I couldn't be more happy today after seeing the new Wedding Style New England Issue featuring my image on the cover including more editorial on the inside (both in the NE issue and the National issue). What a way to close out a tremendous year! And with that said, I owe many thanks to all those who have confidence in me, especially Grace and her wonderful staff!
The 2008 Issue of Southern New England Weddings just came out and I am excited about a beautiful wedding I shot at the State Room that is featured in the magazine. This magazine is one of my local favorite wedding publications so be sure to check it out. And if you need free copies, please stop by and say hello :-).
I recently photographed Cristin Dillon for SELF Magazine. Cristin not only is an amazing recent bride of mine (don't be jealous, she got married in Jamaica :-), but is the food blogger for SELF Magazine. Cristin is also a registered dietitian, and the founder of nutrition deliveRD, a grocery and meal-planning service.
Make sure to check out Cristin's website and DEFINITELY check out her blog on SELF. A half dozen brides of mine have told me they are religious about checking it daily!!! http://www.self.com/magazine/articles/2006/07/24/0724self_blogs
The magazine and I enlisted the services of Ann Marie Laurendeau (hair/makeup) and Mike Ritter (assistant photog.) to help with the shoot which took place at Russo's market in Waltham. We showed up to shoot at 9AM, and the market was Busy! So many thanks to the very friendly and accomodating staff at Russos who helped make the shoot work.
Catalina, otherwise known as CataScruffy, Trabby, or even Boobie, is growing up sooo quickly! I last blogged about her after she was born in August. And while I don't have any kids, it has been amazing to watch my friends baby grow over the past few months.
I just spent another amazing three days in New York City shooting the Bridal Market for Wedding Style Magazine. Just like this past April, I covered amazing designers such as Reem Acra, Monique Lhuiller, Priscilla of Boston, and many many more. Be sure to check out the Spring Summer Issues of Wedding Style Magazine and Wedding Style New England to see my photos due out early January of 2008!
Reem Acra and her pooch!
Some shows are shot in hotel suites, and I just
loved the chandelier at the Waldorf Astoria,
illuminating the model.
Monique Lhuiller Show
And to top off my evenings in the Big Apple, I had two fantastic dinners in terms of company and food. On Sunday I shared an amazing meal at Serafinas with Grace Ormonde and Yanni, the laid back photo dual of Mike Colon and Ray Santana , and the lovely Tracy and Paula. Then on Sunday, another great meal at Ruth's Chris with the chic Rhode Island photographers Kristen and Jared Spencer. Everyone was a blast to hang out with and I am so fortunate to have the privledge of such great company.
Boston native / Grammy winner, Bobby Brown, suffered a mild heart attack Tuesday PM according to the Associated Press.
"Don't get me wrong - I'm really not zooped - Ego trips is not my thing ... I don't need permission - Make my own decisions - That's my prerogative" / to get my picture with him on the blog that is, lol.
Photo © 2006 Maria Panaggio/trabby
While people have mixed opinons about Bobby, I actually had the chance to meet Bobby at an after party, while on an assignment in the Bahamas shooting the 2006 Miss InterContinental Pagaent (Click here to see pics) He came across as a real pleasant and genuine guy and I wish him all the best.
Today I had the awesome good fortune of photographing a Wedding Style Magazine fashion shoot in Providence, RI. I collaborated with two other wonderful photographers, Cheryl Richards, and M Benedicte Verley. Both of whom were just fantastic to work side by side with! The day was SO much fun, and I can't wait to see the pictures in print. They will be available for all to see when the Spring/Summer issues of Wedding Style and Wedding Style NE hit the stores this coming January. Many thanks to all of those who have afforded me this amazing opportunity!
I had the awesome privledge of shooting behind the scenes at Bill Blass before the 2008 Spring Collection was unveiled at Fashion Week. It was organized chaos. Models, Makeup Artists, Hair, Photographers, more Models, more Photographers, etc... all craziness before the show went on. I did find the models to be at ease however. Listening to their Ipods, drinking Red Bull, enjoying the moment, as was I. There was just so much to shoot, so here is a peak at what it is like behind the scenes...
Yup, that's me :-)
Shooting runway is one of the more challenging disciplines of photography I have experienced. It goes way beyond just simple follow focus and firing away the motor drive on your camera.
First there is the waiting. Waiting to get into the show to claim your spot on the riser. This usually involves showing up at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time, if not longer. Then, there is the mad dash of 50 plus photographers fighting their way to position themselves hopefully near the center of the runway. Then more waiting. About a half hour of standing around waiting for people to be seated, celebrities to be interviewed. And during this time, there is still positioning. Sometimes it get's argumentative. Photographers and videographers battling it out to make sure that when the show starts, they have a clear view of the runway. Then it starts to get hot. Hot from all of the photographers packed in tight. Room lights go down, runway lights slowly come up, show starts. Click, Click, Click, Click, Click. At least 20 solid minutes of ultimate concentration. Shooting away at every model who struts down the catwalk. Your arms get tired, your legs start to slightly burn. You get even more hot, sweat drips down your brow. Show ends.
