Archive for the ‘Photography Reviews & Testimonials’ Category

There’s a point in a photography career when you get to set the rules. You end up choosing greatest clients in the world as well as them choosing you. Almost a year ago, I got a request for information from a bride in Chicago regarding her Boston wedding at the Fairmont Copley Plaza:

“I’ve looked at probably over a dozen photographers at this point and you were the first I saw that I felt like, ‘wow, every single picture fits with the kind of pictures I want!!’ Aside from the groom, the photography is one of the most important elements of the day for me.”

Working with clients that have prioritized photography over many other aspects of their day means that visually preserving the emotions of the people who are the closest to you on your wedding day is an investment worth making.

Like myself and over a dozen other clients, this bride and her groom had a strong connection to both Chicago and Boston. After a phone conversation and not meeting in person, they took the plunge and became my clients. I first was able to meet them in Boston at the Oak Room. I was having an excellent day and it was made even better as I saw how excited Ian and Whitney were about their wedding, the venue itself, and working with me. They were so happy, and without planning to do so, I decided to take photos of them in Boston. When they headed back home to Chicago, a few months later I took some photos of them so that they could have a collection of images of the city they called home. The shoot was bittersweet as I knew Ian was headed overseas shortly thereafter, and Whitney was going to be apart from her fiancé for a few months until making the journey herself to settle into their new home. As months passed, I enjoyed reading correspondence about their new life in a foreign country. December finally came, and guests from all over flew into Boston. The wedding day was a joy to photograph and it went by too quickly. Soon after I presented the newlyweds with their wedding photography, I got an email that really made me smile.

Boston Public Library wedding photography with reviewsFrom one of the greatest clients in the world:

“I am into hour 4 of staring at these photos. Is this obsessive? i don’t know… but I love every single one and some VERY distinct favorites but I can’t tag anything because I want to wait for Ian to get home to go through them together so he gets to experience first hand!!!!! Anyway, I am literally just writing AGAIN to tell you how excited I am about the pictures. I don’t know how we’ll ever be able to decide which to print, what size to make them… and you know what else??? I just did a pass through wondering which would be good candidates for B&W, and surprisingly (as I am a BIG fan of B&W) I think I love them all in color more – the winter hues in contrast with the red roses and peachy skin is just so gorgeous!!!!!!! anyway, I will leave you alone for today, but I am just over the moon. I didn’t expect as many as there are – and though I knew they would be great, I didn’t expect SO MANY to be SO PERFECT!!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The remarks that I got from Whitney and Ian reflect results I strive for in each project and event that I commit to.

Help finding a wedding photographer in Chicago

Wedding photography can be seen on hundreds of wedding blogs popping up. Beautiful wedding dresses, pretty little details, fabulous wedding bouquets, well coordinated DIY and Etsy decorations, styled shoots… Many wedding blogs focus on sharing wedding photos for inspiration and ideas. Undoubtedly, they are a great resource for newly engaged couples. As pretty as someone else’s wedding may be, it is important to be sure the photography you are actually looking at captures real moments, in a truly documentary style. Many of the shoots on these up and coming wedding blogs are staged, outdoors under bright lighting. More often than not, your wedding will take place in a reception room with dimmer lighting to create an intimate, memorable atmosphere. You want to be sure your wedding photographer has real experience shooting in these type of situations. I have weddings under a night sky, under reflective glass, and in churches where flash is not permitted even in the evening. Passing on photos without grain or distorted pixels is a priority, and I attained that skill training for four years without using a flash.

Photography is a lot more than just having a fancy camera or snapping a ton of photos. As a wedding photographer, I learned right away that I must not only be well versed in the technical side of the wedding photography, but must also be artistic and creative. Having a great camera and the technical skills to go along with it allows me to capture properly exposed, well lit images regardless of the lighting situation. On the other side, having top creative skills will allow your photographer to capture each shot with an artistic vision, making sure that the shots are not just photos, but artistic imagery. Just as important as their technical knowledge and creativity is the wedding photographers interpersonal skills. When you speak with your photographer, you will know pretty quickly if their personality will work for you.

Aside from technique, creativity, and personality, your wedding photographer should be experienced. The best wedding photographers will be able to handle tricky situations, lighting challenges, and be able to think quickly on their feet in what to do during inclement weather. Working with fussy children, churches with lighting restrictions, and under tight time restrictions is something an experienced wedding photographer can handle.

