I had so much fun with Marcie and Paul doing the couple’s e-shoot, I’ve decided to post additional photos from the event.

Enjoy!

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far, don’t stray far…there’s more to come.

As I said, this is only a sneak peak.

Thanks for viewing.

Namaste

Chris

As I have said before, I have had an opportunity to work with some amazing couples.

On June 24, 2011 NYS became the sixth state to approve same-sex marriage. Gay couples could begin marrying within 30-days of the passing of this legislation. The first gay marriage took place in Niagara Falls, NY at midnight on July 25, 2011.

I received a phone call from Brenda in late August. Brenda inquired about my wedding packages and asked several questions about my photography style. We agreed to schedule a time to meet and before ending the call, Brenda stated, “I’m gay. Is this OK for you?” I responded, “Absolutely!”

I met with Brenda and Linda and like every other couple I have met with since beginning my business, their love was evident.

We shot the couple’s engagement session at Glen Falls located in Williamsville, NY.

Brenda and Linda looked beautiful together.

True love!

The couple’s favorite photo.

It was a beautiful day at Glen Falls.

Thanks so much everyone for reading and viewing my blog. It means a lot to me. For the many readers who sign up via their RSS readers on a daily basis…thank you!

Namaste.

Chris

Namaste.

Chris

This past weekend I had the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things: photography and hiking.

As many of you know I continue to work as a social worker as I build my wedding, portrait and senior portrait photography business. A quick shout out to those of you who have read my posts, visited my FaceBook Fan page, my main website and also hired me to work together with you to make the photographic memories which will alow you to look back and smile throughout the years.

I work with Diana. She is a nurse in our OB/GYN department. For months I had to “endure” lol her conversations about her “fantastic” boyfriend. Tommy proposed and the conversations turned to her “fantastic” fiance. No doubt after the couple marries in 2011 the conversation will turn to “my fantastic husband.”

Tommy had decided on a career path which included joining the army. Tommy’s love for his country and the importance of defensing the right to free speech made this an easy decision to make. Tommy recently graduated from basic training. throughout Tommy’s absence, Diana did an awesome job planning her wedding. Tommy returned to Buffalo for the holidays and we decided this would be the best time to complete the couple’s engagement session. Tommy leaves Buffalo to return to his home base and complete additional training. Tommy will be one of the soldier s responsible for locating, identifying and disarming IED’s. For those of you who don’t know, those are Improvised Explosive Devices otherwise known as “roadside bombs.”

As we drove to various locations (to keep warm) I thanked Tommy for his decision to enlist and to help the thousands of other men and women who have decided to protect our bill of Rights and our Constitution. A HUGE ‘Thank you” goes out to all of the enlisted men and women and those who have served in the past. Another HUGE “Thank you” also goes out to those men and women who have given the ultimate price. Thank you for allowing me to do what I do and the freedom to enjoy it.

Diana and Tommy had their first date at Niawanda Park in Tonawanda, NY. Now anyone who know this park it has a lengthy (several mile) bike/walking path which follows the contour of the Niagara River. Tommy told me he and Diana had begun at one end and found they had walked several miles before realizing just how far they had walked. The couple enjoyed each other’s company to the point of not paying attention to how far they had walked.

Several locations, a stop for additional warm weather gear and we completed a very fun shoot. I love winter shoot especially in places such as Niagara Falls. The softly falling snow combined with the lack of overzealous tourists makes for a great photography environment.

Namaste and thank you all for reading.

Chris

Here it is as promised…Part II of Priscilla and Kevin’s engagement shoot.

We met at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo. It was our first meeting. I sat on the steps of the art gallery and occasionally looked up. Approaching me was the future bride wearing a smile which stretched from ear to ear. She asked, “Chris is that you?” I responded with a smile, “It’s me.” We discussed the couple’s trip home from North Carolina and expressed our excitement at the opportunity to met each other for the first time and to begin the engagement shoot.

