No matter how dark the night, somehow the sun rises once again and all shadows are chased away.
~Dave Matthews
Click to view larger
Silver King March 26, 2009
And nothing can we call our own but death
And that small model of the barren earth
Which serves as paste and cover to our bones.
For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings.
~William Shakespeare
I hope you all don’t mind my sculpture posts in between me working on my recent portrait session and wedding edits. I’ve been saving a lot of them for this time so I can continue to blog during this busy period. I have more to share and a few more photos from Wilmington.
I’m really fascinated by the unqiue sculptures at this sculpture park and I tried to photograph them in a more intimate or interested way then just walking up to each one and snapping a shot of them. On some I accomplished my vision on other it fell short so I will continute to edit them and share them trough time and I’d like to make a trip back there again soon…because the 3rd time is the charm…now I know what I want all of the photos I take there to look like.
Tomorrow afternoon I head to North Carolina for the night and then Saturday morning it’s off to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to photograph the wedding of one of my oldest friends, Michelle, from grammar school. I wish for no rain so we can do the portraits outdoors.
Super Old School Jen & Michelle – Seaside Boardwalk rocking our Bon Jovi T-Shirts
High School Senior Prom
An Untroubled Retreat March 25, 2009
Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul. ~Marcus Aurelius
The Winds Are Left Behind March 24, 2009
From the desert I come to thee, On a stallion shod with fire;
And the winds are left behind In the speed of my desire.
~Bayard Taylor
The Bellamy Mansion March 23, 2009
I wish we knew what this place was while we were there…I may have tried to take a tour of it… but if I had I would have missed documenting that house fire. Guess there’s always next time!
The Bellamy Mansion of History & Design Arts
The Bellamy Mansion is one of North Carolina’s most spectacular examples of antebellum architecture built on the eve of the Civil War by free and enslaved black artisans, for John Dillard Bellamy (1817-1896) physician, planter and business leader; and his wife, Eliza McIlhenny Harriss (1821-1907) and their nine children. After the fall of Fort Fisher in 1865, Federal troops commandeered the house as their headquarters during the occupation of Wilmington. Now the house is a museum that focuses on history and the design arts and offers tours, changing exhibitions and an informative look at historic preservation in action.
The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts website
*Click to view larger*
Sneak Peek – K & G March 22, 2009
I can’t wait to share more of K&G’s session!
Their love really shined in the 2 hours I spent with them last weekend…
All Around Town March 20, 2009
I’m sorry there hasn’t been a post in a couple days…that’s not like me at all. I had this one “almost” ready for two days but never was able to finish it because I wasn’t feeling well for over a week. I finally want to the doctor today and it’s a double ear infection and sinusitis! Some girls have all the luck! I’m on antibiotics and hope to be feeling better in 24-48 hours!
You’ve been seeing bits and pieces of my day in Wilmington and today I will share a little bit more.
The day in Wilmington consisted of touring around downtown Wilmington near the Cape Fear River.
We had gorgeous 77 degree weather which made for the perfect day to walk along the Cape Fear River and see all of the sights.
While people waited for the Tall Ship Tour (The Peacemaker) we checked out the ship and the crowd. I always enjoy candid photos like the following.
*Click the photos to view larger*
“A feather in your cap”
The trolley tour guide was so sweet. He told us all about the Amish-raised horses and how wonderfully they are cared for and let us pet them for a while. He even took our photo with the horses. They were beautiful and had the softest fur ever.
Throughout the day we saw businesses and attractions in Wilmington’s Downtown Historic District that are frequently used as locations on one of my favorite “Teen Dramas” 
One Tree Hill, including: CD Alley (8 Market Street) is the CD store where Chris (Tyler Hilton) worked.
Port City Java-Downtown II (300 N. Front St.) stood in as Karen’s Café in the pilot episode. Once the series was picked up, crews built a designated set for Karen’s Café on the opposite corner of Grace Street at North Front Street. During season 6 the set for ‘Karen’s Cafe’ was removed and the space was transformed into the Clothes over Bros. set.
I put my camera lens up to the window and shot some of the Cloths over Bros set:
…and of course I posed in front of the “Karen’s Cafe” painting on the wall of the building that used to be the cafe and is now the store.
We didn’t get to eat at this restaurant but I wanted to. It overlooks the Cape Fear River and you get your own cute little private balcony
This building is for sale. It made me laugh when I saw that they had drawn fake store front items on it to make you use your imagination of what it could be!
