Wedding: Valerie and Matt in San Francisco

August 10, 2010

I love shooting weddings in California. Not just because the cities are great (although there is a special place in my heart for San Francisco), but because you can’t throw a 5D Mark II without hitting three great wedding photographers there, so when a couple says “We want to fly you in to shoot this,” I know that their styles and mine will mesh perfectly. That was true with Karen and Kamil, and it was oh-so-true in the case of Valerie and Matt.

I mean, all you really need to know is that they Rick-Rolled their ceremony. After the gorgeous and heartfelt ceremony (with vows that Val, of course, read off her iPhone), the strains of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up came over the loudspeakers, and the crowd went nuts as the wedding party danced their way off.

I don’t have to tell you how much fun I had; just look at the photos below and the slideshow. Their love, their awesome friends, and their care for their guests having a good time was constantly palpable. Congratulations Valerie and Matt!

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Brad Ross Photography - You captured the fun part of this wedding story to perfection. Another superb job.

Luis Godinez - Wow!!! Ryan, when was this wedding. I was ins SF and specifically on The Golden Gate when I saw a wedding party & I swear it was this one!!! Awesome photos. I love the Nike Dunk Lows on the guys :)

Luis Godinez - I just saw the date on the slideshow. 6.26.10. :)

Luis Godinez - Amazing. I think I saw you take this photos. I was in SF that weekend and I was at the Golden Gate. Awesomeness all around :)

Stefano Choi - I love that group shot on the inclined street. Killer set Mr. Brenizer!

Ana - This is fantastic and looks like such a fun wedding! Having been a guest at Karen and Kamil’s wedding, I totally enjoy the quirky fun things you photographed at this one too :D

Chris Lin - Star power!

The hill ones are topsy-turvy. I dig the shot of the guys standing straight/leaning.

Natalie Gibbs - I just really admire the way you rock the hard shadows and silhouettes. That dark profile shot of the bride getting ready is absolutely stunning. Love the bridal party in the big brick building, too!

Thomas Lester - Pure awesomeness! Love the classic nikes. The group lean is incredible! Great job!

George L. Koroneos - OMG, this is possibly the coolest wedding ever. I would have killed to have been a fly on the wall. I can’t believe the groom whipped out a Guitar Hero controller.

shipra - gorgeous! The portraits of the bride getting dressed are my absolute favorites. And what a fun wedding party. The dancing in the aisle is fabulous, it looks like it was a non stop party!

Andi Hatch - unbelievable, these are sooo great. i know why they flew you out here!

Dean G - They picked the perfect photographer – your style’s combined are magic. Surely, this has to be the coolest bride & groom ever? Retro Nikes, feather boas, Kanye shades, dancing in the aisle. Great job, makes me wish i was there.

Joe Sanfilippo - Very Cool shots here!! Leaning groomsman and the bridal party up the hill are pure awesomeness- love these!

geneoh - I think this is one of my favorite weddings you’ve done! Nice work, Ryan!

“I Should’Ve Had a V8″ | Free Stock Photography & Fashion Show Videos - [...] You should check out Matt and Valerie’s awesome, topsy-turvy wedding right now. I’ll wait. [...]

Tweets that mention Wedding: Valerie and Matt in San Francisco » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer -- Topsy.com - [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ryan Brenizer, Nisa Nguyen. Nisa Nguyen said: 's blues went away thanks to http://tinyurl.com/2f3s7dm by the talented @ryanbrenizer. Absolutely joyful day – absolutely joyful photogs. [...]

gabe aceves - Ryan, you are so good at what you do that its kind of silly. The shot of the bride sitting on the bed is insane. Love it.

John Elrod - Extraordinary work, Ryan! The shots on the hill are crazy-awesome!

Paul Krol - these are great. always good to see the b&g and guests going wild and having such a blast. some fantastic shots in there as well!

Dennis Yap - Wow this is amazing… ^^

David Barrett - Inspiring again Ryan. Do you mind me asking what you do about the music? I’ve used tracks where I’ve approached the artist and asked for permission or paid them a fee for use of their track on a wedding slideshow online. I’ve also sometimes used a track that both I and the couple have paid for from itunes to their video slideshow on disk (ie not on the web and not published to anybody other than those that already own the track.)