When looking for a photographer, it is often challenging to see past all the products each photographer is promising. Ultimately, you want to stay focused on the quality of the work provided. Many of those planning a wedding are working within a budget. You can always purchase an album, or additional prints later, but you can’t change the quality of the photographs taken at the wedding once it has passed.

As a wedding photojournalist, I always tell my clients if there is something you need to cut from your wedding photography package to make it affordable, start with the products. Cut the prints from the package or remove the album. Hiring a cheaper photographer because they are promising to give you all the products you want up front could leave you disappointed in the end. Putting an experienced documentary style wedding photojournalism at the top of your list will give you the best artistic storytelling images. The most effective way of getting an idea of whether or not a wedding photographer is actually a wedding photojournalist is to take a look at their portfolio or a real wedding on their blog.

The top things I pride myself in as a wedding photojournalist with over ten years experience are:

  • Having the experience and ability to quickly adjust my camera
  • settings based on different lighting scenes.
  • Having the knowledge of how my camera interprets and reads light. This helps me compensate for under or over exposure.
  • Relying on my experience rather than the camera’s readings.
  • Being prepared for each situation with a secondary camera prepped with a different type of lens.
  • Having my necessary equipment and accessories nearby at all times.
  • Having expertise in creatively shooting moments that I only have one chance to capture.
  • Anticipating angles and approaches to each scene. Experience has taught me what angles to shoot is something and where to stand.
  • Arriving at each shoot with energy and break only during non-crucial moments of the day.
  • Understanding light.  I studied light and lighting and have shot in every possible lighting situation. I prefer to use as much natural light as possible,
  • but supplement with flash as needed.

 

One of the biggest rewards for me personally is the great feedback that I receive. I would like to thank each and every client who has taken a moment out of their busy lives as newlyweds to offer their kind words. It really is the feedback that gives meaning to all the hard work in wedding photography. It also is super helpful to newly engaged brides and grooms searching for wedding vendors. At the end of the day, my goal is to provide my clients with images that tell a story, documenting with my camera to accurately preserve such a momentous day. These are some the most important and most cherished memories of your life.

Laura and Mike’s review, warehouse loft wedding

My husband and I are official Heather Parker fans!  Heather photographed our October 2010 wedding.  She was recommended to us by our venue, as we had our wedding in an old warehouse that required an experienced photographer to work within the unique aspects of a dark room.  We were so impressed from our initial meeting with Heather (via phone since we were planning our wedding long distance) and didn’t think to look at anyone else!

Not only was Heather extremely helpful and very responsive with the photography aspect of our wedding, but she was also forthcoming with recommendations for other vendors (including our amazing DJ!) and suggestions to consider when choosing makeup, photo locations and planning out the schedule of the wedding day. Beyond her professionalism her work is phenomenal.  She has such a gift for truly capturing the moment that my family and friends feel as though we are reliving the wedding day each time we look back at the photos.  I highly, highly recommend Heather!

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Karen and Robbie’s Smith Barn Brooskby Farm wedding photography review:

Heather photographed my May 2010 wedding and she was amazing! Her photos of our day are actually being featured in “The Knot Boston” magazine for Spring/Summer 2011 – a testament to how talented she is.

I did a LOT of poking around the internet in my search for a wedding photographer… I read a million blogs and reviews and when I landed on Heather’s page I loved it immediately. She has a gorgeous sensibility that is artistic but not over-the-top. Her thing is definitely photojournalism/documentary style photos, not formal portraiture. And she has an incredible talent for documenting the day authentically but making everything seem just that much sweeter.

Heather is also a real professional. From my first email inquiry to her to the day my CD of photos arrived in the mail, she was responsive, prompt, honest and also just really fun to be around. She also shot engagement photos of us in New York and a lot of the fun was kicking around the city with her. And then her photos of us on the Brooklyn Bridge were beyond. I think it’s actually pretty important that you like the vibe of your photographer because they’re a big presence on your wedding day, and Heather is just calm and cool and great.

