India: Delhi: Red Fort

Here's a Throwback Thursday to the time when we visited the famed Red Fort in Delhi, at the perfect time of the day: magic hour....aka sunset and just imaging the Mughal emperors of India living here...

Here I am capturing the shot below for Instagram:

Boston: The Nutcracker 2013: A Backstage Look, Part III

There's nothing quite like a finale in theater...the anticipation, the climax, the final interaction between the dancers and the audience when the dancers take their final bows to thunderous applause!

The Nutcracker's final scenes are some of the most spectacular, with so many performances one after another, with nary a break in between for some of the dancers!

How they do it, I don't know...

Thank you to the Boston Ballet for having me!

Boston: The Nutcracker 2013: A Backstage Look, Part II

Intermission to the audience is a chance to stretch, to walk about the beautiful Opera House theater for a snack or drink, or to run to the restroom.

On the other side of the curtain, intermission is a smoothly managed production of switching from one act to the next.

It means sweeping up all the "snow" from the Waltz of the Snowflakes, lowering the giant chandelier props from the rafters, rotating the stage lighting so that leftover snow falls off.

It means stretches and warmups for the dancers, and setting up the dry ice machines for what's coming up next....

When the curtain rises again, everyone is ready...

More to come!

Boston: The Nutcracker 2013: A Backstage Look, Part I

I was beyond excited and honored to photograph a live production of the Boston Ballet's Nutcracker from the wings and backstage this season. It was a dream come true! If you remember, last season, I was invited for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the costumes, which was a delight in itself.

This season, to be able to see such incredible artistry up close was just magical. I'm amazed by how professional, disciplined and organized the Boston Ballet production is backstage!

With the "Waltz of the Snowflakes" even I was covered from head to toe with "snow" as I photographed from the wings, making the dream a reality. The amazing dancers were literally within arm's length. 

It's truly been an amazing year of photoshoots in Boston!

Here's to a Happy 2014!

Press play and join me for an inside look at the Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker...

More to come!

Savannah: Squares and Surroundings

There are twenty-two squares in the city of Savannah. The layout of these squares began with just four squares in 1733, expanding as a grid in the city with each being named in honor of a historic figure or event.

One of the more popular Squares is Chippewa Square, known for being the location of the famed park bench from the film Forrest Gump and the First Baptist Church also filmed in the movie (true story: the bench in the movie was just a prop, and is now at Savannah's Visitors Center).

And let's talk about how gorgeous the architecure surrounding the squares is....

Magnificent mansions, wrought-iron gates, ivy and moss covered walls (and stairs!)...the greenery, Spanish moss and live oaks are endless...add to that the clomp of horse-drawn carriage tours? It's like being on a movie set...

E.Shaver Books, recommended to me by Jamie, and where I ended up buying this book!