Philadelphia Wedding Photography

Visit our new blog

2010-01-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

We've officially retired this blog space and now all of our thoughts and new pictures reside at our new blog so visit us there and become a fan on Facebook.

Scott Lewis is a Philadephia Wedding Photographer

Blog rest

2009-11-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

We're going to hold off on new blog posts as we finalize our new, MUCH improved blog format. December is going to bring some cool announcements tailor made for a new, and did I mention MUCH improved, blog format.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Scott

Blair & Ryan | Philadelphia, New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2009-11-24T08:55:00.001-08:00

Really, I love all the couples I work with but I really love couples like Blair and Ryan. No nonsense, to the point kind of folks. They both work crazy-intense jobs out on the left coast but that didn't alter the enthusiasm and confidence they had for turning their wedding into an awesome, fun, beautiful day with friends and family at the Seaview Resort and Spa down at the NJ Shore.

Initially, I met with Blair's mom who was an absolute blast. I rarely meet with parents before the wedding but Beverly was a perfect fit in my world and I knew that once I met Blair and Ryan they'd be great too. It's funny when moms and daughters are similar. It seems that many of the brides I work with have smooth, fun relationships with their moms. Not sure where all this myth of crazy bridezillas and their crazy moms came from. The no nonsense manner has extended past the wedding, I'm seeing the happy couple this week to get their album started, and that is a record that I don't think will ever be topped. Album finalizing in less than 8 weeks after the wedding.

Sometimes, I just really love the classic look of straight black and white toned images. There's something just really timeless about the look of black and white. Then other times it comes off as a bit too sterile somehow and I'll want to bring an extra something to a set of images. As I was prepping these for the blog I got to thinking that they needed some more 'love' so I added a rich warm tone to them. I think it really fits here.

A full highlight slideshow is (here).

Scott! AMAZING work! I didn't expect anything less. You are a true artist. Everyone is raving about the highlights. ...You captured every moment, most of which I didn't realize you were capturing, just as it felt. Thank you, thank you, thank you again.
To reiterate: exquisite work! We are so happy we used you.

-- Blair

Getting in a practice run before....

the real thing....

Portraits | Philadelphia Wedding & Portrait Photographer

2009-11-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

I've had some fun portrait sessions lately. The first couple were of the cute and small variety. I was in Dallas at a conference of other Badass wedding photographers, a community of like-minded, non-traditional wedding photogs. While there, I also spent time with family and some old, dear friends and of course that means pictures of the little ones. These first couple are of my niece, Ally. She's almost two and is, as you can see, terribly cute and expressive.

The next little one is the daughter of a friend from college. Joel and Michelle's baby girl, Ruby Ofelia, was born about 3 months before my wife and I had our son, Ari Milo. We were still well into the naming process at the time and were wowed by their beautiful and cool choice of a name. I can't wait to see what they come up with for their baby boy, due any minute now.

The last set of portraits was also cute but more of the grown-up and talented variety. Hagit Caspi contacted me to take some pictures of her for her work as a flutist. Hagit is Israeli and recently moved to Philly with her husband as he works on his post-doc. in History. So if you need a good flutist, I can hook you up.

Proud Papa

2009-11-13T13:33:00.001-08:00

I just gotta brag. This is my little boy, Ari Milo, from a few weeks ago. Walking across the parking lot I couldn't get over his awesomeness. A full-proper, not taken with an iPhone, fashion shoot is in the works.

Sarah & Joe | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-11-13T09:09:00.001-08:00

During our initial conversations almost a year ago, Sarah, via her sister, gave me one of the coolest compliments I could hope to get. Sarah's sister is in charge of post-production at Art & Commerce. Art & Commerce is one of the premier advertising photography agencies in New York. So when Sarah told me that after showing Kate, a fine photographer in her own right, several websites for Philadelphia area photographers Kate told Sarah "don't talk to anyone but Scott." It's not that I knew Kate at all, it's just that it seemed we were on the same wavelength of craft, intent and vision. And if anyone has seen and understands good, high-quality photography it's someone like Kate.

Some photographers talk about not liking to work for other photographers or people whose close relatives are photographers because there's a fellow photographer in the family, fearing an extra level of criticism or knit-pickyness. (This is my fourth photographer, or photographer's sibling in the past three years whose wedding I've documented.) But for me, it's the opposite. Because Sarah, with the personal/professional endorsement by Kate, trusted my vision and work, I felt even freer to work without hesitation or anxiety or worry. (To be honest, I never work with anxiety or worry but it's extra nice when I have such an outspoken trust in the relationship.) It's really what I strive for with EVERY client, trust and confidence. When I know my clients trust me and have confidence in my work, I have trust and confidence that they want me to, as so many say, "do my thing." And that's when the fun starts!

I have basically had our slideshow on replay since you sent it. I laughed, I cried ... incredible!

I am not sure if we have the right words to express our gratitude to you for these amazing images. You certainly catured the story and the emotion of our day. You went above and beyond what anyone could ever ask of you. Plus, I think you set a new land speed record for getting images prepared. You have a talent for being everywhere at once and invisible all at the same time. However, and I think even more importantly, you have a demeanor that is gentle and familiar and it puts everyone at ease.

The flowers have faded, and the dress is packed away, but we will have "our story" forever, and we cannot thank you enough for that gift!

--Sarah

A full Slideshow of highlights is (here).

Rock on!

2009-10-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

This picture is by the fine editorial photographer Andrew Hetherington.

I just read this story in the NYT's Sunday edition. As cool as these guys sound, I'd have to say that the video they played showed me that there's more than enough good bands around who can belt out quality rock style. They don't have to be ex-hipsters to play without irony.

Fun story either way though.

Natoya & Marc | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-10-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

I was "on deck" for Natoya and Marc's wedding starting in 2006. I met Natoya at the gym when my wife, Caroline, and I were getting into shape for our wedding. She was studying for her PhD in Physical Therapy and working part-time as a trainer. I was thrilled when she looked at my site and told me that's what she wanted her wedding photos to look like. Natoya and Marc are both a perfect combination of smart, laid back, fun and even look like they were made for each other.

The photos are beautiful.
- Natoya

Norah & Joe | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-10-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Norah and Joe are the first among their friends to get married so they stepped gingerly through their planning process, not having loads of friends with recent experience to rely on. One thing though they seemed confident about was that they wanted a certain kind of photography experience that I was happy to be there for. It was great to be able to see how well organized and clear they were in how they wanted things to be on their big day. If only I could say that their level-headed demeanor and easy going nature was refreshing but I can't, all of my clients are wonderful laid back folks completely void of drama. Sorry, no bridezilla stories to share here, there or anywhere.

We absolutely love the pictures!! Also, we have received many compliments on the slideshow - it truly captures the day perfectly.

Joe and I are still sorting through all of the gallery pictures, but I just wanted to say thank you for the awesome photos!
– Norah

A full slideshow can be found (here).

Breaking with traditional music

2009-10-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

On today's Soundcheck on WNYC, they're going to be talking about breaking tradition when it comes to wedding music choices. This is always a great program so even if you're not in New York, you can always stream it or check it out on their website.

Jilian & Jay | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-10-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I was really looking forward to Jilian and Jay's wedding. Jilian and Jay are part of a great group of friends and acquaintances whose weddings I've been photographing since 2007. I won't go into the details but let's just say it's great to get passed around from one awesome couple to the next. So first, off I owe Whitney and Maurice from 2007 for getting this ball rolling.

Jilian, Jay and I had a great engagement shoot at their home and neighborhood of Northern Liberties earlier this year. I also happen to love the restaurant group where Jilian works in the office for Zahav, Xochitl and soon to come Percy Street BBQ.

I love having couples who fully embrace what I try to do as a photographer. I really hate formulas and love discovering whatever is unique about a couple and their situation and their wedding day and photographing in a style and approach that works for them and their day. There's an extra level of artistic freedom that comes from feeling really in sync with the moment as opposed to putting on a formula approach.

So as Jilian's getting her makeup put on I see she's in front of this gorgeous toned wallpaper with a perfect combination of light from the window and a nearby lamp. It just made for a gorgeous place to follow her range of expressions and emotions as the nerves and excitement progressed toward the big ceremony moment. I played with blur, color, traditional black and white and even some antique wet-plate negative look. (Anything you see here that is blurry is done so intentionally for a more impressionistic or abstract look. There's almost always a non-blurry version as well.)

From there the day, despite the massive rainstorm before the ceremony that soaked the ground, was light and fun and relaxed, just like they wanted. The location of Historic Waynesboro was lovely and gorgeous as the sun set.

A full slideshow is (here).

Woohoo!!!! I love them! Thank you thank you. We were enjoying them over and over together last night. I am especially happy to see that it really reflects us and our personalities, and is a great representation of the party we had. I guess this is "documenting.." :) We were thoroughly impressed and have so many favorites! Thank for for everything - you are awesome!
–– Jilian

Lauren & Josh | Philadelphia Wedding Photography

2009-10-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Non-traditional. That's the way Lauren described pretty much every aspect of her wedding. The dress isn't white, the "rehearsal dinner" is going to be on the evening of the wedding, wedding party pictures were going to be in a cemetery, no aisle, the ceremony is going to be very short – 2 minutes and 17 seconds as it turned out – performed by a friend, in the middle of the reception at some point, no cake, no formal father-daughter dance.

And it was a lot of fun. Non-traditional, in all it's many forms, doesn't have to lack meaning, in many ways it becomes a rather meaningful event. Couples who really go for non-traditional weddings tend to talk a lot more about why they're getting married or what it means then worrying about colors and themes and other more traditional elements. Not to say there's anything wrong with traditional weddings, in all their many forms. Non-traditional is just a fun time showcasing a couple's personality in a very individualistic way. I love 'em both and love it when they get blended together with elements that give homage to something older and bigger than the current moment or trend but also embraces the current moment and uniqueness of the couple.

