Oh man are we excited about this blog post. To be honest, the heart behind this post has been in the works for almost a year. When Matt and I started Summer Street Photography we truly had no idea how (or if) our business would grow. We were two optimistic photographers with a lot of energy and passion for capturing people on the happiest days of their lives. After a few years of working with amazing clients who allowed us into the private and beautiful spaces of one of the most important days of their lives, and more hard work than we ever thought was possible to make a business run - we found ourselves in the shoes of those we had admired for so long. We were operating a successful business. As we became more rooted in the business and dealt with the glorious blessing of growing pains, we realized that in order to continue moving forward, we couldn't remain where we already were. We needed to take a leap of faith to best serve Summer Street Photography. Leaps into the unknown are scary. What happens if this is the straw that breaks the camels back? What will we do if this doesn't work? How do we write a book if we don't know how it ends?
Today's story is one that started almost a year ago. Chuck was introduced to us by our own dear friends (and our wedding photographers) and we instantly clicked with him. Over many meals and swims in Walden Pond, Matt and I realized something at about the same moment. We needed Chuck on our team. Chuck had a full time wedding photography business before he moved to Boston to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and was an amazing photographer. We worked with Chuck on and off last year to test how he would like dealing with the craziness of working with a married couple. Fortunately we didn't scare him off too much because after a few weddings we all realized we'd found a really great team.
We're thrilled to introduce Chuck to you today as our new Associate Photographer. In addition to working with Matt and I at weddings, Chuck is also available for his own wedding commissions through Summer Street Photography. Just like all the weddings we shoot, all of the administrational work (client communication, editing, blogging) that happens though Summer Street happens through me. In fact, many of the weddings we shoot aren't *just* shot by Matt or I. Chuck had his hand in many of last year's weddings as well, so anyone curious about how Chuck's involvement might change the look of our work can rest assured that the images you've seen over the last year have represented many different combinations of photographers. We are so excited about how Chuck's experience and artistry has already made us a better business and we can't wait to see how things will unfold with him on our team this year.
As a way to get to know Chuck better, we decided a mini Summer Street shoot was in order, along with a fun Q&A with Chuck. Something Matt and I didn't realize until this shoot was how bad we were at taking photos of *each other*. It took us a little while to get a shot that we approved of - but once Chuck stepped behind the lens we got what we needed pretty quickly. On to the interview!
So Chuck, tell us a bit about how you got into photography and why you were drawn to shoot weddings? Photography wasn't always in my life, but being artsy was. I grew up drawing, painting, playing music, and writing poetry, so I was always looking for ways of expressing myself. In college, I accidentally took a few aesthetically pleasing photographs, so I tried to figure out how to create beautiful images on purpose. However, my fatal flaw is that when I pick up a hobby, I get really really into it. This meant I quickly ran out of money to buy all the lenses and camera bodies that I wanted. Incidentally, I caught up with a college friend who was a wedding photographer and was creating some amazing pieces of work. I had never thought that weddings allowed for such creativity and beauty. I then started interning with a local wedding photographer, and I found that I not only loved the pace and excitement of weddings, but that the joy and love of the couple was really contagious. Ever since then, I've been hooked!
In addition to Photography, you're pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. How do you feel the two topics inform each other? Would you say that your training in psychology helps you while your shooting weddings? Most definitely! Like I mentioned, weddings can be pretty hectic, but I want the couple to remember what they're ultimately there for... which is each other! Sometimes, it takes someone who has seen a lot of weddings to remind them to slow down, take a breath, and relax a bit. Sometimes it also takes someone to remind them that they need to eat lunch and drink fluids or else they risk passing out in the hot sun :). I haven't had to put on my therapist hat during a wedding (knock on wood), but I like to think that I'm a supportive presence during the day.
What was the last meal you ate? Vina (my wife) made pasta with some fresh pesto (yum). We topped it off with some almond pine-nut cookies, and I plan on having some homemade durian ice cream after I finish this interview!
Canon vs. Nikon? Canon all the way :). Really, it's a trivial thing... I honestly think they're both great cameras, but I learned to shoot on Canon so I've stuck with it. My mentor was a Nikon shooter, but he could never convince me that Nikon was better.
How would you describe your shooting style on the day of a wedding? Previous clients have told me that I'm a calming presence, which I certainly hope is true, but I see it more as being on my game yet relaxed at the same time. There's so much craziness going on during the day, the last thing I want to be is another source of stress. In fact, I actively try to stay behind the scenes as much as possible, and am somewhat of a ninja during the ceremony. However, when things need direction (especially with the family photos), trust me when I say that my game face is on and I'm all business. Ultimately, I'm a firm believer that my job is to capture the emotions of the day and the couple just as they are, and to stay out of the picture as much as I can.
