I shot a wedding for the New York Times! …weird, right?

Well, I guess it’s not that weird if you’re an avid Vows reader. And, let me tell you, I met a few during the shoot. They were soooo excited to see me. Which, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being “the photographer from the Times.”

But not to misrepresent myself, I let everyone know I’m a freelancer. It irks me when photographers try to pass as staffers when they’re not.

Jason and Jen are a writerly couple. I love this quote from the story: “He used a semicolon correctly; that was reason enough to get a drink with him.”

Jason is an editor at Fast Company, and in May Jen will have her 2nd book (first novel), The Year of the Gadfly, published. They’re both freelance journalists, too. So, of course, their vows were amazing. They made us laugh — like a lot! And because it’s a wedding, people were crying, too. Not me, though. I’m tuff!

To emphasize their love of books, each table was adorned with hardback copies of their favorite authors.

The “I do” kiss.

The flowers are Jen’s homage to the country wedding she daydreamed about.

Jen shows her brother Danny Miller a few dance steps. Where he lacked in dance floor grace, he absolutely made up for in his speech. He absolutely slayed! 

Who doesn’t love a good Hora?

Jason’s parents Roy and Barbara get hoisted, too.

Miller family patriarch Aaron Miller, left, is hugs his family, Lindsay, his wife, Danny, his son, and his newly married daughter Jen. She’s covered up by her taller dad & brother.

Jason Feifer and Jen Miller show off the silver knife from Tiffany, wedding gift from Jen’s maid of honor and best friend Risa Berkower. According to Jen, Risa and her mother are amazing cooks who often hosted dinners and celebrated jewish holidays at her home. Before cutting the cake, Jen made a comment about Risa’s gift being “aspirational,” hoping “one day I might bake a cake as well as Risa and her mom.”

Personally, I love this little moment. Who doesn’t love a little icing on their fingers?

This was a really cool wedding, but to make things even cooler, was that Jason’s mom Barbara will forever share her birthday with their anniversary! She turned 60! Doesn’t she look great?

hahaha! In the spirit of Halloween, the wedding party surprised guests with a choreographed rendition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller!!!

Jason even found a rad, creepy zombie mask to wear. This is him pulling off a spin. One of the things Jen’s brother said to close out his hilarious, sarcastic, sardonic speech resonated with me. He quoted someone — I think a family member — who said “Never marry someone you love. Marry someone you like.” But he went on to acknowledge that Jen and Jason are that rare combination who both love and like each other. And if there’s one thing that struck me about this couple — who met on OK Cupid — is that they operate like a team. I agree with Danny. Jen and Jason are a good model of friends in love. Hats off!

their twitter:

Jason: @heyfeifer

Jen: @propjen

Oh! I know you wanna see more photos from their wedding! Click here to see 60 more photos. You can buy prints from there, too!

The way I see it, a good story is a good story is a good story. I had already shot a ton of good “safe” photos that fit nicely in the scope of the article. Sara actually told me what she had schemed and asked if I wanted to come along. I’d be a fool not to, right?

I like the top photo for a lot of reasons. First of all, it makes me feel nervous for Sara. This picture’s all about Anticipation. Will Stephanie say yes? what happens if she says no? Will it make things weird between them?

But I also like all the effort and details Sara went through to put this stunt together at the last minute. And I love the tape! Not just the stuff holding the sign up, but the roll hung from the door knob, too. She borrowed the vase from a teacher and picked the flowers from the front of the school (shhhh. don’t tell anyone.)

For the last four years I’ve spent Christmas Day with my girlfriend Jess and her family. And it’s soooo weird to me.

You see, I’m an only child. And I was raised by a single mom. …and, to an extent, my grandparents.

For a while, my mom and I actually lived with grandparents and my two great grandmothers. So, as a wee pup, I was the only kid at our family’s holiday celebrations. If I can be cynical, Christmas was like a big tease to me. There was always this HUGE buildup. Most of the presents under the tree were toys for me. — and we were one of those families who opened all the presents on Christmas Eve. After I the manic high of shredded all the wrapping paper, and I surveyed my generous bounty, a sobering reality set in.

… it was over.

