Travel |

June 8, 2011

| Darren

boston, massachusetts

I can be a true Yankees fan and start off talking about the rivalry or maybe something about Tom Brady and how he’s oh-so handsome or how even Justin Bieber hated on Mr. Brady’s hair in the 2010 season. But in reality, I have nothing but love for Boston. You would think having grown up in the NYC area, I would have gone to Boston several times to see all of the historical landmarks that Boston has to offer, but nope. I’ve only been there once. So given the opportunity, it was pretty much a no-brainer. With no set agenda, my friend and I randomly wandered the city, seeing the various sites and it’s a really cool city. I’d love to live there for a few years, just to try it out.

Travel |

May 30, 2011

| Darren

memorial day in boston

While Memorial Day is pretty much known as the official start of the summer season in the United States, it’s really a day to recognize and commemorate the men and women who have served and died while performing their military duty to protect our great country. We at Esvy Photography would like to say Thank You!!!

These photos was taken in Boston Common with the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the background.

Travel |

April 28, 2011

| Darren

portland, oregon

When I think about Oregon, I think about the Ducks, the Beavers, the beautiful coastline, the Trailblazers and the game “Oregon Trail,” a game, I believe, everyone played in elementary school. That game was wicked tough; for some reason, my guys always contracted some serious illness and ended up not completing the journey! According to wikipedia, there’s now an iPhone and Facebook version!

So after visiting Seattle, I had a chance to visit Portland, Oregon. Previously, I’ve only driven through there, so I wasn’t really able to see any of the local sites. I didn’t really a lot of time to go touring, but I was able to check out the Pittock Mansion and Washington Park, which has the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Aboretum, and International Rose Test Garden. The 2nd photo is just cool landscape shot from within the park.

Travel |

April 11, 2011

| Darren

seattle skyline

It’s funny when you visit a city that you used to live in and how all the memories, good and bad, coming rushing back like it was only yesterday, even though years have gone by. When I finally got to see my friends after 2-3 years, only the good memories came back and I realized how much I missed the city and my great friends. It’s such a cool town. They asked me, “Do you think you’ll move back?” And it kinda made me think… it’s tough, there are parts of me that want to go back, but I’m not sure I could.

While there, I was busy making my rounds, but I also took some time to take in the sites, again. Because Seattle is essentially made up of a series of very big hills, it might be one of the few cities in the US with such an easily accessible viewpoint of the downtown area; in this case Kerry Park on Queen Anne (Hill). On any given day, there will be tons of tourists (and locals) enjoying the spectacular view, especially in the summer. But fortunately or unfortunately for me, it was a typical, rather rainy Seattle day.

Events, Travel |

March 10, 2011

| Darren

kina grannis in concert

So you’re probably wondering, if Darren and Mike are portrait and wedding photographers, why are they blogging about a musician? Quite simple: we are big fans of Kina Grannis. Not only is she talented, but she’s a perfect example of dreaming, working hard, sprinkling in a little bit of luck and you’ll get to spend your time doing what you love and for her that’s creating music. Remember how your parents taught you about dreaming and working hard for those dreams, when you were little? And so while you may not know Kina now, you may sometime soon. She’ll “Never Say Never“, she’ll work hard to create beautiful music for her fans… (haha, you like that Justin Bieber reference?) He’s another great of example of a combination of hard work and talent. You have to really admire their hard work and how it’s reached out to all parts of the country, and that’s why we support Kina.

She was an independent music artist for a while, but recently signed with a small label and is going on tour within the next month. So check out her website for tour dates! Kina’s Website is: www.KinaGrannis.com. And follow her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kinagrannis

The photos below are from her El Rey Concert back in December.

Travel |

March 3, 2011

| Darren

Let it Snow…

Oh the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful, And since we’ve no place to go, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” … and snow and snow and snow. If you’re in the Northeast, you know exactly what we’re talking about. Mother Nature has seen fit to bless us with so much that we’ve broken numerous records. I think I say that Syracuse has had over 140″ and Hartford has had over 83″. It’s been amazingly EPIC. Here are some photos, while beautiful, they also feel pretty haunting.

Travel |

February 1, 2011

| Darren

santa monica pier at sunset – los angeles, ca

Sunsets are pretty… but there’s just something about a California sunset that’s just really awesome! So go grab your wife/husband, GF/BF and a bottle of wine and enjoy these photos.

Travel |

January 20, 2011

| Darren

view from griffith observatory – los angeles, ca

Smog, pollution, glitz, glam, Hollywood and maybe even earthquake… those are probably the words that you typically associate with LA. What about pretty? Or natural? Or picturesque? Just go up to the Griffith Observatory and the latter will definitely come to mind. On a recent trip to LA, both for business and pleasure, I took some time do some tourist type stuff. I’ve never been to the Observatory before, so, as the astronomy nut that I am, I jumped at the opportunity! And it was a pretty awesome-ly nerdy place that allowed me to rediscover my inner geek, so much so that Sheldon from “The Big Bang Theory” would be proud…. oh yea, I also took some time to take in the pretty landscape and (smog-less) city views. Here are some shots from that day.

Travel |

December 25, 2010

| Mike

happy holidays

When I (Darren) was a kid, living just outside of New York City, I always used to visit Rockefeller center, especially when family was visiting from out of town. We would do the typical round of tourist spots like St Patrick’s and FAO. But now, a whole new crop of tourist spots have sprung up creating the necessity for crowd control and TSA-like lines that stretch for blocks along busy 5th Avenue. Back when I was a kid, Times Square was still a dangerous place to be, but now it’s the media capital of the world. And Thank You, Steve Jobs for creating hipster heaven in the form of a giant glass cube. So while the world and city has changed, the timeless traditions of the holidays, thankfully remain true.

Happy Holidays to you and your family!!!

Travel |

September 30, 2010

| Mike

california love – a trip up the golden coast

Call me crazy, but I don’t think Katy Perry was completely out of line when she wrote the lyrics to her most recent smash hit, “California Girls”. And I’m not just speaking solely about the local females, but generally speaking, the positive vibes that emanate from all the state’s surroundings. I always seem to find myself visiting the Golden State on good occasion that I could probably call it a tradition, and none of the cities I spend time in (San Francisco, San Diego, LA) never ever leave an ounce of disappointment or regret.

This year, I decided to take my left coast trip to the next level and take a drive up one of the most fascinating roads in the world, the Pacific Coast Highway. Compared to my typical daily drives down I-85 in Atlanta, it is unquestionably a splendid experience, and I highly encourage everyone who’s a fan of twisty roads and scenic views to give it a chance. Hopefully I’ll be able to take that drive again… perhaps in this Ferrari , driving like Michael Schumacher, while listening to the theme song to The OC. And now back to reality… and some photos. Enjoy!

Travel |

August 16, 2010

| Mike

views from across the atlantic pond

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting Europe for the 3rd year in a row. A flight in coach with a not so Top Chef dining experience was well worth it to have the opportunity to immerse myself in the glorious views, culture, and food fare on this side of the Atlantic. In the following photos, you’ll see many views that caught my eye while setting foot in Amsterdam, Venice, Milan, and Florence. I’m anxiously looking forward to my next visit. Seriously, Europe will never get old, like an episode of Friends. (Thank you, TBS, for the reruns. High five!) For those who are caught up in their daily grind in the American cultural bubble and are sitting on the fence about visiting, I hope these photos will push you over the edge.