Andrew Welsh Photography

Julie + Spike Wedding, 23 Oct 10

2010-10-28T19:30:00.001-07:00

After a great engagement shoot, I knew that shooting Julie and Spike's wedding was going to be a lot of fun. Easy going, open to ideas, fun to hang around... I enjoyed myself at this wedding and made some great imagery for them. Coincidentally, this was also my 50th wedding. Couldn't have asked for a nicer couple, day, or venue. Their ceremony was at Norton Chapel at Keuka College, with the reception hosted by the beautiful Esperanza Mansion in the scenic Finger lakes region overlooking Keuka Lake.

The ladies got ready at the mansion

The stunning bride

The lovely ladies

Head over to the chapel to get married

Introducing..

Time for some group shots. But not before Spike has a phone conversation while we all patiently wait :)

The gents

The details

DJ and MC service was by Showcase Sound, with the same DJ as Mark and Ashley's wedding

I heart grandmas with spunk

Conga lines are always fun :)

It is a tradition among Julie's family for all of the women of the family to smoke cigars at weddings. So, we went out in the total darkness and light rain. While smoking is not cool, it certainly lends itself to some cool photos like these :)

-- Andrew

Engagement of Elise + Derek, 17 Oct 10

2010-10-21T16:07:00.001-07:00

Elise and Derek are getting married next year in Webster, but are from Ohio, so they happened to be in town this weekend to do some wedding planning... and get some engagement portraits done in the fall. Wanting some fall colors, I took them to one of my favorite places, Mendon Ponds park. Just so happened we are right at peak color this week, and I was sure to incorporate it. They also brought their very cute and well trained Golden Retriever puppy Bentley. He makes an appearance this week too :)

Thanks for the opportunity to shoot, I enjoyed it and I'm pleased with the result.

A beautiful custom made ring (good job, Derek!)

I love the connection here

Mr Bentley

Derek proposed by tying the ring onto Bentley's collar. Elise didn't notice right away :)

-- Andrew

Allison + Joe Wedding, 10 Oct 10

2010-10-19T16:10:00.001-07:00

Back in 2002, Joe was a member of the NY Wing Drill Team (you can see Joe's profile right at the top of this page) which I coached. We were National champions that year, thankyouverymuch, and apparently he was dating Allison then. Fast forward 8 years, and I get in contact with Joe through Facebook and lo and behold he and Allison are getting married! They chose 10/10/10 for their date and organized an intimate wedding ceremony at Allison's workplace, followed by a reception at Bistro 135 in East Rochester. I'm honored to serve one of the drill team's former cadets in this way.

Thanks and enjoy the photos

Allison and her dad

Joe and his sister

Joe and his brother

Great live Jazz music

Toast

The cake smash was no surprise at all :)

-- Andrew

Rob + Anna Wedding, 9 Oct 10

2010-10-15T14:56:00.001-07:00

Be sure to check out the engagement photos of Rob + Anna for the backstory on how they found me. I'm glad they chose me to photograph their October wedding at Norton Chapel at Keuka College (and reception nearby). The pressure was, since Rob is a photographer himself, but in the end this was a real easy going, low-stress wedding. Rob, Anna, it was a pleasure to meet your friends and family- they all were pleasant and friendly. I had fun shooting your wedding.. and I think I lost one of my remote triggers after we did the sunset portraits. Ah well, that's why I have backups.

Enjoy the photos!

Team Effort

Seeing his wife for the first time

Anna tried to put the ring on his right hand briefly

Bridal Party

Mama's tears of joy

The live band

Get funky ladies!

-- Andrew

Cameron's Senior Portraits, 24 Sep 10 - Rochester NY Senior Photography

2010-09-25T21:27:00.001-07:00

Cameron's mom may have found me at the last minute before the deadline for yearbook submission at their school, but she (and Cameron) definitely got lucky. We did some offbeat photos and I'm pretty stoked about this session. Authentic and unique photos are what I deliver.

Been wantin to do this for a while. Couldn't resist with the record shop right there.

Someone called him and they chatted for a minute (this is not posed)

-- Andrew

Natalie 3 Month Baby Portrait Session, 17 Sep 10 - Rochester NY Child photography

2010-09-20T20:14:00.001-07:00

I'm always excited to work with past clients again, who is 3 months old. I photographed her parents' wedding last year (one of my favorites), and was ecstatic to meet little miss Natalie. She was just adorable the whole session, playful, happy, comfortable. She even went to sleep easily, but only for a few precious minutes before a siren outside woke her up. Thank you again for the opportunity to do a photo session with her, it was great to meet her and see you guys again!

Pretty eyes

Cute dress

-- Andrew

Sarah + Rich Wedding, 29 Aug 10

2010-09-04T21:03:00.001-07:00

It is always a privilege to shoot the wedding of friends, and weddings where most of my friends are in attendance. It is always a great feeling to do this act of service for them. It's also a treat when my wife and kids are in attendance.. they (in my eyes) are photo gold :)

Rich and Sarah have a pretty long history with one another, having dated for a while, then taking a break for a while, then getting back together. When they announced their engagement, no less than 10 minutes later they asked me to photograph their wedding. I was honored to be considered so early in their planning process-- thank you, Rich and Sarah for that.

Like the other two weddings among my church, most recently Matt and Heather, the wedding had some subtle differences to most weddings that I attend. The ceremony featured several friends and family singing worship songs acapella, along with wedding guests speaking words of encouragement and faith in front of the whole group to the couple, as a sign of the community's support of their relationship. The DJ (who MC'ed the ceremony too) commented "I do a lot of weddings, but I've never seen a group of people so supportive of the couple". The love is outwardly apparent even to acquaintances of the church.

My kids were very entertaining during the reception, but I'll show most of those pictures in a post at another time. Enjoy these photos and thank you again Rich and Sarah for letting me be a part of your important day.

The best man, the officiant (and Rich's closest friend) and Rich.

Seeing her for the first time

Words of encouragement being spoken to her from one of her close girlfriends.

High five for dad

Custom made Chuckie Taylors.. that's more Sarah's style.

Hammin' it up.. cute :)

My oldest son Evan putting on the dance moves

And my youngest twin sons, imitating their older brother doing "handstands" haha

Something borrowed from Heather and Matt's wedding- the bridal bouquet game... where on one side all the women line up, and on the other, all the guys. The bride starts in the center, surrounded by two guys. She hands the bouquet to one of the guys, then dances to the end of the line with the one without the flowers. The guy who is left sits in the middle, and two ladies sit next to him. Kind of like musical chairs.. and whoever is left with the bouquet at the end of the song gets to keep it. This is a pretty neat idea, and married folk can participate. It was quite funny when brother-sister combos would appear in the chairs.

Rich wrote, sung, played guitar and recorded a song for Sarah.

These next two have 1000lbs of meaning for the people involved.

After the reception, we did some couples portraits

-- Andrew

Caitlyn + Kyle Wedding, 21 Aug 10

2010-08-26T20:00:00.001-07:00

I love it when clients get excited about their wedding photography-- and I especially love it when I show a thumbnail or three and the response I get back is "this is fun!" and "oh wow!" These images reflect the easygoing and gentile, caring nature of Kyle and Caitlyn. They had a beautiful ceremony, one of the most emotional receiving lines I've seen (the best I heard was when one woman informed Caitlyn that she was the doula at Caitlyn's birth... how cool), and a hopping party where everyone young and old had fun.

The couple lives in Webster, they both got ready in Webster, they married in the village Webster, then had their reception in Webster park (catered by Dinosaur BBQ, yum)! Only makes sense :) After getting so many great photos from their engagement session, I knew their wedding would be no different.

I liked both versions

Work it!

First moment as a married couple!

Some of the details

The bridal party

Now, how cool is this?

It is for shots like these that I paid for the infrared conversion in one of my cameras.

Nice rock!

Some serious air ;)

Heehee her reaction is priceless :)

Happy faces, good times!

-- Andrew

Katrina + Josh Wedding, 14 Aug 10

2010-08-19T20:33:00.001-07:00

Not too long after their awesome engagement session, I got together again with the fun and playful Katrina and Josh for their wedding day. The ceremony was at Josh's parent's home in Ontario with a view of the lake and a nice intimate audience. Even their dogs Milo and Jules were a part of the wedding! The ceremony was followed by a very relaxed and somewhat different reception at the Locust Hill Country Club (site of the LPGA tournament every year). Why different? We showed up and were allowed to go eat our dinner at our lesiure by simply going to the various stations... yummy prime rib, turkey, risotto, even mac-n-cheese. Mixed in with touching tributes and a few tears and laugs was some fun partying supported by Victor at Whirlin Disc DJ's, making for a great evening for all.

Enjoy your photos and I am glad to have been witness to your special day.

Hello puppy!

The tongues heehee :)

He was happy to have his lollipop

Cool shades man

It was pretty toasty outside.. fans as favors were a smart idea!

Hey-heeeey!

Cannot resist a baby portrait

The estate in infrared

Some of the many lovely details

Gotta freshen up!

Funny cake topper ;)

First dance

Father-daughter dance was touching

Rings!

Party!

Go mom! Go mom!

This was funny.. the best man Brent at the end of his toast declares that Josh is "All mine!", picks him up then quickly runs off with him heehee.

Tanya made a touching slideshow for her sister Katrina.

