As a fun experiment, I pulled over one hundred top reviews of great wedding photographers in the Atlanta area to see what words, feelings, and expressions rise to the top. Check out the word cloud below. You can just feel the excitement of the satisfied customers shining through!

A couple thoughts. Some of the most common words that pop up revolve around people and emotion, basically a reflection of the wedding’s purpose of bringing people together to celebrate life.

Second, see “husband” right there in the middle? Great. Now I won’t ask you to find “wife” because it’s totally absent. Much of the wedding industry almost exclusively targets brides but surely photography should appeal to all genders? I’m curious about ways to encourage grooms to more actively engage with their photographers.

Also, I was going to do another word cloud comprised of bad reviews but it was shaping up to be a real bummer. I’ll stick with the happy sentiments!

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As you may have seen from this post, I was lucky enough to shoot Mike and Gloria’s wedding last month in Ohio. As you’ll quickly notice, the UV party theme was a visual treat.  The wedding took place at Canton’s The Auricle music venue. What better place for both Elvis and a DJ spinning vinyl to entertain the crowd?

Working with a couple that have such a strikingly individual style is a treat for me as a photographer! When Gloria was getting ready, I noticed her elegant, almost vintage 1920s profile…fast forward an hour and her beautiful bouquet was being adorned with LEDs. Something old and something new indeed! Well done!

Thank you again for bringing me up to Ohio to share such in your unique and awesome wedding!

As an aside, I was thoroughly impressed with Canton’s arts scene and some of the local businesses. Special mention goes to the fine folks at Muggswigz and the delicious sandwiches at Deli Ohio.

View from our hotel in Canton

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I had the great honor of shooting a lively wedding last weekend in Ohio. Mike & Gloria’s event fit them perfectly: fun, heartfelt, with an alternative flair!

Here are some pictures I took of their engagement in Virginia last autumn. I remember hiding behind the window overlooking the courtyard to get the proposal shots! Check back next week for wedding pictures (with a special appearance by the King himself)!

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I had the great pleasure of shooting a surprise proposal this weekend at the foot of the University of Virginia’s Rotunda. I could feel my heart beat while trying to remain inconspicuous until Ali proposed to Anisa. Everything took place on a stunning late winter’s day on the Lawn. It was great to meet you both, best of wishes!

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This beautiful welded metal statue by Henry Mascotte sits in front of Charlottesville’s St. Thomas Aquinas church. Always reminded me of Ben Franklin with shoulder pads. Anyhow, today is the 740th anniversary of Acquinas’s death.

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And here’s a shot of the remains of one of Dunluce’s great rooms. I’ll admit that I have a hard time imagining what the myriad of roof lines must have looked like during the castle’s prime.  The sprawling grounds really illustrate how complex the it was. Just look at all of the chimneys – requiring how many full-time servants? I can’t get enough of the smartly-reconstructed stone floor! Click for a larger vista…

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Here’s a simple panorama shot from Dunluce Castle, a ruined fortress in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located on a steep cliff that juts out toward the sea, the wind is quite strong. Unfortunately I’ve captured a common Irish sky in this shot…click for a larger photo.

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It’s been so monochromatic here lately, I wanted to remind myself that Spring is still around the corner! From the looks of the leaves, I believe this is some sort of hibiscus or related.  Normally I dislike aggressive sharpening but it provides an interesting effect here. Almost as if the petals are made of crate paper.

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We’ve had our first real snowfall this season in Charlottesville along with some FREEZING temperatures. Here are some shots from out and about, including the first photo of the William Turner deer sculpture I’m happy with. It’s such a beautiful work but the animals duel in public, adjacent to a busy road and parked cars. As for the living, hopefully the hen here stays warm!

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Poor cherubs. I think they’d rather party than hibernate for the winter.

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