Claire Ellen Photography

The Second Advance {Rockstars} Danbury, CT

2010-09-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

Recently I got to play paparazzi for a couple of rockstars I'm lucky enough to also call friends. They're known as The Second Advance to their groupies, but I just call them Mark (guitar), Brett (vocals/guitar), Dan (bass) and Chad (drums)...and these guys are seriously talented, and I'm not just saying that because they paid me! No, really, I've attended a number of their shows, which are always a blast, and I have no doubt, if you don't know them yet, you will some time in the seriously near future! They've been playing shows all around CT and surrounding states, so if you're in the area, check out one of their shows, or you can listen to and download their music and learn more about the guys here. We started our adventure in 90% humidity and 90+ degree heat, and yes, it was after 5pm, but the unseasonable heat did not stop us, and we set out to see what we could find in historic, downtown Danbury. I loved the variety of historic architecture, gritty walls, chipping paint, and broken windows we found. It was not the usual ambiance I go for when doing family or engagement shoots, and I was DIGGING it!! As the sun got lower we made a mad dash to Candlewood lake, to grab a few shots of the guys in the water as the sun went down. Awesome! These dudes rocked so much, they even treated me to a BBQ and some brewskis after the shoot... what's not to love? So, without further adieu, I give you, The Second Advance!

Anne & Mike {Engaged} Meriden, CT

2010-08-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

I had one of my most inspiring, fun and creative engagement shoots not too long ago! I teamed up with Sara of Growing Tree Photography to assist her in capturing the super sweet couple you see below... Anne & Mike were like a breath of fresh air, with their charming little farmhouse,and seemingly simplistic yet incredibly satisfying life. We shot the whole afternoon in their gorgeous backyard, and got to play with some cool old farm equipment, an absolutely dreamy old truck, and the most adorable dog I've ever seen, named BEEFER! These two have a genuine devotion and love for each other, which I'm sure you'll agree... can be seen by anyone who views these images. I hope you love an enjoy them as much as I do.

Baby Peyton {3 months old} Danbury, CT

2010-07-10T11:36:00.001-04:00

I got to hang out with one of my favorite client families the other day! This family has given me the pleasure of photographing their wedding day, their son's first birthday, and now, their beautiful baby girl at a precious three months old! I spent a gorgeous afternoon at Tarrywile Park in Danbury (one of my favorite and most used locations!)photographing little Peyton and got a bunch of shots of her big brother, JD, as well! The light couldn't have been more amazing, and JD and Peyton were patient little models... for the most part!

The Elias Family {Mother's Day Shoot} Danbury, CT

2010-06-06T13:14:00.003-04:00

A few months ago, a repeat client, and friend of mine, Courtney, asked if we could plan a family shoot as a surprise for her mother for Mother's Day. I thought that was an incredibly sweet gesture, and wonderful idea, so we went ahead and scheduled a time to meet at Tarrywile Park & Mansion in Danbury. We were so lucky to have beautiful weather, and lots of gorgeous flowers blooming while we were there! I always love to shoot at Tarrywile, simply because of the variety of locations you can walk to in such a short distance, all as beautiful as the next. I had a great time with Courtney and her family; they were fun, and very easy to work with, and had great ideas too... yep, the tree shot was ALL them. Nice work guys!

Lauren & Jared {Engagement} Central Park, NYC

2010-06-06T00:55:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, I had the AMAZING opportunity to work with Sara of Growing Tree Photography

, besides having an AWESOME and INSPIRING portfolio of images, Sara is a sweetheart too!! I had a really great time working with Sara; I think we vibed well off of each other, and were able to get some pretty different shots even while shooting at the same time! You can check out Sara's beautiful shots here.

I met up with Sara and our gorgeous engaged couple, Jared and Lauren, in Central Park, in a quiet little section of Shakespeare's Garden. The weather was beautiful, the location was perfect, the light was magical, and these two lovebirds, besides being jealousy-inducingly attractive and easy to photograph, were SO obviously in love. It was a such a fun and beautiful shoot and I am so pleased with how my images came out... It was a real pleasure meeting THREE amazing people in one day, and I look forward to working with Sara again. I'm so thankful Sara has asked me to come along a few more shoots in June, so check back for LOTS of exciting things coming this month!

Carrie & Kris {Maternity} Newtown, CT

2010-05-05T22:47:00.013-04:00

Well, here it is... I'm finally getting my act together and jumping on the technological bandwagon! Hey...everybody who's anybody, especially in the photography world, has a blog, so I probably should too, right? So for all the thousands (okay, maybe more like 12) of you who are interested in my photography, and like to see what I'm up to at the moment, this is your destination! Enjoy!

I had the great pleasure of photographing a lovely couple last weekend, who are about to welcome, probably within the next week, their first child! Carrie and Kris are the sweetest, most loving couple, and also have the patience of saints. Where I can barely wait a week for the next episode of The Hills to air on MTV... these two have decided to ignore the advances in modern technology and bypass the football or floral themed room decor, by waiting three whole quarters of a year, to be surprised with the sex of their baby! They do, however, already have a little girl, Kayla, Kris' Boxer he's had since college. Kayla's delightful doggyness joined us during the session to mark the momentous occasion of a family of three, soon to become a family of four. Check these two cuties out!