The couple walked hand in hand along the lake. Love was evident. Kevin laughed and Priscilla apologized for his sense of humor. There was an immediate rapport.

It had rained quite a bit in the days leading up to the couple’s engagement shoot. When we have  a lot of rain in Western New York, the colors of the leaves tend to be muted. Their brilliance literally washed away with the rain. We walked through the park along a gravel path; laughing and joking. My eyes searched for the next photo and fell upon this tree. It was purely coincidence a park bench was also present.

At 6′ 5″ Kevin had a little bit of a height advantage over Priscilla. Thanks to the steps we found we were able to even out that advantage.

I think it is safe to say “We had sooo much fun doing this engagement shoot.

Thanks Priscilla and Kevin. Next week…photos from the couple’s wedding. Stay tuned…

Chris

Last October I received an email from Priscilla. In the email she said, “My name is Priscilla and I just took a look at your website.  The pictures are beautiful!” We exchanged a couple of emails and the rest as they say is history.

The couple was originally from the Buffalo, NY area and had moved to Charlotte, NC. Priscilla took a job managing a Target while her fiance Kevin accepted a teaching position. As a result of the distance between Charlotte and Buffalo, I had not had an opportunity to meet the couple. I arrived at the art gallery early and took up residence on the steps behind the art gallery. The weather was beautiful and there were a number of people walking by the lake and I caught myself frequently looking up and around as I waited for the couple. Minutes later I glanced upward from my perch again. This time I saw Priscilla and Kevin walking toward me. The smile she wore tole me this would be a fun shoot.

As we met and introduced each other, Kevin’s sense of humor immediately began to shine. Her smile and his sense of humor combined to make this an awesome shoot.

What an awesome smile!

The last year saw us exchange over 30-emails. The couple was forced to cancel one engagement session and we rescheduled for Wednesday night, Wednesday night the week of the couple’s wedding.

I am not a fan of slide-shows embedded in blogs so I’ve added just a few of my favorites from Priscilla and Kevin’s engagement shoot. There are many more favorites which means there are enough for another post, so keep watching.

I love the couple’s I get to photograph. I have been so lucky to meet such wonderful individuals who end up becoming wonderful friends.

Priscilla and Kevin, I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed spending the time to make them with you.

Chris

I met Carrie and Jim a couple of months ago after they were referred to me by my niece Ashley. Carrie and Ashley had gone to college together and remain close friends.

The couple arrived for their initial consultation with Jim’s parents. This can be a daunting experience but it was quickly clear Jim’s parents were pretty easy going. That easy going attitude appeared to have rubbed off on Jim as well.  The couple discussed their plans for a new Year’s Eve wedding.

We made plans for the couple’s engagement shoot and got lucky with the weather. Western New York during the Fall months can be one of the most beautiful times of the year but the weather can also be unpredictable and unrelenting. Dampness, cold, rain and grey skies often dominate the landscape for weeks at a time before we experience the luxury of seeing the sun. Rates of seasonal depression attest to this.

Carrie and Jim stopped by my office and we all climbed into the “toaster” which is my affectionate term for my wonderful Honda Element. We drove to nearby Pinewoods Park where we negan the session with the couple wearing more formal clothing.

Pine Woods Park in North Tonawanda is a wonderful place to shoot locally.

Once we completed shots at this location, we drove back to my office where the couple changed clothing before we left to make a quick trip to Blackman Farms in Lockport, NY. Now I had never been to Blackman Farms and was quite impressed. U-pick apples plus ust about anything which can be made of apples for sale. Unfortunately when we arrived the trees had been picked clean of all apples save for a row of trees from which we were forbidden to pick fruit.

We took a few quick shots of the turkeys as you can also purchase a turkey here. I later found out that for $2.75/lb you can purchase a turkey and the farm will tag your turkey while fattening it and then slaughtering your turket two-days before Thanksgiving. Farm fresh organic turkey…sounds good to me.

