My business exploded. I worked non-stop. I traveled non-stop. Headshots. Weddings. It was a year FILLED with weddings - altogether I was at 19 of them.
I hit LA countless times. San Francisco three or four times. Vegas thrice. New Orleans twice-ish. Hong Kong twice. Hawaii. Cancun. Florida. Indonesia. Bahamas. Singapore. North Carolina. South Carolina. Insane.
I reconnected with long-lost friends. Made a bunch of new ones.
And I'm out of my 20s.
And I couldn't be happier about it.
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We started off the New Year in Vermont.
Sadly, very few of the couples that attended New Years at G.P. survived it into 2012.
Right after New Year's I flew to LA, where Amanda had just moved with her soon-to-be-fiance.
(2011 is also the year that Tee and I followed each other everywhere.)
Lady Di got engaged.
And Annie accidentally hijacked Lady Di's engagement gay danceparty and turned it into her birthday party. Oops!
After LA, Smileyjohn and Jesse made their 2nd Annual Trip to NYC.
As usual, we did touristy things like go to the museums, visit the top of the Empire State Building...
Saw Spider-Man (it was terrible)...
But the trip ended abruptly when we were mean to Smileyjohn, he got mad at us, and flew home early. (I never even blogged about the weekend because I was so sad.) Ooops!
I flew down to Cancun to celebrate and photograph Noopur's Epic 30th Birthday...
Then flew back to LA to watch Never Say Never when it came out in theaters with Diana.
Then I rushed back to NY to help Paris celebrate HER 30th birthday.
And to see Gaga with Kristen.
At the end of February I went to Hong Kong.
Where Amanda just happened to be going at the same time.
We celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday.
And of course I saw my HKBFFs.
As I headed back to the states I received word that Anne had finally gotten engaged.
I landed back in NYC. Then headed to Vegas to meet up with Danny and the Boys.
We bought a mouse!
We celebrated St. Pattys.
I went back to NY, where wedding mania was beginning...
Went frogsuit shopping with Anne.
Went frogsuit shopping with CON...
Then headed to Florida and boarded the Disney Dream with Tom & friends.
We went to Atlantis.
Went to Disney's private island.
Had delicious meals.
And of course watched our friends perform.
Back in NY, Mellis got engaged.
We saw Harry Potter perform in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.
Then I flew down to South Carolina to do a shoot for Smathers & Branson.
And it's also where I took the most beautiful picture I might ever take in my life.
I went back to NY. And then off to LA, where we watched and celebrated the Royal Wedding.
"Oh wow...I look REALLY good in a tiara!" -Diana
Then it was off to Hawaii for Mike & Toni's wedding.
This brings us to May. We're not even halfway through the year yet.
Somehow I thought it'd be a great idea to fly from Hawaii all the way back to NY AND then off to Singapore and Indonesia for TL's little brother Ted's wedding.
I survived the journey. And Indonesia was splendid.
From Indo, I went back to NY and then up to RI for Campus Dance.
Then booked it down to the Jersey Shore to Inaugurate the ShoreHouse.
Back in NY we celebrated AC and Felix's birthdays.
Then I had to head down to North Carolina for Florina's Wedding.
Then it was off to LA for a Fashion Show...
A Britney Concert...
And Euguela's Wedding!
In late June, New York legalized gay mawwiage.
I did a shoot for the St. Regis.
Went to Provincetown.
Celebrated 4th of July in Hoboken.
Went frogsuit shopping with Melanie.
Held a semi-surprise party for Chrispy.
Went down to the Shore again now that the pool is filled.
Went to Vegas again.
This time with the Disney Dreamers.
I next headed to SF to shoot a 2-part Indian Wedding.
Went back to NYC to grab a quick meal with TimLoh.
Then headed to Houston for Part 2 of the Indian Wedding.
I went back to NY for two days, then headed to SF AGAIN to shoot Doug's little sister Annie's wedding.
All this traveling caused me to hit Delta Platinum status finally.
I went up to Sactown to visit Charleen and Tim and the boys.
Then flew straight back to NY and drove up to RI to shoot Fay Wedding #1.
Hid out in CT to avoid a hurricane.
Went to the US Open with Teebags.
Then headed to New Orleans to tear up Southern Decky with Jesse.
Went back to NY for a day. Then headed to SF to meet up with Tee.
And to photograph Peter's wedding...
...to the stunning Michelle.
Then I went to Boston to shoot Jenny's wedding.
Which featured lots of old friends I grew up with!
Back in NY, we celebrated Melanie's birthday.
Then it was off to LA to attend the Machine Gun Preacher Premiere starring a really old-looking Gerard Butler.
When I got back to NYC, I gave myself a raise.
Then headed up to RI/CT for a two-wedding weekend.
First in Newport.
And then in CT.
I went back to NYC where we attended a Deerfield fundraiser at the Natural History Museum...
Then celebrated Megoon's Bday over some Friendchicken.
Then it was back up to RI again for the Deerfield Reunion that was Fay Wedding #2!
I did a crazy 24-hour trip to LA to attend a Brown Event...
And attend a Robyn concert...
Then I rushed back to NY to host a Halloween Party.
And the morning after rushed off to Hong Kong where, yet again, I saw Tee and Tim and TL and we became OBSESSED with Asian Poses.
And my cousin Christine got married.
I brought these Asian Poses home when I went down to Atlantic City for Willis's 30th birthday.
I flew to LA one last time in late November to do some house-hunting with Matty.
And flew back to NY, finally earning Delta Diamond status.
I received word that I was to be chosen as the #1 Wedding Photographer in RI by TheKnot...
I turned 30 quietly...
But then pulled out all the stops for my official celebration in Vegas.
After Vegas, I went back to NYC and saw the Book of Mormon.
Then went up to Massachusetts to shoot a gorgeous mansion wedding.
Then gave myself another raise.
My roomies and I threw a Xmas party...
Then I flew off to Florida to hang with Fifi and fam for Xmas.
And finally flew back to shoot a wedding at Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA.
With Rachie and friends!
It was a crazy year. Insane. And with 25 weddings booked and counting for 2012, it's going to be yet another nutty year.
People ask me if traveling around so much is exhausting and frustrating.
It is at times....but mostly it's not.
The travel is just part of my job. And for the most part, it's my dream job. Some people sit in cubicles and wake up ass-early on daily basis. I sit on planes and in airport lounges and occasionally wake up at 4am to catch a 7am flight. It could be much worse.
I have plenty of downtime to recharge. And I don't schedule shoots before 11am so that I can sleep in most days.
When I'm in transit there are fewer distractions, I get a ton of work done, and then I catch up on movies that I've missed in the theater. And there's free booze.
This year as a Diamond, the travel part should be super easy. No security lines. No more coach (hopefully). And half of the weddings I'm shooting are for my best best friends.
And even though I'm planning to buy a place in LA soon (fingers crossed), I'm making a mental note to try to be in NY as much as possible during my "downtime". Though I guess we'll see about that.
My resolutions this year are to become the #1 Headshot guy in NYC (last year I was #2), to be less obese, and to be slightly more tolerant of people that I think are awful.
I also want to try to coordinate a family gathering. I sometimes wish we got together more regularly as a large group.
I'm excited!
Bring on 2012!
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Relive other years!
To revisit 2010 click here.
To revisit 2009 click here.
To revisit 2008 click here.
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