long Island, rail travel consisted of taking the Long Island Railroad in to New York City, riding on silver tubes that were as glamerous as a paper towel roll. The glory days of steam were long over. The trains received their power from the infamous third rail, which was a raised rail above the tracks which carried enough juice to fry a person in seconds. We were taught a healthy respect for the third rail from a young age, second only to "Don't cross your eyes, you'll be stuck that way for the rest of your life", and just in front of "Don't eat too much sugar or you'll get worms."

Our campground is down in Delevan, NY, just south of Arcade in the Southern Tier. Arcade in known for the Arcade and Attica Railroad which has daily steam excursions to Curriers, NY. Last summer we took one of the excursions which was like stepping back in time. The steam train wiggled it's way slowly down the tracks past creeks and cow pastures, singing a ghostly howl that echoed through the hills at each crossing. The locomotive sent plumes of black smoke in to the air in contrast to the snow white steam that would billow out through the whistle.

This year, I took Cade with me by car, to chase the train down at a few crossings to get some photos of #18.

Sam's World

We did a great session last week with Sam, a very talented CA senior. Not only is she an accomplished writer, she's an amazing artist. She brought some of her drawings along with her and we were able to incorporate them into her photos, or should I say we were able to incorporate Sam into some of her drawings. Either way, the two worlds collide with amazing results.