17 LOCATIONS FOR FUN ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS IN NEW-YORK

by admin | Dec 23, 2020 | blog, Tips and Guides

It’s almost engagement season! And that means newly-engaged couples are going to start searching for the best spot to get their engagement session.

As a wedding photographer in New-York, I know how overwhelming it can be to pick the perfect location for your engagement photos.

That’s completely normal! New-York is very big and the possibilities for engagement session locations are endless. So here are a few of the best locations to get fun engagement photos taken in New-York.

1.Prospect Park

Prospect Park has all the advantages of Central Park (it’s big, green and beautiful) without its drawbacks (its millions of daily visitors). The other good aspect of the park, is that it is adjacent to Park Slope, which is a beautiful neighborhood full of tree-lined streets, cute cafes, and historical brownstones. That gives you the opportunity to get some greenery and some architecture all in one shoot.

2. Gowanus

Right outside of Park Slope, Gowanus awaits with its canals and street art everywhere. The neighborhood is super hip, grungy, and overall awesome for pictures. Take a walk across the canal, find the hidden graffitis, and enjoy the industrial architecture of the area.

3. Greenpoint

Another nice spot for urban shots, Greenpoint is a little more funky than Park Slope and has some breathtaking views on Manhattan. Head to the pier at India Street for some photos with the Empire State Building, or to Java Street for some serious street art. There’s also a non-linear street in Greenpoint that has a spooky-looking haunted house on it, but I keep that one in the vault 🙂

4. Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene Park is always busy in the South, but super quiet on the North side. Plus there are some serious staircases on that side of the park, giving you an interesting backdrop for pictures. Don’t hesitate to walk right outside the park as well, as some of the streets are really gorgeous.

5. Dumbo

No list would be full without Dumbo on it. Although you can say that it is overly done, Dumbo is a seriously good spot for photos of all sorts: red brick walls, Manhattan in the background, old train tracks, big graffitis, two bridges and a quiet greenway… Dumbo has it all. A little insider tip: don’t go on a week-end, or it will be way too busy to enjoy.

6. Bushwick

If you want to embrace NYC’s artistic scene, head to Bushwick and to the murals of the Bushwick Collective. That’s where you’ll find some serious graffiti by local artists. Get a drink on one of the many rooftops in the area, such as Elsewhere or Our Wicked Lady, and toast to your upcoming nuptials while your photographer documents the moment.

7. Soho/Chinatown

I have a soft spot for this area because I think it encapsulates New-York. It is a bit grungy, charming, and historic. Start in the winding streets of Chinatown and make your way North, through Cosby St for some cobblestones and Greene St for colorful brownstones. Include a delicious pastry from Dominique Ansel in your engagement session, or dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s for a more local food experience!

8. The West Village

If you prefer a more romantic vibe, the West Village is perfect for that. It’s green but still urban, and the streets are narrow, giving it a true village feel (hence the name, I’m guessing!). As with Dumbo, pick an evening or afternoon during the week if you can; it will be more enjoyable, as the Village does attract lots of tourists.

9. Washington Square Park

Right off the West Village, Washington Square Park is a much needed green patch in the middle of this busy neighborhood. Make sure to plan your session on a week day, because the park gets really busy on week-ends!

10. At home!

What’s more fitting these days than pictures at home? If you have some decent natural light at home, you can always take pictures there. It will add some nice memories in the place you share together, and you can go out for a little stroll in your own neighborhood for a very special and personal engagement shoot experience.

Check out this home engagement session for some inspiration!

11. The High Line/Chelsea Market

The High Line might be a busy spot, it is also very special. Its architecture is very photo-friendly, it has views on the city and the water, and you can end the session in the Chelsea Market for a bite to eat and a refreshing soda (like Paul and Kate, pictured below).

12. Central Park: Hernshead and the Ladies Pavilion

Behind the famous Ladies Pavilion, hidden between rocks, you will find the perfect spot for engagement pictures overlooking Manhattan and the many rowboats on the pond. It doesn’t get more New-York than that. You can then walk around a bit towards Bethesda Fountain or head out of the park and hit the pretty streets of the Upper West Side.

