Working with people who love providing quality results and quality service just as much as we do is always invigorating and even inspiring. While photographing Rebekah + Harry’s wedding we had a chance to see just a sample of the beautifully handmade invitations by Kristy Rice, artist and owner of the fabulous design studio, Momental Designs. We’re in love with her custom creations. Kristy recently interviewed us to get our perspective on how we relate to our wedding clients to make their experience with us the very best possible.

If you recently booked with us, or even considering us as your photographers, make sure to check out the article here!

More with Rebekah + Harry.

When I first began taking photography seriously, I knew so much less about myself, let alone about photography. At the time, I thought I knew what words like “inspiration” and “creativity” meant, but I really didn’t. So I understand that when you’re new at the craft of photography it’s all too easy to look to your own peers for ideas, inspiration, and concepts. After all, they see the world in a way you wish you could see it. But as time goes along, you begin to realize that there’s such a wide world of experience – artistically and otherwise – outside your own field of expertise. And there are artists whose unique vision and technique can bring a much broader mindset to the table, resulting in a much richer experience for the artist even if he chooses to stay within the realm of a given specialty. That’s why I enjoyed seeing the productions of the following two artists. I’ll probably never have the chance to attempt the locations or the approach that they did here; after all, we can’t all travel to or live near a volcano or on a mountain slope (or can we?). But their imagery of our amazing Planet Earth inspires me to look for beauty, color, movement, and the awesomeness of the planet and people around us, no matter the environment.

This first short film was created by Sean Stiegemeier, who wanted to capture the power of the unpronounceable Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano on Iceland that affected so much of Europe for weeks during the Spring of 2010. He captured these images over the course of two days in May 2010. His amazing imagery speaks to the amount of effort he put into the task.

This next piece is a time-lapse masterpiece, a true work of art created by pro nature and astronomy photographer Terje Sørgjerd. Terje traveled to El Teide, Spain’s highest mountain, also the location of one of the world’s best observatories. He wanted to capture the beauty of the Milky Way galaxy and also happened to capture a large Saharan sandstorm, which only added to the stunning results. Terje’s efforts are testament to the fact that preparation leads to results anyone will fall in love with, but flexibility to capture the unexpected leads to things that can never be duplicated. Enjoy!

Artistic inspiration moves you not to copy, but to simply See and Do More.

Preston Bailey is widely known for his rich artistic sense and ability to transform virtually any existing space into a place where dreams truly become reality. With his experience and broad knowledge of the wedding and event industry, he’s certainly a voice to pay attention to. Preston recently wrote a blog article with which we whole-heartedly agree. Whether you’re a couple looking for wedding vendors, or a wedding professional yourself, you’ll be interested in reading what he has to say:

I have gotten a lot of bad feedback from the industry for being so strongly against the issue of paying commissions without our client’s knowledge.

I just wanted to explain once more how less than 10 years ago, I almost went out of business. Mostly because of this horrible practice of giving away 10 to 20% commissions to certain planners and vendors (among other issues).

I still think this is our industry’s “dirty little secret” no one wants to address, and I for one am not going to keep quiet about it.

I’ll try to list below the many reasons I think this system should be stopped:

• I don’t care how you look at it. If your clients are not aware you are doing this, you are being very shady and borderline illegal.
• You are not being fair to your clients if you only choose vendors that agree to pay you commission. Your choice of vendors should be based on their talent and skill, not their ability to give you a quick kickback.
• This practice is giving too much power to some planners and vendors.
• If you pay this commission, as I did, in the long run you will lose lots of profit. Here’s a simple example: You charge $25 for your services and $25 for materials, so your cost is $50. In order to make a decent profit, you bill your client $100. If you Pay $15 (15% of $100) for commission, your profit that should have been $50 dollars turns out to be only $35. In other words, you just paid 30% of your profit in commission.
• The only other way you could possibly make money while paying commission, is by cutting back your product. The clients get less flowers, food, etc. in order for you to meet your margin.

I have absolutely no issues with this if your clients agree that commission is your method of payment. If not, it’s time to stop stealing. What’s your opinion?

Nail on the head, Preston! We’re proud to say that Ulysses Photography has never paid nor accepted commissions for jobs because we feel that this is neither a meaningful referral nor is it honest on the part of either vendor. Our clients deserve better than that. The more educated we all are about this sort of thing, the healthier we all are for it.

But what about after that photograph is taken? Sometimes when looking again at a photo, my imagination takes routes beyond those dictated by the moment and environment of the photo session. I think about the journey of taking that photo somewhere else artistically and emotionally. Having the opportunity to explore in this way is as much of a joy as it is to actually take the photo in the first place. The beauty of this portion of the process is that I never ever know where my imagination will take me, and I love the surprises that result. Sometimes it’s a technique someone has asked me about, or a “look” that I’ve had on my mind for a while, or maybe a completely new recipe for expressing the photo differently than the way I originally imagined it.