We ended up at Bond’s lake in Niagara County where we found beautiful light.

Thanks so much for reading everyone.

Chris

Laura had contacted me during July 2009 and asked me about photographing her wedding during June 2010. this in and of itself is not unusual but the fact Laura hails from New Jersey, had never met me, didn’t know anyone whose wedding I had photographed and lastly looked at no other photographer, was unusual. After I confirmed Laura was for real and she was serious about me photographing her wedding I asked why. I was still not ready to believe she wanted to hire me sight unseen and without even a telephone conversation. Laura responded, “I love your style. It’s fresh and fun.” I finally had the opportunity to meet Laura on the July 4th weekend 2009 when she came into Buffalo and met with and confirmed her remaining vendors.

Fast forward to today…one year later. We are just days from Laura’s wedding. Laura and I spoke  a week ago and confirmed her wedding day itinerary and discussed a location for her engagement shoot. Laura’s grandmother lives in Burt, NY and her grandmother’s home will be ground zero for all of the wedding prep. I suggested I pick up the couple and we drive to multiple Western New York locations and take her engagement photos in those varied locations. I’m not sure who was excited more, Laura or myself.

I didn’t and don’t ever want to be presumptuous but as a social worker I’m a fairly good judge of people and their personalities. I told Laura during this phone call how excited I was to shoot her engagement session and her wedding…I was not to be disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

Chris

Jamie and Michael are getting married on August 21, 2010. I was first introduced to Jamie’s mother when I received an email from her. That email arrived early December as she had located me via WeddingWire.com. It was around 10PM. A quick glance at my watch and I noticed it was only 7PM in Washington State. I decided to follow-up my email with a quick phone call. We made quick introductions and the rest, as they say is history.

Jamie was finishing her English degree in Washington State and would not be traveling to the Western New York area until July 5th. Michael works full-time and resides in a small town of less than 2000-people just South of Erie, PA.

We discussed venues for the couple’s engagement session and everyone agreed om Niagara Falls. The couple had only visited the Falls on one occasion and had never been on Goat Island thus missing the Horseshoe Falls and Three Sister’s Island. Despite the heat and humidity (you don’t have to shevel it) we all had a great time.

We arrived in the Falls to a packed parking lot, high temperatures and high humidity. Jasmie and Michael were a couple of real troupers. We walked around the island trying to locate as much shade as we could along the way.

Click here for a slideshow of the couple’s engagement photos.

Chris

Laura had contacted me last July and inquired about the date she had in mind for her wedding. I recall opening her email and thinking, “Is this some kind of joke?” Laura lived in New Jersey. We had never met. We had never spoken and we had no mutual acquaintances. Laura explained she had Googled Western New York wedding photographers and “really liked my photos.” I sent Laura a contract and the process began. Laura came into town within a few months to meet with her vendors and solidify the plans which had been made to date. I fell in love with Laura’s sense of humor right from the start. Laura fell in love with Tim Horton’s coffee. I mean who wouldn’t.

Laura and Tim were to be married in Lockport and their reception would be at the home of Laura’s grandmother in Burt, NY. Laura and I spoke the week before her wedding and we decided I would pick up her and Tim and we would travel to a few different locations in Niagara County to complete their engagement session. I arrived at her grandmother’s home and needed help picking my lower jaw up from the ground. The grounds and her home were beautiful. I met Laura and Tim and said, “I think we can complete the entire session right her on your grandmother’s property.” That we did.

Laura was a natural in front of the camera. It took Tim  few frames to warm up to the idea of having his photograph taken so many times, but once he did…Tim commented once he thought there “was a lot of kissing” during the engagement shoot.

The view from the deck in the backyard was breathtaking. Lake Ontario is a beautiful lake. The sky cleared as the shoot progressed and soon we could see across the lake to Toronto, Ontario.

What a beautiful couple.

