Emily and Ryan: The Super Wedding (9.20.08)

The stars must have been in alignment for Emily and Ryan, but a little planning went into the photography as well. Margaret hired me as a second shooter for this occasion, for which I am really thankful. As we were planning the photography she mentioned that the couple would be leaving the church in a convertible...which ended up being an Austin Healey...an amazing little car to drive on an 80-degree day near Charles Town, WVa..
Margaret told me that she had a sunroof, which ended up being key in making some great photos of Emily and Ryan on the way back to Ryan's parents house, where the reception was held.
After standing on her car seat and shooting with my head sticking (way) out of a sunroof for about 12 miles, my hair was a bit windblown...but the pictures were well worth it!

This Just In: Wedding Photographer Carries a Big Lens!

"WOW, that's a big lens"...I've been getting it a lot lately when I carry my Nikon 300(mm) (f)2.8 and I usually respond with something friendly like "are you making a pass at me...sorry, I'm already taken", and I flash my wedding band and smile. Spending the past 8 years photographing mostly for newspapers was great training for a photojournalist transitioning into wedding photography, or wedding photojournalism, or documentary wedding photography...whatever you want to call it.

With newspaper photography comes sports assignments, and that means you need long glass to get tight pictures. In a way shooting weddings for me is very similar to shooting a Redskins game, save for the cold hot dogs in the press room. Wedding ceremonies are special, sacred and emotional...and can't be interrupted by a photographer.

A big reason clients hire me and other photographers that have a lot of editorial experience to photograph their weddings is because we have been trained to sometimes hang back, frame a picture and let the moment happen. My clients are often surprised when they see images from their wedding and say to me "I don't even remember you being there". It's a great thing to hear.

Every time I pull the 300mm out of my car before a wedding I think of what a local Time magazine contract photographer, Chris Usher, used to tell me..."tight is right."

Ashley and Barek (9.12.08)

Jennifer, Jason and Hurricane Hannah (9.6.08)

With any luck we're done with hurricanes trying to wreak havoc on wedding days for the year, it makes it really, really hard to do the portraits.
Despite the torrential rains the Bride's spirit could not have been any brighter (and it did let up enough for some nice pictures during the reception).