Special thanks to our own State Senator Republican Roy McDonald who had the guts to vote against his own party and support the rights of the LGBT community

Charl and I look forward to photographing many happy same sex weddings in the future.

Should anyone be interested in our wedding photography you can see much more at: www.eliasweddings.com .

This very pretty cowgirl asked me if I was attending the barrel races that night and when a pretty girl asks…

Now I’ve never seen anything to do with a rodeo but I’m making a point to from now on! IT WAS AWESOME!!!

barrel racing - Washington County Fair

Greenwich, NY host this fair every year and I try to spend as much time there as possible photographing what I believe to be the most sincere fair in existence.

Beautiful farm girl washes her cow

Washington County Fair Midway and Ferris Wheel

Daurizios is such a place so I was back there yesterday to shoot more food for Tony. You can’t beat a job where you leave with the world’s best Stromboli!

Check out Tony’s awesome site that his brother has built as well as “FATBOY LAND” which serves as a blog and community board.

http://www.dauriziospizza.com/

I spent some time with Tony’s chef who makes a red sauce that must be tasted!

No Skimping on the Quality at Daurizios Pizza

The other week was certainly no exception as I found myself having a wonderful afternoon with Chris O’Connor mother of two of hardcore punks scions

whom I used to get into all sorts of trouble with back in the 1980′s. I think it would have been difficult to convince my younger self that I would be hanging out with my friend’s mother back when I sported a mohawk and dog collar.

Some of you may know Chris’s son Jason as the singer of seminal hardcore band Life’s Blood and Adam was in the band Intent; now 25 years later I’m spending time with their mom!

Chris makes wonderful hand made glass beads and necklaces that are real works of art as well as fabulous jewelry. I was shocked at how little these pieces go for considering the quality and skill with which they are made. You could get a whole lot less for a whole lot more money; I’m certainly eying these pieces for the holidays.

Reach Chris at… oconnor.chris@verizon.net (518) 374-8360

I have no idea why I thought the building looked shabby on the outside last visit; perhaps it was the early summer heat influencing me. Anyway; the building has a nice white brick front that is not shabby!

I figured that Facebook was going to be some sort of horrible piece of technology that drew creeps from my past to bug me but it has really been the opposite. Here is a great example of a stranger who wrote me and turned out to be a friend I simply had not met yet.

Tony Segreto is the owner of Daurizios “FATBOY” Pizza in Rotterdam, NY  where the slices are simply huge and everything on the menue is fantastic!

As my photography focuses on trying to explain our lives here in the Upstate New York region Tony and his pizza parlor are just what I am looking for to explain why I love this little corner of the state.

A nearly lifelong resident of Schenectady, NY Tony brings the best of Italian American hospitality and warmth to his very modest building. Don’t let the outside fool you; this is one of the best and most sincere pizza you are going to find. Like most Upstate NY’ers Tony like to feed people and his portions are truly gigantic. One slice of his chicken pizza has what I figure to be an entire breast of chicken!

Tony and his crew make everything fresh and by hand and his warmth and hospitality is the stuff that makes his customers keep coming back.

This is Upstate New York!

http://www.dauriziospizza.com Daurizios FatBoy Style Pizza & Catering – 2315 Curry Rd. Schenectady, Rotterdam, NY – 356-4577 or 356-1978

The fair is magical! There are so many good fried things to eat, colorful rides, giant animals and all sorts of people who have worked all year in anonymity who for one week show off their hard work.

From opening night with the smash em’ up derby to the goat judging I am in heaven. My year starts when they open those gates on that Friday afternoon in August.

Hungry little piglets feed from a sow.