Cousins Photography Blog

Photo Jewelry and Price List

2009-12-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

Michelle & Geoff's Engagement Session

2009-11-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

Michelle and Geoff found us through WPJA which is an organization we are very proud to be associated with and look forward to referrals from them. Then, after following our Blog for a while, Michelle and Geoff met with us, liked what they saw and consequently booked us for their wedding next fall!

I met with them on a crisp Autumn day in Cold Spring Harbor for their engagement session..

From the first click of the shutter I knew they were very going to be great subjects ~ very comfortable in front of the camera and not afraid of PDA!

I usually take a few solo portraits during each session and try to capture each personality... Geoff tried not to laugh too hard at Michelle's egging on...

Then the tables were turned! I love this next photograph of Michelle with the Eskimo hood and radiant smile peaking out from underneath the fur!

Tender moment...

Fall foliage makes for a great backdrop when you can throw it out of focus like this..

...and this is why I love Digital so much! I have an 'action' that can make any image take on the faded and muted tones of a 1977 photograph. Very beautiful I think ~ if used sparingly!

..and a couple of creative ring shots to end the session!

Michelle and Geoff ~ thank you for being such great subjects to work with. I can't wait for your wedding next year and look forward to having Geoff try out some new seating positions I've concocted for him!!

Family Portrait Session at the Beach

2009-11-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

Holiday Cards

2009-10-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

New for 2009 - we are very excited to offer beautiful, custom designed Holiday Cards with styles and designs to suit everyone. These cards are printed on top quality card stock and are fully customizable with your own images, verse and greetings.
Please contact us for pricing information or to see our samples.
Click on a sample below for an enlarged view.

Christina & Tom's Wedding

2009-10-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

What could be better than back to back weddings at Oheka Castle!
This venue is quite simply breathtaking with unbelievable locations for photography and incredible backdrops at every direction including the interior.
We were so excited that Christina and Tom had chosen us to photograph their wedding here and the day turned out to be just perfect!

Here's a view from the south lawn looking at the massive castle..

Up in the bridal suite, Christina prepared for some balcony photographs..

...while the guys prepared down below.

I love this portrait of Christina on the balcony overlooking the grounds and reflecting pools down below..

A signature on the Marriage Certificate make's sure it's all above board!

...and then a bridesmaids portrait before heading down...

ART WARNING!!
There's something about this next photograph that I like a lot. Tom was inside the castle waiting for the guests to be seated and as I took this photograph of him looking through the window, Reverand Bill walked into view and created a reflection in the glass. It probably won't make the album but I like it anyhow!

Amazing aerial view of the grounds as the guests arrive...

..and then Christina makes her grand entrance with her parents...

During the ceremony I had about 5 minutes total to hightail it back to the bridal suite for this photograph then run down the stairwell in time for the vows and ring exchange...

Ladies out there who are about to get married, here's something you may want to consider for your bridesmaids; not all girls look their best in the same style of dress so a good option is to pick a color and have your bridal party choose a dress style that's comfortable for them. This might be strapless, spaghetti straps, form fitting, loose, etc. in any event, Christina's girls looked fabulous and they all get to wear their dresses again!

The happy couple...

Location, location, location... here's a view of the castle..

....then a 180° turn around for a view of the grounds!

First dance under the Grand Ballroom chandelier..

ART WARNING #2!!
As I strolled outside during dinner, I decided to take a photograph of the castle in the moonlight. Unable to steady the camera for such a long exposure, I decided to go with the flow and jump as I took the photograph instead and this is the resulting image. Again, probably not album material but nice to look at - yes? no?

Liz's Family Portrait

2009-10-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Laura & Whitney's Wedding

2009-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

It seems as though quite often at weddings we end up feeling more like invited guests with expensive cameras rather than working photographers. I'm not saying for one minute that we don't work our butts of for an entire day but what I do feel is that we do blend in nicely with the guests, enjoy spending the day with our couples and we truly enjoy doing what we do and our brides and grooms quite genuinely seem to enjoy having us around.
The perfect example of this was with Laura and Whitney's wedding.
Kim has lived in Huntington most of her life and pretty much knows everyone here! This would include both Laura and Whitney's families and the fact that she grew up with Whitney meant that she knew pretty much all of his guests too. Over the years I have met most of these friends also so their wedding was like a big reunion for us!

Kim met up with Laura and her bridesmaids before the ceremony including these beautiful flower girls!...

Laura's brother David with wife Renee and their children...

The ceremony was held at this very quaint church in East Hampton ~ I love this photograph of Laura waiting with her father outside until it was time for her grand entrance...

I don't usually include family photos on the blog but am going to break my rules here: I just had to post this photo of Laura and Whitney with his brother and mother - Belle Joy! Her name describes her personality perfectly and I probably learned enough about her life in 5 minutes of chatting with to write her biography - what a great lady!

...and here's Laura's family!

The flower girls were adorable and so well behaved! Here's a beautiful group shot of them all together...

...and the view from the other direction!

In fact I think I realized from this wedding that there is a big difference to the energy of the day when children are present. Maybe it's just my fatherly instincts at work but you can't help but absorb some of the joy and energy expressed by these little ones - an energy that's quadrupled whenever they are jumping distance to sand or the ocean!!

It doesn't get much better photographically than an East Hampton wedding when you have the beach to yourself! A little less windy would have been nice but I'm not complaining!

Then on to the village of East Hampton for a quick windmill portrait!

Beautiful, beautiful light all afternoon long...

Laura and Whitney had their reception at the East Hampton Point which is on the water on the bay side of the fork and faces west - an ideal spot for unobstructed sunset views over the water!

...and Laura's mom took care of incredible details including a nautical theme throughout the dining room and knot challenges on every table.

Seriously, how much cuter can these girls be!

The Best Man was Jason - whose wedding to Katie we photographed last year. During the speech he presented Whitney with a beautiful new snowboarding jumpsuit that looked like it was straight out of the Singh Singh collection!

Where's Waldo? See if you can spot the photographer in this Cold Spring Harbor reunion photograph! Kim decided she needed to jump in to make it complete!

The wedding band was the awesome Times Square Orchestra We have worked with these guys many, many times and they never fail to get the party rockin'! The drummer even sat out for a rendition of AC/DC's "Shook Me" so that Whitney could blaze on the pig skins!

The guests definitely seemed to appreciate it!

Fall Portraits are in season!

2009-10-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when our portrait business kicks into high gear and we start to hear from our good friends and clients looking for Holiday Card photos and portraits for gifts.
It really is a special time of the year for me, not only do I love the Fall - the changing leaves, cooling weather and beautiful light, but we love to see how the children we photograph every year have grown! Here's the first of many portrait sessions I'll be blogging this month.....

Going Gold Coast at Caumsett this weekend

2009-10-01T04:03:00.001-07:00

If you have some free time this Saturday evening and would like to benefit a great cause while checking out some amazing art and dancing the night away - come on over to Caumsett State Park for The Caumsett State Park 12th Annual Party and Art Auction.

Kim was approached to donote one of her landscape images this year - a beautiful panoramic photograph of a sunrise over Cutchogue - so we are very excited to see that on display and witness the art auction take place.

Tickets on sale now - invitation and information below.

See you there!

Danielle & Mitch's Wedding Part 1

2009-09-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Danielle and Mitch's wedding was so grand, so beautiful and so unique that I have decided to blog the photographs in two separate postings to give the day the full justice it deserves.
Even though the weather did not fully cooperate, nothing could stop this day from being an unbelievable wedding for Danielle and Mitch and their friends and family.

So, with that in mind, let me introduce Danielle in the make up seat preparing for her day. She and Mitch had decided to get married at Oheka Castle here in Huntington which is a photographer's dream come true. This location truly is a castle and to this day, still holds the status of being second largest private residence in the United States (after The Biltmore).

All the groomsmen had bow ties to wear and Maid of Honor Karla decided to do her 'bow tying' homework on one of the bridesmaids in case some of the guys weren't too familiar with bow ties and fell short in this area.

Read post above...

Three beautiful flower girls pose by the 4th floor balcony..

...and the dress goes on!

Danielle and Mitch had a Jewish wedding so they planned on seeing each other before the ceremony and meet in the Grand Foyer. So while Danielle was in the final throes of getting ready Mitch took a stroll outside to check on the weather..

I love this next series of images; Danielle entering the Foyer, walking down the staircase and then the two of them seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day!

Danielle looks pretty good as a bride, don't you think?

So, the rain did come as expected but we were still able to go outside the castle and get some beautiful photographs before the rain clouds hovered overhead!

Danielle and Mitch were such great sports! When the rain came, instead of high tailing it back inside, Danielle grabbed an umbrella and insisted we get lots of photographs in the rain.
Kim and I were happy to oblige of course!!

Then back inside to capture some beautiful natural light streaming into the library...

