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Amazing what a Mitzvah family goes through the day of their big event. Is everyone ready? Is everything done? Will things go smoothly? Did we remember everything? And then, the ceremony was beautiful, food eaten, candles lit, and everyone is … Continue reading
Recently I had to rent a camera with a better sensor so I could shoot in the dark at a “black light party”. My client wanted to tell it was a black light party and I didn’t want to overpower the effects with a flash.
My 5 year old camera turns to mush above 1000 iso. I was able to turn the rental camera up to 5000 iso. This was unheard of even 3 years ago.
I think the contrast was weird but this was pretty cool to shoot in the dark at 100th of a second.
Recently I had a wedding that was in the middle of the day. Usually I try to shoot formal couples shots at beginning or end of the day when the light is best. Unfortunately the schedule did not allow for this.
I’m always trying to light all my shots. As much as I like natural light it’s not great in the middle of the day, outside. So we used a flash. The trick with a flash is not to see its effects dramatically. This was a dark scene opened up with a flash. The trick is to place it away from the camera and off to the side, slighty.
I try to set the exposure so the flash is 1.5 stops down from the brightest part of the scene (sky here) and 1/4 stop down from how the camera is set. Then use the shutter to open or close the background. You can always adjust it later in the computer but it looks better if you shoot it properly.
A more challenging shot was the couple in bright open sunlight. The camera was set to expose for the background and the couple was flashed. On commercial jobs I would have been plugged into a generator with a super strong lights and 2 assistants to help with the gear. We had no time to set this up so I needed it to work with one battery-powered light.
I hope this help you determine whats best for your big day!
#westchesterweddingphotography#photographyinbadlight#weddingphotography
It’s such a good feeling to see everyone up and dancing at a party. It shows that they’re in the moment, having a good time, and it makes my pictures all the more interesting. When I was thirteen, dancing was the big social activity at parties. It’s how I made my friends, and began talking to all the “ladies.” Seeing the kids show off their crazy moves brings me back to those times, and I love being able to capture them in that element. Using my super wide lenses enables me to catch all the action from a cool vantage point. This photo also shows how color plays a huge role in my final photos. It can show themes, like this photo with the red hats, the point in time, the magnitude of emotions, and so much more. My only hope is that when this kid becomes an adult and looks back on this picture, he will be transported back to this moment in time. If so, I think I did my job.
The guests that are having the most fun at a Bar Mitzvah are definitely the little kids. They get to eat cake and dance around, what could be bad about that!? They are so animated and gosh darn cute, and the best part is they love to get their photo taken. Sure, teens like to get their photos taken too. But then they start making crazy faces and do weird hand symbols, who knows what they’re implying. The adults will get their pictures taken too, but they are very happy when I leave (haha). Younger kids will show you their genuine emotions and how much fun they are having, and those tend to be the best photos.
This weekend was a little different for me, I wasn’t the photographer at a wedding, but a guest! That didn’t stop me from bringing my camera though. Being a photographer at a wedding compared to a guest is a whole different experience. I went to my cousin’s daughter’s wedding for six hours and it flew by! Photographing a wedding can be twice that amount. It was really great and relaxing to see all of my family celebrating this happy occasion, I was so surprised to see how quick it went. It was also interesting to compare my style of photography to the photographer’s at the wedding that day. Many photographers today like to shoot away and take a million pictures, then narrow it down to a select few. Being an old school guy I like to wait to catch the photo just at the right time. At the end of the day I may have less photos, but they’re all the shots you will love. If you wait for the moment, you’ll end up getting it. Here is my favorite shot I took that day, congratulations Nicole and Kirk!
Shooting weddings in the rain is a real challenge. I recently had the pleasure of shooting Jessica and Gaetano’s wedding. The ceremony was held at a beautiful church in Tuckahoe and the reception at the Surf Club in New Rochelle.
With tons of food and dancing, it was an unforgettable night for the Mr. and Mrs; Chris from Double Image really made the whole party come together.
But one thing that no bride or groom has any control over on their day is the weather.
There were so many beautiful architectural elements outside of the venue the couple wanted in their photos, but this wasn’t an option. Despite the downpour, I found all of these cool architectural elements inside and still ended up with great photos for the day. I was really happy to be a part of it. 
What’s everyone’s favorite part of an event? Is it the beautiful location? Is it the awesome people you get to spend time with? nah…its the food! One of the best parts of my job is the endless food. From sizzling steaks to tons of amazing sugar, its a day you and your stomach relish! (no pun intended)
With the endless events I go to and all the food offered at them, I’m sure you’re wondering how I stay so good looking (haha) and in shape… From running 4 miles every morning at 6am and eating healthy I’ve lost 12 pounds since August, but eating healthy at these all day events is practically impossible when you’re kind of a pig like me! Walking around an event and seeing this everywhere you go is kind of like a cruel joke. I’m sure that all of us have fallen into the traps of food temptation, and if not I’m here to tempt you some more. Here’s a couple of my shots to get you going…
The Wedding Checklist: Groom? Check. Venue? Check. Dress? Check. Let’s not forget about the flowers! From boutonnieres to bountiful centerpieces, flowers play a big role in most weddings. But they’re not that easy to choose, there are many factors that go into your floral … Continue reading
The Bar and Bat Mitzvah is an unforgettable day in a child’s life. Once they have become a bar/bat mitzvah, they are officially an adult of the Jewish community. That can be a lot of stress for a 13 year old! Studying months in advance leading up to the big day, one couldn’t help to be nervous standing up in front of all those people.
One of my favorite parts of the ceremony to photograph is the Hakafah, when the child carries the Torah around the synagogue in procession. While the child is carrying the Torah, it becomes a break in the service for them to catch their breath and relax. The smiles and surroundings of their loved ones brings ease to them, leaving them recharged and less stressed for the latter half of the service.
As the photographer, the service can be challenging. I am usually not allowed to photograph inside the ceremony, and when I do it’s with available lighting, which most of the time is poor. When this moment of the service comes, I get three or four frames to catch it and then it’s gone forever. This is one of the more memorable pictures for the family that I love to capture.
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