Laura has the most incredible smile. I pointed the camera in her direction and her face simply lit up.

We briefly ventured away from Burt, NY and took a little side trip to Olcott, NY. Before hitting the little shops next to the park we stopped by Byes Popcorn for a bag of some of the best popcorn around. Unfortunately the stand was not yet open. I love doing engagement shoots and rarely want them to end. This couple made their shoot sooo much fun.

To see more of the couple’s engagement shoot, click here.

Thanks for reading and keep coming back.

Chris

The couple wanted their engagement session to be photographed at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and Hoyt Lake in Buffalo, NY. We arrived and realized this was not going to happen. The park had been besieged by runners and walkers competing in the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Run/Walk. Plan “B” and one of my favorite places to photograph is Niagara Falls.  We traveled to Niagara Falls were we caught in the traffic delays caused by construction on the South Grand Island bridge. Once we made it to  ”the Falls” everything simply fell into place.

The weather was beautiful despite the weatherman threatening thunderstorms. Those storms never arrived and for that we were thankful. We did however have to contend with high humidity and I totally forgot to bring a bottle of water.  Enjoy the photos.

Ivana smiled endlessly. The couple were so easy to photograph. The smiles and laughter came without any prompting.

Thanks so much to Ivana and Andrew for trusting me to do your engagement session. Congratulations to both of you.  I also wanted a shout out to Andrew’s Godmother who gifted the shoot to the couple. A “Thank you” to Lynn also goes out for her trust in me to document such a special occasion.

Thanks so much for reading. Click here for a slide-show of the couple’s engagement session.

Chris

I picked up the couple at their North Tonawanda home and we began a drive through much of Western New York in search of locations for the couple’s engagement session that would best identify the couple and their personality. Why do I do this…because that’s how I roll.

We began in Niagara Falls at Goat Island and Prospect point. The weather was awesome. The mist, breeze and sun came together to form multiple rainbows. The Maid of the Mist was already in the water and ferrying passengers to the base of Niagara Falls where the full power of Niagara Falls is truly experienced.

We moved on to Fountain Plaza in downtown Buffalo. This location held a special meeting for the couple as this was the site of their first meeting.

After Buffalo, we moved on to the “Twin Cities” of North Tonawanda and Tonawanda. This is my home turf and I’m very much at home along the water. I love this area. As the weather warms it just becomes more special. Gateway Park just comes alive.  Boats are docked three deep along the canal walls, music and laughter are heard up and down the bike path and the smell of food rises with the smoke from many nearby grills.

Marliena and Adam, I really enjoyed sharing part of the day with both of you this past Saturday. I look forward to your wedding.

I hope my readers continue to return and let me say a heartfelt “Thank you” to my readers.

Namaste.

Christopher

As we entered the church I was introduced to Peter of “The Wedding Producer.” I have had the opportunity to work with other videographers during weddings. Peter and Mark were awesome to work with and were the ultimate professionals. The communication between videographer and wedding photographer was constant.

It’s inevitable when you have a guy with a still camera and a couple of guys with video cameras in a small, tight church, your going to run into each other. I love the video. Click the link at the end of the post and see for yourself. Hire The Wedding Producer…you won’t be disappointed.

Megan, you looked so beautiful!

Sit back and enjoy the video from the couple’s wedding and enjoy some of the photos I’ve added from their photo-shoot.

Megan and Rob\’s Wedding Video

Thanks for coming back and thanks for reading.

Namaste.

Christopher

I felt really bad for Sara and EJ. We had scheduled the couple’s initial engagement session for what should have been a nice cold day in January. Instead we ended up with rain. I don’t mind shooting in the rain when the weather is warmer. The effect can be really nice albeit it often leads to an abbreviated photo shoot; but when it’s cold and rainy…well it just becomes seriously miserable. The couple were good sports about the need to reschedule the shoot for a time when the weather cooperated just a little more. Two weeks later we had a freakishly warm day with the most beautiful blue sky.