I have more to share soon…once I have time to edit.
Right now I’m concentrating on the wedding I have tomorrow at the beach in NJ, then getting better, and then the wedding I have next Saturday in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The Peacemaker March 17, 2009
The 150-foot Peacemaker tall ship and its crew docked in Wilmington, NC Saturday, March 7, 2009 and will call the Cape Fear River home until after the Azalea Festival, first weekend in April. We visited on the day the ship first arrived and watched as a crowd gathered to board the ship.
News Article 1 – News Article 2 – News Article 3 - News Article 4
The Peacemaker, originally named Avany, was built on a riverbank in southern Brazil using traditional methods and tropical hardwoods, and was launched in 1989. The original owner and his family motored in the southern Atlantic Ocean before bringing the ship up through the Caribbean to Savannah, Georgia, where they intended to rig it as a three-masted staysail schooner. The work was never done, however, and in the summer of 2000, it was purchased by the Twelve Tribes, a religious group with 50 or so communities in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. They spent the next seven years replacing all of the ship’s mechanical and electrical systems and rigging it as a barquentine. The refit vessel set sail for the first time in the spring of 2007, under the name Peacemaker.
The Peacemaker will be used to travel between the communities of the Twelve Tribes while providing an apprenticeship program for their youth in sailing, seamanship, navigation, and boat maintenance. Source: Wikipedia
*Please click to view larger so you don’t miss the details!*
Top O’ The Morning To Ya! March 16, 2009
HAPPY ST. PATTY’S DAY TO YOU ALL!
This photo was taken last weekend in Wilmington, NC after their St. Patrick’s Day parade in town.
This guy was quite the character!
In Memory: Emilio Michael “Pooh” Caprio March 15, 2009
Emilio Michael “Pooh” Caprio
Taken from the Home News Obituary
May 27th, 1977 -March 13th, 2009
AGE: 32 JAMESBURG
Mr. Emilio M. “Pooh” Caprio died on Friday March 13, 2009 at his home in Jamesburg. He was 32 years old. Born in New Brunswick, he has resided in Jamesburg his entire life. He worked with his father as a carpenter for Emilio W. Caprio Construction Co. for 20 years and also owned and operated his own business, Rug-It Carpet and Flooring Co. in Monroe Twp., for 10 years. Pooh loved being around children and had touched the hearts of many people with his friendly personality. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed four-wheeling.
He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Michael Smith, Sr., and Anna (DeBartolo) Smith; his paternal grandparents, Emilio P. Caprio, and Josephine (Cerbone) Caprio; and his dog, Abba. He is survived by his parents, Eileen B. (Smith) Caprio, and Emilio W. Caprio of Jamesburg; his sister, Tiffany L. Caprio and her fiancée, Thomas P. Macfee of Old Bridge, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
A Funeral Service will be 11:00am on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home, 205 Rhode Hall Rd., Monroe Twp., NJ 08831, 732-521-0555. Interment will follow in St. James RC Church Cemetery, Jamesburg. Visitation will be 6-9pm on Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorial donations would be gratefully accepted by Emilio’s family. Please visit www.demarcofuneralhome.com for directions.
50,000 Hits!
Jen Rinaldi Photography Blog celebrates 50,000 hits today!
Thanks to all of my readers!
Image found on Google Images
You Light Up My Life March 12, 2009
You saw the sneak peak of baby “E” so now I present you some of my favorites from the session.
But before you meet baby “E” – meet his Mom (Tara) and Dad (Bryan) who met on the online dating website JDate.
Click HERE to see a recent JDate video that Tara and Bryan were featured in to promote the website and it’s success. When you get there click on the 2nd video titled “We weren’t Interested.”
E’s mom and I went to college together and when she mentioned she was having her first baby I immediately told her that I wanted to photograph the baby’s newborn photos. She agreed and she waited 9 long months for her baby boy to be born and I waited 9 long months to take his photos!
I was so excited for the opportunity sine this was the youngest newborn I photographed to date! He was born January 25th and we did the session on February 7th – 2 weeks later.
*Click to view larger*
Tara and Bryan had lots of great things around the house to use as props and Bryan was so good with ideas that I told him I was going to take him with me to my jobs!
