a.e.Hotchkiss Photography |

I am old-fashioned. Functions of this personality trait point to my 1950s living room set, my inability to properly use a cell phone and general anxiety when there are more than five new emails in my inbox. Professionally, it gets a bit more complicated: in an industry that has changed so much in the last ten years with most photographers choosing to “go digital” I have not only chosen to “stay traditional” but, upping the ante a bit, exclusively use a camera that was widely used in the 1950s and 60s. The old lens, heavy body and unique frame are perfectly romantic ways for couples to remember perfectly romantic weddings. This particular apparatus, a twin-lens reflex, is good for making eye contact with subjects while taking the picture. It’s a great conversation starter when I’m getting to know clients for the first time. When I really got to thinking about it, though, I decided my favorite feature of this camera is this: the pictures it takes are square, perfectly proportioned photographs with totally equal sides.

How appropriate, then, my ears, eyes and heart have been turned to an area of our culture (and my occupation) where equal sides do not exist. An oversight, I hoped, by our modern culture that has overcome discrimination towards marriages based on race, religion, creed, or color. Still somehow there are scores of Americans limited by archaic laws and half-compromises across the country because, actually, the church and the state have snuggled up inextricably despite their original intention to “just be friends.”

Because I am traditional to a fault, I believe marriage should be a lasting commitment, complete with setbacks, struggles and so much communication that your voice box gets sore. I also believe that anyone, male or female, straight or not, is capable of and entitled to this kind of love. I have watched (and documented) my fair share of weddings: young and old, shy and outgoing, funny and serious, religious and non-secular, straight and gay. At every one I am always struck by the uniqueness of the couples, their individual personalities and the way they change for the better when they come together. This observation and admiration comes independent of their ability to fulfill what the bible and some churches require for their commitment to be a “real” marriage.

I have no ultimate answers – and I am by no means a politician. My voice comes out on the matter as just one of many, many people in our state and in our country who support rights for everyone so that the political and cultural picture will soon have equal sides, too.

For any brides and grooms out there who might be hoping for an outdoor wedding, I just want to put this out there: I am good luck. I’ve never photographed an outdoor wedding that was sullied by a downpour. Alisa and Natasha’s wedding was witnessed in a mere drizzle, which actually made the photographs even better what with the really neat clear umbrellas they had on hand. So what I’m trying to say is: I’m a sure thing.

I’ve been putting a lot of work in to developing my wedding work and packages. A photographer with a bit of a “if this worked fifty years ago, it should work today” attitude, I’ve added a flash (!!) to my equipment list so I am now able to shoot indoor and nighttime weddings with my medium format (square picture) camera. I’ve also enlisted the aid of a small ladder to get the angle on dancing shots that I’ve always wanted. Most importantly, I’ve developed packages for engagement photography, wedding invitations (photographic greetings), wedding photography and album services that make it very easy for couples to not have to worry about coordinating all those things on their own. Prices and descriptions to come, soon!

I’ve also been pondering the fact that my first initial, middle initial and last name are not the easiest things on earth to remember and have been toying with the idea of actually naming my freelance photography work.  One thing that came to mind was that all the equipment I use belongs to dying art forms and photographic processes.  Using film, old cameras in odd formats and rickety equipment held together with fishing wire is more endearing than it sounds in black and white.  I love it.  I thought because of that “Dinosaur Photo” or Dino Photographics might be apt…what do you all think?  I’m open to suggestions, send ‘em my way!!

If you have any questions regarding wedding photography for yourself or for information for a friend, please email me at aehotchkiss@gmail.com - thanks for visiting the weblog!

It’s officially summertime, and although the rain clouds don’t seem to have gotten the memo, summer means a number of things for yours truly.

In addition to wedding work, which is incredibly fun and challenging, I’m balancing the stress and responsibility of helping couples remember their wedding day by photographing the farmer’s markets whenever I get the chance.  Other topics of interest have been clouds, power lines, and bumblebees.  Pictures to come!