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Alexa and Andrew’s wedding at Crane Estate on Castle Hill (featured on Style Me Pretty)

I just wanted to update after my wedding!  We are SO happy with our photographs from our wedding.  Heather was really wonderful to work with the day of the wedding, she made sure to grab us for shots she wanted, but was not intrusive at all.  We just found out our wedding was selected to be on Style Me Pretty and I am sure its because of Heather’s amazing work!

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Tara and Sam’s wedding and engagement

Looks like I will be piling all on with another 5 star review for Heather!  Heather shot our Nov 2010 wedding.  She gets our highest rating possible.  Heather is helpful, kind, friendly, professional and GREAT at her job. I could write a 5 page review on why Heather is the best choice for your wedding photography but then no one would read it so here are the main points: She is one of a kind and she takes one of a kind shots without them being contrived.  This is the main compliment I get from friends and family that look at our pictures She didn’t miss a single moment and each shot is taken from THE vantage point you want to remember the moment by.  This is very important for your wedding photography because the day is hectic and you miss things being the bride and groom.  It is great to fill the gaps of your story with her terrific pictures. She is creative with different weather scenarios. Being a winter wedding we didn’t get to do the typical outdoor shots which was fine with me because Heather is very creative and will come up with cool ideas for you.  She even can just see something happening and turns it into a photo opportunity.  For example, my now husband and his groomsmen were gathering around this old wooden desk having a drink before we went into the cocktail hour and she turned it into an extra groomsmen photo session. Very cool pictures. She can pull colors out of the room that I didn’t even know where there. Our engagement pictures are fantastic. I figured this would be a throw away add on and they are the complete opposite. We love them. She is well priced, professional and easy to deal with.  The planning process gets very hectic at the end and anytime I had to deal with Heather she made my life easier and not more complicated.  If you don’t already have a photographer, check her out.  If she is open save yourself some research time and book her!

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Claire and Andrew – destination wedding in Newport, RI at the Oceancliff Resort

Heather Parker photographed our destination wedding in Newport Rhode Island at Oceancliff Resort. We really wanted to have a photojournalist for our wedding. Heather was on the higher end of the spectrum, but the splurge was well worth it, since we have a set of photos that tell the story of our wedding day that we will treasure for years to come. She arrived at our wedding on time, had creative ideas for photos, and provided our edited photos to us in a timely manner. She also took time to go over our Queensberry wedding album options in great detail which we really appreciate.

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Sohini and Jeremy’s multi-cultural Indian wedding in Harvard Square

My post-wedding update on Heather:  my fiancé and I had a “Yelp wedding” (found a lot of our vendors on Yelp), and Heather was an amazing find! She shot our wedding on May 30th in Harvard Square, and working with her was a breeze. I love seeing those photos of moments before we even saw each other! We combined Hindu and Christian traditions in our ceremony, and she took shot after shot of my henna, all the saris, clothes and food so that we can relive our wedding through the details that are hard to remember once the day flies by. For engagement photos and wedding photos, I highly recommend hiring Heather! Heather is completely professional and reliable from start to finish, getting us our files very fast, and always responding quickly to questions.

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Jacqui and John’s Intercontinental Hotel wedding

Heather was fantastic to work with, we were lucky enough to book her for our December wedding.  She is truly an artist.  I love her style and she really captures moments and emotions.  She got every detail of the day and the photos are stunning.

intercontinental wedding reviews

John and Panle’s wedding photography review – Le Meridien Hotel, Cambridge, MA

Boy, are we ever glad we went with Heather as our wedding photographer! Our initial arrangement to have a photographer friend take our wedding pictures didn’t work out. That’s when we found Heather, with the help of Yelp. Heather was on the ball right from the get go. We really appreciated her taking significant time with us early on to discuss what needed to be planned out beforehand, all those practical little details that only someone with years of experience would think to mention. It made a huge difference!! We also liked her approach of really capturing the story of the wedding day, with lots of nice little creative touches, rather than simply taking endless generic “set-piece” photos. Heather is very cool and easy to work with, and she did a great job on the wedding day– very dependable, very flexible, and very professional. We really loved the pictures she took. Everything was top quality. She met all of our admittedly high expectations and then some! Heather’s prices are very reasonable for the level of quality she offers, and we also liked the fact that she gave us the digital originals (without watermarks) as part of the package. So if you want a top-notch wedding photographer, and one less thing to worry about on your wedding day, go with Heather!!!

