It’s hard to believe that in less than 6 hours, 2006 will come to a close here on the east coast. The year has flown by and brought much good fortune. My business exploded early in the year and 2007 will easily be my best and busiest year to date. I’m excited about all of the great events I’m booked to photograph next year and over the fact that I get to work with so many incredible people. It will surely be a blast!
Yearly Archives: 2006
Yesterday I shot my final wedding of 2006. It also happened to be my birthday, and fortunately the wedding was a late afternoon affair so I was able to spend the morning relaxing with my family. I was given some great DVDs as birthday gifts and my grandmother even made me a cake. I turned 29 years old. Yep, next year is the big 3-0! I can’t believe it, I still feel like a kid. I still act like one too.
The hours passed quickly and shortly before 4pm, we left for the Somerset Church of God to begin shooting Carissa & Ryan’s wedding celebration. Everything was gorgeous, from the bride and her bridesmaids to the flowers and decorations, to the handsome groom and groomsmen. I love December weddings, especially when they bring the Christmas colors into play, and Carissa had chosen a brilliant, deep red color palette that was breathtaking. The day went perfectly and we had a lot of fun working with this great, young couple. I loved the photos we were able to take and below are some of my favorites.
And just so you know, the “groom running away” shot was all Ryan’s idea, but as you can see, they had a happy ending.
Congratulations to Ryan & Carissa on your wedding and the beginning of your lives together!
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January 1, 2007 - 2:02 am
Tony, you do excellent wedding work. I give wedding photographers a lot of credit, because it’s one of those things I won’t do 
If I just had a dollar for every wedding I have turned down, I could probably buy something nice. I did a wedding once just to see what it was like. I did it for free as well. The couple wasn’t really in my circle of friends, but the bride’s daughter was a friend of mine and she asked me to do it. They were willing to pay, but I did it as a favor just to see what it was like. I learned very quickly why wedding photography is expensive. I spent about four hours shooting, between pre-wedding, wedding, post wedding, and reception. I did everything they specifically wanted and then did some of what I wanted as well. After shooting nearly 500 photos in that four hours, I presented them with proofs of just under 200 images. They made a huge print order. I think they ordered about 125 prints in various sizes, of which I gave them at cost. I’m guessing, if I was a professional wedding photographer, that particular wedding would have cost the couple in the neighborhood of $3500 with the prints they ordered. The time I spent processing images and getting prints made (mpix.com) was overwhelming. I think I had at least 20 or 25 hours in it beyond the time I spent at the event.
Kudos
Okay, so I wasn’t really almost arrested, but it sounds more interesting when I phrase it that way. If you missed yesterday’s blog, be sure to check it out and read about my encounter with a Westmoreland Mall security guard.
I think what irked me the most about being asked to stop shooting, was that I was having so much fun. It took me a while for me to work up the courage to approach a stranger and ask to take his or her photo, but once I did, I really got into it. Sure, I got more “nos” than “yeses”, but even the nos were polite. And, the people who did say “yes” really enjoyed having a portrait made. One gentleman even said that it was the first time he’d had a professional photographer take his photo since he was in high school. It was a good feeling and it was disappointing to have to stop.
Sharon and I did get several nice shots of the shoppers and a few of our favorites are below (mine are first). And if you’re one of the wonderful people who posed for us, be sure to email me so I can send you a free print.
And here are some of Sharon’s.
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