Hey graduating class! With the excitement of summer vacation setting in, keep your ears/eyes peeled for a photographer that makes work that YOU like when looking for someone to do your senior portraits. I can’t express how important it is to have photographs that illustrate who you are as a person, especially when granted all that real estate in your senior yearbook. Pick a photographer who is open-minded to your suggestions of location and wardrobe, not someone who is going to default on bringing you to a lighthouse or a grassy field without considering your personality and wishes first!

Whether you see yourself in a diner, abandoned train car, waterfront, soccer field, graveyard, rooftop, parking garage, lobster boat, or riding no hands on a bicycle (or ANYTHING) else, I’m available for Senior Portrait Sessions through September (or later, if necessary) to collaborate with you on the perfect photo shoot. And I have a special deal on sessions for Yarmouth High School students, too!

Please see my Picasa portfolio for examples of my work (which can always be tailored to you):

http://picasaweb.google.com/aehotchkiss

Pricing is as follows:

1 Hour Session: $95

2 Hour Session: $160

You’ll get all your photos on a CD of high resolution images and if you are a Yarmouth High School student you will get 2 free 8×10″ prints. 1 Hour sessions are perfect for one-on-one photographing, but if you want to pair up with a friend and split the cost a 2 Hour session is perfect!

You can email me at aehochkiss@gmail.com or call (617)680-3187 (cell phone) to make an appointment!

…Crazily busy.

Maintaining a blog has confirmed my initial anxiety that “blogs” actually do require work, care, insight and humor that I can’t always muster when I’m zonked out in front of the computer screen.

Originally this entry was going to be about what to look for when looking for a wedding photographer. Helpful? Yes. It will be. Stay tuned, because that one will be coming, but for now an update because, like the headline says, The Girl Is Crazy.

April 2009 has brought so many EXCELLENT changes to a.e.Hotchkiss Photography and the entity behind it: one Audrey Emily Hotchkiss. Just like any kind of change it is wonderful, terrible, awe-inspiring and obnoxious all at once. Let me elaborate.

Change #1: MOVING THE STUDIO. Okay, this is a positive thing because Megan and I are developing a really clear vision for how we want to present ourselves, we are setting up a home away from our respective homes in order to take our work more seriously, and we are investing time and effort to make the space truly unique before First Friday (p.s. Come see us, First Friday May 1st between 5pm and 8pm, Room 302 State Theater Building, toast at 7pm). It is not positive for the following, childish reasons: I am going to miss distracting myself from my work by talking to Krista, Erin and Jane in our old studio, I have to move a boatload of crap from the 5th floor of the State Theater building to the 3rd floor, and painting (while calming) is more work than someone as busy as I am can handle.

Change #2: MOVING MY APARTMENT. A moot point. Apparently somewhere in the rule book it says I have to move at least once a year. Awesome because rent is going down but not awesome because, you guessed it, moving things is so exhausting.

Change #3: WEDDING SEASON. Score! Having lots of work to do is way better than trying to find lots of work to do. Wedding season kicks off in May with my first gig and I am so excited to get behind the camera and start makin’ some memories. This really has no downside except that I don’t eat, sleep or see people when I’m in post-production. Oh well, at least I’ll have a nice new studio!

So with these changes in play and the weather warming up things are looking pretty positive pretty soon. While I am pretty much running around like a chicken with its head cut off until First Friday is over I’m way more in to that than having nothing to do with myself but play video games and wait for the snow to melt!

A nice end to this autobiographical entry (less helpful, more entertaining!) might be an update on the work that I’ve been doing recently. In addition to taking some pictures of a hypnotic kite at bug light the other day (pic to come soon).

I have been doing work for Joel Platz, a furniture maker in town, who I bumped in to at the coffee shop one day. Images from the first shoot can be seen here. He hooked me up with his brother, Jeff, a guitarist from the Boston area who needed some photo work done last weekend for a gig with Daniel Carter, so pictures from that are soon to come, as well. Great group and wonderful experience shooting at Peapod Recordings in South Portland.

Zoinks!

Aud