I recall studying history in elementary school, yeah I’m one of those individuals who enjoyed history. Actually that’s not fully the truth. I LOVE HISTORY and Greek architecture was always my favorite. The stories about the Greek Gods always kept my attention. It was math that stole it right back and smashed it to pieces. I suggested to the couple that we meet at the Albright Knox art gallery in Buffalo. If memory serves me the columns are referred to as “Ionic.” So I looked it up. Yes, I looked it up and guess what? I was right! I am so proud of myself for remembering this feature. I’m not sure what it is that attracts me to such architecture other than the sheer beauty. When I see a couple like Sara and EJ I think about the beauty about to unfold as the couple embarks on their wedding. I can sit on those steps for hours and just be in the moment.

I just realized a majority of the photos I added to this post are sepia toned. I love sepia and the emotion those photos convey. There is no color to distract from the photo and the emotions of the photo.

I like these two photos and they are my favorites from this shoot. It is relatively easy to see and understand the emotional connection this couple has without looking at their face and facial expressions.

The couple and their dog widget are huge fans of the Buffalo Bills.

Thanks everyone for reading. Namaste and keep coming back.

Christopher

As the night came to an end the couple made plans to see each other the following night. They got together and immediately fell in love. As Sunday arrived, Jason needed to return to Binghamton and Kristina realized she was sad to see him go. She was pleasantly surprised when she received a call from Jason inviting her to visit him the following weekend. That weekend spent together was the first of many.

As their relationship grew the couple realized their love for each other also grew. They returned to their respective homes, she in Buffalo and he in Binghamton. Many miles were added to car odometers as the couple spent each weekend driving across the state to see each other. Weekends were brief but they enjoyed every minute of their time together. Kristina said she wasn’t sure when it was they knew their relationship had grown to another level but it had become obvious to both they could not imagine their lives without each other.

Jason moved to Buffalo in May 2008. This move allowed the couple to spend more time together. Kristina said, “We made new friends together, explored new places together and most importantly we realized we wanted to experience a lot more together.”

On Monday November 9, 2009, Jason called Kristina and suggested she stop at a local store to pick up eggs and breadcrumbs. Kristina thought this to be a little strange as she required neither of these ingredients for the dinner they planned that evening. Being a good sport, Kristina went along with the request. Jason needed a few additional minutes to sprint to the florist thirty seconds before they closed so he could purchase a bouquet of beautiful red roses. When Kristina walked into the house she found Jason smiling at her. Her eyes locked on the roses and after some heartfelt words he asked her to marry him. A shocked Kristina said “Yes.”

As I said in the preview post of this couple, “I love this bridge.” When people in the twin cities say “I’ll meet you at the bridge” we always referred to this bridge.

We spent  quite a bit of time at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. The architecture is just amazing. I love the columns and stairs leading up to the entrance that over looks Hoyt lake. This is one of my favorite places to go in Buffalo and spend time. It’s quiet and relaxing and allows me to find a place to sit with a book and a cup of coffee and be introspective. I was excited when the couple agreed to complete their engagement shoot at this location.

I don’t know what there is to say about this one. For me it is the emotion captured through a good black and white photo that allows the couple to demonstrate the love they have for each other.

Thanks again for reading everyone and keep coming back.
Christopher

This engagement session was shot almost entirely in Niagara County with the exception of the shots of this bridge. We started in Tonawanda, NY., traveled to Lockport, NY, then moved on to Olcott, NY, Wilson, NY and we wrapped up at Bond’s Lake Park in Sanborn, NY.

I love this bridge in Tonawanda. I affectionately refer to it as the “bridge to nowhere.” The bridge is leftover from another era and compliments the history of the area.

This photo was shot from the top floor of an old, unused parking garage in Lockport, NY.

Kristina and Jason I had so much fun with you guys and look forward to the wedding.

Thanks everyone for reading. Keep coming back.

Christopher