Karen B. - Excellent job Ryan! and the couple are so stylish!

Erin Lassahn - Love love love love (can’t say this enough) the bridal party marching up the hill in SF. Has to be hands down one of the coolest bridal party shots ever! Oh yeah and the rest of the shots are amazing too! :)

Shella - LOVE the group shot where everyone was looking at the b&g in the middle arch. V cool!

Kelly Ry - Dress & hair – Perfect. Location – Perfect. Creative photographer capturing crazy cool shots – Perfect.

MAURONSTER - great wedding, complimentis

Dot Sartier - Brought tears to my eyes when I saw your wedding pix. So happy for you Val & Matt.
PS. Now, I’m just waiting for Justin. :O)

Dustin Hall - You’re really not that good Ryan…You’re that AMAZING!!! This is some of your best work. I can FEEL how fun this wedding was. I love the wedding party shots on the streets, and that shot of the Bride where you captured that sliver of light on her, wow, just wow!

Form of the Face | Free Stock Photography & Fashion Show Videos - [...] See Valerie and Matt’s whole wedding post! [...]

Eric Yerke - So this is what it’s all about… That story was so well told I felt as if I were there. No lie

Heather Kanillopoolos - Dude!!! Rick rolled, seriously?!!? AWESOME! And that shot of the bridal party walking up the steep hill is epic. Wonderful!

Ken - These images are terrific! The portraiture is excellent and so are the documentary images.

Rodrigo Vargas - I’ve been lurking here for a while and it’s time I left a comment. Your work inspires me! Beautiful, creative, amazing!

Gina - Yeah, these are fabulous! Love all the energy and style with this couple. You’ve got amazing skills Ryan, I love your work!!!

Eliza - Just come across this from the SWPB link – this is AMAZING Ryan – so much fun! Is the shot of the bridal party on the roof a flash composite? L-O-V-E it!

Ryan Brenizer - Thanks! It is indeed.

Lectures! Workshops! Oh my! Oct 11-13

August 9, 2010

It’s been a crazy season so far, but client work isn’t all I’ve been cooking up — I’ve been bursting with ideas for a “workshop on sterioids” aimed squarely at wedding professionals, from the newly minted to long-time pros. And thanks to the help of Adorama, I’m putting together a stretch of instruction, networking, and fun where even the steroids are on steroids. Here’s the run-down:

On October 11, I will be giving a lecture at Adorama for a nominal fee, all about flash composites, like so:

Love and Mansions

This part of my June lecture was a big hit, but it takes more time to really teach the possibilities and methods of it right, so for two hours I will systematically take people through the steps so even relative Photoshop and lighting novices can try it for themselves and learn what sorts of new compositions open up to you when you don’t care about getting your equipment out of the shot. Adorama are great hosts, and their facility is top-notch for this type of lecture.

The full workshop will be October 12-13 (that’s a Tuesday and Wednesday — so you can come without missing weddings). You don’t have to attend the Adorama lecture to go to the workshop, and some of the content will be repeated, but if you do go to both, I will reimburse the cost of the Adorama lecture.

What, you ask, is a “workshop on steroids?” It’s a night and a day devoted to teaching my perspectives on and answers to the unique problems wedding photographers face — and not just in photography. I will guide you through topics like:

•Effective client meetings (with demonstration)
•Differentiating yourself in your market
•Keeping your passion alive
•Relationships with other vendors, including perspectives from fantastic wedding planners

I will also make sure that the attendees have the chance to show me and each other their work and share information so we can all network with each other as effectively as possible.

And, then, of course, there’s the photography. I’m not going to take you to fabulous places with professional models and perfect lighting and scenarios you could rarely recreate during a wedding. I’m going to show some of my perspectives on turning bad scenarios into good pictures. Bad background? Terrible lighting? Nervous and awkward subjects? Almost no time? These are the things we really deal with every weekend, and will be the main focus. I’m hoping the weather is miserable on the day of the workshop, but we can always pretend.

The cost of the lecture should be about $35. The cost of the night-and-day workshop is $500, and the number of attendees will be limited to a small group. Again, if you attend both, I will reimburse the cost of the Adorama lecture.

For more information and to sign up, e-mail me at ryanbrenizerworkshops@gmail.com.

