Photojournalism

Our clients often ask us to shoot their wedding with a photojournalistic style, and it's one of our favorite requests.

Basically, to me, photojournalism means capturing the mood of the event. Of course, we get the important moments in the ceremony. And, since it would be tempting fate to hope that the bride, groom, respective family members and bridal party will spontaneously arrange themselves into a great composition, we do spend some time on posed groups before and after the ceremony. We love the opportunity to add a new twist to these traditional sessions.

But then the real fun starts...

New tradition?

This photo was taken at our friends James' wedding, on what was possibly the hottest day in hot, hot August. (That's James in the tux. That is not his lovely bride, Terri, in the red.) By the time there had been a few drinks and dances, there was a fun party vibe. That's when Chris got this shot. And, although this probably won't be the photo that James and Terri put over their mantle (although I will have my fingers crossed for my next visit...), it's one of my favorites because it truly captured the fun, casual atmosphere of this wedding. And James' ability to ham it up for the camera.

Photojournalism is about capturing the moments you might not see otherwise and making them iconic. Often the best and most meaningful photos we get cannot be posed or planned. It takes a dedicated team of shooters watching every moment from every angle. When it's your day and your event, you deserve the kind of coverage usually reserved for heads of state. And while many good photographers will capture the ceremony and groups flawlessly, a photojournalist will really capture the fun of your day.

It's the small things that matter

The most enjoyable parts of photographing weddings often include spending time with the bride and groom collecting the small details that mean so much to them personally. The family traditions and offbeat little touches that the couple has created are a unique expression of the incredible journey they are beginning. Delaina is our macro shooting expert, and her original perspective and eye for detail is incredible.

If you're planning a wedding, think about the thought you put into on the jewelry, shoes, table settings and all the other small details. If they're important to you, make sure you choose a photographer who can give them the same amount of attention and focus.

And, with no futher ado, here's Delaina!

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One of my favorite aspects of wedding shooting is catching all the small details that might otherwise go unnoticed. Everyone will see how beautiful the bride looks in her dress, but will they notice the special jewels and shoes she carefully selected to complete her outfit? At this wedding the bride made her own fascinator, all the bridesmaid's necklaces and the groomsmen's boutonnieres.



The groom made the cocktail table decorations. He chose records and vintage beer glasses to reflect his love of music and retro swagger.



The tradition in this bride's Irish family is; "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and an Irish penny for her shoe.



The weddings rings are significant and will be with the couple forever, it's nice to photograph them before they are on the hands as well as after. Capturing all the small but momentous details is important.



In this wedding, the couple carefully collected wine corks and thoughtfully created seating cards for their guests. It is essential that these personal touches are remembered. And it's my pleasure to see that they are.

Multiple Shooters at Your Wedding, Part 3 - Focus

Improve focus through a multiple photographer team at your wedding. I'm not talking about focusing the camera, although that is important too...

In business it is often said that laser beam focus is critical to achieve success. This may be no less important in photography. Through the use multiple photographers, a well developed team can focus each member on his or her strengths. 

When it's your special day, every detail and every memory is important. While one photographer is dedicated to portraits of the closest friends and family, another can focus on group shots, and yet another can put a critical eye to the small details, decorations and such, that the couple meticulously assembled to express their own unique personalities.

Of course a single busy photographer can do all of this, but something may be sacrificed, and why would you want that?

Multiple Shooters at Your Wedding, Part 2 - Safety

Part two on the topic of multiple shooters at your wedding, is the benefit of safety.
Wait.... what? Safety?! What's unsafe about wedding photography? This is indeed an interesting topic.


Imagine you hire a wedding photographer and they are a no-show? What if their camera or lens breaks? Actually, they can be held financially accountable. But finances weren't what you and your fiancee were really interested in, what you wanted was a stunning album full of memories to share with your friends and family. Even if they pay you for the loss of shots, and come to do some posed shots after the fact, there you are, without the actual memories of your wedding day recorded in bits and bytes. 


By hiring a team with more than one photographer, your wedding photographs will be safe from a number of things that could go wrong:

• Travel Difficulty: One photographer gets stuck at an airport, in a traffic jam, or worse. Hopefully the other(s) will show up.
• Camera Malfunction: Most photographers take more than one camera to the event anyway, but it's good to know that with 2+ photographers, you'll certainly have 2+ cameras.
• Memory Card Failure: OK, rare but possible. If a memory card corrupts, you want to make sure that you got the shot. With consideration for our previous blog entry, the 2nd perspective, even if not the best angle, is sure better than no perspective.

Memory card corruption can and does happen. Luckily I took about 2 dozen of this group or the moment would have been lost forever. Darn you faulty memory cards! Having a B shooter at the same scene would have also helped by doubling up on the shots, while giving an alternate perspective.

I myself was sick at a wedding and needed break so I missed out on part of the dance. It was good to know that I had two other skilled photogs there ready to jump in and cover what I was missing. 

At the end of the day, the photographer and wedding couple all want the same thing, which is a great album to remember the day by. 

Multiple Shooters at Your Wedding, Part 1 - Perspective

On the topic of multiple shooters at your wedding, one benefit that you'll realize immediately is perspective. And just what is meant by perspective in this context?

