Courant Photography Department Blog | Category Archives: Features

The Camera Loves You, Baby

May 16, 2013 by Sherry Peters

There are some who believe it’s the red carpet because of the (nearly) bloody battles between photographers for the best position, the best angle, that split-second that will make their image stand out from all the others. Sharp elbows and sharper tongues are the background music for the drama that plays out on the stage of cinema and stardom.

French model and designer Ines de la Fressange arrives for the screening of the film “Young and Beautiful,” May 16, 2013, at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. AFP PHOTO / POOL / OLIVIER ANRIGOOLIVIER

Chinese actress and member of the Un Certain Regard Jury Zhang Ziyi poses during a photocall, on May 16, 2013, at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. AFP PHOTO/ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULATANNE/AFP/Getty Images

Model Cindy Crawford poses on the red carpet as she arrives for the screening of the film ‘The Great Gatsby’ and for the opening ceremony of the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

Pudsey attends “Pudsey: The Movie” photocall during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Saybrook Lighthouse

May 16, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.16 - Old Saybrook, CT - Today I had the pleasure of taking a guided tour of the Saybrook Breakwater (Saybrook Outer) Lighthouse with reporter Kenneth Gosselin. BM1 Ryan Yoraschek and EM3 Jean Blanco, Aids to Navigation Team, Long Island Sound, U.S. Coast Guard, were are main tour guides. Patrick Sclafani, Public Affairs Officer with GSA New England Region was helpful with a history of the lighthouse which is up for sale, one of two lighthouses in Connecticut available. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.16 – Old Saybrook, CT – Lighthouses, like greenhouses, are appreciated largely in spring and summer when we return to the outdoors and enjoy gardens and beaches alike. Lighthouses are part of New England’s iconography, like maple syrup, foliage and rocky beaches. The Breakwater Light is not open to the public. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Training Session

May 15, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.15 – Simsbury, CT – The Simsbury High School Crew teams were out for a training session on the Farmington River Wednesday afternoon. The teams will be competing in the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association Sprints Championship at Lake Waramaug this coming Sunday. Photo was taken with my Nikon D300s, transferred to my iPhone using an Eye-Fi card then filtered through Instagram. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Dew Drops

May 8, 2013 by John Woike

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – Dew drops hang from a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday morning. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – A tiny insect rests on the leaf of a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday morning. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

2013.05.08 – Bristol, CT – Morning dew drops on the leaf of a Knockout Rose bush in Bristol Wednesday. Photo by JOHN WOIKE | woike@courant.com

Frito Fire

May 6, 2013 by Patrick Raycraft

Seventh-graders Caroline Heavens, 12, (from left) of Woodbury Middle School and Caroline St. Pierre, 12, of the Middle School of Plainville ignite a Frito corn chip during a science experiment to determine the caloric output of the popular snack at the Girls and STEM Expo at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford. The annual gathering of female middle school students is sponsored by St. Joseph’s together with the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. Interactive workshops facilitated by St. Joseph faculty and students range from DNA extraction and oil slick simulation to the analysis of fuel capabilities in food. The goal is to inspire young women’s interest in science at an early age and to potentially spark the pursuit of a career in the sciences – allowing them to explore the fields of biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics in a fun-filled and relaxed environment infused with experimentation and collaboration.

CHANNELING DIANE ARBUS

April 30, 2013 by Stephen Dunn

Peggy Mottola of Cromwell donned her pink dress and tiara and headed to the dance floor.

Gathering my equipment from the back of my car in the New Britain High School parking lot recently, I could hear the strains of good old-fashioned rock n’ roll emanating from the cafeteria. As I made my way in, an elderly woman, dressed for a dance, was heading the wrong way. “It’s too loud. I can’t stay in there,” she said and walked toward her car in a huff. Not sure what to expect, I walked through the doors. It was like stepping back in time. The band was rocking out, playing doo-wop from the 50′s and 60′s. Some men wore tuxedos, others wore jackets and ties. The women wore dresses and some wore poodle skirts, Bobby socks and white Keds. On closer inspection, the scene looked like something from a Diane Arbus photo project. These folks may have been senior citizens but they were acting like high school seniors. And they were having a ball. So I got to work documenting the scene and when I was done, I had a lot of new friends.

More than 320 senior citizens attended the 15th Annual “Senior Prom” in the New Britain High School cafeteria that Thursday night. The annual Intergenerational Senior Prom was sponsored by New Britain TRIAD, a city partnership between law enforcement, support services and seniors. The theme was “rock ‘n roll” and the seniors danced the night away to the music of The Sharades.

Poodle skirts were in abundance on the dance floor, from left, Ann Robida, and Dottie Dabkowski, both of New Britain.

Judy Bosco of Kensington, right, wearing her blue Poodle skirt, gets down low while dancing to Chubby Checker’s, The Twist. Her dance partner is Frank Zajko of New Britain.

Sue Scherff and Gene Drezek, both of New Britain, show off their dance moves on the dance floor. the two friends have been dance partners for 16 years.

Peggy Mottola of Cromwell donned her pink dress and tiara and rocked out on the dance floor.

GUARD ART

March 6, 2013 by Stephen Dunn

The New Britain Museum of American Art may be on to something. The security guard that is on duty at the front entrance to the galleries works 24/7, requires no sleep, no food and no pay. The guard, of course, is actually a work of art, a hyper-realistic sculpture by artist Marc Sijan. Museum patrons do double-takes all day long as they enter the glass doors to the galleries under the watchful eye of the “Security Guard.” The sculpture is so realistic that many are inclined to reach out and touch it but they are strongly, and loudly, advised against doing that by the staff manning the front desk. The polyresin sculpture, from 2006, uses layers of acrylics, acids and oil paints to create the life-like look.

Don Coughlin of Bethel does a double-take as he enters the New Britain Museum of American Art as he passes a very life-like security guard which is actually a work of art and on display in the museum’s entry hall. The polyresin sculpture was created by artist Marc Sijan in 2006 and is referred to as Hyper-realistic. Coughlin works at a golf course and spends his five month off-season visiting art museums every week.

Pat McKernan of Farmington, left, and Gina Koppel of West Hartford, get a closer look at a very life-like security guard which is actually a work of art and on display in the the New Britain Museum of American Art entry hall.

Preserving History

November 30, 2012 by John Woike

When I arrived at the Manchester History Center to photograph Mary Dunne, President of the Manchester Historical Society, she gave me a tour of the historic mill that the society purchased in 1999. We strolled through the main level looking for a backdrop that best described the atmosphere of the building and the work that has been done to it. Dunne took me to the first floor which still has a few original weaving looms along with other historical pieces. I love old factory buildings for all their large windows, wood floors and high ceilings that offer wonderful natural light for an environmental portrait.