Enough about me, on to Lauren & Josh.

Full slideshow (here)

This is awesome. I am so excited. It took my breath away when I watched it. Everyone is absolutely blown away by your work. Josh friends typically don't care about this type of stuff but even they are impressed.
–– Lauren

RIP Irving Penn

2009-10-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

Irving Penn died today at 92. Penn was one of the absolute giants of 20th century photography. He had an amazing career blending fashion, documentary portraiture and amazing studio work ranging from highly polished advertising and an amazing series on trash he found on the streets of New York. Penn was one of the great pioneers of advancing the power and purpose of photography not just in the mass mediums of magazines but also in galleries and museums across the globe.

One of the things I've always admired about Penn's work to this day is the controlled use of space and light. The environments he photographed people served as platforms for being able to show this person's essence. His minimalist but powerful use of big, soft and directional light shows a restraint rarely seen in today's gadget crazy portrait photography which tells you more about the toys in the studio than it really does about the person being photographed.

A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leave the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.
Irving Penn

So here's a a few of his images, more here.

Karen & Matt | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-09-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Karen and Matt are both teachers and wanted a wedding that really reflected their personal style. They didn't want a big gala affair but with Karen being an art teacher she did want some personal flair. And I'm nothing if not a photographer with flair – a friend once described my hairstyle as an exclamation point on top of my personality. I take that as a cherished compliment.

Karen and Matt were the first person to book an event at the Artesano Iron Works gallery. It wasn't their first event but she was the first booking. Artesano is a gorgeous and unique gallery space in Manayunk. You can learn all about their Columbian artisans and their unique ironworks on their website. In a move that I found to be rather brave, they added a personal touch to each table with images of each other as kids. Most folks would stop before the awkward years but these guys went all in, pre-teen and all.

We started off the day at the twin that they share in Manayunk, walking to their neighborhood church before gathering at Artesano for an elegant evening capped off by some raucous dancing that made me question the stability of the second floor event space. No worries, solid as a rock.

LOVE THEM! I didn't want to stop looking at them! They are perfect....THANK YOU! Just as an FYI, your work has converted Matt as he was skeptical about putting a chunk of our wedding budget towards a photographer (nothing to do with you, just in general) After he saw the first round of images he thanked me for pushing to have you do the photos. He is transformed!
– Karen

Full Slideshow (here)

Kathy & John | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-09-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

I owe my blog an apology. Busy with wedding shoots, editorial shoots, inquiries for 2010 and yes, even 2011, albums, vacation, etc. is no excuse to not keep the blog fresh, updated and lively.

Catching back up with events from earlier this summer, Kathy and John had this intimate ceremony on a rainy Friday night in Center City during the June monsoon month here in Philly. Even though the guest list was small and there was no band,DJ or dancing, they wanted a night to remember as they made their commitment to each other after many years of dating.

Melissa Paul of Evantine did an amazing job of styling the space at the Bellevue at the Park Hyatt and creating a killer bouquet.

I have to also give a nod of thanks to these two for letting me know about the Land of the Lost marathon on the Sci-fi channel that weekend. It was the worst two-episodes of television I think I've ever seen but it was a great childhood memory to tap into.

The pictures are so beautiful that I can’t think of the right words to describe them. John and I are absolutely thrilled! Thank you so much for forwarding these to us. Thank you for helping to capture the most important day in our lives so perfectly.
– Kathy

Full slideshow (here).

Another not wedding post | Philadelphia Photojournalist

2009-08-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

I know this is supposed to tell you all about my wedding photography and my thoughts on that subject. However, when good stuff happens elsewhere in my professional life I love to share.

After I left the newspaper world in 2005, I received a prestigious Getty Images Grant for Editorial Photography for a project I proposed about the diversification of American faith and the way that ritual and fellowship form the basis of all faiths regardless of doctrine. I worked on this project in Flushing, NY, the most religiously diverse place in the world. I documented a good number of the various faith and cultural groups there for the project.

This week, 100eyes.org, an online photography magazine published an edit of the project on their new section on Diversity. Please click on the picture to go take a look, leave a comment and share.

Thanks.

Photojournalism Promotion

2009-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just got news this morning that my Photojournalism website is being featured as one of the Portfolios of the Month on (PDN) Photo District News' PhotoServe platform. PDN is the industry magazine that covers all things photography. Photoserve is their catalog of working photographers across the country, it's mostly for editorial, commercial and advertising markets.

Recent editorial work | Philadelphia Photojournalist

2009-08-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here's some images from a recent shoot for The Boston Globe. Mark Herzlich is one of the nation's top college football players, he's a linebacker for Boston College and is a top NFL draft prospect. Earlier this spring he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. I spent the morning with his family and friends as he underwent a morning of his chemo treatment. The good news is that the cancer is treatable and he should make a complete recovery but what's in doubt is his ability to get back onto the football field. Mark is convinced he will, the doctors not as certain. You can read more in the Globe's story here. He's a brave guy with a lot of support. here and here.

Rachel & Dan | Philadelphia Wedding Photography

2009-07-24T11:27:00.001-07:00

For most of us the whole Swine Flu "outbreak" was just another seemingly overhyped news story. Maybe there's something to it, maybe it was a good idea to stay away from Mexico, maybe not. Hard call right. For Rachel and Dan it was more of a problem. Their wedding was scheduled for Playa del Carmen May 23, about a month after the outbreak broke out. After deciding that going to Mexico wasn't a risk they wanted to take for themselves or possibly expose their guests to, they regrouped and started looking local.

They live in Chicago and quickly started scrambling looking for all new everything. My friend Kevin Weinstein had shot their engagement pictures but he was already booked for their date so he wasn't able to have gone to Mexico with them. They called Kevin to see if he could help them find a photographer. I happened to be free on May 23 and was happy to put my name out there for them to consider. First I was going to come to Chicago then Dan's dad worked some magic with Marriott and got them an awesome situation at the Marco Island resort. It wasn't Mexico but it was the beach.

I flew down the day before, hung out on the beach, went to the rehearsal dinner and had a great time with the crew for the day of the wedding.

A full slideshow can be found (here).

Thanks so much! These are absolutely fantastic. The photos are so incredibly creative and candid, and you truly captured so many precious moments.
–– Rachel

Thinking through the plans for the next day as Rachel's brother shares his thoughts on the ceremony he'll be performing.

As an artist, when you have someone as cool and gorgeous as Rachel your job can be really really easy.

Details. Details. Details.

I love a woman who isn't afraid to laugh from deep down.

At sunset the three of us took a walk on the beach. There was no real sun but blue and soft is good too.

Details. Details. Details.

Yes, it happens. Not often but it does happen.

My wife and son even came down and we stayed a few extra days soaking up the sun while my then 9 month old son had his first taste, literally, of sand. I try not to talk too much about my family here just to keep things focused and all but since my family became part of this event, I feel compelled to share one image from the iPhone.

Anna & Sean | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-07-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

Anna & Sean continue my theme of easy going, love to have around clients. In the weeks leading up to their big day at the John J. Audubon Center in Audubon, we met at the site to go over details of the day and take in the landscape. This is the center's first event season and they were still putting the final touches on the outdoor space. Touches like building the bathrooms. Regardless, Anna & Sean were mellow, concerned but mellow, about it all. It was a sign of how they handle stress and dealing with what they can and can't control. Sure enough, by the time the wedding rolled around the grounds looked great and the bathrooms were working, more or less.

The cocktail hour was held in this ancient converted barn that had some of the most killer light I've ever seen, not to mention this amazing backdrop that felt like something out of Tuscany. It rocked, as did Urban Gorilla Orchestra. I hadn't worked with these guys before but they were impressive. Overall the night was a blast.

A full slideshow is (here).

These are amazing! There are so many beautiful shots!

I sent these to one of my friends (who was in the wedding) and this
was her response (I have to say I feel the same way):

"OH MY GOD. omg, those are the most beautiful pics ive ever seen.
i wish i used your photographer! im just ok with mine....we JUST got
our mockup album and theres no pretty black and whites like how your
guy made the pics so like etherreal and flowy
THEY ARE UNBELIEVABLE!!!"

They really are unbelievable.
–– Anna

A brief but rather strong shower rolled through right in the middle of the ceremony. Remember what I said about these guys being laid back and not getting stressed over what can't be controlled.

Things got a little emotional when Sean's brother had a personal reading during the ceremony.

Min Jung & Steve | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-07-23T13:05:00.001-07:00

Min Jung and Steve had an intimate wedding for close family and friends at the Four Seasons in Center City. It was a quiet afternoon but no less meaningful. I think the slower pace of the day actually allowed for everyone to take in the meaning of the moment even more.

They were hoping to run around Center City after the wedding but if you were here in Philly in May and June you know there weren't many nice weekends. So we put the post-ceremony portraits off until the weather got better and went over to Longwood Gardens. If you haven't been, go. It's pretty gorgeous there, especially right around sunset. The greenhouses house an amazing array of plants and flowers that'll brighten up a dreary winter weekend once that comes back around in a few months.

In case you're wondering, Min Jung made all of these tissue paper flowers, above, herself. It took many late nights for her and her sister to get it all done in the weeks leading up to the wedding but the extra touch of a something hand made brought a nice personal touch to the luncheon space.

