Jennifer and Hans Wedding

When Hans and Jennifer called to tell me they were getting married I had my fingers crossed that I would be available for the date. They are an inspiring couple. The wedding proved to be a perfect expression of their creative lives and talents. Hans who is an architect by training is also a gifted photographer, Pianist and poet. Jennifer has a passion for food and people and together they created with the help of some amazing people the perfect wedding.
Molly Middleton Events lead the team that helped realise the couples ideas. Hans redesigned the interior space of the indoor riding arena and commissioned a 30 foot chandelier to be made by local craftsmen. He bought in earth and trees and created a forest.
Jennifer and Hans worked closely with Renny and Reed Event design to create a magical circle in the garden for the ceremony and to decorate the space for the cocktails and dinner.
The catering was done by Olivier Cheng Catering . The guests arrived by bus from NY and were greeted with hot chocolate and mini donuts. No one could resist them.
The weather looked bad. It had rained all morning on and off. Hans had weather reports from everywhere and Molly had umbrellas in position. At the last minute it was decided to go ahead and do the ceremony outside. The umbrellas were on stand by but luckily we did not need them.
Once inside the barn the guests enjoyed cocktails and found their escort cards which were little boxes filled with a chocolate mouse.
The cake was amazing. It was 3 layers held in place by a sculptured tree form. Jennifer had seen the pastry chef Elizabeth Hodes on the cooking channel and tracked her down.

La Grenouille NYC

Today I went up town to La Grenouille to take some photos. Yes I know it is a restaurant but to me is more than that. When I go there I always feel like Alice in Wonderland. Instead of falling down a rabbit hole all I have to do is walk up the narrow stairs and I am transported into another world.
Today there was a lunch for a private client. There was one long table with so many things magically woven together.
There is a wooden bowl that always has something different in it. Today it was filled with walnuts.
After I finished photographing I went down stairs and enjoyed a truly delicious meal and wouldn't you guess, when I was served the cheese there were the freshest walnuts waiting to be popped into my mouth.

Here is the link to the website for more info La Grenouille

Rebecca and Brad Portrait session

Last week Rebecca Miller and her fiance Brad Weisbord came over for an engagement photo.
The amazingly talented Marissa Dreesen joined us to do the makeup. We were so lucky with the weather. Yes it is winter but we had a very mild 60 degrees so after some fun photos in my studio we went up to Central Park.

FAI Gala 2011

Last night was the FAI Winter Gala 2011 at The Warldorf Astoria. It is amazing to think that in 14 years the FAI has raised over 80 Million dollars to research food allergies. Started by the amazing Sharyn Mann this years the honorees were Alfred Portale from Gotham Bar and Grill and Douglas L. Braunstein the CFO of JPMorgan Chase.
Sharyn was given an award for all that she has done as well.
David Koch and his wife Julia were the Corporate Dinner Chair and Gala Dinner Chair between them.
After the awards Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis sang songs from Porgy and Bess. The room was decorated by Remco from VAN VLIET & TRAP

To view all the photos please click on this link The FAI Gala

Miami Art Basel

I am here for a few amazing days photographing for a private client. I have had some time off to wonder around with my camera of choice, my iphone for when I am playing tourist. My new favorite app is instagram. There are fab filters to play with.

Unicef Gala 2011 Cipriani NYC

Tuesday night was the Unicef Gala in NY.It was an amazing star studded affair.
To view all the photos please click on this link The UNICEF Gala

Moma Film Benefit 2011

Who says life is not a bed of Roses? Well last night certainly was a night of shining stars and roses as Moma Film Benefit rolled out the red carpet with a backdrop of fresh red roses to welcome Pedro Almodovar, Alicia Keys who later sang, Anna Wintour, Bruce Weber, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drew Barrymore and a flock of other movie stars and guests.
After cocktails the guests moved to the theater where Marie-Jose Kravis greeted everyone. Bruce Weber introduced Pedro with a song and said he was taking the opportunity to use it as an audition in the hope of making it into the next film.
Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas sent video messages that were heart felt by all.
The guests then went up stairs to dinner. The room looked amazing. The very talented Raol Avila was responsible for all the decor.
After the main course was served Alicia Keys took to the stage. It is always so amazing to hear her singing live.
To view all the photos please click on this link The Moma Film Benefit

Weeksville Gala at Essex House NYC

Last night was the Weeksville Gala at Essex House in NY


To view all the photos please click on this link The Weeksville Gala

Lesley and Rob get married in Palm Beach

A few weeks ago I flew down to Florida for the wedding of Lesley and Rob. They had chosen to get married at Mar a Lago. The location is spectacular. I was thrilled when they told me they using Bryan Rafanelli and his team. I knew that it was going to be amazing. Lesley looked fabulous in her Vera Wang gown. The couple met before the ceremony so that we could take the family photos before the sun went down.
Check out the dress she changed into for the after party. It was HOT.

Town & Country publishes Sarah and Calvin Ford's Wedding

I just got the December Issue of Town & Country and was so happy to see Sarah and Calvin Ford in the magazine. It was such a beautiful wedding.
Here is the page for you to take a look at.

Inspiration within the I.M Pei Museum of Islamic Art in Doha

When architecture transports the soul
And creativity becomes the air I breath.
I pause in awe
Space defined by lines
Between the container and the contained
Opening my eyes to feel
Geometry as a sense
An extension and a connection
To all that is beautiful.



