After several months of hard work, the Bello blog is finally up and running. Its launch coincided with our new Bello Photography website and we are excited to introduce you guys to our new look. We will be posting super-sized images of our fabulous Bello couples, from their engagement session to their wedding day. We might even add a slide show or two! Through our blog, we will also introduce you to some of our personal projects and provide a glimpse of what makes us tick. So browse through the posts, check the archives, leave comments, and SPREAD THE LOVE!

Chris & Andy

Thank you everyone who has sent well wishes for Sadie. Now, in her 8th week of life, still about a month shy of when she was expected to be born, she is doing really well…weighing in at just over 5 pounds. That’s twice her birth weight! Yeahhhh! Her breathing tube has been completely removed, though she still has “spells” from time to time. Her feeding tube is still in, but she is breast feeding and taking bottles when mommy isn’t there.

We were in NYC this past weekend, so I haven’t heard from my sister about when she might be able to come home, but the hope is that it won’t be long now. Here’s the latest photo from my visit last week. She looks soooo good. Such a difference from when she was first born. She really looks like a baby now! And the older she gets the more she looks just like her big brother! It’s those sweet little bags under her eyes and that delicious little button nose. Judge for yourself…

 

 

So, this might be a tad cliché…okay, no, Andy just informed me it’s VERY cliché…but I thought it was funny. Amid packing and researching restaurants and fun shops, I managed to grab this quick photo with our little point and shoot in honor of our trip tomorrow to NYC. We’re going there for a couple of photo shoots and we’re so excited to get off Cape and hit the big city!

We haven’t been back to the city in several years, since before 9-11, so no doubt a lot has changed. We’ll put some photos up next week to share NYC with you, as seen through our eyes! For now, I’ll leave you with this tasty snack…

Even though spring was officially here over three weeks ago, it is hard to believe that living on the cape! Until yesterday! We’ve been holding tight to the hope that temperatures will soon rise and the sun will warm our cold winter bones. Yesterday our hopes were realized. The thermometer on our house read 66F and visual signs of spring were everywhere….Here are just a few: Crocuses, Daffodils, and Squill popping their heads up to say hi.

Of course, this could be a big tease! We’ve had snow in April before! Well let’s hope not, bring on the warm weather. I’m ready for flip-flops!

A great big THANK YOU to everyone who has sent well wishes little Sadie’s way!!

Just to update all of you, we visited Sadie this weekend to celebrate her one-month birthday. It’s so strange to think that if she wasn’t so eager to join us, she’d still have two months before her due date. She has had a few set backs along the way, including two blood transfusions and a case of sepsis, a pretty serious infection. But, a spinal tap came back negative, so things are looking up. She was also taken off her breathing machine today and put on a low flow breathing tube. Apparently, the headgear needed to hold the breathing tube she had in place had caused a pretty nasty bruise on her head, so they wanted to let that heal and switched to something less cumbersome. The change is a little scary for her mommy & daddy since the previous times they’ve put her on the smaller breathing tube Sadie has had “spells,” which is a nice way of saying she’s stopped breathing. Preemies apparently often have trouble breathing because they’re lungs aren’t fully developed and it’s all so new to them they sometimes forget how to breath on their own.

The good news is that Sadie now weighs 3 pounds 10 ounces, that’s a pound more than she weighed when she was born…yeahhhh!!!!

When Andy & I arrived at the hospital, birthday cupcakes in tow (can’t hurt to butter up the hospital staff, right? Want to make sure they take good care of our little lovebug!!!) my sister, Kim, was holding Sadie. Kim & Eric, her husband, take turns as they’re only allowed one two-hour holding session per day. Here’s a photo of Sadie on her mommy’s chest. The necklace she’s reaching out for is one I had made for myself and my two sisters after our mom died. I designed it after a necklace she used to wear all the time growing up. It’s the symbol for Capricorn, my mom’s star sign. It just struck a chord with me that Sadie seemed to be getting comfort from touching the necklace. Kimmy says she often holds it….so sweet!!!

So we are back from our brief, but very enjoyable trip to Las Vegas, where we attended the annual Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) trade show and convention! It is the largest convention in the country, drawing thousands of photographers from across the country and around the globe. We met a couple from Singapore in the elevator the day we arrived. (And we thought we had a long trip.)