It may be just me and my brief time playing cello in middle school orchestra and my regrets of giving it up for my then love of Black Sabbath and Billy Idol, don't ask, but when I look through this shoot at Longwood, I hear cello music. It's surely partly due to the setting but there's something about the layered, dramatic and whimsical aspects of the pictures that connects me to why I love the cello as an instrument. Ok. Enough of that artsy stuff.

This picture above may challenge some people's ideas of a proper portrait but it's actually one of my recent favorites. I think the blur combined with the beautiful warm light of sunset makes for a dreamy image. I love working on the edges of what's possible. It doesn't always bring in a winner but when it does I think it is elevated beyond the norm. It's about making that creative connection in the moment.

Becky & Greg | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer | Cescaphe Ballroom

2009-07-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Becky and Greg came home from San Francisco to get married in the familiar confines of friends and family in Old City Philadelphia. The ceremony was held in the grand atrium space of the Cescaphe Ballroom at the Curtis Center, originally the building housed the home of Curtis Publishing which published/publishes The Saturday Evening Post and The Ladies Home Journal among others. Then we took some time to take some portraits around sites like Independence Hall before their traditional Jewish ceremony with the most amazing chuppah I've ever seen. The chuppah along with all the other amazing floral arrangements were designed with characteristic style and grace by Donna at Beautiful Blooms. I've worked with Donna and her crew several times in my short tenure here in Philly and consider it a real treat. I know that regardless of the couple's flower budget, working with Donna is going to produce a gorgeous display.

Becky and Greg wanted to go one step further in getting pictures of themselves and their guest and we set up a Photo booth. Not one of those old-timey machines, although those are cool too, we set up a studio with two soft boxes off to the side of the reception space and used the draping of the space as our backdrop. Mustafah came as my second shooter and we made this his area of concentration for the evening. So all night long guests stepped into the studio and had a blast, as did Becky and Greg. This addition to the traditional coverage of a wedding provides for an unbeatable collection of pictures that's going to look great in their album. I know this because even though their wedding was on May 31, these two have already picked out more than 100 images for their album.

As always, there's more to see in the slideshow (here).

Just diggin on some love

2009-07-09T12:52:00.001-07:00

I love my clients. Really I do. A lot of friends or people I've just met ask me if "dealing" with brides is just as awful as they would imagine. I typically ask them if "dealing" with their friends is an awful experience. Well, that's what the vast majority of my clients are like. There's never been a day since I started doing weddings full-time a couple years ago that I dreaded talking with a client because they were a bridezilla or some other terrible cliche. And yes, like many of my fine colleagues out there, I get plenty of love and compliments from clients once they see their wedding pictures. But here's where, for me, it goes the extra mile – cause I get love notes like this nearly a year after a wedding from Lily who came to me via a chain of recommendations that took her from photographers in Florida and New Mexico before finding me just down the road from her family horse farm in New Jersey.

I'm working on my album right now and I just had to email you quickly to state the obvious: your photos are just breath-taking, Scott. It brings me incalculable joy to look at the pictures of my dashing Pete on our wedding day.

This note is particularly meaningful because Pete is serving another tour of duty leading troops on the ground in Iraq. I won't be so bold as to say that this helps her stay closer to him while he's away but maybe it does help the time go by a little faster.

Wall Street Journal Assignment | Philadelphia Photojournalist

2009-07-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

The other night I shot a fun, if a bit wacky, assignment for the Wall Street Journal. I spent the evening at the Phillies game, yes the one with a 21 run margin of victory, with this guy Zack Hample. Zack's a ballhawker. He chases, catches, begs for, finds or otherwise gets his hands on Major League baseballs during and before games. I have to admit I'm not much of a baseball fan, I just don't get it so this I really don't get. But one of the cool things about being a journalist is the chance to get access into all sorts of unexpected places, subcultures and meet a vast array of people and learn just a bit about a passion or their place in the world. The story, which touches on some of the "controversial" aspects of the ballhawking subject, and the pictures are {here}.

(Update: If you see the print edition please forgive the edit staff at the WSJ, that picture they published is NOT mine. It's not the strangest thing in the world for commissioned pictures not to get published, as it goes the photography department, and myself, were very happy with the slideshow that did get published online)

And here's a couple outtakes that I liked.

Jilian & Jay | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-07-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I updated but I have good reason, it's busy season. I've got several weddings that we're getting ready to get onto the blog but first I wanted to put up an awesome engagement shoot that just finished up. As you have hopefully noticed I'm not big on cliches. You're hopefully seeing that my work doesn't look too terribly much like many of the other types of wedding photography out there. I like to work from a more personal point of view when photographing people. I like to build a connection between myself and whoever I'm photographing and I want to take advantage of any and all opportunities to create something unique but at the same time reflective of unique personalities, quirks, looks, etc.

So with Jilian and Jay I knew I wanted to do something super cool. I think that when people are in love, there's very little I should or need to do to bring that out in them. Just put people together and let the sparks or silliness ensue. They live in Northern Liberties, where we did the shoot, and are very much city folk, down to earth and fun to be around.

Enough words, here's some favorites from the shoot and a fuller collection here. (If you're curious, there are no special Photoshop techniques going on in these pictures.)

Recent other stuff

2009-05-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

yes, I know, my blog titles are riveting. This Spring has been pretty hopping around here with album designs, a regular flow of prints, weddings and some recent editorial work. The most recent editorial piece ran in today's Wall Street Journal. It was actually a fun fast assignment when the picture editor called me around 1pm and said I could work on this over the weekend if I wanted to. I, however, had 2 weddings this weekend so there was no having of that. I got the call about 1:30, hopped to it and was done by dinnertime. It was actually rather fun being thrown a random challenge that had to be figured out and executed with no time to plan, think, coordinate or lollygag. I met up with Philadelphia Councilman Clarke and Mayor Nutter and did some street shooting of some buildings around Center City for a story about the local real estate tax abatement issue. Here's a link to the pictures on the WSJ website.

Another editorial assignment was really cool. I spent some time photograping Jack Witherington whose business is building anything Timber Frame. My very limited understanding of this construction style is that it does not involve any nails. I won't pretend to understand how that works at all. Jack started the business in the late 1990s after losing some clients in another economic downturn and turned the loss of income into an opportunity to invest in himself and his own passion. Today he has a thriving business doing what he loves. I really admire guys like Jack who see change as not just the end of something or a disaster but rather an opportunity to try something new. That's how I got into moving from editorial photography into weddings and I can't imagine what it was like going to work.

One from the archives

2009-05-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

I've been working on an album for clients from, ahem, 2006, :) and was happy to see that they included this little gem of a shot. I always liked this picture and now that it's reemerged into my photographic life it's made its way back onto the site edit. To me it has this fun, almost anachronistic, feel of the little modern gothish girl and the old school looking guys who could be extras for a movie. I love the contrast of her almost stoic expression in attention-getting clothes that shows off a more mature attitude yet she's being a pure kid playing with the bubbles and their matter of fact smoker's moment.

gettin' geared up

2009-05-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

I feel like a bull about to charge. Stomping the ground, getting ready to get serious about business. The next four weeks will see five weddings, including a trip to Florida's Marco Island for one of the weddings. In the midst of all this me and the family are going to sneak in a little get away after Rachel and Dan's wedding in Florida.

I had to feel for these guys, a month ago I didn't know Rachel or Dan, but they knew my friend Kevin in Chicago. Thanks to the World Health Organization's ranking of the Swine Flu as a massive pandemic, Rachel and Dan felt that it wouldn't be right to ask their guests to travel to their well planned wedding along the Mexican Riviera when no one really knew what this apparently nasty virus was all about. I was happy that I was available and could squeeze them into a rather busy month and give my wife a few days on the beach as well. I can't wait to meet them in person next Friday at the rehearsal dinner, as soon as they find a place! Not that I can't wait for all my other weddings but I haven't met these guys yet and they're doing a great job of managing a rather stressful series of events with a lot of grace. I'm sure we'll hear all sorts of great stories Friday night.

Meantime, I'll be getting geared up for local weddings at the John J. Audubon Center, the Four Seasons, The Curtis Center and the Park Hyatt at The Bellevue!!!

Contest Wins

2009-04-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that I picked up two awards in the fourth quarter of the WPJA contest.

This first image was from Leilani and Pete's wedding in December. I'd been waiting for a bride with to don one of these awesome birdcage veils. They always look great in pictures, they give off a sophisticated, classic vibe and Leilani rocked it with grace.

This pic was from Heather and Ben's wedding last October. It was a moment that I grabbed as we were finishing up portraits in Old City. These guys wanted to have a casual time getting pics of the wedding party in the city so we spent an hour just walking the neighborhoods around Old City. The light was awesome and this scene just emerged. It's one of those classic examples of a situation that I just know will yield a great image if I just sit back and wait and boom, there it is. Typically a picture would put the bride as the central focus, and most of the time that's definitely the case. But what I like here is that Heather's not the immediate center of interest but is the second point of interest in the image. For me it makes the picture a bit deeper as an image to explore and find the surprise, of sorts, of the bride in the shadows of the background.

Too much is too much

2009-04-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Kenneth Jarecke wrote a great post on his blog about the value of authentic imagery. He's a pure photojournalist but what he says in his post has a lot of value for work in the field of wedding photography as well.

The essential point he makes is

Photography and specifically photojournalism is a language. When you de-saturate, or burn, or vignette, too much (and this is the key, all of these are legitimate tools up to a point), you've destroyed the dialog with the viewer. You've twisted the common lexicon so much that it no longer has any meaning.