13. A Community Garden in Alphabet City

For some truly typical New York style engagement photos, try to get hold of one of the community gardens around Alphabet City. You might need to know somebody that is part of one or pay a small fee to use the space, but the result will be worth it. The photos below were taken at 6BC garden.

14. Coney Island

The beach, the ocean, ice cream cones and the old school Cyclone, but also the boardwalk, the Luna Park and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog… All are solid reasons to head to Coney Island for some fun and colorful pictures. Make sure to grab an ice cream and create a truly fun experience out of your engagement photos.

15. Forest Park, Queens

This is, in my experience, the closest you’ll get to a true wild landscape without leaving the city. Forest Park looks like a state park upstate, but it is right off the subway, in the center of Queens! Don’t hesitate to walk deep in the forest for a quiet experience and pretty portraits.

16. Upper West Side

The Upper West Side has the advantage to be right next to Central Park in case you want some photos in the park as well, but it is a beauty on its own, with its gorgeous tree-lined streets and colorful brownstones. Make sure to head to West 80th street, where you’ll find the really cool colorful brownstones depicted below!

17. Your favorite food joint

Wanting to incorporate a place that is meaningful to you as a couple is always a lovely idea. Do you have a favorite coffee shop? Do you have a go-to taco place? Plan your engagement photo session around the area where that special place is located, and end the session by sharing your favorite item on the menu with your fiancé(e).

18. Rockaway Beach

Another good seaside spot, Rockaway Beach has the great advantage to be much quieter than Coney Island. If you want some moody photos on the sand with the silver ocean as the background, head over to the area in the winter and let your feet guide you. The beach stretches for miles, and you’ll love the peaceful experience of being at the beach alone.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

by admin | Dec 19, 2020 | blog, Tips and Guides

Need help picking the right photographer? Here are 7 east steps for you.

When you’ll start searching for a wedding photographer in New-York, you will quickly notice just how many websites you’ll come across. We are everywhere. And our number keeps growing. We are an invasive species!

You will probably get overwhelmed with the many choices offered to you so I decide to write this little blog post to help refine your search a bit so you can choose the perfect wedding photographer for you.

1. Have your venue and price point down

Before you start your search, you should book your venue. That will set your wedding date in stone. Without that major criteria, it will be impossible for us to tell you whether or not we can be there for your wedding. Second, set a budget. And a realistic one. Price will be the major deciding factor in all your wedding-related decisions, and you’ll need to have a good understanding of how much things cost to avoid disappointment. To give you a very rough idea, good wedding photography coverage should not cost you under $3500 for a full day (8 hours) of coverage in New York State. If this gave you instant cold sweats, I encourage you to read this extensive guide, as it will help you understand why wedding photography costs so much in New-York.

2. Know what style you want

There are a myriad of wedding photography styles out there, and you’ll want to know what you are looking for before you can even zoom on any wedding photographer in particular. That’s pretty great, because it will give you lots of options to choose from. But it can also make things a bit confusing! Are you more into traditional or photo-journalistic wedding photography? Are you drawn to darker, moodier images, or to bright photographs with an airy feel?

I wrote a little guide highlighting several major wedding photography styles so if you are unsure of what wedding photography style you want to go for, check it out HERE. It should help!

3. Hit up your social circle

Now that you have an idea of what style you want, it’s time to start researching actual photographers. Maybe you’ve even found a couple you already love while looking for the various styles of wedding photography out there, and you want more options. And there is nothing better than real life recommendations! By asking past brides and grooms for their recommendations will assure you great and trusted service. Nobody would recommend their vendor if they were not happy with them, so these recommendations are gold.

You can also ask your like-minded married friends, coworkers, and acquaintances for their recommendations. “Like-minded” is the keyword here, because you’ll want the recommendations to come from people who are more likely to share the same inspirations and vibe as you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to people you might not know so well; former brides and grooms know how stressful picking vendors can be, so they will probably be more than happy to help you.

