We are defined by our strength of character, our resolve and our ability to hold on to our principles through hard times. On this tenth anniversary of a great tragedy, let's get back to the ideals that made this country great. Let's honor the fallen by being better friends, neighbors and citizens.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Senator Casey Comes to Dinner
Those of us from Pennsylvania know of Freshman Senator Robert P. Casey, one of the two Senators representing the Keystone State on Capitol Hill. He has been a champion of all the right causes, backing measures that have a positive impact not only on his constituents, but also America as a whole. As a freshman Senator, he has taken on key leadership roles in Congress. He is a member of the Comittee on Foreign Relations - chairing the Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs. He is also a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry - chairing the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Food and Agricultural Research. In addition to those responsibilities, he sits on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Special Committee on Aging; and the Joint Economic Committee. We here in Western Pennsylvania hold him in high regard as one of the good guys.
Few of us have had the opportunity to meet and spend time with the Senator in a small gathering. Those of us who have had this pleasure can attest to his warm and genuine nature. He truly listens to people's concerns and responds with more than the usual rote speaking points. So it was a great pleasure and honor this past Monday when Senator Casey joined us for Iftar at the Muslim Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh (MCCGP) in Monroeville, PA.
It was a short visit in which the Senator partook in the traditional snack to break the fast, observed the evening prayers and then participated in the dinner that followed. All of this was followed by a welcome address by the President of MCCGP and a short presentation by a member of the MCCGP youth group who described the meaning of Ramadan and the purpose behind fasting; the key tenets being patience, tolerance and mercy.
The Senator spoke about the need for and importance of tolerance and mercy in today's world. He then jokingly invited the young presenter to Washington DC to give the same presentation to members of Congress. After his brief talk, the Senator hosted some questions from the community. To the issue of regulating gas drilling, he stated that he has introduced legislation to create a set of guidelines at a national level. While he does not have the votes to get the measure passed, he is working on it.
At the end of his visit, Senator Casey was presented with a copy of the Qur'an as a token of appreciation for his visit. This copy contains both the Arabic script and an English translation. The Senator graciously accepted the gift.
So all in all, it was a nice visit with a remarkable man. Following are some pictures from that evening. Enjoy.
You can catch the whole set Here.
Thank you for reading!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The Great White North and a wedding
True to form, I am about a month behind in posting to the blog. Early July we went to Mississauga, Ontario to attend the wedding of my cousin's daughter. I was not the official photographer, but I took my equipment nonetheless.....I feel naked without it :) Some of the pictures I took of the bride are at the end of this post. The complete set can be seen at my website.
We drove up the day before and stopped in Niagara Falls to fuel up and to eat lunch. We picked a local "tourist trap" restaurant over Denny's, because Denny's minimal parking lot was full. The food was okay and even the gulls were being picky about scraps they scarfed up. I guess that's why there were open parking spaces. Their menu touted a Buffalo-specific (town, not animal) sandwich which my brother and I opted to get. Unfortunately, it was nothing like the original according to my brother who went to UB. So, on to Mississauga.
This was a short trip because it was a short event. Everything took place on one day. Those of you who have attended weddings that span multiple days may be surprised to learn that it doesn't have to! The proceedings were very nice and elegant and nothing was over the top. We had a wonderful time while we were there and the weather cooperated very nicely. I took pictures of the bride while trying not to interfere with the official photog. We actually got along nicely. He was new to the business and a little shy about posing people during the formal portraits, so I helped out by being the "director" :)
One of the nice things about Mississauga was the quality of the roads, and the cleanliness of the surrounds. It really seemed like the city took care of the infrastructure, while the residents took care not to litter (are yinz listening Pittsburghers?).
The border exchange in both directions was too serious. I remember driving to Canada before 2001 and the Canadian official was very jolly, friendly and welcoming. On this trip he was pleasant, but serious. I miss the old Canadian welcome. By the way, the US official was pretty much the same as before 2001. What does that say about our border welcome to our neighbors?
So, thanks for reading and enjoy the pictures :)
Now go see the complete set Here.
We drove up the day before and stopped in Niagara Falls to fuel up and to eat lunch. We picked a local "tourist trap" restaurant over Denny's, because Denny's minimal parking lot was full. The food was okay and even the gulls were being picky about scraps they scarfed up. I guess that's why there were open parking spaces. Their menu touted a Buffalo-specific (town, not animal) sandwich which my brother and I opted to get. Unfortunately, it was nothing like the original according to my brother who went to UB. So, on to Mississauga.
This was a short trip because it was a short event. Everything took place on one day. Those of you who have attended weddings that span multiple days may be surprised to learn that it doesn't have to! The proceedings were very nice and elegant and nothing was over the top. We had a wonderful time while we were there and the weather cooperated very nicely. I took pictures of the bride while trying not to interfere with the official photog. We actually got along nicely. He was new to the business and a little shy about posing people during the formal portraits, so I helped out by being the "director" :)
One of the nice things about Mississauga was the quality of the roads, and the cleanliness of the surrounds. It really seemed like the city took care of the infrastructure, while the residents took care not to litter (are yinz listening Pittsburghers?).
