Derek Fowles Photography

Alanna & Joel - Sneak Peek

2009-09-08T14:24:00.002-04:00

Kristine, Dan, Dylan, Gavin - Family Shoot

2009-09-02T12:42:00.006-04:00

This photo shoot took place in Dennis, MA on Mayflower Beach. Cape Cod is just a wonderful place to be for a few hours, not to mention a perfect backdrop for photos. Even more, it's a great place for a family photojournalism since the kids know exactly how to keep themselves occupied from the moment their feet hit the sand. No issues with camera-awareness here!

We especially enjoyed working with this family since their boys are less than a year and a half apart in age, just like our two boys. Now that our little one is 2 1/2, we feel like we're finally coming up for air. It's nice to see other parents negotiating their way gracefully through the unique challenge of having two kids spaced close together. We're always looking for pointers...

Okay, Dylan was quite aware of the camera here. Poor Gavin was hitting his best GQ pose too. "Dude, do you mind? Get out of my shot, bro..."

At last. A chance to shine on his own!

Love the way Gavin keeps one hand resting on Dad's leg while he works the shovel with his other hand. They are so adorable at this age how they need to be in touch, literally, with their parents every so often throughout the course of the day. Play for a while, then come over for a little snuggle, then go off and play again...

Isn't this the challenge of having two kids? They're going off in different directions much of the time. These guys manage to strike a nice balance of enjoying each other's company while also pursuing their own interests. Not exactly sure what Gavin is up to, but they both seem to be engaged in their own form of worship to the beach gods.

I love how serene and content Gavin is in mid-flight. Born to fly, apparently.

Speaking of mid-flight, Dan and Dylan were catching some big air over these incoming waves.

In fact, they were an entire family of big-air...

Kristine and Dan, we commend you for the beautiful job you are doing raising your boys. Being just a year over the horizon, we know what you are going through!

Karen & Eric's Wedding - Sneak Peek

2009-09-01T09:36:00.004-04:00

Michelle, Ben, Eli, Lily - Family Session

2009-08-28T13:31:00.006-04:00

Here's a small sample from our recent family photo shoot with Michelle, Ben, Eli and Lily in Larchmont, NY

Nicole, Casey & Isabel - Family Session

2009-08-25T15:02:00.014-04:00

Here is a small snapshot, as it were, of Nicole, Casey & Isabel's recent family session in Wilbraham, MA, on the campus of the Wilbraham & Monson Academy. We had originally met on the phone when they talked to us about photographing their wedding. To make a long story short, their wedding plans changed along the way, we decided to roll their credit towards an eventual family shoot, and at long last here we are!

Isabel was a great trooper during our session, happily going from the air-conditioned house to the sweltering heat of the outdoors, and then back in and then back out again. She handled it with more poise than us sweating, mosquito-swatting adults, to be sure. And she remained supremely photogenic throughout! Most impressive!!

Nicole and Casey, thanks for such a fun afternoon!

Vanessa & Chip's wedding

2009-08-19T21:05:00.002-04:00

Vanessa and Chip, who live and work in our nation's capital, Washington D.C., and Vanessa being a Dartmouth graduate, couldn't have picked a better date for their Hanover, NH wedding. July 4th. The red, white and blue banners, the flags, even the town celebration on the green made it feel as if the entire town was in on their party.

Getting ready. Justin, Chip's groomsman, made it his job to know how to tie a bow-tie and single-handedly put the final touches on the outfits of all the groomsmen and the bride and groom's fathers.

The groom and his dad.

The porch of the Hanover Inn is the prime spot in Hanover to sit and watch the world go by, as generations of Dartmouth alumni can attest. On this day most everyone was watching this handsome fellow and his friends.

The flower girls, taking a minute away from the formal photos to check out the view.

The guys head off across the Green to the ceremony site.

Rollins Chapel, inside and out.

It rarely happens that the groom has a moment in the church before all of the guests arrive.