4. Get to know your photographer

Once you have a solid list of wedding photographers that check all the boxes, it’s time to learn about them on a more personal level. You will be spending lots of time with your wedding photographer on your big day, so you will want to find someone that makes you comfortable!

First, head to the “About” or “Information” page on their website. Some photographers like to get very personal and detailed in this section, and some like to keep things succinct and efficient. This is where you will get your first glimpse into their personality but also their way of working. You might also find out that you have things in common, which should help you connect with them ahead of the first contact. This is also where you should find information about their pricing.

Look at their Instagram and Pinterest as well, these will help you connect a bit more with your prospective photographers.

5. Time to write some emails!

If you are dead set on one photographer after these first 4 steps, email them asap to make sure they don’t get snatched by someone else. But if you want to email a few (or even a bunch), don’t feel bad about it; we know you guys are testing the waters and comparing quotes.

The first contact is ver important, so make sure to include your wedding date and a bit of information about you and your wedding. Mention your photographer by name, and avoid the generic “hi” or “hello”. Wedding photographers need to feel excited and engaged with you too! Finally, ask to see a complete price list. This is when you will start weeding out some photographers that are out of your price range.

6. Meet your prospective photographer(s)

Maybe the previous step got you really connected to one photographer in particular. That’s great! If they are available on your wedding date, are within your price range, their style matches your tastes and you liked speaking to them by email, you probably found the perfect photographer. You don’t need to meet a bunch of them; once you found a good fit, stop looking (just like with your wedding dress) (or, you know, your significant other!).

Whether you are set on one photographer or several, you should meet them. The first live contact is important, so be sure to meet them physically or via Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, or by phone.

Have a list of questions to ask them, but don’t overdo it. You’ll want to let the conversation unfold organically. However, there are important questions you should cover. Here are a few:

Ask them about their booking process: what does the contract look like? What is included in it?
Ask them about payments: what is the deposit and when is the balance due? How do they want to get paid?
Ask them about the photo rights; although it is super rare, some photographers don’t include high-resolution images in the price you agree upon! So make sure that you get downloadable high-res images.

Words of wisdom: go with your guts

This guide covers all the important steps you should take to make the best decision. But like everything else in life, you also need to trust your instinct. You are choosing a human to come and capture your day of love; your heart needs to have a say.

There! You now have 7 easy steps to find the perfect photographer for you. It might feel like a lot, but don’t worry, you’ll make it in one piece. And if you want a bit more advice on how to get the best out of your photographer, here is a little article I wrote for the Greatist!

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLES EXPLAINED

by admin | Dec 2, 2020 | Tips and Guides

Don’t really know what style of wedding photography is right for you? Read on!

Wedding photography has become very popular these past two decades, and newcomers on the market really shook the industry. While you didn’t have many options in terms of styles back in the early 2000’s, you now have a plethora of them to chose from and the choice might become overwhelming.

To help you set the ground for your decision-making process, here’s a comprehensive list of the most common wedding photography styles, with a few venue ideas most commonly associated with them.

Traditional

This is the oldest, most classic style of wedding photography, and lots of couples are still very into it. Traditional wedding photography includes more posing than other styles with a strong focus on portraiture. Photos are more staged and take more time to set up. Pictures are crisp, bright, and colors are true to tone. If you like to be in full control of your look on your wedding day and if you like to have lots of quality family group shots and portraits of yourself and your loved ones, traditional wedding photography might be the best option for you. This style tends to stand the test of time better than other styles that follow trends and hypes, but it might be a little too simple for you if you are looking to let loose and explore things creatively on your wedding day.

Candid

Candid wedding photography, or photo-journalistic wedding photography, is more fitted for couples who are interested in having the story of their wedding day told through authentic, organic images. The focus will be less on the details of your dress and more on your grandpa and your little cousin having a fun dance off. There will also be less images of people looking straight into the camera but there will be more real emotions on the pictures, and that includes those big laughs with all your smile lines showing. But if your heart tightens and your eyes water when you see photos jam-packed with emotion, then documentary wedding photography is for you. It tells your story like it is, with its pretty things and, sometimes, its funny things too.

