Sunday, April 5, 2009

The end of a blog

And the beginning of another one!

Join me on my new blog!

I wanted a little update to my "look"and a blog that integrated with my website.

Check it out!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Featured on Intimate Weddings

One of my favorite weddings form last summer was a tiny wedding out on Baily Island in Harpswell. The wedding was held at the Driftwood Inn, a small venue mostly used for family reunions and such during the summer. Alexis and Scott got married out on the side of the ocean, even though it was starting to rain a little bit. They had only their family and very closest friends at the wedding. It was so beautiful and comfortable.

Their wedding is being featured on the Intimate Weddings website, which showcase real weddings as well as being a terrific resource for someone planning a tiny wedding.

Augusta State Championships

Last week, I went to the Class C State Championships and shot the girls basketball competition for the newspapers. It was an incredible game with Rangeley ahead for almost the entire game. Valley High school crept up in the final seconds and won the game and the State Championships. I nearly cried for the Rangeley girls at the end of the game, they were really crushed.




Turner, Maine antique snowmobile races

I've been shooting here there and everywhere for the Lewiston Sun-Journal. Here is a photo I shot at an antique snowmobile race. Snowmobile racers competed in the 2009 One Lunger Vintage Snowmobile Race in Turner, Maine on Saturday February 21. The event, which features single cylinder engine snowmobles vintage 1973 or older, was the 9th annual fundraiser for the Turner Ridgerunner Snowmobile Club.




Sunday, February 8, 2009

Wedding Wire Bride's Choice Award

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Andree Kehn Wedding Photography has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Andree Kehn Wedding Photography is one of the very best Wedding Photographers.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Thank you to all of the couples who have reviewed my business on Wedding Wire!

2009 Bride's Choice Awards presented by WeddingWire | Wedding Cakes, Wedding Venues, Wedding Photographers & More

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Greener Photography




I'm joining the Green revolution!

I have joined an international organization of photographers, Greener Photography committed to making a lighter footprint on the Earth. As of now, I am the only Maine photographer in this group, but I am hoping that changes soon!

As a member of this group, I am committing to making changes, large and small, to decrease my carbon footprint. We recognize that it is very difficult to be perfect, but it is very important to start making steps in the right direction.

Some of the things I am working on:

I have switched the power supply to my office to 100% wind power. I still get the power delivered from Central Maine Power, but they purchase it from Maine Interfaith Power and Light By making this choice, we bring more renewable energy to Maine. This is available to residential customers too!

I have replaced all of the light bulbs in my office with compact florescent bulbs. This is so easy to do, and saves money in the long run!

I have decided to offset my carbon footprint. I don't want to buy the typical carbon credits, because I'm not that typical. :)

So instead, I found these amazing water jugs, called Q Drums, that were developed in South Africa to make getting clean drinking water easier and even a little fun. Using the money that I would spend offsetting my carbon credits for my business driving, I will buy a few of these drums to help out in some neighborhoods where drinking water isn't something taken for granted.

It's surprisingly easy to offset the carbon credits for your driving. Just figure out how many miles a year you drive and then use a calculator like this one.

I also have switched to a new lab for my photo processing. I now use Pro-DPI, a professional lab who has committed to being carbon neutral. They also offer press printed products on 100% post consumer waste paper made with 100% wind power! I have gotten my first batch of marketing materials on these new papers and they look fantastic and make me feel great too!


I also do a lot of small things: I use rechargeable batteries and recycled paper, I try to use ground shipping whenever possible. I am going to be switching to digital contracts in the near future, which also makes booking much more convenient.

I am really excited to be a part of this movement. If you are doing some green things in your personal life or business, I would love to hear about them. Put a comment on this blog!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Photos in DownEast Magaine and Gala Weddings!

I am so pleased to have had two of my wedding photos picked for publication in two magazines. What has me most excited is having one of my photos from Anne and Andrew's wedding in Belfast chosen for the front cover of DownEast magazine's Wedding guide. DownEast is a major Maine magazine and I am so honored to have one of my photos grace the cover of their guide!

And also, this month, I had the pleasure of having a ski resort wedding photo taken from a wedding I shot last summer at Sunday River. Gala Weddings was doing a story on ski-resort weddings and asked if they could publish a photo I shot at the Sunday River golf course. I love this shot, because it looks like it was shot in the middle of the wilderness, even though I am standing in a parking lot and on the other side of the hill they are standing on is a golf course. They also have a resource site for wedding planning. Elegala.com - weddings and wedding planning resource.







