Couples Boudoir, Engagements, Weddings, Family & Boudoir Studio
For the last 14 years we’ve been the photographer for everyone who was a little outside the box. People just like you asked the question, “who can photograph us?” Who won’t judge us for who we are. Whether it was a tattooed punk rock wedding, interracial non-religious wedding or same-sex couple, we’ve been the photographer for EVERYBODY who didn’t feel like they could find a photographer.
These days you’ll mostly find us in the studio! You’ll love being photographed here. Every day we make people feel like rock stars. The process starts with a phone call where we find out how to bring out the best of you in the photos. Once you come in you’ll get hair and makeup to make you feel like a rock star.
After the photosession you’ll see your photos right away in our design gallery space! You’ll get artwork that will anchor you to your experience and your badass.
When planning your wedding for 2018 and beyond, I only have one piece of advice for you. Give your guests the gift of an unplugged wedding ceremony. A ceremony where devices are turned off. Allow them be present, for you, for your vows and for themselves.
Over the weekend I attended the first wedding in over a decade I was not photographing. It was beautiful. The guests were told in the invitation and again in the ceremony there was to be no cameras or phones out. And we were present. We heard the vows. We watched the kiss. And we enjoyed the wedding without having to get “that post” for social.
photo by Allebach Photography
Before you call me a digital prude, know that I have built my business with social media. I can’t survive as a business without it. Broadway shows, court and other important ceremonies ask for our phones to be put away. Isn’t a wedding more important than a Broadway show? Ok, maybe not for Hamilton fans…
Not only is this a gift for your wedding guests, but it’s a gift for you the wedding couple. You can look back at your friends and family, just like your parents did, sharing in the moment with you.
As a wedding photographer, I’ve photographed dozens of unplugged weddings. I can assure you people need help to stop themselves. Even grandparents are jumping into the aisle with bifocals on to snap a pic! If you book professional wedding photographer or videographer you can leave the job to capturing the moments in their hands. (This is why it’s important to vet your wedding photographer, see article I wrote on this here).
I know what you are going to say, but that baller hashtag we came up with. #marriedtothegamesohetookmyname. No worries here. Use that etsy wedding hashtag sign you bought. You can still embrace electronics during the reception. Break out cameras and phones for the dances and reception madness.
So go ahead have the craziest most insane wedding customized to show your style and give your guests the gift of wedding ceremony presence.
photo by Allebach Photography
As a guest what do you think of this? Would you still try and snap a pic? Wedding couples will you be doing this?
Flowers add color, vibrancy, and life to every occasion, especially weddings. Without these beauties, a wedding would not feel like a wedding at all! Florists make it a point to create elaborate flower arrangements that liven up a wedding by cultivating an atmosphere of romance and delight. Here are some must-have flower ideas for weddings to get you started!
Ceremony Garlands
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
Ceremony garlands can usually be found adorning a window or an arch. They are a classic part of weddings, perfect for the entryway to a church or a banquet hall. They can be crafted by tying together a variety of flowers with baby’s breath. If you’re taking the DIY path, you will need some rope and foam wreath forms to complete the project. These garlands not only add glamour to thresholds and windows, but also make for a beautiful backdrop.
Boutonnieres
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
While the bouquets carried by the bride and her bridesmaids get most of the attention at a wedding, no wedding is complete without boutonnieres for the men. A boutonniere is typically a single flower bud worn through the lapel buttonhole. A loop holds the stem in place at the back of the lapel. Though a boutonniere is small, it adds a pinch of character and style. Use the same flowers and colors for the boutonnieres that you use for the bridesmaids’ bouquets for the best effect!
Focal Point: Spray Centerpieces
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
You will also need a centerpiece for each of your banquet tables. These are the focal points which draw the eye. For that reason, each centerpiece needs to exude glamour and extravagance. Baby’s breath is essential, as it fills out the arrangement and gives it balance, rounding out the cluster of blooms. Set up your spray centerpiece in a vase, or hang it low from the ceiling over the table. Either way, you will achieve a stunning effect!
Flower Arrangement: Tablescape
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
While a centerpiece serves as the focal point for a wedding table, you also need to create a beautiful tablescape of flowers that runs down the center from end to end. The key to a tablescape flower arrangement is the color of the flowers. Focusing on just one or two colors will create the most impact. Try to combine different sizes and shapes, with the tallest flowers in the middle and the shorter ones to either side.
Creative Paths Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
Ceremony paths or aisle runners are flowers which are placed down the aisle of a church. You can get really creative with this type of arrangement. One whimsical idea is to pair your flowers with tree branches, which has a magical effect. Another idea is to use lanterns or candles together with flowers for a grand look which is luminously inviting.
