Project 9-11 Slideshow

On September 11, PPSNYS member photographers captured what they were doing that day to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9-11-2001. Here is the slideshow that PPSNYS put together as a tribute. My embedded videos have not being showing up when viewed on Facebook, so here is the direct link to the blog.
Cheslerphotography.blogspot.com

Trash the Dress, In Diapers?

I was interviewed yesterday for an article on Trash the Dress that ran online today on TheStreet.com. The article was on 5 New and Unusual Wedding Traditions, Trash the Dress being one of them. Here is a direct link:

TheStreet.com

One of the new and more unusual trends in weddings appearing is the use of bridal diapers for brides wearing dresses that are too difficult to go to the bathroom in. I guess forgoing the diaper would bring new meaning to trashing the dress.

My brides don't wear diapers, they just wash their dresses on the cold cycle while they're still wearing them.

Santa!!!!

I couldn't have said it better myself, Santa's coming and we're just as excited. November 19 and 20 we are once again offering our awesome photos with Santa with a 15 minute session 1-8x10, 2-5x7s and 25 Holiday Cards for $75. Book your appointment today because we sell out quick by calling 585-393-9242.

Remembering Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

1955-2011

When I saw the headlines come across the news last night about the passing of Steve Jobs, I was shocked, not only about the news itself, but also my reaction to it. I knew he had pancreatic cancer and stepped down as CEO of Apple in August, but I never would have guessed he would go downhill so fast. Although I didn't know him personally, I really feel a personal sense of loss, greater than just hearing of the passing of a celebrity or sports star. His innovation of products as well as the marketing of those products has been such an intrinsic part of my life, I couldn't help but be affected personally. My iPhone and iPad are such indispensable tools in my life now. We are in the process of transitioning the studio from PC based to Mac based as well. It's a slow process as finances become available, but it is a direct result of the influence Steve Jobs has had on my life. Weekly I would browse the Mac-Life app on my iPad to see what new products Apple was introducing, as well as the way they were introducing them. Jobs was a marketing genius that I would love to emulate on even the smallest level. Rest in peace Mr. Jobs. I'm sure you will be missed by millions.

Life Lesson

I have my cameras with me all the time, so much so that I'm sore from carrying them on my shoulders. I woke up this morning to the sound of torrential rain on the roof and my wife getting my son ready for his football game. I shoot as many of his games as I can, but today I made the decision to abort and keep my equipment dry and give my body a day off. Instead, I set my attention on dressing appropriately for two hours in a 48 degree monsoon.

It's been raining for days, so the ground is completely saturated. Cade came home from football practice yesterday in tears he was so cold and wet. At today's game we were armed with rain gear from head to toe and enough hand warmers to cook a turkey. I knew the game would be a soggy one, but I never anticipated the four inch deep puddles on the field. With every tackle, tsunamis of water would hurl up in to the air. My mind began snapping photos, still shots of water dripping off the ends of noses, the agony of cold fingers slamming in to helmets and the never ending spray of water shooting up, showering the pint sized athletes. Unfortunately, my camera lay peacefully tucked in it's warm dry bag in my house. From now on, it will come with me whether I plan on using it or not.

Mini Sessions

Believe it or not, we're gearing up for Christmas already with a collection of Mini Sessions that make great Christmas gifts. Each half hour session will cost $75 and include 1-8x10, 2-5x7s and 25 Christmas Cards. Some of the themes will be ongoing with studio appointments while others will be limited dates with limited appointments available.

Here is a list of some of the themes we will be doing:

-School Photos - October (This is the perfect alternative to the single pose school photos each year)

-Dog Days of Autumn Pet Portraits - October and November

-Pumpkin Patch Children's Photos - October

-Fall Foliage Family Portraits - As long as the leaves last

-Couch in a Field Family Portraits - October 22-23

-Rustic Barn Photos - October and November

-Santa Photos - Mid November 2 days only Dates TBD (If you've seen our Santa, you'll believe!)

-Christmas in the Studio - November and December

We will start immediately with our School Portraits. Call the studio at 585-393-9242 to book your after school session. Why settle for rapid fire fake smiles when you can get a half hour session with multiple outfit changes?

Bring the pets out before the snow flies with our Dog Days of Autumn sessions. This is the perfect gift to surprise your dog lover this holiday season. We can do lakeside photos, in a park, urban alleys, etc... Please bring a bag to take out what your dog leaves behind.

We are still searching for the "perfect" couch to bring out in a field for family photos. If you know if a couch that would look really cool for this situation let me know.

Our Pumpkin Patch Children's Photos and Fall Foliage Family Portraits are weather dependent, so book early before the seasons first wind storm takes all the leaves down.

Stay tuned for details on our Santa photos.

Kudos Budweiser

Great 9/11 tribute from Budweiser.

Project 9.11

As a member of the Professional Photographers Society of New York State, I was invited to participate in a book project commemorating the ten year anniversary of the attack on the United States by terrorists. Project 9.11 will be a collection of images from member photographers across the state, documenting life ten years later.

