I have been friends with Katie for a long time. So long, that I’m not really sure when we became friends. We went to high school together. Maybe middle school. Maybe even grade school. I can’t remember. Is this how I know I’m old?
I’ve known Phil for a much shorter period of time, but in this time, I’ve come to realize he is one of the nicest, most genuine people I know. I’m so happy the two of you found each other.
Anyway, with Katie’s wedding quickly approaching, we decided to do an engagement session at Lackawanna State Park. She and Phil were a piece of cake to work with. It really felt like we were just hanging out at the park and I happened to have my camera with me. I can’t wait to “happen to have my camera” at the wedding. Until then…
We do quite a bit of planning and preparation before a wedding. We almost always visit a place if we have not shot there before to look at angles, light, etc…
None of that can replace a little bit of luck and an electric smile. Below are some photos from Ellen and John’s wedding ceremony in Plymouth. I’ve said it before that ceremonies don’t always make for the greatest variety of photos and things can sometimes be a little predictable. In this case, the light, the angles, the timing and Ellen and John made these photos some of my favorites. I told Ellen after the ceremony that she just had a beautiful smile and that it was making for some great photos. She just smiled and thanked her orthodontist. I’d like to thank him to, but more importantly I’d like to thank Ellen and John. We hope you love your photos as much as we do.
I just wish I had this when I was in high school. It’s as simple as that. I’ll get to what “this” is in a second.
I was thinking the other day about my high school portraits. I remember the purple striped shirt I was working. There was no wearing that until photo day. I had the fresh, stylin’ hair. (I miss my hair.) I also remember those photos were over before they even started.
Photographer: “Here, stand against this tree, fold your arms, look right here. OK, I think that’s good. Next.”
Me: “Um, is that it?”
Guy with camera: “Yep, looks good, you can pick these up in about a month. Just pay at the front desk.”
Mumbling to myself: “Got this haircut for nothing. Stupid purple shirt. I bet I blinked.”
Well, I didn’t blink but if I did, it was apparent it wasn’t going to matter. In the end, the photo was fine. I still have a copy, but I have to say the only variety you could find was in the size prints I could order. Every photo was identical. It also lacked any emotion and personality – and yes I blame the photographer for that. As far as I’m concerned it is his job to capture that.
That brings me to Cameron and “this.” We did some senior portraits for her not tool long ago. She was a total knockout and very easy to work with, and her photos show it. She was just a dream to photograph and was so into the shoot. Trust me, that can make a big difference. We also did something a little unique for her. She’s getting something of a film included with her portraits. If brides and grooms can have videos of their day, why can’t seniors? But rather than explain what it is and how we did it, I’m just going to let it speak for itself. We think it’s really unique and loved doing it. Thanks to Cameron for being one of the first to try it. We’ll have more soon!
Low Resolution for faster play:
High Definition for more detailed awesomeness (may take a couple minutes to load):
Also, I can’t very well do a photo blog without a couple of photos from her shoot, so here are a couple.
My grandfather was a train guy. Well, he was a lot more than just a train guy but for the purposes of the post, you only need to know he was an incredibly sweet man and also a train guy. It didn’t matter if it was steam engines, trolleys or model trains because he loved them all. I now live in the house he built. He passed some years ago. As my wife and I were making changes to the home to suit our needs, I found myself in his train room. It was a former bedroom in the upstairs of his home that he converted into a space for model trains. We are not talking about a simple track you slide under the Christmas tree. This was elaborate, made up of what seemed like a mile of track, small mountains, taxi cabs and streetlights. Miniature people lined the streets. When I was younger I imagined the stories of the people my grandfather had standing sentry at the train station waiting for the next time one of his locomotives would stop. It’s now my daughter’s bedroom and I love that.
I never caught the bug. I thought it was cool and I would bop into the house and spend a few minutes checking out his newest train and then it was off to baseball or something else. I wish I spent more time – if for no other reason than to spend a little more time with him. It seems so simple once they’re gone.
Anyway, I have a reason for the train story. We did some wedding portraits at Steamtown National Historic Site for John and Ellen before their reception a couple of weeks ago. You see, John is a bit of a train guy – at least he knows a lot more about it than I do so that qualifies him as a train guy in my book. As I was walking around Steamtown the day before the wedding trying to get a lay of the land it struck me that I had never been there before. It’s actually a remarkable and interesting place. It’s amazing how often I find there is a treasure in our backyard that I don’t know nearly enough about. It also got me thinking about how great it would have been to have taken my grandfather there. I’m certain I would have learned something. I always did talking to him. I doubt it would have been about trains. He might have used the trains as a way to tell a story that was more about life or how to be a good husband or just how to be a better person.
For me, it’s a great place to start the story of John and Ellen because it was always remind me of the importance of family.
Usually when we do a post from a reception, I like the shots form the dance floor. I like the color and I like the moments. There’s nothing better than grabbing an unexpected moment. It could be a quick kiss or a great laugh. There’s emotion and it’s almost always spontaneous.
As a general rule, the best photos don’t come from the introduction of the parents or the bride and groom. They’re usually nice photos but not always the best shots. But in the case of Jen and Joe, I love the emotion! It was so genuine and contagious and it spread through all of the guests. It was a party right from the get-go. It was family and friends and it was a celebration. The whole night had that great vibe that you don’t get at every wedding. I think these “intro” shots capture the mood pretty well.
As it turns, out the Casey Highway is good for something other than speeding. Who knew?
As luck would have it, it’s a pretty cool place for engagement photos. It’s got nice tall grass, sweeping views of the valley, easy accessibility, and it also had Maura and Jesse. Thanks guys for not thinking we were complete wackos for suggesting that location. At least, thanks for not saying it to our faces. 😉
Also, thanks for inviting us to do your photos. We had a great time getting to know you guys a little better. By the way, Jesse has some serious artwork on his forearms. I think I might have a little tattoo jealousy working. I know of a sure way to cure that but it will have to be another post.
