Jacklyn and Mario

I first met Jackie and Mario a few months ago during their engagement session in the city. Our journey together continued up in Beacon NY. Below is a list of things that I learned, shared and experienced with Jackie all before her ceremony.

1. One of her sisters once decided to practice her nail polishing skills on Jackie, but for some strange reason still known only to her paint only one of her hands.

2. Jackie has still yet to see Gladiator.

3. Watched a whole lot of people try to glue eye lashes onto Jackie's beautiful set of eyes. For HOURS!!!!

4. Hit on by a beautiful woman slightly my senior.

5. Experienced first hand the very terrifying driving skills of one of Jackie's dearest friends.

6. Ate 2 parts of a 60' Italian hero, (kidding on the length), while the bride and party dressed.

7. Heard a rumor that Mario's mom took a rake to the back door window of her home because she was looked out and didn't want to be late. (Now that's Love)

The ceremony took place at St. John's Evangelist Church in Beacon. The rain tried to stick it's head out and wet the place up, but was held back. I guess someone knew like I knew that Jacklyn and Mario deserved to have a wonderful day for their wedding. Not that I feel a little rain would have done anything to dampen the mood of these two great people.

After the ceremony we went to a location suggested by the limo driver. We ended up at Boscobel Museum, which sits up on the banks of the Hudson River. What a beautiful location, the clouds decided to retreat as we arrived there. The limo driver really made a great call on this one. The best man almost had to work a miracle when we discovered that we needed a permit to shoot there. But since it was a very last minute decision the staff at Boscobel performed their own form of a miracle and allowed us to proceed. At one point I lied down on the ground to take a photo of Jackie and Mario. But I guess one of Mario's sisters didn't understand how I work. She thought I fell down. Not that she was worried about my welfare, she actually seemed disappointed when Mario and Jackie explained to her that I do that from time to time. She said she wanted to take a picture of me because she thought I fell. Yeah I felt the love there boy. LOL

The reception was held at Nicole's in Highland Falls, right next to West Point Academy. The party ran into the dark night. Why did I say dark night instead of late night? Because it was extremely dark outside. I'll come back to that in a second. Jackie and Mario also happened to get married on the same day as Jacklyn's mother's birthday. Nice addition to a great celebration. Since I was staying overnight in a nearby hotel Mario had a designated driver attempt to drive me to the hotel. No here's a lesson I'd like to share with everyone. Never let the Groom, or the boyfriend of the Groom's sister give your driver directions after a really great wedding reception where the spirits flowed like a river, in an area that doesn't really believe in street lights. Not a good idea. But if you absolutely must do so, just make sure that your driver understands that he is under no circumstances to stop the forward motion of the vehicle while driving in this unlit, hilly, and heavily wooded area. After driving for miles we decided to go back to Nicole's and ask for directions. And it was on our way there we discovered my residence for the evening not 100 yards away from where we started.

Need I say I had the time of my life, it was everything that I expected from Jackie and Mario's day. Well, all except the crazy ride with Alicia. LOL

Check out the slide show.

The Revolution!!!

Hey this was my first photography workshop, actually my first form of formal photography training period. The workshop came just in time for me also, been having a pretty rough number of weeks, it was just what I needed.

"The Revolution" is the brainchild of photographers Chris + Lynn, TJ Cameron and my friend Jason Groupp. These four people with their unique personalities and styles are some of the most awesome people I've been blessed to meet. Along with a number of other photographers from across the country whom I'm proud to call my friends, we explored different parts of the city and had a ball.

So to Jason, TJ, Lynn, Chris, and all of my fellow revolutionaries, I say "THANK YOU" I really needed that.

Jason Groupp threw party in his studio cap off the workshop and to also kick off the PhotoPlus Expo that was held here in NYC. Jason set up a "Couch and Camera" If you want to know what I'm talking about take a look at this slide show (it's big so be patient while it loads up)

Quwana and Donald

After two days of travel across approximately 789 miles of the Atlantic Ocean, there was sun, more water, giant spiders, pink sand, and the marriage of Quwana and Donald. If you've ever been to this destination, the giant spiders and pink sand should have been enough for you to figure it out. If not, here's another clue, it's spelled B-E-R-M-U-D-A, and I'm not joking about the giant spiders, those suckers are huge, and no I didn't take a picture. Why? Because they are HUGE!!!!!!!! There's nothing worst than a HUGE, ugly spider in a BIG web.