Labels: , ,

The Power of Less

I have been trying to get my life and work more in line with each other. I have been greening up my business and thinking about my priorities for my life and my business. I have been subscribing to Zen Habits which sends me a little zen suggestion every day. It has been great at helping me keep organized peaceful and prioritized.

The author of the blog just came out with a new book called The Power of Less and it seems like a very good read.

I am also going to be taking The Power of Less New Year's Challenge Which ironically is much easier than the New Years Resolutions I had intended to take on. The basic idea is to take on ONE new habit at a time. And commit to spending ten minutes a day, every day, for 30 days, building this habit. AND to publicly commit to it. :)

I have just joined an Artist's Way group, and so my daily challenge is to write my morning pages every single day. Morning pages are three long hand pages of musings that you write every morning. Over time it is supposed to really help focus your direction in your creative life.

Wish me luck!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Chondola opening at Sunday River!

The grand opening for Sunday River's Chondola happened on Saturday evening. Governor John Baldacci came with his giant scissors and cut the ribbon. The grand opening kicked off the resorts new night skiing offerings. I can't wait for the fresh powder days turning into powder nights! Yippie!



I hopped into the very first Chondola with these dudes. They were pumped! They had waited three hours to have the honor of getting in the first car. I hopped in at the last minute, flashing my press pass and my fancy camera. :)



They did a snowmobile and groomer salute to the new lift. Very cool.


Snow Day at Sunday River

There's no such thing as too much snow!!!





Saturday, December 20, 2008

Sunday River Ski-fest

I have been so lax with the blog lately. Why? Because I have been skiing my face off at Sunday River!! The conditions have been so fantastic. If you love skiing, get your skis dusted off and come meet me on the slopes! Sunday River is dedicating their new Chondola today, one part Gondola, six parts chairlift, as well as kicking off their fist night of night skiing. If you want to see what all the hoopla is about, come on up tonight. They are offering FREE SKIING on this very first night of night skiing!

Here is a photo of what I've been looking at. That's me, in the middle!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Are you on Facebook? Will you be my friend?

So let me know if you are on Facebook!

I just started a page for my business as well as my personal page. I would love it if you became a "fan" of my business page.

I am still trying to figure out to use Facebook more or less, so if you have any great ideas, let them fly!

And if you aren't a member of facebook, why not join? It's a great way to hear a little tidbit from time to time about your friends. :)

Friday, November 7, 2008

Yarmouth Maine Wedding

The last wedding of the season was Tim and Stephanie's wedding down at Hammond Camp in Yarmouth, Maine. These guys were so fun and they picked the location because it was gorgeous on it's own and needed very little additional decorating to make it a beautiful venue.

Stephanie got ready in one of the room upstairs in the camp and when the time came for her to walk into the ceremony, she circled down the stairs, which was lined with her guests to her awaiting groom, by the fireplace.

It was such an intimate setting and perfect for a small wedding. These two were so wonderful and full of joy.









































Labels: , ,

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Saddleback gets a new lift!

I went up to Saddleback Ski Resort last Tuesday in Rangeley, Maine to shoot the new towers being put together for their new chair lift. I shot the story for the Lewiston Sun-Journal, and it ran on the front page of the Sunday Paper (above the fold!) I love it when happy news, especially about skiing, makes the front page. This is my favorite shot from the shoot.


Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fabulous Portland, Maine Wedding

Gretchen and Jody got married in Portland's Old Port. Crazy Fun!

We did some formals out of the Eastern Promenade, it is a gorgeous view and the perfect location for people who want to have a little fun during their formals. We ran around in the streets of the Old Port shooting a few casual photos before the reception in the Mariner's Church, which is not actually a church, but a reception hall located above the Old Port Tavern in the historic Old Port region of Portland Maine..

















Gretchen and Jody have such magnetic personalities and their friends were wild. When a couple of the guys saw us setting up the photo-booth, they laughed and said "We are going to ABUSE that thing!" They certainly got wacky in it. I have been remiss about posting photo booth photos. The first shot here is of the actual photo booth, and the shot following is what the photo booth saw. This wedding party was a real treat. :)





























Labels: , , ,

Glen House, Newry Maine

This wedding started out at the Glen House, on the edge of the Sunday River Golf Course, and then traveled to the Covered Bridge also in Newry and then back up to Sliders in Sunday River's Grand Jordan Hotel. None of these locations are actually in Bethel, Maine, but I think of the entire area as Bethel.

