"I feel that art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos, the eye of the storm, with an arrest of attention in the midst of distraction." -Saul Bellow
We’ve been traveling all over this big, beautiful Earth to photograph weddings for 15 years, and year after year, we choose to push beyond our comfort zones, guiding ourselves with a ferocious curiosity, trusting our intuition, and staying grounded.
Revered by our colleagues and clients as anti-cliche wedding photographers because of our innate rebellion against mainstream wedding imagery (insert wedding dress hanging in a window) and for taking creative risks stems from our questioning the notion of contrived perfection and wedding trends that inundate social media and wedding blogs.
We choose this path of photography because weddings allow us to intimately bear witness to incredibly raw & human moments and to connect with people, which has brought us some of our most cherished, lifelong friendships.
As Photographers, it’s an absolute honor and deeply rewarding to know that the photos we take will be smiled upon for decades to come & cherished by generations beyond us.
With Gratitude,
Chellise & Mike
Rooted in Brooklyn, NYC, and the Hudson Valley - We travel Worldwide
LOVE FOR ALL, regardless of ethnicity, age, race, class, gender identity, disability, body shape or size, culture, or religion.
Our Process
We shoot digital and film, approaching weddings in a documentary manner (candid-heavy /non-obtrusive), but we also thrive in portraiture with a weakness for fashion. Therefore, we give direction (enter “editorial”) when the light and style are simply irresistible.
We’ve been doing this long enough to know that when our couples look back on their photos, they won’t get the fuzzy feels from looking back at a contrived moment obtained from a shot list or mimicking a trend. It’s the genuine, candid, tender, fleeting moments that will transport them back to how it felt that day. To us, this is what photographs are for, and our role in it is taken to heart.
At weddings, we insert ourselves as observers and participants, adhering to the dress code, allowing our intuition and curiosity to guide the way while collecting fragments and responding to the energy of everyone & everything around us - continually shape-shifting from fly on the wall to social butterfly floating in the mix.
So all you need to do is get hitched, sip champagne, hug your people, dance your heart out, and soak up every minute while we take care of documenting everyone’s memories… including the fuzzy ones.
Our Gift To You
Being photographed is awkward - we know this - but being photographed by someone you know isn’t as bad, and even better, by someone who will guide you, which is why we gift an engagement session to you before your wedding.
We do these sessions at your home because home tells us so much about you, what you like, and it’s where you’ll feel most at ease. The purpose of this session is to get a little deeper beyond the surface of wedding planning, and eventually, take some pictures until eventually (or by way of mezcal) you become a little more accepting of the camera and walking away with some new photo-taking moves.
Client Experience
We have a virtual meeting over google-hang with both of you present.
To secure your date, we require a 50% retainer and a signed contract.
Once booked, you will be given a link to schedule an engagement shoot at your place, shot entirely on analog film and likely accompanied by a snack plate and margaritas. This session is gifted to all of our couples, so there’s no way you’re getting out of it.
You get your film scans from the engagement shoot and are relieved, phew! You love them. They don't feel cheesy, and you look hot. Your Mom loves them too.
Two months before your wedding, we send a questionnaire and schedule a meeting with you and your planner to review and discuss the design and mood board, photo timing, and logistics.
After the wedding…
Within two weeks, you will receive a carefully curated selection of images taken throughout the day. This holds you two over while we get going on the whole enchilada that's in the queue with all of the other enchiladas.
At the two-month mark, all final photographs will be delivered to you. Your private gallery will thrive in the cloud for one year with access to our print shop.