A lot is going on at a wedding at any minute. So many emotions, people, scenes, so many opportunities for a great shot. Now if you have only one shooter at one place at any given time what is the chance that they will be perfectly situated to get the exact right shot that will hit the desired note?


These photos were taking by two different photographers within very close timing. Both capture a unique perspective of a precious moment in a very different way. Without multiple shooters one would be lost. You may prefer one over the other, but the combination of the two really fill out the album. Of course the real trick is to make sure none of the photographers photo-bombs the other's shots!

Multiple Shooters at Your Wedding: Introduction

This week we are going to offer a series of articles covering the benefits of working with multiple photographers at your wedding. Next week's series will be about intimacy in wedding photography - so make sure to stay tuned!




Wedding photography is not inexpensive. In fact, the amount of money that people are spending on photography for their weddings is trending higher and higher. You really want to make sure you get the most out of your wedding, so the added expense of additional photographers would be a wise investment.

Now, we're not suggesting that you go out and hire competitive teams of photographers to shoot your wedding. However, that could turn into a really cool reality show! What we're talking about is hiring a team that has more than one photographer. Of course this doesn't mean you have to go deep into debt or take out a 2nd mortgage on your home, as many wedding photographers can offer you this service at a very reasonable cost. Just make sure when evaluating the package that you are considering the real benefits of each line item.

So what are the benefits of having multiple shooters?

• Perspective
• Safety
• Focus

What do these points mean and how do you benefit from them? Over the course of this week we'll dive into each topic, so keep checking in.

Being Backup

For many photographers the notion of being a backup shooter at a wedding isn't that attractive. It's simply not as glamourous. However, as I discovered, it can be a fantastic opportunity.

When you are not the primary photographer, and you are not counted on for the key shots, you get to take chances, find interesting angles, be creative, and if it all fails... hey, it's OK, someone else was on point to do the heavy lifting.

I discovered this first hand when shooting a wedding on Martha's Vineyard. The couple was married at the foot of a lighthouse. I took one look and knew that to shoot straight down with a long lens would give me a unique perspective. I almost didn't get the shot due to extreme winds, but in the end I was very happy with this one. Had I been the lead photographer, I never would have risked this shot and given up the standard shots that were on the check list.

Sunday Sweets

Ok, technically it's Monday, but I thought it would be fun to start off the week with some super sweet photos from Kevin and Meghann's wedding in Lake Placid.

I remember the wedding cakes from my childhood in the 80's. Super elaborate super sugary cakes. I was allowed to eat far too many of those artificially colored sugar flowers. Thank goodness we've progressed!



Wedding feasts are ancient, and universal. Throughout history people around the world have celebrated the formation of a new family by sharing food with their friends and neighbors.



Whatever your wedding plans, keep the food simple and fun. Throw in a dash of elegance, but don't worry about having anything too 'fancy'. Your guests will enjoy your spread, but most of all they will enjoy celebrating with you.

Joe and Sara's engagement session

Engagement sessions are such a fun way to get to know the happy couple before the wedding day. I had briefly met Sara while shooting another wedding, but had never met Joe at all, so I was anxious to find out more about their personal style.



It was a hot and busy day at Castle Island. We arrived a bit early to scope out the best vantage points and plan our shoot. With Chris on camera and myself and Chris Lazzery assisting, we were able to do a completely handheld shoot. (By the way, tackling the reflector on a breezy day was no small feat - thanks Laz!)



Our laid-back couple was relaxed, happy, and clearly crazy about each other throughout the session, and even through a few takes. Their preppy style was perfectly Bostonian. And the sunset cooperated perfectly, as did the patient pedestrians who waited for us to get the shot. All in all, it was a great day and I can't wait for the wedding!



Visit our Facebook page to see the full album.

In the Summertime

This photo is from a pre-bridal session I did with my friend Heidi in the summer of 2008. It's still one of my proudest shots. I love the setting, the color, and her expression.



We had a great afternoon getting photos that she used as a gift to her new husband.

I personally find summer to be a stimulating season. The colors and the overwhelming richness of nature inspire me. The juxtaposition of a lovely bride in pure white placed in a quasi-jungle setting is charming and a little wild, just as a wedding should be.

If you want photos like these, but are worried about showing up at your reception a little too disheveled for family approval, consider a Trash the Dress session after the wedding.

My prediction for this summer is a bumper crop of beauty!

New business cards!

I just got our new business cards from MOO! This is just a quick iPhone photo....to see them in person send me a message with your address.

Keeping it Cool!

What do I love about shooting weddings?

1. I get to know a lot of wonderful families.
2. The beautiful locations filled with beautiful people, flowers, and food.
3. Always finding new and unexpected ways to capture every special moment.

So basically, it's just a whole lot of fun.

I took this photo of Chris when we were shooting Kevin and Meghann Burns' wedding in Lake Placid, NY. They're huge hockey fans and a big highlight of the day was getting access to the Olympic Arena where the 'Miracle on Ice' took place.

We were truly having a blast all day!

This is Chris' final image. I really like the juxtaposition of the lovely, feminine bridesmaids and the grungy hockey arena.