Laura and Seth are an amazing couple. It was pouring rain on the morning of their wedding day. They had originally wanted to have the wedding on the lawn at the Glen House. But because of the rain, had decided to get married inside the Glen House. At the last minute, since they had already reserved the covered bridge for photos, they moved the entire operation down to the Artist's Covered Bridge. It is reportedly the most painted and photographed bridge in Maine. With all the weddings that happen on the bridge, it would have to be!

They had their ceremony on the bridge with the rain pounding down outside and the wind howling. It was the most romantic thing I have ever seen. The couple and their friends were completely unfazed by the rain.

As were Laura's two elderly golden retrievers. I have seen a lot of couple try to involve their dogs in ceremonies, but, like two year old flower girls, when the the time comes, they usually have plans of their own. Not these two dogs. They posed as pretty as could be.



















Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Sunday River Wedding

Kim and Brian got married a couple of weeks ago at the Sunday River Golf Course in Bethel, Maine. They ended up having the ceremony inside the Golf Course Lodge, as the weather was a little sprinkly.

They had the best time. They did all of their formals before the ceremony, so they just spent a few minutes with me doing some last minute photos and playing with each other. Brain was skipping with the bouquet. It was pretty funny. Both of them are really fun laid back people and their day was so perfect. The weather didn't seem to get in the way at all.

They had a lot of nieces ind nephews at their wedding and they completely took over the dance floor at the beginning of the night. It was so awesome seeing so many kids getting along together.

























Thursday, September 25, 2008

Woodstock Inn Vermont

I had the great pleasure to photograph Christy and Matt's wedding at the Woodstock Inn in Vermont. They had the ceremony right on the front lawn and the reception inside the Inn.

Christy Matt and I ran across the road right after the wedding to get some awesome photos at the covered bridge. I am so glad that we did, because we got this fantastic image which says New England wedding better than just about anything. We love our covered bridges here in Northern New England.

Woodstock Vermont is the cutest quaintest little village.

I loved shooting this wedding.






















Friday, September 12, 2008

Road Trip!!!

The crew and I hit the road over Labor Day weekend to a wonderful Jewish wedding in New Haven Connecticut. Ian and Rachel kept us laughing all day, their family and friends were so welcoming, we felt like family members by the end of the day.

These two did a meeting before the ceremony, so they could relax and enjoy each other for few minutes before the ceremony.

After the ceremony they had Yichud, which means a little private alone time together. They decided it would be okay if I took photos from a distance. They are so relaxed and into each other. They wandered around the park and well wishers wished them well!

Then on to an amazing party at the New Haven Lawn Club.




























Friday, September 5, 2008

Moosehead Lake Wedding, or should I say Red Sox???

Holy Cow! These guys know how to party!

I shot Lori and Dave's wedding up in Greenville Maine on Moosehead Lake. We actually shot the wedding on the lake on the Katahdin Steamboat. We went out into the lake about twenty minutes and then the captain cut the engines and had the ceremony.

Lori and Dave were such a couple of personalities. They were having a blast all day long on their wedding day. They had such an amazing rowdy group of friends who really tore up the dance floor.

And the theme of the wedding? The Red Sox!!! These guys were Red Sox everything! Cake, centerpieces, garter, you think of it, and it was Red and Blue.

I got the biggest kick out of the reaction the crowd gave up to the playing of "Sweet Caroline" Everyone was swaying and singing, just like at a real game!

I am going to have to post some of their photobooth shots later in the week, their guests got a lot of mileage out of it!





































Friday, August 29, 2008

Ooops, I did it again!

I won another Wedding Photojournalist Association Contest! Third place to be exact, but the top three winners actually get a trophy! I am really so honored to be in the company of such talented international photographers.



The complete WPJA contest winners can be viewed here.

Gorgeous Outdoor Lawnmere Inn Wedding

Heidi and CJ got married at the amazing Lawnmere Inn out in Southport. For those not familiar with this small town it is right next to Boothbay Harbor. Ocean is everywhere out there. They got married right on the lawn of the Inn with the ocean as a backdrop.

Heidi got ready in one of the rooms overlooking the lawn and her ceremony site, so she was ablle to peek out and see everyone arriving. Some of these getting ready photos are a little quirky, but I think they are pretty cool.

Heidi and CJ are two of the most generous intense individuals I have ever met. Listening to what people were saying about them through out the day I found myself amazed that two people so young could have accomplished so much. They are sure to be powerhouses in their lives, I can't wait to hear of their future accomplishments!

















Monday, August 18, 2008

Me behind the wheel.

I have a moment between weddings and wanted to show you a photo my good friend Jamison Wexler, a Worcester Massachusetts wedding photographer, shot of me last month when I second shot with him. I love it!





