Dedragging: Mykel's Come As You Are Session
De-Dragging Portrait Session | Drag Queen Photography | Come As You Are Boudoir | Apollo Fields NYC Portraits
Dedragging: Mykel's Come As You Are Session
She has one rule, well actually She has a full list of rules because She is a boss like that, but the most important one is: “Never take off any drag until you are home and the door is closed. Serve the full fantasy and commit to the gag.”
The night is over and in the car back I am itching to regain control of my normal body functions. Since leaving the house six hours ago, all I've been thinking about is taking off the drag that has deprived me of these basic needs. My feet have lost all feeling in the spiked heel death traps I have fastened to them. I go to take them off and give myself the beginning feelings of freedom from the martyrdom that is drag, but She reminds me, “Bitch, you’ll be fine. No one wants to see a flat-footed drag queen hobbling into her building. Buck up buttercup, we’re almost home.”
After an awkward farewell from my Uber driver, who is clearly going to spend the rest of the night compartmentalizing his sexual desire for She, I grow more and more excited to de drag with every brittle step I take. I am so close to freedom I could cry. The elevator is empty. No one can see me. I go to peel off the wig and free my head from the giant band of torture elastic. “No, no, no, No. What if the sexy neighbor is in the hall? I’m not going to be a bald headed bitch.” She scolds.
The terrifying bounce of the old elevator arriving on my floor reminds me sharply that I’ve had to pee since leaving the house. Being that my penis is taped up my own ass, I have to just forget about all bathroom requirements entirely. On two dead feet and a piercingly full bladder, I full on run/wobble from the elevator down the hall, looking like a drunk freshly birthed giraffe. I unbutton her dress and let it fall to the ground, while savagely ripping off her thumb and index finger nails with my teeth.
“What are you...?” Ignoring her completely I dump out the contents of her purse, and squat like a monkey to frantically get the keys. Out of the corner of my eye I see that hot neighbor coming out of his apartment. “I fucking told you! Oh my God! Get inside right now!” I unlock the door and lunge into the entry hall while incomprehensibly stammering ‘great to see you, have a good night’.
Immediately I’m dodging my dog Tux, who has undoubtedly been sitting in the same spot since I left, plotting his triumphant fanfare of love and adoration upon my return. I leap over him and make it to the bathroom just in time to peel down five layers of Capezio tights, releasing my foam butt pads like coiled snakes in a can.
The downright emotional release that comes from ripping off the duct tape and allowing my penis to emerge into an oxygen filled environment is life changing to say the least. Also the terrifying sight of it slowly accordioning out from the cave of my pelvis is something directly from a sci-fi horror movie. “There ya go buddy! Sweet release.” She says with kindness and understanding.
There I am, suddenly a man in a beautiful wig and makeup, tights rolled down to my calves, a nude lace bra, adorned in diamonds and jewels, and fully bedazzled plastic nails on. There is nothing more powerful than straddling a toilet and peeing in six inch heels. I catch a glimpse of me, her, us in the mirror and can’t help but feel proud. “ I love being gay.”
I waddle into my bedroom while avoiding the land mines of toys, ropes, and balls lovingly set out by my dog. I pry off my heels and try to set my feet flat on the ground, but anyone who has spent any significant amount of time in heels knows that your feet are going to be frozen in place like Barbie’s plastic arches for the next few hours. “Also, good luck with your lower back pain for the rest of the week darling. You’re fucked.” She’s right. I’m fucked.
Whoever invented underwire should be burned at the stake. “For. Real. Though. Henny.” She says while taking the first deep breath of the night. The alarmingly red indent around my torso after taking off her bra is a mere battle scar. I wear it with begrudging pride. Now comes the most painful part of de-dragging, taking off the nails. There is no kind way to tear off your own cuticles. You have to find your numb happy place and just bite those claws off and spit them victoriously across the room. “Oh shit, look out, he’s butch all of a sudden.”
