Yale Club Wedding Review : Private Club : New York, NY
A Yale Club Wedding Review
Whether you're a graduate or not, The Yale Club is an enticing location for a wedding thanks to its prominent, centralized location in Manhattan, classic old world ambiance, rooftop lounge for cocktails, and all in one amenities. When I visit The Yale Club to photograph a wedding, I encounter a professional staff that manages the evening such that brides and grooms can enjoy themselves worry-free. If you're looking for an airy, open feeling venue that is formal and civilized (it carries the name "Yale" after all) yet not stuffy or pretentious, The Yale Club may be the perfect fit.
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Getting ready: Brides have access to a refurbished, on-site suite for their preparations leading up to the ceremony. The suite is tastefully appointed and provides a good amount of room for a bride and small to moderate sized bridal party. Although the room isn't necessarily bathing in light mid afternoon, it is soft and directional and makes for very flattering bridal portraits.
Spaces for photography: The rooftop is an ideal spot for a first look and portraits of the bride and groom. With skyscrapers towering all around you, you really feel immersed in the city. Inside, the library, reading room, staircases, and ballroom provide the backdrops in the event of weather that limits venturing outside. The predominant color scheme of the club includes a lot of white with soft blue accents. It's formal without being stuffy.
Proximity to photo locations: Staring right at the Yale Club is Grand Central Terminal. Being directly across the street, it's an obvious choice for photos of the bride, groom and bridal party. Those who aren't shy can even opt for a first look in the middle of the station which makes for quite a moment. Many couples travel the short distance to Central Park to add some natural elements and color to their day.
Ceremony: Ceremonies onsite take place in the main ballroom which is subsequently flipped for the reception. With the tall ceilings and open feel of the room, large flower arrangements tend to look best to fill it out.
Cocktail hour: After being in the ballroom with its ornately carved ceiling for ceremony, elevators await guests to whisk them to a more modern modern roofop space which offers indoor, covered outdoor and open deck areas. Multiple bars serve guests quickly and there is rarely a queue for a beverage.
Reception: The Yale Club is a well oiled machine where service is simply something you dont have to think about. Consistent, well prepared entrees are dropped to tables efficiently with no appreciable lag to delay any toasts that might occur during this time. Use of seasonal ingredients like roasted winter squash elevate the typical steak or fish selection. Coordination between vendors is always prompt with event management giving band/photo/video members a heads up before something important is about to happen.
Wedding Family Photos : Shot List : New York, NY
For many, a wedding is a family reunion. It could be the first time a parent and siblings have been in the same place for 25 years. Or, perhaps a loved one from overseas made the long journey. For others, it's the 4th family wedding of the season and the group pictures have been taken many times over. Each couples' needs for family photos can vary widely based on their own desires, parent expectations, and family dynamics.
A good rule of thumb is to trim your list down to the combinations that will definitely be put in a frame or used in the album. Smiling for an hour can be exhausting so you'll make sure you look your best throughout with a concise list. It's a great idea to include important extended family members in your portrait session to make sure certain people are documented, but I'd suggest erring on the side of large groups that can be moved in and out quickly.
How long does it take to photograph family? To give you an idea of the timing required, here are three different sizes of lists and the exact amount of time each took.
8 minutes
22 minutes
42 minutes
Mid Season Refresh : Europe : Brian Hatton Photography
In the middle of August every year, I carve out a weekend to rest and refresh before the busy fall season. One of my favorite ways to do so is, believe it or not, to take photos. I find travel photography helps me to reset my ability to see scenes, which directly influences my coverage of weddings and other professional work. So, not only is it relaxing, but it’s a way to grease the cogs of my creativity.
One of the best things about being a photographer is the ability to tie outside interest into your work. For example, in the last year, I’ve been able to photograph a number of famous wine regions. This time around, we visited the Mosel Valley in Germany, where the world’s greatest Rieslings are grown.
Beyond the Riesling, it’s quite simply a beautiful part of the country. It isn’t far from Frankfurt, but you won’t see many foreign tourists there. So there is a much more carefree, relaxed feeling in the air. It was amazing to stand on a hill high above the town of Graach, looking down through the extremely steep hills toward the Mosel River.
After that, we made our way to the stunning Amalfi Coast of Italy. We stopped in Positano and Conca Dei Marini to photograph the magnificent Monastero Santa Rosa and its iconic infinity pool overlooking the coastline before ending the trip in Rome. We visited the Vatican and wandered the ancient streets past the Colosseum and other mind-bendingly old sites. In Rome, the streets and the buildings are steeped in history and every corner hides another story.
With my midseason excursion over, I’m looking forward to returning home and capturing another wedding. But I wanted to share these images from the breathtaking sights of my journey here on the blog. Take a look at some of the breathtaking views we were treated to while we were out and about.
240 hours in South Korea : Seoul & Jeju Island : Asia
I've been with my wife, Hannah, for 9 years. After getting married last April, it was long past due for me to make the pilgrimage to her motherland. Last month, we traveled to Seoul and Jeju Island where I fell in love with South Korea. Koreans are a proud, resilient, peaceful people who know how to eat well and take care of each other. Their culture is rooted in centuries of tradition having only really modernized (in a huge way) in the recent era. There is an appreciation and reverence for one another built in to the body language and verbiage of every day life. The former president, Lee Myung-bak, told Barack Obama that his country's biggest educational challenge was that "parents are too demanding." When waiting for the subway, neat lines are formed on either side of the train door. Those on board get out without being rushed by people trying to get in. People sit in circles with one another and serve the oldest (and wisest) first. It's always a communal atmosphere. All of the food takes time. A year to make the fermented soybean paste which is a base to so much of their cooking. A week to make a glass of makgeolli which accompanies many meals. An entire day to make a broth for one of the staple stews. There's so much love built in to everything they do. It must be working as they're said to have the longest lifespan on the planet - 90.8 years. I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking, but I'd encourage a stop in Korea on your next trip to Asia. It's an amazing place. All images taken on the fly with the Sony RX100 IV point and shoot camera. (Hint: You dont need to bring a bulky dSLR on vacation)
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Flush Wedding Album : Katharine & Sean : New York, NY
Just received this gorgeous album for Katharine & Sean. For some of the layouts we'll include a white border to give the feel of a mat in a frame on the wall. It's a beautiful, clean look and really makes the images pop right off the page especially with that off white silk cover. This album looks amazing.