Monday, August 11, 2008

Hamilton House Wedding

Brooke and Giles got married right on the banks of the Salmon Falls River in South Berwick, Maine right on the front lawn of the Hamilton House and were really lucky to find a break in the weather; the ceremony was rain-free!

Later at the reception we broke out the photo-booth and as usual, the guests got really silly with the photos. I am always amazed to see how incredibly goofy people get! Their guest were so wacky and spirited, I was really touched by how many people really made a connection and reached out to me and my crew.

I love August weddings! Brooke and Giles were so fortunate to have all the flowers in absolute full bloom in the gardens. And Brooke is such a naturally beautiful woman, she was an exquisite bride!




































Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Perfect Vinalhaven backyard wedding

Wow, what an amazing weekend!

Thank you Claire and Kevin for welcoming us into your lives for the weekend!

Getting out to the island was an adventure in itself, the wedding coordinator ended up lending us her personal car while we were on the island, which was perfect, as there ended up being some, a-hem, transportation challenges. Thank you so much Sarah!

The getting ready scene in the little cabin on Claire's mother's property was like being in the middle of a movie set or a model prep room: hands flying everywhere, last minute changes, mayhem.

The ceremony was a picture postcard blue sky oceanside dream.

Claire's parents and parents and Kevin's parents were so sweet and wonderful, with great humor. The dance floor was manic!

But what made this wedding the best was the absolute joy that Claire and Kevin had for each other and the love that their friends were pouring out all over the place.

We even did a day-after shoot on the ferry ride back to the mainland. By the time we got back to Rockland, I felt like we'd been to a tropical island, not an island off the coast of Maine. :)





































Friday, August 1, 2008

Sam And Kyle, the full show!

I am so excited about this shoot I did with Sam(antha) and her husband Kyle.

I often have just a few minutes between the formals and the reception to get portraits of the bride and groom in and environmental setting. (You know, that's journalism-speak for photos of you in the amazing location you chose to get married in!)

These two let me chase them around their neighborhood for a couple of hours. As a result, we ended up with so many amazing shots, that I just had to make a slideshow for them.

I hope you enjoy it!

Please let me know if you want to schedule in a day-after shoot, either in your wedding duds or in comfortable clothes. At the very least, you might consider leaving a little extra time in your day for photos of just the two of you!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Farmington Engagement shoot

Okay, this wasn't really an engagement shoot, it was more like a family portrait, These two guys wanted to get a nice portrait of them with their two lovable pets. The pets are up there in the window of the barn behind them. (ha.ha.)

That's Samantha and Kyle Warren. Samantha is a friend and fellow Maine Wedding Photographer who recently moved from Farmington down to Portland. She asked me if I could get some family photos of her crew at their cute little house in Farmington. I shot a ton of images, but I am tempted to give them only this one. I love it so much. It totally captures the personality of all four of them (Don't worry Samantha, I'm going to let you have more than one photo!)

Check out her website!

Grand Gardiner Maine wedding

Last week I second shot for an amazing New Hampshire Wedding Photographer, Thea Dodds, She is also a personal friend of mine. I had such a fun time taking a break from being the lead photographer, just chilling out taking little detail shots and checking out what was going on around me. These are a couple of the shots that particularly caught my eye.







Monday, July 14, 2008

Beautiful Backyard Wedding

Meg and Pete got married and had their ceremony and reception in two different backyards in Cape Elizabeth/Scarborough Maine this past weekend. I love backyard weddings, everything is so personal and imbued with meaning and history.

These are just a few of my favorite shots from their wedding; I have just barely had a chance to peek at them. I may have to add a few more from this stellar wedding!
























Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Photobooth Silliness!

I wanted to post a few photos form Anne and Andrew's photobooth this weekend in Belfast, Maine

I would never have imagined how much fun people would have with this set up! Please call me if you would like to add this to your wedding coverage. It is a way to make sure you get photos of all of your guests who are willing, and it's also a way to find out a little more about the secret lives some of your guests are living!!!!

















Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Belfast Boathouse Wedding

Anne and Andrew decided to rent the Belfast Boat House for their oceanside wedding. They decorated the boathouse themselves and went with a Maine wedding theme, with Lobsters and blueberries everywhere. Even on the menu.

We had a fantastic time at their wedding, and the view was really unbeatable.

The two of them were really into the photography and so a couple of times through the day I snuck over and grabbed them for a few shots right outside of the reception. It made for some really amazing romantic shots of them, don't you think?

