jason groupp photography

Lost?

2008-07-16T07:57:00.002-05:00

I see many of you have made it to the new blog, but a few have not! If you forgot, here's the link to the new bloggity blog!

Click here for the google reader!

See you at jasongroupp.com! Leave some blog love so I know you made it! :)

That's all folks!

2008-05-16T15:38:00.002-05:00

Nope, I am not moving to California, but I have a new BLOG!!!. So after two years here I'm ready to move on - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

NEW BLOG-ITY, BLOG!. Leave me some love over there! :)

This blog will remain here for now, but please add me to readers!

behind the lens.

2008-05-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

A little shy at first, both Cynthia (she's a make-up artist), and Nick (he's an events manager) are not used to being behind the lens. They warmed up quickly and we grabbed some fun shots.

Here's a couple of my favorites - instead of telling you where these were shot, how 'bout you tell me? Leave me a comment below! :)

...and of course the slideshow!

Happy Mother's day!

2008-05-11T19:30:00.003-05:00

Happy Mother's day to all the moms out there! I hope everyone enjoyed a beautiful day out today. Here's a quick pic of Phoebe and Liz after a nice day out this afternoon. More on Phoebe's blog here.

Back from Raleigh/Durham!

2008-05-01T12:25:00.010-05:00

My apologies for the lapse in posting, it looks like I am here for a bit longer. Ross and his dedicated team at Flosites have been working hard on my new blog and as with anything "from scratch", technical problems can sometimes take over.....

However, he has completed an AWESOME new splash page that I LOVE!!! Check it out here! If you refresh the page new images will rotate. Thanks Ross!

I have a bunch of posts coming so don't go far!

A-N-Y-W-A-Y. They say April showers bring May flowers, but it's not supposed to rain on any bride and groom's day. :) Unfortunately, it does sometimes. Lossie and Stephen had a planned to have their ceremony on the beautiful grounds of The North Carolina Arboretum, but gray skies and showers forced the move indoors. Not to worry though, they had a really pretty church all lined up.

Fortunately, the showers let up just long enough for us to run over to the Arboretum for a few pics. I am so glad we did! I was fortunate to have Abby Liga join me for the wedding. Thanks so much Abby for making the time to come up! You took some beautiful pictures, no surprise there of course. :)

Click the picture below for their slideshow!

Lisa and James

2008-05-01T12:02:00.005-05:00

Lisa and James have been waiting patiently for spring to come so we could get some fun pictures in the park. They both love cherry blossoms and they're in full bloom now! Lisa has been looking forward to this for a while, but I know James was a little worried about the shoot. Lisa did a great job of making her hubby-to-be comfortable during the shoot! Click the photo below for their slideshow!

....off to Raleigh/Durham!

2008-04-11T22:53:00.005-05:00

One of the nice things about living in the Tri-State area is the options I have to fly anywhere in the country at a moment's notice. I know, I know, some of you may be shaking your heads smiling. Yes - traveling from EWR, JFK, and LGA are not the most fun airports in the world - or clean - or easy to navigate. However - I can fly ANYWHERE in the world and most times non-stop. I have options with airports and several flights to choose from.

Since I mostly fly from Newark, I find myself on Continental quite often. Given the recent events with airlines going out of business or canceling flights, I feel very fortunate to be able to have Continental as my main choice for flights and 99.9% of the time can fly direct preventing me additional delays.

The New York area may not be the most convenient, but an awesome "jumping off" point to travel anywhere in the world. If you live in NYC and planning your wedding "elsewhere", wouldn't it make sense to hire your photographer where you live? Remember, the wedding is just one part - you have the engagement shoot (and nothing beats NYC for these!), pre-wedding consultations and album consultations. I love to be able to meet with my clients in person for these....

Case in point - I'm off to Raleigh/Durham this weekend for Lossie and Stephan's wedding this weekend. They live in Brooklyn, but decided to get married in Lossie's hometown. Lossie wanted to wait for warmer weather to do their engagement shoot, but how awesome will it be to have NYC and her hometown for their pics!?

This morning I had an on-time departure even with all the delays across the country and the American Airlines debacle! I'll be joined one of Orlando's hottest photographers Abby Liga. More later!

April Fools!

2008-04-01T18:25:00.003-05:00

LOL - they say the best practical jokes are the ones that have some truth to them. I think this was a good one. :) I love April fools day!

As my friends have pointed out - I'm a NY'er and I'm not going anywhere. However - truth be told, I do love the west coast, and am looking to shoot a few weddings out there each year. As an artist, it is always fun to change your surroundings. My biggest problem has been having a "home base" to meet clients - I don't do coffee shops anymore. :) So if you're a photographer on the west coast who'd like to shoot in NYC and want to do some "studio swapping" please contact me privately so we can chat!

...gift card goes to Colin's comment, he knows how I feel about lateness and from my experience, it's a little more "laid back" out there. :)

July 2008 blog post:
"I can't take it, I'm going back! Why is everyone always 15 minutes late to everything here!?!"

That is probably spot on. :) Thanks for all the comments everyone!

JasonG Photo moves!

2008-04-01T07:37:00.004-05:00

I've been waiting to make the official announcement and I am proud to announce JasonG photo will be moving! Where?

Most of you know how much I love the west coast and my desire to shoot there more often. An opportunity has come about and I could not say no, so I am proud to announce JasonG Photo's move to the California.

From the bright lights of NYC to the streets of sunny skies of ??, California. Where? Leave a comment below, winner of the best comment gets a $20 Itunes giftcard. :)

Frank DiMeo Rocks!

2008-03-27T18:22:00.002-05:00

I must admit that over the last few years I have been fortunate to develop such an awesome group of peers I can also call my friends. On the plane ride back from Vegas, I was thinking about when Elizabeth and I were planning our wedding and that I would have given anything to know even one of the talented photographers I met out at WPPI.

While Frank wasn't in Vegas, he is one of those people I am lucky to call my friend. He was nice enough to refer me to Laura and Joel for their engagement shoot last Saturday. Thanks man, you rock. Make sure to check out his tasty new blog, maybe I'll have one someday too. ;)

Laura and Joel are getting married in Kansas City this coming summer, but really wanted some fun shots of them enjoying the city they love so much. It was early, and pretty cold, but we rallied. :)

Click here for the slideshow!

Monsta' post!

2008-03-24T19:33:00.018-05:00

Hey there! OK - gonna apologize in advance for the HUGE post. :)

I'm back from Vegas, along with the 10,000 other photographers who descended upon Sin City for a week of fun, networking and, well, lots of partying. This was my second trip out there for WPPI, and it did not disappoint. Last year I found most of the photographers were from the western part of the country, but this year the east coast represented!

Here's a few fun shots from my trip I wanted to share with my friends. I wish I had taken a picture with every person I met for the first time and those I've known for years, but that would just make me look like a dork. OK - a bigger dork. :)

Clockwise from me, Mary Beth Tyson, Aimee Cooper, TimmyCo, Amy Martin, and my roomie Colin Michael.

Always entertaining Fred Egan

Rockstar road-trip producers on a layover for WPPI - Amber Holritz and Corey McNabb. They'll be hitting NYC in a few weeks, make sure NOT to miss it!

Always "ON" John Griffin. :)

Jonathan Rubin, and Roberto Falck

Add the fabulous Dasha Wright, and Phil Mantas

The lovely Shannon Sewell and Kathy Carlisle

...a little fun with Punam Bean and Julia Newman

Shannon returning while texting with her warm cup of foam. :)

Saving the best for last. The one the only - B

Last and never least my good friend Regis Chen.

Fun stuff aside, I also was fortunate to be asked by the GraphiStudio team to speak at their booth during the convention. Being my first speaking gig at a tradeshow I must admit I was super nervous. I have newfound respect for those friends of mine who get up in front of 200+ crowds on regular basis with such ease. I want to thank my friends for coming to support me, it meant more than you can imagine to see your friendly faces. Here's a few pics....

These taken by Kim Craven from Brian Dorsey Studios. Thanks Kim - You rock!

Big time thanks to my friend Scarlett for grabbing these shots of me too!

This will also be one of my last posts on this blog! :( As I approach my 300th post, it's time to say goodbye. I've been working with Ross at Flosites and am so excited at the progress he's made. He's worked super hard on this one and I'll be posting some shots from a shoot I did last week out at the Valley of Fire.

Here's one Riley grabbed of me shooting - thanks to Aimee and Riley for all your help!!

Meet me in Vegas!

2008-03-15T14:41:00.008-05:00

I am headed out Vegas and it will be my longest stay in Sin City. While I love the bright lights and energy Vegas has to offer, 3 days there is usually my max. This time I'll be there for 6 days -- yikes!

Every year thousands of photographers descend upon Nevada's gem for the WPPI tradeshow and convention. This will be my second trip to WPPI, but my first time speaking. I was honored to be asked by the folks at Graphi Studio to speak at their booth during the show. I haven't done 'public speaking' for quite some time, so I must admit I'm a little nervous. :) Speaking between such an awesome lineup of photographers is quite an honor.

I'll be speaking on Monday and Wednesday, so if you're in the neighborhood I'd love to see you! Also if you're a photographer who reads my blog and you see me out there, please come up and introduce yourself. I LOVE meeting new people!

Looking forward to seeing all my friends out there!

Monday, March 17th 2008
11:00-11:30 Terrell Lloyd
11:30-12:00 Bob Davis
12:00-12:30 Yervant
12:30-1:00 Jason Groupp
1:30-2:00 Carlos Baez
2:00-2:30 Garrett Nudd

Tuesday, March 18th 2008
11:30-12:30 Bob and Dawn Davis
12:00-12:30 Yervant
12:30-1:00 Garrett Nudd
1:15-1:45 Joe Buissink
2:00-2:30 Carlos Baez

Wednesday, March 19th 2008
11:00-11:30 Carlos Baez
11:30-12:00 Terrell Lloyd
12:15-12:45 Joe Buissink
1:00-1:30 Jason Groupp
1:30-2:00 Bob and Dawn Davis
2:00-2:30 Yervant

I have also been asked to join my friends on Thursday for a fun day of shooting and learning. It's called Leavin' Las Vegas, and should be an awesome way to close out the week!

