The grass may be greener on the other side, but in Ireland, it really is greener. The rolling hills with sheep, horses, and ruined castles on them were sights I never saw before in my life. I booked this trip on whim at a restaurant when a friend convinced me to go.  It came faster than I thought after the new year, because before I knew it, we were in Dublin early thursday morning renting our car for the trip.

Four days of good food and drinks, great people, and amazing scenery made this trip unforgettable. People asked me since I got back how the trip was, the best way I can explain is through these photos.

Some people go out to a nice dinner, others get presents for one another, but Chelsea and Mike decided that for their one year anniversary, they wanted to dress up and brave the New York City winter for a photo shoot.  Photos never show how cold or windy it was when the photo was taken. All we see if the smile and the moment of courage to stand up to the chill. We ended the night with photos at a lounge in Chelsea's apartment building. We debated on whether or not we wanted to go back out to Times Square but realized we should call it a night while we could still feel our fingers.

So the morning of the shoot, Ada calls me and says, "Minnow, I woke up this morning with what I think is food poisoning. My stomach hurts but I'm so excited for the shoot and I don't want to miss it. But I may have to. I'm so sorry." A couple hours later, she calls back telling me that if Kim Kardashian can do it, so can she. And so, Ada braved the pain and the cold to have the photos shoot. She looked beautiful and Andrew looked like a million dollars next to Ada.

They were the last couple I took photographs for in 2011 but one of the first that I booked for last year. They are a couple that takes life as it comes with grace and joy. Austin's in Massachusetts and Stephanie is in Pennsylvania as a veterinarian but even though they are a part, they are still one; that's the magic you see when two people have known each other for so long and are meant to be together.

Thank you both for such a great end to an amazing year.

I've been doing work for Restore NYC for 2 years now and I've grown to love their vision, passion, and the people that work there. I couldn't think of a better way to spend the last day of 2011 with them and taking photos of their epic party down by the Fulton.

The rest of the photos from the evening can be seen here. Feel free, for those who attended, to share the photos and order prints of you and your friends!

And now looking back, I'm excited to look ahead. There are more wonderful moments to capture this year.  I'm going to be invited all over the world to be a witness, a witness to two people who admit that with each other there's more strength, more courage, more hope than if they were alone.  I'm invited to be a witness to friends and family reuniting, celebrating, and pouring their blessings out to two people they love so much.

It's a privilege that I don't take lightly and a responsibility that isn't burdensome. Rather, I am humbled and grateful.

Thank you for an amazing past year, and happy new year to the one ahead.

He impatiently paced around the room while his roommates were watching TV.  He kept saying, "Susan is coming, Susan is coming!" His friends knew it was pointless to tell him to relax and sit down.  He just couldn't help himself, mostly because he was in love, but also because that's just who Dave is: a bright eyed person with a child-like heart who found his kindred spirit in Susan. As Susan finally arrived, Dave ran to open the door and said, "I waited for you!" Without missing a beat, Susan repled, "You waited for me!"

That story, told by the officiant during the ceremony, sums up who Susan and Dave are to me.  From our first meeting, to the engagement, and throughout the wedding day even just a simple smile made for great photos.  They both embraced the nervousness, the excitement, and celebration and threw the biggest party of their lives with their family and best friends.

And as their friends lifted up their hands in full spirit-finger mode around the newlyweds as they danced their final dance, we all felt the same thing: these two are so great together and we are so happy for them.

We chased the sun through the park finding as many nook and crannies as we could to take photos in. We stumbled upon places in Fort Tryon Park that I never saw before.  And as Michelle and Rodbert lost themselves in each other everything around us seem to come together for each shot, telling us this is love.  This is something that needs to be captured.

When I am alone
When I’ve thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I've lost all care for the things I own 
That's when I miss you
You who are my home

And here is what I know now
In your love, my salvation lies in your love

Well I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky.

- Alexi Murdoch | Orange Sky

Tonnie & Richard routinely get into contests. May it be monopoly deal, arm wrestling, or rooting for the jets, their relationship is based on love and winning.  It's really entertaining and beautiful to look at. We found a little nook in Central Park on a sunny day and took some photos.

Can't wait for your wedding next year guys!

One weekend this past summer, my good friend Edmond and I walked around Kissena Park for a few hours taking photos with his Mamiya RB67. I visit this park almost everyday to run or to just sit and relax, and I've taken photos of the park before, but never in such a meticulous way. We only shot about 20 or so frames for the few hours we were there. Each frame we took involved so many steps: measuring the light, composing the shot on a tripod, taking a photo first with a polaroid to see that it was what we wanted, then taking it finally with the Kodak rolls. Because each frame was such a commitment, it forced me to slow down and really think about the photo and what I wanted to take.

It was a total change of pace from the constant shooting you do at a wedding or on a story and it brought me back to the essence of why I love photography.

It's so great to see your friends get married, even better when you're a part of it.  Being able to shoot my friend's weddings has been one of the biggest pros for me. Debbie & Danny had an 18 member wedding party made of up of family and friends they've known for years. It was a huge celebration but at the same time felt so close and intimate. It was a wedding, reunion, and party all wrapped up into one night. I've never danced that much before while taking photos.

In honor of my good friend and fellow photographer Albert's Liberty View Farm wedding post yesterday, I  wanted to post up photos I took of his wedding at the same location.  He asked me to take some photos of Sooji getting ready in the beginning of the day. I admit I'm biased because this wedding was on a farm and both Sooji and Albert are good friends of mine, but it was one of the most beautiful and fun weddings I've been to.

After Amy & Justin's wedding, I have a personal goal for what a successful wedding day look like: if the couple asks me to stay after I'm "off the clock" to dance and have drinks with them. Because after all the photos are taken and services are rendered, it's about relationships. It's about being a part of one of the most important days in someone's life and adding to the day rather than taking away. I want to be a friend first before a photographer.

When I came back home and went to the bank to deposit their check, I realized that the check wasn't signed. Amy's father, Bill sent over another one with a note that said, "My apologies. Too much emotion. It was a joy to be around you. -Bill."

That made my day.

If I knew that my school teachers knew how to party like they did at Sayuri & Joe's wedding, I would have seen them in a totally different way and thought they were so cool. Not a few of the guests became teachers through Teach for America, and most of the guests at the wedding were teachers at KIPP Infinity Middle School.  I've been working with them for almost two years now, doing documentary work for them but on the weekends I've been able to photograph their weddings. Both the bride and groom of the KIPP weddings I shot were teachers and they met while teaching at the school.  It makes sense because the amount of time they work and spend time together, some of them are bound to fall in love.

Their wedding was at the house of one of the teachers, and their reception was at the farm that was next to the house. They got married under a 200 year old sycamore tree and took portraits with horses and sculptures. It was a pretty amazing day.