I don’t do this sort of thing for all of our photos, but just a few from each session as the photo and the mood moves me. Often, I’m happy with a photo exactly the way we photographed it. I suppose I’m simply not destination oriented that way. Where photos are concerned, for me it’s more often about the journey.

(Click any photo to see a larger version.)

Ulysses and I had the privilege of being guests at the wedding of two good friends last weekend – what fun!  Since another of my friends, Jasmine, doesn’t normally wear much makeup, she came over beforehand so that we could do our makeup together.  She knows I’m crazy for M.A.C. Cosmetics, which were formulated specifically for photography.  So I pulled out my kit and we got to work.  We had fun and felt ready to party!

Makeup is a girl’s best friend!

Of course, Ulysses had to take a few pictures, so I thought you might enjoy the results.

Let’s take a blog entry like Girls Getting Gorgeous! This entry contains eight images for your enjoyment. Now, you could click on each thumbnail to open a larger image, and then click on the word “Close” to remove that larger image when you’re done. Navigating the entire batch of eight images this way would take you 16 clicks.

But try this instead: Click on the first image you want to see larger. Hover your mouse over the right side of the image. You’ll see a tab that says “Next” if there is another image to follow. If you hover your mouse over the left side of the image, you will see a tab that says “Prev” if there is an image previous to this one. And of course, there is the usual “Close X” tab at the bottom right-hand corner of the image. Using this navigation method would take you only nine clicks to see the entire set of images. (Are you now nodding your head knowingly?)

Alternately, you can use your keyboard to navigate the images. Click on any image to open a larger version. Then use the following keyboard keys:

P = Previous photo
N = Next photo
X = Close photo

I hope this helps especially any of you who work a lot at the computer and might have concerns about repetitive stress injuries. We have a LOT of pictures to show you, and we don’t want you to tire out while viewing them!

One of Jenni’s most important tips to brides is: “Makeup is your friend – don’t be afraid of it!” As photographers, we know this is such a true statement. We know how beautiful you are, but a great makeup artist will help enhance that beauty even more so and help you look amazing in your pictures.

So when Marisa Verdi of Flawless Image Makeup offered to do makeovers for Jenni and our good friend Vivian, they were excited to see what she could do. She gave them a softer daytime look, as well as more dramatic looks for evenings or going out (or a special photography shoot!). It seemed to me that the options were endless! Marisa is extremely talented and did an incredible job – her art background really shined through. She is also a veritable encyclopedia for MAC makeup, and sent Jenni home with a long shopping list.

But it wasn’t all work and no play! After their makeovers, I had a chance to photograph three of the most beautiful women you’d ever want to see – that’s right, Marisa had a chance to style for us, too! I think they absolutely rocked it.

IMPORTANT TIP: Since makeup will often look much lighter in your photos, don’t be afraid to go much darker than you normally would for everyday. Notice how dark Jenni’s makeup looks up close when being applied, yet look how amazing it looks in the other pictures.

So, there’s your proof ladies. A great makeup artist is going to work well with your photographer for stunning results in your photos. Makeup really is your friend.

You can reach Marisa Verdi by calling 845.629.2398. Or become a fan of Marisa and Flawless Image Makeup on Facebook.

Well, we’ve received those prints in our studio, and they look GORGEOUS! We love showing our work in larger sizes as these display so well on your walls. We can’t wait to send them out to Kylie & Scott.

As you’ll see below, their order includes a 20×30 metallic Art Mount (the lighthouse photo), a 20×20 Contemporary Collection, and an 11×14 sepia metallic Art Mount, as well as 3 sets of gorgeous art thank-you cards. What an amazing display of art they will have on their walls!

(Click to see a larger version.)

I’ve recalled this sage advice many time, and it’s a recommendation I give to anyone when it comes to making important purchases. It’s especially true for couples who are considering their photography needs. We are so happy to have had the most amazing couples entrust us with the photographing their wedding. The quality of our photography, the fine products showcasing your images, and our customer service are second to none and are intended to give you a total experience that you will value for a lifetime.

Our reputation is everything to us. We therefore feel privileged and thrilled to have our brides rave with their comments about us both on this blog, as well as in the “Raves” section of our main website. We have an excellent reputation with a broad selection of vendors and venues who feel the same way we do about boutique-style service. While our photography has won awards and has been published in magazines, those accolades are nothing in comparison to the joyful responses we receive from our couples, their family and closest friends. You are our most important cheerleaders.

For that we want to THANK YOU.

(Click on any image for a larger version.)

It might come as no surprise that brides sometimes check our website (and this blog) well before even choosing their wedding venue. Although we’ll probably never get to see every single location in the northeast, we’ve had a chance to visit some spectacular venues and to show them off beautifully in photographs.

Sometimes couples want to make sure that their venue will easily lend itself to pictures. Other times the bride might be looking for decor ideas. Still others simply enjoy looking at pretty pictures as they anticipate their own wedding day.

