Wedding Photography | Patrick Rogers Photography

Sep 07
How to Skip a Rock With Your Sweetheart

These are photos from Ryan and Kerry’s engagement photo session out at the Quabbin Reservoir near Hardwick, MA. One of their favorite activities is to hike around the reservoir and end up alternating between lounging by the water and skipping rocks. They have done this so often, I feel like they are experts at it. I was humbled by their rock skipping abilities (or at least their sheer delight at doing this together) that I felt compelled to share the lessons they taught.

Step One: Venture into the woods in search of the water and the elusive perfect rock.

Step Two: Once you have gotten to the water, sit down and become one with your surroundings, being careful to observe what the water is doing, so that you can choose the best rock for the situation.

Step Three: Consult with your sweetheart on the best choice for a skipping rock, being sure to asses its type, shape, and weight.

Step Four: Start skipping the rocks! It seems synchronized skipping provides the best outcome.

Step Five: Sit back, reflect on your rock skipping prowess, and celebrate with some smoochin’!

Ryan and Kerry really know how to enjoy an afternoon! I really enjoyed spending some relaxing time by the water with them. This is the photo shoot I was on where we saw the bald eagles! So cool!

Aug 19
The Coolest Engagement Shoot EVER!!

I met Ryan and Kerry in Hardwick, MA so they could take me to their favorite place to spend a weekend afternoon. The Quabbin Reservoir is most certainly that! It’s quiet, the trails are wide (so you can hold hands with your sweetheart!), and I came to find out that there is a bald eagle family there!

The shoot started out with a short hike to the beach, where Ryan and Kerry passed the time skipping rocks (they were a great couple to photograph, and so relaxed! Actual photos of them will follow soon) Then, we headed to another place they like to relax. It is up a short steep hill and it overlooks the reservoir, a perfect view!

It seems we were not the only ones to appreciate the view there. We were walking up single file with Kerry in front, then she stopped. I looked up just in time to see a juvenile bald eagle (best guess is it’s under a year old), then I brought my camera up. It was set to manual focus and manual exposure, so I was not ready to shoot this beautiful bird. What you see below are the best shots I got, and obviously, they aren’t so good…

Anyway, we were all in awe, and commenced to check out this space. There was a pile of sticks and assorted bones all around, and when we looked up, we saw the nest. Their favorite tree to lean against and watch the day go by was the same tree where the nest was! An adult bald eagle flew by to check us out then started making all kinds of noise, hoping to scare us off. We stayed put, and it perched in a tree off in the distance to wait for us to leave.

I have seen bears, rattlesnakes, moose, and all kinds of assorted wildlife, but this one takes the cake!! It is such a large creature, and just a gorgeous bird!

Okay, so there are actually no engagement photos in this “engagement photo” post, but… well, there were bald eagles!!

Photos from their engagement session will be posted soon.

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.

Jun 15
Sneak Peek–Jane and Chris’s Engagement Session

One of the treats I get at every engagement session is seeing what type of space that the couple wants to inhabit. Sometimes, they choose the engagement session location because that’s where they spend their Sunday afternoons, or because that’s where the proposal went down, or in Chris and Jane’s case, it’s because it holds a lot of great memories.

Chris spent a few summers at Lynch Park in Beverly, MA as a lifeguard. It’s one of those spots that if you don’t know it’s there, you could easily drive by and have no idea what a wonderful place you just passed. It has so much to offer. It has a sandy beach, a rocky beach, a beautiful flower garden, and yes, two lions perfect for riding!

For me, it’s the silly moments that really provide for some wonderful moments, and it’s those moments that I seek out. Jane and Chris had no problem showing their silly side during this shoot! We were walking around near the end of our shoot, and Chris sidled up to this stone lion, then got on its back as if he was meant to be there. I took advantage of this moment in these explorers lives, and it’s one of my favorite shots of the day!

In between (and sometimes during) the silly moments, it was easy to see the love they had for each other. My second favorite shot of the day was when they both leaned on a short wall opposite each other and just smiled. I just love capturing these moments!

This is just a sneak peek. The rest of the photos will be done and posted in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned!

Jun 15
Sneak Peek–Barb and Jen’s Engagement Session

When working with a couple for the first time it can sometimes take a while to get used to each other. Some folks can be uncomfortable in front of the camera, and understandably so. I mean, how often in your life do you hire someone to stare at you intently, seeing how the light falls on your face, and how you fit into the background then taking a photo of you? Not often, I suspect.

There was no adjustment period with Barb and Jen. No awkward getting to know you questions or seeing how they would react to being photographed. Thanks to Jen (the wiseacre of the couple), we started off laughing and joking around right away! That made for such a fun shoot!

We wandered around near the Charles River in Cambridge, stopping to giggle from time to time, and I was happy to capture some genuine laughter and love between these two!

This is just a sneak peek. The rest of the engagement session will be done and posted in the next couple weeks.

Thanks you two!