....as on my last trip, I posted some videos so check back soon for updates from the week! :)

Amy and Joe

2008-03-10T10:31:00.004-05:00

Click on image below for slideshow!

Towards the end of the evening, I love to run a slideshow on my laptop. It's such a fun way to share my images with everyone and always a big hit.

After seeing the photo above, one of the guests pulled me over and said, "That photo of Amy and Joe is so beautiful, did you notice their bodies form a heart?" This guest then went on to say, "That is a THE best picture you could have taken of Amy & Joe as they start their marriage together!" I have to say, I never noticed the heart and was thinking of getting my shot right before they kissed.

Thanks Amy and Joe for a wonderful evening. I also must thank my buddy TJ, for flying out from Portland, OR -- especially this time of year. It's always fun to listen to him complain about how cold it is in the Northeast. :)

Thank you Rowena and Christian!

2008-03-06T21:18:00.011-05:00

You never know what to expect from a February wedding in New York. When I first met with Rowena, she expressed how much she wanted to take time shooting pics around town. I grinned and said, "You know it will be February right?" Sheepishly she smiled and said "I know, I'm really hoping for a warm day." :)

Rowena and Christian were in luck, 45 degrees is pretty balmy for February. Fortunately, my good friend Jennifer Davis joined me, and we had so much fun running around and grabbing shots with them in the city. Make sure to check Jennifer's blog for some of her awesome shots and more of the details from the wedding. Thanks again Jen!

It's always a beautiful evening at the Bryant Park Grill, with the twinkle of the city lights filtering in and warm candles aglow. These guys rocked the night away....the end of the evening ended in rain, but was the perfect backdrop for our final pictures together.

Rowena and Christian, thanks for everything - I hope you like the slideshow, click the image below.

Death Valley Day 4 (wrap up)

2008-03-03T20:31:00.003-05:00

....back to weddings tomorrow! Just a few more photos for now. I still have a ton of film I shot with my pinhole camera which hasn't seen the light of day in quite some time. I'm looking forward to seeing those shots but, with a full week of shooting next week and then off to WPPI the week after that.....I think it'll be a while.

Here's the last couple of shots from the morning before we returned home.

Colin waiting for some sweet light. :)

I have to say despite all the "difficulties" I had - this was a fantastic trip! :) A perfect getaway to recharge my soul and give me some time think about things I wish to accomplish in the upcoming year. I came away from this trip with one valuable lesson - and that was the importance of the getting the shot framed up, nailing the exposure and taking the time to THINK about what I was photographing. While being so deliberate is what landscape photography is about, wedding photography can be quite the opposite. Growing as an artist is always a process and I am so lucky to have such awesome friends to share it with!

Death Valley Day 3

2008-03-02T20:44:00.003-05:00

OK - so the videos kind of stink, but they make me laugh. On day 3 we got up before dawn to go shoot Zabriskie point. Fortunately, the sun was able to peak under the horizon of clouds for just long to capture these shots....

Watching the sun rise and illuminate the landscape in front of me was surreal. In between shivers and blowing on my hands to warm myself up after a frigid night I leaned over and said to Colin, "Dude, I'm checking into the hotel tonight. I can't do another night like last night." He responded, "Cool, I'll join you." :)

(disclaimer) I know I am making fun of myself for being a wuss but, honestly, Colin and I were both getting over colds. Our better halves were gracious enough to allow us to go on this trip and coming home needing a week to recover would not be so nice. :)

We headed back to the campsite and packed up our stuff, checked into the hotel, and grabbed a quick shower before heading out again for the day. Armed with a bag of beef jerky, 1/2 dozen granola bars, and 4 bottles of water we piled into Colin's monsta' truck for a 4x4 ride out to the Race Track. Thirty miles of unpaved, super bumpy roads later, we arrived at this awesome location. Make sure to read THIS about the moving rocks. Weird.

TJ

With one more morning of shooting left, things were looking up!

Death Valley Day 2

2008-02-26T21:11:00.005-05:00

OK - as promised....more pictures. Honestly, the weather was pretty awful the second day. It rained most of the day and when it wasn't raining it was completely overcast. We made the best of it by making fun of each other and complaining all day. :)

Here's a quick video of us packing it in @ 9:30AM.

Death Valley Day 1

2008-02-26T20:47:00.005-05:00

OK - trying something new. Little videos to go with the blog - will post one short video to accompany photos from each day.

Since day one was mostly traveling I only grabbed a couple of quick shots, so much more tomorrow! (I promise!)

Back from Death Valley!

2008-02-24T12:37:00.010-05:00

I'm back! I just returned from my 4 day photo trek in Death Valley, CA with some of my buddies. What an incredible place! While it is one of the most forbidding places on earth, the vast stretches of land surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges are incredible. This trip had many firsts for me:

It was the first time I ate beef jerky. :) While it was tasty, I think there is a reason I've never eaten it.

The first time I heard coyotes howling. Umm. I'm sorry, but they are scary sounding, despite the rest of the guys laughing at me.

The first lunar eclipse I've seen, and being so far from the city light, it was unreal.

The brightest moon and stars I've ever seen. So bright you could walk around without needing a flashlight. This came in handy for our walks back to the campsite from the saloon down the road. :)

While this trip had many firsts I think it might be the last camping trip I'm going on. Freezing my a-- off on the ground listening to people snore (not naming names) with background vocals from coyotes is enough for me. :) After two nights on the ground, I talked Colin into checking into the motel next to the campsite. Call me a wuss, but losing another night of sleep was too much! :)

Thanks guys for an amazing time and big-time thanks to Colin for planning the trip!
Here's one quick photo of us at Tea Kettle Junction. More to come soon!

Pictured below - TJ Cameron, me, John Griffin, and Colin Michael. Unfortunately, Tim had to take off the night before. Hope you made it back safe!

Off to Death Valley!

2008-02-18T19:30:00.004-05:00

But first, one quick pic from Rowena and Christian's wedding.

They had a beautiful wedding in NYC last evening and I have TON of amazing shots to share with you, but I'm racing to finish packing for my trip to Death Valley.

I'm meeting my buddies Colin Michael, TJ Cameron, John Griffin, and my moss eating friend Tim Halberg for a week-long photo trek. I've never been in this part of the country, but I'm looking forward to it. We are taking the week to challenge ourselves creatively and to "recharge". These guys are some of the top shooters in the country so I look forward to this awesome opportunity to hang with them!

From what they tell me, cell availability is sparse, so I will be blogging and returning calls when I can! We're also camping which is something I haven't done in about ten years, so I hope the scorpions don't get me. :)

Warm nights.

2008-02-16T16:06:00.003-05:00

I'm ready for spring! We can't always count on warm days in February, but we can always count on the warm beautiful glow of night in NYC.

One quick post from Amy and Joe's wedding - a warm night and a beautiful bride.

Happy Valentine's day!

2008-02-14T11:47:00.006-05:00

Happy Valentines day from Elizabeth, Phoebe and I! Good luck to all those people who have decided to "pop the question" today! I'm sure your intended will say yes! And if you tell your story here - I'll shoot your engagement pics for free. :)

TJ is going to kill me for posting this picture, but it was just too cute. I don't know who looks more uncomfortable.

Phoebe also came for a visit to the studio this week while I had some lunch with Michelle Kersten from GraphiStudio. It was nice catching up - see you in Vegas!

I'd also like to take a second to introduce my new studio manager, Lindsey. She's been with me for a few months now. She has been awesome - taking on any task thrown at her from shooting to editing, color correction, album design and, well, sometimes babysitting too! Phoebe absolutely adores her and we are lucky to have Lindsey on board. I'm sure you'll be seeing lots more of her this year.

Here's a pic of helping out at a wedding with me this weekend.

I've been super deliquent with posting, so check back soon for lots more posts...

Rowena and Christian

2008-02-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

With just a few weeks left before their wedding - rescheduling their engagement shoot was not an option. Rowena came up with a great suggestion, why not meet at the NYC transit museum? Filled with old subway cars and memorabilia, the museum made for a great cold weather spot. Fortunately, it was warm enough to grab a few shots outdoors in DUMBO.

Click the picture below for their slideshow!

A little diversion.

2008-02-03T15:14:00.002-05:00

I found this on Brooklyn Brides blog this morning and just had to share it. Check out this video:

It was filmed by videographers Rockmelon, who have been doing some very cool stuff. They also have an entertaining blog that I like to check out and their last post featuring a break dancing first dance did not disappoint. :)

Help this couple make their one million hits on you tube!

Bravo Mellissa Bitter!

2008-01-30T11:54:00.000-05:00

I have been flooded by emails and phone calls from people all over the country about the Celebration Studios debacle. And - I am so proud that many of my colleagues have taken up the challenge. You guys ROCK!

Melissa has put together her first "broadcast" on You Tube, and I think she nails it. Thanks Melissa!

For those of you still looking for a photographer for your wedding - SEND US YOUR STORY! There's a pretty good chance one of us will cover your wedding for free! Unlike Melissa, I do drive, so I'd be happy to cover your wedding anywhere! :)

Headed to Mystic!

2008-01-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

Most people descend on Mystic, CT in the summertime when the air is warm and the ocean breeze cool.

Not me and 100 other photographers. :)

Thanks to the generosity of Walter Van Dusen and the DWF, I am headed to an awesome one day seminar. Looking forward to saying hello to some new and old faces!

As always, I'll do my best to answer emails. For those Celebration Studio couples who've not sent your stories in - send 'em my way!

Due to the overwhelming response from other photographers, chances are your wedding will be shot for FREE by me or some of the other "love cats" out there. So please don't be shy!

