Save the Date with Ct. Photographer

What a perfect night last night for Sherri and Jared’s engagement session … with full moon and all!   We both wish that their wedding day will be exactly the same a year from now on 9-19-14.  If their wedding is going to be anything like the Save The Date session then it will be a fun time!  The session was photographed at Rocky Neck State park with the wedding schedule for the Barn at Wesleyan.  Here are just a few of my favorites.

Thanks Sherri & Jared!

Senior Formals at Harkness

Harkness Memorial Park and Valley Regional H.S. senior Sara were the perfect match!  A warm summer night provided a gentle, soft lighting on Sara as she posed effortlessly in the gardens.  She was as beautiful as her surroundings.  There were so many amazing photographs, it was hard to choose just a few to show.  Joseph’s is offering Senior Day at Harkness on Saturday, Sept. 15’th to a limited 10 seniors.   $125 session fee that includes a 45 minute session, yearbook pose, images posted online for 14 days and your own personal app for your phone!  Call us at 860.526.5019 or email at joe@josephs.com.

Thank you again Sara!!

High School Senior Formals by Joseph’s Photography, Inc.

Want something a little different for your high school senior formals … how about the streets of a city.  Sarah was the perfect senior with her beauty and grace … and willingness to explore … for this urban setting.  Joseph’s will travel to make your session unique and memorable,  cut-off date for location sessions is October 30’th.  Here are a few of my favorite images from the session which are also hanging at Sweet Luna’s yogurt shop in Old Saybrook.  The water shots came after we were all done and driving home when we came across the fountain.   We all looked at each other at the same time and said … “one more … that will be cool”  Call 860.526.5019 or email joe@josephs.com for details.

 

Thanks Sarah!

Sweet Luna’s and Joseph’s Photography, Inc.

Introducing the Sweet Luna’s Senior Wall!  Joseph’s Photography and Sweet Luna’s, a frozen yogurt shop in Old Saybrook,  are teaming up to offer the graduation class of 2014 a special $25 gift card from Luna’s.  Come into Sweet Luna’s and ask for the special flyer and then call Josephs to arrange for your yearbook formals and you will receive a $25 gift card!   Have your session and then your favorite image will hang on the Sweet Luna’s Senior Wall!  Appointments need to be made by September 15’th.

Stop by the shop on Main St. for the best frozen yogurt on the shoreline and check out the amazing photo shoots.  Posted already are Sara, Ariel and Sarah … all current employees of Luna’s.

Saybrook Point Inn and Joseph’s Photography, Inc.

I wish I could photograph more weddings like Laina and Tony’s @ Saybrook Point Inn the past Friday night.  A small gathering of 50 of their close friends and family.  The weather was great and their guests were even better:)  I love the ceremonies on the back deck especially this time of the year when the landscaping is popping.

 

There was no sit down dinner … just passed appetizers with a few stations.

 

Since I’m more of a candid, available light kind of guy … this wedding was right right up my alley:)

 

I love it when the couple ask if I can do an all group photo of their guests.  It usually only takes about 2 minutes to do and most of that was spent in the elevator.  Saybrook Point is perfect for this with their guest rooms overlooking the patio.  When I asked Tony’s good friend for his room key so I can use his balcony he just smiled as he gave it to me and saying … “I was hoping to be giving it to someone a little better looking” ..LOL

 

The only special requested photo was a Boston College group photo.  On the way to the docks Tony spotted a carved eagle … he had to stop.

 

Great light for the formals!  Since the wedding was so laid back they left it up to me to decide on the timing of their session.  We were all done when a boat owner asked if we wanted to use his boat for pics … glad we did … the image of the two of them on the bow with the Inn in the background is one of my favorites this year!

 

Tony’s niece sang a few songs with the band … priceless.

 

Thank you Laina and Tony!

Harkness Memorial Park Engagement Session with Joseph’s Photography, Inc. of Chester.

