Blog | Patrick Rogers Photography

May 20
New Gallery Opening at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

On occasion, The Harvard Museum of Natural History hosts special events (even weddings!), and last night, they hosted a very special event to honor the kindness of the Zofnass family, who donated generously to support the newest exhibit, New England Forests. This exhibit is amazing! It is all about the flora and fauna in New England, and how that ecosystem functions and responds to change.

I visited the Museum shortly after I moved to the Boston area less than three years ago, and immediately fell in love. From the minerals to the glass flowers to the Africa gallery, this newest exhibit is another great reason to go. The attention to detail in this gallery is amazing. There are so many little things that support this exhibit, like the woodpecker perched near the top of one of the trees, that it is doubtful you will be able to take it all in on your first visit.

This gallery opens to the public starting tomorrow, May 21st. General admission for adults is $9, for children only $6, and Sunday morning from 9-noon, admission is free to Massachusetts residents. For more information about planning your trip, go here.

May 18
Childlike Curiosity

There was a post on Boston Mamas this morning called A Penny For Your Walk. That post talked about how curiosity can motivate a granddaughter to take a walk with her grandmother, and it got me thinking about the power of curiosity.

Each child I have met has wonder and excitement in their eyes. Seeing that is so rewarding and life-affirming! I mean, I spend time with them and their families in their own home, but they still see most everything around them as if it was for the first time. It is in these moments that I am reminded about how exciting the unknown can be to children.

For years, it was that unknown that I was constantly preparing for, believing that getting the next thing (be it a flash or lens or camera or whatever) will ensure that I get good results, but great photographers like Henri Cartier Bresson wandered around the streets of Paris with one camera and one lens (can you believe it?!?!). It was that childlike wonder and that presence in the moment that allowed him to be open to the moments happening all around him.

The chance to be around the energy of children has saved me from the trap of wanting the next thing. I am constantly challenged by a variety of issues, but keeping curiosity and excitement in my heart that I have learned from so many kids gives me the perspective I need.

May 17
Communicating Your Vision

I read a blog post this morning from Real Maine Weddings called emailing with your vendors(excerpted below), and it reminded me of the power of a clear idea.

Crafting a clear vision for your gathering, be it a first birthday party, a wedding, or somewhere in-between, can be difficult, but will pay huge dividends in the end. For example, Knowing that you want a Dora The Explorer themed birthday party makes choosing the birthday cake simple. Or, as the Real Maine Wedding blog said, “For me, it was “laid back white wedding on the coast of Maine.” Not only did my vendors appreciate the clear direction, it also helped me stay focused. Yes, those aquamarine stilettos are killer, but they come nowhere close to being ‘laid back’–or white for that matter. And while a taco bar would certainly be laid back, unfortunately nothing about tacos says ‘Maine.’ “

The vendors you hire are there to support your vision, so talking with them about it helps them turn your words into a stronger vision so that they can craft the event to match your mood. When I have a consultation with a client, I like to ask them “Could you tell me five words that describe the feel of your event?” That really helps define the look people are going for, and it helps me look more closely at the details that help support their vision.

Not only does a clear vision help you make decisions, but it helps your vendors support that vision, and most importantly, it really helps your guests appreciate all the little touches, and gets them in the mood that you were trying to convey.

May 16
The Power of Wonder

NOVA is one of the programs I set my DVR to record, and thanks to a lazy Sunday, I was able to catch up on some past episodes while getting my knitting project started.

I watched the episode about Stonehenge; the way it was built, the technology perhaps used to build it, and new theories on the purpose of it.

It moved me. Stonehenge has always been intriguing to me, but I always felt like it was something that was studied and understood, and the mysteries had been figured out. However, there was someone on there that was trying to understand how they moved such heavy stones. After working on this question, he had an “ah ha!” moment, and postulated that stones formed into uniform spheres (seemingly common around that time) were actually used as a type of ball bearings to help move these stones, sometimes weighing tens of tons.

For me, this spoke to the power of wonder, and how seeing things in new ways exposes me to the magic of the world. On a good day, it is that wonder that moves me, and that magic that compels me to be a photographer.

I found this photo of Colin Ashley’s, and wanted to share a view of Stonehenge that I don’t normally see.

May 14
Ballroom Dance Photos For Fun!

I went to a dance competition at MIT a few weeks ago, this time to watch, not to compete, and I had planned to take some standard photos of the competitors, but after a few shots, I started to experiment with the shutter speed, slowing it down to capture the movement of the people and the flowing dresses.

Editing down these photos to only a handful was difficult. I am enthralled with the shapes the dresses create; it was like watching a campfire or those Siamese Fighting Fish, just amazing and hard to look away!

This was a personal assignment, one I did out of the sheer joy of photography, and I am compelled to share. Perhaps you won’t be able to look away, either!