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Tweets that mention Lectures! Workshops! Oh my! Oct 11-13 » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer -- Topsy.com - [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ryan Brenizer, Ben Shyong. Ben Shyong said: Lectures! Workshops! Oh my! Oct 11-13: It’s been a crazy season so far, but client work isn’t all I’ve been cooki… http://bit.ly/9meYGX [...]

Seshu - I’ve set aside some time for this workshop and I am looking forward to it. Ryan – did you get my email? I sent it a few days back. Hope so! I’ll check my inbox again to see if your response may have snuck into my junk folder. Thanks for doing this workshop. I enjoyed your presentation at Adorama and I am looking forward to learning more from you.

Workshop: “Lessons Learned the Hard Way,” Oct. 12-13 » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer - [...] As previously announced, I’ve got a workshop coming up on Oct 12-13. There are a lot of complaints in the industry these days about photographers who run workshops even though they don’t have successful businesses. But man, it’s hard to do both! I’ve shot about 25 weddings since I announced this thing! [...]

Photo of the Day: Last Dance

August 9, 2010

Last Dance

Elizabeth had said the one thing she always pictured about her wedding was a last dance set to "Modern Love." It was a poignant end to a gorgeous Brooklyn Botanical Garden wedding.

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Seshu - Your images have one thing in common – they beautifully narrate people’s stories. Thanks for continuing to inspire. Hope to see you in October. Please keep me posted about your workshop!

James C. - Strobist question: How did you light her?

Steve Koo - Love this one, Ryan.

Ryan Brenizer - I didn’t light her. That is the light reflecting on the floor. ISO 12,800.

Photo of the Day: Inner Glow

August 6, 2010

Shakun and Tim’s connection is so visible at every glance. I loved the crazy golden glow that was coming in through the leaves, and did this 16-shot Brenizer method with the 85mm f/1.4. Then I said … “You know what? If there’s a glow like that, we might want to follow it.” And that led to this shot.

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Thomas Lester - Amazing light, Ryan. Perfect choice to use the pano. I love the color.

Tweets that mention Photo of the Day: Inner Glow » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer -- Topsy.com - [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ryan Brenizer and Jason Wittich, Kirsten Alana. Kirsten Alana said: further proof of why you're *amazing** RT @ryanbrenizer ON THE BLOG: Photo of the Day: Inner Glow http://bit.ly/cE3u4H #FF [...]

Ivan Luckie - nice lighting Ryan!

Photo(s) of the Day: Be a Freelenser

August 5, 2010

I recently spent a few days in Dallas to attend a workshop by Erik Clausen (better known as Poser), and meet some wedding photographer friends. Why I have more photographer friends in towns like Dallas and Denver than NYC is one of those mysteries of the Internet. Erik did a great job with the ambitious concept of throwing an entire fake wedding to show how he would handle it. He used one of the couples whose wedding he had shot, and they had absolutely unbelievable chemistry — even though it wasn’t a “real” wedding, their emotions and her tears were.

I have been blessed with a full shooting calendar for a very long time, so I don’t get to second-shoot much. Which is a shame since I don’t get to just mess around with low-hit-rate but cool techniques, such as just playing with freelensing during the formals. So I took this time to have some fun with it.

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Kat Braman - nice work Ryan! those are awesome. It was fantastic to see you in action.

Eric Kotara - Great shots Ryan. I really like the phrase you used in the article: “low hit rate but cool techniques”. That is one of the great things about second shooting and you summed it up very concisely. As a primary I often don’t stop and let myself be a bit more creative because when second shooting that is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job. I love being able to take my time and really think through something creatively without feeling like I’m forsaking other coverage.

Natalie Gibbs - Love them. Freelensing is so hard. That first shot in particular is really fantastic.

Jon M - I love your free lens images (well, all you photography for that matter), but have you thought about (or used) any of Canon’s TS-E lenses?

Lynn - Have no idea how you get those freenlens shots so sharp. Using liveview still fails me.

Nice deliberate use of the technique though. Very cool :D

Eliza Claire - I love freelensing, but my hit rate isn’t just low, it’s infinitesimal! That first shot’s a killer – love it!