 

I had the opportunity to photograph this years Thunder Over Niagara Air Show in Niagara Falls. It was an honor to participate in something so powerful with members of the military who have so valiantly given of themselves to protect our freedom. Words can't fully express the pride I feel being an American but hopefully the images can.

9/11 Remembered

I remember the day vividly. Our morning consisted of watching The Wiggles on TV as Sarah prepared for her first day of preschool. I was going to fly down to NYC that morning but I put it off until the afternoon so I could be with Sarah for this milestone.

My father was staying at my aunts house in Lynbrook, Long Island while he commuted to Sloan Kettering in Manhattan for his cancer treatment. He was in a clinical trial for Esophageal Cancer after surgery unsuccessfully contained it from spreading.

Sue and I dropped Sarah off at the YMCA preschool program and then headed down to the Post Office in Canandaigua with a quick stop at Burger King for breakfast. We heard a few people murmuring about a plane crash but didn't think much of it. At the post office the employees were talking more about it and we heard a plane had hit one of the twin towers.

It was hard to believe, so we rushed back to the car and turned on the radio only to find out this was no accident with the second plane hitting the South Tower.

I had an appointment at the studio which I half heartedly completed before rushing home. Back in the car I listened in shock as the North Tower fell. The next 36 hours were a blur as we sat glued to the TV. My trip to NYC was obviously cancelled.

While all this was going on in the uncertain safety of Canandaigua, my mother and father were on their way in to Manhattan for one of his treatments and to find out the results of his most recent Cat Scan. On the train in, they could see the smoke from the towers looming over head. They arrived in Penn Station and switched from the Long Island Rail Road to the subway, only to have that shut down after one stop. They had to walk the rest of the way to Sloan Kettering on the streets. As they walked, people began gasping in horror and as they turned around, they could see the North Tower come down.

When they finally made it to Sloan Kettering, they were seen and dealt the news that would forever change their world. The treatment was not working and he was out of the program.

September 11, 2001 was not only one of the darkest days in our country's history, it was also the day my father was given his death sentence.

Now, ten years later, the wounds have healed as a country and as a family, but the scars are deep. It doesn't take much to bring the emotion flooding back. Seeing the country come together today both locally and nationally lets me know that I'm not alone. I spent the morning with my family watching the news coverage of the events of today and ten years ago. My kids were either too young or not even born yet when our world changed, so they sat riveted to the TV trying to grasp the magnitude of what took place. For ten years they have heard about it and learned about it with each passing anniversary. I don't know if it's a sign of them maturing or the increased awareness with such a big anniversary, but I think it sunk in today. My daughter posted on her Facebook page today, "It has been 10 years. And although I was very young, I will never stop praying for the people who risked their lives and the families who lost loved ones that day. It was a hard day on my family and many others. We will remember you always♥"

Pride

My Freshman year of high school I was the only rookie on my high school hockey team. I had never played in a check league before so I was deathly afraid of my first shift. It wasn't until the last minute of my first game that I actually got to touch the ice. I skated in to the corner after a loose puck and immediately got sandwiched to the boards like a panini. I wobbled back to the bench as manly as I could, climbed over the boards gasping for the breath that had been knocked out of me and said to my line mates, "That didn't hurt."

A few weeks later, I had been promoted to the second line. All the stars aligned one game and as I was standing in front of the net I got knocked to my knees as the puck landed in front of me. I hacked at it with my stick and got just enough of it to send it gracelessly bouncing on the ice. It was like slow motion as the goalie bent down to pick up the puck that was barely moving and in true Bill Buckner fashion, he missed. It trickled in to the net for the most technically inefficient goal ever scored, but it was my goal. At the end of the game as I stepped off the ice, I saw the twinkle in my Dad's eye he was so filled with pride. I will never forget that moment as he put his arms around me and said, "You're not a virgin anymore!" He always had a way with words.

For several years now, I have been taking my son fly fishing. He has caught a few chubs and blue gills on the fly rod, but never a trout. It was becoming an obsession of his to catch that first one. Earlier this summer I brought him down the Springwater Creek south of Hemlock Lake. The creek is not known as one of the areas best streams, but it was perfect for him with lots of small rainbow trout. Rainbows tend to be a little more aggressive and the young ones aren't as wise as their elders. Right off the bat Cade began to have a few tugs on the line but his inexperience got the best of him as he couldn't set the hook quickly enough. Cast after cast he slowly noticed and corrected his mistakes until it finally happened. A beautiful six inch rainbow hit the line and didn't let go. Cade was so excited he wasn't sure what to do beside dragging the little gem out of the creek on it's side.

I was so excited for him I almost forgot to take pictures, but I was determined to document this moment three years in the making. The pride I felt inside was intense at my little guys accomplishment. The excitement of his first trout didn't last long though because the second one came shortly after, and a third and fourth and fifth...for a total of nine trout that day. He was so excited we went back the next day and he caught six more.

Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life. Teach your son to fish and you'll smile for life.