A Connecticut native, Pamela started her career in photography as a photojournalist. The winner of numerous photojournalism awards, Pamela's work has been represented in a wide variety of publications and galleries including Town and Country, The New YorkTimes, Connecticut Magazine and many others. In 1983, Pamela began to shoot weddings, bringing her photojournalist's point of view to her images. As her reputation spread and her business grew, she brought on other exceptional photographers whose personality and shooting style were similar to her own. Today, Pamela has put her cameras aside and manages full time a staff of eight very talented photographers and a highly successful business serving many hundreds of clients in New England and throughout the world. A graduate of Williams College, Pamela lives in Easton, CT with her husband and four children.
Erin Kiernan was educated at Hartwick College and The Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, MT., She has worked for a variety of Connecticut Publications including the New Haven Register and most recently the Danbury News Times. Her real interest, however, lies in event and portrait photography. Intensely creative and highly professional, Erin brings an enthusiasm and dedication to her work, making it both fresh and unique. Now, in addition to being one of it's most popular photographers, Erin has joined Pamela as a co-partner in Pamela Benepe ~ Erin Kiernan & Company. She lives with her husband and two cats in Peapack, New Jersey.
Elyse Shapiro has been a photojournalist, freelance photographer and photography teacher for more than 20 years. In addition to being Chief Photographer at Brooks Newspapers, Elyse's photojournalism career has included work for the New York Times, USA Today, Weekly World News, American Photographer, and others. Her teaching experience has included positions at Photographics Workshop in New Canaan, Norwalk Community College and, currently, at the prestigious Silvermine Guild of Art where she thrives teaching a variety of photography classes. She studied at the Arts Student League in NYC and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Her own work has been exhibited widely; including 'Nighttime in New York' at the NY Cultural Center, 'Revisions' at the Carriage Barn in New Canaan and numerous faculty shows at the Silvermine Guild. Elyse has brought her vast experience and creative energy to Pamela Benepe and Co. for nearly14 years. She lives with her family in Redding, Connecticut.
Suzie O'Rourke joined Pamela Benepe & Co. in the summer of 2002 when she returned home to Fairfield, CT. After graduating from the photojournalism program at Ithaca College in 1999, Suzie got her feet wet in commercial and wedding photography while working for Jon Reis Photography in Ithaca, NY. For the next year she worked as a full-time newspaper photographer for the Ithaca Journal and the next three years at The Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin, two daily Gannett newspapers in upstate New York. During her time in New York Suzie worked side-by-side with a handful of veteran photographers as she polished her skills. Her work has been published in the Associated Press, USA Today, Boston Baseball, The New York Daily News as well as many other daily publications. Since returning to Connecticut, in addition to working with Pamela Benepe ~ Erin Kiernan & Co., Suzie has freelanced for publications such as The Stamford Times, The Hour, The Wilton Villager, and The New Britain Herald. In addition, she has shot for the NY Mets.
Julie Stauffer joined Pamela Benepe & CO in 2003. Before that, the veteran photographer studied at the Silvermine School of Art , The International Center of Photography in New York City and the Photographers Workplace in Norwalk, CT. It was Stauffer's determination to be the best at what she does that brought her to Pamela Benepe & CO. where she quickly became a valued member of the staff. Even as she avidly shoots weddings and other celebratory events, Julie has recently returned to a previous passion...photographing florals and garden images. Reflecting a variety of artistic techniques, including infared film, Julie's work often rises to the level of art garnering her a number of local awards. Her photographs have been displayed at art galleries in New Canaan, CT. and Eagle's Mere, PA. Stauffer makes her home in CT where she persues her passion for photography both personally and for Pamela Benepe Erin Kiernan & CO. continuing to shoot informal portraits, beautiful gardens and those celebrations one hopes will never end.
Ian Londin was born in Rye, New York. He was educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and graduated from the Parson's School of Design with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, majoring in Photography. He currently lives and works in New York City. Ian enhanced his skills by assisting technically excellent and world-renowned photographers such as Andrew Eccles, Gregory Heisler, Neil Selkirk, Michael O'Neil and Mary Ellen Mark. This classroom and real world training prepared him for his current career in editorial and event photography. The sensitive and observant style he brings to this background allows him to capture beautiful classic images of his subjects with a careful attention to technical detail. Ian has photographed events throughout the New York area, in English Countrysides, and in the Far East. He has credits with the New York Times, Glamour, and Town and Country, and was quoted in Cosmopolitan as an established talent in wedding photography.
