Samantha and Steven’s Central Park wedding was every single thing a wedding photographer could ask for. We started the day at the bride and groom’s apartment near Times Square, where Samantha was able to relax and get ready at home. After seeing each other for the first time on the balcony of their apartment, we moved to the roof deck for a few images. Then it was off to Central Park, where the bride and groom actually let me choose the location of their wedding ceremony! The whole day was intimate, heartfelt, beautiful, and just right. Samantha and Steven’s wedding is proof that you don’t have to do anything for your day except precisely what you want…and nothing more. If you want to take your family and closest friends and walk into Central Park and get married in a field, do it! Want to take them all out to dinner afterwards? Do that, too! Feel like ending the night with a huge party in a basement speakeasy? Yes to all that, yes to everything.
Samantha is not a graphic designer, but she could have fooled me. She hand-made every one of her wedding invitations with a professional’s attention to detail.
I do love gorgeous hotels, but there is something so intimately perfect when a bride gets ready at home. You can see her wedding gown hanging in her closet, her shoes on her own dresser, and the view outside her window reflected perfectly in the mirror.
Stacie Ford was on hand to create Samantha’s wedding day look. I always love working with Stacie, and she does such an impeccable job.
Shooting on rooftops is often not what you’d think it would be. High railings usually prohibit us from getting the view that the clients love so much, but not so on this bride and groom’s rooftop. The shape of the roof was such that it allowed me to get a side view of the couple, and a great vantage point to shoot the Manhattan skyline.
Before heading out to Central Park, the bride and groom stopped back in their apartment to gather their things and chat with their family. I love this silhouette against the clock from that part of the day.
Before their ceremony began, I had time with Samantha and Steven alone in the park. We walked through the Shakespeare Gardens and I had the opportunity to take a few portraits with my new Petzval lens, a fantastic addition to my lens lineup.
Samantha and Steven are very, very, VERY sweet together. They also went out of their way to make sure that my assistant and I were cared for, which was overwhelmingly nice. No wonder their family and friends love them as much as they do! They are both so funny, so bright, and so very lovely.
I’ll do anything it takes to get the shot. Whether it’s climbing on a fence, laying flat on my stomach in the middle of the street, or even climbing into a rosebush (which is what I did here), it’s all part of the job.
Central Park is always beautiful, but it is also always maddeningly crowded. It’s always a wonderful surprise when I find the perfect pocket of light in the perfect location, with nary a tourist in sight.
I love the interplay of shadow and light. I especially love it in a crisp, dramatic black and white portrait.
I love that Samantha wasn’t really walked down an “aisle.” She was led into the circle of her family and friends, and it was a really powerful moment.
It’s not often that a bride and groom allow me to choose their wedding location – on their wedding day! I tried to pick a spot for them in beautiful light, in a beautiful setting, away from the crowds.
During a wedding ceremony, I try to observe not just the bride and groom, but the friends and family watching the ceremony.
It was nearing sundown, but we still had a great deal of brilliant light in the park.
As a wedding photographer, I don’t often get a choice about where I can stand during a wedding ceremony. Churches, synagogues, and venues usually have rules about where I can be. When the ceremony is outdoors, I have more leniency to move around and get a bit closer to the action.
Crying grooms get me every time. Every. Single. Time.
Someone brought a bubble gun to the ceremony, and used it during the recessional. I love Samantha’s expression!
After the ceremony in Central Park, we moved to the High Line for some quick portraits before dinner.
Some of my favorite places to photograph on the High Line are off the beaten path. This is one of my absolute favorite places. The light is always brilliant, and I love the stark background.
The bride and groom really wanted sunset pictures, but the skies didn’t cooperate. We went out anyhow, and I think it was well worth it. I love the clouds rolling in, and the crazy pink lights at the Chanel popup store in the distance.
Wedding reception in a speakeasy, in the dark? No windows, low ceilings? No problem! I love that this guest got out his cell phone and used the flashlight to illuminate the speech!
I didn’t have an opportunity to photograph the groom’s ring before the ceremony, so I took a moment during the reception to create a portrait of it. I used a side table, a candle, and my iPhone flashlight for light!
Samantha and Steven, I cannot thank you enough for having me as a part of your day. Thank you for being so generous and kind, and for treating me to one of the best meals I’ve ever had! I look forward to repaying you by taking you to dinner next time! Thank you for having the wedding YOU wanted to have, just how you wanted it. It was a joy and an honor to document it for you!
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