We decided on a main meeting room that is used for events and lectures because of the natural light and simple decorations for an upcoming Holiday event. It helped that the sun was obscured by clouds and a light snow was falling outside to diffuse the sun. Dunne was a little apprehensive at first, like many subjects that don’t necessarily feel comfortable in front of the camera, but after a few shots to check the lighting she began to get feel comfortable. I checked the photos and decided the first pose and placement of her in the scene wasn’t quite right so we tried a different angle.

The resulting photograph produced the look I was trying for. The large windows behind her provided a nice framework and allowed the mill building across the street to be seen and by now Dunne was beginning to let her personality show. I really like the joy she displays while sitting in a place she has a passion about and making the center a legitimate museum for the city of Manchester.

Pro Tip: Environmental portraits can be tricky at times but with a little creativity and a great subject things will fall into place once you get rolling. Search the facility for a place that will not only show the features of the place but allow the subject to feel comfortable. Try a variety of lighting and choose what works best, sometimes your first choice is not always the best so don’t pigeon hole yourself into one vision. Use a shutter speed that will allow the natural light to fill to your desired level, a slower shutter will give more fill, too much will blow out the background. Make sure your main light source is in a softbox or an umbrella to soften the flash and set the flash to a little stronger setting than the background light to make your subject stand out from the background. I normally like to hoot as wide open as the lens will allow but this time I went somewhere in the middle to give greater detail to the buildings features as well as the subject.

Camera: Nikon D300s, lens – 17-55mm set at 17mm, aperture f/5, ISO 800, shutter 1/125, color balance cloudy setting to give a slightly warmer feel to the photo.

“What They Did That Day”

November 8, 2012 by Patrick Raycraft

During World War II, George Mendonsa served as a quartermaster in the South Pacific aboard the USS The Sullivans, a Navy destroyer named after the five Sullivan brothers who perished together when their ship, the USS Juneau, was hit by a Japanese torpedo in Guadalcanal. Mendonsa, 89, holds one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century at his Middletown, Rhode Island home. He is widely believed to be the sailor kissing an unsuspecting nurse on V-E Day in Times Square in 1945. The photograph was taken by Life Magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Mendonsa describes sailors breaking showcase windows in Times Square, reaching in and taking fur coats for their dates. He was in New York City on his first date with his future wife and scheduled to fly back to his ship in San Francisco that night. They were watching the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall when it was announced that the Japanese had surrendered. The couple headed to the streets and eventually to Childs Bar.

Stepping back from the celebration, Mendosa describes a Japanese airstrike five months earlier in which hundreds of sailors aboard a ship in his fleet, the USS Bunker Hill, were injured or killed. “They jumped off by the hundreds and we loaded our ship up with men that we pulled out of the water. Later in the day we met with the hospital ship the Solace and we transferred the wounded. I always remember that. I saw (what) those nurses did that day… and I saw that nurse in Times Square so I grabbed her and I kissed her. I honestly believe that if that girl did not have a nurses’ uniform on that day I never would have done that.”

Last of the Sunflowers

October 19, 2012 by John Woike

Last week while I was out hunting for enterprise in the great north territory known as Zone 3, I was surprised when I drove past a patch of Sunflowers on RT 190 in Somers. Sunflowers? October?

I was on my way to First Night at Gampel Pavilion as the men’s and women’s basketball teams marked the start of their season with the fan friendly event. I quickly spun my car around and parked in a lot next door. There was a car near a barn on the property so I ventured over to the young lady standing nearby and introduced myself thinking she owned the property. Come to find out she was another photographer, Christa Acosta, who was meeting a client there to shoot a family portrait. I asked if I could hang out for a while while she worked and she agreed.

The family to be photographed was running late and the afternoon light was beginning to be obscured by some nasty storm clouds. Forecasters were predicting the seasons first hard freeze so the likelihood of these bright flowers being around the next day were slim. When the family arrived Christa began suggesting a few spots for Andrew, 5, and his one year old sister Camryn, to sit for the portrait. The pair would sit then move, sit then move but luckily I was able to get an image that worked as Andrew held his sister by the hand as they walked out from the Sunflower patch.

Pro Tip: We do a lot of enterprise at the Courant and sometimes you get lucky and come across a situation that just screams out – STOP!!!! There’s a picture to be made here. Sometimes you are luckier than others, this day I was grateful to run into Acosta and her clients, the Czepiel’s. I’m sure she made some wonderful images that day, she was voted the Top Photography Blog by the Hartford Courant in April of 2012.
Camera – Nikon D300, Nikon 70-200/2.8 lens, ISO 200, Shutter priority set at 1/1000th, cloudy color balance.

(POLE) DANCING IN THE RAIN

September 28, 2012 by Stephen Dunn

Those who ventured out for lunch on Main St. in Hartford Friday might have been surprised to find two exotic dancers performing inside a glass-sided box truck.

Talk about a double-take. I was heading to an assignment downtown in the pouring rain when I saw two women pole dancing inside a glass-walled box truck. Say what? I just had to shoot this. It felt kind of creepy, to be honest, when I started shooting but I thought that maybe I could make a publishable weather photo out of this. But then it just got weirder and weirder when some men got kind of close to the window. It turned out that this was a first-time use of this truck as a promotional tool for an exotic dancer men’s club nearby. While the photos were a hit in the 4 o’clock news meeting, it was decided not to publish. Good decision. We don’t need to be promoting this club. It did make some pretty odd photos though.

Really?

Go Hartford. So proud.

Fast Company

September 12, 2012 by John Woike

Once upon a time I used to enjoy water skiing. Not competitive skiing, just first drag me behind my uncles’ 14 footer with a 40 hp Johnson outboard on a peaceful lake in New Hampshire. On a good day I could take off from the dock on two skis, drop one and then slalom around the lake until we came back to the cottage. If I wiped out, it would be a long haul, and I mean haul, back to the cottage because the boat just didn’t have the power, or I the technique, to get up on one ski. Those were the good “old” days.

I began photographing good skiers on the Farmington River in Collinsville where a slalom course was setup. I was struck by the power and grace the skiers displayed slashing back and forth across the wake then stretching to make it around a set of buoys along the course. There was a ramp in the river as well which the skiers would launch themselves off. The people I met there told me about the Avon Old Farms Ski Club, which has a history of turning out national champion skiers.

