It's Summertime, take advantage of the gorgeous weather and freedom from school! Book your Senior Session by July 31st and get a $150 photo credit - order wall art, custom cards, wallets and so much more with your credit. Refer or bring a friend that books and DOUBLE your credit.
His name is Mike. I call him Mikey. I have called him Mikey since he was about 5 years old playing video games with Kristin while his mom Tami and I hung out on the rare evening that we weren't working crazy hours. He was sooooo adorable then and now he has grown into a handsome young man. Girls, although he is a cutie pie, last time I checked his heart was taken. Today I'm shooting his senior session. Tami called me completely disgusted with his Senior photos and I immediately suggested the session.
Senior Sessions are so big in the South and Mid-west and it amazes me how here on the east coast I really don't see a lot of cool sessions like this for High School Seniors. These kids are cool! Full of Personality! Interests! Ambition! Why not showcase that? So if you know a Senior or someone who has one, then suggest that they stray from the norm and arrange a session that showcases more than an awkwardly tilted head holding a rose while smiling a less than sincere smile.
Mikey plays guitar and sings in a band, he has a great sense of humor and more importantly is a great all around guy not to mention he has beautiful sparkling blue eyes! I have to admit that years ago Tami and I would have arranged a marriage with our kids but we were told that although they are both ridiculously good looking ;) neither one could get past the, "they've known each other since they were 5-ish ickyness". Here are a few of my faves!
The reason I offer E-sessions is because I firmly believe that discovering the connection between two people and being able to capture it is something that is intrinsically necessary when trying to depict their story and for the client to be able to see themselves through my caring and thoughtful eyes. I've thought so much about this in the past few months... How the relationship between photographer and client changes so much so from the initial consult to the wedding day. I'd like to think that I am an intuitive person but more than that I really do look closely at the emotions and body language of my clients in relation to each other as well as with me. Today I was happily greeted with such a warm and genuine smile from Eddee. I could sense already that both her and Tim were ready to place themselves in my hands and that alone makes the session so much easier.
Those of you that know me know that I really don't like my picture taken. So when you allow me to capture you at your most vulnerable I feel a responsibility to create a positive experience. We all have our limits and I prefer to never have to do a "portrait" style session if I ever have to. By that I mean the kind of session where you just look here and cheese because it's easy to look and stand awkwardly while smiling our hollywood smiles but it's difficult to just let loose and have the real you captured instead. I realize that this attitude puts me in a category that I may not be the photographer for everyone but conversely the ones I am for I will work a bazillion times harder because as much as it is for you it is for me that I shoot. So my point... Late night ramblings are my forte but there is a point... Eddee and Tim, I love the connection you two share in the way Eddee smiles so effortlessly while Tim holds you close. I appreciate your willingness to run around the city at my direction and mostly I thank you both so much for sharing with me your trust and your beautiful relationship!
I love when I have the opportunity to shoot in locations other than those that I do more regularly. Today Jessica and Tom have suggested that we stroll around the trails just off of Kelly and Lincoln Drive. I'm sure I must've looked like a freak to passers by as I take in my surroundings scouring the area for cool little nooks to shoot in. I really enjoyed myself and it's always a pleasure when a couple as sweet as these two are your subject matter. We sat in the dirt, climbed rocks, braved a few wooded areas, walked across the river, played on fallen tree trunks and even witnessed a little road rage... All in a days work I say! I'm glad there were no injuries =) Here are just a few of my faves.
I woke up this morning fresh from shooting yesterday and thought to myself that I have an interesting job. It's always the same yet different and that's one thing I love about it. Yesterday I was in a the suburbs capturing Love and today I'm in the city doing the same yet different. So many beautiful details and planning go into the hard, hard job of coordinating a wedding. I love all of these little aspects. Today is no exception. Joann wore an absolutely stunning gown and she looked like she was walking off the pages of a bridal magazine! Maddie their cutie pie yorkie helped in the getting ready and took a few moments to pose for some portraits with her mommy =) Although the sun was harsh and the skateboarders resisted while we were shooting at Love Park we were rewarded later with the most amazing light streaming down the alleyway that would be the location that we would finish our shoot. Ahhh light, good, bad or indifferent it is the wonderful essence that when harnessed properly can create and/or enhance the emotions that we feel and images that we see. Today was full of wonderful light and beautiful touches. Thank you Chris and JoAnn for running through the streets with me, braving oncoming traffic, re-directing the gangs of skaters, searching for open shade, braving the smells of alleys and most importantly believing me when I say, "okay here's the last shot," even when it's not =) Trust me, I don't lie to my clients intentionally but you see, if I see the light I have to chase it...