Why are you excited to be a Summer Street Associate? Tons of reasons! First, Kendra and Matt are awesome, so being an associate means I get to see them more! Second, I really appreciate the work and heart that they've built into Summer Street, and how they manage to stay grounded and humble. Ultimately, the day is about the couple, so there's no need for photographer drama or ego. I really respect the values that the business is built on, as well as the beautiful work that comes out of it, and jumped on the opportunity to be a part of the team. Before being an official associate, I had lots of opportunities to shoot with them, and being out there felt like we had been doing this together for a really long time. Third, (let me be selfish for a moment here), I really love shooting and working with the couple, but I don't necessarily love the immense amount of editing and post-processing that comes after it. Being an associate means that I get to shoot more and edit less, which I'll gladly take any day!
Starbucks or Dunkin? I don't drink coffee, but I have a Dunkin next to my house, and love their pumpkin donut-holes in the fall. Mmmm.
What does an ideal day in the life of Chuck look like? That's a tough one. I could spend an entire day fishing or gardening, or spend it backpacking and camping, preferably with my wife. Ideally, there would be some really tasty food involved, whether it was the fish I caught, or veggies from the garden, or a meal cooked over hot coals. Then, after any of the aforementioned possibilities, there would be a professional massage. Mmmmmm.
I hear you had a very serious addiction collection of Transformers when you were younger. Do you still have some valuable items? Tell us about it. Guilty as charged. I had an enormous collection in middle and high school, and found some of my rare items featured in publications (uber-geek, I know). While I still have a huge amount of nostalgia for the old 80's transformers, I don't own anything that's worth very much anymore. Before selling my collection (which helped pay for a '79 Corvette and college), I kept my very first transformers I got as a kid, which are well loved but not worth very much if I were to sell them. Maybe one day, if I happen upon an unreasonably large sum of money, I might start collecting again...
You just got married in January 2013 (in Thailand no less). How has the experience of being a Groom changed your perspective of shooting weddings? You know, having done so many weddings, I knew that the day went by quickly. Even so, I was surprised at how fast it all happened. At the end of the day, when we look back on our pictures, I'm so grateful for the work of the photographer, but am also reminded that we didn't need to sweat the small stuff. We got a massage in the middle of the day (which I highly recommend!) and just tried to take things slow and enjoy the process. Now that I'm married, I think I'm going to be just a little more sentimental when I do weddings, knowing what it's like on the other side.
Thanks for tuning in! Here's to a year of amazing weddings!
Jen and Rob had us from the beginning. Upon one of our first conversations about their wedding, it was then that Jen explained that she'd never seen a wedding album from the people in her family. Due to multiple situations, wedding photos in her family's history were simply non existant. Now that she was going to be marrying the love of her life, she couldn't imagine NOT having a beautiful wedding day to not only share with her friends and family, but to pass down in the threads of her family's history. And what a beautiful story they have to tell! They met when they were just teenagers and knew from the beginning that what they shared was more than just a highschool sweetheart. They faced many trials and tribulations together and always ended up stronger on the other side because of it. They were wed on a beautifully sunny St Patricks Day, which meant the world to them since Rob's family is Irish through and through, and while Jen has some Italian blood running through her veins, she might go as far to say she has a heart of Irish gold. They started their day with their friends and family gathered close as Jen got ready at Rob's grandmother's house (don't you love her vintage veil!?) and Rob got ready with his guys in the home he grew up in. Irish ballads on the bagpipe welcomed guests into the ceremony where Rob and Jen said 'I do' and the Irish festivities continued into the reception with plenty of sweet Irish Blessings and toasts for their happiness. I'm sure by now, if you didn't already know, that the flag they used as a blanket during their portraits is of course the Irish flag. Anyone want to guess where they went on their honeymoon? Jen and Rob, you have been such a pleasure. Congratulations on your marriage; may the road rise to meet you!
What an amazing year it's been. Whenever we stop to count our blessings (which we try to make a daily habit of) we are floored by the opportunities we have to work in a medium we love for really good people. Yes, we take thousands of photos at every wedding and spend countless hours ensuring each image is taken care of and presented with the same joy we captured it with - but without you - our clients and supporters - our work is nothing. We'd have no beautiful flower arrangements to ooh and ah at, we'd have no sweet glances to capture when a couple sees one another for the first time on their wedding day, we'd never hear your loved ones toasting to eternal happiness and we'd certainly have a lot fewer friends. The truth is, weddings are filled with emotions and it's a complete honor to be able to bottle those up and give them back to you each and every wedding. After a wedding is over, when we're home and editing photos on a tuesday morning, we're still laughing about the way your Uncle Randy took center stage during 'Gangnam Style', we're still inspired by the hard work you've put into your wedding details and with each and every couple portrait that we edit and refine, our observations of your love reinforces why marriage is such a beautiful thing. We love capturing these moments and giving them back to you as a visual journal of one of the happiest days of your lives. We can't help but feel as though the joy and love of these special days rubs off on us too. It's contagious, and we can only hope 2013 will bring as much hard work, excitement and happiness as 2012. Happy New Year, Friends!