The border exchange in both directions was too serious. I remember driving to Canada before 2001 and the Canadian official was very jolly, friendly and welcoming. On this trip he was pleasant, but serious. I miss the old Canadian welcome. By the way, the US official was pretty much the same as before 2001. What does that say about our border welcome to our neighbors?
So, thanks for reading and enjoy the pictures :)
 |
| The gorgeous bride |
 |
| The flip side with flash |
 |
| Spotlight on the bride |
|
| Ethereal |
 |
| Looking at the "real" photographer |
 |
| Under a harsh spotlight she shines |
 |
| Have we met? |
 |
| A fun pose that turned into a great shot |
 |
| Waiting |
 |
| Hanging out |
 |
| A moment of reflection |
 |
| End of the evening |
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Under The Arch
During the weekend preceding July 4th, my wife and I took a road trip to St. Louis, Missouri. That weekend the Association of Physicians of Pakistani descent of North America (APPNA) held its 34th Annual Summer Conference. The purpose of this trip was two-fold; first was to showcase my wife's clothing collection and the second was photography related. I covered King Edward Medical University's banquet and Senator Casey's meetings with various committees working on issues related to Pakistan.
Safar Couture, my wife's boutique held it's first national level exhibition. The response was better than we expected with very positive feedback. Mainly the young and young-at-heart were the buyers and told us that Safar Couture outfits were unlike the mass merchandise everyone else was selling. We've had several requests to have exhibitions in different cities, so depending on how soon we can get fresh outfits made we may be traveling again. One of the exciting moments was when we attended the banquet on the final night. The young lady who belted out a stirring Star Spangled Banner, wore a Safar Couture outfit she had bought the day before. This came as a total surprise and thrilled my wife to no end.
It was good to see the Senator again. He had a very busy day, with a schedule chock full of meetings. His dedication to Pakistani-American relations is commendable as he gave full attention to the issues on people's minds. Saturday night the Senator spoke at the banquet and was well received.
Speaking of the banquet, there was a musical performance that night. The group got the young crowd jumping and singing along. They performed well into the night, with their final number around 2am. This made 8am come around a bit too early, as that was the time we needed to be at her booth for the final day of the expo.
The drive back was more tiring because of the long weekend. The very next morning we headed up to Mississauga, Ontario for a wedding. Details in the next posting.
So here are some random shots from the concert. Enjoy.
Safar Couture, my wife's boutique held it's first national level exhibition. The response was better than we expected with very positive feedback. Mainly the young and young-at-heart were the buyers and told us that Safar Couture outfits were unlike the mass merchandise everyone else was selling. We've had several requests to have exhibitions in different cities, so depending on how soon we can get fresh outfits made we may be traveling again. One of the exciting moments was when we attended the banquet on the final night. The young lady who belted out a stirring Star Spangled Banner, wore a Safar Couture outfit she had bought the day before. This came as a total surprise and thrilled my wife to no end.
It was good to see the Senator again. He had a very busy day, with a schedule chock full of meetings. His dedication to Pakistani-American relations is commendable as he gave full attention to the issues on people's minds. Saturday night the Senator spoke at the banquet and was well received.
Speaking of the banquet, there was a musical performance that night. The group got the young crowd jumping and singing along. They performed well into the night, with their final number around 2am. This made 8am come around a bit too early, as that was the time we needed to be at her booth for the final day of the expo.
The drive back was more tiring because of the long weekend. The very next morning we headed up to Mississauga, Ontario for a wedding. Details in the next posting.
So here are some random shots from the concert. Enjoy.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
A Fun Wedding
So it's been over a month since I shot the wedding in Youngstown Ohio and I have been so busy with other events that I have been delinquent . It was a great experience and working with Jaci was fun. Mark and Maria were fantastic. A lovely couple, Mark and Maria were radiant on their special day. I am sure you've heard of "Bridezillas;" Maria was the polar opposite of that personality and Mark was warm and genuine. Both families were all excited as the proud and beaming parents played their respective roles on this magical day.
Both Mark and Maria were happy with my work that day and that means a lot. This was truly a great experience Following are a few of my pictures from that day.
Enjoy.
Sohail
Both Mark and Maria were happy with my work that day and that means a lot. This was truly a great experience Following are a few of my pictures from that day.
 |
| Mark and his proud dad |
 |
| Three generations |
 |
| It's the shoes! |
 |
| The Gorgeous view from the Altar |
 |
| Flowers for the Groom |
 |
| First view of the bride |
 |
| A glimpse through the portal |
 |
| Vows |
 |
| Celebrating the groom |
 |
| The Grand Room Kiss |
 |
| Glamor Descent |
 |
| Thank You card pose |
 |
| The veil was even more gorgeous in the sunlight. |
 |
| They are very happy, aren't they?! |
 |
| The love is so obvious |
 |
| Father Daughter Dance |
 |
| Mother Son Dance. Mark's mom was very emotional |
 |
| Maria's grandmother won the anniversary dance. She has been married 63 years |
Enjoy.
Sohail
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)