...and time for a quick geography lesson! How cute are these two!!

Wait a minute, we're not done yet with the rain shots - Danielle wanted a bridal party umbrella shot so we all ran outside one more time..

More to come later including my favorite wedding band of all time ~ Soul System Orchestras!!

Dance Party

2009-09-07T17:55:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite moments at a wedding occur at the end of the evening when the libations are flowing, the music's pumping and the guests are celebrating like there's no tomorrow!! In fact I like shooting these party images so much I decided to put together a little medley of some of my favorite dance floor moments from 2009!

So crank up the volume on your computer speakers, sit back, relax and press play...

Laurie & Rahul's Wedding

2009-09-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

While I was over at the Carlyle on the Green with Jennifer and John, Kim was out in Cutchogue on the North Fork of Long Island photographing Laurie and Rahul's wedding reception. Rahul is from India so the wedding had a distinctive Eastern flair to it which was reflected throughout the day with decorations, music, cuisine and yes, you've guessed it, beautiful clothing!

Laurie looked absolutely stunning in her traditional red Indian gaghra choli and had incredible jewelry to match.

Relaxing at the Harbor Knoll before heading out to Bedell Cellars

When Laurie initially met with us, she came as a referral from the Bedell Cellars preferred vendors listing but while looking through one of our sample albums she noticed a bride that she had grown up with in Rockville Center and the connections snowballed from there!! I think the familiar faces in our albums helped seal the deal and needless to say, I am very happy that the Rockville Center connection lives on!!

OK, there were children at this wedding who were just too incredibly cute for their own good - Rahul's niece has just arrived on the scene in this next image..

...and how about this little guy?...

Bedell Cellars is an incredible vineyard with so many great locations and beautiful areas to photograph at. There is great light there too and as I mentioned earlier in the post, it is located in Cutchogue which happens to be the sunniest town in New York State - it's true, go ahead and Google it!

They have a very nice Merlot there too...

Indian weddings are a photographer's dream with all the colors...

...and the grape vines make for the best backdrop of all!!

Beautiful details..

..and the first dance...

Cheers!

Laurie and Rahul, thank you for sharing your beautiful day with us!

Back to School Portrait Special!

2009-09-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Bridal Portrait Event

2009-09-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Jennifer & John's Wedding

2009-08-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

When you choose to have your reception at the home of the US Golf Open for 2009 (and 2002), you've got to hope it doesn't rain, right? Well, I must admit I did have a few concerns when I was awoken at 4am on Jennifer & John's wedding day to the sound of pouring rain and thunder and actually spent the next 30 minutes or so lying awake and figuring out Plan B just in case!

Little girls just love brides and the whole production that goes into becoming a bride so it was no wonder that these two cuties (Rachel (one of the bridesmaid)'s daughters) stuck pretty close to Jen while she was being made up.

Bridesmaid dresses in the bridal suite...

...and the gorgeous bridal gown waiting for Jen!

While Jennifer was having her make up applied, John's sister Kathleen was making sure Michelle's hair looked picture perfect.

Cute moment spotted by Jen's mom - thanks Linda - of Maggie wanting to be a part of the action.

A couple of finishing touches...

...and the bridesmaids' approval!

Jen's dad showed up as Meghan was having her make up done..

So, as it turns out, the Gods smiled on us this day and decided to hold off on the rain. They also blessed us with some very nice cloud cover which enabled me to get some beautiful portraits of Jen!

...and her beautiful (and fun) bridesmaids: Kathleen, Jessica, Rachel, Meghan and Michelle!

Off to the church!

Jen's mom came prepared with handkerchief in hand!

This has become one of my signature shots this year it seems and I must admit I do look forward to this moment! John catches the first glimpse of his bride along with his brothers Kevin and Brian!

Then after the ceremony, a quick inspection of the ring!

I simply love, love, LOVE this next image of Jen gazing out of her limousine just before heading off to Massapequa.

Jen's father has a spectacular house that overlooks Massapequa's south shore so we headed there to photograph some portraits before going to Bethpage.

Then on to the Carlyle on the Green - home of the Bethpage Black golf course!

The sign in this next photograph cracks me up every time I see it and is no doubt familiar to anyone who recently watched or attended the US Open here. It seems like it is the sort of warning that should accompany a double black diamond ski run at K2 mountain and although I have no possible idea what the worst case scenario is of playing a difficult golf course, it is nice that they warn you ahead of time anyhow.

If anyone was going to be hoisted in the air for the reception introduction, it was going to be Kathleen! Whenever she decides to get married, I will be there with bells on and "cam" in hand - she promises it will be a lot of "messy fun"!!

Crazy dancing at it's best - this is what I love!

Not so sure about this though...

Jennifer and John, I'm sure it was your good energy and great outlook that secured you an amazing rain free wedding day and you were both a joy to spend the day with. Thank you for allowing me to capture all your great moments!

Olivia & Bryan's Wedding

2009-08-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

On August 1st, one of Asharoken's finest (Olivia) married one of New York's finest (Bryan) at St Philip Neri in Northport followed by a reception at the beautiful Woodlands in nereby Woodbury. We had photographed Olivia's sister Dianna's wedding to Chris last September and were looking forward to spending the day with the Rubins again and meeting Bryan's family...plus we wanted to see if the rumors were true about Dr. Rubin's guitar prowess!!!

Kim met Olivia at her parents' home as she was getting ready. Nice shirt - it's always good to know who you are supposed to be focusing your attention on!

Cute moment between Olivia and her father after the dress was transported safely to the Bridal Suite!

The lovely Rubin ladies...

...and a couple of last minute tweaks and adjustments!....

...before the grand entrance!

Meanwhile at the church, I was waiting patiently with Bryan and his groomsmen.

After I shot the portrait above, I stepped aside so that somemone else could snap away and was able to get this interesting angle portrait of Bryan, his brother Sean and Olivia's brother Evan!

I simply love this next photograph of Olivia stepping outside her parents' house with the wedding bell decoration on the front door!

At the church, a little peak to check if the coast was clear...

...before walking down the aisle with dad!

Olivia and Bryan were pretty laid back and very easy to work with and I love that they didn't give us a list of 'required' images. However, Olivia did request that I take one particular photograph - that of Bryan's reaction to her walking down the aisle, so here it is - I think he looks pretty happy, no?....

Olivia and her sister/Matron of Honor Dianna..

...and the happy couple!

Crazy, funky dancing is always a good photo op!

OK, so this is where the reception got interesting! I was informed ahead of time that Olivia's father was planning on playing his guitar with the band and I must admit I had horrid expectations of a James Taylor type ballad grinding the party to a complete halt but, boy, was I in for a shocker. After a brief speech from Dr. Rubin, he pulled out his Gibson Les Paul and with the help of the band Renegade treated us all to an AMAZING rendition of an old Eric Clapton song - The Core and they completely rocked the house!!

Bryan and Chris weren't worthy!! He was seriously that good!

Olivia and Bryan - thank you for letting us share your special day with you and we look forward to seeing you both again soon!

Christmas in August

2009-08-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Sarah & Tom's Wedding

2009-08-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Tom got married recently in what is probably my favorite location here on Long Island. The de Seversky Center in Old Westbury dates back to 1918 and is one of the finest examples of what Gold Coast living was like (for some) in the roaring 20s.

When I met Sarah and Tom, I knew we would be a good fit photographically and was very excited when they booked with us and quite flattered by their kind words and appreciation of good photography. I met up with Tom and his groomsmen before Sarah arrived to get ready..

Tom snuck away when Sarah arrived so she could make her way up to the bridal suite without being seen...

Ladies.. Sarah's shoes were to die for! She told me that they cost more than her wedding dress and I did not doubt it for one second! Accessories like this make for great still life studies!

Last minute steaming of the veil...

...and a mirrored glimpse that says it all.

Sarah was ahead of schedule and we had plenty of time to go outside to take some portraits before the ceremony was underway..

Beautiful stone pillars and soft light make a great location!

...then back to the spectacular bridal suite...

Sarah was led down the aisle by her mother..

Great expression by Tom at seeing Sarah for the first time in her wedding dress!

The sun set just as the ceremony ended but we still managed to get some exterior portraits in the fading twilight...

..and one or two inside the mansion..

Sarah and Tom hired some Belly Dancers to perform at the reception and these girls were unbelievable! Led by Roni from Inner Spirit Yoga Center they had everyone up and dancing!

...and one of my favorite images to end the post - I turned off the flash and let the ambient light wash Sarah and Tom as they danced under one of the belly dancer's fiery veils!

Kate & Chris' Wedding

2009-07-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

We met Kate's sister Meghan a few years back when she was a bridesmaid for another Megan who's wedding we photographed and I guess we must have left a good impression on her because she was kind enough to recommend us to her sister Kate when she got engaged!

