I’ve been overflowing with things to say lately, thoughts on work, on life, and of course on weddings. I’m sure all of the clients I’ve had coffee with in the past two weeks can attest to my ramblings. Thankfully they must have found it endearing or just didn’t mind since I’ll be shooting all of their weddings (which I couldn’t be happier about). Needless to say, it’s been a very busy summer. It’s going to be a very busy winter. I keep telling friends + family, “I’ll see more of you guys in December or maybe January— no no, I’ll see you in February”. I feel like I have so much work that must be done TODAY and after that work is done, there are about a hundred other boxes I need + want to check off. I have to remind myself to stop and breathe and I do— usually at the dog-park with a cup of coffee around 9am. The idea of boredom makes little sense to me. In all honestly it baffles me. There is so damn much to learn, so much to experience, and so many people to meet to share that with. How can life be boring? For me, the more I discover the more I know there is still to be discovered. Everyday is an adventure and an opportunity. I can choose to stay home and sleep or I can choose to live. I choose the latter. Most of the time anyway.
In keeping with my mission to embrace adventure, about a week ago I attended a workshop taught by one of my favorite photographers, Jonas Peterson. If you don’t know who he is, Jonas‘ work has had a huge influence on wedding photography in the last few years. Just look at his website— you’ll notice right away what I’m talking about. In his words— “I just shoot what makes sense to me.” Probably the best + simplest motto ever. I went less to find out some secret wedding photographer formula but really to meet the man behind the images + the words. Beyond just meeting Jonas (and a whole crew of other talented photographers), there were of course, a few things I wanted to know about. One being that I knew he edited his images considerably faster than most photographers I’ve met so I wanted to know what on earth he was doing. It’s just me over here, aside from people I hire: an accountant, a designer, and an occasional dog-walker, my time is my life and I want as much of it as possible. As it turns out he shoots more deliberately than anyone I’ve ever met and he’s not OCD when it comes to editing (cough cough, like me). He’s not going to sit there toying over the color balance of one image for 20 minutes. He’s a guy who trusts his gut and wants to tell the story that happened— the most real + most beautiful story possible. He doesn’t make groomsmen play games if it’s not what they really would be doing were he not there to photograph them (neither will I). His photography is honest. Forgive me for going on about it, but it was revealing but also affirming. There are things I can improve on but ultimately I’m just as good in my own right. We all have things we can be better at, (Jonas probably has less since he’s a crazy autodidact man), and everyone has a unique perspective. The images you see here are from mine and I promise each and every client that I will give their day everything I’ve got. I’m going to do what I do and as long as I trust that, and my clients trust that, we’re going to make some great images together.
If you made it this far, thank you, you’re a trooper. Below is a shoot I did a several weeks ago in Brooklyn Heights. Joanna and Kent live there and they wanted to shoot in a place that held importance for them. I met them near their apartment, where the address is coincidentally their wedding date— 1/27. The three of us just walked. We ended up on the Promenade near sunset. The light was insane. A week ago I would have cooled the color down a bit but thanks to Jonas‘ pep talk I didn’t. This is pretty much what it looked like so I left it and I’m kinda lovin’ it. :)