Cake smash was never in doubt ;)

Workin' the guitar

-- Andrew

Engagement of Julie + Spike, 7 Aug 10

2010-08-09T11:28:00.001-07:00

Julie and Spike are seriously talented musicians in their spare time, when they're not working for the University of Maryland or Mitre, respectively. They came in town to visit for their niece's 1st birthday party, and I happened to have the weekend off-- so voila! We got together for an awesome engagement shoot that involved lots of climbing and awesome shots :) Their wedding in October will be bittersweet for me, as it is my last one of 2010... but I'm excited to see and photograph them again.

Enjoy the photos

Flying into his arms

Had to get a shot with high falls in it!

Sun kissed

Great light and relaxed couple = great photo

-- Andrew

Ashley + Mark Wedding, 31 Jul 10

2010-08-04T13:26:00.001-07:00

I was looking forward to seeing Ashley and Mark again- such a nice friendly couple- and two of their guests, Jenn and Jason, were my clients from 2 months earlier (thanks again Ashley + Mark for the referral!). Their engagement session was fun to shoot, and I expected no less from their wedding. Always a pleasure to see familiar faces. The couple got ready at the Brookwood Inn, then ceremony and reception both were at the Burgundy Basin, and this photo set featured more photojournalist-style coverage. Enjoy!

Getting ready:

Mom was holding the mirror and had no idea I was taking this shot.

I love the symmetry in this one. Dark vs light in the clothing, the subject, the background, the wall even.

Mark, his brother and dad.

Mark's siblings

Onto the ceremony, which was touching and emotional.

Seeing the bride for the first time

This is a neat + romantic idea... a time capsule with keepsakes and handwritten letters (unread by the other) to be stored, then opened on their 25th anniversary.

Airplanes!

Finally married!!

Details

Ashley's little sister had a hard time reading her speech. It was touching :)

2 week old baby! He's cute! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Goofball ;)

First dance was sung by Mark's brother, playing "Wonder Wall" on acoustic guitar

Unusual type of shot for me, I normally don't do 'low key' images like this

Then onto some epic dancing fun!!!

Mark has some serious moves.. and is not shy about showin' them!

I dunno what he said, but it was funny!

Rockin!

Crazy photobooth fun!

"Don't stop believin'..."

Even Grandma and the videographer got in on the fun!

-- Andrew

Natalie + Tim Wedding, 24 Jul 10

2010-07-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

An early rise for all, Natalie and Tim got married at St Mary's church in downtown Rochester NY on Saturday morning. The day started off with the ladies at Natalie's house in the south wedge, followed by the ceremony at the church. Their reception was at the classy Casa Larga Vineyard where good food and fun was had by all invited. I enjoyed shooting the families and guests, and especially shooting the couple. I remember making great photos for their engagement shoot almost a year ago to this day! Very easy going couple and true to character, this was a relaxed casual reception.

Enjoy the photos that follow- and to all the families with kids there, I am available to do family portraits for you :)

The girls had so much fun floofing the veil :)

Check it out...

Looking good!

The ceremony at the grand St Mary's church in downtown, right across the street from Geva Theatre.

With this ring..

Onto the reception where they had some yummy cake :)

Some of the other details

We started with some portraits of the couple

The vineyard in infrared

Since I didn't use it at my last wedding, I decided to put it to good use today

Then the couple is introduced

and toasted

Guests having fun

First dance

Conga line-- the DJ- Steve Turner of Turner Music Productions- was sneaky.. led the conga line onto the floor then played some other songs heehee.

Even the kids were enjoying the conga line :)

Fortunately the bouquet / garter catchers were a dating couple. If you guys might need a wedding photographer... ;)

My favorite ring shot of the year

And a quick family portrait session

Thanks everyone for a good time, it was a pleasure meeting you all.

-- Andrew

Jenn + Paul Wedding, 17 Jul 10

2010-07-22T11:01:00.001-07:00

I remember having a good time shooting Jennifer and Paul's engagement shoot back in October both out in the country and in the city. I expected no less fun for their wedding- and it delivered. Alongside shooting the largest bridal party in a long while (8 girls, 7 guys), I was assisted by Terri Parthum and got to enjoy the nice reception at the Penfield Country Club. We endured a pretty hot ceremony and avoided some threatening clouds to do some portraits at the country club.

I hope you guys are enjoying your honeymoon in Greece (jealous!) and enjoy these photos once you get back. Thanks for a good time and it was my pleasure to shoot your wedding and meet your family and friends.

Here are some shots of the ladies getting ready:

Jennifer's niece Olivia was being playful

Fashionista pose!

On the limo bus right before the ceremony at St Mary of the Assumption church

A few final words from the best man before heading out

Then she got shy.. very cute :)

With this ring

An example of a 'formal' portrait. Everyone looks great!

My favorite from the day

Brady bunch inspired :)

First dance

Paul's dad and sister

Paul's mom had fun with the mother-son dance ;)

Everybody clap your hands!

Jump rope = awesome

Reception details- it was nice to see them have some prints from our engagement shoot :)

Thanks again guys!

-- Andrew

Ellen + Ben Wedding, 10 Jul 10

2010-07-14T06:24:00.001-07:00

Ben and Ellen heard of me through Shelby and Andrew's Lower Mill / Rabbit Room wedding and trusted me to document their wedding day. I was excited to travel to this destination wedding on Block Island, RI and deliver on that trust. The ceremony and reception was held at the Atlantic Inn, a historic inn overlooking the shores of the Atlantic ocean. Music was provided by Paula Pinto at Moondance Productions.

This was my first time on Block Island and I can say the place definitely has charm and a relaxed attitude. The people are friendly and if you're into seafood- there's plenty around (especially lobster). A very New-England-ish sort of place. I look forward to the chance to revisit with my family someday.

There's some great stories in these photos so I'll comment along. Enjoy!

Getting ready

A moment to reflect right before getting in the dress and heading down to the ceremony.

Mom and sister help fit the dress.. it wasn't adjusted properly at this point ;)

Lots of awesome details.. so many to choose from. Ellen is a designer by trade (always fun working with creative types!) and did an excellent job coordinating the details of her own wedding, without breaking the bank.

Ben and his parents coming for the ceremony

Yay! Married!

A little bit of time for some portraits

Custom straws for the cocktails. Everyone enjoyed their drinks :)

Ben and Ellen provided the most awesome gift bag to their guests (as favors) ever.. samples of foods from various places that are important to them both individually and together. Of course, Ellen tossed in some design sensibility and voila!

First dance

Once the music started and the feather boas came out, people got dancing :)

A special song (Lady Gaga) for Ben's dad. I love the reaction of the guests behind him LOL

One minor thing went wrong.. Paula here bumped her leg against some hot lights and got a really nasty burn :( Hope she gets better soon. The party was definitely jumping when I had to head out for the night.

And thanks to Nicole (in the turquoise dress) and Eric for the good word to Ellen and Ben!

Thank you again Ellen and Ben for a great time (and a chance for my wife to take a break). I enjoyed being a part of your wedding.

-- Andrew

Allee + Ryan Wedding, 3 Jul 10

2010-07-06T20:50:00.001-07:00

Couldn't have asked for better conditions... tons of time for photos, perfectly clear weather, that although warm, wasn't stifling hot like it was a day later, relaxed and willing clients.. easygoing guests and great locations. Thank you Allee and Ryan for letting me be a part of your wedding day. I hope that you enjoyed the festivities, and that you guys have a nice relaxing time on your honeymoon in Mexico (tell me what you think of Chichen Itza)- Lord knows Allee needs it after all the stress of planning her wedding and finishing grad school :)

And for the pics, starting with the ladies getting ready:

Arriving at Linehan Chapel at Nazareth College

A nice moment before the ceremony

A minor goof with the unity candle (it was already lit).. but we all took it in stride :) At my wedding, my wife and I couldn't light ours... the wax dripped from the two candles into the unity candle, pooled and drowned out the wick.

Married!!!

The bridal party, all lookin' good!

Off to Schoen place

Then we headed over to the George Eastman House, and was able to use their gardens for photos

OK ladies, do your best fashion model poses!

Some infrared portraits by the canal before we headed to the reception at the Del Monte Lodge.

Details, details...

After introductions, the couple has their first dance.

Then the toasts, with Allee and Ryans' reactions.

Cake!!

Thanks again guys. Hopefully that fertility dance worked and you'll call me up for some newborn portraits :)

-- Andrew

Engagement of Rob + Anna, 27 Jun 10

2010-06-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

So, I frequent this photography forum, you know, to learn new techniques, get feedback, talk shop. Last year someone posts they're looking for a wedding photographer in upstate NY- and I respond (among many others). Well, thankfully Rob + Anna chose me to photograph their October wedding at Norton Chapel at Keuka College (and reception nearby). The pressure is on of course, since Rob is a photographer himself (plus sees all the same great stuff from around the world I do on that forum).

We finally settled on a date to do their engagement shoot- and since they live in faraway Bath NY (where, coincidentally, one of the groomsmen from my own wedding is from), we chose Letchworth State Park as our glorious backdrop.. it is the "grand canyon of the east" after all!

Well enough from me- check out the pics of the lovely couple!

After a little goofin around

Cool kids

Another one of my panorama projects, this one is 27 images stitched together.

And a couple shots at the Glen Iris Inn, a nice wedding photography location in of itself.

This one is sweet... tiger lillies are blooming early this year.

Of course, if you're at Letchworth, how can you not climb the bridge? (fast fact: this once was the site of the world's largest wooden bridge until it burned down)

Seriously, looking through those cracks down 300+ feet gives you the creeps. So you just don't look down. And the loogie test this time yielded 11 sec from bridge top to river. wow.

