Travel
One of the reasons I love being a photographer is the journey. Part of it is the traveling to the destination but a lot of is the journey of getting to know each couple through the engagement and then eventually to when they say i do. Traveling with the couple helps me get to know them better and really forces me to get out of my comfort zone and shoot in places i’m not necessarily familiar with….i totally love it.
Here’s a little backstage look at my short time with Suzanne + Andy in Boston.
Sarah and I knew we were going to be busy with the coming of the new year and with everything going on it wasn’t going to allow for us to take an official baby moon or have dedicated time to take pictures of her pregnancy. So we took the two times we knew we would be traveling and made some time during each trip to take some photos. Shooting pictures of your wife such a delight and breeze. Photography has always been an extension of our relationship and I can’t tell you the number of times we just stopped and laughed at each other during the shoot. Sarah just has a way of making light of things that i’m probably taking a little too seriously which i absolutely adore.
We stayed at The Standard Hotel in the heart of the meatpacking district and it has been one of the nicest times we have had in NYC. The location is great, walking distance to a ton of retail stores and the Chelsea Market which is a great place to just enjoy a warm drink, conversation and fresh foods. The rooms are surprisingly open for a New York hotel and everything is modern and beautiful. The floor ceiling windows in every room offer great views of either the city or of the Hudson River. I do want to mention that every room has a peek-a-bo shower and that was fine for Sarah and i but i could imagine that getting a bit uncomfortable to shower if you roomed with a friend or even worse a family member. From the model-like reception people who help you check-in to the beautiful interior of the hotel it was just straight up beautiful inside and out. The elevators are home to a strange and a bit creepy video that plays while you ride up and down the dark elevator which add a weird ambiance to your ride to and from your room. As creepy as the video was i found myself to be rather mesmerized by the video every time i rode the elevator. The service was stellar and friendly. We were offered help many times without having to ask for it. As if the staff was anticipating any needs my pregnant wife and i might need which i loved. The top level of the hotel does become home to a one of the more popular night clubs at night so some of the higher floors do become more noisy but since we were on the 9th floor we didn’t really notice and slept easily.
We had a great time in DR for Susan’s wedding and very much enjoyed some alone time at The Standard Hotel but we ready to meet Chloe and are SO excited for this next phase of lives together!
Sarah and I had the chance to spend our anniversary weekend together this year. It’s been a while since we have not had a wedding or some other type of session on the weekend of our anniversary. We only wanted to go away for the weekend so we decided to check out the brand new resort and casino in Atlantic City, NJ call Revel.
The resort is truly a slice of Vegas out in AC. From the immense size of the resort to the girls dancing on the bars it just feels like Vegas but just at lot closer to home. The quality of the room and pretty much every detail that you would want in a resort is built perfectly. I love the floor to ceiling windows in every room and how every room has an ocean view. The one thing you have to keep in mind when staying at Revel is the cost of being there. The public in/out pool is beautiful but is super loud and crowded during the day and Sarah and I opted to hangout in the more quite and private Cabanas area but there was a $150 dollar price for 2 chairs. The Bask Spa in the resort is one of the nicest I have been and there is a co-ed bathhouse area where Sarah and I got to spend some time sitting in salt rooms and various spa pools together. Normally I don’t like spas because I’m always stuck in the guys side of the spa when I really just want to spend time with Sarah and that’s why I actually enjoyed Revel’s spa.
The price of everything reminds me of the price point at most Vegas or NYC hotels and despite the higher price for everything we didn’t have to pay for airfare to get there and the weekend getaway was still within what we had budgeted. Even though I think the resort is probably still geared more towards those that like to party and gamble more, Sarah and I were still able to find rest and relaxation. Just being able to spend time together counting our blessings and not talking about work made the trip worth it. If you are driving distance from AC I would totally recommend checking out Revel at least for a weekend.