Moody

This one is trending. You will probably see it everywhere you look, even without searching for it. Moody wedding photography consists of darker, dramatic, intimate imagery. There might be some epic cliffs involved, or a small cabin in the woods. There will be more passionate kisses, more “serious” emotions, and maybe less smiles. This style of photography merges with documentary photography, since your photographer will want to pull real emotions out of you. If you want a good idea of what moody wedding photography actually looks like, you can search for “Dirty Boots and Messy Hair” on Google Image.

Although moody wedding photography is very in right now, it doesn’t mean it will fade away. Some photographers will always tend to look for pockets of light and interesting shadows and edit their photos in a darker manner than others. It’s up to you to decide whether you are into this style because it is really what you like, not just because your favorite wedding website is into it.

Bright and Airy

We take a huge leap on the spectrum here, because bright and airy photography is the polar opposite of moody photography. No more drama, no more shadows. Pictures are bright, soft, ethereal. They are light-hearted (do pictures have a heart??) and sweet, but not cheesy. Bright and airy photography works better outdoors, but it can be successfully used anywhere with the right photographer. Just like traditional wedding photography, the bright and airy style has a classic feel to it with colors that stay true to tone, although they will be brighter. It is perfect for couples who are having a sweet, romantic weddings but make sure you are really into this style, because the photos might feel overexposed to experienced eyes.

Alternative/Artistic

If you are into making your wedding photos an experiment, artistic/alternative wedding photography will be a really fun option for you, and film (analog) photography will take things even further. With this style of photography, some technical rules might be broken in order to give cool and weird effect to your pictures. This could mean a lot of things: motion blur, light leaks, or grainy images. In fact, these images are gaining in popularity and lots of companies and apps such as Looks Like Film and Huji Cam are now offering image filters or presets to mimick alternative styles often associated with film photography. These photos might not fit on your family home’s mantle, but they will be one of a kind. This style is perfect for people who gravitate towards photo-journalistic photography with a twist.

There are more types of wedding photography styles out there, but this should help you figure out what you are into in a general sense. And of course, these styles are not mutually exclusive; you might find photographers who love still portraits (traditional) and edit with darker vibes (moody), or photographers who shoot film (artistic) with a photo documentary feel (candid).

Your venue can be a factor in your choice of wedding photography style

I am really not a fan of putting things in boxes (although that’s all I’ve been doing so far in this article), and I am a fervent supporter of CHOICE. Your wedding is your choice, and you can pick any photo style you want for any venue. There are a million ways to do things and I really want you to understand that point. It’s your day, nobody else’s. That being said, some venues might influence your photography choice. And if you want to make sure your venue matches your photography choice, here is a non-exhaustive and subjective list of venues types for each photography style.

Traditional wedding photography might work better in a chateau, a country club, a private estate, or any venue that has a grand feel to it.

Candid wedding photography can really work anywhere but might be a good fit for slightly less formal affairs such as backyards, outdoor weddings, or City Hall elopements. But this style is very adaptable and has more to do with its subjects than its surroundings.

Moody wedding photography works well for elopements in nature, or in industrial settings such as old factories. The city can also be a great background for some moody shots full of cool shadows, so City Hall elopements are a good venue for this style.

Bright and Airy wedding photography is a good fit for any outdoor venue in nature, such as barns or lakeside estates but can also work well in country clubs or chateaux.

Artistic/alternative wedding photography will work for industrial or quirky venues such as art galleries, old factories, or any sort of elopement.

And hat’s it for today! I hope this article helped you figure out a general route you want to take before picking your wedding photographer. All you have to do now is research each style on Pinterest, Instagram or Google Image, and save a few images for reference. Once you know what you want, you will be able to make an informed decision on which photographer to pick. I am currently working on an article about that, so stay tuned, and I’ll post the link here when I am done.

Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions or input about wedding photography styles, I am always happy to guide you in any way that I can!