A nice infrared photo

And a cool-lookin strobey shot to finish things up!

Thanks for a good time Rob + Anna, I'm looking forward to your wedding this fall!

-- Andrew

'Day After' Portraits of Heather + Matt, 26 Jun 10

2010-06-28T12:57:00.001-07:00

Well, technically these are not the "day after" seeing as Matt + Heather got married back in March, but I couldn't call these "bridal portraits" (since Matt is in the photos) or "trash the dress" (since there was no dress-trashing) :)

We headed down to Sonnenberg gardens, and explored for a while, getting some awesome captures along the way. I am happy to provide the outdoor portraits that Matt and Heather wanted for their wedding but only briefly got, and it helps that it was in a beautiful location to boot.

Thanks guys for the relaxed session and the chance to provide some great imagery for you.

The happy couple

The roses were in bloom

Good call on the tree, Matt. My clients are awesome!

This one is cute :)

-- Andrew

Engagement of Katrina + Josh, 19 Jun 10

2010-06-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Had a nice relaxed session with Katrina and Josh by their home on Irondequoit Bay. We headed to a nearby park, then went for a brief boat ride in the bay (and out to Lake Ontario for a few shots).. very cool. These guys are just like a pair of old time friends... they clearly get along great. Their wedding will be a ton of fun to shoot too.. I can't wait for the shenanigans ;)

As camera-shy as Josh was, I think I got a few good shots in there. Check it out and leave some comments!

I like this one.. but you should've seen the playful shot beforehand.. goofballs ;)

We kept seeing chipmunks! This one was just off the bridge.

We headed back up to the park and saw this gem parked there. How could we not take some pics?

Next we head out on the boat! Weather was perfect.

A toast...

Gorgeous sky as we headed back in

Thanks guys for a great time and a great session. Hope you like the pics! I look forward to shooting their wedding at the Locust Hill Country Club in August!

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Sarah 17 Jun 10

2010-06-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

We rocked out Sarah's epically epic senior portrait session at RIT with the assistance of Katie, Sarah's mom Debbie, Sarah's boyfriend Joe and her older sister Beth. I was excited to do Sarah's senior portraits this week, since she is my first 2011 senior, and because I love doing senior portraits! We had perfect lighting and weather- couldn't have asked for better conditions. Thank you for a great time and I will definitely be seeing you guys around later!

I like this one

Lookin' cool...

Sarah and her sister Beth bein goofballs

Panorama of 24 images

This spot was awesome. Expect other photographers in the Rochester area to copy it ;)

Aww

And some nice golden-y sunlight to round out the session

And don't forget the cheesy behind-the-scenes (sort of, in a posed kind of way) shot of Sarah, Joe, myself and Katie who graciously assisted today :)

Till next time- thanks!

-- Andrew

Michelle + Nathaniel Wedding, 12 Jun 10

2010-06-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

I don't mind revisiting the same spots... Michelle and Nathaniel got married at Bethel Christian Fellowship (where I assisted at my 3rd wedding ever), and had a luncheon reception at Inn on Broadway (where I shot as recently as 2 weeks ago). Each time I shoot the same spot, I approach it differently- because I deliver unique results for each client.

Although quiet and reserved at first, it was clear how much Michelle and Nathaniel love each other. Their friends and family at the reception were pretty cool to hang out with too (RIT represent!). I made some funky artistic photos in addition to some romantic photos for them. Enjoy and may your marriage be blessed.

Mom & Dad are happy for their son

God loves you

First time seeing the bride

A freshly engaged couple steal a kiss during the wedding

Married!

We took over part of the inner loop

Awww :)

On to the Inn on Broadway

Pray over the meal

Yummy cake, had a touch of almond flavor

Good times by all

Details

He insisted I take his photo.

Putting the little swan favors to use ;)

.. as well as the bubbles

A couple of couple portraits to wrap up the day

Thanks for a great time!

-- Andrew
P.S> In the end, no one knew the RIT school song

Jenn + Jason Wedding, 30 May 10

2010-06-02T18:25:00.001-07:00

I am proud to present a very elegant and stylish wedding by my fabulous clients Jenn + Jason. They had their ceremony at the Nazareth Chapel, followed by a reception at one of my favorite venues, the Inn on Broadway (it's a good thing, because my next wedding in 2 weeks is there!). I love my job because of weddings like this one. I did some new things photographically and I'm pleased with the results. It was a pleasure to meet Jenn + Jason's friends and family and I look forward to seeing them in 2 short months when the Maid of Honor and one of the groomsmen, Ashley and Mark, get married and I photograph their wedding.

Getting ready

Jenn's mom admires Jenn's dress

My favorite from this wedding.. Jenn's mom helps put on some earrings.

I'm always fascinated by birdcage style veils, they're so elegant. I'm happy I have such stylish clients!

Jason

Mark holding the vows.

The guys goofing off before they head over to the ceremony

Jenn walks over to her dad's room at the Inn so he can see her in her gown. Here, her mom is making some final arrangements for the ceremony

The ladies looking great.

My second favorite photo. The dress is very classically elegant.

Onto Nazareth chapel, where a string quartet provided the music

The bridal party

First dance as a couple

Jennifer's brother, Chris and her future sister in Law, Jade

Jason and his mom dance

The details

Party time, wooo!

And Jenn + Jason retire to their suite...

Thank you again for a wonderful experience. Jenn, Jason- see you soon!

-- Andrew

Teri + Brad Wedding, 22 May 10

2010-05-26T10:33:00.001-07:00

I am happy to share the beautiful photos from Teri and Brad's wedding. They had an intimate ceremony at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Chili, then we headed over to Teri's grandfather's senior living community for some photos (where I got some great group and individual shots), then finally stopping at the reception at the Wildwood Country Club in Rush. I love it when my clients give me lots of time for photos :)

The DJ at the reception was someone I worked with in the past-- very professional and does excellent work as a DJ- Joe Quatela at Q Music Productions - and I had recommended him to Teri. It was a pleasure to work with him again (albeit briefly, since Teri and Brad chose my coverage times to end when the dancing started).

The guys

Flower girl and ring bearer

The ladies

The dress

Getting ready

The ceremony

Sneak in a family portrait

One thing I always noticed with old family group photos (and yearbook/activity group photos) is that often in the small print sizes it's hard to discern faces. So, I always shoot group shots two ways-- wide to show the whole person, and close up, like below, to show everyone's faces.

The bride

The groom

Onto the reception.. some details:

Everything had a purple theme.. many of the guests dressed in purple or purple/lavender accents (vests, ties, shoes etc)

First dance

Toasts

Paparazzi

This was funny. The man on the right had jokingly told Teri to "go away!". This was her reaction :)

After dinner, the father-daughter dance

And the anniversary dance to round out the evening

Thanks for a fun time- all the guests were really friendly and I had an
easy time with everyone. May your marriage be blessed.

-- Andrew

Graham + Chloe Twins Child Portrait Session, 24 Apr 10

2010-04-27T20:40:00.001-07:00

Graham and Chloe's parents brought them up to Rochester to visit their Aunt for their 1st birthday-- their mom wanted some family portraits done of their twins, and contacted me (I was a natural choice having twins of my own). I had a fabulous time with them. Graham was mesmerized by the grass outside- loved to explore, and Chloe was a cutie and very engaging and playful. We did some portraits inside the house, and some outside at a nearby playground.

Towards the end of the session both kids were getting tired and ready for their naps, and simultaneously feeling more comfortable with me and playing close by. They both were super sweet kids and it was fun seeing them smile and light up and play. I'm very happy about the results here and had to share 20 photos! Enjoy, and be sure to look me up if you are looking for a Rochester NY child portrait photographer.

Exploring the world outside. This was their first time in the grass!

Playing with daddy- super adorable.

Just chillin', hangin' out..

Mom works in a few giggles with Graham- also super adorable.

He was a happy camper once he got this teething ring. (just call me the Baby Whisperer...my idea ;)

So darn cute.

Checking out one of his birthday presents

Another cute one right before nap time.

Thanks again for allowing me to share a little slice of your family time. Your children are truly a blessing.

-- Andrew

Astrophoto published in Finnish Magazine

2010-03-21T08:15:00.001-07:00

One of my photography hobbies is astrophotography, where I train the camera on the night sky and take long exposures through both regular lenses and a telescope. In fact, it was my interest in astrophotography that spurred me to buy a DSLR, which ultimately led me to doing wedding photography.

I was contacted last month by an editor asking if one of my images I took two years ago (April 2007) could be published in their magazine. I agreed and they mailed me a copy, which I received yesterday. Although the image of NGC5053 and M53 isn't the most exciting or interesting astrophoto I've taken, it is somewhat of a rarity for people to image the pair. It's a bit off the beaten path because it isn't very visually interesting, but interesting to astronomers and visual observers because of their proximity in the night sky. Sometimes just having the photo makes it noteworthy, even if the photo isn't a pulitzer-prize winner.

Regardless, I'm pretty excited to have the image published, considering it's my first astrophoto to be published! I took this photo with the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L lens, which is actually an excellent astrophoto lens. I no longer own the lens, as I sold it to fund the 200/2 I currently own.

The magazine being from Finland, I can't read a lick of it, but Google translate tells me the name of the Magazine is "Stars and Space". Here are some shots of the magazine.

