Mayor Paul - Hopewell Valley Neighbors

If “Small Town Mayor, Big City Attitude” was a person, it’d be Mayor Paul.  Paul greeted me at his home and promptly invited me in. He started by offering me a few goodies – the coolest of which was a board game called Hopeopoly, which he proudly helped design during Covid.  Think Monopoly meets Hopewell mash-up, with trivia and local geography.  Paul had no idea that I’m a major geography and trivia nerd, however, my family does so they are not so willing to engage me for the inevitable L.


For the portrait session, we walked around town and stopped by the locations Paul was most proud of.  We would have made our way around town quicker but about every other car stopped to say hi, or just yell, “Hey Mayor Paul!”


Considering Paul is both a Mayor and a Lawyer, that’s saying a lot.    Glad to know Paul and happy we didn’t get pelted with tomatoes  – which is a segue to mentioning that, if you are in Hopewell, be sure to pick up some smashed tomato spread on freshly baked bread from Nomad Pizza.  After enjoying the pizza, take a walk around the town.  It’s a clean, safe lovely little town, and an ideal place to live, thanks in large part to Mayor Paul!


Baby Luna!

Welcome to Baby Luna, the newest addition to Michele and Joe’s beautiful family. Meeting and photographing this precious baby girl was an absolute delight, and she proved to be the perfect little model, charming us with her adorable presence throughout the entire shoot.

This was a session a little closer to the heart than normal.  I had known Michele for over a decade before we both had little ones :)

I have had the pleasure of photographing her family a few times over the years, and once we climbed a mountain to make some epic portraits!   

Fun fact.  Joe also happens to be my go-to guy when I need a male model for commercial work and we have spent a lot of time together shooting … socks! 

It is so great to connect with friends and create timeless art! 


Meghan and Jon - Wedding - Mercer Boathouse

A vivid tapestry of fall colors painted the canvas of Meghan and Jon’s special day at The Boat House at Mercer Lake. The air was cool, and the vibrant foliage provided a stunning backdrop for the celebration of their love.

Getting to know this rad couple was a privilege. Jon, the embodiment of the “Strong Silent Type,” exuded a quiet strength that spoke volumes. On the other hand, Meghan, with her quiet demeanor and caring nature, had a way of delivering honesty with grace.

The dynamic between them was a perfect fit—a perfect blend of strength and gentleness. It was evident that they were meant to be, creating an atmosphere of pure joy and pleasure for everyone lucky enough to be part of their day.

See their rainy-day engagement session here! 


Industrial Yard

In the often overlooked corners of Hainsport, NJ, where converted warehouses hide amidst random industrial complexes, I found myself on a rainy day, unexpectedly captivated by the allure of the mundane. As a parent navigating the routine of sports training, practices, and games for my kids, there’s an hour to spare, an hour that I’ve often spent wandering through these unassuming spaces.

This particular day was different, perhaps influenced by the rain and the charged atmosphere of negative ions in the air, creating a unique mood. Hainsport may not be a tourist hotspot, and its industrial landscape may not win any beauty contests, but on this day, it held a certain charm.

Rancocas Woods, a mere mile away, beckons with its own appeal, but the heart of Hainsport lies in its facelessness—a quintessential Townsville, USA. As I strolled through the park, camera in hand, I aimed to capture the essence of a place where what was once new and perfect now waits, weathered by the passage of time.

This industrial park, like countless others across the country, quietly fulfills its role—supporting the community and contributing to the nation’s functionality. It stands as a testament to our commitment to durability, a resilient cog in the system, and a straight spoke in the wheel of progress.

The photographs I took sought to freeze moments of this quiet resilience, showcasing the park’s wonderful, twisted, broken, and faded beauty. Every crack in the pavement, every rusted beam, tells a story of functionality turned into art by the hand of time.

In a world that often races towards the next shiny and new, there’s a certain appreciation to be found in the overlooked and weathered. These industrial spaces, once gleaming with newness, now hold a different kind of allure—a beauty aged, matured, and waiting to be rediscovered in the intricate dance between man-made structures and the relentless march of time.

So, the next time you find yourself in the outskirts of Hainsport, take a moment to wander. You might just find that even in the most unexpected places, beauty persists, quietly whispering stories of endurance and transformation.





Bill Waters - Hopewell Valley Neighbors

Writers never die.

Bill is a poet and wordsmith and, therefore immortal.  And since I photographed him, capturing a moment in his timeline, that was published in an actual magazine, I like to think that I am also somehow immortal. Ha.  When you create something tangible that may last beyond your time here on this spinning blue planet that can always be linked to your existence then, in essence, are too immortal.  So, the takeaway here?  Start making something.  Anything that can be left behind.  Even if that something is an impression, a concept, or a positive impact.  Giving someone a brain seed that will grow and develop over time into a huge and bountiful tree that also leaves fruit for others, is something we should strive for.


See, you came here for photos and got your mind blown at the same time.

Read more of Bill’s words here.

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