While I’ve been photographing Jewish weddings for years, this energetic mitzvah was the first I helped Chris Connor of 26 North Studios photograph, and it didn’t disappoint. The location was meaningful, the basketball and car theme was super fun, and the two brothers had a fabulous group of family and friends gather to celebrate their mitzvahs!

I joined Chris for the portrait time in the temple earlier that week. It was chilly outside, but we slipped out for a few photos that were fun and showed the boys’ personalities.

I used to get really nervous about the need to schedule a newborn session during the “window” I’d been told to aim for. What if the family and I couldn’t find a time that worked in the first 4-10 days? What if I came down with a cold forcing me to postpone our session until I was 100%, the winter roads were too icy, or the sleep-deprived parents forgot to tell me baby had even arrived? What if the baby got too old?!?

Over the years I’ve learned that I actually prefer timing newborn sessions for around the 3 week mark, and there is no bad time in the first few months for a newborn session. Because my style is more documentary, I love it when a baby is more alert and is figuring out that legs are for kicking, parents’ faces are amazing, and mobiles….mobiles are like, WOAH.

Here are a few photos from a recent session in Cambridge with sweet Baby J, a little guy who proved that “older” newborns are super interesting to photograph.

Winter weather and a stubborn cold forced us to postpone Baby J’s newborn session twice, but oh, was she worth the wait. I told her parents not to worry- that older babies are often more alert and prone to smiling, two things that are amazing for lifestyle newborn sessions. Baby J proved me right with her bright smile again and again.

Presenting adorable Baby J, Wellesley Class of 2040 (see the last photo) and her glowing moms!

 

 

 

We laughed, we got drenched, we laughed some more….this date night session with M & T when I was visiting D.C. was so much fun! I loooove bokeh (the soft, circular orbs you see in the background of these umbrella shots), and the wet streets and reflections made the whole scene so dreamy. Never mind that I was dripping- it was worth it, and conditions like these are why professional gear is weather-proofed.

After shaking off, we soaked up some art in perhaps my favorite art museum in D.C.

Thanks so much, M & T for battling horrid traffic and rain to get to our session. I enjoyed meeting you and would love to have Act II in Baltimore the next time I’m down!

I enjoy each and every wedding I photograph for Salty Raven. It’s true! I feel fortunate because I seem to attract genuine people who trust me to bottle up the moments, the atmosphere, and the joy of their wedding days in a visual and artistic way. Sometimes though…woah. Sometimes the match is amazing. From the very first Skype date with Jenny & Ethan, I was swooning because they had so many “couple qualities” I adore including:

-Couples whose quick banter keeps me on my toes following the twists and turns of the conversation.

-People who show laughter with their whole faces and talk excitedly with their hands.

-Couples who make each other laugh, laugh, laugh!

Oh, they were the best, and I’m so excited to share their wedding photos from The Dumbo Loft in Brooklyn, NY. Their goal was to bring together their family and friends into a cozy space in a pocket of Brooklyn that draws you in until you wish you could live there. The cobblestones, archways, river, bridges, fire escapes, people watching…it was all so invigorating. First, I’ll share a few of my favorites of Jenny & Ethan, and then we’ll rewind to enjoy their day as it unfolded. Vendor details can be found below.

Until next time, Brooklyn!

 

Isn’t that DUMBO sculpture above cool? It’s the creation of artist David Crumley, and it’s interactive! You can read more about it here on his website. And now, to rewind. First stop, the apartment where Ethan was getting ready. I met him on his stoop, and we went inside so he could transcribe his vows into a tiny antique book he picked up that morning.

 

 

Vendor Team Details Provided by the Couple:

Photography: Salty Raven Studio & Event Photography

Venue: The Dumbo Loft

Wedding Planning: Emily Canterbury with Whimsy Weddings

Florist: Buds of Brooklyn

Catering: Ryan Brown Catering (I had the spring veggie lasagna, and it was YUMMY!)

Cake artist: Melanie at Ladybird Bakery

DJ: Mon Amie Events

Dress/tux: Wedding Atelier & SuitSupply

Videographer: The couple’s friend, Allegra Oxborough

Bride’s Hair & Makeup: friend Heather Alexander (former professional hair stylist) and makeup artist MJ Johnson

Sarah and David’s wedding in Marfa, Texas was epic in all the best ways. Each detail of the wedding’s southwestern theme showcased the bride’s amazing style. Her dress and shoes especially…wow! Guests enjoyed stunning desert landscapes, a mission church with charming architecture, and the town of Marfa of course- a place rich in art, culture, and plenty of quirks.

I feel so fortunate to have photographed this couple’s destination wedding and see their vision for it come together so beautifully!

• Ceremony location: Calera Chapel
• Reception venue: Private residence in Marfa, TX (the landscaping and art- oh my!)
• Photography: Salty Raven Studio & Event Photography
• Catering: Marfa Table
• Event Planning: Lizzy from Magic Hour Marfa
• DJ: Simone Rubi

 

  

I love photographing weddings with my friend Nir of Nir Landau Photography because I know that the dancing will be spectacular, the family interactions will be nonstop, and the energy and joy will be abundant!

I think Boston City Hall is practically perfect as a backdrop for a wedding, and I hope I’m not alone in thinking so. Yes, its lines are hard and rigid. Its concrete is heavy feeling, stark, and cold. But the building is *so* interesting visually!

I may feel most at home amongst rolling hills and natural landscapes, but Boston City Hall lets me stretch composition muscles like no other backdrop. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it; I would photograph a wedding there every week if I could because it’s so intriguing from a photojournalism and fine art perspective.

Congrats to Marilyn and Vadim, and thank you for trusting me to follow my eye down the hallways of Boston City Hall!

 

When I arrived at City Hall, I noticed these three dapper gentlemen on the steps. They turned out to be Vadim and his friends, and my favorite first look of the season followed as he spotted Marilyn arriving from across the courtyard!

As my own kids grow into size 4 and 8(!) clothing, I find newborn sessions are becoming more and more poignant. Spending a few hours with these families just embarking on their journey into parenthood is so precious. There’s a cute little baby, sure, but there’s also a new depth to their relationship that is so meaningful to photograph. There are also new challenges like trying to figure out how to dress a baby in pants for the first time! Then there are the moments that take me back to when my daughter was a crumpled little thing like when this mom burped little Baby A by supporting his neck while making him “sit” on her lap. That method of burping was the most tried and true for our Lucy, and it would mean so much to me to have a photograph of her little face and furrowed brow from that time.

Before I get teary, I also want to talk about the cat in this session. I am a cat person, and I work hard to get a photo of the family cat with the new baby. During this session while Baby A was being fed, the cat snuck into the nursery, and in a flash, she jumped up to investigate the changing pad, looking back with her tail curled for a brief second. The photo stars aligned for me to catch it!

 

Oh my- THE VIEWS! I even saw a peregrine falcon fly by when I walked up to the windows, and as a birder, that was an especially auspicious start to the wedding reception!