Category Archives: Resources and Advice

Feb 15
Our Cloth Diaper Workshop Experience at Diaper Lab


For those of you that don’t know, my wife, Carrie, and I are expecting our first child (That’s not him in the picture, that’s just the creature we practiced diapering on)!   His due date (April 27th) is fast approaching, so, most of our recent conversations have been about baby stuff.  We’ve looked at cribs, read a million reviews about different car seats, and found some ADORABLE clothes (it makes me sad that they done make some of these super comfy clothes in my size!).  Besides all the stuff, though, we’ve looked into a few different classes and workshops.    
Both of us are very conscientious about our impact on the planet, and we know how often a little one’s diaper has to get changed, so we started looking into the possibility of cloth diapers.  Though my parents used cloth diapers on me and my two brothers decades ago, I don’t know anyone who uses them now.  So, the picture I had in my head was one that involved me sticking myself with safety pins while I was trying to put on an ill-fitting cloth diaper on a wriggling baby.  Not a fun prospect, but one I was willing to put up with to not have to contribute thousands of dirty diapers to the ever growing landfills.
Knowing my reservations, and wanting to understand better than the vast number of resources on the internet can seem to explain, Carrie found a cloth diaper workshop that was really close where we have our midwife appointments.

At 9:00 a.m. last Saturday, we headed to Diaper Lab in Somerville . We were surprised at how full the class was; clearly we’re not the only couple trying to navigate this tricky subject. Jennifer was the instructor on Saturday and was incredibly helpful and informative — and full of all kinds of poop-puns that brought laughs out of her half-awake attendees! My favorite of which came when she referred to their wide selection of diapers and accessories as their “poop platter”!  HA! But eeewww!

She started with the variety of reasons to use cloth diapers  (cost savings, reducing environmental impact, and the overall health of our son), then showed us the array of different options of diapers and diaper covers (pre-folds with covers, fitteds with covers, pockets, all-in-ones, and all-in-twos)  — some of which are so adorable, it’s just ridiculous (again, why don’t these come in adult sizes?!?!). Then came the magic moment — technology has come a long way since my parents were using cloth, and now there are these Y shaped fasteners (snappies) instead of those scary safety pins! They work like ace bandage clips and are much less complicated and MUCH less sharp. 

There are also a lot of different fabrics to choose from, like hemp and bamboo, which is so soft!  I immediately put bamboo reusable wipes on our registry, saying that it would make our son’s tushy extra happy (psst!  They are really for me!  I’m going to make those full PJs with feet outta them—complete with a little turtle patch over my heart so you’ll know their mine!). 
We learned a lot there, and not only about the diapers, but how to best wash them (not as difficult as I thought), that they have a program where you try a few different brands/styles for a short while so you know you got the right kind, etc.  I’m really happy we went, and knowing that there are folks there who are incredibly helpful and supportive (and someone I can trade poop jokes with–I’m looking at you, Jennifer!), makes me confident that I can stare, unafraid, into the chasm that will be our dirty diaper pail knowing that I have the skill to provide clean and super soft diapers to our little boy!  


Jul 29
The Craft of Rolling a Cigar

I photographed a wedding a few weeks ago where they hired a skilled roller of some exquisite cigars from Boston Cigar Factory
There is something about photographing people who work with their hands that delights me to no end. They are focused, dedicated to their work, and serious about their craft.
Craft…
That is a word that carries a lot of weight, as does craftsman (meaning that in a gender neutral way). To me, it implies a higher calling. Something that one was meant to do, perhaps was even made for. When skilled hands join with the right tools… Magic happens.
This woman was certainly skilled at her craft, and I definitely enjoyed not only partaking in one of those cigars, but in watching her work. I could have sat there for hours, completely entranced.






Jul 29
Smartphone Apps For Kids


When I was back home in Cincinnati visiting the family over the 4th of July weekend, my sister in law lamented that she wished she knew more good apps for her 2 year old and 10 year old (my niece and nephew, of course). She has some favorites, of course, but just wished she had more. So, I put out a request to folks through my facebook page, and asked friends what their kids’ favorites were.

Carrie and I felt it our duty (strictly for professional reasons and in the interest of providing you with knowledgeable recommendations) to try these out, and oh boy, the giggles that ensued!! Professional, informed giggles, that is. 🙂

The best thing about trying these out is that I used one on a recent family session. There is one little girl who, despite me having photographed her many times, never really opened up to me. Her mom is one of the people who told me her favorite apps. So, without looking at the little girl, I sat on the floor and started playing one of her favorite apps. Over about 5 minutes, I went from playing it in my hand to playing it on the floor at arm’s length, and she went from hiding behind mom’s legs in the corner of the room to sitting next to me, playing along, and really interacting with me!

So, here are the apps I was told about (note: all the links here are to the itunes store’s listing of the app):


Educational games:

  • Monkey Preschool Lunchbox: Learn and have fun by helping monkeys pack lunch! Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is a collection of six exciting educational games for your preschooler (ages 2 to 5)
  • Peekaboo Wild: An app for learning the names of animals
  • Lingu-Pingu– Language learning app for preschoolers.
  • The First Words games (animals, vehicles, at home, etc.), geared to helping your little one learn to spell.
  • Matching Zoo: a fun matching game that makes all kinds of funny animal sounds (the turtle says “Hello!”). I have been playing this one for weeks!


