Community // Music Mondays feat. Stormin' Norman

July 5, 2021 // Asbury Park, NJ

The Stormin’ Norman band brought the sounds of New Orleans to the Jersey Shore as part of the Asbury Park Music Foundation’s Music Mondays at Springwood Park free concert series.

Meetup // Babes on Blades NJ

June 28, 2021 // Manasquan, NJ

Formed last August during quarantine, Babes on Blades now hosts weekly sessions within a “fully inclusive, non-judgmental, fun, and safe space” for amateur and seasoned skaters alike. On a recent Monday, with the permission of its organizer, Krista, I traveled to the seaside town of Manasquan to capture the meetup. The experience lived up to its mission.

A short conversation from the gathering also reminded me how costly it can be to listen to other people’s opinions about what is or isn’t worth doing with your time. One participant mentioned how she was discouraged from skating at a certain age because someone else convinced her it wasn’t cool. How awful. Also, how common. People say life is short, but I don’t believe that. I think for most of us it’s long enough — we’ve just become so efficient at wasting time, second guessing, hesitating.

I guess my what I’m getting at is this: lace up those skates already.

Wedding // Alex & Caryn

June 12, 2021 // New York, NY

It’s a special treat to capture someone’s wedding day. The photo become a part of their new family history and will follow the couple for the rest of their life together. No pressure, right?

It was my pleasure to document the nuptials between Alex, whom I’ve known for years, and his partner Caryn. The ceremony was intimate, grounded and distinctive, down to the location in a public park, bodega flowers, and iconic coffee cup (“We Are Happy To Serve You”) from which the bride and groom shared sips of Sancerre.

Congrats to both the Sommer and Lewi families.