This year’s turnout was massive and we had a blast, attending talks by some world-renown photographers, socializing via late-night dinners and Vegas-style Penthouse parties with friends old and new. Oh, and of course, there was a little gambling…okay, penny slots, but still, it was Vegas, baby! The only bummer of the trip was discovering that the slot machines no longer take coins. Instead, they now take bills and you get credits, which if you win…didn’t see too many folks doing that…you hit the “cash out” button and out comes a credit slip that you can redeem at an ATM-like redemption machine. The change-over to credits has made the casinos a lot quieter and not nearly as exciting in our opinion.

If you’ve never been, Las Vegas really is a town like no other. The nightlife is what it’s all about, with all the neon lights and people everywhere. When you are inside the casinos, you have absolutely no idea what time it is, and this is by design. There are no windows or clocks to keep folks gambling at all hours. Inside the Paris Hotel & Casino, there is a mall-like section with restaurants, shops & casinos, and the ceiling is painted bright blue with white fluffy clouds. The lighting gives the impression it’s day time in Paris…very strange, but very cool! Another mall down a little further down the street must have hired the same artists to paint the ceiling, but they took it one step further and had lights and a sound system installed that provided an eerily realistic thunderstorm every hour on the hour. They even had rain that fell from the ceiling into pools in the center of the mall.

We were also introduced to the Fremont Street section of Las Vegas, known as old town. The casinos are smaller and definitely feel older in their architecture and interior details, but in a very cool Rat Pack kind of way. A portion of the street is covered by a ceiling of light panels that at certain times each night display a crazy light show that can only be described as pure Vegas.

Here are a few photos from our trip.

Directions to the convention from inside the hotel Paris. Most of the programs were held at Bally’s Hotel, but the trade show, which was like nothing we’ve ever seen, was held at Paris. We couldn’t resist and bought some new gear that we’ve already started playing with…so fun!

Family fun watching Bellagio’s incredible water dances.

There is new construction right at the heart of the strip. Some of the locals we chatted with said it will be called “City Center.” Even with just the bare bones of construction showing, it promises to be the biggest hotel in Vegas, and organizers plan for it to offer everything visitors could ever need with several hotels surrounding at least two casinos. Estimate cost? Around $12 Billion! Madness!!!!

And of course it would be rude not to photograph Vegas at night! Here’s a few of our hotel, The Flamingo. We just loved this sign welcoming visitors to the casino. That’s Andy’s poker face…..thus, the penny slots for us!

The strip at night. How would you like to pay that electric bill?

Las Vegas Boulevard with Paris’s Eiffel Tower in the background.

And the Eiffel Tower during the day. We’ve never seen the real one to compare, but the Vegas tower is pretty impressive and we definitely weren’t the only ones photographing it.

Chris having a nap in the glorious sunshine outside Bally’s. Our last day it was about 78F…ahhhhh, dreamy.

Advertising Vegas style…

 

Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by the Rubik’s Cube. I had a mate that could complete it really fast, and he always made it sound like it was no big deal. I was so impressed. It helped that I didn’t know anybody else that could complete it without removing the stickers or taking the cube apart!

Anyway, after walking around Restoration Hardware this winter while doing a little Christmas shopping, Chris and I saw a Cube for sale. I guess there has been a Rubik’s Cube revival recently. Well, guess what I found stuffed in my stocking? Yep, you got it. Since then, I have been dedicated to trying to learn how to complete this frustrating toy!!! Well thanks to the internet, and in particular YouTube, there are a whole host of tutorials available. And it really isn’t that hard to learn once you get the hang of it. I now have it mastered!! I am no world record speed cuber, but i feel quite the sense of achievement that i can now do it. Here’s my tribute to the cube!!! Check it out….

So i was wondering how many people out there can complete the cube too? Can you?

For the second year running, Chris and I escaped to the White Mountains for the Married Wedding Photographers ski retreat in NH hosted by our friends Matt and Enna of Grazier Photograpahy. Joining us this year were Kim & John from Sanderson Images, (check out their blog for some really cool mug shots of us all), Justin & Mary from Justin Marantz Photography, and Larry and Tabitha from Sherrell Photography.

We spent most of the week hanging out, talking shop, and of course skiing/snowboarding. It was so great to share ideas and experiences with other photographers who understand the challenges and rewards of working alongside your partner. Here are just a few images from our time together.

We picked the perfect day for hitting the slopes!

Kim & John Sanderson give the thumbs up to these awesome spring conditions, which we enjoyed almost entirely to ourselves!!! Gotta love mid-week skiing.

Matt shows off his ultimate speed

Justin & Mary have never been on the slopes before but took to it like a fish to water. Check out their blog for a cool video clip of Justin. Here they are blogging back at the ski house!