(As an aside, I think that this is one of those instances that illustrates the power of still photography. As compared to a movie, for instance, there is something riveting about how a solitary image, a single moment in time, can speak volumes. We humans are creatures raised on stories, and our brains are wired to automatically supply the missing narrative. What is he going through at this moment? All of us who are or have been married know just how intense your feelings can be before the ceremony. Is he excited? Nervous? Prayerful? Absorbed in the details of the next hour, or visualizing his life's path for years to come? It's all there for us to guess at, chew upon, wonder about, because the camera has pulled this single moment out of the stream of onrushing time and set it aside for us to contemplate.)

Chip takes a minute with the minister, a family friend, before the service.

Vanessa was a great sport about the day's uncooperative weather. Most of the formal photos were moved inside as the rain wouldn't let up. We did what we could inside and under the awning of the Hanover Inn, but she never gave up hope that the rain might stop long enough for the wedding party to walk Rollins Chapel. And, amazingly, it did let up - just in time.

Let the party begin...

The Daniel Webster Room, where I actually used to wait tables in my undergraduate days :)

The Hanover Inn is a really wonderful place to have a reception. With the covered patio, Vanessa and Chip were able to have their cocktail party outdoors even with the rain. There are many sites for formal photos both inside and out. Alanna, the event coordinator, attended to every detail of the day and was a real joy to work with. And, last but not least, the food was absolutely incredible.

The dance floor was full all night. Certainly, Chip wasn't going to be out-danced by these flower girls, up far past their bedtime. Chip and Vanessa each have an amazing family, and together they have a wonderful group of friends. As the evening unfolded, we were able to talk to many people. We discussed photography, we learned more about Vanessa and Chip and the people who played a part in their wedding day, and we were thanked repeatedly by various people just for being there. By the end of they day we certainly felt like part of the family.

Chip and Vanessa said their goodbyes and slowly left the reception. Once again, the rain let up just long enough so that they could stroll through town and continue the party at the Canoe Club with their large group of die-hard friends. It was the perfect ending to a spectacular day. Congratulations, V-Chip!

Kim & Bryan's Wedding

2009-08-13T11:05:00.007-04:00

Hello this is Adrian, Derek's wife, hijacking this blog entry. Technically, I'm his business partner too - it just sounds funny to list those side by side. Wife and business partner. It either makes our marriage sound too much like a job, or our business sound like it's taking over our personal life. Best to separate the two, if only in writing. To the important business, Kim and Bryan's wedding.

Derek and I have never giggled as much as we did while working with Kim and Bryan. They were both so much fun, in their own ways. Kim may win the prize for our silliest bride ever. Silly, in a good way. She told us that she had been a little nervous when we arrived. We tend to laugh a lot generally. So, I think our laughter helped her move from nervous to playful and the fun started.

What we found so refreshing about Kim is that she's not afraid to tell funny stories about herself. She loved her dress so much, she told us, that she'd stay at her dressing fittings for hours. She joked that the tailor would have to ask her for the dress back so that she could get to work. Kim absolutely loved being a bride and admits she'd get married to Bryan over and over again to get to wear the dress some more.

Kim had a way of making everyone remotely involved in the wedding feel like they were the most important people in the world. She'd never met me before the day, but welcomed me with a huge smile and sweet words. "I was just saying to Bryan that it'd be great if Adrian came to the wedding too," she exclaimed. As the day progressed, I saw her thank the wait staff for decorating the ballroom so nicely, heap praises on the DJ, and generally be sweet to everyone involved in her day. Her smile and kindness helped to make the day that much more magical.

The only time we managed to make Kim frown was when we mentioned the somewhat recent trend to "trash the dress" after a wedding. We were trying to explain how some people enjoy challenging themselves to find a way to creatively dispose of this dress that they will never wear again. This bride couldn't even imagine it -- "but I LOVE my dress SO much." What were we thinking to suggest such sport to someone currently enjoying her wedding? I can't imagine many brides would want to consider destroying such a beautiful dress in the midst of their special day. We'll try to avoid that gaff in the future.