Neelum and Brian were married on a beautiful December day. The clouds built with moisture all day and just a few minutes before we stepped inside the downtown Boston Sheraton Hotel, giant snowflakes began to fall from the sky. There are occasions where we don't get to meet the bride and groom until the wedding day, and since Neelum and Brian were planning their wedding from a distance this was one of those times, but meeting Neelum and Brian for the first time on their wedding day was like meeting a long-standing pen pal. We'd been talking throughout their engagement so once we actually got to meet them it was totally comfortable and easy. I started with Neelum as she got ready for the ceremony in a room that had a stunning view of Boston. She was calm and excited as she dressed in her beautiful red gown and glittering jewels. Doesn't she look gorgous in her bridal portraits? Simultaneously, Matt was grabbing some photos of Brian and his guys. I love the outdoor snow series. Next we geared up for their ceremony where their family and friends greeted them with sweet smiles and lots of laughter. By the time the ceremony was over, the sun had set (thank you, December) but we still managed to capture Neelum and Brian's newlywed glow with the help of the holiday twinkle lights and some off camera lighting rigs. Neelum and Brian are troopers for heading outside in freezing temps and heavy wet snow for us to get photos of them. The evening concluded with a cozy dinner in the chandelier-draped ballroom followed by toasts and dancing. Neelum and Brian, we are honored to get to tell your story, and wish you nothing but the best. Congratulations!
Oh this wedding was just the sweetest thing. Sarah and Ben were married on a sunny day in November at the Boston Temple where a sea of loving family and friends waited for them as they exited the temple as husband and wife. We couldn't stop smiling as we photographed their joyful exit into the world as a married couple and loved watching them beam with excitement. After some photos at the Temple, we stole them away to photograph their newlywed glow on the grounds of their reception at the Whittemore Robbins House in Arlington. The house is stunning as-is, but also sits right beside the Arlington Town Hall which has a beautiful garden so we were sure to grab some photos of them there, both together and apart. Doesn't Sarah have the most lovely bridal glow? I'm loving the series of her in the gardens after the ceremony where the content look on her face says it all. So pretty. Later, the celebration continued at the Robbins House with more family and friends who came to celebrate their union with cheesecake and lots of hugs. Ben and Sarah remained on cloud nine as the evening progressed and shared a quiet moment at the end of the reception in the grand ballroom with a sweet first dance. They had a beautiful day that made me feel like I was in a historical romance novel (those of you who know me know how much I must have enjoyed that). Congratulations Sarah and Ben! We wish you all the happiness in the world.
We loved photographing Julia and Chris' Wedding at 
I could gush allllll day about this wedding. When Kelsey and Danny approached us about photographing their big day in Antigua, Guatemala - we were head over heels for their wedding vision and for them as a pair. Kelsey and I go back to our college days in Minnesota. We danced together and I always admired her photography skills (she's a talented photographer herself) and heart for helping people. Naturally, these two things left me Facebook stalking all of her travel photos to Guatemala when she used to visit with her dad for medical outreach work - which only deepened my admiration for her. Fast forward a few years when Kelsey and Danny met in Guatemala. They fell head over heels for one another and the rest is history. We'd never met Danny in person, but once their wedding planning arrived in full force and we started talking with them more - it was clear what a great match he was for Kelsey. Grounded, compassionate and a heart of gold; Danny is a keeper. Their wedding day started much like our local weddings do with the bride getting ready with her crew and the groom doing the same while Matt and I photograph them separately. The hotel they got ready in was crazy gorgeous so we took full advantage of the nooks and crannies for their attire details and found a quiet little spot for their adorable first look (can you even handle the blindfold? I die). After some additional portraits on the grounds of the hotel with their families, wedding party and the parrots (hello!) we wandered around the streets for a few photos where Kelsey and Danny were literally stopping traffic with excited on-lookers. We eventually made our way up to their ceremony and reception venue which was owned by the same hotel but was the outdoor art-museum portion of the property. The venue was up a large hill which overlooked the city and the three volcanoes that surround the town, so the view was breathtaking. After a few more portraits we all prepped for the ceremony and I had my breath taken away when I saw their entire ceremony space FILLED with candles. Overlooking the city with volcanoes and hills, it was such a beautiful space to begin with, but with the addition of candles, sunset and the calm, joyous energy of their multilingual Catholic Ceremony - it was a truly beautiful experience. After the ceremony the party got started on the right foot with a gorgeous candle-lit reception set-up draped with roses and pearls. Kelsey and Danny made a lasting impression with their grand entrance by wowing all 300 guests with the most amazing first dance I've EVER seen. I later learned that they made up the entire thing on the spot. I shouldn't have been so surprised given how talented of a dancer Kelsey is, but I've got to hand it to Danny too. Wowzers. So much fun. The evening continued with sweet words from their loved ones and went on to be an amazing dance party that lasted until 3:00am. The Guatemalans know how to party (and dance)! We loved every moment of working with these two and their wonderful families. Congratulations Kelsey and Danny! You guys are the best!