Kim met the girls as they were getting ready - here's Meghan with bride-to-be Kate..

Meanwhile I headed over to the church to get acquainted with Chris, his groomsmen and groomsgirl..

...while inside, two excited guests look over the ceremony program and key players...!

A couple of last minute instructions before the ring bearer and flower girl head off down the aisle..

...and then Kate's perfect entrance with her father...

...and Chris' reaction to seeing her as his bride...

When you choose to not have a receiving a line, what do you do as your guests filter out of the church? You find a cozy nook and hide out of course!
I love this photograph and if I wasn't being so nosey in the first place I probably would not have taken it as Kate and Chris were nicely hidden away in that corner.

Goofing around in the back of the bridal party trolley...

Kate and Chris had a great bridal party who were lots of fun - even Cindy and Elle made a brief appearance! Yep, that's Blue Steel on the left in case you were wondering..

Kate's veil must have been about a mile long and although well behaved for the most part got Chris tangled up once or twice...

A wedding is not complete in my opinion without a few cute kids doing what only kids can do best! (Acting cutely)

I wasn't exactly sure if I should include this next random image in the blog post but ended up deciding yes. I still have no idea what was going on here but the dollar and spoon filled wine glass was deposited on the dance floor and everyone danced around it like it was the Holy Grail! Maybe someone can shed some light with a comment below???..

Musical entertainment was provided by The Times Square Orchestra I have worked with this band probably more times than any other and can emphatically say that they rock the house each and every time! If you need a good wedding band, seriously check them out - this is what your party will end up like....

Kate and Chris, you are a great couple and a lot of fun to spend a day with! We wish you many happy years together as husband and wife and look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future.

Cara & Eric's Wedding

2009-07-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

We met Cara & Eric last December when we photographed Eric's sister, Melanie's wedding to Craig. It's always nice to work with familiar faces and having knowledge of family dynamics is always a plus.
I actually photographed Cara & Eric's engagement session for them a couple of months back and at that time noticed how completely in love they were. Not that all couples about to get married aren't, but they seem to have a very special bond, a deep respect and affection for each other that they are not afraid to show. And that is a very, very good thing!

Their wedding ceremony and reception all took place at the Bourne mansion in Oakdale on Long Island's south shore - this place is straight out of an F. Scott Fitgerald novel!

Cara looked absolutely stunning thanks to Theresa's incredible make up skills..

...and while Cara was being made up, Eric played some baseball with his father Bob and best man Steven!

As I was walking through the mansion, I noticed that the cake was already displayed in the reception room and felt compelled to photograph it. Now I don't usually do this until the room is completely set up with candles and place settings, etc. but this cake was so unbelievably cool I just couldn't pass it by. Not only was the cake unbelievably cool but Eric and Cara had a cake topping made of two look alike bobble heads!!

Cara looking beautiful in her wedding dress..

..and the big moment about to commence with Cara making her appearance with her father..

..a brief moment alone right after the ceremony is a special time to let it all sink in..

This next photograph is one of my favorite images of Cara and Eric - it's so unposed and natural and captures the love between them I think.

Art alert!!!

The back side of the mansion has an area of mirrored glass windows which are perfect for creating cool distorted images. Maybe not a great wall portrait idea for grandma but a great album filler...

The Bourne Mansion has many cool locations to photograph at, a tree lined walkway on the south patio...

..and the columned grand facade that greets you when you first drive up..

Cara and Eric had been practicing a Foxtrot routine to perform during the reception for quite some time. Apparently this had been kept secret from EVERYONE, except Kim and myself and was somewhat out of character for the two of them so there was a big WOW factor involved here.
This was an important dance for both of them and they were even practicing it during the final throes of cocktail hour! Behind the white door on the left is the Bridal Suite where their unsuspecting families and bridal party were getting ready for their introductions!

And then the actual performance!! I swear this knocked everyone's socks off - it was like watching Dancing With The Stars!!

..did I mention they had a fabulous cake?..

..and the cake cutting ceremony. Did I mention how cool that cake was?

Cara and Eric, thank you for trusting your wedding images with us. We had such a great time at your wedding with you and your families and all of your cakes!

Niki & Eli's Wedding

2009-07-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Let's start this blog entry with a photograph...

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then this photograph is worth 10,000! This is our favorite Teschner family; Dani, Bill, Niki, Jo Ann and BJ and this is how they look 99% of the time. They are such an awesome family to be around as we found out when we photographed sister Dani's wedding to Carlo two and a half years ago and so we were naturally delighted to be photographing younger sister Niki's wedding this summer.

Kim met up with Niki at her parent's house for some getting ready photos..

I simply love this next portrait of Niki. It is so soft and the background is so pastelly ~ it kind of reminds me of a young Audrey Hepburn portrait.

Meanwhile at the Park Savoy, I met up with Eli and his best man/brother Joshua..

The Park Savoy had a very spacious and elegant bridal suite which allowed for us to get some wonderful natural light portraits when Niki arrived..

OK, so what's better than one beautiful bride? How about three beautiful brides and a gorgeous wedding dress!!

Dani helps her brother BJ with his tie..

Quirky angles and out of the ordinary images are often the most exciting for a bride and groom to see, things that they never really notice on the wedding day. This is a reflection of Niki in a mirror and although it's a tad unsharp, it does not detract from the overall mood of the photograph..

Emotional and passionate grooms are a joy to photograph and Eli was definitely both! He couldn't contain his feelings when he saw Niki appear for the first time as his bride and I'm glad he didn't ~ moments like this are priceless!

Although we had a spot of rain during the cocktail hour, we were blessed with glorious conditions for the entire outside ceremony..

Beauties....

....and the beast!
Just kidding Bill, you know we love you!

Physics 101: Cause...

..and Effect!

and a little bit of egging on and direction from the guests can help loosen the bride a little (not that Niki needed it!)

Eli's brother Joshua was a keen photographer himself and came armed with his Nikon D300..

The first dance was one to be remembered with Eli serenading Niki..

..and it wouldn't be a party without some good 'ole crazy dancing!

Niki and Eli, we had such a great time at your wedding and really enjoyed hanging out with the Teschners and Sieberts! Hopefully we will see you all again soon? :-)

Lynn & David's Wedding

2009-06-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Lynn is Elizabeth's sister whose wedding we photographed last November 1. I met David at that wedding and realize he must have been planning to pop the question at that time because less than 8 months later they had gotten engaged, planned and executed a phenomenal wedding. But I must give David his props here and congratulate him for not stealing Elizabeth's thunder by proposing near to or (even worse) on Elizabeth & Sean's wedding day!!

The wedding ceremony was held at Brooklyn's First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn followed by a reception at the Picnic House in Prospect Park.

Kim met the girls at Lynn's apartment for some getting ready images. Here Mom and sisters Elizabeth and Debbie are about to help Lynn put her dress on..

...and some final tweaking and buttoning with the help of sister-in-law Jennifer..

Lynn wore a beautiful hairpiece and I just love this photograph that shows it off..

This is how to keep flower girls pre-occupied and happy!

Meanwhile, over at the church, I met up with the guys in the church's summer camp room!

Lynn and David had a very unique and uplifting ceremony during which they conducted 'Passing of the Peace' I had never seen the likes of this before but it was truly inspiring - everyone just got up out of their seats and walked around the church hugging and greeting everyone else for about 15 minutes!

The beautiful Schnarr sisters: Elizabeth, Lynn and Debbie..

Lynn and David had rented a 1960s Checker Cab for their wedding Limousine which you can only really pull off if you get married in one of the 5 New York Boro's and makes for a very cool ride. Being in Brooklyn however, you never know who's going to be strolling around and sometimes you get lucky and are able to set the scene with a local carrying his groceries and wearing his Yankee's jacket!

and off to the promenade - that's the Brooklyn Bridge in the background..

..and Manhattan in the background here. We were so fortunate that the rain held off long enough for us to get these great location images for Lynn and David..

This next image has to be one of my favorites from the wedding: beautiful light, beautiful bride and a little vintage processing magic to make you feel you are back in the 1960s!

At the reception, musical entertainment was supplied by the outstanding Ron Sunshine Band

..and gourmet catering by Naturally Delicious..

And a shared cup cake to cap off a perfect day - Congratulations Lynn and David!!

Brooke & Jude's Wedding

2009-06-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

Brooke has been a friend of ours for quite a while now and when she told us she was getting married and wanted our studio to handle the photography we were absolutely delighted.
We sent our associate Ethan off to capture the day's events and he came back with amazing photographs of a fantastic wedding aboard a sailing yacht in Huntington Harbor.
The ceremony was a very private affair and included just Brooke and Jude, Brooke's two sons, their witness Bryce, a minister and Ethan..

Pre-wedding jitters...

Brooke looked absolutely stunning in her gown with Huntington Bay in the background..