The idea that pictures can't be strong enough on their own and needs stuff done in order to hold our attention is rooted in a lot of insecurity. Either the photographer themselves relies on post-processing to make the image have impact or a designer doesn't feel that they're doing enough in their contribution if they don't change or affect or alter or "dress" an image in some dramatic way. The best pictures affect us on an emotional level. They allow us to linger and contemplate the moment or beauty, or hopefully, the two together that are captured in a single, still frame.

How does this apply to wedding photography? Surely all folks looking at having a wedding photographer at their wedding wants images that show them at their absolute best. Photojournalism, in it's purest sense, isn't so concerned about being flattering as much as it is about the truth of a situation – good, bad, indifferent. But when it comes to your wedding and the photographs, I believe it's important to concentrate on what's most valuable here and that's telling the story of two people and their most important inner circle of family and friends on the happiest day of their lives. The wedding album is an intimate family document that tells us a bit about who we are at our best and who stood their next to us as we made a sacred vow.

For some, I guess, it's about glamour and fashion but I like the comforts, truth and certainty of the real world and all that comes with it. To me, those images of real love, real happiness leap head and shoulders over all the technical whiz bang of those who rely on digital "magic" to boost a mediocre image into the sphere of "cool" but that often leave the viewer cold and left knowing little about the subject of the picture. In the end, it's not so much magic but just pressing a few buttons on the keyboard.

Frankly, capturing reality ain't so easy. Anyone can stand there and snap an image of what's in front of them and show what it is that a camera does. But to interpret a scene, handle the fast moving action and technically challenging environment and create a true piece of art, a document embued with a vision and takes your breath away, takes a connection to the heart of photographer and subject.

More from Jarecke....

It's the flaws, the capturing of reality that make a picture great. No, I'm not saying you have to act like you're recording a crime scene, and I'm not saying you shouldn't decide how to interpret the color of a scene, or the contrast, or even what needs to be burned down a bit, but I am saying you've got to know when you've crossed the line.

When you cross that line, you've destroyed your ability to communicate with your audience. That's the bottom line. If you can't show people what you've seen in a truthful way, if you don't have that credibility, why pick up a camera in the first place?

Colleen & Brian | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-04-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

Colleen and Brian finally had their big day March 28. Last summer the three of us ran around Center City and the riverfront doing engagement pictures so I knew their wedding was going to be a highlight of the year, and I was right. These two are the kind of couple all wedding photographers dream about. They're nice as pie, easy going and a blast to be with. Even the folks at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art thought they were the nicest couple they'd ever worked with.

Colleen wanted a special moment for her and Brian to see each other for the first time. So we planned to have Colleen and her sister waiting in the courtyard of City Hall for Brian to arrive. It was a great moment for all of them, we then took some pictures in the most gorgeous light ever and then went over to PAFA for the ceremony and reception.

It's rare that I am truly excited about family portraits. Don't get me wrong, I like doing them fine and all but they tend to be speedy, efficient affairs. But the Cast Gallery at PAFA is an extraordinary place. It was designed by the original architects of the school there and has the most amazing natural light for the life models that pose for students. It has this beautiful, raw feel to it unlike any other space in the city. I can't wait for another opportunity to take advantage of that space again, soon!

Here's the slideshow of their day.

Commentary

2009-03-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

This week is one of those weeks where all just seems ok with the world, as long as you don't stare at the news for too long. Spring is threatening to come on full bore and the wedding season is starting to get revved up. This year's first wedding is this weekend back at a great venue of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. I was there last fall and can't wait to be back on Saturday for Colleen and Brian's event. It won't rain, it won't rain, it won't rain....

In addition to seeing the sun shine and wanting to be outside to enjoy it, I got two wonderful gifts from old and somewhat new friends. The first is from my friend Stacia Spragg-Braude who just saw her 10-year-long project on a Navaho family's attempt to keep with their culture and traditions alive through the role of the sacred Churro sheep. It's a beautiful story that's told in stunning black and white images and accompanied by oral histories from the family. Stacia is a friend from my grad school days and we've shared a lot over the years. She lives on a small ranch outside of Albuquerque and was kind enough to include me in the acknowledgments of the book. I've been conversing with Stacia it seems every few days for these past ten years about this project. I've helped edit it at various stages and it's been a joy and a privilege to be a part of it all.

Yes, it's a bit self-indulgent of me to post this here but it's quite likely that I won't ever get such an honor again so I want to soak it all in, and suggest that you check out the site and possibly buy the book, which is goregous.

...to Scott Lewis, my favorite verb, for the iambic pentameter of his eye in helping to edit the photographs and for his muse-soul that has helped turn all the neurosis into a rich, bubbly stew.

This quote is pretty representative of how Stacia sees the world. Pictures have sounds and smells and all kinds of unexpected adjectives. I've only been a sideline supporter of this project and it's a humbling honor to be recognized at all.

The other set of words come from my friend Doug Menuez. Doug's a top-notch advertising / documentary photographer. I contacted Doug a few years ago when I left newspapers as just a fan of his work. We've gotten together a few times since but more importantly we've exchanged lots and lots of thoughts about working as a creative professional and the journey that is life as an artist. See, most of the professional photography world doesn't respect wedding photography, largely because of it's history as a cheesy low-end, unsophisticated exercise. Well, that's changed in the past 10 years and I'm happy to be a part of this business even if certain industry folks don't think so highly of what we do. Screw 'em. Doug's a great guy who has no snobbery about him when it comes to working as a photographer in any gener so I show him my wedding work every now and then. I recently updated the site and just love what he had to share

This is some good &*@#. these are just awesome pictures, weddings? they are @%^&*ing life, raw, real, hot. i @%^&*ing HATE YOU!!

What I love about these two thoughts are the way they're so personal to the person giving them. At a certain point as a professional image maker, you look for more than someone saying they like your work. You look for a connection that it's more than just a guy with a camera doing what a camera does. You hope that your relationship with your work and your colleagues, and clients, transcends the everyday into something magical that forces people to come up with new expressions overflowing with excitement. It's part of the blend of fuel that keeps the whole thing moving.

Website Redux

2009-03-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

In the next week or so I will be relaunching the website with the same design and layout but with an entirely different way to present the images. I've learned that wedding encompass a few essential truths. Emotions, fun, beauty, color, moments, etc. I thought that I would change things up a bit in how pictures are presented and group them according to different themes that I've seen and responded to. As I've been going back over images from the archives it's been fun and exciting to not just relive the weddings and the great people I've gotten to meet and get to know but also to see how my photography has evolved over time. If open minded enough, every artist can learn something about themselves when they get some distance from their work and look back on it out of the moment of creation. Not to sound too "arty" or "intellectual" about it all. I hope you like what I come up with so check back in a few days and see how it all turns out.

Great ideas

2009-03-10T17:23:00.001-07:00

So I just realized that I've been a bad blogger and have been silent here for a while. Doing lots of work with marketing and new endeavors while keeping pace with lots of client prints and albums. Completing an album for a client is great fun. It's often a lot of work but it provides a great sense of completion. The album is the finished thought and I feel like a proud papa every time I put together an album that tells this story of a couple and the marks the beginning of their new life. I know that this album will serve as a benchmark for this family's history. It's like I'm putting something valuable off onto the sea. I probably won't see the album again but i do stay in touch with many couples and love to hear how their lives have evolved since the wedding. And now that I'm settling into life here in Philadelphia I look forward to calls from wedding couples once the babies start arriving. I would love to photograph all the babies that have been born to past couples, but they all live elsewhere.

Some news on the home front here in that I've added my first official member of the team. Annie Norton joins me here in the studio to help with a number of efforts from post-production to marketing and whatever else comes screaming down the pipeline. She's a great addition to the growth of the business and I look forward to seeing how she helps me grow.

I found this great blog post. In light of today's economic craziness, planning a wedding is surely an extra stressful affair. I know lots of people are holding off on big decisions. It's hard for everyone this year and every penny and choice seems to count ten-fold more. I'm sensitive to this kind of stress in my own life and even more so in my business. So if you're planning your wedding and you don't think you can make your ideas happen, don't worry. There are many ways to solve these problems and still walk away with a perfect wedding with everything you would want. Check out these great ideas from some folks out west.

Email issues

2009-02-06T07:21:00.001-08:00

I've just switched my email to a new system and it still seems to be having some bumps. So if you've sent an email in the last two days and I have not responded please resend or give me a call at 610-941-1028. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Thanks.
The MGMT.

Leilani and Pete l Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2009-01-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

Leilani and Pete are the third veterans of the War in Iraq that I've photographed as a wedding photographer. As a newspaper photographer, I was often on the darker side of stories of soldiers. Whether it was about a then mysterious nervous system syndrome suffered by veterans of the war in 1991 or soldiers overcoming injuries at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina or an African immigrant serving the U.S. Army in hopes of gaining his citizenship and ultimately dying for a country he only hoped to be a citizen of. Now as a wedding photographer, I get to connect with veterans unaffiliated with their role as soldiers on a rather joyful occasion. Either way, it's always an honor to tell their story.

Theirs was my final wedding of 2008, two days after Christmas. It was a chilly night at Normandy Farm with lots of cross-cultural joking going on between Leilani's large and fun Philipino family and Pete's small Polish-Italian brood. I was also thrilled that Leilani donned that great hat and veil for the reception. It's one of those things that always make a woman look even more elegant and gorgeous.

(Slideshow)

Their ceremony was full of all kinds of wonderful, and important, symbols in Philipino culture including a literal knot of rope draped over the couple by their mothers and the mutual exchange of coins.

Below is a stolen moment between the couple as their families gathered for one of the traditional family portraits. See folks, this is what you get with a veteran photojournalist, always looking for the unexpected moments that tell you something wonderful.

Whew...