Review: 85mm f/1.4G » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer - [...] you can’t use the new lens on older film cameras, and it will be much, much harder for me to freelens with it. And then, of course, there’s the [...]

freelensing « WalstonPhoto - [...] 16, 2010 I came across a method of shooting this week on Ryan Brenizer’s blog referred to as freelensing.  It appears to be a relatively new technique created by Luke Roberts, [...]

Review: Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer - [...] last thing you should do is do a lot of hard-to-reproduce, crazy things with it like panoramas and freelensing. But I am not a reviewer first, I am a photographer. So I will note anything I’ve done to the [...]

Photo of the Day: Mother’s Love

August 4, 2010

Mother

Every year I do portraits for the Catholic Guardian Society of the underprivlidged children and developmentally disabled adults they serve so well. It’s a fantastic experience and helps them raise sorely needed money. See some samples from this year’s shoot here, with lots of adorable kids.

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Joseph Yarrow - What a striking image Ryan Brenizer.
I’m going to look at the other pictures now…

Becca Dilley - Wonderful set of images – the families must be thrilled to be captured to lovingly.

Wedding: Karen and Aaron at The Water’s Edge in Brooklyn

August 3, 2010

Yes, as the best man noted, their names rhyme. And frankly, I think that’s kind of awesome — it shows the natural chemistry these two have. Wedding days can bring stress and worries, particularly when the weather threatens rain on and off and whenever the words “highway traffic” is involved. But the moment that Karen saw Aaron, that was it. He was it. Smiles and connection and pink socks. And you know what? The rain held off, leaving only a gorgeous sunset over Manhattan, which the Water’s Edge has a great view of.

As someone whose name starts with Ryan Kelly can attest, the Irish throw some good parties. Mix that with Karen’s Greek heritage, including traditional dances at the reception, and things really get going. But their deep affection for their friends was represented in yet another way — a close friend of theirs, the amazing singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim, performed at the reception, a performance both touching and fun.

This day was so important and meaningful in ways that are theirs alone, so for a public message I will just say congratulations to you both.

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Sachin Khona - Great set of shots.. the lighting on the guitarist is just perfect!

Caroline Anne - Amazing moments Ryan.

Brad Ross Photography - Love the silhouettes with the Triborough Bridge (?) in the background. Another beautiful story told through your vision. Great work Ryan.

Ryan Gladstone - You always catch plenty of crazy moments at receptions!

gabe aceves - you are a gorgeous storyteller ryan. i honestly think anyone would be happy having you photograph their day.

soobum im - love the mood and feel. great capture

Paul Von Rieter - brilliant work as always. I love your use of lighting. The last two are my favorites.

MAURONSTER - you told so attentive throughout the ceremony, amazing details and beautiful light.
Ryan…you are grea

Ivan Luckie - big deal photography!!

David Barrett - Hi Ryan

Another excellent and inspiring set of wedding images.

Would you mind if I ask you what video slideshow software you are using to produce the slideshow on this page?

Cheers
David

Dean Govier - What a fantastic set of images. The city skyline shot is pure brilliance. I also love the guy in the background of the shot of the bride & grooms kissing, now thats a crazy expression! Really love this set of pictures. As a wedding photographer i reckon you are top of the tree!

Ryan Brenizer - Thanks all!

@Dean: SoundSlides Plus

Cliff - How do you see all that?! I loved the why you creatively exposed and used your wide angle for this wedding.

Just Alex Photography - The lighting on the guitar player is brilliant.

The shot of the little girl giving a flower to the boy on the dance floor is absolutely a magical moment, and you captured it. Congratulations.

Leo Druker - Fantastic work and great storytelling, Ryan. That shot of Langhorne Slim is amazing.

Eric Yerke - How do you do it? Seriously consistent awesome moments.

Sam Obeid - You never disapoint Ryan, well done! Great bokeh and lighting on the last 3 shots.

Nessa K - Absolutely stunning. =)

Natalie Gibbs - Awesome job on this wedding! I love the photos with the shadows, and the one of the bride on the balcony is killer. Also, pink socks?! Too cool. I’m sure the couple will be head over heels for these.

Ben Tomlin - Great story of the wedding – as usual! my favs are the bride on the balcony and the guitar shot rocks!

Caroline Alexander - Great work as always, love the one of the bride on the balcony and all the evening shots, particularly the silohettes against that bokeh, mmm. Also that guitar one is pure yum!

