This post was brought together by two influences. One: Huff Po’s list of the Writers’ Writers, and two: a request for wedding photographer recommendations from a soon-to-be-bride friend.
I was very excited by the Huff Po post, mostly because my FAVORITE writer was number 1, which made me feel “with it” (what what, Tobias Wolff!) but also because it inspired me to think of photographers’ photographers. What defines a photographer’s photographer? I suppose someone who makes imagery in an utterly authentic way- a way that emphasizes craft and perseverance over trickery and artifice. Also it’s good if the pictures are ril pretty and/or special. Folks who are in it for the love of the game.
Off the top, I’d go with Jeff Wall, Phillip Toledano, Abe Morell, Gillian Laub, Sally Mann… there are so many more- care to help me out? I am only one opinion, after all.
Anyhoo, back to my bride friend who needs a rec. She doesn’t want to break the bank, and she wants nice people who love what they do, do it well, and have a bit of fun. She promises to be a good bride and feed them dinner, too (you’d be SHOCKED to realize most brides do not think to nourish their photographers.)
SO, my suggestion to her was the fab photo duo of Ashley Macknica and Joel Barhamand, AKA A Couple of Cameras.
This is them:
And here are some of their pictures. Real, not fussy, pretty, just right.
I love this guy. There's one of you at every wedding.
Also, they set up a “photo booth”.
Darth Vader not included.
Who would YOU recommend to shoot my friend’s wedding, photo folks? I did a survey of one so far. My buddy Glenn Glasser says
“i shoot weddings from time to time – mostly fer friends though – just got hired to do portraits against seamless for a celebrity wedding and the other shooter did reportage. we tiled all the portraits on one print and presented it to the bride and groom as a fine art piece – all their friends and family on one print. a finished print usually is about 5×6 feet depending on number of guests and wallspace…”
rad.
“if i was getting married – i’d hire either tanya malott or julie skarratt. tanya and julie are aces”
Give us more names, readers!!!!
Update- check out http://michaelgrossweddings.com. Ril nice.
Another excellent option just in (you folks are all too modest to nominate yourselves!)- Erin Wigger and husband:
http://eleigh.com
I love the husband/wife teams. Now that’s authentic.
I’d HIGHLY recommend Belathee. They do fantastic work and for cool people. Website: http://www.belathee.com/
Tell them I referred.
I have a running list of people I know who are the best at whatever it is they do. Eric Laurits owns the slot for Wedding Photographer. http://www.ericlaurits.com
New school style, old school medium. Jonathan Canlas…100% film shooter.
http://www.jonathancanlasphotography.com
I’d check out Laura Kleinhenz at http://www.docuvitae.com
mostly film and medium format, an awesome client list and great reputation. She also does video, but on film! ‘gasp’ shooting with old super 8′s and 16mm cameras then it is all blended with digi video to look timeless and super good.
Heather Waraksa , who’s not only an incredible photographer, but really sweet. Can’t go wrong.
4 Eyes Photography in NYC shot our wedding and were absolutely great to work with.
http://www.4eyesphotography.com/index2.php
Also helped that Rupert could remember how to tie a Windsor Tie! Saved the day.
Our Labor of Love – they’re wonderful, such dreamy photos.
http://www.ourlaboroflove.com
Also agree with Yaku above – http://www.docuvitae.com is completely timeless.
I would go with Craig Fritz and his wife Kitty Clark Fritz. They are principals in http://www.docuvitae.com/ and they have their own website. http://twinlensimages.com/
Craig photographed my wedding and I would recommend him again to anyone.
Bobby Sukrachand!
http://www.sukrachandwedding.blogspot.com/
http://www.sukrachand.com/wedding/index.html
Jeff Wall’s never seemed to me like a photographer’s photographer but rather a conceptual artist’s photographer. 8 months to build a set and stage things for a single photo? Well, that screams artifice to me.
Glenn, Thanks for the kind vote of support. What you probably don’t even know is that Julie started as my assistant. Her first big job was my wedding in Florence. She showed that to Town & Country, and the rest, as they say, is history. I then moved to Russia and passed to her most of the jobs that didn’t make sense for me to fly back to NY for. Some of her old assistants call me their “grandmother”….lol. Pretty funny since I am younger than most of them!