New Traditions.

2008-01-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

One of my grandfather’s traditions was to give gifts on his birthday. He would say “It’s my birthday and I’m glad you’re here to celebrate it with me. Why should I get all the gifts?” I miss him. I’ve always thought that was a great idea. And I have to admit, I looked forward to his birthdays.

So taking a page from Grandpa Martin, I’d like to start a new tradition. For my birthday each year (starting today), I’d like to give a gift to someone who might need one. This year, my gift is to give someone my services for their wedding for FREE….

Last year, when fellow photographer Jessica Claire announced she was giving her services away to someone who most deserved it, I thought that was awesome and a great way to “pay it forward”. I don’t think she’ll mind (which is why I’m giving her credit), but I’d like to “judge” this process in the same way she did.

What I am looking for:

I am looking for a couple who was wronged by the local behemoth, Celebration Studios.

Celebration Studios has left thousands of couples out in the cold and it breaks my heart. Celebration Studios has left a black mark on our industry and what they’ve done to these couples is a terrible reflection on our craft.

While we (local photographers) had nothing to do with this and owe nothing to those left stranded by CS, I can’t help but feel for these poor people who’ve been robbed. I can’t help everyone, but I can help one couple. I challenge my colleagues to do the same….

If you have been wronged by Celebrations Studios and are a couple who just cannot by any means afford to hire a new photographer, please email me your story with a photo to:

j@jasongphoto.com

The winner will receive:

10 hours wedding day coverage
An online gallery for sharing and/or ordering pictures + DVD with images
40 page 9.5X13 GraphiStudio album

The top three entries will be posted on this blog on what would have been my father’s 65th birthday, February 11th 2008.

The winner will be chosen by me and a few of my colleagues.

Please grant my birthday wish which is to bring some joy to a very sad situation. I look forward to hearing from you.

I love daddy?

2008-01-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

Hmm.

This week I am home with Phoebe since she's been sick. Of course, I'm still keeping up with emails, phone calls and blog posts - but it's a challenge with a sick 8 month old.

Yesterday, she was particularly crabby and mealtime was very painful for everyone. Did I mention that we started the day at 6 am? I still thought it was a good "moment" to document. :)

Thankfully, the doctor gave her the all clear to return to daycare next week!

I need your help!

2008-01-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!

....as the new year begins I've hit the ground running, project #1 - new blog. I am so happy to have joined forces with Flosites to create the new look. The blog has become such an important tool for me to share my thoughts, and images, so I wanted to make sure it was H-O-T! :) Ross (at flosites) has been so awesome to work with, I can't wait to see the results (no pressure, Ross!). :)

Ironically - one of his requests in building the new blog is to include photos of my family and I. I dug deep over the last few days, and well I only have a few I like. So I have a favor to ask of you guys...

If I could ask all those fellow photogs, friends and family who might have grabbed a shot of me, and/or Liz (and of course our lovely baby) -- please take a few minutes and dig into your hard drives.

And - for your time I'll give the winning photo (my favorite) a hundred bucks!

My senior picture from high school is just not going to work! :)

Chrismakkuh '07 recap

2007-12-25T10:58:00.000-05:00

Happy holidays everyone! As usual Hanukkah took a backseat to Christmas, so much so we just have one quick shot of Phoebe and Liz lighting the Menorah. :) It's especially hard when Hanukkah comes so early in December....OK - I know that's lame. :)

We didn't even get a tree until just last week....

Fortunately, Liz and Phoebe avoided the mall madness by visiting Santa at the CVS which is fitting if you know my wife and her obsession for health and beauty products.

Phoebe dictated her letter to Santa which we left with a few cookies and of course a glass of milk and she was excited to receive a letter from him this morning, too.

Phoebe was very lucky to receive gifts from family and friends and predictably her favorite parts of the holiday so far are the tree and the wrapping paper!

Hope everyone has a great holiday!

Lauren Hillary Rocks!

2007-12-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

My west coast friends have been so nice to me this year! I hope I can return the favor someday!

About a week ago I received a phone call from bride-to-be Stephani who said Lauren Hillary had referred me. They were looking to have some engagement pictures taken in NYC before their upcoming wedding in California. I said, "well, it's awfully cold outside, but if you'll brave the weather I will, too!"

Stephani and Anthony wanted to meet me in Madison Square Park which is also the spot where they got engaged. I think it was about 30 degrees, with a brisk breeze blowing, but jackets were not necessary for these two. :)

Good luck with your wedding! Hope you enjoy the show! (click the photo below)

The stars at night......

2007-12-16T17:01:00.000-05:00

I took a quick trip down to Austin, TX this week to take care of some details for the REVOLUTION seminar. While we were there, we got to meet some new friends for dinner.

From left to right - Amy DeYoung, Stacy Cross, Fred Egan, Courtney Sprague, Kellie Finch, Sarah Quiara, and Jennifer Nichols. Thanks for a fun night out! These guys all do such amazing work, I had so much fun looking a their websites and seeing how creative they all are.

Of course, Fred and I had to do some shooting ourselves.....meet Molly, Laura and Chris.

A couple of Fred directing - and - chimping. :) Check his blog for more fun shots from the shoot.

Also - I've added lots of details for the workshop, so make sure to check out the REVO blog, for more about the seminar.

A winter stroll through DUMBO.

2007-12-09T13:36:00.000-05:00

Micah is as tall the Evergreens that grow in the hills of Portland, OR where they first met and Cristina is......well, not.

I'll admit, this does pose quite a challenge for me, but I like challenges. :) I also don't typically shoot engagement sessions in the winter time, but Micah & Cristina promised me Grimaldi's pizza to warm me up after the shoot, so how could I say no?

I haven't eaten pizza at Grimaldi's in a long time and I'm not sure why I was waiting because this is just simply the one of the best pies in the world. We even stood in line and I don't like standing in line. :)

Anyway - to get started we took some time talking about Micah and Cristina's wedding, strolling about DUMBO and warming up on hot chocolate from Jacques Torres (another delicious place not to missed).

Of course, what trip in DUMBO would be complete without a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade? That is where I grabbed this shot of Cristina reaching up for a kiss....

Click on the image below for their slideshow!

Inspiration.

2007-12-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

About a year ago when the concept for The REVOLUTION workshop was born, I was on a 2 week long trip out in California. TJ and I clocked nearly 800 miles in the car we rented. Our trip started in Southern California and included 2 trips up and down the coast. Why was I there?

Inspiration.

I needed a "jolt" to my insides - something to get my creative juices flowing. What better than spending time shooting along the California coast, meeting and making new friends along way? While out there, we got together for an "unconference" sponsored by Big Folio.

Not only did I come home with some amazing images that charged me to the core - I met so many people who have given me so much inspiration.

Out of that inspiration is where REVOLUTION was born. I wanted a way to share the charge I get out of shooting and trying new things. It's that "feeling" you get every time you open a new gallery of images, and finding the one - that "perfect" image. It's what makes us photographers, it consumes us - you know what I mean?

Because in the beginning, it was all about the images. And in the end, that's all that counts. Revolution isn't about workflow, marketing, or sales - it's about your passion: photography. Your imagery, your growth, & your belief in yourself...everything else in your business flows from this.

I am proud to announce the 2nd phase of the REVOLUTION workshop. I am also super stoked that Texas super star Fred Egan will be joining us! His imagery is as big as the state he calls home, and he's challenged me to a "walk-off" - you won't want to miss it! :)

Make sure to check the REVO blog for all the details.

Two times two

2007-12-01T09:14:00.000-05:00

Last week Jess and I traded our time for our holiday family photos. Both of us agreed we are not used to having the camera turned on us. About ten minutes into the session she turned to me and said, "Jason, I think you got the tougher end of this deal." :)

I'll admit, I haven't photographed too many 2 year old kids, and add twins to the mix - I had my hands full! Fortunately, Jess is a pro at shooting kids and shared some secrets to help us get these fun shots!

Being new parents ourselves, my wife and I are amazed at how Jess and her husband are managing with their adorable twins, Mason & Kendall!

Make sure to check Jess's awesome blog for her beautiful portrait work.

Maureen and Ed

2007-11-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

I know in many of my blog posts I talk about the BEAUTIFUL weather so you would think that's all I see. It may never rain in Southern California, but that's not true in the NorthEast.

However - if it was beautiful and nice all the time what fun would that be? Who needs bright beautiful days? As a photographer I love the challenges shooting in NYC can bring. Bright sunny days to dark dreary rainy afternoons - I love them all. Of course, a warm sunny day is great, but there is something cozy about a rainy day.

Let's just say Maureen and Ed's morning was very cozy. :) We spoke earlier in the week and they mentioned their concern for the weather. I told them not to worry, if it did rain we would grab some of my giant umbrellas and find some fun places for pictures. I also promised some awesome shots if it was raining - I love the shine the city streets get when it rains. (You might notice in movies, that when they shoot the NYC streets they are often wet -- it just looks better on film!)

Fortunately for Maureen, Ed and myself, the sun came out for their cocktail hour and we took advantage of the sunset. Click on the image below for their slideshow.

Thanks again Maureen and Ed!!

I also need to say thanks to my friends and rockin' photo couple Laura and Paul Eaton for helping me out! Many of the great shots are theirs too. Thanks guys!

The First Rule of Cyber Monday:

2007-11-26T19:59:00.000-05:00

The First Rule of Cyber Monday: There Is No Cyber Monday. I love this article about Cyber Monday. For those of you not familiar with this hyped holiday, here's the Wikipedia definition.

I make a point of doing all of my Chrismukkah shopping online, mainly because I hate shopping, crowds and well.....I'm a little lazy too. :) I must admit I didn't see anything worth jumping on today, but would love to hear from any of you who might have! Leave a comment, please!