Anne was so relaxed about her dress. At one point there was seaweed handing off the edge of it and she was completely un-phased. I love it when the bride cares less about her dress than anyone else does!















Labels: , , , ,

Monday, June 30, 2008

Driftwood Inn

I went to Bailey Island yesterday to shoot Alexa and Scott's wedding. It's a small island off of Brunswick, Maine, one of the many islands on our coast that you can drive to over the roads.

The weather was perfect Maine coastal weather. A little drizzly, and a bit unpredictable. Alexa and Scott were totally happy about it. It made for beautiful photos during the ceremony, no harsh shadows, and we got some rugged coastline photos.

The Driftwood Inn, a small group of Cabins and Inns out on a gorgeous cove in Harpswell, is classic Maine in it's rustic glory. Real wood everywhere, and real antiques. It was perfect for this wedding with thirty guests! :) The intimate numbers made for a real community of people, everyone got a chance to chat with everyone else and get some dancing in too!

I have to give a shout out for the best blueberry pie and strawberry shortcake I have ever tasted! Yummmm.
















Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Pinch Hitting in Worcester

This last Saturday I had the day off when I got word from my friend Jamie Wexler, an amazing Worcester Massachusetts wedding photographer, that he needed a hand. His wife was due to have their second baby and the due date was on Saturday. Jamie had a wedding to shoot and wanted to make sure he was covered in case he had to make a trip to the hospital to be with his wife while she delivered their son.

I was more than happy to lend a hand. I love shooting weddings with other photographers anyway, as it really gives me some new insights and I always walk away with a new trick or a pose to try.

Caroline and Justin were a great couple and were really fun to photograph! They also were big dessert hounds, so I am including the chocolate covered strawberries especially for them!



























Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Whitefield, New Hampshire

April and RJ sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G.!

Yay, thank you so much! We had so much fun at your wedding!

The wedding was held entirely at the Mountain View Grand Resort, in Whitefield new Hampshire.The getting ready was done in the Spa and the rooms, the ceremony was held in the gardens, the formals were taken right on the grounds around the hotel and the reception was in the Crystal Ballroom. It was a romantic fantasy wedding!

We also set up a photo booth right in the corner of the reception and as usual, people got really silly with it! This has been a great way to get photos of all of your guests showing their true colors!


























And Here is the phootbooth silliness!
















Trek Across Maine

Last Friday I photographed the start of the three day Trek Across Maine. The event started at Sunday River and wound through Maine to Belfast. It is a massive fund raiser for the American Lung Association of Maine and they expected that they will have raised over 1.5 million dollars for the organization. Congratulations to the over 2000 riders and 500 volunteers!
















Thursday, June 12, 2008

The Bethel Inn - wedding

Karen and Vic were the greatest! The had planned for an outdoor wedding, but they got shut out with a crazy rainstorm. They moved the ceremony inside and then after their formals they snuck outside with me. We spent a few minutes taking photos on the golf course, and got some really fun shots, despite the rain.Vic had spent some time on the golf course earlier in the day, so I figured a few more minutes would be par for the course (I can't resist the bad puns)

These two were so inspiring, not letting a little rain get their spirits damp. Here's Karen pretending to be looking for Vic on the golf course!

I had a great time with you both! Thank you so much for including me on your wedding day!















Thursday, May 29, 2008

Migi's Lodge Wedding

Last weekend kicked off the first New England wedding for me, here in Maine. I shot Megan and Nathaniel's wedding at Migi's Lodge in Casco, Maine. What a cool location! Very rustic and beautiful.

Megan and Nathaniel chose to see each other before the wedding. They did the "big reveal" in a quiet intimate setting and had a chance to gush over how beautiful each other looked the moment they first saw one another. Immediately before the ceremony, the two of them took a ride in a boat and cruised by the ceremony location, much to the surprise of their guests. It made for a very grand entrance.

They also got their formals out of the way beforehand; they went directly from the ceremony to the cocktail hour. Of course, we took the opportunity to do some posed photos with high school buddies and college friends. And a few shots of brothers and sisters of parents and a few more of the couple. It made for a relaxed and casual cocktail hour where the bride and groom got a change to do some mingling of their own.

And then dancing, dancing and more dancing. These guys danced me into the ground! Loads of fun. I was dancing right along with them and had a fantastic time.

Thank you again Megan and Nathaniel!!!!
























Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Dominican Republic Wedding Album

I am very eager to get to a summer of shooting New England weddings: very eager.

But I had a great time shooting in the Caribbean at the end of last month. I wanted to share a sample album I am having made. I couldn't resist the blues in the water an