Thursday, January 3, 2013

2012 Year-In-Review

Another amazing year that was even better than the last. A year full of growth, and triumphs, and FUN. I'm so lucky that this keeps happening!

2012 started at Gillette Stadium sprinting across Patriot's Field taking pics for Julia and Jake's wedding.


Once I returned to the city, I got to play paparazzi for Charlie & Caroline's engagement.


Smileyjohn and Jesse came to visit for their 3rd annual trip.


I did some pics for the dogs of the Westminster Dog Show.


Went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.


Met David LaChappelle, one of my all-time favorite photographers, and it was life-changing...


Went up to Stowe for Connie's bachelorette bash...(crazy she's gonna be having a BABY in about a month!)


Saw NEWSIES...Best Broadway Show EVER...


Looked at pretty condos in LA.


Did an event for Mark Consuelos & Kelly Ripa...


OMG...Diana's bachelorette AKA RAINBOW STORM in Palm Springs.


OMG. FREECHICKEN!!!!


After which we caught a glimpse of Harry Potter...


Dinner with the Countess...


Winning the Newsies lottery and getting to see it AGAIN.


Went down to Florida for Felix's Bachelor Party...


And in 2012...I became part of the greatest group ever...the Tall Gay Agenda (TGA).


Went to LA several more times of course...on one trip I dined with Teebags and Amanda at Villa Blanca...


I upgraded my camera equipment...also life-changing.


So many beautiful weddings! Like the Facebook Wedding...


Jen LaRosa's wedding...


Conlix's Wedding obvi...


I got to pop into DC to see Charmaine the night before she kicked cancer to the curb...


Diana's wedding was obviously a blast...


OMG. Lisa Vanderpump sighting at SUR!!!! (I may or may not pop up in an upcoming episode of Vanderpump Rules...keep an eye out for our flag-capes!)


In 2012 I was named NYC's #1 Headshot Photographer by Backstage...



And one of the top wedding photographers in my market by The Knot...


I went to Vegas to Treat Mah Self...


Then went to North Carolina for Bowman's wedding.


Ooooh! I saw Colin Farrell outside my apartment...


Shot my friend Cevita's pretty wedding...


Went to LA for the premiere of Magic Mike which was followed by a gaydancing session OBVIOUSLY.


This bannercollage I made for Diana was one of my proudest creations ever...


Went to Vegas again for 4th of July with Erik and his friends. LOVES having a local friend in Vegastown.


AC and Shiri got married...


Shot another Denison wedding (there are 3 more coming up that I'm booked for!) this one for the beautiful Morgan and Luc.


Reese Witherspoon was there and I got to add a beautiful portrait of an A-lister to my portfolio.


Oooh! Anne's mountaintop wedding...epic.


Had a 5-year reunion of some of our LA friends in NYC...


Flew out to SF for an eatparty and a Brown Napa wedding...



Yay...more fun with the TGAs!


Melanie and Willis's wedding was gorgeous obviously.


I went to Colorado where I discovered the wonderful hidden casino minitown of BlackHawk...


And I witnessed the aftermath of the Aurora shooting. :-(


Back on the East Coast I went to Newport for Jodi and Ryan's wedding where I fell in love with yet another group of bridesmaids. And vice versa.


ConCon announced her preggersness...


Morgan Freeman quickly became one of my favorites...


Oh and I did beautiful gaymarriage photos for Evan & Addison, founders of my beloved Tall Gay Agenda.


We are SO tall...but we would be nothing without our midge-admirers!


Ooooh I did a fun photoshoot in the Oprah Suite of the Bel-Air Hotel...


Then went to Vegas again for more treating of my self.


Went up to the Jersey Shore for playtime with Katie and Semmesey and the gang.


Then had an "interaction" at a wedding that resulted in one of my "most-liked" status updates of all time...




Oooh I did a fun early Xmas party for Hua and his company, Sincerely.


Then I went down to NOLA for 24 hours and got to see Semmesey (but no Katie, sadface)


EEEeeek! I went to DC and got a sleepstudy done.


Kristen and Chrispy got engaged!


AC & Shiri left on their megahoneymoon...


Conlix moved into an epic new pad to begin their family...


I shot a fun wedding down in Maryland.


And received an AWESOME new wallet from PeterSmathers and his little stitcher-Asians over at Smather&Branson.


Vegas? AGAIN??? Don't mind if I do!


Went back to Jersey for a double-header. First, Vicky and Michael's wedding.


And then Alana's wedding...


Then it was off to Asia!

I stopped in HK for lunch with my grandma...


Then headed to Phuket.


Where TL and Mark had an epic wedding.



Went to Tokyo...a city I can't believe I've never been to but fell in love with immediately...

BANANA.


Ooooh...duh I forgot to mention my quick little hop over to Bangkok to experience LITTLE BEAST.


And to do a quickie photo session for Nan and Tee and the Beast herself...


Went back to a storm-ravaged New York for Danny and Tevia's wedding...


And then celebrated Thanksgiving with friends.


And then did it again on the West Coast with the gays...


Also while in Cali I did a vineyard engagement shoot for the soon-to-be Stolpmans.


And the soon to be Alis.


And I stopped by Oprah's house and favorite restaurant for her FAVORITE MEATBALLS.


Then I went to Vegas YET AGAIN.


And then it was my birthday and I went to BIIIIIEEEEBER.


Finally December hit...and I headed down to Palm Beach Florida.


And shot Charlie & Caroline's epic wedding.


Then bounced back up to Boston for Amanda's also-epic wedding at the Boston Public Library (will be shooting there again in March).


I went to LA for Diana's Going Away Party.


And then it was back to Japan because I just didn't get enough the first time.



Finally I arrived in Hong Kong for New Years...and of course that was just...THE BEST.



And here we are in a brand new year, with SO MUCH to look forward to.

I realize that I get to do and see more in a year than a lot of people get to see in a lifetime. And for that I am truly thankful.

I'm thankful that I get to do what I love. And that I get to do what I want. I'm thankful for the countless friends who have stood by me, supported me, encouraged me, and hired me (!!!) in my career path. And I owe pretty much everything to my family, especially my grandparents, who have provided me and my parents before me the opportunities that we have been given.

I got to spend a bit of quality time with my grandma last week in Hong Kong. And she is forgetful and often thinks I'm still a student. And I always explain to her that, no, I am a photographer, and I do that for a living. And she always says somewhat condescendingly, "And you make enough money to eat?"

And I say, "Yes MaMa. I eat plenty."

And finally I was like duh...I should just show her my work so that maybe she'll understand...so I brought out a slideshow of my wedding pictures.



And she asked me how much I charge for a wedding and how many weddings I had this year. And I told her how much and that I had about 34 weddings total (some attended, most worked.) And to see her do all that math in her head and then look at me with a smile of approval was a wonderful feeling of accomplishment...

And she just really liked all the pictures!



Here's to an amazing year to come!

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More recaps of years gone by!

To revisit 2011 click here.

To revisit 2010 click here.

To revisit 2009 click here.

To revisit 2008 click here.

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