In the spirit of the holiday season, I'm starting Cyber Tuesday. For those of you looking for a photographer for your wedding, today's the day to contact me! One day only, I promise it's not hype.... :)

From Harvard Square to Stockton Center

2007-11-25T15:08:00.000-05:00

I've really enjoyed exchanging emails with Jessica since she first contacted me last January for her October wedding. Here's an excerpt from her first email to me....

We're having a relatively casual, outdoor, autumn wedding, with S'mores instead of cake (oooh - fire pits at night, photographic challenge
maybe!) and lots of other non-traditional twists. The reception is
under a heated tent. We are looking for a photographer with a
journalistic style, who will document the day as it really happens.
Someone who isn't going to put us through a rigid pre-set pattern of
prom-style posed photos. Know what I mean? :-)

I knew from that email I would enjoy working with this couple. From the stroll we took around Boston for their engagement shoot till their wedding day I've truly enjoyed their company.

Jessica and Miles knew exactly what they wanted their wedding day to look like, and I think they did an awesome job of putting it all together. I hope I was able to capture their vision of the day in which I often got caught up in the emotion and love they have for each other....

I want to thank my buddy John Schafer who joined me and captured some beautiful moments.

Click the image below for the slideshow! Thanks Jessica and Miles for including me on your wedding day!

A little window light.

2007-11-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Liz and I had the honor of being guests at our friends Kristine and Warren's wedding at the Beekman Arms, in Rhinebeck, NY. It was our first "adult" weekend we've enjoyed since Phoebe joined us so we were pretty psyched. We were lucky to have my sister-in-law, Ellen, and her family watch Phoebe. She had a great time with her cousins.

My good friend Rob Munroe was there and let me sneak out with him for some fun night shots. Thanks Rob!

We found this sweet window light, mixed with a neon sign for highlights in town -

The city of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, NY is one of my favorite places upstate. If you've never been, it's worth the ride...

A few more.

Typically I would crop out the "chimping" photographer, but I couldn't help but leave him in. :) We had a blast - congrats to the newlyweds Kristine and Warren!

Ladies look out!

2007-11-23T10:04:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

The weather doesn't always cooperate, but we got just enough sunshine to eek this shoot out. A few weeks ago I photographed Patrick and Owen. Owen wasn't quite ready for his close-up, but warmed up in the end. Look out ladies!

...and the whole gang!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T10:01:00.000-05:00

This has been such an amazing year for my family and I. This year was also the first time I have taken on the role of teacher. I have had, over the years, many assistants I've mentored......but never in quite this way.

So, I want to take a second to thank ALL the awesome people who participated in REVOLUTION.

Thank you Amy Martin, Erich Camping, Mary Beth Tyson, Frank Dimeo, Heather Ahrens, Jennifer Davis, Ryan Jensen, John Schafer, Joseph Keith Vickers, Megan Dailor, Polina Ohsherov, Rob Munroe, Sandra Eau Claire, Timco, Abby Liga, and Sherri Jackson, who has an awesome Flickr group of images from the REVOLUTION seminar. And I can't forget Jordan, who STILL doesn't have a website! :)

You guys are awesome and I am so lucky to have met all of you! I truly appreciate all the nice emails you've sent saying how the workshop has helped you grow as photographers.

Of course, none of this would be possible without my friends and workshop partners TJ Cameron, and Chris plus Lynn.

I will leave you with this shot of Monica and Anthony on the Brooklyn Promenade - taken during our workshop shoot on day two. Make sure to check the neglected REVLOUTION blog, for lots of updates soon!

Phoebe will be updating her blog later. She is looking forward to her sweeeeet potatoes!! Yum!

How 'bout this face?

2007-11-21T11:34:00.000-05:00

I met Lyndon and his parents in Central park for some fun family pictures. And - there's not a better spot in Central Park than Sheep's Meadow. With the NYC skyline in the background, Lyndon gave me his best supermodel pose. :)

Of course nothing beats a ride on Dad's shoulders.

There's still time to get your holiday pictures in!

Shoot me an email!

Thanks guys!

Happy Anniversary my love!

2007-11-20T11:50:00.000-05:00

Today is my 8th anniversary to my wife Elizabeth! I can't believe we've been married 8 years, it feels like just yesterday we were planning our own wedding. Typically I would post a goofy wedding photo of us, but instead I thought I would put up a photo of how I feel today - on top of the world. :)

I took this photo a few weeks ago on Top of the Rock on a corporate shoot last week.

Happy 8th Anniversary my love! I love you!

Tim Halberg ROCKS!

2007-11-16T09:16:00.001-05:00

Of course, I am always grateful when I get a referral from another photographer, but it's not often that I get a referral from someone on the other side of the country. Tim and Cheryl Halberg are two amazing photographers living in Santa Barbara, CA. Tim and I met at a gathering last year and instantly hit it off. He's one of the funniest people I've ever met too. :) Make sure you check out his old blog for this funny video of him eating moss, and more seriously their new blog to see their beautiful work. Thanks again, Tim, hope to catch up with you soon!

I don't usually post pictures without talking about the bride and groom, but I have too much to share for this post! :) Maureen and Ed, thanks for your patience, the slideshow is gonna rock! :)

Who needs sunlight when you have a beautiful moonlit night!

Jennifer and Scott

2007-11-15T18:44:00.000-05:00

Last week, I met Jen and Scott in Central Park for their engagement session. Another amazing fall day that we didn't want to end because it was just too nice!

While I am always looking for fun and beautiful shots of my clients, I always find it important to capture "them". It's that ONE shot that really depicts their personality as a couple. How do I know it's their shot? Usually I get a good sense when I am asking questions in our meetings, through emails, and as we walk around talking about their wedding day. That's why I love getting to know each client of mine, so by the wedding day I KNOW when I got "that shot".

Some are better than others, but I just LOVE this image below of Jennifer and Scott - I think it really is "them". I hope I'm right! :)

Click on the image to see their slideshow.

As promised -- more blog entries coming!

Ariana and Dan - The wedding.

2007-11-14T20:06:00.001-05:00

This was was the perfect setting for an October wedding! Ariana and Dan had their wedding in the heart of of downtown Salem, MA -- the ceremony was in the Phillips Library Reading Room and then we walked across the street for the reception at the Peabody Essex Museum. What a cool town, with such New England charm! If you've never been there, it is worth the trip! I drove up early on the wedding day, and enjoyed some amazing fall foliage. Thanks guys!

Click the photo below for the slideshow!

Big time thanks again to James Federico who came down from Boston to help me! Make sure to check out the SWEET shot he got of Ariana coming down the aisle during the ceremony!

I thought shooting weddings was hard!

2007-11-09T13:25:00.000-05:00

Whoa - I just noticed I have not blogged this week! Elizabeth is away on a business trip and it's been Daddy day care all week. :) So in between naps I've been editing weddings and getting album orders out to the binders...Thank goodness for day care!

It's been a tough week and we've missed Liz, we will be so happy to see her! Here's a quick snapshot from day 1 sent to Mommy letting her know things were cool.

Make sure to check back next week for LOTS (I promise) of posts from some beautiful weddings in October....

I am sure Phoebe will be updating her blog too. :) Have a great weekend!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T08:28:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Ariana and Dan's wedding was a few weeks ago in Salem, Ma. and the witches hats fit right in! :)

Phoebe will be handing out the treats later she's very excited!

More sweet light!

2007-10-26T18:17:00.000-05:00

My posts have been a little "wordy" lately so I'm keeping this one short....sweet, soft, beautiful light from Jessica and Miles wedding.

Something about the light..

2007-10-25T08:39:00.000-05:00

There's something about the light this time of year that I love.......mixed with the colors of the fall, it can be so beautiful! This is a great time for your engagement session, so make sure to schedule your shoots soon!

Here's a couple of quick teasers from Ariana and Dan's wedding in Salem, MA a few weeks ago. Big time thanks to James Federico (AKA - The Fed) for helping me out!

Check back next week for the slideshow!

A couch and a camera.

2007-10-21T09:41:00.002-05:00

.....blogging a little backwards this week, because I just had to share this slideshow. Last Wednesday night, TJ and I hosted my 3rd annual Pre Photo-Plus Expo party . When this show is in town, photographers from near and far travel to check out all the hottest gadgets, cameras, and software the industry has to offer. These "get-togethers" only happen a few times a year, and only once in NYC, so it would be rude if someone didn't welcome them to town. :)

This year thanks to the generosity of GraphiStudio we debuted the "Graphi-Tini", which I'm sure will now also become an annual tradition.

It was certainly a night to remember with over 200 people filtering in an out over the evening. At one point I looked around and was so psyched to see such a diverse crowd of the industries most amazing photographers. We were also happy to entertain Skip Cohen from Rangefinder/WPPI, Alice Miller from Studio Photography, Dan Havlik from PDN, and my friends from all the way from Sao Paulo, Brazil who run FHOX.

Of course, the VIP's for the evening were the amazing crew who attended the REVOLUTION, we had such a blast this week photographing all over the city. During the evening Ryan was kind enough to set up a slideshow of the images everyone took. Thanks man! I'll be adding some of those shots to the REVO blog soon, so make sure to check it out!

So - what happens when you leave a camera and a remote trigger in a room full of photographers? Almost 300 pictures! :) This is a HUGE slideshow so be patient as it will take a few minutes to load! Don't miss the last photos of Becker, Jessica Claire, Fred Egan, Mike Larson, and Sara France having some fun with gourds. NIIICCEE.

Amber, this ones for you. :) Nice to FINALLY meet you.

Click the photo below of the REVOLUTION crew letting off a little steam for the camera. :)

Party for two!

2007-10-12T16:34:00.000-05:00

...or 400! :)

What a spectacular day! Ashlee and Mac's wedding was a blast from beginning to end. The day started with everyone in the bridal suite dancing and singing and later was followed by not only dancing, but swinging!

No detail was left untouched as you'll see in the slideshow below. From the Scottish kilts to the sword Ashlee and Mac used to cut the beautiful cake, this was a night to remember.

