Erik is one of our amazing associate photographers on staff here…he is incredibly talented and hard working- but most importantly he is an all around great guy.
Like me, Erik loves shooting but needed to have more time for his family and his ‘other’ career as a firefighter. What I love most about Erik? His dry sense of humor and his eye for composition!
What got you interested in photography?
Somehow my childhood fascination with animals led to my interest in photography. All of those Ranger Rick magazines and episodes of Wild America made me want to be a wildlife photographer (yep, major dork). There was a time when I would actually hide under our back porch and stalk the birds at our bird feeder with my Instamatic camera (even bigger dork). Marty Stouffer would have been proud.
Eventually my Dad was the person who really introduced me to photography. He taught me the fundamentals with his Nikon F Series SLR, and I still have shoeboxes full of photographs that I took with that camera. When I was 14 my parents bought me a Pentax SLR (a P30T that I still have), and photography remained mostly a hobby for me through high school and college. I took a handful of photography electives and dabbled in the darkroom a bit, but it wasn’t until more recently that my own wedding photographer opened up my eyes to wedding photography.
My favorite cupcake is…
Any cupcake with a lot of frosting. I have a major sweet tooth.
The best part about my wedding was…
Our last dance. Not because it was the end of the night, but because I still get chills remembering that moment surrounded by our friends and family on the dance floor. Everyone was rockin’ out to “Send Me on My Way,” and it was the perfect ending to an awesome day.
The first dance song at our wedding was…
“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts.
Describe your family…
Growing! My wife Jen and I were married in 2005, and our daughter Caroline was born just last summer. Caroline is the center of our universe right now, and we hope to move to a bigger home and have more children in the near future.
My favorite place to vacation is…
I’ve traveled to the Caribbean and to Europe, but our family home in Vermont is my favorite place hands down. I’ve been vacationing at the home my Grandfather built since I was born, and nothing compares to the natural wonder, the way of life and the memories that I associate with Vermont and that house. It’s where I learned to take pictures, it’s where I learned to canoe and kayak, it’s where I swim in the White River, it’s where I watch meteor showers, it’s where wildlife walks and blueberries grow outside our door, it’s where fireflies light up the night, it’s where fog blankets the valley in the morning, it’s where I proposed to my wife and it’s where I will bring my own children for years to come.
When I am driving in my car, I am listening to…
The Howard Stern Show. I’m a sucker for bathroom humor and phony phone calls, and I love Howard’s take on politics and pop culture. I also think he’s one of the best interviewers around. Bababooey!
When I’m not listening to Howard my musical taste runs the gamut. In my car right now is some Coldplay, O.A.R. (older stuff), Dispatch, Counting Crows and, oh yeah, some Raffi.
If I had a full day all to myself and money was no object, I would…
Hit up Foxwoods. Is that cheating?
My favorite thing to order from China House is…
Sesame Chicken
If I could photograph any person, dead or alive, it would be…
My Grandfather, Stanley Maziarz. He died when I was 5 years old and a part of his life has always fascinated me. Not only was he a carpenter and a father of 5, he also served in the Army Air Force during WWII on a B-17 bomber. His bomber crew flew 30 missions over Nazi controlled Europe, and it would have been a privilege to document their story with photographs.
If I could only shoot with one lens it would be…
My 16-35mm 2.8. I love the ability that wide angle gives me to capture an entire scene and to place things in the foreground and background. The 16-35mm is really a perfect fit for how I compose shots and how I see the world around me.
I can…
Do an Eskimo Roll.
I can’t…
Ski (or snowboard).
My motivation in life is…
My daughter.
My top five favorite movies are…
Pulp Fiction
The Usual Suspects
The Shawshank Redemption
Band of Borthers (I know it’s a miniseries not a movie)
Wedding Crashers
My favorite television show is…
60 Minutes
If I were to teach something to someone, it would be…
How to kayak. There’s no other rush like running some Class IV rapids.
My favorite pair of shoes is…
My kick a$$, waterproof, go anywhere Asolo hiking boots.
My favorite pizza is…
Margherita pizza
I love…
Campfires, a good cup of coffee, Spicy Tuna Rolls, Sam Adams Octoberfest, an occasional cigar, my wife’s perfume, and my daughter’s smile in the morning.