Back in the ski house we played a little pool. Here’s a little trick shot for you …

Tabitha shows us her talents outside of photography. Larry, Eldon, and little Vera June watch on.

Ollie Grazier looks on - desperate to join the game!

Everyone brought a laptop or computer so we could do a little work. Here Larry checks his morning email, while Eldon Sherrell looks on….don’t you just love the expressions!

Matt & Enna feeling the love!

And of course there was always someone with a camera at the ready. Christine chimping!

And John getting a few action shots.

Then of course there was a little time for just hanging out. Larry reading to Eldon.

Oh … and Ollie says “Hi everyone” or was it “Another photographer … noooo don’t take my picture anymore!!”

And the great thing is we’ll get to see them again next week in Las Vegas at WPPI - the largest international convention for wedding and portrait photographers. We can’t wait!

My sister, Kim, was just 27 weeks pregnant with her second baby when complications landed her in the hospital last week. Initially, it was up in the air about how long she would be there, but after a couple of days, doctors said she would have to stay for the duration. We all had hoped, with heavy hearts, that she would be there for 8-10 weeks to give the baby a bit more time to develop, but that little lovebug in her belly wasn’t having it. At 1:28 early Friday morning, little Sadie Abigail made her way into the world….feet first! It was immediately evident that like her momma, this girl is going to have some serious spunk.

Weighing just 2 pounds 8 ounces, she was a far cry from her big brother’s weigh in weight of 9 pounds 15 and a half ounces. She is in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the country’s leading neonatal center, so she couldn’t be in better hands. It’s definitely been a scary few days, but yesterday doctor’s removed her breathing tube and Saturday night mommy was able to hold her on her chest for the first time. Doctors can’t yet say what her prognosis is and we won’t know anything for some time. So, everyone is on pins and needles as we wait and see just how strong little miss Sadie really is.

Fortunately, I had already planned to go up to help out on Thursday and was there when my brother-in-law, Eric got the call none of us expected….”The baby is coming.” He immediately rushed off to the hospital to be with Kim. Cal & I didn’t sleep well. It was crazy, but I swear at just 2 1/2 yrs old he knew what was happening and that mommy & baby sis were in trouble.

Yesterday was the hardest day in Kim’s life as she had to leave the hospital and baby Sadie. I expect there will be lots of driving back and forth to Boston over the coming weeks. Cal & I visited with them in the hospital on Saturday and here are a few photos of our new little, and I mean LITTLE, lovebug:

Here Sadie gets a loving touch from mommy. It just kills me how tiny she looks in comparison to my sister’s hand. She could easily fit in the palm of my brother-in-law’s hand.

She was swimming in her diapers and had lots of bruising on her feet from coming out breach. But, like her mommy, she’s a fighter and will no doubt be dancing on those long graceful toes before we know it!

Cal checks out his new little sister with his dad, Eric. He definitely seemed worried about all of the tubes in her.

Cal plays with some window stickers at the hospital. Normally a rambunctious, sweet little boy, he seemed a little lost in his thoughts after visiting with Sadie. So much for a little guy to take in all at once. I think it was hard enough for him to have mommy taken away for a week, but then to have a sick little sister on top of it. It just makes you wonder what’s going through that sweet little head of his. I LOVE this little man!!!

Here’s Cal at home during breakfast. I know I’m biased, but seriously, does it get much cuter than that? It was definitely a different kind of event when Cal was born. Andy & I were both there at the hospital for his arrival and I was in the room when he came out. It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever witnessed and it gave me such a new sense of respect and awe for my sister. She is an incredible mom and all of the hard work that she & Eric have put in really shines through in this fun, gentle little soul!

Well, we hope to have some more images with Sadie looking a little less dependent on machines in the very near future! And to all of you moms and dads out there, our hats are off to you. It is the hardest, most scary job in the world, but the rewards are incalculable! And when all of the hard work and sacrifice produce beautiful little people like my nephew and niece, well, the world is just a better place for it! So thank you!!!

Inspired by the joy these and other little lovebugs in our lives have brought us we plan to add family lifestyle portraiture to our Bello offerings this summer…stay tuned for more info.

Usually around mid February, Chris and I like to get away somewhere warm for a bit to escape the seemingly endless New England winter. Last year, we explored the gorgeous country Nicaragua. However, this year brought about a change. A childhood friend of mine from home (that’s England, in case you didn’t know) Steve, is expecting twin boys in a couple of months - well his wife Sam is, but you know what I mean!