Many thanks to Marne at Gracious Thyme for making sure the day went off with out a hitch! Of course, I must send out one more shout to Colin Michael and Julia Newman for their help!

World on a string.

2007-10-04T11:16:00.000-05:00

You could almost feel the sweat on Chapin's palms in the photo below. :) It makes me so happy when I grab shots like this! The expression on Chapin's mom's face along with the little boy are priceless. It's that moment when ALL the months of planning come together in an instant. LOVE IT!

From their wedding song, to the dancing, to the impromptu performance of "Amy" by Chapin and the band --- leaves me no doubt that these two for sure have "The World on a String". Thanks for a great day!

Please click the image below for their slideshow!

Of course, no day would be such a success without the talented photographers who join me on my weddings. I was fortunate to have both Ryan Jensen and the world traveled Timco with me. Thanks guys!

Please don't burn the fudge!

2007-10-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

I'm back after another quick trip out west - one of these days maybe I'll be able to stay and enjoy the beautiful California coast. Fortunately, this time IT DID NOT RAIN! :)

These days, I have been flying in and out of Newark and since it's one Continental's hubs, they have the most flights to offer. With the exception of my trip to Santa Fe, most of my trips have been very uneventful. As a matter of fact this time we landed in Newark 40 minutes early! Unheard of! :)

However - midway through on my last three flights, a strong odor of burning fudge would come wafting through the aircraft. About ten minutes later one of the flight attendants would make an announcement that everything was OK, they just burned the hot fudge in the first class cabin. Now that's just cruel! :)

I'll be posting quite a bit this week as I catch up, and I just had to share a few of these "teaser" shots from Ashlee and Mac's wedding. Amazing details, Ashlee's Vera Wang gown, THE biggest tent I have ever seen, and an incredible view are just a few of the pictures I'll share here..... Make sure to check my friend Colin Michael's blog for more of these details!

Colin - big time thanks for coming out! I also want to thank Julia Newman for joining us, always a pleasure hanging with you guys!!

As always - slideshow coming soon!!!

...off to the "city by the bay!"

2007-09-28T07:54:00.000-05:00

I'm headed out to San Francisco this weekend to shoot a wedding with my good friend Colin Michael. I love this city so I am really looking forward to it. As always these days, it's a quick trip and will be back on Sunday...

Check back on Monday for pics!!

J-E-T-S!

2007-09-24T08:27:00.001-05:00

It's been a tough start to the football season here at the Groupp house. Yesterday was a little glimmer of hope that my football season might not be over in week three. :)

Thanks to my friend John Schafer who had two extra tickets to the game. Not only that, the seats were sweet! 20 rows back in the end zone! Thanks John, you rock! Click HERE
to see where he and his wife Dawn-Marie sat!

Check out how close these seats are!

My friend Phil Mantas joined me for the game.

Anyway - I won't clog up this blog with football stuff, if you want to see my rants about football try the Groupp Blog. We also just posted Phoebe's 5 months pictures, at least it'll be worth the trip. :)

Welcome back Nicole and Jason

2007-09-22T11:26:00.000-05:00

I just got an email from Nicole saying they had just got back from an awesome honeymoon in Hawaii. I'm so jealous!

Click the picture below for their slideshow!

Make sure to check out the beautiful light in the sanctuary for their ceremony. Thanks again for a fun day, I'm looking forward to seeing YOUR pictures. ;)

Congratulations CH-AMY!

2007-09-10T18:47:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing Amy and Chapin's wedding at her parents home in NJ. When one of Amy's sister's gave her toast, she mentioned that she is finally happy to announce that CHAMY (Chapin and Amy) are officially wed. I thought that was cute. :)

Here's a few shots from the day!

This last shot is from Timco who was finally able to connect with me for a wedding. He told me that has traveled almost 200,00 miles this year shooting weddings. Wow!

It was great seeing you and spending some time hanging out. Looking forward to seeing you in Ocotber!

I also want to thank Ryan Jensen who also joined me. Ryan will also be joining the REVOLUTION in October - looking forward to it! Thanks again you guys!

As always - stay tuned for the slideshow! :)

Nicole and Jason

2007-09-06T14:34:00.000-05:00

A few quick shots from Nicole and Jason's wedding.

The light in the sanctuary was so beautiful for their ceremony! Thank you Nicole and Jason, you guys were such a pleasure to work with - make sure to check out Nicole's amazing Amsale gown.

I also want to thank Nicole's mom for the nice voicemail she left for me on Monday. It's those little things that makes me the luckiest guy in the world to have the job I have. I look forward to working with you guys in the future.

Check back soon for their slideshow!

200th blog post!

2007-09-04T20:49:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it! 200 posts! Since starting this blog 1 1/2 years ago I never thought blogging would be so much fun.

It's been a crazy month so I'll keep this post short. Here's a few of my favorites from recent weddings shot with C+L and TJ. Thanks for having me out there guys!!

This first shot taken at TJ's wedding is one of my all time favorites. :) Now that's a raccoon!

Others from TJ's wedding:

From Chris plus Lynn's wedding:

I've been what?!

2007-08-31T18:55:00.000-05:00

Under protest I am taking part in an online version of "tag". Thanks to Laura and Desiree I am continuing this viral game of online blog tag. In this "game" I am supposed to tell you eight things about myself you might not know.. OK - not that anyone cares - here goes:

8) Favorite movie - Problem Child. Those who know me well know I LOVE this movie. Not sure why (I just love that kid in the bowtie), but it makes me laugh.

7) My Pops worked for one of the original glam rock bands The New York Dolls and appears briefly in the documentary "All Dolled Up". This has nothing to do with me, but it is interesting and the documentary was made by notable rock photographer Bob Gruen. As an aside, Bob took a great pic of my Dad during that same time and he was nice enough to make a print of the photo for me a few years ago. You can read more about this neat story by clicking here.

6) My wife and I met on a blind date. Our first date was an NIT basketball tournament at Brendan Byrne Arena and was under the impression she was a sports fan. I was duped. :)

5)I have held full time shooting jobs for Caldor, J. Crew and Conair/Cuisinart. At one point Conair had me model for the beard and moustache trimmer which was on all their packages for about 5 years. I was paid 50 bucks for the modeling gig. :)

4) My second favorite movie is Problem Child II

3) One of my favorite photographers is NYC's own Weegee. This is my favorite photo. Someday I'd like to buy an original print of this.

2) My favorite food is Cheese - Its. I am so happy Football season is here, because I limit my Cheese - It intake to Football season only. :)

1) Our house was struck by lightning while we were both home! Fried every piece of electronic device in our home with the exception of my computer gear which was well protected. It was super scary, so for those of you who don’t have serious protection for their computer gear - well, you never know!

My apologies in advance to those I am tagging next, so I've decided to pick the best of the best! :)

Luke
Alisha
Frank
DJ
Colin

The REVOLUTION crew. :)

C+L
TJ

...and the wildcard

Cheryl and Tim

Let the REVOLUTION begin!

2007-08-15T21:09:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce a new project that I have been working on with my good friends TJ Cameron and Chris + Lynn. It has been a lot of work, but I know we have planned something really special that photographers will LOVE.

I especially want to thank the folks at Big Folio, and Graphi Studio for your generosity in supporting this seminar. BIG BIG thanks also goes out to Laura Ann Cinema for putting together our AWESOME promo. I'm not sure how you did it, but it ROCKS! You're the best!

Please visit our website for more details. Looking forward to seeing everyone in October!

Jess and Miles

2007-08-10T19:25:00.001-05:00

August is usually one of those months where I take a "breather" before the fall wedding season kicks off. Not this year. :)

Jess and Miles asked if I would take a ride up to Boston for their engagement shoot. Boston is where they met and they said it would mean a lot to have their pictures taken up there. I love Boston and don't get up there as often as I'd like so I jumped at the chance. I took the Acela train up and I have to admit it is a really nice ride. The 4 hour trip cruises along the coast and was a gorgeous ride home along the water. We spent the day roaming around the city and the Harvard campus where Miles went to graduate school.

Click the picture below for their slideshow. Looking forward to seeing you guys in October, thanks for the fun day! I had an awesome time with you guys!

For those who have emailed me about the "super secret", check your email boxes soon for an announcement! ;) The super secret announcement is coming this week - I promise!

Photo Booth!

2007-08-06T17:51:00.000-05:00

When Donna and Eric were planning their wedding, Donna asked me if I could set up a photo booth at their wedding. They knew their friends would enjoy being able to take their own photos and have fun with it. Donna obviously knows her friends well! 500 pictures into the night they were still going strong! Here's a few:

The wedding was at one of my favorite locales - The Woolverton Inn in Stockton, New Jersey. I have shot a bunch of weddings here and it is always so much fun. It is a really cute B&B only about an hour outside the city, so if you're looking for a quick get away make sure to check them out. The inn keepers are super nice and have a KILLER breakfast in the morning.

I was fortunate enough to come out on Friday night for Donna and Eric's rehearsal dinner and spend the night - my first full night's sleep in 2 1/2 months, so it was like mini vacation for me too. :) Thanks guys! It is always nice to be there the day of the wedding and already know everyone as the day unfolds.

Donna and Eric were so lucky to have an awesome day for an outdoor wedding in July. Mid 80's and low humidity. Click the photo below for their slideshow!

Thanks again to Donna and Eric (and to all their fun friends and family!) for a fun weekend! Once again BIG thanks to Sofia Negron for all your help. I also want to take a minute to say thank you to my assistant Nicolette who not only ran the photo booth, but has also worked extremely hard for me over the last few months. I could not have done it without you!!

Update....

2007-08-06T14:13:00.002-05:00

Quick update as I have been getting a ton of emails regarding this last post. This comment was left on my blog by "anonymous" a few minutes ago:

Anonymous said...