Fun Games:

  • Two of the puzzle games that my 10 year old nephew really likes are The World of Goo and Cut the Rope. And of course, there’s Angry Birds!
  • Then there are these two apps that repeat what you say in a silly voice, Talking Carl and Talking Tom Cat.This suggestion came in from a couple of different folks who said their kids couldn’t get enough of them, and the Talking Tom Cat one gives you the option of petting a cat and making it purr! 🙂
  • Another one that my nephew likes (and that my wife can’t get enough of) is Doodlejump.
  • Lastly, there is Dropophone, an app that helps you make songs that sound like drips and drops falling on a tiny orchestra of instruments. It’s based on Lullatone’s album “Little Songs About Raindrops.” This is one I don’t think I would get tired of. The melodies you make are very pleasant, and even somewhat calming.

If you don’t want to get any of these apps, one mom reminded me that her daughter’s all time favorite thing to do on the iPhone is to look at all the photos mom and dad took of her on the camera roll!

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.

Feb 15
What I Wish I Knew: 10 Nuggets of Wedding Advice

What I Wish I Knew: 10 Nuggets of Wedding Advice From Married Folks

I asked married friends, family, and clients to answer one question for this week’s list. That is, “What’s the best advice you can give a couple who is planning a wedding this year?”

It may seem a little self serving that some of this advice has to do with the photographic aspects of a wedding day, but many of my friends are artists or photographers, so the photos of their day were very important to them.

Here is what they had to say, in no particular order.

Do you have some advice of your own that wasn’t mentioned below? Please add to the list by posting a comment!

1. “It’s not a unique piece of advice, but I would say that make sure when planning your wedding be sure to choose elements for the event that really reflect you and your fiancée’s personality and not just whatever the latest trends are. It makes the day even more special and memorable for you and your guests, and then be sure to let your photographer/videographer know about these personal details so they can weave them into their images.”
–Carrie, married 4 months

2. “Plan a wedding weekend for you and your betrothed full of family meals and private time. The wedding is just way too short and hectic to make meaningful memories with your beloved, parents and siblings. Let your families plan these get-togethers and keep them small and casual. You know what I mean, leave that color palette at the altar. Spend the night before your wedding together and wake up to breakfast in bed, the spa and a hike. It’s your day, keep it that way!”
–Lorena, married two years

3. “There is so much info out there, doing research online pays dividends, I don’t know how people did this before the internet (and got what they wanted, within budget). Invitations are one thing that should definitely be purchased online to save money. Also places like Paper Source (in Boston) have great quality stuff and ideas, but craft stores like Michaels have lots of little things that are really useful and you don’t have to pay the ‘wedding tax’ that seemingly everything white has.”
–Dave, married a year and a half

4. “Relax and enjoy it! It will be the best day of your life! And of course have Patrick as your photographer! :)”
–Cullen, married 5 months

5. “So much has changed in wedding planning since I got married in July 2006, thanks to the Internet. From DJ’s and bands to flowers and bridesmaid dresses, there’s a wealth of information out there. My biggest advice is to take your time, don’t feel like you have to rush to make any decisions on planning. And on your wedding day, take one moment between courses to sit at the table with your new spouse and survey the room. Capturing that one moment in time sticks with you and forces you to stop and take a step back, relishing in the amazing environment that has resulted from all of your planning and effort.”
–Amanda, married just under 5 years

6. “You will remember your wedding day through the eyes of your photographer. I was finishing my last year of college and trying to plan the wedding at the same time: the arrangements, tiny details, etc., all with a lot of emotion taking place. Face it, the ‘prep time’ is time consuming and tiring. By the time the big day rolled around, I was exhausted. We enjoyed the day, but it all went by in a blur. So, the photographs by the professional photographer, along with photos from family and friends, have provided the memories over the years. We still look at our wedding album, and it does bring back all the great memories. The flowers, cake, clothes, etc. eventually disappear; the photos and videos endure.”
–Beth, married 37 years

7. “Looking back I would be very specific about certain must have shots rather than assume the photographer would instinctively know. I was a tad disappointed when my photographer ONLY shot the groom sans groomsmen & my dad, even though they were all getting ready in the same suite. Also, I’d say enjoy every minute of it because it flies by way faster than you can imagine.”
–Jenne, married just under a year

8. “Figure out what details are the must haves and don’t worry about the rest.”
–Laurene, married 17 years

9. “The best advice that I could give to a couple planning their wedding, (not to seem self-serving) is to plan plenty of time for photos and not cram too much into the day.
 I shoot for many couples who plan for X amount of time for photos and expect to be able to do everything themselves (decorate, etc). The first thing to lose the time when things go awry is photography. Since you have the entire family expecting to be in photos, the group shots tend to take an unintentional precedence over photos of the bride and groom. Delegating responsibilities to people/companies who won’t be taken away from photos and have all the details they need to get the job done can allow for them to do their thing without interrupting the flow of the day. Hiring a wedding planner and coordinator (if it can be allotted for in the budget) can really help on this level, as they can keep the pressure off of the bride and groom.”
–Rob, a wedding photographer in Columbus, OH (http://www.mankophoto.com) married 3 years

10. “Remember that the success of the marriage itself has little to nothing to do with the success of the wedding.”
–Nick, married nearly 6 years


All Photos ©2013 Patrick Rogers Photography