Kyle - Did I already comment on this? Because if not, I meant to.

My favorite, by far and away, is the groom’s expression walking down the aisle. LOVE that one!

Becca Dilley - You can just feel how happy that couple is in these photographs. And I love the use of shadow and mirroring running throughout the photos.

cole - That picture of the bride backlit on the balcony is epic – definitely my favourite of the bunch! Solid work!

Heather Kanillopoolos - You have a gift for silhouette photographs! Wonderful! I adore the photograph of the bride on the balcony toward the beginning.

Photo of the Day: It’s all in the Timing

August 2, 2010

It

Handstand on a dance floor? Awesome!

But wait … check out the velocity of that tie. That’s no handstand … it’s a backflip!

I’ve seen a lot on wedding dance floors, but that was my first backflip.

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Joseph Yarrow Bristol Wedding Photographer - Amazing shot Ryan! I can tell that from your pictures that you love being on the dance floor!

gabe aceves - i want to be at one of the weddings you shoot.

Luis Godinez - What Gabe said, but I want to be there as a guest. Your clients know how to party. Those are my kind of people!!

William Skrainski - My first thought was….”he tucked the tail, but missed the cleaners tag”……This must have went pretty fast huh?!

Francis Joseph - You have a penchant for freezing some of the best moments. Look at that tie! Excellent stuff.

Photo of the Day: Bliss.

July 26, 2010

Bliss.

Colleen and Steve take a moment on the dock after getting married at his family’s camp.

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gabe aceves - Dude, I love this. Its different from some of your more moody, flash stuff but beautiful nonetheless. RB FTW!

Joseph Yarrow Bristol Wedding Photographer - What Gabe said^, different but still amazing.

Jesse Starr - Ryan, your work is really an inspiration to me! I absolutely love your style! I want to be able to attract the kind of couples that are all for getting creative during their wedding portraits.

Kristen Honeycutt - This is nothing less than perfection. love!

Just Alex - Awesome shot Ryan. You continue to be an inspiration.

Kristi Wright - What a great moment, Ryan!

Judd - Something about this picture has stricken a chord with me and I can’t quite explain why. Just great!

Photo of the Day: In the Night’s Skyline

July 23, 2010

In the Night

29 images with the 85mm f/1.4.

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gabe aceves - unreal.

Luis Godinez - Ryan, the “Brenizer method” is bananas!! I wanted to use it for this e-shoot that’s coming up this weekend but I haven’t had a chance to practice. Any quick tips? I use d700 + 85mm 1.4 + back focus button? Did you just light them (upper torso) and the rest was just ambient?? I’m sorry for so many questions, its just these type of images just blow me away :)

Jessica D - This is absolutely breathtaking Ryan.

elizabeth pellette - gorgeous shot

Martin - Gorgeous concept Ryan!

Joseph yarrow - Great use of the Brenizer effect here Ryan.
Love it!

Ivan Luckie - Great image, that method is amazing Ryan!

Ivan Luckie - great images! that method is amazing!

Eric Kotara - Wicked Cool, Ryan. Love that spaced out bokeh.

Avi Revivo - Amazing photo. Great technique. Thanks!

Just Alex - Another great capture. I keep meaning to give this technique a shot, it’s brilliant.

Wedding: Elyse and David at Temple Emanu-el

July 22, 2010

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about tricks like flash composites or the Brenizer Method, which I tend to use to open up new possibilities in portraiture. But my real love in photography is storytelling, and Elyse and David knew that they wanted photojournalistic coverage that would just let them enjoy their day. And why not? Elyse started her career in journalism … usually I’m the one telling stories about having to explain myself to officials on a photo-shoot, but her journalistic adventures came up several times during the speeches.

I always enjoy temple weddings, because you combine all the importance of ceremony and ritual to the marriage process, from the separate receptions of the Kabbalas Panim, to the (rainy) march to the b’deken, and the ketubah signing all before the public ceremony, but you also have the relative calm that comes from having every moment of the wedding day in one place. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the temple is gorgeous. Fitting, of course, with these too. David, no one pulls off a Snoopy yarmulke like you do.

Congratulations!

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Eric Yerke - Teach me to capture the moments like you. Super good, thanks for all your contributions…

James Murphy - Great stuff Ryan, I particularly like the “cupcake battle”.