After checking out Bridal Hood, Project Wedding, and Our Wedding Day, it appears that only Project Wedding tries to "profit" from your information with ads. The other two websites does not. And only Project Wedding has an image for your listing, which could have been stolen or added by the bride that added a review for you. On Bridal Hood, they had no image associated with your listing and it looks like they only use images uploaded by the photographers themselves.

For the record - yes - that image was lifted directly off my blog and the "review" that was posted was lifted right from this link here. That review from the knot is almost 3 years old and I know my bride didn't post it on this other site.

So I am to assume that these guys are doing it for fun or out of the goodness of their hearts? This may be true, but I am sure it will be just a matter of time before they put out the "sandwich board" on the sidewalk and ask us to "come on in" or "get in on the ground floor" of this amazing website.

I just want to say that I am not posting this because I am mad, as a matter of fact I am flattered! However - I'd love to work with them personally - ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS ASK! I just can't offer something I don't know about. :)

Bogus wedding websites

2007-08-04T13:19:00.000-05:00

It seems every day that there is a new crop of Wedding websites, each one claiming to have something unique to offer. Slick marketing campaigns and flashy websites each grasping for a little piece of the wedding industry pie - so to speak....

These guys are a whole new breed unto themselves - and they are completely BOGUS! The funny part is they seemed to have cropped up all in one week. Thanks to my friends Phil Mantas, and Jennifer Davis for pointing them out these two out to me:
"Bridal Hood"
"Project Wedding"

Then I found this one this morning! Unreal!
"Our wedding day"

Not only was I not asked to be part of their website - they have completely RIPPED my photos off! They've stolen the pictures from my blog, website or from my ad on the knot. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind it at all when people link my website or blog as did Brooklyn Bride on her blog, but when the blatantly steal my info for their greedy purposes that makes me crazy. Especially when my info is just plain WRONG!

So I am going to stand on my "Soap Box" for a minute and say to all those planning their wedding, to make sure you check your references. It's not all as it seems sometimes! :)

Welcome Fintan Seamus!

2007-08-03T13:54:00.001-05:00

Well this blog entry definitely qualifies as a little late, but in my defense Fintan Seamus arrived a week early -- this past Sunday - 6lbs 13oz and 21" long!

Two weeks ago I ran over to Sean and Ambra's house to grab some maternity photos of the two of them. I photographed their wedding back in November 2003, I can't believe it was almost 4 years ago! Wow - well we can't stop time. :)

Here's a few photos from our shoot. I have been shooting maternity photos for my wedding clients for some time now, and love doing them. I love having that long term connection with my couples as they move through life! Soon, I'm hoping to add some of the photos from these sessions to the website along with the kids' photos.

Check back soon for pictures of Fintan Seamus - I'd better get over there soon, if I blink he'll be leaving for college.

Congrats to both of you!!! Thanks for the link to the photos, he is really cute!! I think Phoebe and Fin will have to have a play date soon! :)

Almost 9,000 miles....

2007-07-29T19:35:00.000-05:00

In the last 3 weeks I have traveled almost 9,000 miles! Yikes! From NY to Seattle, Seattle to Vancouver, BC and then home...all in 3 days. Two days later I traveled from NY to Philadelphia for the night....and then this past Friday I flew down to Tampa overnight. Whew. Here's a few pictures from my travels out west.

These are from my super secret project. I was working with TJ Cameron and BC natives Chris + Lynn. I can't give out too much info, but it will be something fun photographers will love. If you'd like to be one of the first to find out email me at - supersecretjason@gmail.com - or just leave a comment below and I'll put you on the list. :)

I'll have some shots from some recent weddings I've photographed, too, so check back soon!

Fun blog.

2007-07-20T19:18:00.000-05:00

I love when I stumble upon other sites who link to my blog or website! Tonight I stumbled upon bklynbride's blog. I have to say it's a great blog for brides who be planning their own wedding. Bklynbride has a great list of photographers there and I am proud to say she chose me as one of them! Thanks! Good luck with your wedding plans!

Make sure to check out her other fun design obsessed blog, too.

(PS - how about me for your wedding?) :)

Here's a few pictures from an event I photographed last week. What a beautiful night to be on the water. I have a tough job sometimes. :)

It's about the "moments"

2007-07-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

What is a PJ style wedding photographer? Well - let me show you what I think with a few photos taken at Donna and Eric's fabulous wedding this past Saturday.

Of course, it is expected that we shoot some family pictures....like this one of Donna and her Grandmother.

This next shot was taken while Donna and her Grandmother sat taking a break while waiting for a few others to join us for more pictures. To me, THIS is what a PJ photographer does best. Capture "moments". How important is this "moment"?

I had an awesome weekend with Donna and Eric out at the Delaware Water Gap. On Friday night, I stole them away from their rehearsal dinner for 5 minutes for a few pictures. I love shooting for my couples at the rehearsal - it gives me such a great opportunity to get to know their friends and family. I think it makes such a difference in getting everyone comfortable and used to having the camera around them.

Donna and Eric - Thanks so much for making me feel like part of the family, I had such a great time! You have an such fun families and friends!

I also need to thank Sofia Negron for joining me this weekend! You took some great pictures! Be sure and check her blog soon!

I'm flying out to Seattle tomorrow to work on a super secret project with my friends TJ Cameron, and Chris and Lynn Jaksa. We'll have an exciting announcement to make in the next few weeks. That's all I can say for now, so check back soon for that and for more on Donna and Eric's wedding.

Landmarks and inspiration

2007-07-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

Whoa - 11 days without a blog entry - my apologies! :) Not to worry though. it will be a "blogathon" this week! Stay close as I have some very fun entries coming!

It was a true NYC wedding weekend for Diane and Blake, hitting up some of the best landmarks this town offers. As I mentioned in my earlier post about them, no detail was left out.

Their wedding song was by Frank Sinatra, "All the Way" - and it would be the best way for me to describe this couple as they give nothing but 100% to everything!

They started the weekend with a Groom's Dinner at Tavern on the Green followed they next day with 5 and 10K "fun runs" kicking off at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. YES - a "fun run" on the day of the wedding! For Diane and Blake, this WAS really just a WALK in the park as they had both been training for their second (yes second) Ironman competition. I'm not sure how many "fun runs" these guys have been on, but I know several marathons are also included in their long running resumes. :)

Meeting under the Chuppah with their race number tags pinned above them was just one of the amazing touches to their beautiful wedding. Congratulations Diane and Blake! Most couples would be leaving for their honeymoon - but not these two! Instead, they took off for nothern Idaho for the Ironman competition first. Blake placed 12th in his age group with the fastest amateur run for the marathon leg with a 3:05, and Diane beat her new hubby in the swim. :) You guys are an inspiration!

I want to say thank you to both families for a fun weekend!! Click the photo below for the slideshow!

Laurie and Alan (Soshie too!)

2007-06-28T16:46:00.000-05:00

When I looked at the weather forecast for Santa Fe a few days before I left for Laurie and Alan's wedding, I couldn't believe my eyes. Thunderstorms and rain! I emailed Colin in disbelief - I mean there are about 300 days of sunshine in Santa Fe each year and it would be my luck it would rain! Fortunately, the forecast changed and even though we had a few showers, they were gone before we knew it.

From the moment I arrived in my room and I was greeted with a cute gift bag, Laurie and Alan had every detail planned for a beautiful day. Saturday morning we met up for a quick lunch and then were off for some pictures in town. Downtown Santa Fe is an amazing little city with some really cool architecture. I don't usually have this much time to do portraits of the bride and groom (and with such a cute couple!) so it was a real treat.

It was time for us to leave for the ceremony - of course not without a quick stop back at the hotel to get Laurie and Alan's beloved dog, Soshie. I've met some cool doggies before, but this little guy was the BEST. He hung out all day with us and was the best model! :)

The reception was held at the top of the Eldorado Hotel. What a perfect backdrop to the perfect day! The sun setting over the mountains was stunning end to a beautiful day....but wait there's more!

After dinner we walked across the street to the beautiful Georgia O'keefe Museum for dessert and dancing. With colors matching of one of Georgia's paintings (if you know the name of the painting please leave a comment!), the new bride and groom cut their cake. Please note I must give credit for one of the cake shots to their friend Amanda. Colin was busy readying the slideshow so I asked if she wanted to help. :) She hesitated at first when I handed her my other camera, but took the great shot of them kissing. Nice job Amanda!

As they danced the night away, the moon rose across the sky.

I want to thank Laurie and Alan for an amazing time and for making me feel like family. I also want to thank Colin one more time for helping me out - he took many of the awesome shots in the slideshow, including the rehearsal dinner photos since I could not be there. Looking forward to seeing you again in September! Click the photo below for the slideshow!

More shameless plugs!

2007-06-27T08:10:00.000-05:00

First of all, I have to say Happy Birthday to my brother Douglas! The first shameless plug is for him.

Doug is an amazing artist who lives and works in Williamsburg, Brooklyn - if you'd like to see his work click on the photo below. Doug also sells his work around various locations in Manhattan, so if you're looking for a unique gift or some artwork for your home -- you must check him out. His collages are really awesome, and range in size from 4 x 5 inches to 4 x 5 feet, so they'll fit in any space.

The second shameless plus is for my friend Dan who is the editor of a very cool site that takes the mystery out of digital technology for consumers. If you've ever
struggled to figure your digital camera, laptop, printer or HDTV, you
should definitely check out his site. Over the years I have had so many people come up to me and say "I take the worst pictures, I wish I could figure my camera out!" Dan's website - "Demystifying Digital" is perfect for those people! :) Dan's also becoming a quite a celebrity with two TV appearances in the last couple of weeks. Check this one out with Maurice Dubois from CBS News by clicking the photo below!

The Maine attraction!

