A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words and a Vacation with Worth the Wait

This week's post is brought to you

by the letters V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N and the numbers 2-0-1-0. 

Every year, we get to spend a week at the beach, and usually crash my brother and wreck havoc on my BFF Toni in New Jersey.  Them and the beach are the things I miss most about not living there (I most definately do NOT miss the bennys).

One thing most bennys do when they go to Toms River, is visit Seaside...especially now since the inseption of that wonderful show on MTV Jersey Whores...I mean...Jersey Shore.  My bad.  :-)

Since I don't get to visit the shore very often, I dragged Toni and group to said boardwalk and lugged my camera with us.  I got some pretty cool shots, like this one.  It's a handheld 10 second night shot of Funtown Pier.

The boardwalk is home to two awesome carousels, one on either pier.  You can't go to the boardwalk and not ride the carousel.  This particular one on Funtown Pier just turned 100 years old.

Everyone got to ride a pony except the idiot with the camera (me).  I rode the carousel while taking photos.  Everyone wanted a pony that went up and down; no one wanted the outside stationary horses, so I thought I wouldn't get the shot I wanted until I spotted this little girl.  I have no idea who she is, but the image is exactly what I wanted to capture.  There's just something magical about carousels.

And of course, we had to ride the rides.  And I couldn't not take photos. 

This is one of my favorites.

Here's the group of monsters after they rode the swings.

My brother has the most beautiful children.  Jeff, its a good thing your wife is beautiful.  Here are some pics of my neice and nephew. 

Yes, Reann.  These are on the disk.

And here is Nicholas, having a blast swimming in his pool. 

He's just the cutest.

And no post is complete without the requist funny face pictures. 

 I swear you guys do this on purpose to me.

Last but not least, a belated Happy 4th of July. 

Cue the fireworks please.

Dover International

So I had an opportunity to tag along with my friend Matt to Dover International this weekend. He is a mechanic for the Joe Gibbs #18 Camping World Series team, which was driven by Matt DeBenedetto on Friday. We got there around 9am on Friday, and with awesome views from the top of the trailer in the pits, to actually standing with the crew for the pit stops on pit road, it was an awesome day with awesome views and awesome photos.

Here is the view from the top of the trailer.

Here is the driver, Matt DeBenedetto.

And here is the team waiting their turn on pit road for qualifying, which they qualified 1st.

A cool shot of the car as it waits for the race to start.

The cars traveling the speedway behind the pace car waiting for the green flag to drop.

#18 car out in front, leading the pack.


Michael Waltrip standing next to me watching his driver #00 Ryan Truex win the points championship for the Camping World Series.

#00 Ryan Truex celebrating winning the points

And since I got to stand with the press photographers.....

The sprint cup drivers lined up along pit row for their qualifying.

#9 Kasey Kahne


#24 Jeff Gordon

#20 Joey Logano

#29 Kevin Harvick


I loved this shot, though it's a little blurry. It shows how close I was to everything. I was literally sitting on the wall in the pit and the cars were passing this close to me. Way cool!





Thanks Matt B. for having me come down and hang out with you guys! You all were lots of fun and a whole lot of funny to be around. I hope we can do it again soon! Just be sure to carry your whistle with you! You never know when you'll need it!

Toni Mark and Allie

My best friend Toni came to visit this weekend with her long time boyfriend Mark, and her daughter (my god daughter) Allie. I grabbed a few pics of them and thought I'd share them. Both Toni and Allie were in my wedding almost two years ago. See below (Toni's my maid of honor in red, and I'm holding Allie's hand. Isn't she a beautiful flower girl! Also pictured are my closest friends as bridesmaids...Colleen, Kim (sister-in-law) Alexis (step-daughter), Reann (sister-in-law) and Denise.)

Here is a pic of Toni and Mark. I've been bugging them for a while to let me take a picture of the two of them, but they're so damn stubborn. I cornered them this time!

And Allie is a hoot. Half the time she's this ramped up version of hyperactive funny kid like this...

And then she's this sweet little girl like this...

I love them all!

Photography Contest

I recently entered a photography contest at work, and took second place in the Critters and Characters category. Here's the photo that won. It's my kitty Midas!

Halloween with Graystone Photography

Halloween isn't just for dressing up and begging for candy!! I had a blast working with Erin and Kelly from Graystone Photography this past weekend before partying with them on Halloween! They dressed as 50's girls and we took to the street and did a shoot with them and a mustang! I think we laughed more than we shot photos, but it was worth it! The photos came out amazing, especially when they were processed and tinted to look like they were from the 50's. Check 'em out!

Here's Erin!

Here's Kelly!

Happy Halloween!

The Sleeping World

My friend Erin sings backup in a band called The Sleeping World. I headed out one Friday night while they were performing at Dipco. Here's a few shots from their set.

Girls Night Out....

So Brandy is getting married in two weeks (and I'm her photographer!)....so what's a wedding without a girls night bachelorette party?! Here are some peeks at the evening, but that's all your gonna get, cause what happened at Brandy's party, stays at Brandy's party!! Just remember "dot, dot, dot" and "apple pie"!

Here is Brandy with one of her bridesmaids Catherine (CK)

hanging out on the front of a FDNY fire truck.

So as you all know, before you marry your prince,

you have to kiss a few pigs......or is it frogs? :-)

Here is Brandy! Doesn't she have an awesome smile?

Here is the group of us!

I know CK is gonna yell at me for this one, but it's a great pic of her!

Thank you Brandy!

I had a blast in NY with you and everyone else! Two weeks to go!