2009-01-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

Ok. That was a busy year. I just finished my first full wedding season in Philadelphia and LOVED it. I worked with some GREAT couples, got to some awesome venues and look to expanding to more upcoming in 2009. But I'm off to my annual New Year's dinner tomorrow of many courses of amazing food, great friends and splendid wines, champagne and port. So with that, here's my shameless pat on the back for the best thing I made this year.

And yes, he's really this good. (Most of the time.:)))))

Genny & Jake l Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2008-12-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Genny and Jake called me soon after they returned from a global trek, and lots of pictures, and said they knew that they wanted a photographer who would be able to capture something real for their wedding. They're a couple who clearly want to experience life, not watch others have all the fun. And so, we were a perfect match for each other.

Their ceremony and reception were held at the Loews in downtown Philadelphia, the renovated historic 1932 PSFS building, the nation's first modern skyscraper.. The ballroom is a reminder that banks were once serious places. A very swank location for a swank couple.

From Genny's mother:

"You have captured the real spirit of my girl. There are shots of her that touch my heart because the little girl she was appears in her grown-up body. I just can't thank you enough for all of the beautiful prints, you caught every special moment, yet I don't even remember seeing you! thank you so much for being so good at your craft, I'm so glad she found you. "

Show (here).

Betsy & Geoff l Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2008-12-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

Betsy and Geoff's wedding brought me back to the Union League to continue this fall's run of great weddings and couples. After their ceremony at St. Augustine's we all got to walk around the Independence Mall area. One of my favorite times to photograph is dusk, in the fall, on a cloudy day. There's this beautiful period of time where all the shadows go blue and everything is super saturated and rich in tone.

I would've gotten the post of their wedding up sooner but I've been toiling away trying to get all their Christmas prints done in time. It's always awesome when a couple or their family orders lots of prints. It's a whole other level of enthusiasm when they start ordering prints within a few hours of seeing the images online. I love it!

So a few weeks before their wedding, I get a call from Geoff asking if I would have some time to shoot a picture of Betsy's favorite spot in Philadelphia along Kelly Drive. They do their daily run along the river here, as do many of my clients along with half of the under-40 crowd in the city, and this view is Betsy's favorite. It just so happens that Geoff's timing couldn't have been better as the leaves were at their peak of turning color which made for an amazing contrast of red against the blue sky at the end of the day. We did a canvas print, which arrived Friday morning in the nick of time for Saturday's wedding. You can see below as Betsy shares the print with her bridesmaids after Geoff had it delivered to her hotel suite on the wedding day.

Enjoy the show (here).

It's one thing to say a couple is nice and good hearted because you get along with them. It's a whole other thing to see them in action against a really unexpected and possibly unpleasant situation. So after doing the portraits around Independence Mall the wedding party hopped into their small chartered bus to head over to the reception while Geoff, Betsy and I waited for their car service to pick us up. And we waited, and waited and waited. The car never came. So after walking the streets for a bit looking for other possible places where the car and driver could have gotten off to, below, these guys didn't let it get to them, didn't get angry or flustered. They just rolled with it, and we hailed a cab back to the Union League. Now this is keeping what really important at the top of the list.

Angie & Chris l Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2008-12-02T09:42:00.001-08:00

I got a chance to revisit the Glasbern Inn this year with Angie & Chris' wedding in October. This was my second time to the Inn up in the almost mountains of PA. The surrounding land is amazing particularly at this time of year. As you can see, the leaves were just beginning to change and the light had that awesome Fall snap to it.

Even though Angie and Chris live in the concrete jungle of Manhattan, they really wanted to celebrate the unique and beautiful rural landscape of the Inn in Fogelsville. So we spent some time walking the grounds, including taking a trek up to their chicken pen area. The whole event just felt and looked all shades of orange. From the flowers to Angie's hair (ok, it's blond but it's in the same family as orange) to the changing leaves to the chickens to the lighting I used for the reception.

Enjoy the show.

Kali & Vince l Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

2008-12-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down and do some posting. Being a new parent and running your own business is a lot of work. More than I ever could have imagined before I dove into both.

First up is Kali and Vince. If you're a fan of Penn basketball then you probably know Vince who played for the Quakers a while back and now does analysis for the Penn Sports Network and other local media outlets. You may not know Kali but you wish you did. Kali is all positive energy. She's calm and direct and stress free and just a joy to be around. Their wedding was an elegant affair that started with a ceremony at St. John's in Center City then the reception was held at the Union League of Philadelphia.

Enjoy the show.

Kali and I did a fun shoot, ahem just for Vince, a few weeks before the wedding. Once I get Kali's permission I may post a few from that shoot here or on the website. That went so well, Kali had me come out to her final dress fitting at Maria Romia in Center City. The dress was breath taking and it was cool to get to see some of the final prep and excitement.

And Vince's pal, Governor Ed Rendell showed up to wish the couple his best.

Proofing site maintenance

2008-11-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

We will be performing routine maintenance to the website on Saturday, November 22, 2008, which will result in scheduled downtime from 6:00 pm EST to 11:59 pm EST on that date. During this time, the site will not be available. Please return after that date for regular access.

Thanks.

Scott

Philadlephia Magazine

2008-11-03T14:00:00.000-08:00

More good news in these parts as this image from Joe and Kelly's wedding from this summer won the Photographer's Choice category in the Philadelphia Wedding magazine's monthly Top Pix Photography Contest. It was the first month I entered the contest so I'm pleased.

Heather & Ben

2008-10-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Heather and Ben had a Phillycentric wedding a couple weeks ago. They started at the Westin in Center City then we walked around Old City with the bridal party getting honks and shouts of congrats from those doing typical Saturday things like taking the Duck Boat tours and sitting at sidewalk cafes. The ceremony was at the historic Christ Church. I'm not sure, but I'm gonna bet than Ben Franklin and other early attendees of this church never envisioned a Jewish chuppah as part of a wedding ceremony there. But the reality today of so many interfaith couples brings forth all sorts of new opportunities for all of us. Then the reception was held at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Elegant, fun and down to earth, just like the couple themselves. And Kendall at Eclatante Design ran a tight ship keeping everything stress free.

Slideshow (here)

Being a photojournalist, I've always been rather earnest about my approach to photography. I believe in capturing the true unaffected moment. I don't like thinking about how to alter my images after they're made. There's something that feels cheap and easy about needing a filter or some series of effects in order to make the picture gorgeous or stop people. Ultimately it's just about pushing buttons as opposed to capturing something real and in the moment. And when it is real and in the moment why mess it up by altering the reality you worked so hard to capture. Anyway, I just really love this first image of Heather. It's not notably altered in photoshop. It's toned lighter than I would most of my images but that's always a subjective task. To me she's a cross between Marilyn Monroe and a Roy Lichtenstein painting.

When I was in my first job at a small but very creative and influential group of newspapers outside of Chicago we were always trying to take our work further. Even on the most mundane of assignments we always worked for that National Geographic kind of image that blended artistry with storytelling. We didn't always get there but the process was fun. One photographer on staff did a story on the local donut shop. He spent time there every morning for a week or so documenting the regulars and the kids and all the various happenings in the shop. Our editor was working with him to elevate this to something special, just cause they could. He kept talking about the "yum" picture. The picture that summed up just how good those donuts were. The picture that allows you to taste the donuty goodness. The picture they chose was a little paper plate with a half eaten donut on it, crumbs all over. It really took you into that space of tasting the sugary goodness of a fresh baked donut. So, what the heck do donuts have to do with this wedding. Nothing really. But, one of my favorite pictures to look for at a wedding is the picture at the end of the night of one of the tables. It isn't always there but sometimes it is. The picture that somehow takes you to the feeling of having just been at a rockin' party with all the memories and stories floating in the air outside the frame.

I gotta be ME!

2008-10-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

I think there's two schools of thought when it comes to running a creative business. You can create a product that will be safe and appeal to the widest range of people. As a result you'll likely get more volume and maybe have broader appeal. But if you have a vision, a style, a distinct way that you need to practice your craft then you take certain risks. You may not appeal to the widest range of consumers. The stronger your personality in your work the less likely you're going to appeal to "most" people. Kind of like regular old personal interaction. But if you stay true to your vision, your way of doing things, and find clients who connect with your style and your work then you're forever liberated to produce from your gut, and heart. I believe, this kind of work stands above the masses. It's distinct and full of something unexpected.

This is the way I've always worked as a photographer whether it was taking my first pictures of friends in college or during my days as a newspaper photojournalist or taking pictures of my new born son or at the weddings I document. As a newspaper photographer, more traditional folks -- those taught that newspaper pictures were supposed to look a certain way -- would ask me if I could take a "normal picture." As if my pictures were somehow not normal. They were always normal to me, I just didn't worry about "rules" and just worked from my point of view. I learned this lesson early in my career from one of the Zen masters of the newspaper photography world. While at a conference looking for my first job in 1995, Brian Moss succinctly taught me to be myself in my work and not worry about filling preconceived categories or holes. That message has been the guiding force in my career, good and bad. But I've been fortunate enough to work for people who also believe in and connect with what I bring to my photographs.

This clearly falls into the shameless category but when clients send messages like the following, I just can't help but want to shout it from the rooftops. It shows, to me, a perfect match of client and photographer. It's not unusual, :)))), for me to get messages like this but this one did such a great job of getting to the heart of what I hope to accomplish with my work.

The pictures are amazing. You truly captured the essence of our wedding. When we watch the slide show, the emotions start all over again. It was the most exciting, joyous, beautiful, and special day for us. Words that family and friends have used to describe our pictures are "Stunning!", "WOW!", " It (the slide show) made me cry!""You guys look like movie stars!" and "You both looked like you were having so much fun!" We love that people can get that from the photographs. Thank you for documenting our day!

