It's been a Crazy 10 months.

To say life has been a whirlwind in the last ten months would be a gross understatement. I've seen so many beautiful babies in their first days, snuggled up with moms and dads, couples vowing love and eternity in front of family, friends and faith, holidays have come and gone, cakes have been smashed, pinup kittens have come out to play and now... now I'm getting an opportunity to take a breath.

 I wanted to share my favorite 2012 image though, as part of the January Challenge posted by Rock the Shot (www.rocktheshotforums.com is a great resource for the pro, semi-pro and enthusiastic hobby photographer!).

 I absolutely love this The Graduate style shot of Seth from his 50's Coca-Cola themed engagement session with his beautiful bride-to-be, Elena. This isn't the best shot and it's not the most technically accurate shot of the whole set, but it stands out among the rest for me. We were going for the cheerful nature of a vintage Coke ad throughout the shoot, but I love the sexy feel of that first glance between wholesome delivery boy and awaiting customer in scarlet (in a non brownchickenbrowncow (say it out loud) way).

 To view more of Seth and Elena's first engagement session, visit this album!

 This shot is technically my second favorite shot of 2012. It was closely followed by the breathtaking Carm in a stunning wedding dress on the industrial General Mills plant site. Eventually, I'll get around to posting it. :)

 My first is a largely private shot as it is of my little friend, 1 yr. old Maya, taken at 5:28 a.m. with her mom and dad on September 2nd in her recovery room after an invasive surgery to remove a large tumor from her abdomen. Mom was asleep, face down on some pillows on a couch beneath a window overlooking the NYC skyline and Dad was asleep in a chair, somewhere between dreaming and lucidity: I doubt he remembers my coming in to say goodbye and that I loved them at that unnatural hour as I had a train to catch back to Buffalo after shooting Maya pre- and post- operation. We said our goodbyes and his head fell back against the chair, asleep again as rounds began and I wished the nurse and doctor a good morning before heading for my train.

 Maya laid tiny, but swollen, in a large hospital bed with her large battle wound on display, under harsh lights and heavy sedation. Despite the sedation, I had seen Maya make jerky movements and the doctors remarked to Mom that she was trying to wake up the night before. She was a fighter than, and even as her family learns that their battle with neuroblastoma is far from over, she's a fighter now.