I’ve worked a lot of events with Rock The House, and I’m always impressed with their non-stop energy, unmatched ability to entertain and consistent professionalism. When Matt Radicelli (the owner and founder) asked me if I’d snap some shots of their open house, I was happy to do so. I was really floored by their operation. Their HQ allows them to showcase all their capabilities, and it’s easy to see why they book more than 300 events each year. The B&Gs that attended the open house were excited about RTH providing the entertainment for their wedding. I’m excited about photographing some of their receptions.
Here’s some of the shots from the very successful open house.
RTH HQ is huge. This is the lobby area before people started arriving.
That's quite a rock
As much as the vibrant colors, LED lights and monograms rocked, the disco ball is still a must-have.
Bridal and Beyond is a fantastic resource for brides (and grooms) that offers everything from bridal fairs to workshops to wedding planning services. I’m excited to be conducting a workshop on how to have the “picture perfect” wedding, with the emphasis on the word “picture”, of course. This workshop is for B&Gs that haven’t booked a photographer as well as the ones that have. I’ll discuss what to look for when choosing a photographer as well as tips on how to help make your wedding-day photography go smoothly.
The workshop will take place on January 16 at Catan Fashions in Strongsville from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. In addition to my workshop, Bridal and Beyond will be talking about the latest wedding trends, and Fitness by Debi will discuss her Bridal Fitness Bootcamp, and how to get fit so you look your best.
Details for the workshop are below. I’m really hoping to see you there!
Catan Fashions
12878 Pearl Rd - Strongsville, OH 44136
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Saturday, January 2, 2010 Posted in E-Session
After the cancellation of our first shoot due to blizzard-like conditions, I finally hooked up with Jennifer and Anthony downtown. It was cold, but at least the snow wasn’t coming down sideways.
This was the first time I met Jennifer and Anthony and we got along wonderfully. They were really looking forward to the session despite the frigid temps. We shot all around Public Square, on E4th and explored an empty alleyway. We ended up back at the square for some shots with the Terminal Tower in the background.
I had a lot of fun and we got some really nice shots. Here’s a few of my favorites.
Monday, December 14, 2009 Posted in E-Session
The rain stopped just in time for Stacy and Ryan’s engagement session. We met up in Little Italy at dusk and had a great time walking up and down Mayfield Road looking for fun places to shoot. Fortunately, it was much warmer than the day before and we actually spent about two hours taking photos. Stacy and Ryan decided to ditch their coats for a few shots and it worked out well. You can’t tell if it’s December or July. I’m sure next July will provide even warmer weather for Stacy and Ryan’s wedding. I’m really looking forward to it. I had a lot of fun with these two.
Saturday, December 12, 2009 Posted in E-Session
So many of my couples are from out of town and schedule engagement sessions for when they are home visiting family. It’s usually this time of year, which offers opportunities and challenges. The opportunities include getting engagement photos and Christmas photos at the same time. There’s usually lots of colorful lights and the cold really forces couples to stay close and squeeze tight. The challenge, of course, is the cold.
And today, it was COLD!
But that’s OK, because I met Caroline and John at the Arabica in downtown Willoughby. We warmed up with some coffee and took some shots inside. They grabbed the best table in the place for photos, right in front of the Christmas tree. When the Christmas lights came on outside, we bundled up and headed to the square. It was really frigid and the wind was blowing hard, but Caroline and John managed to shrug it off and be totally natural for the camera.
I had a really fun time with Caroline and John and I’m really looking forward to their wedding in May. Here’s a couple shots from Caroline and John’s engagement session.
Friday, December 4, 2009 Posted in Wedding
There’s engagement parties, and then there’s Monica and Amit’s engagement party, which was more on the scale of a wedding…a big wedding. The party was in Cincinnati at the Hyatt Regency. Guests traveled from all parts of the country to attend this important event.
Monica, Amit and their families were so nice and wonderful to work with. The engagement ceremony was beautiful, the music was awesome and the food was delicious. It was a fun experience for everyone.
Of course, a party of this size is best documented by two photographers, so Lance Anderson made the trek to Cincinnati with me to second shoot. We got a lot of great shots and had a blast doing it.
Unfortunately, I’m not shooting their wedding, but at least I know they’re in great hands with the Linczaks.
Here are a few pics from Monica and Amit’s engagement party.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 Posted in E-Session
I had a great time downtown with Marriette and Mark. They were a lot of fun…and funny. It was exactly as an engagement session should be.. completely relaxed and carefree. We wondered around Public Square for a while, taking shots on the monument. Then we found a cool brick wall in the entrance of a parking garage. We shot there for a few minutes before we were kicked out for not having a permit. I have to admit, I like shooting in places where there is a good likelihood that I will be thrown out of. It’s all part of the fun.
Anyway, by this time is was getting dark enough to head over to E 4th and do some cool stuff with the lights and neon signs. As it got darker, the images became a little more dramatic and serious.
I had a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to Marriette and Mark’s wedding next summer.
Sunday, October 25, 2009 Posted in Wedding
Lisa and Jeff were married on October 23, at St. Therese in Garfield Hts. The reception was at Windows on the River.
I had an awesome time with Lisa and Jeff! They were so much fun to work with. I knew it was going to be a great wedding because we had an excellent engagement session earlier in the summer. I started out with Jeff and the guys, and then jumped over to Lisa’s parents’ house. Lisa, her dad, sister, niece and I went to the Garfield Hts. Fire Department to take some photos with a big, red Sutphen. Lisa’s dad is a firefighter, so some shots with them in front of the truck was important. Then, off to the church.
We had a great time during the creative session at the Old Arcade in the Hyatt Regency. The bridal party was a blast to work with. They certainly weren’t a shy bunch, which is how I like it. Lisa, Jeff and I also managed to slip out of Windows for a few shots during the reception.
Enjoy -
Jeff gave Lisa a beautiful pair of earrings that match her wedding ring. She was so excited.
I have to mention how much fun I had hopping in the photobooth with Lisa and Jeff. It was provided by Memory Productions. It was a big hit with everyone.
It couldn’t have been a more perfect day for family photos in the park. I met up with Kelly, Vito and their two children, Nino and Isabel, in the Brecksville Reservation. The area we shot in had a lot of options, but the most popular areas were the ones with a combination of small rocks, water and mud. Piles of fallen leaves were pretty popular too.
I had a great time with the Stassi family, and it was nice to spend time in the park on such a beautiful day. I wish I had more opportunities like this.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Posted in Maternity
Tiarra and Dan are having a baby in November and wanted some maternity photos. We decided to do some photos that focused on just them (and their dog, Jet) first, and then do some photos that focused more on her pregnancy. We shot everything in downtown Willoughby. The fist set was right around the town square, and the second set was in a building I use when I need studio space.
I had a fun time with Tiarra and Dan. They’re really great people and are excellent with the camera. They interacted great together and had very natural, yet dramatic expressions when it was necessary. I enjoyed shooting them as well as editing their photos.
Here’s a few of my favorite shots.
I think this is my favorite shot, and it was actually pretty hard to get. The room was really dark, with only a little light coming in through the window. The sun was almost down at this point. They were really patient with me as I attempted a hand-held shot at 1/10 of a second. I finally got one that was sharp enough.
by Justin
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