Of course, I aim for this in every encounter. I work exactly the same way for each client. If I had a dream business goal this would sum it up for each and every encounter.

So that was one kind of reaction born from seeing the pictures soon after the wedding. But it's great to create final products where the images themselves aren't a surprise, most of the time you've been seeing these pictures for a year before an album is delivered. But when the album arrives, it's taken to another level.

I wanted to let you know that my family is flipping over the album. Words can't describe how happy Jason and I are and how amazed we are at the beauty of the finished product. We are grateful for your hard work and look forward to sharing it over and over again. Thanks again! It's gorgeous (and not because it's of us) haha.

And with that, it's Thank You very much to ALL of my clients and back to work!

Here's the story

2008-10-03T08:53:00.001-07:00

In my last post I talked up this huge project by James Nachtwey and the TED foundation. Here it is.

As is no surprise the images are powerful, painful and important. Drug resistant TB is a growing global health crisis that I heard about several years ago when I worked on a local story about the increase of TB in Durham, NC when I was a newspaper photographer. I remember hearing about drug resistance to TB as an emerging issue then but it seems to have gotten to a point of being on the verge of a true global health crisis.

Big things

2008-10-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

Odds are you are here because you're interested in wedding photography. In the posts below and on my website you'll find plenty on that subject. But I want to draw your attention to what should be a very exciting and no doubt powerful story that will be unveiled worldwide on October 3.

James Nachtwey, the greatest photographer of human conflict ever, received a $100,000 prize from the TED foundation. With that money, Nachtwey has been working on an uncovered story that he believes needs to be known. If this man thinks I need to know about it, he's right. Very few people have witnessed the range and depth of humanity's greatness and the depth and depravity of just how dark and awful human nature can be. He has photographed every human conflict of global significance since documenting the "troubles" in Northern Ireland in the 1980s. He stands as the greatest testament to the simple yet powerful driving force of photojournalism: To Bear Witness. There's no doubt that this story is important and there's even less doubt that the images will be powerful and heart rending. I will prep you that these pictures may not be easy to look at. Not because they're gruesome, but because they will tear at your soul like so much of his work has done. You will likely not forget seeing these images.

You may have picked up that I've spent most of my career as a photojournalist. Not doing the kind of work that he does but focusing my work at newspapers in Michigan, New Mexico, Illinois and North Carolina. I took time away from that part of my career in launching the wedding business a few years ago to enjoy time with my wife, and now my newborn son. I have continued to do some work in photojournalism and will be increasing my efforts to more of that in the next year. But on October 3 you should take a minute and check this out, either in person or online.

Janine & Eric

2008-09-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yup, another Janine this week and you'd think they wouldn't have too terribly much in common, just a random coincidence. But you'd be wrong. This Janine, like last week's Janine, also smiles from a deep and confident place and she wore her excitement on the outside all day long.

Their ceremony took place at Old St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia's Society Hill. A beautiful, historic church. We then took a trolley over to Washington Square Park for some quick portraits then back to the Sheraton Society Hill for an elegant and fun reception.

A slideshow of highlights is (here).

Janine & Scott

2008-09-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Janine's face probably still hurts from her wedding to Scott at the Knowlton Mansion in Philadelphia. Most brides spend the day smiling pretty intensely. I know that my cheeks were sore the day after my wedding. But Janine's smile starts in her toes and her laugh is the kind of belly laugh that comes from a confident woman who's not afraid to let you know she's loving the moment. Not to mention that she looks like she just fell out of a Dutch Masters painting. She and Scott are perfect compliments to each other. Their day, including the false fire alarm in the hotel and the remnants of Hurricane Hannah pushing everything indoors, was perfectly fun. And, again, much love to Donna and her team at Beautiful Blooms who rocked some seriously gorgeous floral arrangements of deep reds and purples. The room took everyone's breath away, most notably Janine's (see below)!

I typically get hugs of thanks from brides as we've traveled the journey of the day together and I am witness to all the "stuff" on the wedding day. It's always great at the end of the night when a groom pushes my handshake aside and throws a hug saying I was like family. A great reward for folks who'd yet to see the product of all that hanging around with a camera to my face.

Janine and Scott's slideshow is (here). (And that's not my double use of Bubbly by Colbie Callait, it was their first dance song, as it was for Andrea and Tim.

This is Janine's reaction upon seeing her reception space at the Mansion filled with family, friends and gorgeous flowers.

My boy

2008-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Andrea & Tim

2008-09-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

Andrea and Tim had a great wedding incorporating a number of elements from their Irish and Catholic backgrounds, including a honeymoon to the homeland. And if you're wondering if I went with them to Ireland for the ceremony and reception, those are just the Our Lady of Lourdes church and Merion Tribute House on the Main Line. A beautiful castle-like facility just minutes from Center City. And I can't forget to mention the always beautiful, elegant and simple floral presentations by Beautiful Blooms.

Checkout their slideshow (here).

Moving On

2008-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I worked on an interesting assignment for a regular client, The Boston Globe. The story was a different take on the annual remembrance of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. The reporter, David Filipov, was writing about his own personal experience and how it paralleled that of the city's. David's father was on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to crash into the towers. David was in Moscow at the time covering the one year anniversary of the sunken Soviet submarine. David's been to Ground Zero before but has avoided coming down to the site during the annual memorials. He's actually avoided any acknowledgment of the anniversary, until this year. So the story was a bit non-traditional in being first person but it became an interesting way to examine the ways both an individual and a city move on from tragedy. Below are some of the other pictures I submitted, the first one is of David looking for a photo of his father at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center. It is also the image that was on the paper's front page this morning.

As a journalist, I really like stories like this. From my perspective, it's a story that relies on the ability of a photographer to see images and not rely on just stuff that happens in front of them. To me these images get at the idea of the mood of this part of the city now. It can be dark, have odd juxtapositions, powerful, harried, poetic. Fences surround the site and construction workers are EVERYWHERE. The image of the guy with the Statue of Liberty mime was so strange. Here you have a field of flags with the names of the WTC victims and there's tourists doing goofy posed pictures right next to it. It's where traditional New York tourism butts up against the solemn memory of the attacks. Ground Zero has become another thing on the list that people visit. In this image, Michael Sinclair photographs the front of NYFD Ladder 10, the fire department that's across the street from the site. Sinclair and his family came to NY from Belfast, Ireland as part of a trip to the States that includes a few days in Florida. Visiting Ground Zero was the first thing on their list of sites to visit.

Here's a link to a story David, who was the paper's Moscow bureau chief for about 14 years, wrote from Afghanistan in November 2001. David also covered the Iraq war for the Globe.

Abigail & Cameron, part 2

2008-09-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

In May, Abigail and Cameron had a nice, small, immediate family only ceremony in a pasture in Delaware. They followed that up with a full-scale celebration at Congress Hall in Cape May, NJ.

Here's the slideshow of both events.

Top Ten, 2 Times

2008-09-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that I had two images place in the top ten of two different categories of the international WPJA quarterly contest.

For the Fourth Place image below, the judges said "Strong composition, great emotion and nice light create a moment of joy for this bride that makes this a compelling image. Champagne bottle adds another layer of strength to the image"

And for the Seventh Place image below, the judges said "A strong use of back-lighting silhouettes this dancing couple with good use of color. A flash in the foreground would have ruined this photo!"

Not so quiet on the western front

2008-08-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

So I haven't posted in a while, but I have a good excuse.

Ari Milo Lewis, born 08.13.08.

Colleen & Brian

2008-08-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Colleen, Brian and I had a great shoot the other day along two of Philly's great landmarks of Kelly Drive and Logan Square. The light was unbelievably perfect. Soft warm, pink light along the river for some great portraits. We stayed a little longer to let the light drop enough to get that great Magic Hour moment where the exposures of the fountain and the sky were the same. It was a fun shoot that reconfirmed, for me, my belief that great images come when you put two people together and let them be themselves. No stiff posing, nothing forced just some unstructured moments that show how these two feel about each other. Sure, I could have told Brian to kiss her on the hand or the forehead but it's so much better and more meaningful that he did it on his own. In each image, Colleen is so clearly emotional about the moment that it says something real and fantastic.

Heartbreakingly good

2008-07-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

A new piece on Mediastorm's website, Common Ground, began 14 years ago by Scott Strazzante. Scott and I worked together during my three years with a small newspaper group on the outer reaches of the Chicago suburbs. Scott followed the simple life and ultimate ending of a family farm and then years later came back and followed the life of a family that moved into the subdivision that was built on the farmland. This work, which was also published recently in National Geographic, is hearbreakingly good. In a world where perfection is sought and rarely achieved this is a perfect story. It's told with passion, bravado and heart. I'm proud to say that I worked with Scott, and to have gone to grad school with Mediastorm's President Brian Storm whose passion for photography and storytelling know no bounds. And while you're at the site, check out all the other amazing stories.

Whoa

2008-07-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

No comment necessary.

Cyndie & Lisa

2008-07-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

So first of all, a big thank you to Joe and Kelly(see post below) for recommending me to Cyndie and Lisa. These two ladies had an intimate family and close friend affair in the backyard of their home in Connecticut. There's a ton of vocal talent coursing through Cyndie (here) and (here) and her family and that was on proud display throughout the day including her niece's version of the Kermit the Frog classic, "Rainbow Connection." (Which is still running through my head a month later) And the evening of talent continued with performances by Cyndie and her sisters and was wrapped up with Cyndie's air guitar performance.