Here’s a more modern look at what I do. My website is just painfully old. In 2001 it was cutting edge!
http://tanyamalott.myshowit.com/weddings
Keep an eye out for one of my recent shoots: the wedding of Elizabeth Jennings and David Janke in the next issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine. NYC, Cap Ferrat, and Bridgehampton.
Elisabeth Millay. Hands down she makes beautiful memories and is an old classmate of mine. http://www.elisabethmillay.com
Jeremy Evans Thomas:
http://www.lifeinblog.com
It would be crass to recommend myself, which is why I post under a pseudonym (unsubtle though it is).
So I recommend this guy: http://robertschneider.com.
Has gone back to film, gleefully — medium format, some 35mm, as well as vintage and toy cameras as the spirit moves.
Loves couples who want photography, not just a truckload of photos.
onelovephoto.com
The third one, http://www.rachelhulin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/barhamand-macknica2.jpg
is amazing.
Ciao
um … me?
http://www.teeganphotography.com
or ANY of the following
http://www.Jasmine-Star.
http://www.TheImageIsFound.com
http://www.JessicaClaire.net
http://www.fredeganweddings.com
thanks!
Check out this site for some of the best wedding photographers all over the country and internationally:
http://www.cakeandpictures.com
The URL subtly suggests that their photographers know what’s really important at weddings
Pretty original stuff and beeeyuteeful:
http://www.maxwanger.com/
Hey Rachel,
You should check out my wife’s site and especially her blog: http://laurenbphoto.com/blog
It’s her business, but I shoot every wedding with her. We’re going into our 5th year and there’s a lot great stuff up there. Definitely a photographer’s photographer duo.
I highly recommend Sarah Yates Photography. She’s based in San Diego but travels a lot for destination weddings. She’s the bees knees!
w: http://www.sarahyatesphotography.com
b: http://sarahyatesblog.com
Wow, I’d never heard of Cake and Pictures but I top their NYC list, so I have to say I approve.
So, while it may be crass to recommend me, they do. I recommend Jonas Peterson. Good guy, great eye, and specializes in the kind of compositions that photographers and artists will dig. Kind of a long plane flight from Australia, though.
margaretsinger.com
she kills weddings.
or if you like urban, colorful, and gritty, http://www.douglasljungkvist.com/portfolios/latest-work/events/Brooklyn-Wedding-Portraits
gotta go with Ryan..
http://www.ryanbrenizer.com
Hi, I was just checking out some sites and came accross a webiste http://www.piotrantoni.com.au
I’m not sure who the Photographer was but they did a good job on their photo shoots.
Josh Goleman does EXCELLENT wedding work:
http://www.joshgoleman.com
When it comes to photographing weddings in Germany I’d definitely recommend Cathrin Meyer und Manuel Thomé. I love their work:
http://www.pure-wedding.de/
Great photography! I love the approach that was taken in these photo’s. A photojournalistic view is much better with the pictures rather than just typical poses. Also, that guy acting like the worm while dancing is sweating quite profusely. Made for a good laugh!
Nice pictures with great photography.These are fantastic cool images.Amazing work.
Nice shots…3rd pic from the top (holding hands), nice ‘bokeh’ and i love the blue car shot. Photo booths are becoming so popular in weddings now a days huh.
Cebu Photo Booth
Wow. GREAT WORK! I just stumbled onto your blog today and am so happy that I did! Your work is so inspiring, so much creativity! Good job and keep it up!
Great surroundings can really enhance great and creative photographers. Use of wedding backdrops can sometimes “pop” a photo and give a stunning effect.
Ian
Karen French (Southern California) is no slouch. Our styles are similar too.
hi im in scotland and love the style of these photopgraphs what would I need to ask my photographer for to have a similar range of pictures for my wedding day?
Great photos, great comments, well most of them anyway..!p
Rachel, nice of you to help your friends out with finding a wedding photographer. Its really no easy task, as its a very subjective field and the quality of talent versus price is truly wide. I’ve found however that you can get really great quality photos without breaking the bank. On average a professional wedding photographer charges between $2750-$3000 for usually wedding. But its been my experience working with photographers that you can find some great ones in the lower price points. They key is to find one that will work with you and take the clients needs into full consideration, adapting their style to fit the client!
I love these photos. Not posed at all, they really capture the moment and the atmosphere.