Featured in Beantown Bride

My engagement shoot with Hope and Kristian last month in Marblehead, Massachusetts (see the blog entry for the full set) is featured this week in Beantown Bride (out of Boston). Check it out at beantownbride.com

Virginia Davis: In Memoriam

Last week, the mother of Troy Davis passed away.   Mrs. Virginia Davis has fought tirelessly for decades to save her son from execution by the State of Georgia.  Her daughter, Martina Correia, has described her as the "rock of the family" that held them together.  While she passed away in her sleep and did not seem to suffer, she was too young and healthy for this to have been expected. 

From a personal report from an Amnesty International staff person:

"'Natural causes' was listed as her cause of death. Strangely, when she went to see the doctor the day before for a check up, nothing seemed to be wrong with her health at all. [Those who know her and her struggle to save Troy] believe that she died from the emotional strain caused by the tremendous burden of caring for a son on death row and having a daughter battling cancer...  Even on Sunday, just a few days before her death, she was collecting signatures for Troy at church... She was a dedicated mother and a fighter in her own right. She inspires us to continue our struggle for justice."

Below are a few photos of Virginia that I captured in September 2008 as she stood outside the Georgia death row and execution facility awaiting Troy's execution.   Only 90 minutes before the scheduled execution, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay, and Troy is still alive today.  Many of these photos show those intense moments that Virginia had to live through.

Unfortunately, Troy Davis is expected to get another execution date in the coming months.  More information and action opportunities are at justicefortroy.org.


Below: Virginia pauses in relief with a friend just minutes after the news was announced that the U.S. Supreme Court had stayed Troy's execution.

Below: About three hours before the scheduled execution, Virginia retreats to the corner of a nearby Wendy's to talk to her son on a cell phone in what she thought would be the last time she would ever hear his voice.

Below: Virginia, with Rev. Al Sharpton, wait anxiously for news from the U.S. Supreme Court about Troy's final appeal, which was his final hope.

Below: Virginia lets out a cry of relief and joy when the news of the stay is announced.  Rev. Sharpton (at right), Wende Gozan (from Amnesty International at left) and supporters rejoice in the news.

Below: Virginia, with a supporter, gives thanks to God across the street from the death house, where an impromptu celebration is held.

Below: Virginia (left) and daughter Martina (center) rejoice with others in the parking lot celebration.

Below: Virginia hugs attorney Jason Ewart, who emerges from the death house, where he was to have witnessed Troy's execution a mere half-hour earlier.

A Leash on Life

I shot this assignment for the Columbia Paper (which sadly just had to let me go because of financial strains at the paper) where prisoners are paired with dogs for obedience training. Prisoners help prepare Humane Society dogs for adoption, and the animals even live in the cell with the selected prisoner (last photo below). Three dogs are currently housed at the jail in Greenport, NY. You can read more about the program, "A Leash on Life" in The Columbia Paper.

Amnesty International's "Get on the Bus"

Whenever possible, I always make it a point to photograph Amnesty International's "Get on the Bus" - a day of human rights action and education each April in New York City. This year was the 16th annual, and I have been almost every year since 2000, which I first moved to Boston to join the Somerville, Mass. Amnesty group that organizes the event.

(for more info on the event, visit gotb.org.)

For more photos, check out my Facebook photo gallery for this event.

For more photos, check out my Facebook photo gallery for this event.

Hope and Kristian Engagement

I met up with Hope and Kristian a few weeks ago near Marblehead, Massachusetts for their engagement photo session.  The fun and adorable couple were a blast to work with (as was the wind coming in off the coast). Props and energy abundant for this one. 

Hope and Kristian are to be wed in September this year near Bourne, Mass., the same place where Hope's sister was married the same time last year.   Check out more photos from the engagement shoot here.