I knew Bryan prior to his wedding day, but I hadn't seen him and Kim together as a couple. After spending some time with Kim, we met Bryan and his parents in the lobby of the Hotel Northampton for formal photos. Derek literally clicked the shutter twice before Bryan says, "Can we do the silly photos now?" Right then, they made complete sense as a couple to me.

Above is the "Get Smart" photo from Bryan's session. It was incredible how quickly he and his folks were able to be creative with us. They pretended to be the First Family waving to fans from the steps outside the hotel, they pretended to be in a Broadway show -- we basically sat back and followed their lead. Bryan even found this large hanging fern to duck beneath so that he could be Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons. The long and short of it, working with creative people makes for loads of fun behind the camera.

The ceremony.

Kim and Bryan had their ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at the Hotel Northampton. Having everything at one location gave us more time to play with photos. Kim and Bryan had so much fun doing their engagement photos in downtown Northampton, that they wanted to go back downtown on the actual wedding day.

No detail forgotten. Kim loves Hello Kitty and managed to find this bride and groom for her cake topper. She couldn't have been happier with the final presentation.

No need (Bon Jovi!) to say much here (cough, cough, Bon Jovi!) She wasn't just the bride for the day, she was a rock star!

Best wishes to you, Kim and Bryan. We had a great time sharing your day with you!

Kate & Marc's wedding

2009-08-10T10:56:00.000-04:00

Please pardon my long absence. I've been conducting a research project for the past several months, and I am finally ready to go public with the results. My findings consist of two parts:

1) When you are running your own wedding-related business in the height of wedding season, while simultaneously raising two boys under the age of four without daycare, it is practically impossible to find the time to blog.

2) When you are running your own wedding-related business at any time of the year, while simultaneously raising two boys under the age of four without daycare, it is virtually impossible to find the time to blog.

Nonetheless, the show will go on... I've actually caught a tiny break in my schedule, and I'll be attempting to review some shoots from the past year, just for old time's sake. First up, Kate & Marc's wedding here in my hometown of Northampton:

The rings.

The shoes.

Who says that beauty doesn't come at a price?

She's ready!

We went outside the Hotel Northampton to a little park which was hosting a series of beautiful, evocative sculptures. Kate and Marc took the opportunity to practice for their upcoming ceremonial kiss.

She might prefer a hike in the woods, but she sure cleans up nice.

The ceremony took place at the Pines Theater at Look Park. It was a perfect place for a wedding with many kids in attendance. In addition to the wedding facilities, the park offers multiple play structures, a splash park, paddle boats, a petting zoo, a train and more. Plus, do I really need an excuse to slip in a photo of my family? They were actually invited!

Flower kids who aren't crying or sitting down in the aisle? Kate and Marc, how did you do it? These two exhibited such confidence and courage that they made everyone proud.

With the formal photos done before the ceremony, Kate was really beginning to let her hair down. Marc didn't really expect his vows to be so entertaining, but he also didn't think his copy would read "I take you to be my husband." The slip turned out to be a good tension-breaker, though.

Inside the Garden House of Look Park. Kate and Marc, avid gardeners, chose as centerpieces these baskets of flowers and used seed packets to designate table assignments. For their gifts to their guests, they provided basil plants grown in their tiny bathroom greenhouse.

Introducing the newlyweds!!

Kim & Bryan's engagement shoot

2008-06-07T12:45:00.007-04:00

I was able to conduct one of my favorite engagement shoots recently, for a really fun couple named Kim and Bryan. They live here in my hometown of Northampton, and they wanted the photos to take place in some of their favorite spots downtown. Personally, I love it when clients become personally and emotionally invested in their photo session. Whether it is selecting an activity that reflects their interests as a couple, or as in this case choosing settings that are meaningful to them, it really brings a narrative element to the occasion. And anyone who's been to my new website knows how much of a sucker I am for stories...