This is my favorite photo from the session of Mommy & Baby. Tara’s eyes are so beautiful – especially in this photo!
Dad brought his guitar out for some fun Rockin’ Baby Photos!
This one makes me laugh because it looks like he is dancing to music.
For this edit I wanted it to look like he was dreaming about music.
I added this texture to give this photo the same feel as the one above.
What a beautiful couple blessed with such a beautiful baby!
Love those little tootsies!
E’s parents own a custom lampshade and lighting store – Tara Shawn Designs.
In honor of that we took some photos of “E” with some of the lampshades from the store.
This one was just for a giggle.
*The little shade hate was propped on the edge of the large lampshade…no harm was done to “E” in the making of this photo. LOL
Sick. Again. March 11, 2009
I’m sick again for the third time so there will be no official blog post tonight.
Please don’t miss me too much (LOL) because I will back tomorrow night with a rockin’ post of Little E’s Photo Debut!
I’m off to take some Tylenol Allergy Sinus and pass out!
Hope you’re all doing better than I am!
Hot Topic March 10, 2009
Last night I posted two article links HERE regarding the fire I witnessed on Saturday afternoon on Sixth and Market Street in Wilmington, North Carolina. It’s not often that I have the opportunity to capture something of a photojournalistic nature such as this. Tonight I’m posting my own experience of this event though my photos.
I’m very saddened for the family that had to go through this. I can’t imagine something like this happening to me or my loved ones. This house was under renovation which is so sad that so much time and energy went up in flames like this. Wilmington is such a beautiful historic district… I hope that this house can be repaired.
To view the entire gallery of 157 photos click HERE.
It all started when I was taking a photo of a church…
I didn’t get past this first photo that you see above because in the next instant fire trucks were entering the 4 lane divided road facing the opposite of traffic. I was slightly shocked and couldn’t understand why they were driving into on-coming traffic when the other 2 lanes on the other side of the median were open. Seconds later I knew why as I looked over and saw the smoke coming from 3 or 4 houses to the right of where I was standing…
*PLEASE CLICK TO VIEW LARGER*
The Wilmington Fire department was immediately on the scene and “in action.” All I can say is that it was so impressive watching these guys work! I know I couldn’t run into a burning building/home for a living yet they do it without fear. I give them a lot of respect for what they do!
Below are a selection that I chose to highlight the scene…more can be found in the gallery on my website by clicking HERE.
Paramedics were on the scene immediately as well…
Another photographer appeared on the scene…(and a fellow Nikon shooter!)
They tried to extinguish the flames inside the home but the tongue & groove ceilings in this old house made it very hard to get to. They were unable to stop the fire that way so they used the tower unit to extinguish the fire from the outside.
It was quite an experience to watch the scene unfold. This is something I’ve only scene on the news and not up close and personal like this. I’m impressed with how the Wilmington Fire Department, Police Dept & EMS handled the scene. From what I witnessed they worked hard and should be commended for putting this fire out and protecting the house next to it.
To view the entire gallery of 157 photos click HERE.
House Fire in Wilmington, NC March 9, 2009
I just happened to be photographing a church near Sixth and Market Street during my visit to Wilmington, NC this Saturday when we stumbled upon a house fire that broke out before our eyes.
As a sneak peak here is are some articles showing the fire:
http://www.wect.com/global/story.asp?S=9965373
http://www.wwaytv3.com/fire_erupts_downtown_home/03/2009
I’ll be posting photos soon on my website and on here on the blog from the fire. I’ve never seen anything like it up close….
Stay tuned!
The Breadline March 5, 2009
“In other periods of depression, it has always been possible to see some things which were solid and upon which you could base hope, but as I look about, I now see nothing to give ground to hope—nothing of man.”
– Former President Calvin Coolidge, 1932
*Please click to enlarge*
George Segal
Depression Bread Line, 1999
cast bronze, 2/7
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
Click here to read more about the sculpture.
PS:
Many of you were interested in the sculpture (titled “Relative”) that I posted 2 days back. Some of you asked about the set up of the shot so I processed the photo below. I have a few more shots of this statue but the one I posted already is by far my favorite with the most unique angle. I wanted to show this version I took standing at ground level facing the front of the sculpture to give you a better idea of how it was set up. I stood under the statue to the right to get the view I showed HERE.
G. Frederick Morante
“Relative,” 2003
Cast Bronze, Steel
Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
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