I stand back from the mirror, and take a good last look while blood and oxygen begin to freely flow through my body again. Even though I’m a naked man standing there, I still see the woman I made looking back at me. It’s strange to say the words “woman I made”, because in reality She is shaping me. She gives me the power to see society see me, and I am strengthened every time She takes over. She is softer in her inflections and gestures, yet She requires more physical and emotional strength that I just don’t have when I’m a man. She’s a brave boss.
We stare at each other for minute. The corner of her lip smirks, and the sassy sultry sound of her voice says, “Bitch, you look stunning.” We grab the wig, and for a moment the world is in slow motion. She gives me a final wink, and I snatch it off my head. She’s gone for now. She was fabulous tonight.
Talent: Mykel Vaughn
Photography: Apollo Fields
Location: The Denizen Co.
New England Autumn Engagement Session
New England Autumn Engagement Session | Connecticut Foliage Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Jacki & Tim
Timing the New England foliage is never a perfect science– anyone who has tried to chase the leaves knows that all it takes is one nasty frost or snowfall and the whole landscape can get nipped overnight. So trying to schedule engagement sessions around the leaves during busy season can be especially tricky. However, with Jacki and Tim’s session, I think we nailed it (part luck, part good timing— true for most good things in life right?)
We met up in Washington CT (fun fact, the same town that “Stars Hollow” was based on in Gilmore Girls) on a beautiful Sunday and thought that this cozy, quiet little town would be all ours. We were in for a bit of a shock when we realized that the leaf peepers had taken over and pretty much every restaurant was booked except for one, which boasted a whole lot of motorcycles out front and a pretty good burger. We had a great lunch and caught up about all things wedding planning, quarantine life, and of course horses.
The horse world happens to be the common denominator between Jacki and I. Many of you guys might know how much of a role riding has played in my life (I have been riding since I started walking) and I actually went to boarding school in CT for four years to compete on the riding circuit. Jacki and I know each other from that past life, and we both are lucky to still be riding and own our own horses. So naturally, it only took us about five minutes to start chatting about that world and her sweet fiancé, Tim, was happy to let us go on and on about horses.
Terrence has less of a bandwidth for the pony-talk and certainly does not want to spend his weekends at the shows, so Tim got major brownie points from me for being such an enthusiastic horse-hubby! After lunch we went over to Hidden Valley Preserve to shoot and got so lucky to have an amazing golden hour against the beautiful New England foliage!
Enjoy Tim & Jacki’s beautiful autumn engagement photos:
Location: Hidden Valley Preserve, Washington Depot CT
Photography: Apollo Fields
Autumn Foliage Engagement Photos in Connecticut
Autumn Foliage Engagement Photos in Connecticut | West Hartford CT Photography | Fall Leaves for Engagement Pics
Ashleigh & Joe
It was 6:30AM when I pulled up to the parking lot at the reservoir near Hartford, CT where I was going to meet up with Ashleigh and Joe for their engagement session. I was relieved that these two were all aboard for the idea of a sunrise sesh (turns out they are early risers anyway!) because the light is just SO worth it, and this morning did not disappoint.
The parking lot was totally empty and only a little bit of light had begun to break at that point. The morning chill was pretty real and wasn’t promising to warm up any time soon, but I was walking around by the reservoir watching the fog rising up gave me a real sense that I was happy to be out in nature, despite the early wake up. I sipped on my coffee and waited for the dawn to break and Ashleigh and Joe to arrive.
When they pulled up, I could just tell that we were about to have a great morning. Ashleigh and I both went to The Ethel Walker School and it was fun to have that common ground while also catching up on life post-high school. It has been twelve years since I graduated from Walkers, and it was there where I discovered photography for the first real time in the darkroom. My graduating class was only 36 to paint a picture of how small our school was, so even though Ashleigh was in a younger class, we were such a tight knit community that everyone knew everyone. I’m so lucky to get to revisit many of these friendships now as a lot of my old classmates are getting married and we have the privilege of shooting their weddings!
I also loved getting to know Joe a bit, too. They have such a fun and whimsical energy between them, but you can also tell that their relationship has a super solid foundation. I think my favorite takeaway from our morning together was when we were chatting and I asked them how quarantine has been for both of them. I got a surprisingly positive response from Joe, “It' has been amazing for us!” he started, “It sort of fast-tracked our relationship, actually”. COVID was the reason that Joe was able to move up to Ashleigh and brought them closer both literally and figuratively. A silver lining for an otherwise crazy year, indeed!