This beautiful sailing yacht was chartered from BellWell Charters in Huntington harbor..

A perfect ceremony focused on just the bride and groom, family and their future lives together.

...and the first kiss...

One big happy family!

After the ceremony and sail around the harbor, Ethan took them to a local beach for a few landlubber photos!

Brooke, Jude - thank you for trusting your wedding memories to Cousins Photography, we wish you many years of happiness together!

Kimberly & Richard's Bridal Session

2009-06-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

We were contacted recently by Kimberly's mother Jeannie to photograph a post wedding bridal session of her daughter Kimberly and new husband Richard.

Richard is in the armed forces and was scheduled to report to his new post in Germany the following week so timing was critical. Luckily we were blessed with a beautiful evening at the pre-scheduled session time and Kim was able to get some incredible photographs of this lovely couple at an awesome location.

I put the editing and processing of the images at the top of my queue and Richard was able to enjoy looking at them with his new wife before heading off to Europe.

I love the look of these next two photographs - the processing, color, location and uniform is somewhat reminiscent of WWII images..

Kimberly, Richard, may you have a long and wonderful marriage and a safe tour of duty in Germany!

Michaela & Dan's Wedding

2009-06-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Wedding photography is, for the most part, a fun job. Our subjects are impeccably dressed and looking their very best, every one is in high spirits and we get to attend a really fun party at the end of the day.... every week. Therefore, I don't usually like to say one wedding was better than any other because they are all so uniquely wonderful and individually special. However, I broke my mantra at Michaela and Dan's wedding by telling them both it was one of my favorite weddings in recent memory and now it's in writing so they know I'm not just blowing smoke.
I tried to narrow the reception photos down for the end of this blog post but gave up and in the end just made a couple of party collages of the guests having a great time.

Meanwhile, when I arrived at Michaela's father's house, I was greeted at the door by the lovely Kelsey - notice my reflection in the door (oops)!

Michaela making her appearance in pre-wedding dress attire...

..and the dress goes on with the help of 2 aunts and 3 bridesmaids!

A job well done and worthy of a high five!!

Beautiful Maid of Honor, Cailinn having her hair sprayed by Kelsey..

..and off for some portraits..

Michaela was on top of things and ready way ahead of schedule which was great for me as I was able to take my time and try a few different locations. This window allowed for some great soft, natural light portraiture..

..while dad looks on..

Maid of Honor - Cailinn..

and bridesmaid Kelsey..

When I shoot a wedding solo like this one, I usually like to position myself half way down the aisle so I can not only photograph the bride and her father make an entrance but then follow them for the groom's reaction. However, it also allows me to get interesting photographs like this one of Michaela's aunts telling Cailinn to SLOW DOWN!!

...first sight of his beautiful bride...

...and first kiss..

One big happy family - all the siblings..

Dan's sister Ella watches her newly wed brother with mom in the background..

After we were done with the bridal party, the girls wanted to do some fun, quirky photographs so we staged an impromptu Charlie's Angels..

..and a Sex and the City, or something!! I don't know, it just reminds me of that show for some reason - anyhow I love this photo!

Cheers!!

Lot's of lovely details..

..and Michaela's aunts with her grandmother..

OK, here we go! As I mentioned at the top of the post, this was a party like no other. Music was supplied by Anthony and Jamie of Rantin & Raven Entertainment , enjoy the revelry!

and the Father Daughter dance caps it off nicely..

Michaela and Dan, you know I had a great time at your wedding, thanks for providing me with so many wonderful photo ops!!

Erin & Michael's Wedding

2009-05-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

So while I was in the City photographing Alix & Craig's wedding with Stephanie, Kim was photographing the nuptials of Erin and Michael with one of our associates, Andreas, here on Long Island. They were a referral from Michael's sister who was the bridesmaid of one of our favorite bride's (Megan Cosgrove Lugo) a few years back, and although I was disappointed to miss this wedding, I'm glad that I was at least able to spend a little time with them on their engagement shoot last year.

Erin and Michael really are a great couple and I know Kim had a blast working with them. I picked out about 30 of my favorite images from the day, so grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy!

Alix & Craig's Wedding

2009-05-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

We have known Alix's family for quite a while now having first photographed Jessica's wedding in 2004 followed by sister Corinne's wedding in 2007 and now it was Alix's day for the spotlight. We actually met Craig for the first time at Corinne's wedding when our transportation collided with another car outside Madison Square Garden and Jessica, Alix, Kim and myself jumped in a yellow cab and hightailed it to the reception leaving Craig to fend for himself in the Big Apple!! Needless to say, everything worked out OK and two years later we were delighted to be shooting another O'Brien wedding !

It was great to see familiar faces again, Alix looked absolutely stunning, Craig was the epitome of class and handsomeness and the wedding was simply an amazing day set both in the City and Bronx Botanical Gardens.

Alix's make up was picture perfect thanks to Desiree: www.dlafore.com

Corinne lends a helping hand with Alix's veil..

Alix, Jessica and Corinne with Skylar having her nose honked by Sebastian..

Dapper ring bearers (who made it all the way down a very long aisle) Oliver and Daniel..

A quick lipstick touch up on 86th Street..

...and the proud moment of father and daughter walking down the aisle..

After the ceremony, I whisked Alix and Craig a half block down the street to get this photo looking south on First Avenue. I was really hoping for a cab or two to set the scene but nontheless, there is a special vibe in Manhattan regardless of 'landmarks' in the shot.

The room at the Bronx Botanical Gardens was spectacular with several beautiful Cherry Blossom centerpieces and elegant lighting throughout...

Now this is Will and Emily. I love Will and Emily. Kim loves Will and Emily. In fact everyone I know loves this couple and that's probably why they attend more weddings as guests than I actually shoot!! Well, perhaps not, but close! It was great to see you guys again and I just had to include a photo of you in this post!!

Standing outside looking in..

And an attractive guest getting down to the sounds of Stages band. They rocked all night and had the dance floor packed!

Alix and Craig, we wish you all the best as you embark on your lives together as Husband and Wife. As usual, your folks threw an amazing party and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Didi & Ali

2009-05-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we photographed sisters Didi and Ali so when the opportunity arose again last week we jumped at the chance! They looked beautiful as always and we just happened to stumble upon a sea of daffodils so the setting was perfect for beautiful portraits...

A little behind the scenes sneak peak of Kim in action while Steve was hard at work with the reflector...

Jen & Chris' Wedding

2009-04-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Simple mathematics: Beautiful Couple + Beautiful Day = Beautiful Wedding!!

That's how I like them ~ throw in a handful of well thought out details to the mix and the recipe is complete.

I met Jen by way of two of our favorite past brides - Katie and Katrina - Jen just happens to live across the street from Katrina's parents in Babylon. I was very excited when she booked with us because not only are they a great couple and lots of fun to be around, I knew we would end up on the beach at sunset and get some great images.... I wasn't disappointed!

The getting ready photographs are usually some of my favorites to take - there's always plenty of activity to capture and brides and bridesmaids are usually oblivious to my presence. Here Jen is getting ready while being bathed in some incredible window light.

Dad's reaction at seeing Jen for the first time as a bride..

Now, as you will be able to tell in one of the images below, Jen's parent's house is literally 50 yards from the Church so after photographing the girls and Jen's family, I was able to high tail it down the street and get acquainted with Chris and the guys...

No limo required!! As I mentioned before, the Church is about a 50 yard walk!

After the Ceremony, Jen & Chris snuck downstairs and out of the way so their guests could filter outside. I, however, snuck upstairs and found a great vantage point to spy on their musings....

...but that shutter is a dead giveaway and I was only able to get a couple of shots off before they caught on to my game!

And on to the beach for sunset!

The timing was perfect and after we had photographed all the bridal party and family photos, I had the bride and groom all to myself as the sun started to sink below the horizon on a beautiful cloudless evening

I love this tender moment between the two of them ~ not really aware of my presence and enjoying being husband and wife for the first time!

The reception was held at the Bellport Country Club not far from the beach. I particularly like this next photo of Jen's Dad dancing with one of the guests!!!

Chris and the BoyZ!

and a cute image to end the post with... Let Them Eat Cake!

Warbirds Over Long Island

2009-04-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Kim and I were very saddened this week to hear about the loss of pilot Robert Baranaskas this past weekend when his P-40 Warhawk crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Fire Island while he was practicing maneuvers for an upcoming air show. We were very fortunate to have met him when we photographed the wedding of his son Chris to Jen in the summer of 2006 and he was a true gentleman who loved his family, his aircraft and his country's military history.

Our thoughts are with Chris and the entire Baranaskas family during this difficult time and hope they can find peace and solace knowing that Robert died doing what he loved best.

Out of respect for the family, I am honored to be able to showcase here some of the photos from Jen and Chris' beautiful wedding including those magnificent aircraft! It really was a once in a lifetime photographic treat for Kim and myself to have such amazing props!!