First let me vent:)

While at Harkness Park for my session I noticed that there were at least four other young photographers (that I saw) doing their own sessions.  What amazed me the most was the amount of lighting equipment that each one of them brought with them!  Two of them even had carts to haul their stuff.  One photographer, who we passed by and was still at that same location an hour later, had three flash umbrellas and a mini portable generator with an assistant.  I’m sorry but what happened to seeing and feeling the light! … different generation I guess.   For the past 30 years I bring the same stuff … extra body, lens and battery.  Oh yea … tape, Advil & a Swiss Army knife that has a cork screw:) … all in a small over the shoulder bag.

Thanks for listening!

It was a pleasure meeting and photographing Cassie & Keith last night!  Both are from CT. but presently living and working in Houston.  They hired me over the phone via a recommendation of a friend.  Their wedding will be next May at the new Madison Beach Hotel … so looking forward to it!  Here are a few of my favorite images from last nights session … all with available light:)

Thanks Cassie for going into the water with your favorite dress and Keith for that nice cold Summer Ale:)

Madison Beach Hotel and Ct. Photographer

Just photographed my first wedding at the Madison Beach Hotel the past Sunday and it was everything that I knew it would be!  Of course Joanne and Chuck had a lot to do with it:)  If there was ever the perfect fit for a bride and groom and a venue then this was it.  What I love the most about the hotel is the amount of natural light though out … being right on the water is not bad either.

This image is of Joanne in her room that had wall to wall of blinds that I could control the light.

 

They decided to do the First Glance but Chuck had a hard time controlling himself:)

 

Love this image of Chuck just chilling waiting for his children to finishing getting ready before we go to the beach for the formals.

 

One of the prettiest Chuppahs I’ve seen by Debra of www.beautifulweddingflowers.com

 

I don’t think this has ever happened before but I can honestly say that I photographed everyone in the bridal party throughout the years from either High School formals or elementary school pics …. except the dog, he was the ring bearer:)

 

 

Ceremony on the beach with Joanne’s brother doing the reading.

 

… now Chuck can have his Scotch:)

 

Gotta go out for sunset … and the full moon!

 

Thank you Joanne and Chuck … I had fun with you and your families on Sunday.  Can’t wait for the next opportunity to work the Madison Beach Hotel.

Riverhouse and CT. Wedding Photographer

This past weekend wedding of Ilana and Scott started off as any other wedding … lots of candids shots of everyone, even the groom, at the brides home.

The lace on the flowers are from Susan’s wedding dress, mother of the bride.

As I was walking around the house just being a fly on the wall I stumbled upon Ilana’s dad, Fred, going over his speech for later in the day.  I love this image … I told Fred it reminded me of the JFK photo from the White House:)

Our first game change of the day was about to happen as Ilana checks out the weather from her parents tub:)

We were suppose to do their First Glance in the backyard amongst the flowers but Mother Nature had other ideas so we held it in the front foyer.

Along with the First Glance we were going to do all the family photos in the yard at the house.  Since that wasn’t going to happen, the powers to be, suggested photographing the formals inside the house which I really did not want to do.  I made the suggestion that someone go onto the weather channel and check the weather in Haddam where the Riverhouse is located … because I’m a part-time weather man:)  I knew the rain that day … and all week … were small passing storms and the weather in one town will be totally different in the next.   Dad checking on his phone:)

Now we are a half hour behind schedule but got the O.K. that the weather was fine where we were heading.  So off to the Riverhouse for all the formals but we needed to make one more scheduled stop that Ilana and Scott wanted … a photo in front of the Goodspeed Opera House just across the river from where we were heading.

This is when the whole day changed … again.  The bus dropped them off so we can get a few shots. I was in my own car … I took off to get a head start to scout out the location (1/2 mile away).  Quite a few minutes went by when I was notified that the bus got stuck and requested that I return.