Whatever the reason, feel free to browse main website, specifically our Boutique. You’ll see not only a listing of some of our most recent weddings (listed by the bride & groom’s names), but you’ll also see a long list of “Featured Weddings” listed by venue and location. Each gallery highlights the beauty of the venue, and sometimes even pictures of the tasty dishes served there.

Another way to get a similar listing is to go to our blog’s Wedding Venues page. Sometimes you’ll see multiple galleries for the same venue showing it at a different time of year so you can get a good idea of what to expect for your own wedding there. We love working at beautiful and interesting locations, whether it is the Belvedere Mansion, Castle on the Hudson, Chateau Hathorn, Hall of Springs, Mohonk Mountain House, Ocean Place Resort, Onteora, Skylands Manor, on a yacht, or on a horse farm.

But more important than the intrinsic beauty of the place is how we’ll make use of it on YOUR wedding day, and how we work together to ensure that you enjoy the experience of great photography. We’re not necessarily traditional or conventional, but we think you’ll love how you look in your photos. So browse around our website! And if you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

For all you brides who are having trouble convincing your moms to allow you to be adventurous with your dress, and all of you who are nervous about getting that gorgeous gown wet, dirty, or otherwise contaminated… Lauren’s mom (Lauren is our famous tubing bride) left this comment for us on TrashTheDress.com:

To Jenni, Ulysses, and everyone else: I took Lauren’s gown to the dry cleaners (it smelled a little fishy) and when it was completely dry they cleaned it and it came out fine!!! So….my advice to all you brides is HAVE A GREAT TIME, ENJOY LIFE AND HAVE FUN!!
Lauren’s mom,
LIZ

A new website called Trash The Dress (the name alone cracks us up!) regularly hosts images from photographers around the globe who are producing some awesome images for their couples. Many of these photographers are our friends and colleagues. So you can imagine our excitement at having our images shown there, as well. Check out the story and enjoy the looks on the couples’ faces! It’s about more than simply having fun trashing the dress; you can end up with some of the most beautiful and heart-stopping images of your entire album. Some couples make a second album with this unbelievable session.

We’re so happy to have several upcoming wedding and engagement sessions like this. If you (or anyone you know) enjoy this concept for your own wedding or bridal photos — or even a photo session some weeks after the wedding — contact us ASAP, and we’d be happy to explore more ideas with you. We’ve got a ton of them!

Here are some images from one of our past “Morning After” sessions with Nicole & Mike. Click any of the thumbnails below to see larger versions. Enjoy!

During our recent trip to Paris – the fashion capital of the world – we were very interested to see how fashion impacts weddings, and we weren’t disappointed. As we walked the narrow streets and passed the boutique windows, we saw a lot that excited us: Fabrics, textures, laces, feathers, frills, nets, meshes… the possibilities were amazing and endless. We can’t wait to see if some of these ideas make it over to the gowns here in the States!

One of the most interesting trends lately is the inclusion of color as a design element in the bridal gown. Sometimes you’ll see color in the sash or trim. And in a bold move, some brides are actually foregoing the traditional white gown in favor of something even more eye-catching — entire gowns of soft pink, champagne, or chocolate, and even deeper colors like teal, purple, scarlet, indigo, black, etc. Amazing!! And we whole-heartedly applaud the idea!

Why are some of these trends happening? It’s simple: More and more brides are looking for ways to show their own individuality and their personalities even on a day that is usually based heavily on tradition. Some brides comment that they never want to forget the fun and beauty of their day, and they want their gown to be equally unforgettable. Others comment that they want to see less fluff and more fashion in their photos.

Top designers such as Vera Wang and others are leading the way in response to brides’ wishes for gowns that are not only beautiful, but also daring, trendy, and stunningly fashionable. Check out these fun-to-read articles and see if these choices appeal to you (cover your mother’s eyes if she’s afraid of gowns with color)

• Weddings: White – So Worn Out
• And the Bride Wore – Anything But White

So whatever your taste in gowns and/or colors, have a great time choosing your gown! And if your gown is one that you want to seriously show off in your photos, send us an email about it. Tell us WHY you love it (don’t worry, we’ll leave the surprise for the groom). We’re going to have a BLAST photographing you, your wedding, your bridal session, and your killer gown!

We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think about your gown, gowns in general, and fashion. Click the “Comments” link below to drop us a note.

2. I wish your photographer had taken more family photos. This is a statement that may sometimes be made by friends or perhaps even other family members, rather than by the bride and groom.

(Click on any image to see a larger version)

And here are some sample images of of the Small Folio:

These items are SO beautiful, so rich in texture, and come in an amazing variety of colors. They simply must be seen in person. If you would like to make an appointment to come by and see them, as well as all the fabric and ribbon swatches available, please contact us and we would be happy to show them off. We know you’ll love them.

You can order either of these items if you enter your proof gallery, and then scroll down under any enlarged photo. If you need any assistance, just give us a call or email.