That first visit in 2000 to “The Pond”, as most members call it, I met the Haines family. Haley Haines, then 7, was ready to take the next step up as waits for her turn behind the boat at the Connecticut Old Farms Water Ski Club in Avon. Her father Hutch, an accomplished skier, owns the land where the club is located and trains his children.

(L to R) In 2005 Julian, 8, Wyatt, 10, and Haley, 11, all competed last week at the Goode National Waterski Championships in West Palm Beach, FL. Wyatt took first place in the Boys 1 dividion, ages 10 and under, in the slalom. Julian competed for the first time and Haley competed in the Girls 2 division.

Wyatt showed his winning form during a practice run on his home course after he took first place in the Boys 1 division, ages 10 and under, at the 2005 Goode National Waterski Championships.

I got a call from Hutch just before the Labor Day weekend to tell his kids had done very well at this years Nationals and wondered if I would be interested in coming out for some photos. Seven years later Wyatt’s form is a little more polished and aggressive which helped him finish in second place during the 2012 Goode Water Ski National Championships in West Palm Beach, Florida August 14-18th. His best run was 3.25 buoys at a rope length of 39.5 ft off. More than 600 water ski athletes from across the United States competed for national titles in slalom, tricks, jumping and overall in respective age divisions and two Open divisions during the five-day tournament.

Quinn Haines, 13, placed high enough in the final standings of the 2012 Goode Water Ski National Championships in West Palm Beach, Florida, during the week of August 14-18th that he made the U-13 USA Team. He is headed to the Malibu Pan American Water Ski Championships in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, September 12-15th.

During the preliminary heat today Quinn placed first with a jump of 37.1 meters or 121.7192 feet.

I shot a couple of videos of Wyatt and Quinn as well as a couple photos. Wyatt takes you on a wild run through the slalom course and Quinn takes you on a flight off the ramp as he practiced his jumping.

Hope you enjoy.

Pro Tip: I used a variety of cameras for this video shoot. Two GoPros in waterproof cases, a Contour GPS in a waterproof case and a JVC pro video camera from on board the boat. I was able to mount two cameras on the ramp, the Contour was on the side using a magic arm and one of the GoPros under the ramp where Quinn would be launching from. I made sure that both were in a safe location so that if Quinn were to enter the ramp early he would not get injured by hitting the camera off to the side. Dad approved both locations and was psyched with the prospects these spots could produce. I put other GoPro on Quinns’ helmet. This allowed me to get two different angles of him approaching the ramp and two as he flew through the air and then landing. I got some help editing from Mike Piskorski and Scott Vargas of FOXCT which helped a lot in matching and blending sound from all those sources.

For the slalom video I put a GoPro in a harness strapped to Wyatt’s chest and let him make a couple passes. I shot from the boat with the JVC and then cut the two clips trying to match the sequences as he sped through the course. Then I just added a high voltage guitar track to give it a little splash.

Working with people that are willing to try a few tricks made it all worth while.

Good luck this week Quinn!

End of Summer

August 31, 2012 by John Woike

Where did the summer go? That question seems to always arise once Labor Day, the “unofficial – End of Summer”, arrives. The summer seems to go quicker each year as I get older, a week at the shore in the middle of it all is my greatest respite from the daily grind of life.

As the next season approaches I felt it was worth a look back on the summer and some of my favorite images.

The “Transit of Venus”.

I was sent to cover the transit of Venus, a once in a lifetime event at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium in New Haven. It had been cloudy all day and there was little hope when I left Hartford that the sun would be visible as the tiny planet made its pass across. But with some patience and a little luck the clouds began to breakup around 6 o’clock and by 6:30 the grand event began.

The planetarium provided me with a large neutral density filter that knocks out 99.999% of the sun’s harmful rays to allow me to capture the photo of the sun. As I was shooting the crowd that had gathered for the show, Jason Archer picked up the filter and used it to look at the transit as other used special glasses to catch a glimpse. I like the effect the filter gave, almost like a portal looking out into space as the the overcast clouds are reflected on the surface.

Hartford Courant reporter Hillary Federico took a “shot” with Dom Basile, a certified firearms instructor, as he gave her pointers and a little backup while test firing a M16 machine gun at the Metacon Gun Club in Simsbury. Basile talked about the recent spike in female gun use in advance of the “Women on Target” program which will be held at the club later this month.

Assault rifles are a hot buzzer topic, love or hate them, in the right hands – like a trained instructor, police or military officer, they are a weapon used to “keep the peace”. But in the wrong hands, they are a merciless machine that devastates lives. On July 20, 2012, a little less than a month after this photo and article were published a man in full body tactical armor entered a movie theater in Aurora, CO., for a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” killing 12 people and injuring 58 others, the highest number of casualties in an American mass shooting. One of the weapons he used was an assault rifle.

The Travelers Championship had to be one of the hottest golf tournaments I’ve covered at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell. Chris Stroud tries to keep cool with a wet towel over his head during the second round of the 2012 Travelers Championship golf tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell Friday. Stroud shot a 68 and finished the day at -1.I think I got heat stroke after the Pro-Am Wednesday. The heat and humidity also took a toll on UConn women’s head coach Geno Auriemma as he had to be removed from the course after 13 holes on a golf cart and received I.V. fluids at the medical station back near the clubhouse.

One other thing you can usually count on during the week of the tournament is rain. Jon Martel of Bristol heads for the parking lot after play was officially suspended for the day during the second round of the 2012 Travelers Championship golf tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell Friday. Martel is a volunteer with Webster Bank and is the Hole Captain on the 2nd hole during the tournament, he and the players will be back on course at 7 am to complete the second round and the cut will be made.

Another thing you can count on, is a first time tour winner hoisting the trophy on Sunday. Marc Leishman kept the streak going after posting a score of -14 as the leaders were still out on the course. But the final four holes proved to be disastrous as each that held the lead squandered their opportunity leaving Leishman with his first tour victory.

Leslie Gordon, an instructor at the Yoga Center of Collinsville, helps lead a new class that incorporates yoga and paddle boards. It is based on paddle boarding, which is a very hot new water sport. Paddle boards look like big surfboards, but you stand atop them with a paddle and paddle around. They are selling like crazy. And now people are doing yoga on the paddle board. A yoga studio in Collinsville has a teacher who leads yoga sessions on paddle boards on a calm section of the Farmington River in Collinsville.

Andrew Haraghey, 16, is a rising star in the sports world as he claimed 5 gold medals in the 2011-2012 Disabled Sports USA Ski Tour this past winter. Haraghey, of Enfield, has cerebral palsy and is training to compete in the 2014 Paralympics which will be held in Russia. He’ll be heading off to Mount Hood in Oregon on July 10 to begin on slope training.