Jayne & Clint's Wedding

2009-03-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Jayne grew up in Rockville Centre in a house which backed on to one of our favorite bride's parents' house - if that makes any sense! In any case, Jayne came to us via her network of friends and as you already know, referrals are our best clients!

Jayne had chosen a beautiful dress with straps (which is not so common these days) and lovely lines that wrapped around her body.

I don't know why, but there's always something special about a pale tourquoise box!

This picture was sitting in the kitchen and caught my eye. Drawn by Sam, it really is a beautiful and accurate representation of the Bride and Groom. With artists like this in your family, who needs a photographer!!

I absolutely love this next image and was happy to include it on our website. Taken early in the day before the dress went on, there is an extreme sense of calm and serenity in the image as Jayne's make up is applied.

Art alert!!

Some of my favorite shots are accidental. You know, the flash misfires, the ISO was wrong, lens didn't focus, etc. and this is the case in this next shot. Maybe it was a combination of all of the above but regardless, I think it is an awesome portrait of Jayne, her sister and her mother.

What do real estate and portraits have in common? Location, location, location! Funky backgrounds, splashes of color and tapestries all add to an interesting portrait..

Jayne and her sister...

The limousine was a gorgeous old 1930's Cadillac...

....with a nice touch on the dashboard..

Meanwhile, over at The Royalton, the guys were busy plane spotting!

Because the Ceremony took place at The Royalton (along with the reception), Jayne was able to get a birds eye view of the pre-Ceremony activity and the guests arriving from the comfort of her Bridal Suite which overlooks the courtyard..

The happy couple with Jayne's limo right after the ceremony...

I love this next image of Jayne and Clint - the colors are so rich and saturated and the lighting is perfect, shot just before dusk. The splash of pink and white breaks up the green foliage nicely.

.and of course, we end the post with the obligatory 'pretty girl enjoying the reception' photo!

Jayne and Clint, good luck with your future plans and the exciting times that lay ahead of you and I look forward to seeing you both again in May!

Planting Fields Portrait Event!

2009-03-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, it's that time of the year again ~ the cherry blossoms are blossoming, the leaves on the trees are budding and Spring is finally springing!

Join us for our annual Portrait event at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay on Saturday April 25th as we say farewell to Winter and hello to Spring.

Please call or email us for more details and to reserve your time slot ~ space is limited and we are working on a first come first served basis. This is a great opportunity to give Mom a special portrait for Mother's Day on May 10th

www.cousinsphotography.com
info@cousinsphotography.com
(631) 424-4626

Alix & Craig's Enagement Session

2009-03-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Kim and I have known Alix for several years now, in fact ever since we photographed her older sister Jessica's wedding back in 2005. Then a couple of years later we photographed her sister Corinne's wedding and now it's Alix's time for the spotlight. I cannot express how excited I am to be working with Alix's family again as they are such wonderful people and in the short time we have known Craig, he too has become one of our favorite grooms-to-be and I know it will be an awesome wedding day!They came out to Huntington a couple of weeks ago for an engagement session with me, a kind of warm up for the big day and although there was still patches of snow on the ground from our big snow storm at the beginning of March, the weather was very mild and well into the 50s

Alix looked absolutely fabulous and was excited for the photo session..

I love the look a TS lens allows, especially when it's not over used and something like the location below is perfect for it - notice how the legs are completely out of focus but the faces are sharp...

I asked if they were willing to pick up a goose for a shot and Alix took it to heart immediately by chasing down a nearby foul. In the end, the goose was able to cut short the chase by hopping in the pond...

OK, so Alix looks fabulous but Craig's not so bad either. He is affectionately called 'Aquaman' in some circles due to his nautical vocation and undisclosed super powers...

I like this non-traditional way of shooting the engagement ring....

...and I absolutely LURVE this next image. Shot, again, with my TS lens to add the dreamy focus effect, I just adore the expressions on Alix and Craig's faces ~ their serene contemplation of just being together perhaps. And then there is also quite an interesting backdrop happening at the same time with a man crossing the stream with his children and an elderly couple strolling through the park - a indication of the future perhaps?..

Another great expression from Craig, caught completely unaware..

So towards the end of the shoot, a policeman just happened to be walking by and Alix asked to borrow his hand cuffs for an impromptu 'ball and chain' image. Keys were present and no arrests were made!

Alix and Craig, you know that you are a special couple to us and I can't wait to shoot your wedding. Even though this is our "last hoorah", I hope we can remain friends for many years to come!

Barbara & Jonathan's Wedding

2009-03-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

So while Kim was at The Head of The Bay Club in Huntington Bay with Katie and Matt, I was at my favorite wedding location on Long Island with Barbara & Jonathan - the magnificent DeSeversky Center in Old Westbury. The rain came down in Old Westbury too that day but it really didn't put a dampener on the wedding so to speak as Barbara & Jonathan put on their best smiles and were a delight to be with.

Last minute Maid of Honor dress alterations...

There's something very beautiful and serene about this photograph - I think it's perhaps how the window light is gently bathing Barbara's fingers and bringing out the rich texture and delicate design of her dress..

If you ladies are contemplating on wearing a lace up wedding dress, take note - they do look beautiful for shore, maybe take a little longer to put on...

...but just wait for that last tug of the ribbons!

A quick informal shot of all the lovely ladies in the Bridal Suite..

Jonathan looking very dapper!

DeSeversky Center has so many beautiful shooting locations both inside and out. The main staircase is flanked by massive white stone walls which make for an awesome backdrop..

Barbara & Jonathan decided to see each other before the Ceremony ~ in fact, because the Ceremony was part Jewish, it was actually a requirement so I was able to get Jonathan's great reaction to his beautiful bride the first time he saw her in her wedding dress as she came down from the Bridal Suite...

The signing of the Ketubah...

...and on the way to the Chupah..

Cheers!!

Tender moment as Jonathan dances with his mother.

Cheers (Part II)

The band was phenomenal! This is actually Jill from The Jill Gioia Band. They rocked the party all night and had some amazing musicians, several that perform in the band for Billy Joel's 'Movin' Out' Broadway play.

Barbara & Jonathan, thank you for sharing your special day with me and I look forward to seeing you next time you are up from Boca!

Katie & Matt's Wedding

2009-02-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when a thunderstorm is scheduled for your wedding day? Well, you put on your biggest smile and go ahead with the day as planned! They say that rain on your wedding day is a good omen that you will be blessed with lots of children so I hope Katie & Matt like children...a lot!!

Kim actually shot this wedding solo while I was at another wedding (blog post will follow) and was excited to spend the day with such a wonderful couple. I know I say that a lot about our brides and grooms but it was definitely true on this occasion!!

Katie and her mom prior to the dress going on - her bridesmaids getting ready in the next room..

This note might be a little hard to read as a resized JPEG for website use but if you fellas want to impress your future mother-in-laws, take a leaf out of Matt's book and send them a heartfelt Thank You note for all their hard work preparing the wedding...and for having a beautiful daughter too!

Always lots of activity as the girls prepare for the day..

I do like unusual angles and altered reality. There's nothing too secretive about the double reflection in a beveled edge mirror but it certainly holds your attention for a couple of seconds..

I particularly like it when the bridesamaids' dresses are unique and interesting and cool to photograph and I know they just love it when they get to wear them more than once!

Umbrellas up! A sign of things to come..

Meanwhile, back in the Pastor's office... Matt relaxes while the guests arrive and people are seated in the Church.

Katie walking down the aisle solo..

...and a very touching candle lighting ceremony to remember those no longer with us....

Right after the wedding ceremony is a great time to duck away, unwind a little and spend a few minutes with your new spouse before the revelry begins...

Did I mention rain was forecast?!

After Church, it was on to the beautiful Head of the Bay Club in Huntington Bay..

This may look like a photo of an iPhone with a hot pink rubber skin on but it's actually what is on the iPhone that is important - the Wedding Announcement section of The New York Times with Katie and Matt's engagement photo and their engagement story!! It was actually published the day of their wedding!

So, when everything was said and done, it was a great wedding with great people and a gorgeous and fun bride and groom, even if it did rain a little bit. The following day however was glorious and Katie called Kim to say that she was putting her wedding dress back on and wanted to shoot pictures back at the Bay Club at sunset! How could we refuse!..

Katie and Matt, you are a very special couple and a joy to photograph! Thanks for providing us with some great photo opportunities and a very cool 'how we met' story.

Jeannemarie & Jim's Wedding

2009-02-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

Children are always fun at weddings~ they are unpredictable, uninhibited and usually very cute! Sometimes parents tend to give them misinformation about photographers though as I found out when I got to Jeannemarie's house. I have no idea what this little guy thought about me but if he had a shovel he would have dug himself to China!

My excellent parenting skills soon came into play though and before long we were best buddies..