2007-06-24T18:33:00.001-05:00

I just got back from a really fun wedding up in Prouts Neck, Maine. A few weeks ago, I found out my friend, David Jay, would be up there shooting Alison and Wes's wedding (David is from Santa Barbara) and I jumped at the chance to join him! I have a special place in my heart for the state of Maine - the coastline is beautiful....and the serene beaches and lighthouses are to die for. It is also where I asked my wife Elizabeth to marry me 8 years ago.

I also really, really, really love lobster! From steamed lobster to lobster rolls...I can't get enough! :) Unfortunately, David didn't get a chance to see my military like dissection of a whole lobster, but we still had a great time! Next time, my friend!

OK - enough about me.

Best Friends Forever. After the ceremony, we followed Alison and Wes in their horse drawn carriage. You could definitely feel the love this couple had for each other. But more importantly, as I was watching them through the ceremony until they left that evening - you could see the special friendship they had, too. AWESOME. Here are just a few shots I pullled at 2AM last night. Make sure to check DJ's blog for his slideshow! Thanks for having me along - looking forward to seeing you in the fall!

Now THIS is a wedding!

2007-06-21T20:23:00.001-05:00

If you know me or have followed my blog you know that I shoot MANY Jewish weddings each year. However - most are not this BIG! And - I don't just mean big in terms of the amount of people. :) From the Tisch to the Bedekin....and finally the ceremony.....each stage of this wedding was larger than life. Did I mention the 15 piece Klezmer band?

Rebecca and Josh's wedding had over 400 guests in attendance for the celebration of their marriage. However, even with so many people, the event still managed to feel like a small wedding. Rebecca, Josh, their family and friends were so filled with joy that during the Tisch, I thought the guests would burst at the seams with excitement and anticipation. This kind of passion is what Chris and Lynn Jaksa and I dream of in a celebration....and I think you'll see the pictures reflect that!

The day flew by for us because there was always something exciting to shoot! Click the image below for Rebecca and Josh's slideshow! One last thank you to Chris and Lynn for all their help!

I'm off to shoot a wedding with my friend David Jay, in Maine on Saturday so make sure to check back this weekend for more pictures! :)

Dan and Janie

2007-06-18T21:13:00.000-05:00

Most of my clients will share their wedding song with me to use along with their slideshow. When Dan and Janie sent me their song, I knew it would be truly unique as were many of the touches from their wedding. Why not an Irish tune from Patrick Street?

Click HERE for their slideshow.

Dan and Janie's wedding was a true reflection of their personalities. With a ceremony on the banks of the river of the city they love so much to the song they chose for their first karaoke performance. It was a pleasure working with you guys and your whole family. I think I can honestly say this will be the first year I work on two sibling's wedding albums in one year! :)

Of course this day would not have been such a huge success without my good friends Chris and Lynn Jaksa. You guys did such an amazing job! Thanks once again and I am looking forward to seeing you guys again soon! ;)

It's GO TIME!

2007-06-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

A belated Happy Father's day to all the Dad's out there! In the words of the immortal Morty Seinfeld "This shirt will never leave my body!"

One of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld is where Jerry buys a "#1 Dad" T-shirt. I'm not sure how -- but Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld created a character that was a mirror image of my dad, Barry. :)

Liz has more on Phoebe's blog, but I will leave you with one of my favorite Morty Seinfeld quotes:

"Cheap fabric, and dim lighting. That's how you move merchandise."

Top of the Rock.

2007-06-11T09:37:00.000-05:00

On Saturday night I had the pleasure of photographing Diane and Blake's wedding. I want to share 30 seconds of their wedding with you....

If someone gave me a second chance at my wedding day - this would be the place I would choose to see my (future) wife for the first time. Hands down!

Diane and Blake's wedding took place at one of NYC's quintessential landmarks, the always fabulous Rainbow Room. From the invitations to the programs, the flowers, lighting and cake....no details were overlooked!

Here is just a sneak peak of Diane and Blake's first meeting at The Top of the Rock.

On our way to see Blake - Scarlett leading the way.

Blake, waiting for Diane on top of the World!

As Diane comes down the stairs, even Carlos (who should be shooting!) gets caught up in the moment. Just kidding, his shots from that angle are awesome. Even the tourists were getting into the act!

Bigtime thanks again to Amy, who joined me from Charlotte, NC. She never stopped shooting all day! :)

It was a little extra work to coordinate this meeting given the location, but I think you'll agree it was all worth it. Thanks to Mark Hunsch (Rainbow Room's event Manager) for setting it up so we didn't need to stand in any lines!

Thanks to both Diane, Blake and their families for such an fun day. Maybe we'll see other soon. ;)

Finally - I must close by giving a big THANK YOU to my buddy Luke for connecting me with Diane. He was unfortunately booked for her date when they met back in September at her friend Emily's wedding. Thanks Luke. :)

2 quick shots....

2007-06-08T23:34:00.000-05:00

I just got back from Diane and Blake's rehearsal dinner, on our way out I had to grab one of my quick night time city shots.

As we left we had to make a quick stop in Times Square. (more on that later!) I am psyched to be shooting with the fabulous Amy Martin and Scarlett Williams this weekend. Thanks for a fun night! Looking forward to tomorrow!

Central Park in June.

2007-06-07T18:18:00.000-05:00

Last evening I met Nicole and Jason in Central Park for their engagement shoot. I always like to get to my favorite meeting spot (the NE corner of 72nd St. and Central Park West) a few minutes early to do a little people watching. As with every year there was a fresh crop of newbie rollerbladers, which always is fun to watch. :) I was one of them once, and to be honest - I was pretty awful. :)

For June, the weather was actually a little chilly and windy, but beautiful nonetheless! Click HERE for their slideshow! Thanks for the fun night! Looking forward to your September wedding at the beautiful Woodbury Jewish Center in September!

I'm off to Diane and Blake's rehearsal dinner at the timeless Tavern on the Green. Check back tonight for a few fun photos!

Now THIS is a Hora!

2007-06-05T19:42:00.000-05:00

More dancing! Memorial day weekend was all about celebration and Rebecca and Josh's wedding was non-stop! I have to admit, I've shot hundreds (yes, hundreds) of Jewish weddings (reformed, conservative, and orthodox) and this was by far the biggest (and longest) Hora I've ever photographed. With over 400 guests in attendance, the dance floor never emptied. It wasn't easy to get some of these shots without getting trampled, but Rebecca and Josh's friends were so nice and kept pulling Chris and I back in to make sure we could get great shots. So, I had to feature a few of them .....check back soon for their slideshow!

Thank you Laurie and Alan!

2007-06-03T17:00:00.001-05:00

A quick post to say thank you to Laurie, Alan and their family and friends. I had so much fun with all of you! You guys planned a truly magical night that was amazing from beginning to end. It was my first time in Santa Fe and I can't wait to come back, this place is a photographer's paradise. I'm gonna work backwards and start with the two closing pictures. First, is the last shot of the evening with the moon rising over the sky and the second was taken this morning after brunch. Colin had scouted out this spot yesterday for us to shoot at and unfortunately when we got there it was under construction. So we just had to take a few minutes today.....

Thank you Colin for all your help this weekend! It was so much fun hanging with you this weekend - and I can't wait to see your shots. Hopefully, it's not too bumpy getting home in that little plane!

I made it.

2007-06-01T22:35:00.000-05:00

After a 12 hour plane ride here to Santa Fe (flight should only be 4.5 hours) I made it just in time to shower and head out to the golf course. I know, my life is rough. :) But - golf on 90 minutes sleep is not easy.

I want to thank the nice gentleman who gave me a ride from Albuquerque to Santa Fe in the middle of the night. Who says NY'ers aren't niiiceee.

When I arrived I was greeted with a nice gift bag from Alan and Laurie. It came with snacks and water, and an beautiful little booklet about them and their family. I always love these personal touches that make each wedding so special.

Looking forward to an awesome day tomorrow!

Off to Santa Fe!

2007-05-30T19:29:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what happened to month of May, but I can't believe it's June already! I'm at the airport now and wanted to wish my buddy Sean a happy 40th birthday!! I'm sure he will love the public birthday announcement. :) We had planned a night out with guys in NY to celebrate his birthday early, but Phoebe had other plans. Hope we can hang out soon!

I was hoping to be able to post more from the wedding I photographed on Monday with Chris and Lynn, but I had to share this one teaser. Rebecca and Josh had a picture perfect afternoon with their ceremony on the balcony of the Jersey City Hyatt, overlooking NYC. It was AWESOME. Check back for shots from their wedding gala!

I'm off to Santa Fe, NM to photograph Laurie and Alan's wedding with my buddy Colin Michael. I hope to blog every day when I'm out there, so check back for shots from the golf course. I was lucky enough to to be invited to play with their family. Wait till they see my slice! :)

"It's not how well you sing, it's how you sell it."

2007-05-30T19:15:00.000-05:00

I don't typically feature many reception shots, but Dan and Janie's wedding was so much fun - I just had to share! How many of you have ever been to a Karaoke wedding? It was a first for me! To kick off the evening, Dan reassured everyone that "It's not how you sing, it's how you sell it." and he joked that he and Janie would sing the first song so as to set the bar low. :) However, they put on a stellar perfomance, then followed by friends and family throughout the night.

Here's a few more fun shots - slideshow coming soon!

Kicking off the summer right!

2007-05-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

Kicking off the unofficial start of summer, I had the pleasure of photographing Janie and Dan's wedding in DUMBO (for those who don't know -- it stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), Brooklyn. There were some concerns of stray thundershowers, but Janie and Dan refused to let that "derail" (inside joke) their plans.

Here are a few photos from the wedding. This was a first for me, I have never had the opportunity to shoot in this park with the incredible view of the Manhattan skyline as the sun set.

I had the fabulous dream team Chris and Lynn Jaksa joining me from Vancouver, BC. I can't wait to see their pictures from this awesome day. In the meantime, make sure to check out their blog new video (shot by Lynn's sister! What a talented family!) they just launched -- shot in the very same spot as the wedding.

