This New York couple knew from the very beginning that their engagement photos must speak “true Chicago. Not the skyline, albeit gorgeous, but the off-the-beaten-track, rugged Chicago. Fulton Market, with its countless, tired garage doors and truck access alleys lent the photos a healthy dose of “real” Chicago.
Anne & Zach arrived in a vintage, restored to perfection Stingray. The hot-rod along with Anne’s vintage burnt orange dress gave the photo shoot a 70’s Vogue vibe.
An Engagement Session … perhaps a Destination Lifestyle Photo Shoot is a more fitting description?
Be it as it may, Julie is a courageous graphic designer who decided to leave Chicago and “give it all up”, moved to Netherlands following the love of her life, Andy. He is a London attorney whose work takes him around the globe. They wanted a photographic adventure, not just an engagement session. Sort of a pre wedding honeymoon.
Julie and Andy were considering Amsterdam, where they currently make their home. But, based on our suggestion, finally decided on Prague. Its timeless charm and beauty simply appeals to all the senses, with history that lingers around each corner. Having gotten to know Prague through our fine art work, we were able to stray away from the touristic traps and inject our knowledge of this exhilarating city into Julie and Andy’s photos.
The four of us met up that afternoon at a small, romantic cafe located at the foot of the “New” Castle Steps. A spot that has not changed for more than 300 years. A couple of glasses of authentic Czech white wine and an hour worth of conversation helped us catch up on things since we last saw each other in Chicago some months ago.
As we explored the narrow, Kafkaesque, cobblestone streets, Julie and Andy were privileged to have Prague touch their love story in a very personal way. There was romance in the air, as Julie and Andy walked off into the night in the “Mother of all Cities”, their feet touching the 1000 year old Charles Bridge at sunset.
A few weeks later, Julie back in Amsterdam, Andy en route to Singapore, both anxiously awaiting his touchdown at the airport so they could together, even though thousands of miles away, get a first glimpse of their beautiful photographs.
For us, as photographers, the biggest reward came in the form of Julie’s own words: “You have the magic touch!”; quickly followed by Andy’s: “I am quite simply blown away.”
Julie and Andy, thank you for an afternoon we will always remember.
If you are interested in a Prague destination engagement session and would like to learn more, please contact us via the contact form or through our website.
This spectacular Indian Fusion wedding was held at the Gold Coast Room of the historic, old world Drake Hotel located on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Deepa, resplendent in a red and gold dress, met Greg under their custom built mandap, set aglow with Swarovski crystals and suspended orange orchids. The couple celebrated their traditional Indian nuptials in a warm and relaxed family atmosphere.
We love working with a partner that shares the same high standard we believe in…
La-Vie Albums offer an edgy twist on today’s coffee table book. We fell in love with our first sample and it lasted ever since. The stunning “one-off” designs are created by Japanese artisans to ensure the individuality of each book. After years of our ongoing relationship with La-Vie, we are continuously amazed every time we receive a client album for inspection; by the quality, craftsmanship and design that is sure to “wow” everyone. La-Vie continuously perfects their design, offering an astonishing variety of exciting colors, textures and cover designs for their hardcover books. Those of our clients who prefer leather, praise La-Vie’s stitched leather covers and their newest addition of Spanish Leather has been making quite an impression. No matter what your fancy, this is an absolutely singular album experience.
Each album is completely and individually custom designed. The layout is created to tell the story of your wedding day in a way that is deeply personal and uniquely yours. Entirely hand made and assembled in Japan by an artisan, your album will carry the intangible touch of the centuries old Japanese craftsmanship legacy. The “story within a panorama” and the quad-fold pages are La-Vie’s signature. As your album gets assembled, each photograph is trimmed and meticulously inlaid into the hand-cut mats, using nothing more than handheld “X-Acto” knives and the precision of a trained eye. Later, entire pages are coated one by one with an archival varnish to protect this precious book for generations. Its fingerprint resistant surface makes the album easy to handle. At the same time, the pages feel “real” and “organic”, with a very tactile appearance and subtle texture of the mat. Real photographs are used for best photographic quality, giving the album a refined look.
Each book arrives in its own, heavy weight protective sleeve and La-Vie’s signature orange box.
Large Coffee Table Book (H-Type), dimensions 13×11.5 inches, with La-vie’s signature “story within a panorama” and flip out quad-fold pages. Makes a “one of a kind” wedding album. See examples below.
Medium Coffee Table Book (C-Type), dimensions 12×8.5 inches. Great for the couple’s main album or an extraordinary parent album. See examples below.
Small Coffee Table Book (M-Type), dimensions 10×7 inches. Ideal for an engagement session album, parent/gift album or a purse friendly wedding “brag” album. See examples below.
For more information and pricing please contact us.
The famed war photographer, Robert Cappa, once said: “If your pictures are not good enough, you are not close enough.” Perhaps, the motto of all documentary photographers. A convincing photograph, the kind where the story is being told in a single photographic frame, is the cornerstone of photojournalism. It is almost never fully appreciated at first glance. Once we give it time and try to understand it, it rewards with a satisfying complexity of composition and multiple narrative layers.
Below, a classic congratulatory gesture in the foreground, while the secondary plane reveals its context. The multiple elements such as; the two smiling women, one at the bottom left and the other further back, signify happiness and joy. While the bridesmaid, holding her bouquet suggests a wedding. The architectural details of the building and the heavy iron door exclaim a grand, historic church.
Below, a single frame is both descriptive and narrative. The “act of getting married” is center-stage. The bride and groom looking deeply into each other’s eyes, while the parents extend their comforting presence. The aisle stretching behind them symbolizes the road of life the couple will embark upon in a moment. The beauty and harmony of the ceremony setting is revealed, suggesting a classic “from above” view due to the slightly elevated camera position.
These are just a couple of examples that speak to the narrative power of a 24mm wide angle lens. It takes enormous concentration to create images that so often happen in a split second, capturing the “decisive moment”, but also contain a story told within a single photographic frame. The wide angle of view allows the photographer to reveal certain elements of the environment thereby giving a better description of “where” and “why”. It literally evokes a feeling of “being part of the scene” in the viewer.
Erica and Randy selected the Herrington Inn, an intimate boutique hotel nestled on the Fox River in Geneva, IL, as the ideal backdrop for their special day. The French provincial decor and the natural setting inspired their elegant theme, which included a refined color palette of ivory, taupe, chocolate and brushed silver.
