Paying Homage to my Mentor

I was back in New York a week or so ago for my wife's Nana's 95th birthday party, it was the first time in about 5 years that we have had an opportunity to head back to the east coast. While we were there I had planned to shoot an engagement set for her cousin who's wedding I will be shooting in April 2011. Originally, we were just going to hit a local park on Long Island and do a few pics, but then April, my wife's cousins Fiance, came up with the idea of heading into NYC and shooting there the next night. Other than having to give up going to a Yankees game I was all over that, how could I possibly pass on the chance to shoot in the city.

On the, what seemed to take forever, train ride into the city it all kind of just hit me. I was reflecting on the past 4 years of doing this thing that I love so much, thinking about how much fun I have had capturing all of the special moments for so many truly wonderful people. I turned to my wife and said "We have to go to Central Park, there is a shot I have to take"

You see, 4 years ago, like so many other people I have read in this forum, I was talked into shooting a wedding for 2 very dear friends. I had never wanted to shoot a wedding, had absolutely no interest in being a wedding photographer. But, like others, gave in and agreed to shoot the wedding. I decided that if I was going to shoot the wedding I needed to get as much info as possible so i didn't screw it up. Thats when I stumbled across dgrin and a post called "Proposal in the Park" by Shay Stephens. I was floored/moved by how amazing the pictures were and the story that accompanied. I did some more research and found that Shay was holding a series of Wedding Photographers boot camps and low and behold one was going to be in San Diego, just an hour or so from me. I convinced the B&G that rather than pay me for the wedding pay for this boot camp so can learn what I am supposed to be doing and make sure their pictures were great.

Well, the 3 day boot camp was absolutely amazing. Shay was amazing! So willing to impart knowledge on us and help us grow. I left there with a confidence that I could have never dreamed of having, and for better or worse the sudden desire to be a wedding photographer. Even after the boot camp he continued to mentor, corresponding through emails or phone calls, never hesitating to answer any/all questions I came up with.

I completely owe where I am today as a photographer to Shay Stephens, thus I risked life & limb of 4 people walking through Central Park at 10pm on a Monday night in search "The Mall" where a picture that I had seen some 4 years ago that had so inspired me was taken. After getting lost a few times we finally found the spot (thank God for GPS on my android phone or we would have never found it).

The below pictures were not intended to recreate the pictures Shay took, besides the totally different times of day & weather conditions I didn't want to copy him, just wanted to take some shots that in some small way would pay him homage and say THANK YOU for everything he had done for me. I hope I did him justice.

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Thanks for taking the time to read my long winded post & check out the pics C&C always welcome!