Floral Wreaths on Cakes
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
The wedding cake is another focal centerpiece which is important to get just right. One easy and effective way to embellish the cake is to surround it with a wreath of flowers. If you plan to have multiple cakes at the wedding, you can choose a different design for each one. That way you create a fun and festive look with plenty of variety. Each cake will be a unique work of culinary and floral art.
Wedding Bouquets
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
Even though centerpieces may be the focal points at your wedding celebration, odds are the floral center of attention is actually the bride’s bouquet! After all, she’s the center of everyone’s attention. To create a beautiful bouquet, group together flowers in complementary colors and use wire vines to create a simple yet elegant look. You want to make the bride’s bouquet the standout bouquet of the entire wedding. Bridesmaid’s bouquets should complement the bride’s bouquet but never overshadow it!
Spring Flower Crowns for Weddings
Photo Credit: Flower Explosion
A big trend right now is for the bride to wear a flower crown instead of the more traditional tiara. A flower crown can be extravagant or it can be subtle and understated. To create one on your own, you need scissors, floral tape, floral wire, a headband and some flowers. You can also add in other embellishments. This is a look which is easy to customize and utterly beautiful to behold.
Pomanders
Photo Credit: Flower Explosion
A pomander ball is simply a ball of flowers. They look great as table centerpieces, either hanging low from the ceiling or placed directly on the table. They also can be used to line the aisle at the actual ceremony. Pomanders can provide a look which is fun and whimsical, but with a touch of elegance. Red roses make for a particularly classy and elegant vibe. You can add other materials to your flower pomander to embellish it, like fake butterflies.
Edible Flowers
Photo Credit: Country Living
Several types of flowers are edible, including chamomile, geraniums, nasturtiums, and violets. What can you do with them? Consider using them as cupcake toppers or décor for your wedding cakes. Make sure you know where they came from and that they were grown pesticide-free. They can add a dash of unique flavor, and a look of gourmet elegance.
Every wedding needs to feature these flower arrangements to make it an occasion to remember! Let your creative juices flow. You can order your arrangements directly from the florist, or buy flowers wholesale and DIY. Either way, free your imagination, and you will achieve a beautiful ambiance for your special day!
Contributed by Flower Explosion:
Flower Explosion is a florist that provides high-quality, fresh-cut flowers — including done-for-you wedding flower packages at DIY prices.
Most wedding magazines will give you a list of questions to ask your wedding photographer. Stuff like: “Can you describe your style? What equipment do you shoot with?”
Let’s be real: Those questions are boring. And you probably don’t actually care about the answers anyway.
So I surveyed some brides and photography-friends, and put together a list of all those questions you really want to ask, and all those things we really want you to know.
1. How do I pick a good photographer when there are hundreds listed in my area?
First, look for a forum or blog that appeals to your style. Obviously, if you’re an Offbeat Bride, you’re in the right place — I receive my best clients through the Offbeat Bride Vendor Guide. The photographers listed are both gay-friendly and accustomed to photographing offbeat weddings.
Once you’ve got a few favorite photographers, narrow it down to a handful of favorites, and set up a time to meet them. Make sure you’re meeting with the person who will be wielding the camera at your wedding, not a sales consultant or studio owner. You have to, like, trust and get along with your photographer — that way you can leave the magic of photo making in the photographer’s hands. Not only should you like their images, you should also like them! You’ll be spending many hours with them during your wedding day.
The wedding photographers I surveyed typically deliver 50-100 photos for every hour of coverage they provide. Four hundred photos may seem like a lot, but your wedding photographer is preserving all those little details and the moments you missed while you were mingling.
3. I love those photos with the blurry backgrounds. How do you get that look?
You’re talking about shallow depth of field. Photographers get that look by using professional lenses that are able to focus tightly on the subject.
4. I found one photographer whose images look soft and pastel, one whose images look clean, and one whose images look like they were shot on old film. What’s the deal?
Every photographer has a different way of editing their images using computer software (the high-tech version of a darkroom). This is called “Post-Processing.” Most photographers do some basic lighting and color adjustments, but you can also use editing software to create a unique look. Three popular styles right now are:
Clean: lightly processed to appear natural
Matte: a low-contrast look with muted pastel colors, similar to vintage film
High Contrast: a vibrant look with rich colors that pop
It doesn’t matter which style you go with, as long as you love it!
5. Why is wedding photography so freakin’ expensive?
This is the question I see most from brides on the interwebs. Wedding photography seems like easy money — work for one day and rake in the cash, right? But most full-time wedding photographers I know carry over $15,000 worth of wedding gear and often work 60-hour weeks. (Remember those 800 images from question #2? It takes several full days just to edit those.)