Enjoy these pics from Joe & Ashleigh’s sunrise engagement session in CT:
Newborn Photography in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Ryder's Newborn Photography Session in Hunterdon County, New Jersey | Baby Photographer Apollo Fields | NJ Family Photographers
I got to spend an afternoon with Erren and her sweet new babe, Ryder, recently and just had the best time catching up with this mama and meeting her adorable new love. We had the best chats as we shot together and her words resonated with me so much that I wanted her to be able to tell her story and journey with motherhood in her own words. Enjoy this special narrative and sweet photos from such a great day!
“From the moment I saw those pink lines I had it all planned out in my head.
But you my love, had a different plan all along. You shocked us all and came earth side five weeks early, and for the past ten days you’ve taught me so much.
Unimaginable strength during the craziest of times. Selflessness during your fast and furious birth and recovery. Love that I truly cannot put into words, and can only show you for the rest of your life. I didn’t know I was capable of any of this. I didn’t know my heart could be so full.
Ryder, you are so loved. You’re grandmothers cooked meals for us, and did the dishes we left in the sink. Your Aunt, and my rock of a bestfriend brought over bags of summer clothes for our supposed fall baby, and everything I needed to recover. Your tribe of aunties lit candles that burned for days to light your way into the world.
Everyone checked in on you, checked in on us. Anxiously awaiting your arrival. And your daddy...I couldn’t ask for a better partner in this lifetime and beyond. I could go on for hours about him, but you’ll find out. You’re already his world.
We experienced every emotion in those three days we were waiting on you in the hospital- and the days after you came. The same body that had housed you for the past seven and change months, that nourished you, kept you safe, kept you warm; was being pumped with bags of fluids, steroids, countless antibiotics, induction medication. With every needle stick, IV, and covid test, my focus was on you. I’d do it over a hundred times. Take the pain for you, take the meds, the pokes and prods.
That same body responded. And it gave your little body the strength to come into the world swinging & absolutely perfect.
Ryder James, you are our entire hearts”.
– Erren
Newborn Photography: Apollo Fields
Summer 2020 Wedding in Long Island, NY
Billy & Cara’s Summer Wedding in Long Island | NY Weddings on the North Shore | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Returning to work has felt like going back to my childhood home, rolling the garage door up, grabbing a basketball, and heading out to the hoop in the street. Even though my old hoop may be long gone; I still remember the give of the plexiglass backboard, the strange bend on the rim from when it fell during a storm, and how I used to countdown from three right before I heaved up a game-winning shot. Those memories literally feel like a physical part of me. Then this past weekend, when I walked into Billy’s mother’s house and began joking with the groomsmen as they bent their wrists as they put on their helicopter cuff links, I realized that Apollo Fields is becoming part of me in the same way.
Billy and Cara, like many other 2020 couples, have been run through the gamut of rescheduling their wedding (twice). On top of that, Hurricane Isaias knocked power out of Cara’s parents’ house and the location where they planned to have a small reception. Resilience, patience, and kindness are the first words that come to mind when I think of the way that Cara and Billy handled all of these obstacles, but even they don’t do justice for their wonderful relationship.
A couple of Long Island natives, their engagement story is one of my favorites. Billy planned a kayaking trip on a bay on the south shore, going beforehand to bury a small box in the sand and marking it with an ‘x.’ They brought a couple of sandwiches with them on the trip and while Billy was doing his best to nudge Cara to hunt for buried treasure, all Cara could think about was how hungry she was and that she wanted her ham sandwich. “Who passes up buried treasure for a ham sandwich?” Billy playfully asked in the questionnaire we give to our couples to get to know them better. I’m sure any groom that has taken romantic lengths like this one knows all too well the anxiety of trying to maintain the surprise while trying to play it cool. “Just hunt for the treasure, damn it!”
