Punam Bean Photography (observations)

Ok.

Are you ready for this??

We are moving to Southern California. IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR!!!!

Woo hoo! So before we get into the story of how we came to this sudden decision, I would like to mention that we will be booking our 2012 season in California, and we are offering really great rates for the first FIVE weddings we book in the state! So get on it!! We are also offering great deals on portrait sessions in the LA area, so if you are interested, fill out the contact form above!!

If you already have a wedding booked with us – no worries! Nothing has changed for you!

I know, I know. Crazy. So the story is, once upon a time, we lived in New York City. We wanted to start a family, and couldn’t afford to spend $3000 a month on decent health insurance. Seriously, that’s how much we had to pay in order to not have a 10,000 deductible. My feelings about insurance aside, its generally pretty expensive out here in the North East when you own your own business and your making an income above the poverty line. But I digress.

So, we moved to Western Massachusetts where healthcare is mandated, and a little more affordable (marginally). We thought it would be a fun adventure to try something totally different on for size. And so, we became commuters, making the 2-3 hour trip to the city about every weekend for shoots and meetings and such, and retreating back to our country abode for work and life, digging our cars out of snow, wearing lambskin boots and fur lined floppy-eared hats and all.

Great Barrington is an amazing town, with lovely open hearted people. The food here is AMAZING. The culinary opportunities are really limitless. The houses are beautiful and charming. And there are swimming holes every half mile. It’s like living in a fairy tale with fairies and hobbits hiding in the lush grass. There were moments when I was captured by its beauty, and really considered what life would be like if we stayed.

And now there is a little human growing inside me. And everything has changed, even though, nothing really has yet. It’s like a switch turned on inside of me, and the family that I’ve lived 3000 miles away from for the past 10 years is suddenly too far away. Babies bring families together. And so I’m going back home.

It’s always a hard decision when you have family on two different coasts. But I know that I want to take my kids to In-n-out, Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo. Camping in Yosemite, road trips to Big Sur, weekends in Palm Springs. Winter Heat Waves. It’s where I grew up, and even after 10 years out East, It’s what I understand best. And I’m so thankful I can still give them magical White Christmases in New England, summer weeks up at the pond in Northern New Hampshire, Thanksgivings in Plymouth Massachusetts. And so. We are moving so my mom can cook me dinner if I don’t feel like it. So my niece can babysit if I have to shoot a wedding. So my sister can give me sisterly advice about being pregnant. So this baby can be raised by my whole family from the very start. And I am so incredibly grateful that my dear and patient Husbone, who has lived 30 years on this Eastern Coast, is making the leap with me, with a heart full of optimism.

So, if you are around, we’d love to meet some new people, make new friends and foster old friendships. We are so excited, nervous and optimistic about this big new change. Let me know if you wanna hang out with the Bean family!!

California, I’m coming home.

Sitting in a park in Paris France
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won't give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn't want to stay here
It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here
Oh but California
California I'm coming home
I'm going to see the folks I dig
I'll even kiss a Sunset pig
California I'm coming home