Add insurance, taxes, software, advertising, albums, repair, shipping, and studio expenses, and many photographers end up making less than minimum wage for the first few years of their career.
If you’re relaxed, it’ll come through in your photos.
Leave some breathing room in your schedule so you don’t feel rushed — I recommend a minimum 30 minutes for family and wedding party photos, and an hour for the couple portraits.
Oh, and get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water the night before.
Take it easy at the rehearsal dinner. Wedding-day hangovers are not fun.
7. I keep hearing about “shoot and burn” photography. Sounds painful. What is it?
Actually, yeah, it can be kind of painful. “Shoot and burn” is slang for photographing a wedding and burning it straight to DVD or USB without post-processing. It’s usually super cheap — for a reason. Bad lighting isn’t corrected, distracting elements aren’t removed (hello, Speedo-clad photobomber!), and zits remain proudly on display.
Digital files may be important to you, but find a full-service photographer who will edit the images and print reference proofs before handing over the digis.
And please, don’t let the digitals rot on your hard drive. As a photographer, I want you to proudly display your wedding photos. It makes me sad when I think of all the photos that never get printed. Don’t hide your wedding photos! I tell my clients to hang up a large print or two — when you’re having a crappy day, it’s great to look up in your living room and see a photo of an awesome day.
8. Should we do a “first look”? And, um, what the hell is a “first look”?
The first look is a chance for wedding couples to see each other privately before the ceremony. Two-thirds of my clients currently opt to do a first look. It’s a great chance to get the wedding jitters out and spend a few minutes alone together. I find that first look photos tend to be some of my favorites. It’s a real moment with real emotions.
Honestly, it’s also a great way to avoid stress on your wedding day. (Some of my couples even choose to get ready together!) And many of my couples get to enjoy their whole cocktail hour because they got all of the photos out of the way before the wedding.
No one needs a second photographer, but they can provide you with more images and a different perspective. Many of the top photographers only work with assistants who carry gear and help with professional lighting. The best thing is to ask your wedding photographer to see how they prefer to work. You can get good results either way.
10. How far in advance should I book a wedding photographer?
Many in-demand wedding photographers book weddings at over a year out. As it gets closer to your wedding date, it will be harder to book your first-choice photographer.
If your favorite photographer is unavailable on your date, don’t panic. Ask them for recommendations — they may know someone with a similar style and a lighter schedule.
It depends. As a photographer, I want to get everything as perfect as possible in camera. Posing, location scouting, and camera settings can “fix” most things before I even click the shutter. If your uncle photobombs you, I’m going to retake the photo — it’s much easier to get the photo right than to fix it with Photoshop. Many photographers charge for extensive editing in Photoshop, because it can be very time-consuming.
I get asked this a lot. There was a great article about tipping on Offbeat Bride. For photographers, “Tips are never expected but are always appreciated.”
Hopefully this clears up some burning questions about wedding photography — and makes it a little bit easier to find the perfect photographer for your wedding day.
Profoto B2 Off Camera Flash Launch: Cherrish’s Out of Prison Story
This was my contribution to the Profoto B2 Launch. I’ve been using the Profoto B2s for over 4 months now. Cherrish graciously shared her story of cancer fight. The photoshoot takes place at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pa. See my review of the Profoto B2 here.
Thank you to Cherrish Krasulak for being the inspiration for the video, Ed Seiders for shooting, Ryan Hendricks for lighting assistant, Gene Smirnov for BTS and Steven Skidmore for UAV footage. I scored the music and played guitar in the second half of the video.
After Dark Engagement Preview in Philadelphia, Pa. We now host after dark engagement sessions for couples in the Philadelphia area. This photo was taken at the Pennypack Park in Philadelphia. Schedule your engagement session here.
It sounds a little crazy, but I read somewhere that thinking about what you would change about your day before it even happens is a good way to avoid mistakes.
Here’s an infographic based off of a study done by NY Magazine, showing what over 100 married brides would have changed about their wedding day planning.
We want to capture all of your hard work planning, and all of the fun that ensues, on the special day. Your wedding photography will last through the ages, make it worth while!
First wedding of the year in Philadelphia yesterday. The groom wanted a few epic pics of his groomsmen smoking cigars with him. So I took them outside the Powel House in Philadelphia for a few photos.
Join us at the Philadelphia Tattoo Convention February 2015! We’ll be sharing a booth with Inked Philly this year and selling 2015 Fight Like a Girl calendars.