You would never have guessed with Cara and Billy’s cool and calm demeanor during their wedding that they’re actually fierce competitors. Bowling and mini-golf are games in constant rotation, and Cara refuses to leave the alley until she wins a game (Heather does the same). Cara even disclosed in the questionnaire that she won’t play Clue with Billy’s family until they learn to play by the right rules (lol), showing the integrity of a competitor that we 100% respect. Whether it was from this backbone of competitiveness against the events of 2020 or the sentimentality behind buried treasure and a ham sandwich, we’re so happy that the celebration of their love prevailed.
It’s crazy how our memories and our work entangle with our identities, reinforcing who we are even though we think we are just living our lives. I definitely err on the side of reflection and contemplation as opposed to impulsivity, and am grateful that my job, through Heather’s undeniable artistic talent, continues to shape my reality through stories of love and basketball. Cheers to the love of Cara and Billy, who helped me realize that work can be just as powerful as nostalgia.
Wedding Vendors:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Ceremony Venue: St. Kilian Parish
Videographer: John Morelli
Officiant : Deacon Bill
Florist: Bloominous
Dress : BHLDN
Suit: Generation Tux
Rings : Blue Nile
Hair and Makeup: Luxe and Co
Invitations and Save The Dates: Minted
Transportation / Limo: All Star Limo
Long Wharf Boston Engagement Photographers
Jessica and Matt's Boston Engagement Session at Long Wharf and Somerville | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography | Massachusetts Engagement Photographer
The “Big Dig” I have against Boston, aside from my predisposition as a New Yorker, is that goddamned Callahan Tunnel. I say this knowing that 1) most Bostonites would agree with me, and 2) I haven't even driven there during rush hour. Other than that, the 3rd most walkable city in the U.S. was a dream to explore while donning a mask on a morning run through the Boston Commons and alongside the Charles River. My admiration continued when we met up with Jessica and Matt in the North End, popping into quirky alleyways and onto cobblestone streets as we captured their undeniably fun and playful vibe.
I’m not sure which I enjoyed more: learning Jessica and Matt’s origin story of how they got to know each other over countless lunches as they worked together; or stumbling across a location where they shot a scene in The Departed. Around every corner there seemed to be a cornerstone of the city’s history or a memory of their budding relationship, turning their entire engagement photo session in Boston into a beautifully light trip down memory lane.
Jessica and Matt then brought us north over the Tobin Bridge to Somerville, a quaint city adjacent to Cambridge where they spent a significant amount of their relationship. Just imagine if Boulder, Colorado came 2,000 miles east or Burlington, Vermont, came 200 miles south-- that’s Somerville. Jessica and Matt amusingly did their best to explain the Davis Square Statues, the strange non-Covid-related mask-donning bronze metal statues stationed around the cozy downtown area (apparently the masks were added after their creation as a result of vandalism). We then grabbed some ice cream and took a stroll by The Foundry on Elm to commemorate the place where they had their first date.
As we looked ahead to their wedding, Jessica and Matt sang their praises to their wedding planner, Liz with Elegant Aura, who is helping them with the fine details of their June 2021 wedding at Granite Ridge Estate in Maine. Lucky for them, Jessica and Matt both have families equipped with skills that will fit perfectly into their day. Jessica’s father runs a prominent catering company in Boston and can turn a skint cabinet into a delicious meal, and Matt’s mother is happy to crush the floral arrangements. It was really wonderful to hear how excited they were to see it all come together.
Whether it's learning a new city or about a new couple, Heather and I are just stoked to be (cautiously) back at it again. We thrive on new experiences and pull on the threads of the stories of our couples that give us goosebumps and bring smiles and laughter to the world. As we move through 2020 together my optimistic side continues to be fed by amazing people like Jessica and Matt who remind me to always keep it light. Here’s to a city I never thought I’d like, a couple whose doing it right, and all of the positive vibes we can send to anyone who has to drive in that god forsaken tunnel.