MAISON-MAY WEDDINGS

by admin | Nov 24, 2020 | Tips and Guides

Maison-May: a gorgeous wedding venue, in the heart of Fort Greene, in a beautiful brownstone

When you get married in New-York, there are many routes you can take as far as the atmosphere and general style of your celebration go. If you want to embrace NYC’s history, you can opt for one of the many industrials buildings around the city, such as 26 Bridge (a former metal factory). You can also pick the bucolic route for a breath of fresh air with a farm-to-table venue minutes from Manhattan, such as Blue Hill at Stone Barns. You can even go a little crazy and book a movie theater or a music venue to say “I do”; the Music Hall of Williamsburg would be perfect for that.

All these options are great options. Whichever one you pick will give your guests a unique glimpse at what makes New-York so special. But today, I want to highlight another great option available for people who want to fully embrace New-York’s vibrant restaurant scene as well as its charming architecture: Maison-May.

Before I keep going, I want to say that this is not a sponsored post in any way. Although I have shot at Maison-May a lot and got to meet and love all the people that work there, I did not receive any kind of incentive to write this. They are not even aware I am doing it! Now that this is out of the way, let’s dig in.

Maison-May: general information

Maison-May (or Maison-May Dekalb) is a French restaurant in the heart of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. It was created by Catherine May, a French transplant who has been in New-York for decades now.

Address: 246 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Closest subways: the G at Clinton-Washington, or the A/C at Lafayette Avenue.

Why choose Maison-May?

1: It’s a one-stop shop option

Maison-May is a gorgeous brownstone wedding venue with lots of original details: hardwood floors, a fire place, and crown molding in every room. Not only does this appeal to architecture lovers, it is also a great advantage if you are having a budget wedding or don’t know how to decorate the place. Maison-May doesn’t need much work to make it look great, since it is already charming as it is. Most of the couples whose wedding I shot there decided to go for small centerpieces and very few extra floral arrangements. This can really help you keep your budget in check all the while letting the place stand out on its own.

2: The cute backyard

Tucked away in the back of the main room, you will find an adorable backyard, with its string lights and wooden fence. You can’t get more Brooklyn than that. The backyard is on the small side, so 60-80 guests would be your max unless you want your friends to fight for a glimpse of your ceremony. But it is one of the main assets of the venue, as it gives you the chance to tie the knot in a peaceful outdoor spot in the heart of Brooklyn before heading back inside for your reception. You can also install a tent out there in the winter, so you can have your dream Brooklyn backyard wedding at any time of the year.

3: The food!

Maison-May has solid food ethics. All the food is locally sourced and prepared with love in the kitchen. There are many gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well as pastries and other French traditional dishes. And who doesn’t love pastries?! As of a few years ago, Maison-May started offering wedding cakes as well and since it is a restaurant open all week long, you can go and try the food for yourself before making your decision on the venue.

4: Its prime location

Located in the heart of Fort Greene, the restaurant is easily accessible and not far from Manhattan or most neighborhoods in Brooklyn. It is also steps away from Fort Greene Park, which is super practical for your family photos. The tree-lined brownstone streets adjacent to Maison-May are also great backdrops for some typical Brooklyn wedding photos so you don’t have to stress yourself by hurrying to Dumbo or Prospect Park for your pictures; you can spend the whole day within blocks from your venue, and do everything by foot.

All in all, Maison-May is the ultimate venue for couples who love good food and want to celebrate New-York’s classic architecture while focusing on quality time with their guests. I personally love shooting there and have been lucky enough to do it quite often. Here are some of my favorite weddings shot at Maison-May:

Sukie and Mike’s Fall DIY wedding

Alison and Kathryn’s winter love party

Juwita and Mike’s boho celebration

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT FLOWERS FOR YOUR NEW WEDDING DATE

by admin | May 16, 2020 | Tips and Guides

“Which flowers for a November wedding? Which flowers for March?”

Besides making masks and hand sanitizers at home (and not enjoying it), I have spent the past 2 months witnessing all of you, husbands and wives to be, navigate all the obstacles that eventually led to the postponement of your wedding. Some of you have reached out to get my input – which I am always happy to give –, and some of you have dealt with it in private.

