Poetry Month

Jeanann Verlee-- one of the most intense, incredible poets in NY.

Sarah Kay

Taylor Mali

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowitz-- my new favorite poet. Her delivery is HILARIOUS! Check out her TED talk.

Shira E opening for Andrea Gibson at the High Line Ballroom

Andrea reading "Glider Plane" to us at the merch table. Before this, Andrea was making her way around the room to meet people, hug fans, and hear a lot of stories of how she's helped those through rough times. I almost left because it was completely chaotic-- a sea of 200 people all trying to meet her at once. Finally, I made my way to the front of the merch table right when she met a fan (below) who had her recite Glider Plane. I got a bit of it on tape and felt totally lucky to not have left and to have met her when I did.

A fan with Andrea's poem Glider Plane tattooed on his ribs and over his heart. She signed her name and he's apparently getting it tattooed this week...talk about a hardcore fan!

Finally getting to say hi to my favorite poet of all the poets!

And since this has been a week of fighting for equality, it is only fitting that Andrea read her poem "Ashes" last Sunday night about soldiers being burned to death for being gay. Below is the little video I got of it...it always makes me cry:

"They can come a thousand times

with their burning match

and their gasoline

with their hungry laws

and their empty mouths

full of prayers

and that God who greeted me at his gates

with his throat full of trumpets

and his tears full of shame

as his trembling palms

collected the cinder of his children’s crime"

For My Dad:

Grandma taught me love is a back porch in the middle of summer

Sitting on floral cushions, spotting the cardinals out back on the birdfeeder.

Grandma taught me love is misspelling the word barbeque during Grandparent’s Day,

and laughing about the mistake for an extra 10 years.

Grandma taught me to eat that cinnamon cookie shaped like a spoon,

And to not apologize when spilling sauce on white table cloths at Orchids.

Perhaps love is a nightly call from a few streets away

Perhaps love is root beer floats and cookies from the butcher

Perhaps love is whispering “your dad is so good to me” from Bethesda beds

Perhaps love is keeping her husband’s voice on tape all those years

Perhaps love is waving from the front door until our car is out of sight

Perhaps love is sharing joy with all of those you meet.

We will miss you always.

Wedding Days

These days I have been looking at a ton of wedding blogs and continually amazed at some of the ceremonies certain photogs get to shoot. This photographer, Jonas Peterson is my favorite of the week, and his work at the Bali wedding is literally the greatest set of shots I've ever seen at a wedding.

[Below are photos from forever ago when I got to be a second shooter at a Central Park ceremony.]

[reception shots coming soon!]

NY lately.