We started at the Woodstar Cafe, where they had gone on their first date. Located in the city's former fire station, this place is a local fave for good reason. It has awesome munchies, both healthy and otherwise.

I don't know who this couple was that kept intruding on my self-portraits in the window, but they seemed pretty pleased with themselves...

After some fun mixing with their people in the streets (and let me tell you, the autograph requests were out of control - this couple is "kind of a big deal!") we went to Pulaski Park where the tulips are riotous every spring.

Okay, this last one needs some explanation. Right next to Pulaski Park is the local landmark called the Academy of Music, which had a crab apple tree in full bloom out front. Kim and Bryan say, "Ooh, can we do some photos under this tree?" "Sure," I say, and just as I am taking ten seconds to suss out the best angle to shoot from, this barefoot, hacky-slacker teenager comes ambling over from the park and promptly climbs up this very same tree and parks himself in the upper branches, as though he's thinking of taking a nap. Because it's so comfortable up there, apparently.

So now I'm thinking to myself, as I'm looking at this kid with legs outstretched and hands folded behind his head, "Okay, how long is it going to be before our young Tom Sawyer here decides to come down?" And while I find myself temporarily flummoxed, my man Bryan looks down at the piles of flower petals underneath this tree and wonders aloud, "I wonder if we could ask this guy to drop these down on us while we take our pictures under the tree?" And sure enough, he approaches the kid with his idea, and the next thing we know we've got ourselves a little snowstorm of flowers for our photo shoot. Who'd a thunk it?

Kim and Bryan, thanks for such a fun afternoon! See you at the Woodstar!

The Facchini/Carswell/Recck family shoot

2008-05-29T20:25:00.003-04:00

Adrian and I had the opportunity to bring our boys out to Cape Cod this past weekend, for the occasion of a combination family shoot for old friends Jim & Cathy Carswell, and their spouses Aimee & George and kiddos.

(Full disclosure: the Cape is where my family would vacation every summer when I was growing up, and the smell of the salt air always brings back memories for me. When I was around eight years old, I actually used to keep a bottle of "Cape Cod air" in my room all year long, and I'd uncork it every summer the instant we reached the apex of the Bourne Bridge that crosses over the Cape Cod Canal to refreshen my supply...)

We ended up going to a nature preserve of sorts for our photo session, and hiking along paths through rolling meadows, marsh grasses and forests. It was a beautiful spot that provided all sorts of interesting backdrops for photos and we just improvised throughout the afternoon, letting the kids be kids.

Many thanks to Aimee & Jim and Cathy & George for their hospitality - our boys had a blast getting to hang out at the beach during the weekend, and have been talking about it ever since. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Hello world!

2008-05-23T11:58:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the debut of my new Derek Fowles Photography blog!! This is brand new for me, so I don't want to go crazy with my predictions, but I intend for this to be primarily a photo journal that documents what I've been up to with my camera - with some glimpses along the way of my life away from the lens.

I've got quite a backlog of recent fun and interesting shoots that I will be tapping into soon, but I want to start off with a little introduction to me and my background, for those who don't know. All you close friends and family out there, you'll just have to be patient:)

I live with my wife Adrian, our two boys and our cat Poco in the town of Northampton, MA, also known as "Paradise City" (to the Chamber of Commerce), "Hamp" (if you're old-school) or "Noho" (if you fancy yourself a hipster.)

I grew up not far from here in the hills. When not playing sports of nearly every variety, I spent my summers working on my grandparents' nearby dairy farm (I believe the world would be a better place if there were more Guernseys and fewer Holsteins). I've been a Red Sox fan since the age of seven. At one time in my life, I was a trailmix-chewing, opinion-spewing, earthy-crunchy outdoor diehard, but these days nothing makes me happier than to hit some golf balls and splash in some puddles with my boys.

I have worked as a farmer, a waiter, a construction laborer, an outdoor educator, a cook, and a painter, but once I discovered photography this all changed for good. I love what I do, and I look forward to sharing stories and images!

Just cruisin'...

After a session of mud-puddling.