I used a stencil template that Andrew and his mom had made from cardboard to cut out stars that they would sell in his fundraising efforts.

C.J. Martin takes a shot as he passes a guest watching a chucker at Giant Valley Polo Club in Hamden Thursday evening. Matches are held every Sunday afternoon and sometimes spectators are treated to live music as a backdrop to the action. The shoot was for the “Parting Shot” feature in Hartford Magazine, which is now under the CT1 Media umbrella of publications.

Vernon resident Andrew Badecker, 25 (as of July 28), quit his last ordinary job in 2007 after winning $7000 playing online poker. Having already dropped out of college, his parents kicked him out of their house. Since then, he’s gone on to win more than $2 million playing poker in professional tournaments and online. He lives a suitcase life, always traveling and never in one place for more than a couple of months, while consistently confronting the challenges of being a so-called gambler and the realization that he doesn’t have a “normal” life.

When I walked into the house of Andrew he was wearing a tank top and ironing a yellow shirt on the kitchen table.As we talked he explained he normally wore loud colors and bold sunglasses so when I saw his yellow shirt and the color scheme of the living room I knew where I wanted to take his portrait. Two lights, one with a softbox a grid to direct the light and another behind him to illuminate the colors of the two walls behind him. I bold and brash portrait for a guy that likes to make a statement.

This was one of those “Bad ideas gone worse” situations. After torrential rains caused flash flooding in Naugatuck this pickup truck was resting on the edge of a parking lot that had be eroded away by the rain.

So after assessing the situation these guys figured they had a plan to get the truck off the egde and safely onto the parking lot above. Things don’t always ended up like you planned as these men found, once the truck started going forward the weight shifted and over the side it went. Now they had a real problem.

Juan Morrero of New Haven holds onto his nine year old daughter Anysha (L) as her twin Tenysha enjoys the cool water at Wadsworth Falls in Middlefield rush over her Monday afternoon. Morrero said he hadn’t been to the Falls in about 14 years but thought of it as the family was looking for someplace different to cool off.

Mike Roberge of M&M tennis court company in Bristol spreads the red paint that will outline the courts at Plainville High School Thursday morning. Roberge, of Bristol, was working with Joe Foran of Farmington on the project that will be finished in time for school. I climbed the fence surrounding the courts to get a high angle, much to the amusement of the workers.

After a micro-burst ripped through South Glastonbury August 10th knocking power at the Glastonbury Hill Country Club, Tim Smith waits with his daughter Colleen Elizabeth Smith, her flower girls and bridesmaids for the start of her wedding. Severe weather delay the ceremony for over an hour and a half as the bridal party and guests had to navigate through back roads to get to the country club due to downed power lines and trees all around the area. Since the storm had knocked out the power the reception was moved to the Inn at Middletown which was able to help out the newlyweds on short notice.

Diana Benza of Bristol grabs a handful of balloons from Bob Irvine as they set up for an engagement party for Benza’s brother Alex Irvine’s daughter Annie at Elizabeth Park Wednesday evening. The happy couple thinks they are attending a birthday party for Letitia Benza, the grooms mother. Annie and Alex are from Wethersfield.

The sun set on top seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during second round action Tuesday evening at the New Haven Open at Yale tennis tournament after she retired during the the second set due to a right shoulder injury. Radwanska lost the first set 6-0 to Olga Govortsova of Belarus and was down 2-1 in the second before retiring.

I’ve never covered the US Open and likely never will but I’ve enjoyed covering the tennis tournament in New Haven throughout its history. I’ve been able to shoot the stars of my generation, Becker, Lendl, McEnroe, Aggasi, Blake, Monica, Lindsay, Steffi, Venus and many more. There are certain times of the day that I like the best, late afternoon and the very beginning of the night match, especially when the sunsets.

Twenty seven teams from across the country and Canada pushed their limits of endurance and strength during the final day of the 2012 Connecticut SWAT Challenge at Reservoir #6 in West Hartford Thursday afternoon. Members of CSP #1 (Connecticut State Police) run with a few tires chained together during one obstacle on the course.

Actor Kevin Cottle works the fly rod during filming of Connecticut “Still Revolutionary”, the second TV spot for its tourism campaign. This time, instead of going to the shoreline/Connecticut River valley, they’re going to Litchfield County. The iconic West Cornwall Covered bridge over the Housatonic provides the backdrop for this scene.

Being a native of Connecticut I love to take rides into Litchfield County. My dad would pack my mom and brother into the car and we would take road trips to People’s Forest, Kent Falls and other places in the northwest part of the state. It is a wonderful place to take a “Sunday drive” when the foliage is in full display.

With matching “Barbie” backpacks, dresses and shoes, twins Raelin and Aubrae Oporto, 7, are led down the hall by mom Tricia Dunn as the new Bristol West Elementary School opened Thursday as students arrived for the first day of class.

First day of school, that goes back a long way.

Tonight my assignment fell through in Rocky Hill so I took a little ride along the Connecticut River. If you venture off the beaten path there is a dirt road that follows the river from Wethersfield south to Rocky Hill through corn fields and grass lands. I used to water ski on the Connecticut with a cousin or old friend years ago so I sometimes search for someone out enjoying the evening. As Labor Day begins, take a few moments to relax, enjoy a cold one, spend time with family and most of all be grateful for the little things in life…

…because before you know it, you’ll be saying, I can’t believe its Christmas already. Just 115 shopping days to go.

As I was driving home I decided to take a drive to a place I like to stop once in a while to watch the moon or sun rise. Tonight a Blue Moon rose above the city of Hartford.

Goodnight Moon:
…Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Good night cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens
And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks
And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house
And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush
And goodnight to the old lady
whispering “hush”
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere

–”Goodnight Moon”, text by Margret Wise Brown

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Hunter-gatherers

July 13, 2012 by Cloe Poisson

In anthropological terms, photojournalists are akin to hunter-gatherers. We hunt for and gather pictures to feed the eternally hungry pages of the newspaper, not unlike a growing child, and their voraciously hungry teenage brother, the web.