Kelly & Joe

2008-07-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Kelly and Joe are one of those great couples you're just happy to get the chance to know, and photograph. They're both big, fun personalities and a great fit for each other. Their ceremony was at the Wayne Presbyterian Church, followed with a trolley ride to their alma mater St. Joseph's and then off to the Aronimink Golf Club for the reception. I added a classic Tintype treatment to a few of the images for fun, something different but not overly trendy. One thing I actually really like about this first picture, is the obvious tension in Kelly's face. Sure, as you can see in the slideshow, there's plenty of joy and happiness here. But the wedding day is about a lot of stuff and I'm there to tell the story of that stuff. A friend of mine who has no direct relation to photography or weddings, outside of our 20 year friendship, but is a musician, once commented that the weddings he saw on my site had three stages. Anticipation, Reverence and Exaltation. I thought it pretty well summed up most wedding day experiences. There's highs and lows and the fun is showing both in varying ways. So to see Kelly go from feeling the tension of having run 1.5 hours behind schedule as she was getting ready at home to the explosion of joy on the trolley immediately following the ceremony and then see her blissful while dancing w/ Joe is such a perfect narrative and artistic arc.

Here's the show.

This is the last event for a few weeks as I'm taking plenty of time to prepare for the arrival of our first baby in mid-August so things may be a bit quiet on the blog front for a few weeks.

New digs

2008-07-07T09:27:00.001-07:00

We moved into our new studio space this past week. No pictures just yet as we're still in and out of boxes but it's exciting to stretch our legs in new digs. We're fully operational just not completely finished with the polishing and shining but we're on our way.

Ranoo & Animesh

2008-07-02T07:08:00.001-07:00

Chicago living and central PA raised, Drs. Ranoo & Animesh had a perfect Hindu wedding on a perfect Pennsylvania summer day at the Peter Allen House in Dauphin. Since the tradition of riding in on a white horse wasn't happening, the family adjusted and used a classic Rolls Royce owned by the House's owner, Frank Pinto, as part of the Baraat, the groom's procession. This was led, unexpectedly, by a bag piper and, expectedly, two slammin' bhangra drummers. It made for a really nice combination of high and low pitch. I couldn't help but notice that Animesh's sister was leading the dancing and joy with an incredible energy, rhythm and skill. I figured she was just really happy and loved bhangra. Only later did I find out that she's a backup dancer on Madonna's next tour, and she was really happy. Ok, that makes sense. The procession took about 30 minutes to go 200 yards. "It's got to last a while to be meaningful," Animesh's father told me. What a great reminder that everything doesn't have to be fast and efficient but that we can be luxurious in our time and joy, especially at a celebration like a wedding.

The wedding itself was steeped in Hindu tradition and ritual. I love weddings like this that take the act of marriage and bring in serious traditions. It makes the event meaningful in a whole other way and reminds us that we're all part of distinct and wonderful tribes with their own practices. (In American culture there's such pressure to assimilate and lose one's past. I guess the goal is that we should think of Olive Garden as representing Italian heritage and Taco Bell the legacy of Mexicans all the while pretending that where we came from is irrelevant. That somehow being American means one specific thing that's devoid of unique stories, backgrounds, beliefs, histories, traditions, cultures and heritages. Ok, the political discourse of this post is over.) This applies to all faith traditions as well as to those who make up their own traditions or bring in a hodgepodge of ideas. It adds to the depth of the ceremony and its meaning.

Slideshow here.

Unseen Iraq

2008-07-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Andrea Bruce just posted a new image with a heartbreaking story on her blog posting at washingtonpost.com. Andrea's an amazing photographer. Like many photographer friends of mine, I knew her work before I met her. I first came across her photography when she was doing this great photo column at The Concord Monitor of little slices of life. A couple running out of gas on the side of the road or a little boy relieving himself in his front yard (it was funny, trust me). Andrea has since moved on to make some of the most human images of global conflict in the past decade. Her work from Iraq deviates from most by concentrating on the way that every day Iraqis are trying to live amidst all the war. Her conflict work is powerful for the same reason her work beyond the conflict is. It's always about the people whose lives she's there to document.

Visit her blog on the Post's site. The sum total of her postings reveal a side to the Iraq War that's so rarely seen or understood. They are the stories that drive so many journalists to work amidst totally irrational circumstances and even less rational rewards. It's hard to get this work published in many places besides those of the pages of a newspaper as the few pages that magazines devote to content is precious space and tends to be dominated by the immediate stories of the week as opposed to more in-depth, probing work.

Halfway there

2008-06-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Abigail and Cameron had a beautiful, intimate family ceremony in Brandywine Park in Wilmington, DE followed up by a beautiful dinner at her parent's home. Here's a small, music-free, sampling. The celebration is going to finish up with more family and friends in August at Congress Hall in Cape May.

In a note of otherworldliness, Abigail and Cameron's was the 1st of 2 weddings in June that brought a close family friend/clergy from Montana. I have nothing to add, it's just an odd coincidence.

New Magazine Ad

2008-06-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here's our new ad that's out in this season's issue of Philadelphia Wedding magazine, which should be on the stands in the next few weeks. We're on page 23 and it looks great. Thanks to Tyler and everyone else at the magazine for seeing it through.

like a bee

2008-06-27T06:20:00.001-07:00

Been super busy these days what w/ all the nuptials and readying the house for the arrival of The Bean.

So enjoy the video below, gotta love those Brits' dry wit.

15

2008-06-27T06:18:00.001-07:00

Marriage

2008-06-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

With the recent ruling in California, that all couples can marry, some discussion (here) and (here) has emerged about the impact that photographing gay weddings will have on a photographer's business. This all seems a bit strange to me.

It's ridiculous to think that I'd judge any of my clients on any factor of their personal life. No aspect of their lifestyle, political beliefs, indulgences, food tastes, music likings, dog vs. cat, tall or short, rich or poor, Republican/Democrat/Libertarian/Independent, Catholic/Muslim/Jew/Protestant/Taoist, Yankee/Red Sox, Civil War or War Between the States (I did live in the South for a while), Pat's or Gino's, w/ Whiz or w/o (but really, how can you not?) or family background should or does come into play in my decision to photograph a wedding. More importantly, are you easy to work with? Do you respect and like what I do? Are we a good match?

My job is to document an important event in their lives. I've photographed plenty of situations in my life, some I felt very connected with while others repulsed me. Through it all, it's my job to fairly and accurately portray the situation for what it is regardless of my personal beliefs. I've spent intimate personal moments with racists, bigots and anti-Semites and documented what mattered to them, not me (full disclosure: not wedding clients but in my journalism/documentary work). I could, fairly, jump up and down with personal preferences about whose wedding I will or will not photograph. I could only document people who are attractive in one particular way because I believe they'll help me draw in future business. I could only show weddings from certain high-dollar venues because I only want the well-to-do, or wanna be well-to-do, clients. Or only photograph same-race couples out of fear that I'll loose all my same-race business. This stuff is just dumb.

I used to have a VW Fox. It was the first new car I bought right after college in 1991 after my 1979 Honda Civic's clutch died at Carl's Corner, Texas and I decided the car wasn't worth enough to fix. Anyway, I used to take it to a mechanic who was a proud Evangelical Christian. He displayed Bible versus in his shop. I am not an Evangelical Christian. But what mattered to me was not that he displayed his very personal spiritual beliefs in his place of business but how he conducted his business. He was a great and honest mechanic who was a nice guy. Nothing else really mattered to me. Should he have not displayed those thoughts out of fear of losing business? I guess he could have but he never asked me to pass a morality test before changing the oil. I could have taken my business elsewhere to someone who didn't display such personal feelings but as a business owner I can respect his conviction to run his business the way he wanted to. We never discussed religion or political stuff just cars and the weather and the community. Pretty much the foundation of all small business transactions.

I've photographed weddings where the vows include the bride "obeying" her husband. Should I have walked out at that point because these views are from the dark ages? I've shot weddings where one spouse was downright mean and awful to their partner. Should I have sent Whitney and Maury packing because they're of different races? Should I, Mayor John Street and the Penn Museum of Art and Archeology have turned down Ryan and Micah? What about couples who are of mixed faith backgrounds? Divorced? The differences among us are vast and profound and it ain't my place to judge. There is no standard culture, belief system or way of living that is a model against which all others are judged. It's a big world and there's room for all of us. If you wanna get married, I'd be happy to document it.

Just for the sake of doing it

2008-06-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Crisp! Awesome! Badass!

2008-05-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

Ever since my wife, Caroline, and I had our wedding invitations done in letterpress, I've been hoping for a chance to use letterpress again. It's such an amazing and unique process. Beyond that, the whole process of letterpress reflects my own business philosophy. Careful craftsmanship and attention to detail for a one of a kind, stop you in your tracks final product. Even though I'm fully 21st century when it comes to technology, I'm very much old world when it comes to the soul of my work and service ethic. I believe in the power of honest real moments unaffected by gizmos and hyperactive, trend of the moment special effects. I want my pictures to hit you in the gut (in a good way!) not just for the folks in the images but to those who don't know the people. I want you to hear the music and sense the emotion. Ok, maybe that's expecting a bit much for a post about business cards.

Back to the point of this post......When redesigning my business cards to reflect my new logo and website, I decided to go the letterpress route and found a great local source with Ryan Howell at Mad Maude. I think they turned out great but don't take my word for it, on his blog Ryan says....

We printed business cards for photographer, Scott Lewis and they turned out extremely -- crisp? Awesome? Badass? I'm at a loss for a proper adjective to describe the cards...

Normally, I don't really care too much for wedding photography because after a while I keep seeing the same shots, but Mr. Lewis definitely made me feel like I was there at every single wedding that is showcased in his portfolio.