Harlem NYC Engagement Photography
Mike and Madelyn's NYC Engagement Photos in Harlem | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
There’s always one moment during our engagement photo sessions—when I’m holding Heather’s backup camera lenses and am more-or-less a glorified coat rack—when a tingle goes up the top of my spine and out onto my shoulders. It is the same feeling you feel at the crescendo of a theatrical performance when you’re seated in the front row, or the first time as a kid when you walk up the tunnel of old Yankee Stadium to the bright lights and green grass; it is being witness to something spectacular. For us wedding photographers, it’s when you watch a couple look into each other’s eyes and really mean it.
As professional performers, Mike and Maddy were no strangers to the camera. It is almost literally in their job description to turn their facial expressions on and off like a light switch. But the first time we asked Mike and Maddy to bring their faces close and look into each other’s eyes it wasn’t a performance. It was real. It gave me that feeling that I’ve discovered that there’s actually a word for: frisson; a brief moment of emotional excitement. It is accessing that space and capturing that genuine connection between our couples that drives us. We just can never get enough.
Lucky for us, Mike and Maddy had moments like that on the ready as we moved through New York’s steamy summer streets. We started the photo session at the Hamilton Grange in Harlem, where they typically take their adorable dog, Millie, on a walk to a wonderfully secret local dog park. As the early evening golden light came through the trees, Mike and Maddy effortlessly showed us what it looks like to love someone. Turns out the fairytale vibes were just beginning.
In a beautiful combination of Heather’s understanding of the way that light refracts off of water and New York being New York, we stumbled across a fire hydrant spraying into the street. Whereas I would just walk by and smile as the neighborhood kids played and cooled off, Heather stopped all of us in our tracks and shouted “hol’ up!” She then told Mike and Maddy to do what they do best and love up on one another with the mist in the background. This moment led to one of my favorite images that Heather has ever taken and I look forward to storing it in my memory bank for years to come.
Mike and Maddy have decided to have a small wedding to celebrate their love in a couple weeks and it will be the first wedding we get to document as an Apollo Fields team since Covid-19 happened. I’d be lying if I said getting through the uncertainty of 2020 has been easy, but its engagement photo sessions in New York like these that my optimistic side will choose to focus on. Frissons of happiness may’ve seemed to be in short supply for the last few months, but if these photos of Mike and Maddy are any indication, we’ve got plenty of 2020 to look forward to.
Enjoy these sneaks from Madelyn and Mike’s Engagement Session:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Northport Long Island Elopement Photography
Jamie and Allison's Crab Meadow Beach Wedding Portraits | Northport NY Photographer | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
The birds of the beach soared over our heads, higher than the early morning rising summer sun, taking turns plunging into the Long Island Sound. Their impacts sent a sputter of splashes on the surface, wings flapping amidst the spray, almost like they were cooling off in a ceramic bird bath at the center of a peaceful garden. The air was fresh and only slightly saline as high tide swept up the shore, covering the thousands of small, hollowed-out sandy homes of Crab Meadow Beach with a shifting layer of foamy water. Allison and Jamie bowing their heads, gently closed their eyes, bringing their foreheads to softly rest upon one another like wings spread in the wind, floating above the earth, ready to take their dive at any moment.
Jamie and Allison took the proverbial “plunge” or “dive” a couple months prior under the tree cover of a forest in Maryland at the height of quarantine. They, like many other couples who planned to get married in 2020, had to decide what the celebration of their love would look like during a pandemic. It’s so hard to shift expectations when they’ve already been set, but if it’s anything we’ve learned from Jamie and Allison and the difficult situation in general, is that love, like water, will always find a way.
Jamie and Allison’s Zoom wedding celebration in June was intimate and endearing, heartfelt, and natural. Figuring out how to get hundreds of little faces to fill a series of screens on several different devices changes the physical landscape of the audience but not the nature of the celebration. Love is—and always will be—at the core of weddings, and we’re watching in real time how we are all adapting to our expression of it. While a few family members were on hand to photograph the ceremony and first dance on the day of, Jamie and Allison decided they would take a trip up to us in Long Island, NY, to further honor and document their love and connection.