We are always on the prowl, even when we’re not working. We’re always searching, eyes darting from side to side as we cruise around the state, ready to hit the brakes when something catches our eye, something pixel-worthy. This is a skill that has been passed down through generations. My first week on the job at the Courant, in pre-historic times 25 years ago, I was sent out on an instructional foray with the intrepid photographer Dan Haar (who has since given up the hunter-gatherer lifestyle for a more predictable desk job as business editor and columnist) as my guide. Dan taught me valuable skills that I employ to this day, like how to multi-task while scouring the burbs for feature photos. I learned how to avoid hitting objects like mail boxes, pets and small children while driving and simultaneously turning my head from side to side tenaciously browsing the bushes for movement and signs of life. After grabbing sandwiches at a local deli, Dan taught me how to eat and drive while steering with my knees, tirelessly scanning the passing landscape for prey. And he taught me to economize by demonstrating how to shoot an assignment AND an enterprise photo all on one roll of film (yes, film. Remember that?)

The urge to hunt and gather is so powerful, we even do it unconsciously. When we’re at an assignment and should be concentrating on the subject matter, our eyes are always searching, scanning, easily distracted by unusual visual stimulus. Recently, while photographing the Bristol Eastern High School graduation on a steamy June evening, my eyes kept drifting over to a sprinkler at the edge of the football field, the setting sun illuminating the water with a gorgeous golden glow. Suddenly, a little girl, too distracted by the summer heat to watch her sister graduate, wandered over to the sprinkler to cool off. I crouched, I framed, I focused, I waited, and at last I captured my prey.

Birds of a Feather

June 7, 2012 by Cloe Poisson

On a warm morning in May as I was getting ready to leave for work, I noticed a male Bluebird sitting atop my bird feeder. I waited inside and watched him hop from the feeder, which is next to my driveway, onto the edge of my car window near the side rearview mirror. He kept jumping off the window ledge and hovering in front of the mirror, flapping his wings and tapping it with his feet, before coming back to rest. He repeated this several times. I quietly snuck outside, grabbed my camera and a long lens from my trunk, found a good position a few feet down my driveway, and waited. He flew off into the nearby tree when he spotted me, but came back a minute later to resume his attack. He continued for several minutes as I fired away.

A few days earlier I had heard a segment on NPR’s Birdnote Moment about this very behavior when birds see their reflection in a mirror or window. The segment explained that the birds think the reflection is an intruder moving in on their breeding territory and they try to scare it off. Birders recommend that if you see this response, known as “battering robin syndrome,” that you cover the reflective surface that causes the bird to feel threatened, as some birds will do it to exhaustion. To read more about this fascinating avian behavior, read the transcript of the Birdnote installment by Frances Wood: http://www.birdnote.org/show/american-robin-valiant-challenger

Coincidently, Courant photographer Michael McAndrews found an identical situation in a parking lot at Riverside Park in Glastonbury this week, but with a male Cardinal on the offensive. “I immediately thought of your picture,” McAndrews said when he told me about his find. “This bird was pretty messed up because he had so many cars to choose from,” he said. The Cardinal was flitting back and forth attacking his reflection in multiple car mirrors. He finally gave up the fight after several cars left.

Transit of Venus- Obscured by Clouds

June 5, 2012 by John Woike

All photos and text by John Woike / The Hartford Courant

I spent most of May on the Picture Desk at the Courant, a job we all share as our duties get spread among those that remain at the oldest continuously newspaper in the country. It sure feels good to be back in the field.

Today was a transit of Venus, a rare astronomical event that will not happen again until December 11, 2117. Overcast skies across the state caused the website at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale to post a message stating the likelihood of viewing the transit would be poor. That didn’t stop over three hundred people who came out to witness the event, they were not disappointed when the clouds broke. I’m grateful for being able to have witnessed this since I’m sure I won’t be around the next time it passes Earth.

When I arrived the clouds were packed in and greyish but there was a buzz as the crowd began to gather around 4pm. The staff at the observatory were kind enough to loan me an 8″ neutral density filter that they use on some of their telescopes, it worked perfect. Not sure what my exposure was since I was rapidly changing the shutter as the clouds rolled past but my best guess is around 2000 ISO, f2.8 @ 1/1000th shutter. I used shutter priority as the camera setting. This image was shot with a 400/f2.8, on a tripod and then cropped in Photoshop afterward.

After taking a few shots of the Sun and Venus I turned my attention to the crowd that was in amazement as the sun went in and out of the clouds. While I was packing up my lens Jason Archer had picked up the neutral density filter I was using and began to view the transit. I first met Jason on another assignment at the planetarium at the Connecticut Children’s Museum in West Hartford a few years ago. I love how the sky is reflected in the filter, a group of people wearing eclipse or neutral density glasses leaned in while trying to get a view and the clouds behind them are dark and ominous. The contrast works beautifully.

Frederik Simons and Alain Plattner, both of Princeton University, were in town for a conference and stopped by to join the people that came out to witness the transit.

Rabbi Avi Hack holds his son Tzvi Yehuda Hack, 5, up to the telescope so he can get a better view while a line of people wait their turn.

You don’t feel out of place wearing weird glasses in public when everyone else is wearing them too.

Ben Newton of Old Saybrook stood away from the main group of people as he adjusts his glasses.

Scott Bombroski of Wallingford, a member of the Astronomical Society of New Haven, demonstrates how a “Sunspotter” works to a small group of people. The image of the Sun and Venus past through a lens on the front then get reflected off a series of mirrors until it shows on a piece of paper at the bottom of the triangular device.

Susan Renkon (C) and Giancarlo Accettullo (L), are struck by the view as the clouds cleared for a few moments.

John Parejko (L), a Yale post doctoral student of Astronomy, mans a telescope as lines of people streamed through the parking lot at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium.

About three hundred people of various ages gathered to watch the transit of Venus from the grounds of the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale.

(L to R) Simon Jacobs of New Haven and Laurie Guenther of Meriden stood outside one of the observation telescope rooms at the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium in New Haven to get a better view of the transit. The two didn’t know one another before tonight but they, like many that attended the event, started talking about the beauty of the night and how lucky they were to have witnessed it.

Pro Tip: It paid off getting to the assignment early, even though the weather forecast was not cloudy skies, it gave me a chance to talk with the staff at the observatory which eventually led to me being able to use a neutral density filter they had, it proved to be very fruitful. Patience, patience, patience. Waiting can be frustrating but when you hold out hope for a break, sometimes your wishes are answered.

Cameras used – Nikon D300s and D300. Lens – 17-55/f2.8, 70-200/f2.8 and a 400/f2.8. Metering set Matrix and camera set on shutter priority.