Jamie M Swanson - Beautiful moments captured here…really fabulous stuff. :-) What a beautiful couple!

mariola - wow, amazing work. I specially like the picture where they are holding hands and she is looking down while someone is reading a speech .. and one of the last ones where she is dancing with who I assume it’s the dad? priceless captures!

Joseph yarrow - By the looks of it, I would of loved to of shot this wedding Ryan Brenizer. You’ve done a fantastic job of capturing some amazing colors and moments. Always the right man for the job.

Elissa - All of these are amazing, but I think my favorite is the shot of the boy with the Coca Cola. :)

gabe aceves - Ryan your wedding images are without a doubt some of the most fun I ever see. Full of emotion. The whole reception looks like a place I’d want to be.

adam @ shutterspeedster.com - Nice work! Love the ring shot.

Leo Druker - Such a great wedding superbly captured. Love the captures of the raw emotion at the reception.

Shyann - Awesome wedding and you rocked it as usual Ryan!! Great work!!! :) Love the cake eating photos!

Kyle - Every time I see a wedding you’ve shot, I think — I wish I were friends with these people! I really do.

Which, I think, is just telling in the way you show people — as their true selves.

RB, I’ve known for a long time now how much I like your work, but I think I’ve finally pinpointed exactly WHY I like your work.

Ryan Brenizer - Thank you so much, Kyle, that means a lot. It’s very similar to the photography compliment that I hold deepest. When I left Columbia, my boss, who had seen tens of thousands of my photos, and had seen me evolve there, said “When you take photos of people, they look like themselves.” At first it seemed jarringly underwhelming, but the more I thought about it the more honored I was by it.

Thomas Lester - Very nice, Ryan. The bride has such an amazing smile. These images are fantastic, as usual. Great story telling. The slideshow was a treat to watch. Perfect music selection.

Tricia - Beautiful job, as always. I really love the little boy towards the end.

Crystal - I love the range of emotions that was expertly captured!

mark carey - Brilliant work here. Great photojournalism. Your timing and framing is very special. Well done.

Paul Rowland - I agree with your former boss — but I think it also has to do with the way you tell their story. I don’t know why, but the receptions you shoot always look like a crazy good time–moreso than normal receptions.

Heather Kanillopoolos - I love all those wonderful smiles from the bride! You did a great job!

Ruth - You always catch the best moments… great job here, Ryan

nadine - Man, how did you get the photo of him up in the chair? The angle looks like you’re right next to him!

Your pictures are always so enjoyable to look at.

Eric Kotara - Grand work. Love those actions shots!

brooke trexler - these are so full of feeling! gorgeous (of course) work! The one of the little girl at the top made me gasp :)

brooke trexler - these%20are%20so%20full%20of%20feeling!%20gorgeous%20(of%20course)%20work!%20The%20one%20of%20the%20little%20girl%20at%20the%20top%20made%20me%20gasp%20%3A)

Kristi Wright - These are wonderful! What a beautiful bride. Her smile is contagious!

Joey Chandler - Love the shots of the little girl. Looks like she was precious. The energy of this collection is great. Nice work as always.

Wedding: Sarah and Michael at Columbia University

July 20, 2010

Sarah and Michael had a gorgeous, elegant wedding in Columbia University’s Saint Paul’s Chapel, with a reception at the Faculty House. With the fantastic help of Nerissa and Jennifer at Private Receptions, every detail was stunning, from Sarah’s unbelievable dress to a cake with some of the finest detail work I’ve seen anywhere. The black and white theme added to the urban Manhattanite feel. Yet these two sophisticated New Yorkers both originally hail from Canada — warmth and kindness are the right kinds of stereotypes for a country to have, and Sarah and Michael and their families more than lived up to it. Not having grown up in America, they are making up for lost time, now on a tour of all the lower 48 states — a fantastic idea and something I would love to do.

Words don’t do justice to how gorgeous St. Paul’s Chapel is, the fun of an endlessly energetic band, or the relaxation of guests smoking hand-rolled cigars on a terrace in the summer night. Luckily I took some pictures.

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Brad Ross Photography - Another winner! That fan shot is such a perfect moment.