Over a month of pent-up anticipation was deflated in 20 minutes. And it wasn’t even Christmas yet.

I think we can all agree that the Holiday season is totally different for kids than for adults. Sure, adults get cool stuff, but kids… kids get toys! — and toys are meant to be played with. And I don’t care how well intentioned an adult is, there’s nothing like playing with other kids.

But I was surrounded by adults — my mom being the second youngest person in the house.

Don’t get me wrong, for the most part, I love being an only child. But Christmas Time for me was a bit… unsatisfying. boring.

…and lonely.

Well, let me tell you, there’s nothing boring about Christmas with my girlfriend Jess’s family.

*Jess in her Christmas robe.*

She’s a part of a big, tight-knit, Baltimore family. –well, two, really. her dad’s (above) and her mom’s (below). The whole day is festive. The kids are playing! the adults are talking (and drinking) and everyone’s eating too many cookies.

ha! My goal this year was to not slip into a food coma.

I’m not saying I didn’t, but it wasn’t as bad as years past.

–thanks to the cheese plate!

Don’t get me wrong. I had a pretty good childhood and I wouldn’t change my Christmases for anything. Our pasts shape who we are. And I really like who I’ve become. My mom did a great job. I miss being around her on the Holidays.

Christmas with my Mom and Grandmommy (Grandaddy and my two great grandmothers have since passed) are familiar, simple, and low-key. My grandparents anniversary is Christmas Eve, so after he passed, my grandmother wanted to shake things up. One year we went to Hawaii! But most years we eat at one of the few open restaurants and watch movies. Christmas night ends quietly…

In contrast, I’m exhausted by the end of Christmas with Jess. — in part from too many cookies and cake.

*Decker, playing with his cousin Casey under a piano.*

This big family life is a world I’m fascinated by and I love exploring in pictures.

Even after four years, I still feel like an outsider who’s been let in. It’s wonderful!

– and super interesting.

The world is funny, isn’t it?

Or at lest that how it seems to me. …but then again, I’m the guy who laughs too much during movies.

This is the second installment of my Best Runts of 2010. The first is here.

Can I first start by saying I can’t stand lifestyle images. You know what I’m talking about — Beautiful people laughing for no reason. …maybe holding a glass of wine, or frolicking through a field of wheat. It’s cheap high-gloss stock. Sure, there’s a semblance of a story being told, but it’s trying too hard to be perfect and beautiful. …but it lacks substance. What ends up happening is none of that joy those beautiful people in the photo translates to the end user — the audience.

Me? I roll my eyes.

…well, I sometimes chuckle. but it’s usually because a miscreant blacked out one of the boring hot chick’s teeth. …you know the one. She’s about to eat some spaghetti.

Now that’s funny. …at least to me. Like I said in Runts part 1, I like to celebrate the imperfect in life.

And I’m starting to realize (and I’m kinda cringing while I write this) that Happy is Boring.

…at least in photography.

Sure, if some kid is opening a birthday present and he’s making the craziest face in the world — like OUT OF HIS MIND HAPPY — because he got the most bad-ass toy robot ever, then that’s good stuff. That’s an emotion we can enjoy through someone else’s experience. But laughing on the beach FOR NO REASON isn’t entertaining. Those are passive photo. It’s like the white bread of photography. no nutrition.

To be clear, there’s a difference between BEING happy and trying to make a picture of happy. People smiling for no reason is void of content, void of purpose, and void of personality. It’s the quirks and our imperfections we, as individuals, are loved for. And so, I look for those when I’m out making pictures. Ultimately, I want the audience to relate to the subjects and stories in my images. …and rather than show them pictures of people laughing, I’d rather them enjoy a chuckle or two. Enjoy!

My mom got married to a wonderful man, Rick, this summer. They have so much in common, such as not liking bubbly. You gotta give em’ props for trying, right? So, lets raise a glass and wish them well! She finally found a good fit for her.

Howard County Times girls soccer player of the year, Marriotts Ridge senior center midfielder Alex Price.

This was a big year for me. …2010 is my last year as a newspaper staffer.