Imagination Gone Wild

May 11, 2012 by Cloe Poisson

“But the wild things cried, “Oh please don’t go – we’ll eat you up – we love you so!”
And Max said, “No!”
The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws but Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye.”
from “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak

I was fortunate to be assigned to photograph renowned children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak at his Ridgefield home in 2006 to accompany a story being written by Courant arts writer Frank Rizzo in advance of the children’s opera ”Brundibar,” in which he collaborated, to be presented in New Haven. Sendak died this week at age 83 in Danbury after suffering a stroke. He leaves behind a body of work that will leave indelible marks on generations of children. His iconic “Where the Wild Things Are” is at once strange and captivating. I always marveled at the “monsters” he drew that blurred the line between fear and fascination, revulsion and charm. When my son, Will, was little, I read “Where the Wild Things Are” to him dozens of times. I always imagined a little bit of Max in Will, and how perhaps he related to Max’s escape to the land of the wild things after being scolded. Here are a few of my favorite images from my brief time with the late, great Maurice Sendak.

Michael Douglas – Meeting the Man

April 23, 2012 by John Woike

When I was asked if I would be interested in taking a trip the NYC to photograph Michael Douglas for an upcoming ARTS cover I jumped at the opportunity. Douglas was being honored with the 12th Annual Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene O’Neill Theater, a place that he honed his craft growing up in Connecticut.

I have been a fan of his from his early work in “The Streets of San Francisco” with Karl Malden. Really enjoyed his role in Wall Street, Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. Besides my editor Sherry Peters said “Who knows, maybe Catherine will be there!” Yes indeed, this could be very fun.

The shoot was to take place at the couples Central Park West apartment. When I arrived I was disappointed to see the building shrouded in scaffolding and netting due to repairs on the exterior but the view from their living space was still breathtaking on this early Spring afternoon.

Douglas was running a little behind but his assistant was there to greet me as reporter Frank Rizzo had arrived a few minutes earlier. The spare time allowed me to check the place out for a suitable location for a portrait and photos during the interview.

A fine Steinway & Sons piano sat in one corner with little pieces of tape on the keys to help Douglas and daughter Carys learn the notes.

As I walked around the spacious quarters I heard a clicking sound that only one thing I know of makes on hard wood floor. I was standing near the entry when in walks Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Stunning is all I can say. She greet me and welcomed Frank and I to her home. The window light in the apartment is gorgeous and so is she. I felt odd wanting sooo badly to take a photo but I wasn’t there to photograph her. I didn’t want to act like some star struck paparazzi but I guess in some ways that is what I ended up being as I snuck this shot as she and her assistant were leaving for an appointment. Oh well, maybe next time I’ll be asked to take her portrait…

When Michael arrive I asked him to sit on the couch facing the windows in the sitting area as he talked about his career with Frank. The background setting was a little busy but the photographs were telling a part of his life that added to the story.

On August 16, 2010, it was announced that Douglas was suffering from throat cancer and would undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The cancer and treatment seems to have taken a toll on him and at 67 he’s beginning to look a lot like his father Kirk.

He lost over 30 pounds during treatment and was tired a lot but today he seemed to be doing better and gaining weight back.

When he looked back at a portrait of him taken during filming of “The China Syndrome”, which he both produced and starred in, a glint of his past showed in his expression.

As the interview wound down I was hoping for a chance to get him alone for just a couple of minutes to get a simple portrait, one with little distraction in the background but he politely declined as he was growing tired. “Besides, you must taken some good ones during the interview, no?” Yes, but as a photographer I always hope to walk away with that one image that just says it all. That’s difficult to do when you are shooting during an interview as facial expressions can be fickle while people talk, reflect, etc…so I wasn’t going to push it with him.

As we were leaving I kept trying to angle him into the doorway that had a couple of richly stained panels and a clean background as the window light fell off. I think he knew what I was trying to do so it was kind of a cat and mouse thing. He’d give me a glance every once in a while as he talked to Frank and let me get something close to what I was hoping for.

I guess between the last two images I like this one the best for it’s simplicity. Now if I could have only gotten him to look my way, if only for a moment…

Pro Tip: Shooting actors and entertainers can be a very satisfying or frustrating depending on their time, personality, assistants or the setting available. Working with reporters on these assignments can be just as trying but nothing is predictable so take a deep breath and have fun.

Workin’ It

April 13, 2012 by Cloe Poisson

It was my good fortune recently to be given an assignment to photograph veteran jazz pianist Emery Smith at his home in Hartford’s Blue Hills neighborhood. The assignment requested a portrait of Mr. Smith to go with a story running April 22 in the Arts section in advance of his appearance in the Baby Grand Piano series at the Hartford Public Library on April 29. Upon my arrival at his modest Cape on a quiet street, I had to knock a few times before he heard me since he was inside playing piano at the time. When he came to the door, he greeted me warmly and invited me in. I asked him where his piano was. He led me to a small room where his baby grand sat snuggly surrounded by shelves of books, knick knacks, and stereo equipment. Although the assignment asked for a portrait, I asked him if he wouldn’t mind sitting down to play while I took pictures. I don’t necessarily think a portrait has to have the subject sitting staring into the lens. Some of the best portraits capture the subject working their craft. Smith willingly obliged and as I began setting up lights he started playing a string of jazz numbers that delighted and soothed me as I worked. The room was a challenge, and its cramped space left me little room to work with. I tried several angles to see what worked best. The problem: how to eliminate some of the room clutter to make Smith stand out without losing all the ambiance. I started with one light with a small soft box on the other side of the room. I liked the way the light skimmed Smith’s face and lit his hands, but I would need a higher angle to avoid my light.

I started moving the light back toward the side wall to get better illumination on Smith’s face, but lost light on his hands in the process. In order to avoid the bookshelves behind his head, I had to take a lower vantage point, but still needed to move the light back further behind the piano top.

Now the soft box was hidden, but it was illuminating the rest of the room too much. And I still had to add light to Smith’s hands.

I added a second light fitted with a grid and a snoot to direct the light onto Smith’s hands. As it was, I was shooting from a tight corner with no room to maneuver, and I had to place the light just to my right, up against the wall. I wanted the viewer’s eye to go to Smith’s face and hands, rather than to the surroundings. I also thought darker tones would better fit the subject, since when I think of jazz, I think of a dimly lit, smoky room. But there was still too much light spilling into the room from the soft box, now at a 90 degree angle to Smith.

By replacing the softbox on my main light with a snoot, I was able to achieve the effect I was looking for, highlighting Smith’s face and hands in a dramatic way, while leaving hints of his environment. An hour and several adjustments later, I had my shot – serenaded the entire time with Smith’s silky tunes.

Once I had my shot, I asked Smith to pose for a more traditional portrait in case it worked better with the story. At the very least, it would be good to have for our files.

Working in tight spaces can be challenging, but with perseverance and trial and error, problems can be solved.