Ok, back to the subject. I joined the family and friends of Quwana and Donald on a cruise to the "big spider" island of Bermuda. Beautiful island, beautiful people and great people, just really big spiders. The ceremony was held at the Lido Restaurant on Elbow Beach. Here Quwana and Donald exchanged their vows before family, friends and a Bermuda short wearing officiant. Now how cool is that? After the cocktail hour it was back to the ship for the voyage home. I really had a great time with them, and I'm ready to go back to the island. I'd like to spend about a week or two there and really enjoy all Bermuda has to offer. I'll let you know. Until then enjoy some of the photos.

Click here for the slide show

Monique and Chris

It’s not often these days that I actually get a free moment to update my blog, but this is one of those rare moments. It helps when you’re on a cruise ship heading to Bermuda to shoot another wedding. Somehow you find your self with a whole bunch of free time.

It was just yesterday that I shot the wedding of Monique and Chris. Once again the weather was great as they exchanged vows at St. Charles of Borromeo Church in New York. It was a great ceremony which was fully attended by friends and family of the gorgeous bride and mad cool groom. I wasn’t about to call him hansom, sorry. After officially becoming a married couple, they were received by a honor guard of the Knights of Columbus in which Chris is a member. That was really cool, anything with a sword is cool for me. That is as long as it’s not being swung at me.

Monique and Chris had their reception at Terrace On The Park. Here not to be out done by the special ceremony of the Knights of Columbus, Monique’s sorority sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (someone has to tell me if it’s ok for me to just write AKA next time, that’s just too much to write every time I shoot one of your weddings), honored her with a ceremony of their own. She was seated in the center of the dance floor, surrounded by a great number of her very beautiful, beautiful, (did I mention beautiful) sisters and serenaded. I never get tired of seeing that. They sound good too.

Enjoy some of the photos from her day.

Check out their Slide Show

Next stop...... Quwana and Donald - BERMUDA!!

Tracy and Calvin

What a weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you live in NY get in your car, turn west and keep going until you reach the Village of Finesville in Milford New Jersey. You may be saying, "Why would I do such a thing Rob?" Well, I'll tell you why. It's because that happens to be the location of Alba Vineyard where Tracy and Calvin's wedding celebration took place.

Jolene and I met up with Tracy at the National Hotel in Frenchtown, New Jersey. A really cool B&B in a small town, so close to Pennsylvania that you only have to cross a bridge down the street to reach it. As Tracy and her bridesmaids prepared in one room, her soon to be husband Calvin and his groomsmen got ready in another. That room and Nelson........ Nelson is the bother of Calvin, and that's all I'm going to say about that. Those that were there know. Nelson knows, and that's all I'm going to say about that. (Sorry guys, another private joke.)

When everyone was finally prepared it was time for the formal Receiving of the Bride "jep sun leurn." During this ceremony Calvin and his groomsmen had to negotiate with the bridesmaids and then Tracy's mother to see his Bride. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen at a wedding, watching the guys stuffing money in to the red envelopes and sliding them under the door, only to have the women on the other side yell back "Is That All She's worth to You?" With that response each of the guys continued to dig deeper into their pockets. After a while it was very apparent that women held the upper hand of this negotiation, when they finally demanded the men sing "The ABC's." Yes, the very same "ABC's" we all sang as a kid. If someone would have told me in pre-school that this song would serve a higher purpose...... I would not have understood what they were talking about. Witnessing this part of their culture gave us a whole new dimension to the way we've experienced weddings.

Before heading to Alba Vineyard, Tracy requested that we stop at the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Toll Bridge, which links New Jersey to Pennsylvania across the Delaware River to take some photos. From there it was to the vineyard and the wedding of this awesome couple. There at the top of a hill, with the scenic Delaware River Valley as a background, before family and friends and witnesses, Tracy and Calvin exchanged their vows. I could honestly write forever about this great weekend, but it still won't do it any justice. So I'll close by saying this.

You could ask for a more beautiful day, but I'm not sure one really exist.

Enjoy the photos and the slideshow. And a special Hello to my new best friend Benjamin