Maggie & Alex Wedding // Super 8 + Polaroids

Flying home is always nice but when it's for a close friend's wedding, it's even better. My wife has been friend's with Maggie since childhood so we were pretty thrilled to be at this wedding and personally I'm always excited to be invited to shoot such a special day for a friend on film.

The setting for their beautiful wedding was at the Forest Park World's Fair Pavilion overlooking a large area of the park, a stellar view and great setup for a wedding. The day started at the Chase Park Plaza where both the bride and groom were getting prepared. I was shooting Super 8 throughout the day and of course, brought along my Polaroid 110B to shoot some Instax Wide film.

Once the bride was ready, she hopped in a vintage-styled trolly car with the bridesmaids and headed to the ceremony. No first looks here! Except... the bride did share a lovely moment with her dad for a father-daughter first look before we left the hotel. It was so sweet! When we arrived, the guests and the groom were all ready for her entrance! You can see the entire wedding film below and be sure to listen to their very cute vows.

After the kiss, a surprise bag-piper showed up as is tradition in the family. It was amazing to say the least. Then the entire wedding party hopped on board the trolly and made their way around St. Louis for some scenic spots to take photos.

The reception was a total blast and plenty of dancing and good times were had. All in all, a fantastic wedding and so much fun to capture a little vignette of their day on Super 8.

Women's March on Washington (NYC) 2017 // Super 8 + Polaroids

Without a doubt, we are in a very tumultuous time and that gives us all the more reason to document and discuss the happenings of today. This was no more apparent than the Women's March on Washington in January of 2017 where millions of people of all genders, races and ages marched together for a cause they believed in. It was an emotional day and truly inspiring to see so many people hitting the pavement in an age where armchair activism is the preferred method of making one's voice heard. The edited film is below.

I attended the Women's March in NYC (although it happened at many cities around the country if not the world) and brought along my Instax Wide 300 camera along with my Canon 814XL-S with some Tri-X to document this momentous march. I also opted to bring along a small sound recorder to capture some of the march's chants and cheers.

I started out near 45nd and 3rd where it was supposed to start I think and it was at a dead standstill. I guess getting the locomotive going took a lot of effort. Nevertheless, people were in good spirits and ready to make their voices heard. We did eventually start moving and making our way to 42nd St then across to 5th Ave then up where it finished at Trump Tower at 59th St. The entire march went on for hours and was strong throughout. As can be seen by these photos and the Super 8 film, there will tens of thousands of people out to march. Most likely the most people I've ever seen gathered in the streets in my entire life.

The signage throughout the day was truly incredible and there were some really clever signs out there. I wish I had documented more individuals at the march to be honest but was a bit swept up in the event and the energy. I know everyone that may read this blog may not agree and that's ok but I hope that the American people can still continue to feel energized for positive political and social change for humanity. Progress definitely isn't an easy path but it's a worthwhile one.

Katie & Ben Wedding // Super 8 + Polaroids

Katie and Ben's New York wedding was such a fun wedding to film and it nearly got rained out! I was arriving to the venue midday when I got caught in an absolute downpour and got a bit soaked to be honest. Luckily for everyone, the rain completely stopped just minutes later and the skies cleared up just in time for the festivities! It was a gift from the heavens for Katie & Ben for sure!

Shooting Super 8 got plenty of looks and is always quite the conversation starter. The bride opted to challenge the weather and have her first look outside and it was totally worth the risk! It was amazing outside and we even got to step into Gramercy Park itself which is pretty rare. A lucky break for the couple and it's a private park the nearby residents technically own. Worth it! A great wedding all around so I hope you enjoy Katie and Ben's wedding film!

This wedding at the Gramercy Park Hotel looked amazing as the venue has a lot of fun, eccentric accents that really make it unique. Plus the terrace on the roof is really a fantastic spot for a wedding and the team there along with the florist did a great job. So much sun, flowers and greenery in that room! It felt almost like a greenhouse. And this all doesn't even include the blast the wedding party had on a yacht the night before for the rehearsal dinner! A yacht on the Hudson! That's the best pre-wedding party I've ever seen.

I shot both Super 8 as well as Instax Wide throughout the day into the reception alongside Jonathan Scott, their main photographer. Shooting Polaroids during the reception was quite the hit with the wedding guests. Being able to hand them their photo mere seconds after taking it was a lot of fun. Honestly, some people didn't even think instant film still existed! I even got pulled into a few Polaroid selfies with some wedding guests! All around a wonderful wedding to shoot!

Mackenzie & Erek Wedding // Super 8 + Polaroids

Unlike some, I actually had a good experience in high school so it's always great to be contacted by old friends. Mackenzie and I went to high school together and she asked me to capture her morning preparations and first look for her Philadelphia wedding to Erek. Happy to oblige, I hopped on a train from NYC and arrived in Philly for a beautiful fall day in October.

I captured the day both on Super 8 and a couple of packs of Instax instant film with my custom Polaroid 110B camera. The instant photos always have a certain charm to them that digital doesn't quite have. Plus being able to show the couple the photo mere minutes after taking it is really sweet.

It all came out beautifully as we strolled around Philly and went to the Swann Fountain for the first look and then the to the Franklin Institute for a few photos. Philly treated me well and it was a great escape from NYC for a day to shoot this for an old friend!

Brooke & Andrew Wedding // Super 8 + Polaroids

New York City weddings are always spectacular and this wedding was no exception. Gramercy Park Hotel has an amazing aesthetic to it and Brooke and Andrew's wedding definitely showcases that. Everything from the flowers to Brooke's amazing dress and just the wedding overall was pretty incredible and the couple were very sweet as well.

This was a late October wedding and the weather was perfect for the terrace where the ceremony and reception were held. I shot the wedding on Super 8 and even tossed in a few Polaroids for fun.

It's always so fun to shoot weddings on Super 8 and black and white really lends itself to the nostalgic aesthetic. I shot their wedding preparations as well as their first look on a roll of black and white film and it's definitely a bit of magic seeing it on film. And the color film is stunning as well! You can see the whole film below.