Patience Pays Off

March 12, 2012 by John Woike

Patience.

A word that I have come to better understand over the last year.

One that I have always liked to say I had, but sometimes would lose with little notice.

However, when searching for an interesting photo I could watch paint dry to get the image I was hoping for.

Early last week I was out looking for weather features in the Hartford area. I had often driven past the Ebony Horsewomen stables in the North End near Kenney Park but each time I stopped there were no programs going on. Tuesday afternoon was a different story.

When I first arrived I notice Marissa Elish, 17, and Angie Womack, 15, walking out to the fenced in area where the horses graze. The afternoon light was just getting low on the horizon and back lit this situation perfectly. I noticed a set of stairs directly in front of where the girls were head so I climbed to the top to get a nice overhead view of the scene. I was pleased with the first image I captured but wanted to spend some time with the students that frequent the place.

Walking around the grounds I came upon Damian Deberry, 9, leading Strawberry, to the barn under the watchful eye of Shayde Breedlove. There are plenty of farm animals on hand to keep an eye on you, like…

Elvis and UConn, two goats that kept me in their sights while I was waiting for another photo to happen.

I was drawn to this image because of the vertical lines of the buildings, now I just had to wait for someone to walk between the two. Thank you Deka Lane who walked Sankofa back to the barn after giving dressage riding lessons. Lane has been at the Ebony Horsewomen program for about 10 years and is a master senior counselor. (It did take about 5 minutes for this to happen but I knew that the next riding lessons were happening at 4:30 so I took up my position at about 4:20)

Diamond Hamlet, 19, has been apart of the Ebony Horsewomen program since she was about 9 years old, Tuesday she was helping groom some of the horses like Ali.

Trudian Finnikin, 17, pets Hansome to keep him calm while he gets a grooming Tuesday afternoon. Finnikin has been with the Ebony Horsewomen program in Hartford for two years. I didn’t want to overexpose this image since I really like the rim-light effect on Hansome.

Moving 90 degrees from the previous photo I used the direct sunlight on Hansome to get this portrait of him eating his feed. I exposed for the highlights to capture rich detail and let the background fade to black.

When I entered the riding ring a was struck by the sliver of daylight created by the barn door being left open. When sixteen year old Naiomi Gurahoo walked Carter over to a step stool for mounting, she moved into the beam of light, and for a moment turned her head towards the door. Exposing for the highlights in this image allowed the background once again fade to black.

Mark Cook, a reader, sent me an email last week regarding this photo and the technique used, it ran on B3 in the Connecticut section.

The first thing I do when arriving at a location is to look at the available light. Is there any natural light coming in the room or am I locked into using the light source of the room, in this case – fluorescent. Next I decide where I want to stand to compose the shot I’m hoping happens. Watching as the kids rode the horses around the ring it was evident that unless someone rode near the center of the ring I was not going to get anything worth while. When Tyrell Spence, 14, tried his hand riding Strawberry, a pony at the Ebony Horsewomen program, I knew I might come away with the image I envisioned. Strawberry, despite her size, is a very strong willed pony and if you don’t control her with some authority, she’ll show you who’s boss. On the second pass around the ring the two rode into the sunlight and turned towards me, I took about five frames in the sequence. Rick Hartford, our photo editor (this month – our staff rotates on a monthly basis), and I chose this photo. He pushed to get it on the cover of the Connecticut section but there was a photo with a story already laid out so it landed on B3.

I used a Nikon D300 body with a 17-55/2.8 lens set at 35mm. Shutter set at 1/500th, ISO 400, aperture 2.8.

Pro Tip: Sometimes on assignment you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect photo to happen, but when you do, take advantage of it. If I had called it quits after arriving at the stables and capturing the first photo in the blog, I never would have stumbled upon the last one.

Generations of Syrup

February 29, 2012 by Bettina Hansen

Wayne Palmer, owner of the Winding Brook Sugar House in Hebron checks the hydrometer in his maple syrup evaporator during his second boil of the season. Palmer is the fourth generation to take on the craft of sugaring in his family, originally from Eagle Lake, Maine. He built the sugar house and put in the evaporator about eight years ago.

Walking into the Winding Brook Sugar House in Hebron, you’ll be greeted by two things: Gibson, a happy yellow lab limping with age, and the condensation from the steaming evaporator dripping onto your shoulders and hair.

Owner Wayne Palmer is the fourth generation in his family to carry on the tradition of boiling sap into maple syrup each season. Graduating from a small boiler in his basement, Palmer built the pristine sugar house and installed the gleaming evaporator about eight years ago. His cousin, grandfather and great-grandfather all took on the labor-intensive task before him.

When asked why is father never took it up, Palmer answered that he was one of nine siblings – four boys and five girls.

“He knew better,” Palmer says of his father. As for the rest of his brothers and sisters, he said, “They come here for one day to see what it takes, and then they stay away.”

Most seasons he collects about 550-600 gallons of sap, but this season is a little earlier than the last, by about two to three weeks. Many nights above freezing, and many days in the fifties, spell an early end.

“It’s a funny year,” Palmer said. “When the trees bud, we have to stop.”

Palmer shows off a fresh batch of light amber maple syrup that just came out of his evaporator. The flavor is lighter and has more vanilla notes to it than the darker, more concentrated types.

Joe Butler of East Hampton throws firewood into the boiler at the Winding Brook Sugar House in Hebron. Butler is friends with owner Wayne Palmer, and brought his kids along to give Palmer a hand with the second boil of the season.

Palmer walks outside to check on the lines feeding sap into his evaporator.

Don Doucette of Columbia reaches to get firewood at the Winding Brook Sugar House in Hebron Thursday. Doucette is the brother-in-law of owner Wayne Palmer and has been helping him boil sap into maple syrup for the last ten years.

Gibson the yellow lab gives a look to Paul Humphreys of Rocky Hill, as he eats a turkey sandwich while taking a break from boiling sap into maple syrup Thursday in Hebron. Humphreys sits on one of his drums of sap, all in all about 70 gallons that he estimated might boil down to about 1.5 gallons of syrup. 'It's a labor of love, I guess, right?' Humphreys was using an old boiler at the Winding Brook Sugar House, owned his friend Wayne Palmer. Gibson is Palmer's dog.

Taste all sorts of maple treats at the 22nd annual Hebron Maple Festival, coming up the weekend of March 10-11 in the center of town.

PRO TIP – Curiosity pays off. I found Wayne at the Winding Brook Sugar House before the sugaring season, left my business card with him, and he called me back when they started boiling. Schedule and plan to make the pictures you want to find.