Whether you needed my help or not, I have been thinking a lot about these changes myself, on my own (in between non-enjoyable mask making sessions).

Some of you are postponing your celebration to the same week-end next year, but some of you have opted for a whole different season. And it got me to wonder: what are the biggest challenges you will have to deal with if your wedding is now scheduled during a whole new season? You might have to think about an extra layer on top of your spaghetti-strap dress, or ditch the long sleeves. And ALL of you will have to rethink your flower options.

So that’s what I’m here to talk about today: how to pick the right flowers for your new wedding date? If your love party was originally planned for May, what kind of flowers can you now pick for your November wedding? Can you even find good flower alternatives out there for colder months?

The answer is a big, heartfelt YES. And to illustrate my point, I have asked the wonderful and badass ladies over at Stems Brooklyn to share their favorite flowers for each season with you with pictures taken by yours truly as well as Stems Brooklyn. So here we go!

Winter wedding flowers (December to March)

Winters are HARSH is the Northeast, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t some beautiful flower choices to pick from. Zara, over at Stems, tells us:

“We are big fans of hellebores. They range in color from frosty white to moody eggplant, and when cut properly can be extremely hardy and long lasting. Other early bloomers include fritillaria, iris, bleeding hearts, and anemones. We’re also obsessed with mimosa, a super bright and funky yellow bloom that occurs on acacia foliage during January and February. Acacia also happens to be our favorite winter foliage, with its purple tinged soft evergreen leaves.”

What’s amazing with winter flowers is that you can go for a cosy, warm feel with velvety hellebores and acacia foliage or an exotic, colorful feel with funky flowers like fritillaria and iris. And of course you can all out with an explosion of color with mimosa, like this gorgeous wedding arch by Stems Brooklyn (pictured below and impossible to miss).

a wedding bouquet with hellebores on the left (by Verde Fleurs), a wedding arch with mimosas on the right (by Stems Brooklyn)

Spring wedding flowers (March to June)

Spring is synonym of blooms and we all wait for the first flowers to point out of the snow to officially declare winter over. There are a myriad of flowers to pick from for a Spring wedding, so let’s see what Zara has to say about this bountiful season:

“Favorites include the well known ranunculus, which has a huge variety of unique colors and varieties in the spring, sweet pea with its unmatched scent and delicate petal, and the mother of all flowers, the peony, our favorite variety being the Coral Charm. This is also the time of year for your favorite blooming branches, like lilac, cherry, dogwood, and spirea, and unique garden locals like Icelandic poppies. We like woodsy garden foliages for spring like soft ferns, whimsical curly willow, and sweet smelling eriostemon.”

Like I said above: bountiful. Those flowers will fit all kinds of weddings, from romantic and classic with beautiful peonies to lush and extravagant with lots of colorful ranunculus (see below). A lot of those flowers come in a wide range of colors as well, making is very easy to match your wedding vision.

Funky ranunculus on the left (by Rosewood), romantic peonies on the right (by Liv Florally)

Summer wedding flowers (June to September)

Summer is a fun times for weddings; everybody is thinking about their upcoming vacation, drinking on rooftops and BBQing with friends every week-end (that’ genuinely what I think New-Yorkers do all over town). Zara has lots to say about Summer flowers:

“We love to source most of our summer flowers direct from local farms and make use of their abundance of blooming field flowers like cosmos, phlox, rudbeckia, celosia, and larkspur. Bouquets and arrangements from the summer season really feel freshly picked and straight from the ground, and can incorporate seasonal herbs like flowering dill, basil, and borage. Bright green foliages like bupleurum, raspberry leaves, and blueberry branches pair well with the colorful palette.”

Check this gorgeous bouquet below. Bright colors and fun color combinations go so well with the carelessness of Summer. I am in love.

