Spring Trip to Maine Part 1: Arrival and The Engagement Shoot

We left for Maine on Friday May 8th taking an afternoon flight up. Not much really happened aside from running into an awesome bartender during our layover between Baltimore and Portland.

We got in late, but it was nice to see the family again. Being welcomed by hugs and smiles is always a nice reward after a long trip. Since it was so late it didn't take long for us to conk out that night.

The following saturday we headed to our first cake testing, Cricket joining us as we trust her culinary wisdom! It was pretty good too! But we wanted to try a few other places we had lined up. It was nice to spend the day hanging out with family and having fun.

The following morning had to be early for us - something that had been planned several months in advance. A pretty day, rather windy but nice and we were out the door headed to Boston by 9am (or at least that's what my adled brain seems to remember it feeling like)

We started our day about an hour earlier than we planned to, because Alan and I got into Boston earlier than we thought we would. The three hour drive wasn't bad, but the entire trip we felt so damned awful for not being able to spend the day with Alan's mom and a bit sorry about my mom as well - it was mother's day after all. Guess we have a whole year to make it up to them both (Love you Cricket & Momma)!!

We got to Boston around one, found a parking space and hoofed it to the apartment complex where Jacklyn met us outside. For a little while we sat around in the lobby talking, and Jacklyn got to do my eye make up because I'm incapable of success at those things (confession: Eye make up was the ONLY make up I wore that day). It was fun to have girl time with my photographer, I have to admit. We also met Jacklyn's partner in crime (who I THINK is her husband???) Chris. He kinda reminds me of a native American Indian because of his facial structure. He also had the pretty and long silver hair tied back in a pony tail. I really wanted to play with it, but thought it might be a bit awkward if I did.

We set out to the nearest T train station and got our tickets for the subway. The first couple shots we took was on the train. Everyone was looking at us, wondering what the heck was going on, and eventually a train security officer came stomping our way looking properly burly and annoyed asking what terrorist plotting we were up to. Chris showed them some of the pictures and thankfully the guard said just to try not to get in the way of other passengers. Finally getting off the train, Alan and I headed out of the station trying to find out way around. We stopped at these brick arches to take a few shots and told just to do cute stuff. We tried to comply.

apparently we did well. . .

We headed onto the Boston Museum of Science, taking pictures along the way. It was fun to laugh and joke with Chris and Jacklyn as we went onward. Getting to the science museum, some guy just HANDED us two tickets so the boys let us have them. Alan and Chris bought their tickets, we dropped off my bag and I switched out shoes then headed on our way to explore the museum!

Inside the museum there's this 'whirly gig' machine that uses various odds and ends to accomplish next to nothing, but it LOOKS SO COOL shows kids how gravity and engineering can go hand in hand. Either way it was a fun backdrop.

After a few clicks we got lost in our own little world. . .

We headed off into various sections in the green wing which held all the natural history stuff. Of course we had fun playing with the exhibits, seeing the stuffed animals (I had no idea a moose was that BIG) and shells!!!

Alan's nickname among many of our friends is 'moose' hence we HAD to get a picture with the moose.

Eventually we found our way into the blue wing, which held the technology and science part of things. Alan has a thing for the vandigraph generator and the tesla coils and . . .well the electricity exhibit brings the mad scientist out in him. He freaking LOVES this section. So we went to go play!

Of course we had to play with the plasma tube, and Jacklyn was literally bouncing with excitement over some of the many ring shots she got with this. Coolest. Ring shot. EVER.

Finally we headed up to the Lighthouse exhibit, which was upstairs. This exhibit is appropriately named but not what you think it is. I was thinking. . .fog horns, and light beams and ocean sounds

What I got was mirrors, fun with RGB lighting, optical illusions and crazy reflective surfaces. Jacklyn was beside herself with excitement over some of this stuff!

After the museum we left to grab some grub. Back on the train we went, Jacklyn and Chris showing us some of the shots they got, talking excitedly and ALL of us talking about food. We were totally hungry. Jacklyn called her brother, had some phone issues (apparently iphone reception is not that great), but eventually we found a place to eat. It was a bowling alley and lounge bar called Kings. We shared calamari, nachos, and had some 'real food' to go along with that as well. All the while talking about photos, vegetarianism, art, and anything else which came to pass. Chris was even so nice as to pick up the tab!

We headed back to the train station to ride back to the apartments we met at, and parking. Jacklyn and Chris did some ninja camera moves on the train and got some pretty sweet shots! But this ring shot is my favorite:

Hopping off the train we hung around the terminal for a bit.

Heading out the the terminal Jacklyn told us she'd take some more shots as we walked back. She found this really awesome ivy covered wall which I'm totally in love with. For some reason it reminds me of James and Lily Potter before they lost 150lbs, which makes it all the more adorkable to me because I'm kinda obsessed with Harry Potter. This is the image:

After we got back to the apartment, Jacklyn and Chris grabbed our stuff out of their trunk (they kept some of the clothing etc we brought with us in their trunk so we wouldn't have to worry about it being stolen). We talked to Jacklyn for a bit more and finally said our goodbyes.

Alan and I left with an amazing sense of awe. We got our photos taken, I didn't freak out or mouse up, we had fun and best of all we totally loved hanging out with our photographers! Jacklyn had originally told me that the shoot would take about 2 to 3 hours, but all together we spent somewhere around 6 or 7 with them. We didn't even REALIZE this fact until I looked at the clock in the van. We had so much fun we didn't even realize how long we'd been gone or how tired we were.

So with the day behind us we headed home back to Maine and fell asleep looking at the stars from our bedroom window.

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If any of you are interesting in Jacklyn's Services or other works (she's got an amazing portfolio which includes everything from weddings to family portraits and some more risque stuff) head over to her website www.jagstudios.net! Rest assured that these are not the only shots that we took and there's loads more. If you'd like to see the rest, shoot us an e-mail at acmewedding@gmail.com and we'll give you all the info to do so!

More to come tomorrow!

- Carrie.