WINTER THAT WASN’T

February 28, 2012 by Stephen Dunn

A harbinger of spring? One year ago there was a foot of snow on the ground during one of the worst winters in history. Today, a bright red robin sits in a bud-filled tree waiting for spring. This is mid-winter?

One year ago, there was still a foot of snow on the ground and more on the way. It was the killer winter that would never end. January 2011 was the snowiest month ever for Connecticut, breaking the record set in 1945 with 45 inches. Last January we had already had 59.8 inches on the ground. In contrast, the snow total for Hartford so far this year is a paltry 2.” For those of us who work outdoors, this has been the best winter ever. For skiers and lovers of snow, this may be the most boring winter ever.

Remember this? School was cancelled once again in Tolland last winter as town crews worked with bucket loaders and shovels to clear the entrances and fire exits of the Tolland Intermediate School. Some drifts were as high as the second floor of the building completely obscuring the exit doors and windows.

The winter of 2011 was so severe that there was even snow on the beach at Rocky Neck State Park.

Margie Chardiet of New Haven, left, took advantage of the fresh snow at Elizabeth Park last February 22nd to take her cousin, Frances Terrien, 7, sledding.

PRO TIP- When I spotted the bright red robin atop the tall, budding tree, I realized that I did not have the long lenses I would need to make the shot. I dug into my camera bag of tricks and came up with a 2X extender which doubled the focal length of my zoom lens. These extenders tend to be less sharp than a good quality long lens but it was better than nothing. My tip? Never give up on a shot. Try something and hope it works.

Paczki & Ashes

February 27, 2012 by Patrick Raycraft

At Larose's Bakery on Broad Street in New Britain, Paul Krancicki, 43, deep fries paczki, a popular Polish pastry that resembles a donut or bagel. The traditional pastry is savored on Fat Tuesday before the beginning of Lent.

On Fat Tuesday in New Britain it’s the succulent Polish paczki at Larose’s Bakery. On Ash Wednesday in Hartford, it’s a Portuguese mass at Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Fátima.

Father Antonio Jorge Tchingui blesses Zachary Gacome, 2, on the forehead with ashes during a noontime Ash Wednesday mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Hartford. Fr. Tchingui is the Portuguese-speaking pastor of Our Lady of Fatima.

Be My Valentine

February 14, 2012 by Bettina Hansen

Show thumbnails Caption

Victoria Lockyer (L) and DeeAnna Dederer leave Windsor Town Hall after a civil ceremony declared them married. This is the fiftieth year the town has offered free weddings at Town Hall. Photograph by MARK MIRKO | mmirko@courant.com
HARTFORD, CT - 2.14.2012 - LOVE AMBUSH - Rev. Victor Gomez (from left) and Rev. Armando Hernandez, both of New Haven, pray with other members of the Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care in Connecticut outside the SustiNet Health Care Cabinet meeting at the DEP on Tuesday morning. The fellowship then organized a "love ambush" and delivered a Valentine's Day message to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office. The fellowship is disappointed that Gov. Malloy has not worked more closely on a public health care option. PATRICK RAYCRAFT | praycraft@courant.com
WETHERSFIELD - 2/14/12 - Wearing trademark red bow ties and cummerbunds, A barbershop quartet from the Silk City Chorus had a full day on Tuesday, Valentines Day, visiting couples, spouses, and retirement homes from nine in the morning to eight at night entertaining surprised recipients with classic barbershop quartet harmonies. STEPHEN DUNN | sdunn@courant.com
WETHERSFIELD - 2/14/12 - Sam Hurewitz, left, has been dating Terri Planco for 3 years and she decided to surprise Sam with a singing valentine Tuesday morning while they had there usual weekly breakfast at the Wethersfield Diner for Valentine's Day. A barbershop quartet from the Silk City Chorus belted out several classic tunes as Sam looked on in stunned amazement. The singers are, from left to right: Jim Nolan of Glastonbury, Dave Kinkead of Glast, Frank Lehninger of Enfield and Cameron Bailey of Cromwell. "This is the most special man, right here," siad Planco, "He'll either love it or hate it. He did both." IAcross from Sam inthe booth is his friend, Sal Salvato, who, with his wife, Dorothy, joins Terri and Sam for breakfast at the diner every Tuesday. STEPHEN DUNN | sdunn@courant.com
HARTFORD - February 13, 2012 - Employees of the House of Flora were busily packaging 3,000 long-stem-red roses into half and full dozen bundles in anticipation of Valentines day on rush on Tuesday. Victor Borrero, of Hartford, delivers more roses to a make-shift rose assembly line in the basement of the New Britain Ave. florist. Borrero and a co-worker pruned blemished petals off the roses to sell separately, before packaging them. RICHARD MESSINA | rmessina@courant.com
HARTFORD - February 13, 2012 - Employees of the House of Flora were busily packaging 3,000 long-stem-red roses into half and full dozen bundles in anticipation of Valentines day on rush on Tuesday. Victor Borrero, of Hartford, delivers more roses to a make-shift rose assembly line in the basement of the New Britain Ave. florist. Borrero and a co-worker pruned blemished petals off the roses to sell separately, before packaging them. RICHARD MESSINA | rmessina@courant.com
NEW HAVEN - 02.13.2012 - Reflected in a flower vase, Kelly Cho, the owner of Gourmet Heaven in New Haven, makes flower bouquets inside her store. Cho says she usually orders about 1000 flowers per week but doubles that for Valentine's Day. MARK MIRKO | mmirko@courant.com
NORMAN, Oklahoma - 02/13/12 The University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma pleads with a player during their game against Oklahoma at the Lloyd Noble Center. UConn won, 73-55. CLOE POISSON | cpoisson@courant.com
WINDSOR - 02.14.2012 - Windsor residents Mark Baldwin, 51, and Gloria Baldwin, 53, tied the knot, literally, as part of their Valentine's Day marriage ceremony today at Windsor Town Hall. This was the first marriage for both. MARK MIRKO | mmirko@courant.com
WINDSOR, CT - 02.14.2012 - In front of a collection of photographs of Windsor couples who have been married on Valentine's Day -- and Victoria Lockyer's little brother Nicholas Noble -- , DeeAnna Dederer (L) and Victoria Lockyer kiss during a civil ceremony declaring them married. This is the fiftieth year the town has offered free weddings at Town Hall. Photograph by MARK MIRKO | mmirko@courant.com

“Love is a madness; if thwarted it develops fast.” – Mark Twain, The Memorable Assassination

Here are some of the best pictures from our Valentine’s Day coverage at the Courant.