Tobiah Tayo - manchester - Wonderful photos!! Love the looking over the balcony one

Kat Braman - love that fan shot so much

Mark Parker - Birmingham Wedding Photographer - I always shoot a similar mirror shot . . or two . . or a dozen . . And somehow they never seem to look as good as yours. Great job!

Amber Hughes - So many wonderful moments… you really have a lovely way of capturing people. :)

James Murphy - Amazing stuff Ryan. Love that wide angle shot inside the church and the bride and groom next to the columns. Awesome job!

Lara Eichhorn - I love those first two photos a lot. People need to watch the slideshow, because woah – it’s awesome. I really like the light feel of the bride getting ready shots. So many sweet, real moments throughout the ceremony and reception too.

Dušan Smolnikar - I love the kid’s face :)))

Phil - The shot of the couple next to the pillars is spectacular! Plus the wide angle shot inside the church…wow!!!

Avelaine Scyrup - Wow, gorgeous photos of some gorgeous details! Yes, Canadians are awesome. Yay, us! :)

Stefano Choi - Thanks Ryan for continuing to deliver inspiration material in regards to composition, emotion and lighting. Awesome stuff!

Kelly Lee - OMG, her veil and dress are amazing! I can’t get over it! Of course, your work is great too ;-)

Timothy Kaldas - Ryan, excellent set as always. I love the storytelling and the shot of the cigar roller is a fantastic well-composed use of natural light. Also that final shot of the guy looking over the balcony is a perfect way to end it. Great stuff man.

Alex - Fantastic shots, Ryan. Beautiful couple, awesome venue. Just wow.

Becca Dilley - Everything looks so vibrant, and you captured such wonderful moments of emotion at the reception.

Erin Lassahn - This whole wedding is insanely stunning! What a fashionista bride! That dress and viel are killer and you really pulled out the high fashionw ork for their couples portraits…just amazing. And the baby shot is priceless!

Edric - Like always, your work is inspirational.

Maggie Rife - Love the cigar shots and the ones outside.

Paul Rowland - I always love your reception shots–they are fantastic.

Jason Lloyd - Great slideshow Ryan, some fabulous use of light – I’m finding your work quite inspirational at the moment!

Az - Beautiful set here Ryan.
I love the one of the man looking over the balcony.

Laszlo Bodnar - I love so much all of your photos. Use the lights perfectly. You are the best :)
eleven from Hungary

Tweets that mention Wedding: Sarah and Michael at Columbia University » Ryan Brenizer — New York City Wedding Photographer -- Topsy.com - [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ryan Brenizer, Nerissa Balland. Nerissa Balland said: Check out one of our June weddings that was at Columbia University, photography by @ryanbrenizer http://tiny.cc/nseyk [...]

Dave Chudian - The balcony shot is great. I also love the formal B&G shots. I really should start incorporating more off camera flash in my work.

Fer Juaristi - amazing wedding ryan, love you lighting and framing bro.

Ryan Brenizer - Thank you!

Eric Yerke - Love the photos from the speeches. Actually I love them all! You’re the man

Steve Koo - It’s always such a pleasure to look at your work, Ryan. Love your portraits, and the shot of the baby by the fan is pretty awesome.

gabe aceves - ryan, you are a master of both light and storytelling. there is genuine emotion in these that most photographers miss.

Joseph Yarrow Bristol Wedding Photographer - Ryan Brenizer, that baby/fan/mum shot is just so awesome!
I love it!
Well done and conrats to Sarah and Michael.

Laurie Peacock - If only I had pretty blue eyes like hers. Beautiful, lovely wedding, Ryan!

Jon - Quality as usual ! Love the alter shot

Eric Kotara - Expertly done. I really love this wedding! It’s very clean and classy.

Keith - Once again – gorgeous images

Keith

Photo of the Day: Video Light in Your Pocket

July 18, 2010
Video Light in Your Pocket

If you have an iPhone 4, apps like "Flash Light" can keep the LED flash on for a much stronger light than just using the display. If the best camera is the one that you have with you, so is the best off-camera light.

This works with any phone with an LED flash, as long as there’s a way to hack it to leave it on.

And it’s easy to mount:

100717-101405 24mm_f1.6
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Dennis Pike - this is great, Ryan, love the setup shot too

Amber Hughes - Sweet – I love thinking outside the box for photos!