Sometimes my favorite images are those that go a little awry like shooting with available light on a slowish shutter speed. I like the fact that Jeannemarie's dress and necklace are quite sharp while the busy motion around her is all a blur..

Jeannemarie looking quite beautiful and taking in her fully dressed loveliness for the first time..

This is another one of my favorite images of the year; Jeannemarie's bridesmaids were putting on her veil and I was jockeying for position when I looked up and saw a beautifully manicured hand adjusting the veil and a crucifix in the background. I couldn't have set this shot up better and I was able to grab just a couple of frames before the operation was complete! In my opinion, the negative space is just as important as the sparse elements of the image..

On to the church! I'm not sure exactly what this sign says but I know it is a part of Jim's Korean heritage for guests to sign in at the church.

If I'm shooting a wedding alone like this one, I usually position myself about halfway down the aisle ~ that way I can get the bride walking down the aisle with her father and then do a quick turn, shoot the bride from behind before framing the groom between bride and father. And it all happens in about 8 seconds!! Jim's expression is priceless in this next image as he sees Jeannemarie for the first time as his bride..

After the ceremony, we headed down to a beautiful park in Brightwaters on the south shore to shoot some formal photos. The light was perfect!

The reception was held at Captain Bill's in Bayshore. We have shot here a few times and it is a great venue - on the water with great views!

Two groomsmen pinch hitting for a quick bride and groom photo at the head table.

..and the real bride and groom this time out on the deck with the marina in the background..

Yes, there is no denying the fact I love flair and backlighting! When the sun is setting, I'll do anything I can to get it in the background - the mood it creates is unlike any other..

A view of Captain Bill's vast room from the upstairs balcony..

And a bit of break dancing to end the evening!

Jeannemarie and Jim, thank you for letting me share your wedding day with you - it could not have been better!!

Erin & Mark's Wedding

2009-01-28T07:22:00.000-08:00

Erin and Mark got married at the beautiful St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Center and had their reception at Bourne Mansion in Oakdale. The weather was perfect, we had a beautiful bride, good looking groom well behaved bridal party, lots of children, ..I could go on but I'll let the photographs tell the story.

You know you're off to a good start when you show up at the bride's house and the Mimosa's are flowing in full force!..

One of Erin's gifts was an oil painting from her sister Lauren. I've got to say that this was one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever seen - it was a collage of places special to Erin including their honeymoon locations and the detail was astounding..

..this gift on the other hand, not so astounding - a 'Sisters are Special' photo frame with an interesting photo of Erin & Lauren. Maybe she'll switch it out with one of her wedding photos!

Off to the church. I worked this wedding with my friend Stephanie who I work with quite often when we have 2 weddings booked the same day. She hung out at the back of the church while I was shooting the processional. I particularly like this moment between Erin and her father just before they got ready to walk down the aisle.

This next photograph is probably one of my favorites from the year. I definitely think Mark is happy that Erin is going to be his wife!

A nice detail shot of the Cathedral's rather colorful ceiling..

Here's another image from Stephanie - from the rear of the church she was able to shoot through a door and get a reflection of a stained glass window while at the same time framing Erin and Mark quite nicely at the altar. I love the splash of color it produces!

What do you do after the Recessional if you opt out of having a receiving line? You sneak around the corner, find a door with a window and check out which guests showed up for the ceremony!

On to the reception. It's always a nice treat when there are children at a wedding, especially flower girls who take their jobs very seriously and are so darn cute to photograph!! Trust me on this, recruit some nieces, Godchildren or daughters of friends and you will have personal valettes for the entire day!

I'm not sure if she wants to try the champagne or just eat the strawberry in the bottom of the glass!!

More helping...

...and the entire bridal party in front of the mansion!

One of the ring bearers had recently lost a tooth and was intent on having it on record for the day.

The Bourne Mansion has a great balcony that overlooks the dance floor ~ while I was indiscreetly shooting the couple's first dance close up (I dare you to find me) Stephanie was up on the balcony shooting the entire room.

I was able to sneak Erin & Mark out front for a nice relaxed Bride & Groom portrait at dusk..

Chilling out or break dancing - you decide!

..and a perfect kiss to end the blog posting..

Erin & Mark we wish you many years of happiness and good luck ~ thank you for letting us share your special day with you.

Dianna & Chris' Wedding

2009-01-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

Dianna and Chris got married at the beautiful Vanderbilt Estate and Museum in neighboring Centerport. This has got to be one of the most beautiful locations we have had the pleasure of shooting at and combined with ideal weather and perfect light = gorgeous photos. The bride and groom weren't too bad looking either!

Kim met Dianna at her parents house before the ceremony and shot some stunning getting ready photos - here Dianna checks out her dress before putting it on..

You can never go wrong with a nice pair of Jimmy Choos!

Dianna with her sister Olivia taking care of some last minute preparations...

I love this photo of the two sisters heading downstairs - I think it's the composition and symmetry of their bodies that makes it so interesting.

Dianna's parents house is home to some beautiful art work - this piece made a beautiful and contrasting backdrop for a bridal portrait..

Dad was quite the photographer himself!..

..and a quick peak on the LCD screen - gotta love digital!!

Meanwhile at the Vanderbilt, the string quartet begins their warm up exercises...

One of my favorite family shots from a creative standpoint, using the reflection from a swimming pool..

One of the (many) great things about this wedding was the fact that the whole wedding took place at the same location - ceremony and reception - which allowed us plenty of time for photographs before the cocktail hour as there was no travel time involved.
In the picture below, you can see a small portion of the vast estate grounds, the reception tent in the distance and the Long Island Sound beyond that..

Looking the other way, Dianna is walked along the walkway to the ceremony tent by her father..

This photo I love!!!
I borrowed one of the bridesmaid's bouquets and handed it to Chris - he was a good sport and was able to tap into his feminine side for this great detail shot!!

The cocktail hour was held at another part of the estate in a beautiful Mediterranean style, cobble stoned courtyard. Most guests walked there, VIPs took the stretched golf cart!

There were some great locations in the courtyard - very rustic, very European in flavor..

Flip flops were provided for the ladies so they didn't twist and sprain their ankles on the cobblestones.

Dianna looking fabulous!

...and the reception tent all lit up at dusk!

Dianna and Chris - thank you for letting us capture your wedding memories!
Your wedding will definitely be one we remember for many years to come!

Carmela & Tim's Wedding

2008-08-29T08:54:00.001-07:00

This is going to be a long post but worth looking at I promise! I met with Carmela and Tim a couple of months before their wedding date and fell in love with them right away - especially Carmela! They are a great couple with so much good energy that they are a joy to be around. Carmela has a beautiful smile on about 90% of the time - the other 10% she is laughing.

To top all this off, they were getting married at one of our favorite locations - Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, Long Island. The North Fork of Long Island is abundant with vineyards and wineries and a lot of these vineyards cater to the wedding industry. Bedell is one of the finest in my opinion with some of the best wine on hand, and incredible location and a great open air deck.

Kim met with the girls for some pre ceremony pictures - here is one of the bridesmaids with a junior bridesmaid..

Carmela checks her make up and hair..

A view from the Church balcony..

How often do you get to shoot a Philippine wedding? Well, for us it turned out to be twice in a month!! If you read the Kate and Axel blog entry below this one, you'll remember that Axel's heritage is from the Philippines - well so is Carmela's and I think I surprised the priest a little when he started preparing me for the pinning of the veil, the rope and so on and I was able to finish off all his sentences!

How adorable is this flower girl with her bubble blower?!

On to Bedell! It was a picture perfect afternoon and Carmela and Tim had hired a String Trio to play during the cocktail hour..

One of many group shots with the vineyard as a back drop. Here the Bridesmaids and Junior Bridesmaids pose with the Ring Bearer, Carmela and Tim..

A stroll and a kiss through the vines..

A view of the property from the deck. Carmela and Tim chose a lemon yellow theme for their wedding. As you will see in the table setting photos coming up, the details were so unique and beautiful that I was in heaven just shooting them..

I particularly like this backlit portrait of Carmela...

..and while I was in the vineyard, Kim was on the deck shooting down - this was a great angle to frame the couple with all the leaves..

And now for the details, details, details..............

Here's my favorite flower girl again enjoying all the space to play in..

And the first dance.......

During the Best Man speech or Toast, I try to get to a good vantage point where I can shoot the Best Man as well as the Bride and Groom. Quite often the best photo ends up being the Bride and Groom's reaction to what is being said......

Sunset over Bedell..

and the winery lit up at dusk..

Carmela and Tim, you know how much we loved shooting you both and your wedding was a photographer's delight. Good luck to both of you and we can't wait to get back to the vineyard!