The page on which my photo is prominently displayed appears to be a guide to visual observers for the month of April. The article title doesn't fully translate in Google translate, but it tells me it is the "Kevatyon ghost hunt"

And the credit:

-- Andrew

Heather + Matt Wedding, 14 Mar 10

2010-03-19T22:08:00.001-07:00

Well, what a way to kick off the very full 2010 wedding season. This is the wedding of my close friends Matt and Heather who are both from PA. My wife was a bridesmaid at this wedding, so we traveled with all three kids down to Reading PA to celebrate with all our friends this new marriage. Very excited for both of these guys, and it was my pleasure to work for them and give them these photos.

The wedding on the surface was subtly different than others I've done, but upon closer inspection there is a very principle-driven set of choices they made. The ceremony featured several of their friends singing worship songs acapella, along with friends speaking words of encouragement and faith in front of the whole group to the couple. It was very touching to see the brotherly love pour out to this couple. They will be blessed with a lot of support in the good times and bad.

The weather was minimally cooperative, rainy and drizzly most of the day, although it did stop long enough for us to sneak out during part of the reception (where I could put my surprise new equipment to use). Seeing as the couple was geared more towards traditional style photography, I delivered what suited them best (with a little artistic flavor, I just can't help it ;).

Since these are my close friends I have way more pictures than usual... but despite that I think you all will enjoy seeing them anyway!

Getting ready..

Praying over the groom

This smokin' hot bridesmaid is my wife Valarie

Ceremony

Dad gives away his daughter

Groom's family

Friends speak words of encouragement to the couple

Each guest had a candle, the flame passed down from the unity candle, then down the aisles, as a symbol of support

Brides family (dad was the 2nd officiant)

After their first kiss, Heather's dad proclaimed "I think they've had too much practice doing this" hee hee

Ladies see the wedding rings for the first time

A little group photo fun

Heading over to the reception at the Reading Country Club

Had to do bridal portraits in this cozy room. Heather looked beautiful.

More cheeky fun

After their introduction, the groomsmen had a surprise

My oldest son playing with a balloon

Heather always wears turquoise, so peacocks were a good thematic fit

Father daughter dance

At this point, all fathers and daughters were invited to dance

Then they did the bridal bouquet game... where on one side all the women line up, and on the other, all the guys. The bride starts in the center, surrounded by two guys. She hands the bouquet to one of the guys, then dances to the end of the line with the one without the flowers. The guy who is left sits in the middle, and two ladies sit next to him. Kind of like musical chairs.. and whoever is left with the bouquet at the end of the song gets to keep it. This is a pretty neat idea, and married folk can participate. It was quite funny when brother-sister combos would appear in the chairs.

The per the grooms' family tradition, the bride is stolen away, and the groom must sing a song to win her back. Here he is deciding which song

Lindsay's face is hilarious in this shot ;)

Then we got to sneak outside where I was able to use my specially modified camera. With a special filter in place, it takes photos in infrared. Green trees and grass are rendered white in IR making for some interesting effects.

This is with my normal camera

And another IR photo

And at the end, we all bid them farewell with sparklers and grease pen on their vehicle.

Congratulations Matt and Heather, enjoy your honeymoon in Arizona and living in your new home together. I can't wait to show these photos to you guys!!

-- Andrew

Equipment Geekery

2010-01-19T19:27:00.001-08:00

Well, most winters offer me the opportunity to invest in more equipment geek type stuff, and this year is no exception. I've picked up three excellent lenses in the Canon lineup, the 35/1.4L, 24/1.4L and 100/2.8 macro. These lenses will help taking my imaging to the next level. I also have a surprise in store for my 2010 clients.. a special capability which will help me deliver really unique imagery that few others offer. I'm super stoked about it... Stay tuned ;)

While the best gear does not mean you will get excellent photography, it certainly can provide unique capabilities that other equipment pieces can't offer. In the hands of an skilled artist, they are made to sing. I am working right now to be that skilled artist in time for these upcoming weddings.

-- Andrew

Lindsay + Doug + Cayden Family Portraits, 28 Nov 09

2009-12-01T17:19:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Doug and Lindsay on their new parenthood. Little Cayden was born two weeks before this shoot at a healthy 9 lbs, and mom was home quickly with everyone healthy. I was excited to shoot this newborn portrait session for Lindsay and Doug, who's wedding I shot back in July.

I went to their house, and also took some shots of Lindsay's sister, brother in law and their daughter. I got some really adorable photos of Cayden with each of his parents and by himself. We also did the "Christmas card shot" with Cayden wearing a bow and a Santa hat.

Thanks guys for a great session and for letting me into your warm home. Onto the photos!

Lindsay's sister and her family

The star of the show with dad

And with mom:

I swear I did not tell them to do anything but hold their baby. Their expressions are totally candid here-- just doting over their little boy!

Awww

Cayden had been awake for the longest stretch of time in his life.. so he was definitely tired!

Such a treasure.

Enjoy your holidays everyone!

-- Andrew

Lisa + Aaron Wedding, 31 Oct 09

2009-11-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

Well, what can I say. These people were very generous to allow me to their wedding guest downstate in New Paltz, NY at the Mohonk Mountain House for my first official destination wedding. What a fascinating resort! I would describe it as 1920's luxury... wide hallways, dark wood paneling, dark Persian-themed carpeting, and wavy wooden floors in some spots LOL. And adding to the charm, the rooms actually used honest to goodness real keys (instead of magnetic swipe cards). Providing a spooky Halloween feel, most of the day the resort was sitting inside a cloud. Oh yeah, and there were wolves in the hotel. Seriously.

Aaron and Lisa had a very intimate ceremony and reception with close family and friends. This made for a very laid back time for everyone, and a 5-star, 3 course meal to boot. Lisa's sisters were the bridesmaids, and Aaron's brothers were the groomsmen- how neat :) Lisa's dress, shawl and headscarf fit the motif of the resort perfectly. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to experience your wedding and to spend time at the resort. It was truly a gift.

Lisa's sister helping her get ready.. the pumpkin in the back is a perfect touch:

The ladies....

Lisa's Niece Ava ambles down the aisle.. it was cute.

With a little encouragement Ava made it :)

Lisa and her dad

Exchanging vows

Lisa was very happy to be married!

We went outside and braved some serious wind and a pretty wet misting drizzle. The couple were troopers and I thank them.

Overlooking the lake

Relaxing in the lounge

Sorry Lisa, but Aaron's photos on the steps here came out much better.

The details!

The rings!

The cake!

The reception started with hors d'oeuvres and a 'surprise' guest

Ava dressed up as a squirrel

Handing out candy and saying 'trick or treat'.

(OK normally I don't photograph the kiddos at weddings this much, but I was missing my almost-2-year-old that day and she was really cute :)

Dad gives a toast to his daughter

It was touching too :)

Cheers!

Mmmm cake

And the resort at night after it cleared up a bit

Congratulations Lisa and Aaron, I wish you the best.

-- Andrew

Kathryn + Matt Wedding, 30 Oct 09

2009-11-03T19:48:00.001-08:00

This season has been all about pairs between my clients. Two Shelbys in a row. Two Andrews in a row. Two couples from Baltimore in a row. Today, Kathryn and Matt are from the New Paltz area of NY, and I headed down to New Paltz the day after their wedding to shoot another one (blog post forthcoming in a few days :) Weird.

Anyway, these guys had an intimate, small wedding and reception, so I worked out a special coverage package for them. Although I was only there a short time, I am glad to have had the chance to meet their families and get some nice photos at the Inn on Broadway.

Without further ado, let's get ready:

The rings + shoes in one shot.

One of the younger girls had said she supposed the bride looked "adequate" in her dress

Lovely

The groom awaits...

Lots of smiles during the ceremony

Their first moments together as husband and wife

Thanks for the lighting check, girls ;)

One of my favorites

Onto dinner and good times.

Cheers, guys!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Allee + Ryan, 21 Oct 09

2009-10-22T18:01:00.001-07:00

So we wondered, when the weather forecast says "40% chance of rain" does that mean there's a 100% chance of rain in the area, but only a 40% chance that it will rain on where you are? Or does it mean a 40% chance in the whole area? Well, we had time to ponder this as it rained for about 15 minutes. But despite mother nature's best efforts to mess with my mojo, Allee, Ryan and I teamed up to overcome it and get great photos at Mendon Ponds park. And in keeping with my 2010 "year of the teacher" theme, Allee is a certified teacher currently in grad school getting her masters :)

They requested the park to incorporate the fall colors-- the park cooperated and so did Allee and Ryan. They were champs and did everything I requested of them, including walking out over a fallen tree suspended 8 feet above a 45 degree slope with about a 40 foot drop :) I can tell these two will get along really well for many years to come, they were very comfortable with one another, and clearly happy and in love.

This looked like I plopped them right in front of a painting:

Another great backdrop

Their balancing act

It wasn't hard at all for Allee to 'swoon' over Ryan :)

And for some colors:

Whenever I asked them to do a 'cool' pose or 'facebook' Allee kept doing this.. no one knew why but it was funny either way :)

The light fog helped make this seem more etheral

And check out the bling! Nice choice!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Jenn + Paul, 18 Oct 09

2009-10-19T15:26:00.001-07:00

First off, us math majors must reprezent... Jenn is a math teacher, continuing in my 2010 "year of the teacher" trend amongst the majority of my clients, and it's rare for me to run into a fellow math major (yes, this photographer actually has a degree in mathematics). Anyway, these guys are super fun to hang around, and we had a good time taking photos at Paul's parents house in Scottsville, followed by the site of their first date, Sinbad's on Park Ave. It was a super nice fall day.. couldn't have asked for better weather.