As I knocked on the door to Terry and Sonny's home I was greeted with such a warm and calm smile from Leslie! I was so happy to see her just positively radiant! I can always tell the vibe that a day will have by seemingly small details that are unbeknownst to most outside of my own quirky superstitions. It's true though... be calm and you attract calm, be creative and you attract creative etc... I feel so comfortable with the family so when Terry greets me with a giant hug and says, "I'm gonna miss you when we are all done with today," I wink and say well there's always baby shoots and such =) I know that as special as a wedding day is, it is just a slice of time in this ongoing circle of lifes' decisive moments. In the past few years I have found myself fortunate to be capturing so many stages of my clients lives. From engagements to marriage then pregnancy, births, baby sessions, family portraits, monumental birthdays, graduations and the circle continues. I love shooting weddings because of the emotional nature and details of the event but first and foremost, I am YOUR photographer. You see, it's a relationship that is built on trust and respect and I love being able to capture the moments of your life that you can't see because you're in it.
So with that all said, I relish the wedding day shoot knowing that this is just the beginning of a relationship with my clients and as I journey with you in capturing you and your family I feel so rewarded that these happy moments attract happiness!
So back to Leslie's day... It was gorgeous and her smile infectious! The girls looked stunning and the boys well, they were carefree, so happy to do anything and everything! Pete, as always charming and handsome! They opted to see each other prior to the ceremony and it was so romantic and I'm sure that sharing this moment privately eased any nervousness if any. Everyone was relatively calm and just excited to celebrate although Sonny, Leslie's dad was feeling a little anxious when I spoke with him because he and Leslie had choreographed a dance and he wanted to make it perfect for her. Well Sonny, You are the man!!!! That dance was so AH-MAY-ZING!!! Upbeat, full of personality, entertaining and you brought the house down! Leslie did spins and kicks and moves in that wedding dress that most people couldn't pull off in regular attire. I just kept shooting and shooting and shooting =) This day was as it should be, a celebration. You could see it in the smiles and laughter of family and guests, the love and willingness to put it all on the line from the parents, the connection of friendships and support from the bridal party and lets not forget the sweet and harmonic balance of how Leslie and Pete obviously love each other. Thank you all for such a wonderful day!
PS.... Terry and Sonny, you are both such amazing and supportive parents and I Thank you so much and appreciate your generosity! Also, the thank you cards are done and are fabulous of course, they are on their way to you, they aren't of the ordinary variety but they are made with a little extra love =)
So rather than just a few faves, here's more of a story of their day, Enjoy!
What better way to take advantage of your hair and make-up trial than to put your dress on and traverse the city for some beautiful Pre-Bridal photos. When Leslie and her mom Terry suggested this I was like, uh hell yeah!!! Leslie was so cute how she was a little nervous at first but by the end of the shoot she was such a pro. We covered a few of Philly's hot spots including the Penitentiary for a private tour. A great big THANK YOU goes out to Terry and Sonny, Leslie's parents, for driving us all around the city so that we could avoid the dreaded parking authority and also for being my photo assistants =) No worries on the dress, it came out of the session pretty much unscathed. We did the shoot about 8 days before the wedding. I printed and framed a few as a surprise for Leslie and I was sooooo happy with her reaction! This day really helped to make the wedding day photo session stress free and I highly recommend Pre-Bridals for this reason as well as having something to display at the reception.
I thoroughly enjoyed spending the afternoon with Leslie, Terry and Sonny. I felt like such a part of their team as we all worked together to help create beautiful and memorable images for Leslie. The love in this family is so evident and I feel so very honored to have them as my clients and more so to have been privy to one of the most special moments in their lives! So here are a few of my faves and the Wedding images are soon to follow!
The thorns were pricking the inside of my pants near my ankles and I remember thinking to my self, now why did I think it was a good idea to climb in between these rose bushes? You see it was out of the way of the guests, on the left side, a perfect vantage to capture Lou's face while the vows were exchanged. I was happy in my spot amongst the bushes and the bees =) Yet something in my head said Cindy, you need to climb out of these bushes, smile politely to the guests watching your ever so interesting balancing act and walk to the other side. So, through the years I've learned to listen to these little voices of intuition - they are never wrong. Erin had begun her vows as I raised my camera to my eye. As I did so the emotion of her vows produced a tear that proceeded to roll down her cheek. Her hands were clasped to Lou's and rather than remove her hands from his she let the tear roll down its path. He took his handkerchief and gently wiped the tear and its counterpart from both cheeks. I melted, as did every one watching.
A beautiful day filled with so many powerful moments. The kind of moments that a girl dreams of when she thinks of what her wedding day would be like. However you simply can't script these things. Today I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend the day with such an amazing group of people!
I also had the opportunity to work with Danielle of Lucky Productions Video, who is such a talented videographer. I met her awhile ago at an expo and I was drawn to her work back then. She has a fresh eye through out the day I was totally lovin her style.
Look at how happy Lola is, I think she knows it's a special day for her mom and dad =) Lola walked down the aisle wearing flowers from the day and the crowd went wild!
Lou's dad did old blue eyes proud as he sang while Lou accompanied him on stage Lou's grandfather watched.
At the end of the night as Val and I left the Crystal Tea Room we were tired. Not so much physically (although my new D3 and 70-200 are sure to popeye my right arm) but mentally. You see, days like today help me to realize that every wedding I shoot I give a piece of myself in exchange for pieces of my clients. The more you give the more you get. Thank you so much Erin and Lou for trusting us implicitly and for just being yourselves!
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