Here are the details:
$22 Day / $45 3-Day Pass
Tickets are only sold at the show
Children under 12 are free
Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention
Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Times:
Friday 2 PM – 12 AM
Saturday 11 AM – 12 AM
Sunday 11 AM – 8 PM
Special Guests & Tattoo Artists:
Jason Clay Dunn from Ink Master Season 5 Winner
Scott Marshall from Ink Master Season 4 Winner
Joey Hamilton from Ink Master Season 3 Winner
Shane O’Neill from Ink Master Season 1 Winner
Karly Cleary from Best Ink Season 3 Winner
Jime Litwalk from Ink Master Season 3 Runner Up
Sarah Miller from Ink Master Season 2 & Ink Shrinks
Erik Siuda from Ink Master Season 5 Finalist
Alli Baker from Best Ink Season 2
Myke Chambers as Seen in Inked Magazine
Matti Hixson from Ink Master Season 4 Finalist
James Vaughn from Ink Master Season 1 Finalist
Halo Jankowski from Ink Master Season 4
Kyle Dunbar from Ink Master Season 3 & 4
Lydia Bruno from Ink Master Season 4
Amy Nicoletto from LA Ink
Aaron Is from Ink Master Season 5
Mark Longenecker from Ink Master Season 5
Emily Elegado from Ink Master Season 5
Ty-esha Reels from Ink Master Season 5
Robbie Ripoll from Ink Master Season 5
Caroline Evans from Ink Master Season 5
Takashi Matsuba : Tebori
Romeo Lacoste from Best Ink Season 3
Joseph Matisa from Best Ink Season 3
Chris Torres from NY Ink
Clint Cummings from Ink Master & Tattoo Nightmares: Miami
Jeremy Miller from Ink Master Season 1
Cee Jay from Ink Master Season 2
Joey Tattoo from Tattoo Rescue
VH1’s Black Ink Crew
Philadelphia Eddie
Brian O’Halloran from Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, & Vulgar
As you can see a lot of talented people will be at the Philadelphia Tattoo Convention. We hope to see you there!
There are some couples you meet that completely balance each other out. One of them, Dakota and Mike, were married at The Heritage Trust in New York’s Mt. Sinai. Their ceremony didn’t last more than 10 minutes, and then they were ready to party. We brought the photo booth all the way up to Long Island for some silliness! We stuffed our faces with all vegan indian food. Afterwords we headed to Dave and Buster’s to get the wedding jitters out and to burn off that energy from the pent butter jelly cookies!
633 Mount Sinai Coram Road, Mount Sinai, NY 11766
http://www.msheritagetrust.org
So I photographed my brother’s wedding at the beautiful Ironstone Ranch in Elizabethtown, Pa! It’s rustic, there’s room to run, and the wedding party was drawn by a horse and carriage! Venue details at bottom of post.
Ironstone Ranch
1 Hollinger Lane, Elizabethtown, PA 17022
(717) 902-9791
http://ironstoneranch.com
Look! Casey & Greg had their WEDDING at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia! What?!! I’m serious! Take a look at some of the detail shots we captured on this awesome day of marriage.
Featuring Jack’s Firehouse Restaurant, Bar and Caterer across the street (they catered the wedding too)!
(Venue details at bottom of post)
Eastern State Penitentiary
2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130
http://www.easternstate.org
Jack’s Firehouse
2130 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130
As everyone gears up for the holidays, we take time to remember those we love. Mike was honored to be this year’s photographer of 12 beautiful women for Bonedaddys Tattoo’s “Calendar for a Cure”. All proceeds go to the Brave Eli Foundation (www.braveeli.com) which donates directly to finding a cure for childhood cancer.
Lovebirds. One in a beautiful Philadelphian Bhldn dress, and one with a belt buckle that says “Cocky”. They’re gigglers. Which makes them a perfect couple for the upscale but modern Front & Palmer wedding venue in Philadelphia. We stopped at the 2nd National Bank on the way for some unforgettable pictures.
(Details below)
bach
Front & Palmer
Address: 1750 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Phone:(215) 634-3002
Picture perfect bride and groom, locations, food, and perfect pictures! Robyn and Brent had their first look and ceremony at the lovely Philadelphia historic landmark, The Powel House. Food and fun followed with delicious food tapas at Amada Restaurant.
Check out this wedding! Oh and don’t miss all the delicious Garces Group food at the bottom.
Amada Restaurant in Philadelphia // A Jose Garces Group Restaurant
217-219 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106(215) 625-2450 http://philadelphia.amadarestaurant.com
Powel House Historic Landmark in Philadelphia
244 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106(215) 925-2251 http://www.philalandmarks.org/powel.aspx