In this post I’m showcasing the images that I think would easily be considered my “best” images from 2010. These are the images that will most likely help get me work in the future. They’re important for that reason — they’re hopefully testaments to my skill as a portrait and documentary photographer. I think when you look at these photos you’ll probably notice they rely pretty heavily on one visual aspect or another: DRAMATIC LIGHTING, VISUAL HUMOR, SIMPLE BEAUTY, OR SUBTLETY. Some are quirkier than others, but these are the images everyone will like.

I like them.

I like them a lot. But, I can’t help but think, that they’re all relatively safe images, too. There’s nothing daring about them. Personally, I love the “off moments” in life — and in pictures.

So, I’ve given this post a weirdo sibling. In that post I highlight the best images of what I affectionately call my “RUNTS.” They’re the ones that not everyone likes or gets. They’re the ones that fall short, when coupled with my “GOOD” work. Usually, they’re the “outs” when I get advice on an edit.

Having said that I’m extremely proud of THESE images — in this post. I don’t want you to think I’m discounting them. Like I said, I think they’re good.

2011 will be an interesting year. I’m on my own. hooray!!! …but I have to maintain and buy my own gear. Getting work is up to me. But I’m excited about that. Marketing is fun. I’ll finally get to work on projects I’m interested in, and I won’t get into fights with editors. “No” doesn’t cary as much gravity anymore. In my new life, editors are clients, not my bosses. I’m no longer an employee and that feels great! When the photos I like don’t run, it’s won’t feel personal or politically motivated anymore. …besides, I have a blog. So, they’ll be seen. AND I CAN RESELL THEM!!!

I don’t regret being a staffer. The Patuxent Publishing Company is one of the best photo papers around. And it was an amazing bootcamp. …but it was better when I started there. We had a bigger staff, more leadership support, more money, more space. Heck! We ran photo essays weekly — sometimes 2-3! But times have changed — DRASTICALLY for newspapers. …and for me.

So. lets celebrate this new beginning with my best photos from 2010. Thanks so much for looking.

Wilde Lake senior linebacker E.J. Gilman, the 2010 football Defensive Player of the Year, helped lead the Wildecats to a State Championship.

Dinosaurs seemingly try to escape the Ice Age at the Old Pro Golf course on the 6800 block of Coastal Highway in Ocean City in the off season Sunday, January 31, 2010.

Branches protrude form the frozen waters of Lake Kittamaqundi during the preliminary snowfall Friday, February 5, 2010.

Dr. Barbara Feinstein, of the Cat and Dog Hospital of Columbia, plays the part of patient while concerned Greyhound “Dr.” Moosh takes her pulse for the Best Veterinarian of Howard 2010 issue shoot Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

Oakland Mills’ coach Jon Browne calls junior Kerry Bethea, senior Greg Wittington, and senior Joe Kiely, the “Big Three.”  The trio are photographed in the Oakland Mills gym Wednesday, November 24, 2010.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Ill attends a Conference of Bishops addressing the increased demand for exorcisms at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott in the Harbor East area of Baltimore City Friday, November 12, 2010.

Chris Coons, Democratic candidate for Delaware’s Senate seat vacated by Vice President Joe Biden, poses for a portrait at the New Castle Library Thursday, October 7, 2010.

Centennial senior Sam Brostrom is the volleyball player of the year. She is photographed at Centennial High School Wednesday, December 8, 2010.

Corinne Zahlis at Historic Savage Mill Sunday, October 17, 2010.

Owings Mills tackle Donovan Smith, 6’5″, 280 lbs, has been offered 22 scholarships to play football in college. He is photographed at Owings Mills High School’s football stadium Wednesday, September 1, 2010.

Grant and Marie are getting married!

Believe it or not, but this was shot in a Gaithersburg, MD subdivision — not on a magical hillside.

I really didn’t want to make the traditional “updated prom photo” pose, as my girlfriend Jess calls it.

Of course I made the safe shots. …we also called them “grandparent” shots — because grandparents are usually the demographic who want the traditional photos the most.

Ultimately, I wanted to make a memorable image that describes them individually and as a couple. …emphasis on MEMORABLE.