Kate & Axel's Wedding

2008-08-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

Kate and Axel had their wedding ceremony in one of our favorite Churches to shoot in - St. Patrick's right here in Huntington village. St. Pats is a beautiful church with a long aisle, plenty of light and a great balcony. The reception was held at the Huntington Crescent Club which is where Kim and I had our reception almost 12 years ago!!

It's always nice to get some detail shots, especially shoes and the invitation!

Kate makes her first appearance as the beautiful bride in her dress and is met at the bottom of the stairs by her mother...

Here's a shot from the balcony I was talking about - such great light fills the Church evenly from all angles.

Kate has a tender moment at the Altar..

Axel is from the Philippines so it was only right that they should incorporate some traditional Philippine culture into the wedding ceremony. Part of the traditional Philippine wedding includes pinning a veil to the couple and attaching a rope around their shoulders..

One of the flower girls decided to play 'Peek-A-Boo' during the ceremony..

...and then on to the Harbor Boating Club for some formal photos.

OUCH!! This photo makes me cringe every time I see it! Look closely and you will see that there are eleven guy's legs in the picture but only 6 men - that's because an over zealous Groomsman actually grabbed Axel's right leg by accident while hoisting Kate in the air and although Axel is smiling in this picture he was pleading with everyone to put her down!!

This only adds salt to the wound when all the Bridesmaids are laughing at your misery..

I had to include a photo of Best Man Alvin. Axel's brother was quite a keen photographer himself and came armed with his professional Nikon to duke it out with us!

A stroll down the dock to get some photos by Kate's parents boat all decorated with flags for the special day...

Meanwhile on shore, Kate's parents steal a kiss outside the Harbor Boating Club...

It's no secret that I like backlight and flare in images. It always seems to give an ethereal look to the photograph and makes whites GLOW! We were walking between locations on the golf course when I saw Axel help Kate with her dress and I was able to grab this candid shot before they knew I was taking it..

...and this is where we were heading to. The Crescent Club has one area that is filled with Bamboo trees (are they trees?) and they make for a great back drop. I was actually outside the trees shooting in but Kim found a much better angle, asked them to turn toward her and got this beautiful shot framed by the Bamboos!

I love these pictures of Kate talking with one of the flower girls..

...listening to the Best Man's speech..

...rockin out hard to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer"..

and watching her parents dance to their wedding song at the end of the evening!

Kate and Axel - it's always fun to shoot at the Crescent Club - it holds special memories for Kim and I. We had a great day with you both and wish you many years of happiness!!

Erin & Matthew's Wedding

2008-08-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Erin and Matthew got married at one of our favorite Churches to work at - St. Pat's here in Huntington and had their reception at the Woodlands in neighboring Woodbury.

Kim met Erin at her parent's house to shoot some getting ready pictures while I headed to the Church.
I was in two minds as to whether to include this first image or not - although it would probably never make it into an album, there is something about the timing I particularly like. Renowned fashion photographer Guy Bourdin once shot a whole fashion spread for Vogue in the 70s in which the models (and the clothes they were modeling) were always obscured by some obstacle be it a lamp post, car, tree, etc. The concept was quite brilliant and I think this photograph is reminding me of Guy's work a little. Brilliant job Kim!

Here are a couple of nice shots of Erin just before leaving for the Church..

Two bugle players announce the arrival of Erin..

...as she waits in the limo for the coast to clear..

This is one of Erin's Bridesmaids. Her name escapes me right now and I apologize for that, but I wanted to include her on the blog because she had one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard! She sang a hymn during the ceremony and had the whole Church spellbound..

So when we left the Church there was a threat of rain but nothing too obvious. By the time we showed up at the Woodlands however, we were in the middle of a downpour and this was all in the space of 30 minutes. Erin and Matt waited in their limo for as long as they could then made a bee-line to the reception under the protection of a few umbrellas!

Luckily the storm blew over and we were able to go outside for all the Bridal party pictures..

The girls certainly did not want to be outdone with this pose..

Magenta and white rose bouquets complimented the navy Bridesmaid dresses perfectly..

Matthew is quite a Corvette fan and all the place cards were displayed on metal cars while the tables were named after classic Corvettes...

Quite a first dance!! Sometimes you just get lucky and happen to be standing in the exact right spot at the right time - I don't think I could have recreated this dress swirl if I had tried!

It's always a fun time when the inflatable instruments make an appearance..

...and I dare you to keep your hands still during YMCA!!

Yes indeed, a fun time was had by all!
Thank you Erin and Matthew for trusting us with your wedding memories - we had a blast!

Ali & Jeff's Wedding

2008-07-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ali and Jeff had their wedding at the beautiful Atlantica resort in Westhampton here on Long Island. We have shot there several times and never get bored of this amazing venue located right on the beach.
It was a perfect match for their laid back, fun personalities and the weather was picture perfect for us all day!

The blue and white chrysanthimums made for a perfect centerpiece and tied in nicely with Atlantica's blue and white decor..

Jeff's sisters, Kerry and Kimberly, handing out programs prior to the Ceremony..

A key member of the processional (you'll see in the next photo) was Jeff and Ali's Pug named 'Pickles'. He fulfilled the role of ring bearer very well and even had time for a quick game of hide and seek before the Ceremony was underway.

Ali's sister Lauren escorts Pickles down the aisle...

The Ceremony was held in the 'tent' that connects Atlantica to the beach. To call it a tent though is quite an understatement! Here is a shot of the beautiful fabric vaulted ceiling..

Nap time for Pickles!!

Ali and Jeff decided to have a Sand Ceremony in lieu of a Unity Candle...

As I mentioned earlier, the weather was perfect and we headed down to the ocean to shoot some formals..

..then came back up the beach a little when a wave came crashing in a little too close for comfort!

En route to the ocean and Kim was running backward taking photos of Jeff, Ali and Pickles and trying to get the perfect shot!

Meanwhile, from another angle, I was instructing them to walk faster and faster at Kim, but they played nice and stopped short of forcing her to get wet!

Jeff giving Ali a 'dip'...

...and Kerry and Jeff's mom shows them how it should be done!

A nice little touch for beach weddings is to have some flip flops on hand for the female guests who want to kick off their heels and get comfortable at the reception..

I particularly like this silhouette shot of the percussionist in the band...

And finally, the cake.. yum!!

Ali and Jeff, thank you for letting us share your wedding day with you and capture so many beautiful memories!!

Heather & John's Wedding

2008-07-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

There were a couple of coincidences surrounding Heather & John's wedding which confirmed my notion that the World is indeed a very small place. The first being how we booked the job; although Heather had found us through an internet search, Kim recognized her name and it turned out that she had gone to school with Kim's sister! Another uncanny incident cropped up during the reception - you'll see that in a minute..

John is a New York City fireman and I came across his wedding day schedule when I showed up at the house. I like the 5:00pm entry from Heather but it was nice to see my name in print also!

The obligatory Reservoir Dogs shot always works well when you have a large bridal party..

Meanwhile Kim met Heather at The Royalton in Roslyn. This is a beautiful old home with spiral staircases and elegant decor...

There's something about this limo shot I particularly like. I think it's the way it seems to be peaking around the bushes to see if the coast is clear..

Heather and her father entering the Church as the doors are opened. The back lighting makes for a nice framing around their bodies..

We shot the formal photos at a nearby beach. Although we did shoot on the actual beach, the lighting and backdrop was perfect off to the side where this tall grass was growing..

John sneaking a whiff of the flowers while Heather was getting her dress in order..

On the way to the reception the limo sped past me leaving me in the dust!
Luckily I noticed the car approaching me in the rear view mirror and was able to grab my camera from the passenger seat and get one frame as they were passing! I love the way Heather looked back at me from the rear seat in this shot!..

Coincidence number 2!
As I was taking photos on the reception dance floor, an attractive young lady grabbed the groom and posed for a photograph. Her expression turned from big smile to astonishment as she recognized me and I recognized her and it turned out we had shot her wedding several years earlier. She told me that she has known John for years and he was a guest at her wedding along with most of the other guests there. So, for old time's sake, here is Bernadette with John..

Nothing gets the crowd dancing like Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". We have worked with 'Times Square Orchestra' a few times and they ROCK THE HOUSE!!
Check out the guy on the far right as he lets loose on the chorus!!

Kate & Jared's Wedding

2008-07-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Kate and Jared's wedding was at the beautiful Seawanhaka Yacht Club in Oyster Bay overlooking the Long Island Sound. This was a fine example of a Gold Coast, Gatsby style wedding and I must say I had a very hard time narrowing down the photo selections to post on this blog - there were just too many great photos! Kate and Jared are a wonderful couple who Kim and I enjoyed spending the day with - photogenic, stress free and fun - just how we like it!!

I'm not sure how they built up their Karma bank but they must be doing something right! The weather forecast had called for thunderstorms all day but they threw caution to the wind and didn't think twice about holding the entire ceremony and cocktail hour out on the yacht club's lawn. I'm happy to say that not a single raindrop fell on them until it was time for the reception inside the yacht club - it was at this time the sky turned black and the rain came down in buckets!!!