Dawn and Robbie's wedding was everything they hoped it would be: a beautiful celebration of love in a coastal New England town in the fall. They live in New York City, so when they were planning their wedding they knew that they didn't want a big urban-chic soiree. They met during a tennis lesson (Robbie's an awesome Tennis player) and have an adorable chocolate lab named Miley (remember her from their 
You guys. Seriously. This wedding was out of the park amazing. From the moment we met Amy and Leah, we were instantly smitten with their love for one another and zest for life. They have a beautiful way of being together and it's clear that they each are amazing individuals who deserve the best and found that in each other. Their wedding was held at one of our favorite venues, T
I've never met two people more perfectly suited for one another than Jenn and Keith. I know I say that about almost every one of our couples, but there is something about their chemistry that makes them even better together than when they are apart. They were married at the 
Jessica and Greg live in Chicago and had an entire week's worth of fun planned for their family and friends making the trip to Cape Cod for their wedding. I think it's safe to say that if our couples are worried about anything during their wedding day, it's the weather. This is especially true if any of their wedding day plans revolve around outdoor activities. While I know they had a lot of fun that week, the impending storm system and weather forecast for their late September wedding was not looking promising. As they say in New England,"If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes" so when we were looking at the forecast, we tried to stay positive because it really could turn itself around and become a beautiful day. The night before the wedding brought buckets of rain and as we drove down to Brewster the rain did not let up. When I arrived to Jess's room, the venue had just finished telling her one of the hardest things a bride has to hear: not only was her outdoor ceremony going to be forced indoors but her reception pavilion was flooded and they were going to have to choose a different reception site. Talk about a double whammy. Jess handled the news with grace and the support of her bridesmaids and family kept her moving forward. A few minutes later, their coordinator Heather showed up again with some amazing news. Not only had the sun come out and the storm system passed allowing the ceremony to be moved back outdoors on the beach - but she had called the Army to pump the water out of the reception site and they were going to have the reception in the place they had planned to begin with! Cue Hallelujah chorus! Everyone was thrilled and blown away by how amazing Heather and the entire crew at 
Melissa and Matt's Wedding Day was a perfect blend of family, friends, love and a nice dose of wedding jitters to keep everyone in the moment. I started the day with Melissa and her bridesmaids as they got ready for the ceremony at her aunt's home. The house was buzzing with excitement as the ladies got their final touches on their hair and makeup - and Melissa was beaming. She was calm and happy, but was also fighting back tears at the realization that the day she and Matt had been planning for so long had finally arrived. Once everyone was all ready I grabbed some photos of Melissa with her nearest and dearest (isn't her grandmother stunning?) and we headed over to the Westford Regency Inn where the ceremony and reception would be taking place. I met up with 
From the beginning, Annette and Jason wanted the theme of their wedding to be a celebration of family. They consider their friends family as well, so really, the goal was a celebration of relationships. Annette and Jason are very relational people, so this was an easy task. Every aspect of their wedding was planned with this in mind - from the family-style food at the tables that guests shared, to the specific vendors involved with the wedding. For example, an aunt designed all of their paper goods, a friend made the photobooth wall, the mothers crafted the adorable and cheery decorations and Summer Street photographed their wedding. Matt and Annette have been friends since they were four, so it's been a true pleasure knowing Annette and Jason first as friends and then as clients. They are so sweet and charismatic. With all of these elements its no wonder their wedding day went off without a hitch. We were honored to have 
Caitlin and Dave make me smile. They are just so good together. I love when couples infuse their personalities and tastes into their wedding day, and Caitlin and Dave did such a great job at that. Caitlin is detail oriented, organized and utterly feminine. Dave works for a beer distributing company so he's clearly great with people and understands the importance of relationship and taking time to enjoy life. It was a natural fit for them to choose 
Beth and Chris were married on a beautiful September day in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. From the moment we arrived, Beth and Chris were on cloud nine. They were more than ready to get the party started. In many ways, I feel that couples today are committed to one another far before their wedding day happens, but the wedding day is a formalization, public declaration and celebration of that process. Beth and Chris are like that. Head over heels for one another and excited to take the journey of life side by side. What's even better is that for Beth and Chris, life is like a big happy dance party. Their ceremony took place at the beautiful