I find that the best way to make a portrait memorable is to tell a little story. Pretty people will always make pretty pictures. But there’s no better way to sear an image in your memory than a little theme-action!

…it doesn’t hurt to have someone hanging upside down, either.

For last year’s Manchester Valley football preview photo illustration the football player scheduled to ride the horse in full football regalia wasn’t too used to horse riding. So… he had a stunt double fill in. I was sworn to secrecy. I wasn’t allowed to tell who the actual rider is. So… let your imaginations go wild I guess. …but not too wild. This is a family friendly establishment, after all.

So, what in the world is a “Sports Up?”

Here’s the thing… It’s good to know your strengths and it’s good to know your weaknesses. I shoot a lot of sports at the Patuxent Publishin Co. — a lot of high school sports. While I’ve gotten a lot better at peak action photos I’m still no Sports Illustrated long glass sniper. While I can hold my own on any sports field, I’m probably not the best guy you send out to get the peak-action-game-defining-image. I’m the guy who you send to get the “other” image.

So, what’s the other image? It shows off the personality to the sports and players. It’s all the interesting minutia on the sidelines or during practice, the nervous moment before shooting a free throw, the “good-gaming” in great light, or cheerleaders braiding a basketball player’s hair before the game, for example. It’s the imagery that doesn’t typically have a place in the sports pages, yet has all the accoutrements of sports. The arena has life beyond the field and in many ways its richer.

Enjoy!

Jim McCleary, head coach of the Kangaroo Kids jump roap team, is being inducted into the Community Sports Hall of Fame. He is photographed with some of his jumpers at the Glenwood Community Center Wednesday, August 26, 2009, where the Kangaroo Kids practice.

I double-tapped the shutter, which decreased my Alien Bee’s output a ton, but gave me this nice subtle, yet contrasty light. Truthfully, I like this photo way more than the one that actually ran, but this photo would’ve suffered in newsprint.

This was at the end of a scrimmage game Bryn Mawr won 0-6 against host Glenelg Country School Wednesday September, 2 2009.

Catonsville goal keeper Kelli Beard prevents a Hereford goal attempt at Comet Stadium Tuesday, September 15, 2009.

Mount Hebron’s Jamie Schwartz readies for a foul shot during the Vikings game against North Carroll during the Big Doug Classic JV girls basketball tournament held at Glenelg High School Wednesday, December 30, 2009. Mount Hebron lost to North Carroll 29-44.

Owings Mills fans celebrate after Keylin Ortiz made a free throw shot in the fourth quarter, holding their lead over Snow Hill. Owings Mills defeated Snow Hill 44-42 at the University of Maryland Comcast Center Friday, March 12, 2010. The win will pit the Eagles against Dunbar for the Class 1A state title tomorrow.

Corinne Bell, partially obscured by artificial flowers on her kitchen table, has lived in the home she and her husband built for 52 years. The widow now lives with three cats, Tiny, Cece, and Sheba, former strays who now call the split level on Main Street, Pilesgrove “home,” too. “Somedays they’re the only company I get,” says the 79-year-old New Jersey woman. Bell, like other New Jersey seniors who live on fixed incomes, are in danger of losing their homes because of the state’s high property taxes — the highest in the nation. “I have too much stuff to move,” and worries about the future of her cats. In the past a social program called Senior Freeze alleviated a portion of the property taxes for those who qualified. The state’s former governor changed the program’s eligibility, but the state’s new Republican Governor Christopher Christie said he would restore the rebates to those who lost them, but has yet to fully reinstate the program.

Recently, I’ve been making visual side stories while on assignment. Sometimes they’re totally off task, but other times they tie into story.

When I met Corinne, who’s a lovely lady, I couldn’t help but notice some loneliness in the widow. But I wasn’t doing a story on looniness. Stay on task, Matt! Focus. Property Taxes. But lets be honest, visualizing property taxes in an interesting AND literal way is a bit tough. Well, the obvious idea is to make a portrait of her in front of her home… Snoozezilla, right? But if there’s one thing I learned from the failings of Time Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is that you have to develop your protagonists. …make people care about them. Lucky for me, the wind was so inhospitable (lightstands be damned!) we couldn’t make a decent picture of her (windblown hair) in front of her house. “Okay Corinne. It’s crazy out here. lets see if we can’t do this inside.”

