The air is very crisp outside so the warmth indoors at The Chestnut Club is not only welcoming but also soothing.  It is always a blessing when you can shoot inside and know that as a photographer what awaits you is an aesthetic dream filled with beautiful light, rich textures, amazing detail and a canvas worthy of artistic creation.  Today I get to hang out with some of my friends and fellow photogs from our Philadelphia Wedding Photographer Group. I’m always excited when we get to share thoughts and techniques and get down to some nitty gritty shooting and vibe off of each other.  We are all different in terms of how we make our images or how we see light so it’s nice to be able to see things through their eyes.

Karen and Healy of The Chestnut Club looked ever so posh as they were found lounging and chatting on the corner sofa as I arrived! Their welcoming smiles and generosity exceeded any expectations that we had. Sometimes when dealing with venues and/or owners it can be a crazy kind of dance- ha, ha more like a battle with some fist pumps thrown in for good measure. Not all venues are appeasing to the thought process behind what we as photographers go through in creating visually stunning or provocative imagery. This is not the case with Karen and Healy. Working at The Chestnut Club was truly a delight.  Not only did we have full access to the furniture, lighting and such, we also had such beautiful elements to work with that are inherent of the design of the venue.  Gorgeous brick walls, interesting chandeliers and super cool furniture to name a few.  All of these things provided for the perfect artistic backdrop for our photo shoot.  We wanted to do a shoot that showcased a variety of lighting techniques that would be viable for when you are on the go, much like on a wedding day.  As a group we find that we are our best resources when it comes to learning and sharing and growing our skill sets.  We set out to challenge ourselves and for some of us it was to shoot in a manner that you are unaccustomed to.  Such as using artificial lighting or off camera flash or mixed light.  Thanks to Karen and Healy for helping to make our endeavor a huge success.

I love natural light and am very accustomed to shooting in it so today I told myself that I will not use natural light and pushed myself to shoot with a variety of other lighting techniques.  I’m really happy that so many of the images I made mirrored what I saw in my mind.  Fun and gratifying!  Here’s some faves, Enjoy!

Freezing and below freezing temperatures could not deter the enthusiasm of 30+ photographers from throughout the Delaware Valley and New York/New Jersey area.  Thanks to Rob Nicholson and Photog Shootout and an amazing crew of stylists who converged on the scene and set the stage for a Punk Rock Bridal Shoot.  I was more than happy to oblige when Rob asked me to lead a group and discuss some techniques relating to anything that I thought would be of value.  I am always very humbled when approached to do things of this nature.  I am never one to presume that I know so much about a topic that I can teach these morsels to aspiring photographers however one thing that I do know a lot about is what works for me.  Now, what works for me may not work for everyone and that’s okay because as artists we should all have our own vision and interpretation.  I chose to lead my group and focus on the connections that people have with each other and you, the photographer as well as your surroundings.  I am always compelled to delve into the laws of attraction that propels couples towards each other as well as the personalities that ultimately show through.  There was much learning, laughing, sharing and shooting and in the end I think that we all learned that even in the cold and dreary winter light we could make not only beautiful images but also connections with each other.  Here are some of my favorites from the day =)