Summer bouquet by Stems Brooklyn, including some their favorites: rudbeckias and larkspurs

Fall wedding flowers (September to November)

Fall is prime wedding season. The weather is less extreme and leaves start turning into their gorgeous shades of yellow and orange. Zara points out that couples love to honor nature’s natural colors and textures during this special season.

“The flower of the season has to be the dahlia, with our favorites being the ideally colored burgundy varieties, and the big blush cafe au lait. These pair wonderfully with queen red lime zinnias, lisianthus, scabiosa, amaranthus, and tardiva hydrangea. For foliage we like to honor the season with grassy cuttings like explosion grass and pampas, and seasonal branches like russian olive, forsythia, and maple.”

Fall is all about deep colors and textures, which go so well with the changing greenery outdoors. Check the photos below to see how comforting dahlias and pampa grass feel in a flower arrangement.

Pampa grass and mimosas. Bouquets by Snowdrop Flowers.

That’s all for this one, folks. If you have any questions about which flowers to use for your wedding, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or to Stems Brooklyn. These ladies are the BEST, and as you can tell from all the Googling you’ll have to do after reading about their personal input on seasonal flowers, they know their stuff.

FACETIME ENGAGEMENT SHOOTS AND WEDDINGS

by admin | Apr 27, 2020 | Tips and Guides

We’re stuck at home. Time to have a fun FaceTime photoshoot!

With all this time on my hand, I have a lot of room to think about what the future will hold for my loved ones, my clients, and the wedding industry.

How can I keep shooting if we can’t all be in the same room? Weddings and family photography are all about contact and intimacy. And don’t get me started on the sweaty dance floor dance parties. But then it dawned on me that physical distancing didn’t have to be the end of people-related photography.

It was late one night and I was going down an Instagram rabbit hole (who hasn’t, since the beginning of lockdown?! Don’t lie to me.), thinking how strange it was that I could just dive into someone’s personal life so easily; looking at their pets, their kids, their home.

That’s when it all started to make sense. My phone was the answer to bridging the gap between my couples and me. I researched it a bit, and found out that FaceTime allows one user to take a photo of the other user’s screen when they are on a video call. Creep-much? Yes. But also very useful.

How does a FaceTime engagement or wedding work?

I did a test with my husband Chris, which was a bit ridiculous since we were in the same apartment. Then I did another more serious test with my best friend who happens to have a lovely place with tons of sunlight going through her huge windows. We decided on the perfect time to catch the best light in her apartment, which was 10am, and off we went.

The shoot was hilarious and very challenging, because I couldn’t move around. My friend was my camera and my body, and I was the eyes only. I had to have her start by showing me all the nooks and crannies of her place to decide which room to shoot in, then she had to prop the phone up at various angles and distances before I hit the virtual shutter on the screen to take a picture. The pictures were taken through her phone camera but they were saved directly to my camera roll (I told you. Creep-much). It took a lot of directing on my part, a lot of “go back this way” and “pivot the phone a hair that way” but the results were surprisingly good for a first time!

After a bit more training, I decided to make this my thing. My lockdown thing. I will be the FaceTime photographer who shoots engagement pictures and weddings via her phone. And it felt like fate when Andrew Cuomo announced a day later that he would allow virtual weddings to take place in the state of New-York.

So finally, after speaking with wedding officiant Daniela – half of the awesome duo behind Once Upon a Vow – we decided to join forces and offer virtual weddings to our couples.

Daniela and her sister Karla were as excited as I was to hear Cuomo’s big news, and in the next few days they will be sharing a bunch of cool and useful information for couples to get hitched over Zoom and how to proceed. Stay tuned, because those two are a well of information.

And if you want somebody to take pictures of your big-small day, I am available to be your gal for the photo portion of the day. I am offering ceremony-only FaceTime coverage for $50 and ceremony + a choice of FaceTime engagement pictures or wedding pictures for $125.

So hit me up if you want to get married in 2D! We might all be stuck at home, but FaceTime engagement shoots and weddings will connect all of us again.

EDIT: you can find a complete FAQ on virtual weddings over here as well as the procedure to follow to make your FaceTime wedding official.

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