I had a blast with Jackie and Rich in downtown Chagrin Falls. Our shoot drew a lot of attention. Several people asked if we were shooting an ad or a model shoot. One lady even asked if she can be in a photo. The lady working is Stash Style was nice enough to let us shoot inside for a few minutes. After the shoot we got some dinner and got to know each other a lot better. It was a great evening.
Here’s a few photos
While this is certainly not my usual post-processing style, I thought it would be fun for this photo because of the illustrated signs in the background.
I had a lot of fun with Rolanda and Richard in Fairport Harbor. They’re both really easy-going and a lot of fun to be around. I’m looking forward to their wedding this August.
Elyse and Jason are one of my many “out of town” couples. I finally got to meet them in person a few days before their wedding. Elyse had such a “go with the flow” attitude and Jason was really easy going too. We took some family photos at Elyse’s parents’ house before going to a park by the lake. I had a great time hanging out with them and their bridal party. They really made it a fun day for me.
The ceremony and reception was at Pine Ridge Country Club. I love shooting there because the ballroom is beautifully designed and decorated and there isn’t a bad angle for me. It’s really one of my favorite halls to shoot at.
Nick Costa and Bill Pirie provided the entertainment. They do an amazing job together. Every bride to be should check them out. It’s a unique act that everyone will talk about for a long time.
I hooked up with Kyle and David by Mall C. We took some shots there before jumping over to E 4th St. We shot there for a while and then went into the Foundation Room of the House of Blues. Kyle and David had the unique idea of using engagement photos for their seating arrangements. So every few shots they would hold a number that represented a table.
I had a great evening with Kyle and David. They were a lot of fun to shoot and we shot in some really cool places.
Monday, July 12, 2010 Posted in Wedding
I’ve known Gina and her family for a really long time. Through the years I also go to know Steve pretty well. They’re both the most wonderful people. I was really excited when they asked me to photograph their wedding. I knew it was going to be a fun experience.
I went to Gina’s house in the morning. The scene was so familiar to me, having covered a disproportionate amount of Italian brides in my day. Tons of people in the house, tons of hairspray in the air and tons of food on the table. I love these kinds of weddings. Everyone is buzzing around doing different things in all parts of the house. The living room is temporarily transformed into a salon. The men just hang out in the kitchen and stay out of the way.
Gina looked absolutely stunning, as I knew she would. I joked that I was trying to take a bad photo of her just to challenge myself. If that were true, I would have failed miserably. After the getting ready shots everyone headed over to St. Albert the Great in North Royalton for the ceremony. After that we wnt to Coe Lake in Berea. The bridal party was a lot of fun. Everyone was easing going and willing to try anything. However, I’m sure they were more than happy to get back on the air-conditioned bus while I was finishing up with Gina and Steve.
The reception was at Blue Heron Country Club in Medina. Its a beautiful facility and I always enjoy shooting there.
The hit of the party was the big candy bar. People were scooping up candy and putting in in bags to take home until it was gone. I’ve never seen people so excited about a candy bar before.
The Marino Brothers provided the entertainment. They did a great job, as always. They really know how to energize a crowd and keep people on the dance floor. It was packed with people until the very end of the reception.
I had a wonderful time with Gina and Steve and I wish them all the best.
Last week I went to Shalersville to take senior photos of Alex. It was a nice change of pace to do a portrait session. Alex was really fun to work with. I’ll be going back to take more photos of her in the fall. I’m looking forward to it.
I had a great time with Cassandra and Ben in downtown Kent. We bounced around from place to place looking for fun spots to shoot, which Kent has a lot of. Here’s a few of my favorite shots.
I met Jessica and Doug at Edgewater Park for their engagement session. It’s a special place because it’s where Doug proposed.
After Edgewater we went downtown to the theater district. Jessica and Doug are both actors, so shooting in front of the theaters made perfect sense. Working with actors so much fun. It’s like working with professional models. They know exactly what to do and aren’t afraid to try anything. As we were shooting, the rain started coming down. Not hard, but just enough to wet the streets. Wet streets look great in photos and movies, especially at night.
After shooting ouside for a while, we went into Bricco for some shots. After shooting, we hung out and chatted about a lot of things, including movies. I had a great time.
I had a great time with Jamie and Zak downtown while shooting their engagement session. We met at the Marriott and bounced around the mall and lake front. Jamie and Zak were really easy-going. They did a lot of joking and laughing and their playful manner comes through well in the photos. I’m looking forward to their wedding later this summer.
Friday, June 25, 2010 Posted in Wedding
Marie and Paul were married at Holy Redeemer Church in Collinwood, and the reception was at the Renaissance downtown. The Renaissance had a bit of a renaissance. The new interior is gorgeous. I could shoot in the lobby all day. It was a real lifesaver because it was so hot out that our time at the cultural gardens was very short lived.
I met with Marie about a week before the wedding to discuss what she liked in terms of style. My previous wedding (Catherine and Jamie) was almost strictly photojournalism all day, which I love. But Marie (and I’m sure Paul too) wanted something totally different. “Old Hollywood glam.” Cool! And I knew Marie and Paul could rock it with ease. They just have that look. But what made the photos really work was that their emotion was real. The poses weren’t just poses. They felt it, and it comes through in the images. I loved shooting them.
I have to say a few words about the band, Soul Village. I’ve seen a lot of bands play at weddings, but at this wedding, I felt like I was at a concert. This band is so musically tight, especially in their jazz numbers. But they jammed Def Leopard and Bon Jovi with no problem too.
As I was packing my bags, another band took the stage. I don’t know its name, but Paul had a guitar in his hand, so I figured I should take the camera back out of the bag. Paul and his friends jammed some AC DC and Van Halen. Everyone went nuts. It was a great way to end the night.
Marie and Paul’s wedding was a thrill for me shoot.
Di Nero
by Justin
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