Let the awesomeness that are the photos begin...

Love fall for its colors

Jenn and paul are sittin in a tree, K-I-... you know the rest ;) (thought of this on the drive to the shoot)

Over to the very same table they sat at on their first date

Some nice standard portraits

Stylin!

Now being on Park Ave, I could not resist taking these guys into the laundromat.. they were good sports with all the people doing their laundry watching the spectacle :) But since they're super cool they entertained my ideas and I think they came out pretty well.

Last one

-- Andrew

Gabrielle + Blair Wedding, 11 Oct 09

2009-10-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

Well we couldn't have asked for much more.. the weather was dialed in perfectly for October (except a little breezy which made it feel cool). The ceremony was outside at the Bristol Harbour, an awesome venue with a grand vista view of Canandaigua Lake. Gabrielle and Blair met while working on a cruise ship as performers-- which led me to anticipate an interesting reception-- and they did not fail to deliver. The whole family seems to be dancers, and I never saw more moves at a wedding than this one!

I am excited to present these photos for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to leave some love in the comments :)

Lovely bride and lovely scenery = lovely photo

Blair and his groomsmen walk down to the altar for the ceremony

Gabrielle, her dad and sister prepare

Just glowing :) What a smile!

vows

Newlyweds!

A cheeky photo ;)

Oh and a nice standard portrait too :)

Gorgeous sunset.. favorite photo from the day.. love how the cloud lines right up

Some details

Not your average cake-- it was ice cream cake-- gingerbread flavored ice cream.. yummy!

Of course with ice cream cake fresh out of the freezer it was rock hard and difficult to cut LOL

He had some serious moves

Aunt is getting it on!

Impromptu conga line!

And of course when "New York New York" by Sinatra plays, the kick line forms

Doing their best dirty dancing lift

And of course, with the clear weather I couldn't resist to sneak in another aspect of my favorite photography hobby, astrophotography. (BTW The bright 'star' just left/below center is Jupiter)

Engagement of Caitlyn + Kyle, 10 Oct 09

2009-10-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I got together with Caitlyn and Kyle, who just booked with me for 2010 last week, on her grandparents property on Lake Ontario. We then headed over to Webster Park where we (almost) crashed a wedding, braved ice cold splashes from waves and a quickly fading sun.

Despite my being hungry (thanks to no dinner) and tired (thanks to twin 7 month olds) I was able to team up with Caitlyn and Kyle to make some great photos. Hopefully Caitlyn's students won't see her being so affectionate with Kyle ;)

Enjoy the photos

I think this shot is cute

See? I can deliver on the standard portraiture too, it's not all edgy and artistic all the time :)

under the bridge

Kate + Mike Wedding, 3 Oct 09

2009-10-08T06:47:00.001-07:00

So, when I get lots of time to take pictures, great weather, a beautiful venue and a happy couple, I'm going to get a lot of good photos- which is why it was so hard to trim the list down. Kate and Mike were my second clients in a row that live in Baltimore but did their wedding here in Rochester (how odd...)

Starting with Kate's getting ready at her parents' house, we did some nice bridal and family portraits, then onto pictures of Mike and the guys getting ready at St Louis Church, where, coincidentally, I shot my first solo wedding at in Pittsford.

Following a lovely ceremony, we headed over to Schoen Place to do some portraits, then to the reception at the newly renovated Irondequoit Country Club, where everyone had a ton of fun. I'm so happy to show you all the awesome photos... and for Kate and Mike there are many more gems in the full proof set that I simply can't show here due to space :)

Family portrait with Kate's brother, David ;)

Now I just can't decide between the awesome colors and the powerful B&W...

Too cool for school

Love the sky

At the church before the ceremony

Lovely ladies

Cute :)

Reminiscent of their engagement shoot

Wind and lighting was just perfect

This would make a great 16x20...

Toast by the maid of Honor, Sarah

Details

Happy guests

Kate was beaming during the first dance... well, Kate was beaming the whole day, but moreso during the first dance.

Onto dancing and fun

Hope you enjoyed the photos, I am happy with how they came out

-- Andrew

Shelby + Matt Wedding, 26 Sep 09

2009-10-01T10:23:00.001-07:00

*Sniffle* Shelby and Matt are my very first clients of awelshphotography.com and were also my first photoshoot clients for 2009 (an engagement session in January!). So what better time to roll out my exciting new logo (thanks to my ultra-cool 2008 bride-and-graphics-designer Pauline) than now! Shelby is my 2nd Shelby in a row, and thankfully she did not marry a guy named Andrew, otherwise that would've been my 3rd Andrew in a row... and what does all that mean? Absolutely nothing (@2:00).

Shelby and Matt have been big fans of my photography, choosing me over all the other Syracuse and Rochester area photographers, and I certainly wanted to live up to that reputation and deliver some 6th degree black belt of awesomeness for them. The ceremony and reception both were at The Lodge at Welch Allyn in Skaneateles (near Syracuse), which is a fantastic place to have a wedding and reception. With a combination of cool clients, cool friends, a great reception location, and a great time, I was able to deliver.

Enjoy the photos and feel free to comment :)

Very elegant and classy, very much Shelby's style:

Yes ladies, this is what all the grooms do when getting ready.. while you take hours and hours to prepare, the guys do stuff like this:

And bust out the N-64

Onto the ceremony:

The bridal party

First dance:

Then the dancing starts

Oh yeah... fireworks?!? How cool is that? I get the coolest clients with the coolest weddings...

I love how you can see the fireworks and the people's faces at the same time.

Shelby bought monogrammed umbrellas for her bridesmaids.. had to use it to sneak in a portrait!

Everyone having a good time at the reception.. lots of happy faces

Rockin' it out until the end!

Thanks for an excellent time and delicious cake (I rarely get cake, it's always a treat when I do)

-- Andrew

Shelby + Andrew Wedding, 12 Sep 09

2009-09-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Had the privilege of photographing the wonderfully intimate, emotional, stylish and fun wedding of Shelby and Andrew at the Lower Mill. I was glad to meet up again with this kind couple- you may remember their engagement photos- and meet their families and friends.

The day started with family portraits at the Woodcliff Hotel, where I then gave Nicole (matron of honor) a ride to the Lower Mill (cuz I do that, I'm nice like that). I then got some wonderful shots of Shelby getting ready before the ceremony downstairs. Being an art gallery, the symbolism is not lost on me.. a client gets married on the second floor then literally "gets down" to the first floor where the reception and party are (ok that was my bad joke for the week).

BTW potential brides, the Lower Mill has excellent food. I have my share of food at reception locales, and this place is a cut above. The appetizers are outstanding (the empenadas in particular) and the prime rib was exceptionally tasty and tender for prime rib.

Anyway, there were some wonderfully touching toasts (Andrew's joke about rushing into things is classic) followed by some seriously fun dancing. Thanks for a great time folks and enjoy the photos

A perfect dress and style for Shebly.

Andrew in the basement right before the ceremony.. drinking some water.. looking kinda nervous / anxious / excited...

Love this composition!

The bride enters the ceremony area with her dad

"I now pronounce you.."

Had about 5 minutes to do some portraits in Honeoye falls (about 1/4 mile from the lower mill)

I asked Andrew for a more serious look, but he was just so happy he couldn't not smile :)

Some details....

Funny toast

Touching toast, even for their friends

First dance.. very sweet.

Father-daughter dance

Onto the party!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Ashley & Phil, 11 Sep 09

2009-09-14T12:15:00.001-07:00

I was glad to finally have a chance to do an engagement shoot with Ashley and Phil. We wandered around the park and whipped up some awesome artistic and romantic shots. Even though I was almost late and Ashley forgot her jeans, we pulled it off in style. Thanks guys for a great session-- not much else to say, just let the pictures speak for themselves :)

Oh and happy 21st birthday Ashley!

I told Phil he had a Johnston + Murphy catalog kinda look...

These guys pull off the serious look well...

Can't decide if I like the previous one or this one better.. both are compelling to me.

What a sky!

Tha bling!

Thanks for a fun time, Ashley and Phil!

-- Andrew

Jennifer + Andrew Wedding, 6 Sep 09

2009-09-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Wrapping up my whirlwind weekend of photography, I shot the wedding of Jennifer and Andrew at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. What a tremendous location for photos, inside and out (I highly recommend it for brides if you have a smaller reception <150)... it's where I did part of the engagement shoot back in June.

The couple wanted me to do the formal photos before the ceremony, and they were OK with seeing each other ahead of time, which we did in lieu of the usual getting ready kind of shots. The ceremony was immediately followed by the cocktails in the Mastodon exhibit (including some bones dug up in the Rochester area), then the reception on the 3rd floor.

The women got ready in a little conference room overlooking the lobby

With everyone present we headed over to do some portraits:

Andrew and his best man and brother Brian

Some time alone with just the couple

Some details..

Jennifer and her dad at the ceremony

Toasts:

Both toasts delivered some laughs

The Hora!

What better way to photograph the rings for two CPA's- accountants- getting married!

Then some dancing!

This couple was waltzing separately off the dance floor, rather romantic...

A different first dance song-- "Always" by Erasure, one of my favorite songs from the 90's.

Rapper's Delight starts playing. She grabs microphone. She starts rapping along with the whole song. How fun!

Gettin' grandma to dance too

Thanks Jennifer and Andrew, enjoy your honeymoon.