“Okay. Well, while I’m out here, I might as well get my mail.”

And that’s when the light switch turned on. I’ve always been a fan of, as I like to call it, “exploding the ordinary.” So, as Corinne walks back to her home, mail in hand, I notice a simple composition: house, yard, Corinne. The wind was knocking her around. She seemed vulnerable. And there it is. There’s that loneliness I felt when I first met her. I make a few frames. The one I chose is of her, in a slight stumble — a shuffle, really — en route to her front door. Her home has always given her shelter. And I saw a beautiful connection between Corinne and her home in a mundane moment. Her home is the glue that ties her life together. So, there’s the tie-in, exorbitant taxes would disrupt her life.

Corinne Bell sits down for a cup of tea and a Tastee Cake.

Corinne Bell pets her cat Tiny while sipping on tea and nibbling on a Tastee Cake.

Sometimes Corinne Bell can see the neighbors’ livestock from her window.

Tiny, one of Corinne Bell’s three cats, asks to be let back in the house.

Corinne Bell can see the cemetery where her husband is buried in from her kitchen window.

One toothbrush. One rinse cup. Fantastic wall paper!

A photo of Corinne Bell’s late husband “Slim,” sits on her bedroom dresser.

Corinne Bell waits for her cat Tiny to come back in the house.

If you like, feel free to embed the slideshow at the bottom of the page on your blog or wherever. And if you do, I’d love a heads up and possibly link to your link.

NJ Taxes and Corinne Bell – Images by Matt Roth

Jean Tansey stands amid a canopy of trees lining Sycamore Lane she maintains for the Cedacroft community. Her work has impressed the Baltimore Rec and Parks so much that they are using her program as a model.

When I was an intern I was a more anit-portrait than I am today. In fact I’m decidedly pro-portrait these days. That’s not to say I hated the idea of portraits. Truthfully, they intimidated me a bit. Theoretically, they’re easy to make. Bare minimum, all you have to do is take a picture of someone looking into the camera. Well, I wasn’t interested in bare minimum. The real trick I realized is to consider how the image will come across to the readers. And this image is testament (not in a big amazing way) that “feeling” trumps composition. Like any shoot, I made multiple frames. I have a bunch where her head is placed in the middle, and she is looking right at the camera. But we started talking, she started moving and her personality started showing. At first I placed more importance on the symmetrical photos during my edit. But this one kept intriguing me. Her face, her expression, her joy, was something I could relate to. It was so human.  The other images, while technically closer to “perfect” felt stale in comparison. What it all boiled down to, was that I just liked looking at this image the most.

The 10am Update is a regular blog feature showcasing some of the best work from my archives.

CAPTION: Tri-legged “capture the pumpkin” teammates Nick Schoch, middle , 13, and Ben Stevick, 15, right, mingle with other classmate who wound up in “jail.” Ben, who has Downs Syndrome is able to play PE games and attend class with his peers because he has been included into normal 8th grade classroom settings at St. Mary’s Catholic Middle School. However, Catholic High Schools are typically geared towards college preparation which may order difficulties if Pallotti High School attempted to include Ben.

This was from a story about inclusion. …inclusion of kids like Ben Stevick who have Downs Syndrome in classroom activities at private schools. Specifically, what happens to the children who are included after middle school.

I made this image back in 2004, when I was an intern, and to this day I’m still in awe of its symbolism. Even though his classmates accept and like Ben he’s still not included socially. Nick Schoch, on the left, in the foreground, is paired with Ben. If I remember correctly, they were paired together often. But Nick has friends. Acceptance of peers has a strong gravitational pull. So, I wasn’t too surprised when I saw Nick turn his back on Ben to talk with his friends. Ben was just left all by himself.

Now, having said that, I’m a big fan of these kinds of programs. — as long as the kids being included aren’t dangerous. I think both the classroom majority and those being included can learn a lot from each other, but I think this picture really captures the reality of the social dynamics at play. Middle schoolers are gonna be middle schoolers.

The 10am Update is a regular feature highlighting some of the better work from my archives.