(Inspired and photographed in the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha designed by I.M Pei)

God is Beautiful; He loves Beauty Symposium in Doha

The main reason for my trip to Doha is to attend The fourth biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art, the fascinating symposium God is Beautiful; He loves Beauty, held at the Museum of Islamic Art and organised by Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom.
Last night was the opening ceremony. After being welcomed to the museum by Sheikha Al Mayassa Al Thani the keynote Speaker was Paul Goldberger who is the Architecture Critic for The New Yorker. He described the museum designed by I.M.Pei in its historical context and discussed the importance of the container and that which it contains.
I live in a world of images not words and so to be put in this beautiful space and to have it described by language that I understood at the same time was an exciting experience for me. He described the modern museum as a place that brings together like minded people and that it is an experience for the soul.
The building is a combination of circles squares and triangles and is located on an island connected to the Corniche.
After the talk everyone was invited to dinner in one of the wings of the Museum.
Today the Symposium starts at 9 am and I look forward to learning more about the works of art housed in this mighty structure.


To connect with the museum click on this link
The Museum of Islamic Art

The Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha and Katara

Yesterday was a very busy day. I was wisked off to the Arab Museum of Modern Art to catch the last day of the SWALIF show. It was a collection aptly called Qatari Art between memory and modernity. The space its self is stunning. Located 15 minutes from the center of town the structure maintains it feeling of newness with the permanent scaffolding that adorns the exterior. Upon entering one is met by the majestic portraits of the Emir and his wife Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned that stand over 30 feet high. I was told that they were secretly commissioned by their daughter Al Mayassa Al Thani and were painted by Yan Pei-Ming.
The exhibition was fascinating. It was comprised of locally made works of art dating from the 1960's to the present time. I love the interactive piece called "I want to Remember" where viewers were invited to write on a postcard and peg it to the strings. Now what I really want to remember is who made this living sculpture. I was so into writing a post card that I forgot to photograph the name of the artist.



To connect with the museum click on this linkhttp://www.mathaf.org.qa
The Arab Museum of Art

From the Museum I headed over to visit Hillary and her team at the Ruby Stone Productions office at Katara which is the amazing cultural Center where the Tribeca Film Festival has been held. She had suggested that I not miss stopping by to take in the waterside location that made a stunning backdrop for the buildings that occupy the location. Hillary was running around making sure everything was in place for the last day of the Red Carpet but I had a chance to say hello to the rest of her team.
I was blown away by the out door amphitheater. There were many beautiful building but another that stood out was covered in gold tiles and glistened in the sun light. There were also large bird house structures that fascinated me. The textures and materials used were beautiful everywhere I looked.

Qatar

My favorite travel camera has to be my iPhone. I never feel intrusive and I love the way it turns the images into little squares of color, capturing the essence of how I see the world around me.
Qatar has a fascination for me. The new is everywhere to see while the history is here to be felt. The people are kind and respectful towards each other and towards me as a tourist visiting this city as it transforms its self into a cutting edge modern city of the world embracing green technology, the digital age and the power of social networking.
Education, art and religion are the things that unite these people to themselves as they build bridges reaching out beyond their cultural, spiritual and artistic borders.

Qatar

I just arrived in Qatar and have a very busy few days ahead of me but tonight it was time to walk around the Souk followed by dinner at the W Hotel where i ran into Hillary Gutstein. She and her company Ruby Stone Productions are running the Red Carpet for the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
I am here for the Symposium at the Art Gallery designed by I.M.Pei. This is a view of the old mosque from my hotel window located in Souq Waqif.

AFA Gala 2011

Last night was the American Federation of Art Gala at The Metropolitan Club in NY City. This year, the AFA honored renowned performance artist Marina Abramović and National Gallery of Art Director Earl A. Powell III at the annual gala. The evening included cocktails, dinner, the awards ceremony, dancing, and a raffle, with artworks generously donated by landscape painter April Gornik and Australian artist/activist Richard Bell (whose work is the subject of the AFA exhibition Richard Bell: Uz Vs. Them).
To view all the photos please click on this link The AFA Gala

BCRF Lunch

To view all the photos please click on this link The BCRF Lunch

Rita Hayworth Alzheimer's Association Gala 2011

Tuesday night was the Rita Hayworth Alzheimer's Association Gala 2011 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I arrived and went straight to the Ball room in search of David Monn who was doing the decor.
The room looked great. I felt like I was on a movie set from the 1940's. Yes it was Hollywood Glamour at it's NY best.
David combined candles and large paper peonies with sheer black and white drapes to create the mood.
I found him making the final touches to a table and went to say hi.
It seems that everyone is effected by this terrible disease. David's mom has been suffering for the last 8 years and he was running off to see her as soon as he was done.
All the benefit committee women arrived and I managed to find some chairs so we could take a group photo.
Later during the dinner on stage Princess Jasmine Aga Khan looked amazing. Somers Farkas, in a silver sequined Naeem Khan spoke of how the disease has affected her loved ones. She was followed by Mindy Grossman, the powerhouse CEO of HSNi, who spoke of the tragic experience losing, her parents to Alzheimer's.



To view all the photos please click on this link The Rita Haywoth Gala