-- Andrew

Manh-Dan + Chris Wedding, 5 Sep 09

2009-09-08T12:01:00.001-07:00

Certainly one of the most interesting wedding ceremonies I've shot for. Manh-Dan and Chris are from New Joisey but wanted to have a wedding celebrating in Manh-Dan's hometown of Rochester for her family. It's complicated, but this actually is wedding #2 of 3 for them.. who gets 3 weddings? How lucky! Anyway, I was glad to participate and help out, as Manh-Dan is the sister-in-law of my former nanny (nephew's cousin's former roommate? <-- points for knowing where that quote came from).

The ceremony was done in a traditional Vietnamese style, where the bridegroom's family presents gifts (the dowry) to the bride's family before he's allowed to enter the bride's home. After accepting them, the bride then is presented by her father and they are then married. After their ceremony they went to the Shanghai restaurant for a small reception with the funniest cornball MC I'd seen in a while.

Anyway onto the images:

Groomsmen prepare the gifts down the street from the bride's parent's home.

Unfortunately, the bride's brother Khahn left the keys to his car in his parent's house.. and couldn't go get them.. so I had to. Why is this important? Because sitting inside his black car with dark tinted windows in the sun with the windows down is a full sized roast pig. Not only would the car reek for days if left inside, they would have no feast for lunch! So here I am giving them all the keys that were on the hook (I didn't know which ones to get). I'm such a nice guy, helping people out with their wedding :)

After presenting the gifts, the father goes upstairs to get the bride. How funny is it when she was bizusted paying bills online while she waited! Ha!

On with the ceremony :)

And she comes down, hooray!

Exchange gifts between families and the bride and groom...

Tea ceremony

Manh-Dan's parents giving gifts, with both grandmothers and Chris' parents in the background.

Seeing that their traditional American-style wedding is next week in NJ, we didn't do many formal portraits per the couples' request. But I had to sneak a few in, how could I pass that up with such wonderful outfits? :)

My friends Laura (the nanny) and Khahn

Different angle for a change...

I can still hear the MC (who's singing in the background) telling her that she is the most beee-you-tiful bride ever (tounge firmly in cheek). Are you ready New Jersey!?

And a nice one to wrap it up:

I enjoyed the 11-course dinner and party, thanks for a good time and a unique wedding to photograph.

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Chelsea 2 Sep 09

2009-09-03T11:44:00.001-07:00

I got into contact with Chelsea (since she is a friend of Zach's) to do her 2010 senior portraits and I was excited to work out in Spencerport with her. She brought two friends along for entertainment and moral support (thank you ladies for assisting), which always makes the session go easier. I couldn't have asked for better weather either, not hot, not cold, sunny, clear skies and nearly no wind... topped off with a gorgeous rainbow of a sunset.

Chelsea, you were easy to work with and very patient while I set up my next shot- and I know you will enjoy this set of photos :) The Greece Canal park is lovely for photos- great suggestion. Thanks for a good time!

I like the lodge a lot, great place for photos

Yearbook food :)

Looks like an actress' headshot.

Her friends obliged Chelsea's request to jump into one photo. It was funny, put the three of them together and they turn into a giggle-fest. Made for some fun shots :)

A little goofing around while we wait for the sunset

Love the colors, matches her shirt

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Lindsay 1 Sep 09

2009-09-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Lindsay (West Bloomfield class of 2010) wanted to get back together with me to do some more outdoorsy nature style shots, so we met at Mendon Ponds park which has some awesome scenery to do the session. We both had a fun time and Lindsay's mom helped by holding the reflector for me. Always a pleasure to work with repeat customers! Enjoy the photos...

Mmm flare-i-licious :)

I'd been wanting to do some portraits like this one. Lovely!

Too cool!

Yup, that's the moon she's holding there :) Looks like a glowing orb of magic or something...

Enjoy!

-- Andrew

Ann + Roger Wedding, 15 Aug 09

2009-08-21T20:07:00.001-07:00

After enjoying the unique engagement shoot with Ann + Roger back in May, I knew their wedding on the family farm was going to be equally as fun, unique and interesting. The ceremony was held in a nice little nook on the field, and the reception was inside a tent setup nearby. Guests had a campground to stay overnight so they could party safely and not worry about driving home... smart thinking on Ann and Roger's part (take note couples!) Here are some shots around the property:

The bride got ready at Roger's grandparents' house, while Roger got ready at his parents. The bride rode into the ceremony via a special carriage.. a very romantic and grand entrance fitting of this couple.

The dress was a perfect match in style for Ann

Ann's sister and mother help

The guests rode into the ceremony site via another horse drawn carriage

The groom is ready

The band plays for the guests at the ceremony:

Ann and her father arrive via the carriage:

After getting married we headed over to another area of the farm for some portraits then onto the reception.

Roger and Ann did a (somewhat) choreographed dance to Duke Ellington.. they both were clearly having playful fun.. a pleasure to witness.

Love the composition on this one.. that's Ann and Roger's dad in the back, while Roger dances with his mother.

Mmm cupcakes

And how cool is that-- smores cupcake! With a roasted marshmallow!

Onto the party dancing fun!

The reception tent

The band rockin' it out

Then as a special gift surprise for the couple, they lit and launched small hot air balloons.. really neat to watch.

Then another surprise, the brothers lit some fireworks for the crowd

The campfire along the tiki torch path from the reception to the campsite. Nice touch.

And seeing as how much I love taking astrophotos, I figured an outdoor reception in the country was a good as time as any to grab a startrail shot. (The bright streak on the lower right that the plane crosses over is Jupiter)

And they did have a photobooth going that Roger rigged up himself. Guests took photos, then added them to a book in place of the traditional guest book. Of course, I had to jump in there myself (with some prodding by the photobooth keeper volunteers)

Enjoy!

-- Andrew

Jennifer + Anthony Wedding, 14 Aug 09

2009-08-18T19:49:00.001-07:00

So I finally finished processing the photos from Jennifer's and Anthony's wedding reception at the nicely appointed Terry Hills Golf Course reception hall, and I'm super stoked about the results (see my previous post with a few pics). Some really great portraits on the golf course, plus my usual photojournalistic awesomness :)

Jennifer and Anthony are such a fun couple, clearly playful and very relaxed around one another. This is an important quality to making a marriage last for the long haul.. they truly have fun being around each other. This was definitely reflected in the photos. We did get a good variety of poses.

Start out with some of the details:

I wouldn't be surprised to see this on facebook...

We tried to be serious.. but got some fun shots instead- I still like 'em!

Can't decide between the B&W and color.. what do you think?

They promised not to smash the cake...

I like this one

*Ahem*

Some YMCA fun!

The wedding game show is always a riot

When asked "who is most likely to talk about kids, they both immediately point to their friend Christine... hilarity

A touching moment when the family spontaneously circles the couple dancing

Good night!

Enjoy the photos!

-- Andrew

Jennifer + Anthony, 14 Aug 09, part 1

2009-08-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

Had a very busy weekend.. two weddings, a shoot for a soccer team building event and a client meeting. I started my weekend with the reception of Jennifer and Anthony at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia. They had gotten married a little while before in Jamaica on a private vacation/ honeymoon, then came back to town to hold their reception.

These guys were really fun and playful and I'm excited with how the pictures will come out.. since I just started work on them, I figured I'd show a couple teasers :)

Here's a nice one of just the couple:

Jenn was ready to dance and party!

Wait till you see the collage I'll put together of this one, it's funny :)

Can't go without mentioning the nice details.. I like this ring shot because of the (real!) glint on the diamond..

Stay tuned for the rest, coming later this week!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Natalie & Tim, 28 Jul 09

2009-07-29T18:51:00.001-07:00

I thought it ironic that my first two 2010 clients, getting married a week apart in July 2010 both scheduled engagement shoots with me within three days of each other. I met up with Natalie and Tim at Highland Park to take some portraits and get to know each other.

Poor Natalie injured her ankle a while back this summer and I had them hiking and climbing up and down steps and hills.. but she was a trooper and I think it was worth it in the end.. we made some pretty awesome photos. We started in the Veteran's Memorial section of the park, then headed over to the reservoir, and finished up at the Colgate Divinity School for some coooool late twilight shots.

Anyway enough of my yammerin'.. onto the photos!

I had fun with this one.. hadn't done one of these in a while.

Tryin' something a little different..

Overlooking the southeast side of town

I thought these were pretty cool...

Thanks for a good shoot and see you in 2010!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Ashley & Mark, 25 Jul 09

2009-07-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ashley and Mark were my first clients to book a 2010 date with me, so I was excited to kick off my 2010 wedding-related photography with an engagement portrait session with them. We got together in Canandaigua and briefly crashed a wedding at the Inn on the Lake to get some nice shots by the lake shore. I'm glad they made the drive up from Cortland to get together, as I think the photos came out great. The lakefront, appropriately, was the location of their first date.. always a treat to shoot at the spot of their first date :)

After some nice shots by the shore we found a favorite bench of theirs, and got some great shots there. We then headed back for some fun and cool shots... scroll down and see, and enjoy the photos along the way.

So happy with the lighting here..

I thought this shot was awesome. Would make a great 16x20 print.

Another 16x20 candidate :)

Our fashiony-fashion pose for the day. They pulled it off well. Taken on the steps of the Ontario County Court House.

Some nice portraits with my favorite lens:

Here's the cool part of the session (pun intended). We stopped at Scoops for some ice cream and some fun shots. Ashley warned me that she would NOT be having the cotton candy-flavored ice cream.. bad past experience :) I was surprised how quickly it all melted.. but Mark and Ashley were troopers and took a few ice cream drips in the name of some fun shots.