Standing at the rear of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club overlooking the Long Island Sound toward Oyster Bay Cove...

The wait staff get their last minute instructions..

It's always a good idea to get a back up wedding dress!!

Wait a minute, it's the full length mirror trick...

Kate looked absolutely stunning - she reminded me of Gwyneth Paltrow...

I love this photo of Kate as she was going upstairs to shoot some portraits..

The ceremony was held overlooking Long Island Sound..

The Seawanhaka yacht club makes a spectacular back drop!

Jared looking very Jay Gatsby like...

Kate coming into the reception at the end of cocktail hour..

...and the first dance

Listening to the Best Man's toast! Look at the sky through the windows behind Kate and Jared just before the storm came - it's like an upside down glass of Guiness!!

Another shot of the yacht club at dusk..

Shoes as earrings - this could be a new fashion craze perhaps..

Kate and Jared - your wedding was perfect in every detail and I'm so glad you chose us to photograph the day for you. We wish you many years of good luck and happiness!!

Deirdre and Bernt's Wedding

2008-06-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Deirdre & Bernt's wedding was one of those weddings we had really been looking forward to shooting. Not only are they both gorgeous people and fun to be around but we had shot Deirdre's sister Caitlin's wedding last year and it's always nice to reunite and work with families we know and like.

Caitlin is quite a keen photographer herself and didn't miss an opportunity to capture the wedding day through her own talented eyes.

Deirdre looking fabulous!!

Do you see any resemblance?....

Deirdre & Bernt got married at St. Phillips of Neri in Northport. This Church has some of the best light I have seen in a Church and a nice long aisle for the bride to walk down with her father.

Stealing a kiss during the recessional..

Couples don't get much better looking than this - it certainly makes our job easier!

Deirdre told Kim that although she has traveled to many different parts of the world, her favorite place to be is out on a boat in Northport Harbor where she grew up. The reception was held at the Northport Yacht Club which can be seen over Deidre's left shoulder.

Shore to ship!! Here's a reverse angle of the previous shot! One of our mutual friends (Andy Thompson) was kind enough to donate the use of his boat for a boat launch for the newly weds..

Yummy!!

A view of Northport harbor from inside and upstairs of the Yacht Club..

and a beautiful sunset provided the backdrop for this portrait!

Thank you Deirdre & Bernt for letting us share your special day with you! When I'm not rooting for England to win the World Cup - Germany will be my second choice I promise!!

Bettina & Jack's Wedding

2008-05-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

Bettina and Jack were married on May 10th and to be honest was a wedding I had been looking forward to ever since I shot their engagement photos last fall. Bettina has a truly infectious laugh that you have to join in with once she starts and Jack likes to get that laugh started!!

Bettina got ready at a gorgeous house in Greenwich CT that had many beautiful shooting locations. I was able to frame her face in the photo below with a colorful painting on the wall and a flower arrangement that was sitting on a table in the foreground..

One of the Bridesmaid's bouquets...

After Bettina put her dress on, we stepped out into the upstairs hallway and shot this portrait..

The Bridesmaids in front of the fountain..

This is always a very special moment during the day - the Groom seeing his Bride for the first time during the processional. You can see the excitement and anticipation in Jack's eyes as Bettina approaches and what is particularly nice about this shot is the fact that Jack's two brothers are in the background..

Sometimes you have to think outside the box and experiment a little bit. I was walking to the back of the church during the ceremony and noticed the windows in the doors at the end of the aisle so I stepped out back and used the silhouette of the window to frame Bettina and Jack at the altar...

Newlywed at the Larchmont Shore Club..

In the digital age it's sometimes hard to compete with all the photographers out there!!

One of my favorite group shots in recent memory even though one of the Groomsmen did take a spill when the Adirondack chair gave way! Sorry about that Tom..

If an environment allows for creative composition, it's nice to let the bridal party do what they want. In this instance there was a huge rock that I asked the bridal party to go stand on however they wished and let them compose themselves..

The happy couple with the Long Island Sound and Glen Cove (I believe) in the background..

..and the Larchmont Shore Club lit up at night!

Bettina and Jack, thank you for letting me share your day with you and good luck and best wishes for your future together!

Jayne & Clint's Engagement Session

2008-05-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

It does seem as though we are often blessed with good looking couples to shoot and Jayne and Clint are definitely easy on the eyes! They are a referral from Alix and Craig (who's wedding we are shooting next May) and they also happen to know another favorite couple of ours - George and Theresa - who's wedding we shot a couple of years back.

Last weekend we headed off to one of my favorite locations to shoot an engagement session for their upcoming wedding this summer..

Tilt Shift lens warning ahead...

I wanted to do something a little different here so I focused only on Jayne in this first image..

..and then Clint in this one. It's fun to mix it up sometimes.

As you can tell, they are completely relaxed in front of the camera and spent a lot of the session laughing it up!

The beauty of digital photography for me is the freedom it allows for special effects and tones during processing. I have a preset I like to use in Lightroom which I developed and fondly call '70s'. I tend to use it sparingly but when an image lends itself to it, I think it looks fantastic! Here's one such example for me, this picture looks like it was pulled straight out of an album from 30 years ago. And, I am happy to say, Jayne and Clint conformed to the sign and resisted swimming this time.

Tender moment..

I always try to get at least one ring shot but this particular shoot I was able to get a variety..

Thank you Jayne and Clint for making the shoot so much fun and I look forward to seeing you again soon on your wedding day!!

Katie & Jason's Wedding

2008-05-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

April 19th was Katie & Jason's Wedding day. We have actually known Jason for more than 10 years now as he was our neighbor and a Shamrock regular when Kim and I first moved back to Long Island. Katie is a school teacher who works with a current neighbor of ours and that's how we ended up meeting with them again so six degrees of separation is definitely at work here.

Katie shows off the soles of her shoes with Jason's initials on them - does this mean they are 'sole' mates??

While Kim was with Katie, I hung out with the boys and took some impromptu group shots..

Coming from England, I appreciate people who appreciate good beer and Hoegaarden is definitely one of my favorites..

A final check in the mirror before heading off to the church..

This is not your typical 'Alter' shot, but I love the sharp bouquet and soft Bride & Groom as a backdrop to the flowers..

Invite some children to your ceremony and give them bubbles to blow and you know you have a recipe for success..

Katie with her pupils who showed up to enjoy her Wedding day!

The reception was held at a beautiful venue here on Long Island called The De Seversky Center. It's a Gold Coast mansion on magnificent grounds - as you wind along the driveway and catch a first glimpse, you feel like you are about to attend a Jay Gatsby party!..

After some formal shots we strolled around the grounds and Kim was able to steal this very special shot of Katie & Jason enjoying their first day as husband and wife..

Kim - hard at work!..

The elegant dining room..

..and the first dance..

I'm not quite sure what is happening here - someone took their shoes off and dumped them in the middle of the dance floor then everyone followed suit! Once they started running out of shoes, ties and shirts were also thrown on to the pile!

Katie had one of the best bouquet tosses I've seen - nice and high and straight down the middle!

I love it when the single ladies actually try to catch it rather than watch it fall to the floor..

..and I especially love it when there is a full out brawl to see who actually gets to keep it!!!

Katie and Jason - thank you for allowing us to share your special day with you. We had a great time with you and look forward to catching up over a Hoegaarden at Shamrock's soon!!

Austin Verville Portrait Fundraiser

2008-05-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we were honored to be able to organize a portrait fundraiser to honor the memory of Austin Verville. Nine families attended the mini portrait sessions at Planting Fields in Oyster Bay and I think all in all it was a great success. It's almost impossible to choose favorite photos to 'blog' on something like this as the children are all so cute, but here are a few of my favorites anyhow:

Jeannemarie & Jim's Engagement Session

2008-05-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Jeannemarie & Jim's engagement photos last weekend. We had planned for an early morning shoot but rain delayed the session until the evening. As it turned out, we were blessed with beautiful light so all's well that ends well!

Jim and Jeannemarie met each other while living in California which is where I met Kim and now they are back in New York, also like Kim and myself! Not only that but Jim actually pulled out his camera at one point and started taking photos! Hmmm??

I feel this first photo pretty much sums up their personalities!

Off to the beach for a stroll and a kiss..

I added a 70s wash to this image for a retro look..

Jeannemarie looking very lovely - notice the tilt shift effect of my favorite lens!..

..and then a quick Mike Tyson impersonation..

Some people like flare and some don't - I personally LOVE IT! When the sun starts to set you can usually get some of the best and most creative images..

A quick stop at the local Seminary for a change of pace..

Thank you Jim and Jeannemarie for being great sports. I had a great time shooting you both and am looking forward to your wedding in August!