Amazing the kind words you can get from folks for only $20..:))) j/k....Thanks to Ryan and his team who worked hard to get it just right. In case you're looking for a local source for invitations, Ryan does wedding invites and loves creative challenges. I'm looking forward to another excuse to use this process again!

Queens Museum of Art

2008-05-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Eight images from my project, God & Globalization, are currently on display until June 29 as part of the "This Case of Conscience" exhibit at the Queens (NY) Museum of Art. Relfecting on the 350th anniversary of The Flushing Remonstrance, the exhibit examines, via documentary photography and various installation pieces, the current state of religious diversity in Flushing. The Remonstrance was the first act of citizens insisting on religious freedom for their neighbors during colonial Dutch rule of then New Amsterdam and is widely considered a first spark that laid the philosophical groundwork for the Freedom of Religion doctrine in the Bill of Rights. This is work that I produced in part with funding from the Getty Images Grant for Editorial Photography. I am continuing to work on the project when I can.

The opening reception for the show is May 18 3-6pm.

Jessica & Jeff

2008-04-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

Jess works on the Hubble Telescope and Jeff just got his PhD in Physics, although I'm sure it's all way more complicated than I could comprehend despite my B in high school Honors Physics. These two scientists had a very down to earth affair in Short Hills, NJ area. Just a bunch of family and friends having a great time.

Portraits

2008-04-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Even though my background and skills/passion leave me best suited to photograph the world as it is, I have grown to really enjoy set-up portraits. The other day I shot my third reality TV "star" (Genevieve Gorder from Trading Spaces was the first, Michael from Bravo's Top Design was 2 and I'm not counting Carson Kresley from Queer Eye in a passing moment at a Fashion Week assignment in NYC.) for The Boston Globe. I met Jay McCarroll at a cool boutique in South Philly, Mew Gallery, where he sells some of his bags with his signature circle design. Jay was promoting his well-received documentary, Eleven Minutes, made about his life after Project Runway. He was patient and fun as we tried various ideas. Even though his on-camera persona is pretty high energy he was somewhat ironically serious and composed when it came time to snap away. That's cool, we all have many sides and I don't blame him for wanting to have some control over how he's gonna be portrayed in the media.

So sad....

2008-04-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

Nim Chimpsky

More great kids

2008-03-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

I did another round of portraits of kids with Flashes of Hope recently. Having parenthood on the near horizon, it makes me a bit nervous about how a child, a fragile thing that requires so much, can and will change your life in unpredictable ways both wonderful and tragic. As I look through the lens at these faces in various stages of battling some kind of internal enemy of disease, I've taken to look at what survives in spite of the illness. A sense of humor, strength, love, defiance, fragility, whatever it is. What the disease does not take is much more interesting to me as a person and as an artist and storyteller than whatever damage is done or whatever is taken in the process.

And that's just what I get out of it on the creative end, which is nothing compared to being able to share the gift of the frozen moment in time during such a defining moment of these family's lives. Some days are good and some days are not so good and it's all just a part of the process for these families.

As a journalist, I'm used to getting to know lots of details about people's lives. I get all the background and the full context so that I can responsibly portray them, their story and why they happen to be newsworthy at this particular moment. But doing these portraits is very different. As part of maintaining their privacy, I have no idea why these kids are being treated and I don't know the specifics of their treatment or their history, personally or medically. All I know is that this moment in time for them and their family matters. The portrait sittings and prints are all free of charge but I have a hunch that has very little to do with truly why people come to have their portraits made. Which is why I take care with each one. I want each image to stand out among the shoe boxes and albums that likely fill each home. I want these pictures to be noticeably different than the run of the mill photo studio image or family snapshot. Not just because that's the way I work but because these pictures document such an important and transforming moment for all people involved.

New and Improved

2008-02-15T13:52:00.001-08:00

The site's got a great new look now. Love the new logo by my old friend Ken.

All new pictures from this last year too. I'm so excited to have a fresh look that represents where my photography is going these days.

Huh?

2008-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

If you've just come from my site you're in the right place, even if it doesn't look that way. I'm redoing the sites and am trying out the new logo and color scheme here first as I flip the main site with all new pictures.

A personal aside

2008-02-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

Approx....08/10/08

Brides Magazine feature

2008-01-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

Brides magazine has a Real Wedding feature on Liz & Jason's wedding from Oct. A full, fantastic two pages, pp. 112-113 to be exact. Check it out.

Uncle, pt. 2

2008-01-26T00:22:00.000-08:00

I'm an Uncle again. My sister Hillary gave birth to Ally Burlbaw on Jan. 3...

That's the nephew, Nicholas on the right. In case anyone is wondering, that's about how I looked at that age. That age being 7. But not as cute, or so my sister tells me.

gotta admire these two

2008-01-25T13:53:00.001-08:00

The video speaks for itself. A free print or two to any couple that books a wedding and brings some of this flavor to the table.

Exhibit News

2008-01-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

I have some images in two exhibits. The first is up now at the Brooklyn Public Library. It's part of an exhibit of photographs of religious communities across New York City. The four images of mine are from an ongoing documentary project I've been working on in Flushing. Below is one image from the show as well as a postcard promo. Stop by if you're in the area. The opening party is on Feb. 5th.

There will be another more extensive, although not comprehensive or particularly huge, exhibit later this spring at the Queens Museum of Art's exhibit as part of the 350th celebration of the Flushing Remonstrance. (Quick history lesson: This was the first time colonial settlers put on paper the idea that the colonies in 1657 should be a place where "men" should be able to worship freely as they chose. Long story short, they won the fight and it, at least philosophically, laid the groundwork for the Freedom of Religion part of the First Ammendment, although there is no direction connection that can be made between the two.)

Contest wins!

2008-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

A great way to end the year was news from wins in two international wedding photojournalism contests. In the 3rd quarter contest of 2007 in the Artistic Guild of the WPJA, I won a 1st, 14th and 16th place enough to earn 6th place overall for the quarter. And in the WPJA, I gathered an 8th place. This continues an unbroken streak of winning an award in the top 10 of every quarterly contest that I've entered since I joined the WPJA in 2005.

For the first place win, below, from Liz and Jason's wedding this fall, the Judges said "We love this rockstar image! There is so much going on: foreground, mid, background and the blast of light brings it all together. Great job by the photographer for getting in the middle of the party and making the viewer feel like they are on the dance floor."

The great part about this comment, and this image for me personally, is that it embodies what I work for as an artist and storyteller. Visually dynamic images that transport the viewer into the moment experienced by the subjects of the picture. Granted, this image is on the funky side and may not be for everyone. But, it's part of the range of work that I provide for my clients. Each wedding gets the full treatment from classic, elegant and pretty to funky, fun and unexpected. It reminds me of a comment a friend's wife made about photography when I was in graduate school at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism "A photographer shows you what something looks like but a photojournalist allows you to feel what it was like to be there."

Flashes of Hope

2007-12-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

I got the chance to help out Flashes of Hope again this past week. This is a great organization that uses the power of photography to help kids and families battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. It's a chance for kids and families going through a rough time in life to get a chance to feel good about themselves. Working for newspapers for so many years this idea that pictures matter was somewhat abstract. Photographers typically don't hear about the positive impact that their pictures have in the community. Writers have their emails and phone numbers with the story but photographers are not given equal treatment. As a journalist, I always believed in the challenge of telling stories in places that weren't inherently dramatic. Not to dismiss the work I did in those kinds of places as a part of my career or those who devote their lives to that kind of work. But I find it a satisfying challenge to make extraordinary images out of ordinary situations. I was never a death and destruction kind of guy. It's great to be a part of photographing people for the simple purpose of affirming their life.

Ryan and Micah, pt. 2

2007-11-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

So I worked late, and ridiculously fast, to get Ryan and Micah's slideshow up so that I could enjoy some time in NYC next week. I'll be attending the PDN On the Road seminar. I'll also be doing some more work on my, stagnant for this past year, religion project in Flushing, NY. No one has really seen this work outside of a couple friends and colleagues. Well, really just a couple colleagues. So, once it gets to a point of completion, I'll post it somewhere and put a link here to that. Or I'll get it published and then I'll post that.

Sachiko & Marty

2007-11-27T22:24:00.000-08:00

Sachiko and Marty had a sweet and simple wedding in North NJ. Sachiko is from Japan, they met while Marty was teaching English, and are now making a go of it here stateside. Sachiko was lucky enough to have a couple friends come from Japan. Here's hoping the slideshow helps those who couldn't make it feel like they were there.

Micah and Ryan

2007-11-27T16:34:00.001-08:00

A wedding is a wedding is a wedding and Ryan and Micah's was no different. Well, except for the half a dozen protesters and news crews and the mayor of Philadelphia. Micah and Ryan had the mayor, whom Micah works for until the new mayor takes office in January, perform their ceremony at City Hall. They incorporated and embraced some traditions not in their backgrounds, a Jewish Kettubah and the African-American jumping the broom, and some of their own, a reading of Mister Rogersisms as a guide to being a good person, or spouse. Their reception was held at the Penn Museum, before they headed off to their honeymoon in Israel and Egypt.

(Slideshow coming soon)

Congrats guys!

Grace & Jong

2007-11-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

Grace and Jong had a long day of lots of stuff planned. including a traditional Korean tea ceremony punctuated by Jong carrying Grace piggy-back style in a series of circles around the ceremonial mat. Fun stuff! And then they opened their reception with a stylishly choreographed dance routine. I also got the chance to work with Danielle over at Lucky Productions Video. So great to work with someone else who's a true documentarian.