A possible preview of the cake cutting at their wedding? Hmmm...

But all is well in the end.

Thanks Ashley and Mark, it was a pleasure meeting you again, and I look forward to your wedding next July!!

-- Andrew

2010 Senior Portraits- Zach 20 Jul 09

2009-07-21T18:47:00.001-07:00

Just last night I got together with Zach at his house and did some awesome senior portraits. Of course we started out with the suit and tie shots for mom and dad, then moved onto some cool shots with his bow and ATV. By the end we were pretty geeked about the photos.

Enjoy!

Class of 2010 ring:

Target acquired:

First we did some posed shots on his ATV:

But we quickly moved to some action shots, which I think are DA BOMB! The only thing missing was a sweet jump.

Thanks Zach for a good time and a chance to make some cool photos.

-- Andrew

Stacy + Sean Wedding, 11 Jul 09

2009-07-15T06:19:00.001-07:00

I was honored to shoot a wedding for Stacy and Sean at Shadow Lake Golf Club. They booked me late and we didn't do an e-session but more than made up for it with some awesome portraits after the ceremony. Great fun.. and a really cool dance (see below) and some photos I'm pretty happy about.

Anyway onto the images!

Or, the animated version here:

Stacy's Mom and dad

Her dress was perfect for her...

Awww, kisses for Aunt Stacy :)

Before the ceremony:

Despite it pouring rain while getting ready, the sky cleared for the ceremony.

This is just after they got married and walked down the aisle. Their first moment as husband and wife after the ceremony- a lovely candid that I will treasure.

The bride and her sister miss their mother who passed away some time ago.

Lovely couple

That's high enough LOL :)

A mini cake fight broke out

Then they busted out this dance, to "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix A Lot:

The groom had some serious moves:

Details

Bye now! Enjoy your honeymoon in Antigua!

-- Andrew

Lindsay + Doug Wedding, 3 Jul 09, part 2

2009-07-07T17:52:00.001-07:00

Wow what a party. I was really impressed with the energy of this group, and it all started with the fun, relaxed and playful attitudes of Lindsay and Doug.The ceremony and reception were held at the Italian American Community Center in Greece, a great facility for weddings with a cool balcony overlooking the reception hall. I also gotta give props to the DJ who did an excellent job- Joe Quatela at Q Music Productions- and I never give props to other vendors, so that's saying something!

I had a great time photographing these guys and gals, and am proud to show off the fruits of my labors. And thanks to my speedy new computer, I finished processing this wedding in 2/3rds the time, even though I had 1350 photos to go through (when I normally shoot 800-1200)!

Well, onto the photos.. enjoy, and feel free to comment below!

I dared them to kiss... much to my surprise they did it! Hilarity!

Mamma and her daughter

The lovely bride Lindsay (or is it Linsay LOL)

She stole all the mints from the bathroom? What?

Lots of happy tears at the ceremony

This was totally them :) I told them they were done and I was packing up my gear after the group formals

Lindsay's father passed away recently, and this was the father-daughter dance. An emotional moment for family... I felt sympathy for their loss.

On to the reception antics!

Tribute to MJ, a full dance to "Billie Jean" by one of the groomsmen

Kick your heels up and shout!

Some details from the day:

Fun with sparklers outside

Had to sneak in a sort-of-astrophoto, and an attempt at an HDR image (something I need some practice with.. I don't shoot landscapes often)

-- Andrew

Lindsay + Doug, 3 Jul 09, part 1

2009-07-06T09:46:00.001-07:00

Some teaser photos from Lindsay and Doug's wedding as I dilligently toil away on processing all 1350 (!!!) of the pictures I took. Fun party!!

And my favorite so far:

Stay tuned for more later this week!

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Andrew 29 Jun 09

2009-07-01T11:36:00.001-07:00

Andrew (easy name to remember!) and I dodged a major rainstorm and did some portraits at the Veterans' Memorial park in Henrietta. We even got a spot of sunshine for some cool effects (plus a rainbow). I got in contact with Andrew through Annie, who's senior portraits I posted back in April.

Having found out Andrew was really into basketball, I gladly accepted the challenge to photograph him in a unique way at twilight. I'm pretty geeked about the photos, as I'm sure he is too.

Thanks Andrew for an easygoing session and enjoy the photos.

A pic to make grandma happy, as I put it right before taking this shot...

Sun poked out allowing us to get some cool shots like this one

Goin for maximum grittiness here :)

Mad ball spinnin skillz

-- Andrew

Engagement of Shelby & Andrew, 27 Jun 09

2009-06-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

Shelby was the second Shelby from Maryland to call me in a one week period and book a wedding for 2008. I was glad to finally meet her and Andrew this weekend and take some photos of them around Village Gate Square and the Rochester Museum and Science Center. Fortunately the weather cooperated and gave us a beautiful sunset. While at the RMSC, we overheard a reception or party nearby where the DJ played several Michael Jackson songs (RIP), in tribute to his passing two days prior.

I appreciated Shelby and Andrew's patience while I set up a few shots.. I think it paid off with a couple of creative and different ideas.

introducing Shelby:

And Andrew:

Very cute :)

Love their relaxed playful attitude

This was my wife's idea.. a good one!

A nice simple portrait

Onto the RMSC, which had a nice little garden area in the back:

Then we played with the whispering sound dishes...

And finally some nighttime twilight-esque shots

I'm very much looking forward to shooting their wedding at the Lower Mill later this year.. it's a lovely location for a more intimate type of wedding, well suited for this couple. Thank you both for a great time and enjoy the photos.

-- Andrew

Sarah + Pete Wedding, 6 Jun 09

2009-06-12T13:02:00.001-07:00

I had the honor and privilege of photographing the marriage of Sarah and Pete at the lovely Midvale Country Club which hosted both the ceremony and reception. I hadn't seen Sarah and Pete since their engagement shoot last October. The day started with the ladies getting ready, and Sarah's dad delivering a card they wrote for her (future) wedding day 15 years earlier. Peter with his friends in the Marines and two brothers (one in the Navy) relaxed most of the time :) After a short but emotional ceremony officiated by Sarah's father, the bridal party drove around the country club in golf carts to various spots to take photos. Then it was on to a lively reception where all the guests had great fun and ate some of the tastiest chicken marsala I'd ever had.

Pete kept asking why his best man has his "hooah bag"...

Pete getting ready

*Ahem*

Pete calmly awaits his bride

What a grand tree.. perfect weather and spot for a wedding ceremony.

Sarah couldn't help but cry a bit as Pete read his vows

Some formals:

This epitomizes Sarah and Pete... I was suggesting some romantic pose ideas and Pete does this...

I then got the idea to have them do this shot... very much their style :)

They kept sneaking off...

Proud parents

Best ring shot of 2009 so far! Pete had a Marine sabre to cut the cake with...

I set up an impromptu portrait studio at the reception site.. awesome sunset light spilling in:

Onto the party and dancing!!

Throw your hands up and shout!

This wedding was a lot of fun guys and thank you for letting me be part of the experience. I hope you enjoy the photos and best wishes for your lives together as husband and wife.

-- Andrew

Engagement of Kate + Mike, 5 Jun 09

2009-06-08T19:49:00.001-07:00

This engagement shoot took place at Ontario Beach state park in Charlotte. Kate and Mike are a very down to earth and relaxed couple, both of whom were up to my playful suggestions. They were good sports too.. putting up with a very long hike out to the end of the pier (longer than I thought) and patiently waiting for me to fix my equipment gremlins (not everything goes perfectly.. but I had backups which worked like a champ!). This session was also my first of any type with a dedicated assistant (a friend-- Thanks Will!!!). He held the reflector and schlepped the lightstands and bag for me. An added bonus was getting a behind-the-scenes shot.

Edited while listening to a 2005 white label remix of Pump up the Volume by M.A.R.R.S. and some loungey house (note, NSFW image)

Enjoy the photos!!

Mmm yummy light :)

Behind the scenes for the next shot:

Lots of fishermen at the end of the pier

Awww

(BTW if we weren't so tired I would've asked everyone to stick around to see if we could catch a green flash.. conditions seemed good for it)

They were goofin around without any direction from me here.. so much fun :)

And the final shot in downtown Rochester

Thanks for a fun and easy time Kate + Mike, looking forward to your wedding in October!!

-- Andrew

Upcoming...

2009-06-01T16:46:00.001-07:00

Engagement shoot and a wedding this weekend.. getting pumped up!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Ann & Roger, 21 May 09

2009-05-24T06:41:00.001-07:00

I met up with Ann + Roger at Roger's grandparents house for their engagement shoot. We took a few photos in the backyard where there was some nice landscaping, then headed over to Roger's parent's farm where Roger grew up (and where the wedding will be).

While on the way over, following them, I thought that I could do some shots of them on Roger's car.. that's how I roll of course... and I am glad I did. Feast your eyes kids on these photos:

Wanted a classic polaroid-esqe look:

I laid in dried poo for this... (well not really, but I could have!)

Hunter wandered over on his own.. we didn't call him over..

Had to try the American Gothic spoof :)

On the roof of the car:

Good lord, I really, really like this lens, reducing the background to just shapes:

And for my personal favorite for the day, for sentimental reasons:
This photo really caught me on an emotional level.. not so much for the image itself, but for the genuineness of the moment. Roger was talking to his future wife about his brothers shooting hoops (while wearing farm boots). The court was behind their heads in this composition.