We're off to day two of our summer wedding kickoff. Before I go, one last photo from yesterday (of me) -- taken by my friend Scott. It seems like just yesterday when I shot his wedding wedding at the Jersey City Hyatt. We're headed back there again today. Thanks for the photo Scott -- nice sunset! :)

The Knot 2007 Best of Weddings Pick!

2007-05-25T14:56:00.001-05:00

The Knot 2007 Best of Weddings. The best part is that I have been chosen by YOU!!

How awesome is the quote in the magazine above?! It's exactly how I would like to be described! I am not sure who wrote this about me (please let me know!), but thank you!

According to the magazine -- which hit newstands two weeks ago:

"It was all very official"

"In 2006, we asked recent brides from The Knot to rate and comment on their wedding vendors. Over 25,000 completed this survey conducted by an outside survey organization."

If you haven't taken the poll for this year make sure to go to TheKnot.com ratings poll. Hopefully, you'll vote for me again! :)

Lacy and Adam

2007-05-23T19:37:00.001-05:00

As promised, here's the first of many posts to come over the next two weeks! I'm a little late with this one, but I wanted to make sure it was perfect. I had over 4,000 images to go through and narrowing it down to just 100 is quite a task!

I was fortunate to have some awesome photographers with me for Lacy and Adam's wedding. I want to thank Jessica Wernes, of Dewdrop Photography, Tom Weis, and Jennifer Davis. Your images are awesome and thanks so much for making this such a fun, successful day!

Make sure to check their blogs...
Jess's blogdrop
Tom's blog (although this may be the wrong place since his last update was 11/18/06. :)
And don't forget one of my favorites...
Jennifer's blog (I think there might be a problem with hers too because she's making me wait so long between posts! :)

Click HERE to view Lacy and Adam's slideshow. Lacy and Adam chose the fabulous Pleasantdale Chateau for their wedding. It was a beautiful day and it went by in a flash!

New Slideshows!

2007-05-22T19:34:00.001-05:00

Last night I was able to hook up with one of my favorite photo friends, David Jay, from Santa Barbara. He is also the creator of one of my favorite new tools in the last ten years. It's not a camera - or even a lens. It's his slideshow software which is the best tool I have had in years and allows me to share my photographs with you so quickly. Oh - DJ is a great photographer too. :)

DJ was in New Jersey speaking at a PPANJ conference about how he balances his life with his business. For my photographer friends, if you've never met him, don’t miss the opportunity meet hims when he is in your town!

Here's a photo from dinner. From left to right -

John Schafer, Me, Vanessa Joy Scavone, Brett Austin and of course, David Jay.

Click here to see the new version of DJ's slideshow. The best part of the new software is it allows me to create a DVD of your slideshow for you to keep! If you are one of my past clients and would like a DVD of your slideshow, please let me know!

Great seeing - and meeting -- all of you!

....stay tuned!

2007-05-20T21:29:00.000-05:00

I have been a little slack with blog entries over the last few weeks, but not to worry I have tons o' entries coming over the next few weeks!

Fortunately I had the chance to hook up with Rebecca and Josh for their engagement shoot. They are getting married at the Jersey City Hyatt on memorial day, hopefully we will have some great weather! The view of the city from there is always fabulous.

Click here to view their slideshow!

Guest books.

2007-05-14T11:03:00.000-05:00

I am proud to introduce a new album - the Guest Book.

Guest book albums are hardcover books (coffee table style) filled with full bleed images. We create a layout that leaves space for guests to write a short note. You may put it out for guests to sign when they arrive and then you keep it as a memento of your wedding day and is a great way to share your engagement pictures with your guests.

Here's a few page spreads from of Ashlee and Mac's book for their upcoming wedding in September.

If you're wedding is coming up and you'd like one of these please make sure to get in touch me soon to get your order in!

Back in action.

2007-05-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a nutty couple of weeks here at home with our baby Phoebe. My wife, Elizabeth has been amazing in her new job of becoming a Mommy overnight. At most jobs you get a day off between working and transitioning into a new role, but not Liz! She took her last conference call on Friday afternoon and we were parents by Sunday evening!

Now that the nursery is finished (pics on the Groupp blog) and things have settled down a little, I just wanted to take a second to let everyone know I am back in action. Although - if things are quiet I might play a little hooky to be home with the girls. :)

Anyway - this past weekend I had the opportunity to shoot Lacy and Adam's wedding (pics coming very soon) with my friend and wedding planner to the stars Christy Bareijsza of The Red Carpet Events. Christy offers services from start to finish - or - day of event planning.

If you are planning a wedding and are looking for someone who is VERY detailed oriented and just plain fun to be around - you MUST give Christy a shout!

Here's a photo of us at the end of a short 14 hour day. See how time flies when you are having fun! :)

Did someone say "swaddle me"?

2007-05-07T17:55:00.000-05:00

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye I seem to be surrounded by an explosion of pink! Pink blankets, wraps, towels, and clothing. It's starting to sink in that I am outnumbered in this house 2 to 1. :)

I have a brand new camera (Canon 30D) I just ordered as a backup that I have been using to shoot photos of Phoebe with a neat little 50mm f/1.2 lens. It's compact and easy to grab on the fly. I have been noticing how nice the light in my living room is towards dusk. Unfortunately, this nice light lasts about 4 minutes before getting too dark. :)

Here is one of the photos from tonight - I think she looks like she's smiling -- or it could just be gas.

I have also started the official Groupp blog. Click here for Phoebe's blog! As much as I think she is the most beautiful baby ever, I don't want to clog up this blog and become "one of those fathers". :)

I do want to take a second to thank one of my clients who sent us the greatest "swaddle" blanket on earth. I can't believe that just over 2 weeks ago, I had no idea what a swaddling blanket was and now we can't live without them! We have received many gifts, but I am floored at the generosity of my clients. Thanks everyone! Lisa - this blanket ROCKS!!

Moments in time.

2007-05-05T08:11:00.000-05:00

The week before our little Phoebe joined us I was fortunate to spend some time with my friends Chris and Lynn Jaksa while they were in NYC. We have been doing a ton of shooting together and it has been a blast! Finally - we were able to schedule a night out with my wife Elizabeth to meet Chris and Lynn. We met up at the studio and then walked over our favorite restaurant Pepe Giallo's. While we were walking over Lynn grabbed a couple of quick pics of us, of course we thought nothing of it.....

She sent me this photo a few days ago and I realized this was the last photo of Liz before she went into labor a few days later. We had plans of taking our own pictures over the next few weeks, but alas Phoebe had other ideas. :) Thanks guys for taking this picture! While our jobs are so much fun, this photo serves as a reminder to me just how important those "moments in time" are to us.

Donna and Eric

2007-05-02T08:46:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, I met Donna and Eric at my studio to show them some of the new albums I am offering and to chat about their wedding plans. I love hearing all the plans that go into each wedding and it gives me a chance to anticipate the details that make each wedding different.

Donna & Eric's wedding will be held at The Woolverton Inn, in Lambertville, NJ. It such a beautiful location and just a short ride from the city. If you are planning an event, they are worth checking out!

After our meeting, we headed out to shoot some engagement pictures in my neighborhood in Chelsea. Click HERE to view Donna and Eric's slideshow!

Horse Play.

2007-04-30T19:46:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I took a ride out to Lacy and Adam's horse farm for their engagement session. We started out by taking a four legged family portrait - pictured here are their 3 dogs, 3 horses, and a miniature pony -- I've never seen one close up and I have to admit it was pretty freaky. :)

I'm glad we got this session in and I had a chance to chat with them about their upcoming wedding which is this weekend at the beautiful Pleasantdale Chateau. Be sure to check back for pictures from what will surely be a great party!

In the meantime - click here to view their slideshow!

Ariana and Dan

2007-04-29T18:57:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I met Ariana and Dan in Central Park for their engagement session. This time of year in the park is my favorite, as long as I take my Claritin before I leave. :) The cherry blossoms are in full bloom so make sure you get into the park soon, they don't last long!

While photographing Ariana and Dan, we discussed their October wedding in Salem, Massachussets at the Peabody Essex Museum. From the bright spring colors of spring in NYC, to the fall foliage of New England in October! Looking forward to it!!

Click HERE for Ariana and Dan's slideshow.

Welcome home.

2007-04-24T21:11:00.001-05:00

After the worlds slowest ride home from the hospital, we discovered Phoebe had already begun to receive custom made accessories via FedEx.

Here is her first "close-up".

Phoebes' Aunt Alison knit this beautiful hat for her to wear home from the hospital. Since she arrived a few weeks early it became a welcome home gift. Thanks Aunt Alison!

Jason and Phoebe enjoying a quiet moment - I've been told there wont be many of these over the next few weeks. :)

Phoebe Grace has arrived!

2007-04-23T18:42:00.000-05:00

Despite my efforts to let her know that her room wasn't finished (by speaking into Elizabeths belly), the Groupp family's newest member couldn't wait to join us. Fortunatetly, our birthing class instructor told us the baby would not care if the room wasn't ready or if we didn't have all the proper baby gadgets. :)

Elizabeth and I went into the hospital at 3PM Sunday (not even sure if we'd be staying) and Phoebe Grace joined us 6 hours later weighing in at 7lbs. 2 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. Not bad for being a little over 3 weeks early! Liz did an awesome job and the nurses said one of the fastest deliveries they'd seen for a first time birth!

Here's one quick photo - Thanks for all the support and emails everyone has been sending out! Hopefully - I can get a few more shots up tomorrow!

Nicole and Jason.

2007-04-20T14:53:00.000-05:00

I always try to make a note of my couples' first dance song at each wedding so I can incorporate it into their slideshow.

There are, of course, the standards we all recognize, but Nicole and Jason's song was one I had never heard before. They had chosen a song (which Nicole shared with me) by Corinne Bailey Rae - "Like a Star". What a beautiful song! Make sure you have your speakers on when you listen to their slideshow.