Az - Crazzzzy!!

Thao Trinh - Pure Genius! And yes, nice execution.

Aaron - love it.

Wedding: Caroline and John at the OceanCliff Hotel

July 16, 2010

Did you know that Caroline was Old French for “bringer of the sun?” Probably not, because that’s completely untrue. But it should be. Everything was laid out and looking gorgeous at the OceanCliff Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, with a view that lived up to the name, but the weather showed nothing but ominous rain clouds. That is, until right before Caroline was announced for the ceremony, when they had pared into brilliant — and actually, blinding — sunlight. Nice work!

The wedding was intimate and as peaceful as a wedding can get with a gaggle of gregarious children, including countless adorable flower girls, each with white dresses and ballet slippers. John and much of his family are from Ireland, which made for an interesting cross-cultural gathering that later included a Chinese tea ceremony, and Caroline changing into a traditional Chinese wedding gown. The wedding also featured culinary delights such as a gelato station, where I, at their urging, discovered that tirimisu gelato is probably the pinnacle of human achievement.

A gorgeous day I was happy to share in. Congratulations!

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Josh Lamkin - Love that ring shot. And you’re a reception master. Great shots there too.

Matilda "Tilly" Beezley - Beautiful. Every single image. Beautiful. I envy your brides! They get to be the most beautiful women not only for the day, but you capture that so perfectly for the rest of their lives.
Love it Ryan.

Antonio - Great as always! I love the “master of light” flash portrait.

Brad Ross Photography - Another set of photos that tells a wonderful story. Such modern and clean work. Kudos!

Becca Dilley - I am amazed at how you incorporate so many different sources of light in different ways. Beautiful wedding, I am sure they are very happy!

Sally - Wow – that ring shot is seriously gorgeous, and all those flowergirls are so sweet! Looks like such a fun wedding!!

Kyle - FAvorites: Where the bride is walking down a hallway and you got her reflection. Laughing while they’re getting her veil off. And then the reflection table portrait. SO wonderful!

dani k - Love the moments. Lifting the veil, the laughter, the dancing. Amazing, as usual.

Timothy Kaldas - Ryan your composition in this set is outstanding. I love your many uses of reflections throughout it, especially the shot of the bride walking down the hall reflected in the picture frame on the right. The silhouette shot in the ballroom of the couple is gorgeous as well.

Molly - Beautiful images. Love the shot of the hackey-sacking ring bearer.

George L Koroneos - OK, the outdoor shot with the off-camera flash is so badass it hurts. Amazing work. The rest of the photos are stellar, and I love the attention you paid to the little kids. What a wonderful set of photos.

matt shumate - Proving again why you’re the man. The way you have to anticipate the once in a lifetime moments to get the results you do is remarkable. Such an inspiration.

Joey chandler - Nice – love the lighting and the colors. Really nice soft feeling in the whole collection. Great work.

Natalie Gibbs - I don’t know how you find so many funny kid moments, but I sure do love looking at them. Great, great work.

Shell Bailey - Your composition is amazing. The reflections, sillhouettes, & lighting- I think you could make anything look beautiful.

Chantal - I love her climbing out from under that veil. Oh and your kid shots at the reception have perfect light.. I adore those ballet slippers.

Jen - Gorgeous! The colors of the ring shot are fantastic, and the gaggle of gorgeous gals in their petal-filled frocks are precious. The richness and clarity of your images is so inspiring!

Ryan Brenizer - Thank you!

Agustín Samper - Your photos are amazing!. Not only these, all of your work!!. I really, really envy you.

LaKaye Mbah - Another lovely wedding! I love how you’re able to capture the moments. The kids are hilarious!

Saskia - I love, love, love the one with the flowergirl and the curtain blowing in the wind.

Photo of the Day: Class Project

July 15, 2010

Ting and Weiji brought me back to my old stomping grounds of Columbia University for this shoot. Fun fact: Even though I didn’t start at Columbia until 2004, the last time I was in this room was 1997. Figure that one out.

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Mathias - Can I ask how you lit this photo?

Ryan Brenizer - Two Sb-900s behind them.

Sara Kelly Johns - Debate…Fordham v Columbia…did you win yours?

Ryan Brenizer - Yup!

Luis Godinez - Okay this is just awesome.

T w i t t e r