The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond VA is a gorgeous site for a wedding and reception. Last weekend Shana and Darryl were united there and they and their guests enjoyed a fun filled evening. The Jefferson was built and has been in continuous operation since 1895. That is longer than the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. And they are on a par with each other when to comes to décor and beauty.

Shana and Darryl are from  the Fort Lauderdale area but with family in Richmond chose to get married there. Here are a few images from their wedding day.

This week’s wedding was very special to me. Though we had talked on the phone previously, I met Matt and Gina for the first time on Saturday and came away with two new friends. We had a ball doing some very unusual photos. We got an early start at the spa for hair and make-up. Moved on to the Bryon Park Golf Center for the wedding and reception. I always enjoy weddings but this one was a real joy. This couple, as well as all the principles, were as nice as I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Have you heard of trashing the dress? I mean the wedding dress. Documenting via photos the demise of the treasured dress which little girls dream of for years and big girls will spend thousands of dollars on to wear just once. It’s the newest trend in upscale wedding photography – destroy the dress. Now mind you, I am more than happy to accommodate the event but I don’t actively push the idea. Having the bride dive off the diving board into the Olympic-size pool! Or find yourself a nice sprinkler system on a steamy hot wedding day.

The sprinkler system came on while we were doing a final series of pictures and that’s when the idea came to Gina. Matt and Gina trashed the dress and the tux and I made a record of it. Fifteen minutes later we all packed it in refreshed and excited to see the results of our adventure.

Here are a few of the images.




















A note to Christine: Thanks for the vote of confidence. The part you played in this was excellent. I look forward to one day meeting in person.

Steve

Let me tell you about the wettest wedding ever. Randy and Jennifer planned a beautiful event for their first day together. The weather had other plans. A wedding on the putting green, surrounded by all of their friends with a late afternoon sun to create gorgeous light. Enter a North Carolina summer afternoon. The showers appeared just after the bride did. But no matter; nothing was going to dampen the spirits of this couple. The rain went away, but not for long. For the rest of the afternoon/evening the rains came and went but there was nothing that would drown out these festivities. Years from now Randy and Jennifer will look back at the unique opportunity they were afforded and will cherish the silver lining they enjoyed on July 5, 2008. I hope you enjoy sharing their day as well.

PHOTOJOURNALISM

A number of years back the phrase “photojournalism” was coined by a well known wedding photographer. The term caught on and subsequently brides have sought out a photojournalistic style for their weddings.

 So, what does that term really imply? And how is it done? In really simplistic terms we are talking about candid photos. To shoot“photojournalism" means the photographer is capturing the event, the moment,without interjecting himself into that moment. Candid photos. Now, mind you, done by a professional who looks at a scene and the light in that scene, chooses his/her perspective carefully and is aware of the background, the candid photo often becomes art. But it is still a candid. To quote the bard, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

 Understanding this helps one to recognize that a purely photojournalistic wedding is going to please very few brides. In fact, as a couple goes through their wedding day, they find that they have no idea how to carry out many of the normal wedding rituals that occur. Without a wedding coordinator or experienced photographer to give some guidance, many end up feeling rather lost. But, as soon as I interject myself into the scene, by suggesting how to accomplish some action (such as cutting the cake) then it is no longer photojournalism.

 Or what parent of the wedding couple will be happy when getting to see their record of the day and finding no family pictures? As a photographer it would be unconscionable to leave those out. But that is not photojournalism.

 With that in mind, as you search out the person you want to record your day look for the person who can provide those “must have” family and group photos in a timely fashion and step back and let the event transpire and record it in a way that can and will be cherished for years to come.

 Over the weekend I spent some time with Leonore and Lester at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham. Following are a few examples of what a beautiful affair they had as well as how photojournalism and classic photography techniques combine for the perfect record.

The beach is a beautiful location for portraits. We chose to take an afternoon drive and spend our evening taking photos. It's especially nice when your clients are also your friends. We finished our shoot and went to Wilmington for dinner. Continued shooting after dinner and made it a really special session. Here are just a few of the images.

Richmond VA was host to the Xterra games. Tri-athletes from all over the world gathered to test their skills in the humid south. It was worth battling the heat to get to record these people competing.

This last weekend I had the opportunity to shoot two events.There was a beautiful wedding at the Valentine Museum in Richmond VA. which Iwas invited to photograph.

Julianne and Steven had a very pretty, but hot, day fortheir outdoor wedding. The groom’s family is Irish and so all the men were inkilts which turned out to be hotter than a wedding dress. But they wore them instyle and a good time was had by all. There are so many great images they will get to enjoy in a couple of weeks but here are just a few to get the feel of the day.

I love weddings. People are so happy on that day. Spending time recording happiness makes my job the best job in the world.  On Saturday Angie and Spencer were married. Here is just a small sampling of their day.

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Laura and Andrew over the week-end. The wedding was in the Winston-Salem area and the day was beautiful. It was a pleasure to get to work with all the participants. Just a few examples here of the day.

My son and I attended the Red Bull Air Races in San Diego a couple of weeks ago. One hundred and ninety plus MPH at 12 to 15 feetoff the waters of San Diego bay would be a major adrenaline rush. Even as a spectator it keeps your attention. We stayed in a beautiful home on the bay with good friends and family, enjoying the races, good food and excellent wines.