By Steve Burns

Good wedding photographers are a flexible bunch.  One day they are doing something one way and the next, due to a different set of circumstances, they are approaching things differently.  All the while they must have a certain consistency about what they do.

My taste, or style, in wedding photography is photo journalistic. However my earlier training in wedding photography was directed posed fashion(y) work. Constantly I find my self drawing on some of the skills I learned in my early years in wedding photography.  Some might refer to those skills and approach to wedding photography as classic.

The first time I met Lori was at her house just hours before her wedding.  She was stunning, and I realized that she had a certain awareness and confidence about herself.  When a photographer has the opportunity to work with such a bride, it is an open invitation to latch on to and work with their personality all day.  It can be a blissful experience.  Louis her groom was no different with his self confidence,  and  I thoroughly enjoyed working with the both of them all day.

Bellow are a few of my favorite images from their day.

As I was working on Louis and Lori’s images,  I found myself constantly being pulled back into frame of mind that called for a look from the early 1970′s.  A time where the film we had available to us had a slightly grainy, more contrast(y), but less saturated look to it.  Kodacolor 400 was such a film.  It is a feeling that I tried to maintain as I worked through the photographs of their wedding coverage.

The opposite of this look would be today’s overly used, heavily cooked,  contrast(y), and heavily saturated, totally rad look that in my mind calls attention to the post production of the images, as compared to the content of the images.   In essence I wanted to maintain a classic feel to the work for some very beautiful people.

Their wedding mass was held at The Church of The Assumption, Roselle Park, NJ with their reception being held at The Atrium in West Orange, NJ.  A special thank you goes out to the wonderful staff and management at the Atrium for being very helpful and accommodating that evening!

By Steve Burns

A ways back I covered a wedding of one of the leads from “The Phantom of The Opera.”  The newly married couple had a small intimate wedding.  Their wedding reception was held at the Westbury Manor on Long Island, NY.  At the reception places were set for 40 guests, with the music being provided  by a 16 piece swing band!  The happy wedding couple and that band elevated the wedding day experience of their guests from what would have been nice, to one that was sublime!

Music at weddings, as in life can leave one with many feelings.  It is not a visual thing, however it is something that  triggers things in the hearer’s mind that evokes emotion or feeling.  Well chosen music played at a wedding does exactly the same thing. It helps to support the days emotions.

Music can be loud, sharp, soft, sexy, sweet, sultry, romantic, brassy, sensuous…  You name it, and it can say it.

How music is delivered can also add to its impact.  As a wedding  photographer, I’ve witnessed weddings were music was delivered via an iPod,  from a DJ, to music performed real time by a band.  All of the mentioned ways of delivery can be done very well,  and all of them can have a significant impact on a wedding day.

One of the things that separates really good photography from OK photography, is that the former leaves you with the thought “this is what it felt like to be there,” vs. “this is what it looked like to be there.”

A responsibility of a good wedding photographer is to communicate to the viewer not just what the day looked like, but what the wedding day felt like.   You want to be taken back to the feelings of your wedding day when you look at your images.

When photographing a wedding, I’m sure to include something that speaks of the music presented that day, as it plays such a large part in the day.  I have to admit that I’ve never photographed an iPod at a wedding reception.  However  I take great, great delight in photographing a band!

Here are some favorites which when I revisit them, I feel as if they take me back to that day.

Working  the crowd at a wedding reception at the Fresh Meadows Country Club.

Sounding brassy at the Fresh Meadows Country Club.

A very hot wedding band vocalist at the Fresh Meadows Country Club.

Letting it loose at a wedding reception at the Ridgewood Country Club.

A sassy bass at the Chart House Restaurant.                                                            Enda playing for his wife at their reception, the Molly Pictcher Inn.

My hat is off to those that have come before, those that currently do, and to those that will provide the music which makes our lives so much richer.  Our world would not be the same with out you!

Steve Burns

By Steve Burns

A while ago I had the pleasure of photographing my dear friend Manny son’s wedding.

Karyn and George where married in a Greek Orthodox Wedding Ceremony at St. John The Theologian in Tenafly, NJ.

Their ceremony is one that I particularly love to witness.   It’s with good reason that I’ve fallen in love with the various aspects of, and the symbolisms in their service; having documented several over the years.

After their wedding mass, Karyn and George chose to have romantic photographs done at the beautiful Davis Johnson Gardens in Tenafly, NJ, a donation supported formal garden that loves to work beautiful brides and their grooms.  Without donations those lovely gardens would not exist.

The reception was held later that evening at the beautiful Graycliff in Moonachie, NJ.

Karyn and her girls getting ready.

Karyn, as a very beautiful bride.

Karyn being escorted down the isle by her father Carlos.

Karyn and George during their marriage ceremony.

Greek Orthodox Wedding Ceremony.

Beautiful late afternoon sun at Davis Johnson Park.

Karyn’s first dance with her now husband George, as their wedding guests look on.

And of course George and his uncle had to lead the cheers that evening!        Steve Burns

David’s earlier post about “how come you don’t call yourself a photojournalist”  is great!  I am similar in I don’t consider myself a pure photojournalist photographer,  but I find it amusing that some photographers I have met over time DO call them photojournalists yet they do more posing then me.   So getting ready, ceremony and reception – I have a Photojournalist attitude.. shooting as it happens

However I love playing with light..   capturing moments and having a good time at weddings.  Is that so wrong?

The following images were all taken at the Grand Colonial in Hampton NJ.

Josh

www.joshlynn.com

By Steve Burns

Perona Farms in Andover, NJ during the 1930′s was known as the place to go were one could get away from the bustle of the city.  Quite a few well known personalities were known to have enjoyed the peace of the country air there through the years.

Years later it became know as a place to go not only to enjoy the country air, but also sample world renowned smoked salmon.  Perona Farms, still known for its salmon and good fresh country air, is also currently known for its friendly and very attentive staff as a really wonderful place to have one’s wedding.

Kristin and Doug’s wedding, which I photographed there recently was all about children, beauty, love and romance; not to mention the great food, and the relaxing atmosphere that the venue is known for.

These images have been toned to a desaturated color pallet with some grain added to evoke some of the nostalgic feelings I experienced that day. I felt as if I were seeing images that could have been made with no longer available films from 30 years ago. -Steve Burns-

Young brides maids.

A child’s wonderment.

Brides maid’s dress detail.

Kristin dancing with her dad.

Kristin and Doug.

By Steve Burns

The “Calling”.

It was not so much a calling, but a revelation. It was a revelation that happened along my journey in photography.

Many start careers in photography as wedding photographers, only to move on into other areas of photography in a short period of time. Fewer start photography careers in other areas of photography to move into wedding photography at a much later date.

I entered commercial photography with the intent of not becoming a wedding photographer. However my journey years later reveled to me exactly what I am very good at doing, and enjoy emensly. Doing things like photographing people in their environment, when they are at their happiest and full of emotion, during life changing fluid events such as weddings.

The short of it is that wedding photography has brought me back to my photographic roots. You know… “Where IT all started to begin with”.

One of my desires as a creative person is also to leave something for others that matter to them. Do you realize that the one thing in common with people returning to recover from a natural disaster is to gather up their surviving photographs!

Wedding photography to me makes a difference.  Steve Burns

]]> http://groupof10.com/unveiled/2008/06/23/the-calling/feed/ 0