Jackie and Jeff

I'm still playing catch up with blogging. I have so many things I want to post about and I'm trying to find the time to post it all. I have to admit, I actually took time off to enjoy Labor Day weekend with my family, at least Sunday and Monday of it after Saturday's wedding.

Last weekend, we were at Bristol Harbour for Jackie and Jeff's wedding. We started the day with Jackie and Jeff seeing each other before hand over looking the spectacular scenery of Canandaigua Lake. We then headed back up 21 a few miles to the vineyard of my friend Angela Barron who owns Barron’s Pratt Barn & Vineyard. She allowed us to come up to her property and photograph Jackie and Jeff in the vineyard and around the pond.

After returning to Bristol Harbour, Jackie and Jeff were married in a late afternoon ceremony with perfect weather. The evening finished off with a fire works show by Young Explosives.

Misty and Jeff

I photographed Misty and Jeff several times before their wedding this past weekend. The first was an engagement session at the studio and the second was along the Hudson River in Hoboken, NJ overlooking the Manhattan skyline. They were so awesome during those shoots, I couldn't wait for their wedding. It was an awesome day at Belhurst Castle with the ceremony out on the back lawn. We got there hours before the ceremony for Misty and Jeff to see each other for the first time early in the day and then do their formals and romantics before the ceremony. During the ceremony they did a really cool rose ceremony where the mothers poured dirt into a planter with a rose bush in it, symbolizing the nurturing and beauty of their marriage. It was a unique approach replacing the unity candle or sand ceremony. Jeff was so funny during the ceremony. He kept trying to kiss Misty before it was "time". She kept laughing and backing away from him until he realized he wasn't supposed to do that yet. They were so perfect together. The rest of the evening was great with a packed dance floor and great food.

As a side note, I have a few weddings to post about before this one, but they were shorter weddings without a slideshow during the reception. My blog photos typically come from the photos I do during the reception as a slideshow. We are extremely busy everyday with shooting and editing senior photos. I will catch up soon editing some photos from the shorter weddings as well as from many of the car shoots we've been doing lately.

Until then, enjoy photos from Misty and Jeff's wedding.

 

Dream Cars

I remember the day my Dad came home with my first car. It was actually his car, but I was 14 and doing the math, by the time he was done with it, I would have my license. It was a 1985 Titanium Grey Buick Regal T-Type with a 200hp turbo engine. It was the twin to the infamous Buick Grand National, only it did not have the GN badge and didn't have to be black. The engine was archaic in today's standards, but back then it was sweet, with the right amount of growl and acceleration to press you into the seat when the turbo kicked in. I eventually did get the car after having to get a certain GPA in school. Then I had to maintain that GPA to keep the car. I missed by .4 of a point. That was a harsh lesson to learn, trading in my keys for an '82 Skylark with with a dented door and steering that would lock half way through a turn. My Dad meant business. In the end, I did get the car back Freshman year of college after buying it from my sister.

I've had a love for cars since I was old enough to crawl on the floor pushing toy cars across the shag carpet, growling vroom vroom as loud as I could, spit and drool flying everywhere like the dog from Turner and Hooch.

That same love of cars is now the driving force (pun intended) behind the next phase of my business as a car photographer. I have added a new gallery on my website devoted to cars and we are launching a line of car calendars, showcasing cars from the 40's with pinup models, 50's with pinup models, 60's and 70's muscle cars, rat rods, Mustangs and more...

A few weeks ago, I went down to Amanda's father Steve's house to photograph his '53 pick up, along with a bunch of his friend's cars. There were cars ranging from the 30's through the late 60's. I shot some of the cars with models, experimenting with different looks and outfits. One of my favorites is with my friend Mariah and a '49 Lincoln Zephyr restored by Marty's Chop Shop in Hall.

We are still looking for cars for our calendars. If you're interested, call us at 585-393-9242.

Erin and Rich

Being in the heart of senior portrait season before school starts, it's easy for time to get away from me with blogging. I will post a bunch of senior stuff soon, both here and on our senior blog at http://cheslerseniors.blogspot.com/.

On August 4th, I had the privilege of photographing Erin and Rich's small, intimate ceremony at the Sunken Garden at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva. It was a Wednesday evening wedding with just the two of them and both sets of parents. It was an elegant wedding followed by dinner at Belhurst Castle. Erin looked like she came right out of the 1940's. In fact, I'm hoping she'll model for me the Cars of the 40's calendar we are doing.