Upon returning and seeing the bus I could not believe a professional driver would even attempt such a move!   Sooo … I took some of the wedding party in my car, generous commuters took others and since I live only a few miles away my wife came in her car:)  Ilana was still smiling.

We all finally made it to Eagles Landing which is just below the Riverhouse to get all the formals photographed.

What happens next is why you hire a professional photographer.  The clouds just disappeared and all we were left with was bright, hot sun.  We were at a very picturesque location on the river. If I continued to use the same direction that I was using, then the formals would have looked awful, like an amateur would have done.  At that point it was my decision to go for quality versus background.  I swung everyone around and shot with the sun at their backs into the parking lot.  I knew that with my camera settings I would be able to soften the background … love the light on their faces.

With the ceremony now under 30 minutes away we needed to stop one more time … taking the edge off now seemed like the priority:)

We finally made it to the Riverhouse but we still needed to sign the Ketubah before the 6:30 ceremony.

Oh yeah … one more thing to do before the ceremony.  I think there is one for me in there:)

Let the ceremony begin!!!!

Mom forgot to kiss her daughter:)

Tradition in the Jewish ceremony is for the bride and groom to circle each other three times … someone got stuck:)

After the ceremony Ilana and Scott had some quiet time in the Riverhouse bridal suite.  I joined them after a few minutes to grab a few more of Ilana, more for my own piece of mind than anything else … glad I did, love these!!  They were all shot with availablel light … I took the lamp shade off of the lamp for my light.

Let the party begin:)

Finished the night with sparklers … the way the day went I’m very surprised there we no fires:)

Thank you Mary and Kelly from the Riverhouse for all your extra work … and Ilana and Scott for a wedding that I will never forget!

Love my job:)

St. Clements Castle and Joseph’s Photography, Inc.

Thank you Mary for letting me capture your day!  I’ve been photographing Mary for over 14 years now starting back in her elementary days … my how you have grown up:)

What a better way to start the day off ….

Mr. Shane as he watches his daughter arrive at the church.

We had a little layover between the church and the reception so the bridal party decided that they needed some food before we start with pictures:)

It’s been awhile since I shot at Weslyan …. love it there!

Love St. Clements Castle in Portland … this was the first time that I had the opportunity to shoot at their new marina just below the castle.

Another great shot of Mr. Shane … he was so happy to be the first in line for the bar:)

A few more favorites from the wedding.

Thank you Mary & Nick!

Saybrook Point and Joseph’s Photography, Inc.

Great day as usual at Saybrook Point Inn and Spa with Heidi & Stan.  They had the perfect weather day.  One game that I play every wedding is to shoot a reflections image and I got that one out of the way early:)

I love shooting in the pool table room prior to the wedding, love this relax shot of Stan.

 

I love it when both the bride and groom get dressed at one location (different rooms .. lol) because I can just bounce back and forth between the two.  Here are a few favorites when I went back again to Heidi’s room … love the three generation hand image!

 

Getting ready for the ceremony!  A note to all future brides that plan on having a Hupa at there wedding …. make sure you cover the top with material if using lattice.

 

After the ceremony, as is traditional in a Jewish ceremony, Heidi and Stan went into a room for some alone time …. I just sneaked one shot off:)

 

The light was perfect for their formals.

 

Funny story … but true.  There was a few minutes left before the introductions so this was my time to go and freshen up for the next 3-4 hour set.  I put all my equipment down as I headed down the hallway to the bathroom when out of the corner of my eye a saw Heidi and Stan just sitting there all by themselves … what a great photo.  One bad thing though, as the head waiter and myself look at each other, no camera!  After a second I said no problem as I reached into my pocket for my phone … love this image LOL

 

During the father daughter dance Heidi decided to change up the song without telling her dad 🙂  … I believe it was a Creedence Clearwater song.

 

What a better way to end the night with a full moon!  Thank you Heidi and Stan … I had a great time capturing your day.