Quick! Run to the next show and start the process all over. Now repeat 4-8 times a day over the course of a week. That is runway! Oh yeah, don't forget editing your pictures. I shot 5000 in just the course of two days.
Some of the I shows covered on Thursday and Friday included, Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Max Azria, Bill Blass and many more.
The Badgley Mischka Runway
Hey! I am currently in New York shooting the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week for Wedding Style Magazine. And my first night was capped off by a crazy scene. While photographing a Red Carpet event with many B list celebs, the evening was topped off by an appearance from Jessica Simpson. Now, I have never been around the Paparazzi, but tonight I got my first taste of why I don't think I would ever want to be a celeb.
For three hours shooting random people like Bam Margera, Nick Cannon, Tim Gunn, there were approx. 10 photogs. Enter Jessica Simpson. Her Escalade pulls up, and along side it, 3 or 4 motorcycles and a bunch of other cars (all paparazzi), coming to a screeching halt, stopping in the middle of the street, and then rushing her vehicle with cameras in hand. I thought I had my spot secured on the carpet, but once her ginormous body guards escorted her my way after fighting thru the swarm of photogs, the paparzzi pushed their way between me and the other photographers who had patiently waited all night for her arrival. It was a scene like I had never witnessed before, and the only thing I could think of was poor Princess Diana.
But I got my shot and a few others.
Tim Gunn
Nick Cannon
Bam & Missy Magera
Thought I would share a picture of my two favorite Lilliputians. My brother Kevin on the right and his girlfriend Maeghan on the left. Both are approximately 6 inches high, and live inside my car's backup camera. They are currently looking for a new home and new jobs as they are growing rather quickly.
Actually, my brother Kevin is a senior mortgage broker with
Summit Mortgage of Boston and is located in the Financial District. Feel free to email him at kphillips@summitmortgage.com with any mortgage questions at all. He is a great guy to work with and very knowledgeable about his field. And if you do call him, downplay the Lilliputian thing as he is really sensitive about this, ;-)
The proof is in the picture, right? LOLl!!
I caught a quick picture of Cata at the hospital today. She loved being all bundled up, but when we unwrapped her, she would let us know she wasn't to happy with us :-). Here, she is ready to go right back to sleep.
Today, at approximately 12:35PM, my best of friends Lauren and Oscar had their baby girl. Catalina Francesca. Weighing in at a healthy 8.6lbs and 21 inches long. I arrived at the hospital at noon, and was able to catch Lauren before she went into the O.R.. It was an amazing experience to one moment have only the two of them in the room, then an hour later, have this amazingly beautiful baby girl in our presence. Congratulations guys!!!
This past April I posted about shooting the Fall Bridal runway shows in NYC for Wedding Style Magazine. Well... the National Issue just arrived at my doorstep yesterday and I almost fell over! The cover was chosen from the same Monique Lhuillier show that I was at. For a split second I held my breath, but I knew after a short glance that the photograph was Mike Colon's, as he was shooting from an angle that was higher up. The shot was his and well deserved, as he is a tremendous photographer. Several of my images made the magazine as well as their website, so no complaints. Looking forward to future shows and working with many other amazing photographers!
Same Model...Different Angle.
Same Model...Different Gown.
Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph one of my closest friends in her 9th month of pregnancy. She approached me with the idea and I immediately said yes. I have never shot anything as intimate as this, and walked away with a wonderful experience and some fun and tasteful images. Thank you Lauren and Oscar for being so fun to work with and such great friends!
Also involved at my studio for the shoot was assistant Maria (hair, makeup), my grip Chris (setup, lighting, and music), and of course, father-to-be, Oscar.
Just thought I would share this image taken this past weekend at the Boston Public Gardens. Had to carefully navigate thru a ton of geese landmines and step on a few webbed toes, but got the shot, lol.
The Fall/Winter 2007 Issue of Elegant Wedding by Boston Magazine has just hit the book shelves. In it you will find on page 202 the "Ask The Photographer" section. I am featured here as I answered a question regarding "wedding albums". I hope you will be able to check it out on the bookshelves, and if not, I have free magazines here at the office for all. 
The results are just out for the Q1 2007 [AG]WPJA contest and I took a 4th place finish for this photo. I enter contests such as this lightly, never expecting a particular photo to place, but I have been pretty consistent with taking winning images that seem to impress the judges. An added bonus is the 12th place ranking on the front of the [AG]WPJA website. Keep in mind that amazing photographers from around the world enter this contest! Check it out!
On Friday, I assisted argueably the foremost sports / portrait photographer of our time, Walter Iooss of Sports Illustrated . We went to Fenway Park to photograph Red Sox closer Jon Papelbon for the magazine.