Knowing that I witnessed this little moment where he just shared with a soon-to-be-family member some ordinary, every-day memory of his brothers was special. And the simple, easy affection they had (I was futzing with the flash on the stand right behind them, and they were just naturally hanging out that way) just adds to the whole genuineness of the moment. I also connect to this moment from a parental point of view, as I hope my now 16-month old son and his twin 2-month old brothers have a moment like this 20-25-30 years down the road.

Thanks Ann + Roger for a successful shoot. I look forward to your wedding.

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Annie 17 Apr 09

2009-05-01T13:38:00.001-07:00

My 3rd and final senior session from this batch, I present to you Annie's photos. Annie connected me with both Lindsay and Emily, so Thank you to Annie for doing so. I am pleased with how her photos came out as well.. Lindsay was an excellent assistant for me.

We had a little fun goofin around with a traffic cone opportunistically sitting there:

Thank you again Annie for a great session.. enjoy the photos!

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Lindsay 17 Apr 09

2009-04-26T01:06:00.001-07:00

This is the first half of the senior photos I took the next day, this time of Lindsay. Lindsay was very relaxed throughout the session, and helped tremendously while I was photographing her friend Annie (coming soon). Enjoy the photos!

I like this one a lot:

I like how Lindsay has a lot of genuine expressions

Lovely sky that day. Perfect for the rockin' pose

Thanks again Lindsay!

-- Andrew

Senior Portraits- Emily 16 Apr 09

2009-04-20T19:11:00.001-07:00

My first senior portrait session of the year was with Emily. We had a fun time working together.. Emily is so naturally happy it made my work easy.

Goin for a different look with this one..

Putting my new lens (see previous posts) to use...

A fun shot and a great expression.

Thanks Emily for a great session, enjoy the photos!

-- Andrew

Equipment Review - 5D Mark II camera

2009-04-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

Continuing my series of equipment reviews for photographers, I recently re-acquired a 5D Mark II camera. My review of this camera will be short... it has the following advantages over the original 5D (which I used up to this point):
- Usable ISO6400 = 2 stop improvement = faster shutter speeds, or lower light capability
- Huge LCD.. much easier to see!
- Video is a nice toy (for weddings)
- Live view is a nice toy (for weddings; it's indispensable for astrophotos)
- Controls are the same as the 40D, my backup camera.. huge ergonomic thing.. now I can change the camera settings much faster since they're the same.
- 21.1 Megapixels
- Usable SRAW1 mode which yeilds 10 megapixel shots, the same as the 40D (also a 10 MP camera). Save on card and disk space.

Already used the camera at Meg + Steve's wedding, and it performed flawlessly. Can't wait to really grow familiar with it over the next couple years. If funds allow, I will definitely pick up a second copy.

-- Andrew

200mm f/2.0 L IS coming today

2009-04-11T08:10:00.001-07:00

Can't wait for the arrival of my 200/2 L IS lens today. I sold off my 300/2.8, and 135L to fund it's purchase. Yeah, it's too expensive but the results are awesome. This piece of equipment will differentiate me from the rest.

-- Andrew

Meg + Steve Wedding, 28 Mar 09, part 2

2009-04-06T20:07:00.003-07:00

The rest of the photos from Meg + Steve's wedding!

Nothing like working in a little guitar hero...

I love this shot, it's so.. Cheers-like. Just a great group of friends hanging out.

Meg + Steve's first dance as a couple

Thanks again for a great time.

-- Andrew

Meg & Steve, 28 Mar 09, part 1

2009-03-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

Some teaser shots of my first wedding for 2009, Meg + Steve. They had a wonderful ceremony at St Thomas More church, officiated by Megan's uncle Wil, and their reception at Shadow Lake. These are some preliminary favorites!

The lovely couple:

A moving toast and tribute by the matron of honor, Megan's sister:

Stay tuned for more...

-- Andrew

Camera changes

2009-03-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

My trusty 40D died on Monday! It was/is my backup and 2nd camera. Wanting to ensure I have appropriate backups for my first wedding this Saturday, I pulled the trigger on the camera I had intended to buy anyway- the 5D Mark II. It arrived yesterday, so I'm pretty excited to use it this Saturday. And my 40D goes off to the service center for repair. Hope it doesn't cost too much since the 40D is out of warranty :(

-- Andrew

They're Here!!!! Jacob & Joshua

2009-03-03T10:00:00.001-08:00

My wife gave birth to beautiful healthy twin boys, Jacob (on the right) and Joshua (on the left) on Sunday March 1st! Understandably it will be a while before I post Carson's other photos :)

-- Andrew

Carson's 1st birthday, part 1

2009-02-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

Had a chance to hang out with some friends down near Watkins Glen for their son's first birthday party. It was cool to see Carson enjoying his big day, playing with his toys. He clearly loves his mommy, and it shows in the photos. What a cute guy. He really showed his personality once he got used to all the people over at the house.

Here are a couple of my favorites from the day, starting with Carson hanging out with his sippy cup and my son Evan in the background

I love their playfulness in this photo---

The eyes have it!

Stay tuned for some more...

-- Andrew

Engagement of Meg & Steve, 31 Jan 09

2009-02-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

OK, OK I'm a little slow with this update, but I did a great engagement portrait session with Meg and Steve, a very nice couple who initially met at JD Oxford's, where Steve was (and is) a bartender. Fitting in with their dating story theme, we did the entire shoot right there inside the bar while it was open for only the three of us.

Meg's favorite chair in the place...

Very photogenic, I liked this spot for portraits:

(this was taken with the 85/1.8 and 5D for you camera geeks out there)

Meg's idea... they're my first wedding of the year, March 28th

I liked my own unique twist on this kind of shot.. notice the pool balls themselves...

Finally a nice nook in the trap door leading into the basement below the bar. I like how the light hit them just so in this shot:

Thanks guys, I hope you enjoyed the photos and I'm looking forward to working at your wedding!!

-- Andrew

Engagement of Shelby & Matt, 17 Jan 09

2009-01-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

Well what can I say? I'm very excited to have something new to post here. My first engagement shoot for 2009, and the first clients to contact me, meet with me and sign with me under my own business (AWelshPhotography.com). I was pretty stoked to be doing a shoot with them at the SU campus (go Orange!). Driving in I was listening to the basketball game and the pasting they gave Notre Dame was a good sign, even if there was a lot of traffic when I showed up.

Anyhoo, the session was great... started in a new classroom building on Marshall St, then over to the school of music, then to the student union (the SU SU? heh), a stop at the library then ending on Marshall St for good measure.

And to show what troopers Shelby and Matt are, we shot this in 13 degree weather (that's -10.5 C for non-Americans).

Onto the photos... for starters I love the layers of triangles in this composition:

Sneak in some fun at the library... just wait and see other photographers stealing this idea :)

And a special sign Shelby made...

I will be sure to save the date guys. I am stoked about shooting your wedding at the Welch-Allyn resort!

-- Andrew

Equipment review- Canon 200mm f/2.0 L IS

2008-11-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Since this blog is new, I will let everyone know I will be occasionally posting a photographer-geek link or offer some discussion about equipment.

Being a photographer means I get to use both my technical and artistic sides. I am often interested in the latest gear and gadgets, and when it comes to photo equipment I am no different. Canon announced last fall and made available this spring a new lens which could be used quite often in the context of a wedding- the EF 200mm f/2.0 L IS.

Having a strong desire to try it out and compare it to my 300/2.8 I bought the lens from Bryan Carnathan (who operates The Digital Picture, a lens review site). I was fortunate enough to find it used since it had only been out for a month! That meant I got to save a couple hundred bucks and I got to play with a almost brand new lens.

I did a thorough review of the lens focusing on my astrophotography hobby. However I did have the opportunity to use this lens while second shooting at a wedding, which was an important experience.

The 200/2 is really a dream lens-- despite the weight and ostentatious white color (which says "look here!" or "steal me!", bad things for candid photography) it is a spectacular piece of optics. The background just melts away into blurry nothingness. And the image stabilizer on the lens makes handholding the 5 pound beast a breeze, especially in low light situations (which I found out at my test wedding). For headshot portraits, it has no match in the Canon lens lineup, except perhaps the 135L.

The main drawback to this lens is it's prohibitive cost. Had the lens been priced at or below the value of the 300/2.8, the discussion would have been over. However, Canon priced the lens rather high making it financially prohibitive for a portrait and wedding business. That's too bad, because there would be a lot of happy customers out there otherwise. I wish I could've kept it, but the cost just wasn't going to be recuperated. For a sports photographer, the justification is much different, as this lens in a sports context would make it's value back, and then some, over time.

So, gearheads, if you're a rich amateur (or a rich professional!), by all means go ahead and buy the lens. It does everything as advertised. Otherwise, you can accomplish much of the same with a 135 f/2L.

Engagement of Sarah & Pete, 17 Oct 08

2008-11-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

Shot a great session with Sarah and Pete at Mendon Ponds park. It was cool to hang out with these two.. Pete is laid back and always willing to crack a joke, and Sarah is so sweet and loving. Clearly these two will have a happy and successful marriage, and I can't wait to shoot their wedding in June of next year.

Here are some select shots:

Their love just goes around.... (har har)

Tha bling

Awesome sunset and clear weather this day, made for a lovely dramatic sillouhette

-- Andrew

Welcome!

2008-11-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

Well, this is my first post in my new photo blog. I'm happy to start the journey with you all as you see my wedding and portrait photography be posted here. This will be a good way for everyone to see my most current work, and what I'm up to as a photographer!