Living so far apart now, we don’t get to see each other nearly as much as we’d like, and with the little ones on their way we decided we needed to see each other before his life became consumed with dirty diapers and round-the-clock feedings!! So, we decided an action packed ski trip in the Alps was in order. It was a quick trip, just 5 days in St. Anton, a quaint ski town nestled in the Arlberg region of the Austrian Alps.

The big difference between skiing in the Alps and skiing in the US is that in the US you are typically confined to one mountain, whereas when you are in the Alps you have a whole mountain range to explore. For example, you can ski to a different town in the next valley for a mid morning coffee, zip over few peaks to another town for lunch, head to another town further up the valley for a afternoon hot chocolate, then make your way back to camp before the lifts close and leave you stranded somewhere in the middle of nowhere!! It really is an amazing experience. Because of the vastness of it all you never really have to ski any run twice in one day! And with our friend Owes in charge of the trail map we didn’t!

I started off my trip by flying into Zurich, Switzerland where I had the pleasure of spending the day before my friends showed up later in the evening.

Called the “little big city,” Zurich is a beautiful and very walkable city, which was great since I only had one day to spend there. After picking up a very helpful walking map from the tourist office, I headed to the popular and beautiful Bahnhofstrasse, or Old Town. My walk took me through picturesque alleyways, past beautiful churches, impressive 16th and 17th century houses, quiet courtyards and of course, the infamous shopping district, where some of the world’s finest watches are made.

Next, I headed to the Lindenhof, a peaceful square that provides a great view of the whole city and the very distinctive Grossmunster church:

The Lindenhof is a haven for serious chess players. These guys found it quite amusing when I lay on the floor for this one, although you’d never tell from their faces. Deep in thought!

Here’s a cool view of the Old Town. I just love the rickety bikes everyone cycles around on.

After Steve and Owes turned up we jumped in our car rental an drove over the border into Austria to St. Anton in the Arlberg region. And the next morning we hit the slopes bright and early!

I am the lonesome snowboarder on the lift!

Everywhere you look are mountains. It is so peaceful. These red arrows can be seen on several of the peaks. From what i gather they are to warn aircraft that there are lift lines crossing the valley. Now that would be frightening seeing a plane heading for you as you dangle from 500ft!!

One of the many cool little restaurants dotted around the mountains:

Morning coffee for Steve as he plans where we will be heading to next. Lech, Stuben, Zurs?

Taking a breather and soaking in the sights

If you are an extreme skier or boarder, which we are not, you can take a small cable car that holds about 4-6 people to the top of Valluga (9400 ft). If you feel like trying this crazy venture you must be accompanied by a guide. Fortunately you can head up to the top unaccompanied to chill out and take in the views and watch these daredevils! Thats what i did!

Steve and Owes ripping it up!

By the end of the first day, I was beat. There was more snow than I knew what to do with and trying to adjust my riding to off piste runs was exhausting. By the end of the day, it was hard to stay vertical…..

Ahh, thats more like it! The apres ski was worth the wait! And the Weis beer … lovely! Steve thinks he’s getting all three! Think again mate!

For those of you interested in seeing the trail map, check the Arlberg trail map here.

Have you discovered TED yet? If not, then you are really missing out on a good healthy dose of inspiration.

Chris and I stumbled upon TED - Technology, Entertainment, Design - about a month or so ago and are now completely hooked. TED, an “organization devoted to giving millions of knowledge-seekers around the globe direct access to the world’s greatest thinkers and teachers”, has been around since 1984 but has only recently started to stream video from their site due to its popularity.

Each year, 3 inspirational people are awarded the TED prize and in appreciation for their good work they are granted one wish. A wish to change the world. The video clip below is of 2007 TED prize winner, James Nachtwey - a phenomenal war photographer who bravely witnesses and documents the things most of us are too afraid to see.

“I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.” ~ James Nachtwey

As wedding photographers who often see and capture life’s finest moments, times when love rules and the ugly side of humanity dares not rear it’s ugly head, it’s easy to forget how cruel we can be to one another and James courageously reminds us that we must not forget. We love this guy!

This clip is about 20 minutes long, but absolutely worth watching!

Another incredible person is the 2006 TED award winner, Jehane Noujaim - a passionate woman and someone we’d love to sit down and chat with, Jehane is the inspiration behind Pangea Day. The goal of Pangea Day is to “create a worldwide network of caring and concerned citizens who are making a difference.” For the first time ever, on May 10, sites around the world will be video conferenced live to produce a 4 hour program of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music. What was her wish? “A global acceptance of diversity, mediated through the power of film.” What a cool idea!!! Here she is:

There are over 200 other talks online at ted.com. Be prepared to get sucked in!