The idyllic found a home in circumstances less than ideal that morning on Crab Meadow Beach. Jamie and Allison moved effortlessly in the sand in their stunning wedding clothes as we watched and snapped away in awe. Heather is a sucker for evening golden hour and sunrise wedding photography and our morning with Allison and Jamie further solidified her resolve. The golden shape of their smiles and the aura around their faces hit the lens and our hearts with equal emotion. It was hard not to be happy.
And that’s what many couples think they are missing during this tough time. There’s definitely some truth to it but Heather and I and Jamie and Allison are the silver (or golden) lining kind of people; we are the kind of people who know that our love and our effort will carry us through the tough times and lift us even higher in the lighter ones; we are the kind of people who commit and take a plunge when we need to but extend our wings and float in the breeze while we can.
Enjoy some of the pics from Allison & Jamie’s Wedding portraits:
Backyard COVID Elopement in Long Island
Roy and Randi's Backyard Elopement in Long Island | Intimate Wedding Photography | 2020 Weddings During Quarantine | Apollo Fields Eloping Photographers
Many couples are obviously having to postpone their big wedding celebrations this year due to the effects of coronavirus and subsequent travel bans. While this might mean obviously having to wait to have hundreds of people on a dance floor all hugging, drinking, and partying together, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you cannot still get legally married and celebrate safely with your closest friends and family.
I have been so inspired by the resiliency of couples who are taking all of the current events in stride and prioritizing the health and wellness of their guests by moving their receptions to a later date but still focusing on the importance of honoring their marriages. One popular option has been backyard and otherwise private elopements where social distancing and staying outdoors are easy options. By taking the worry and stress off of health concerns, you’ll be able to focus more on celebrating one another and staying in the moment.
Roy and Randi were able to have a sweet backyard wedding with their closest family and friends in a very laid back and stress-free way. They each have children and even some grandchildren in the mix, so it was obviously imperative that they were able to be present, in addition to their matriarch of their family. We were able to use their landscaped yard for nice family formals, and even took advantage of their koi pond and waterfall out back.
The ceremony was sweet and intimate, with a chuppah even impromptu fashioned out of the garden terrace that they have on their fencing. The chuppah is one of my favorite elements of Jewish wedding ceremonies because it symbolizes the home with the four pillars, but intentionally keeping the sides open so visitors know that they are welcome. Roy and Randi made theirs out of Randi’s family tallit, which was another special touch. They were still able to exchange vows, rings, and break the glass even though a lot of the other wedding formalities had to be postponed.
After the wedding ceremony, we did a champagne toast outside and Roy surprised his newlywed wife with a brand new Audi— her dream car (black on black) that she has always wanted! Such a sweet touch to always remember the day by.
Photography: Apollo Fields
DUMBO Brooklyn Engagement Photos
DUMBO Brooklyn Engagement Photos | NYC Wedding Photographer | Industrial Engagement Session in New York | Apollo Fields
I absolutely love shooting in DUMBO but unfortunately, the secret is out. This spot is incredibly popular for locals and tourists alike, and on a nice weekend during the summer, you can bet it is going to be flooded with people and cameras.
There are only a few ways to make DUMBO engagement sessions feel less crowded and that is either to pick an “off peak” time or to work around less-than-ideal weather conditions. Since Michelle and Rob only had weekend availability and I love to shoot during golden hour, we were braced for it to be SUPER busy down by the water, but ended up getting lucky when a flash rainstorm rolled in and cleared out my favorite spots!
However, most couples that want to shoot there, I do suggest either doing a sunrise session (especially if you want to hit the Brooklyn Bridge because DON’T EVEN TRY for sunset), or heading out during the weekday. Luckily, this spot has ideal light for both golden hours (sunrise and sunset) because of the way the light moves across the city skyline and then glistens over the river. I’m sure that this has leant to part of the popularity of this spot, besides the obvious jaw dropping NYC skyline as your background.
DUMBO stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass” and has an interesting history. It wasn’t always the booming spot that it is now, and its seedy reputation does not actually date that far back and did not officially become known as DUMBO until the 1970s. The area was originally a ferry landing before it became a hotspot for the art scene and loft apartments.
Photography: Apollo Fields for Salzman and Ashley