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Morgan and Sam’s Longwood Events wedding in Boston

Hire Heather Parker! You will not regret it! My husband and I searched for months to find the perfect wedding photographer. After contacting multiple companies and reviewing what seems like thousands of photos online, we found Heather Parker’s website. Her photos are the most amazing photos we have ever seen! We hired Heather after the first time we talked with her on the phone. Not only is her work incredible, but she is wonderfully enthusiastic about everything! She made us feel like we were her only clients. She took very detailed notes and even gave me suggestions about the type of makeup to wear the day of the wedding (and other tips for looking good in photos). She was the first person to arrive at the venue on the wedding day and was present for every minute of the wedding. She has sent us two cd’s with all of the pictures in color and in black and white. In addition, she setup our own site for viewing and purchasing purposes. Every photo was truly special, not one bad photo in the nearly 600 photos that were sent to us… To sum it up, we could not be happier with Heather’s quality of work!

longwood events wedding reviews for photography

Liza & Nia’s same sex wedding (featured on So You’re EnGAYged)

Everyone loves Heather, for good reasons! For me, its all about the results. My wife and I hired Heather to shoot our wedding on August 1st this year, and we couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. Our friends and family are constantly commenting on their love for our pictures! Having received all of our photos from Heather, I can honestly say that when you look at her portfolio and see the beautiful sample pictures – this is truly the product you’ll receive. We also love that we get all of the images on DVD in B&W and color. It’s ridiculous to me that some photographers will limit the number of images you receive or just generally limit your options when it comes to the photos of YOUR OWN wedding … such is not the case here, and that is really fabulous… particularly given that you’ll want to show the whole world your photos. Hire her.

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Jen Han and Grant wedding at Hampshire House mansion in Boston (featured on Offbeat Bride and Rock n Roll Bride blogs)

I honestly thought the pictures of the wedding couldn’t outdo our engagement photos, but they did!!! To be honest, after our wedding was over I was having regrets about not hiring a videographer. The whole evening was so amazing and everyone was so animated that I thought I needed to capture it on film. I received Heather’s pictures in the mail the yesterday and realized my regrets were COMPLETELY unwarranted!!!! I felt that Heather’s pictures captured the ENTIRE essence of the night PERFECTLY and in ways video could never accomplish. Thanks for showing me the power of photojournalism, Heather!!! I have learned my lesson :)

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Joanne and Kevin wedding

Heather is a true professional and knows her stuff. She makes sure that you get the best pictures for the time you have with her. Her focus is away from posey and more towards photojournalism, which we loved. I couldn’t have asked for anything more in a photographer and cannot wait to see the rest of our wedding pictures!

wedding photography reviews

Angela and Sam’s Gallery 1028 wedding

Heather photographed our September 2009 wedding at Gallery 1028 in Chicago, and she did an amazing job.  We wanted artistic photos that would retell the story of our wedding day, and that’s exactly what we got.  Heather was professional, creative, and super easy to work with.  Our photos are nothing short of stunning, and we are so glad we hired her!

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Allison and Steve’s Loyola University wedding

FABULOUS! If she’s available for your wedding, book her. Aside from being a very creative shooter, Heather is very comfortable to work with which is critical because it really shows in your pictures. She really cares about what she’s doing and that really shows in the quality of her photos. I have nothing negative to say, Heather was wonderful. I remember what the day felt like every time I look at my photos.

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Charlotte and Bob Chinese tea ceremony Marriott wedding

Heather was awesome! My husband and I are not very comfortable in front of the camera but on the day of the wedding, I didn’t even notice she was there! Love my photos!

chinese wedding photography reviews

Sharon and Jim Narnia Estate wedding

For us, photography was one of the most important parts of our wedding. Photography is what lasts forever. (Besides the marriage of course, but you’ll have to find your own person there!) It preserves and shapes your memories of the day. Heather is an absolutely wonderful photographer; you only have to look at her work to see that. Heather is expensive. In fact, she is the second most expensive part of our wedding following the renting of the site/food. This was tough for us, because every other decision we made was firmly based in price including using an off-day and time and keeping a small guest list (which is very difficult). However, as I said photography is high on our list and I don’t regret hiring her at all. We knew right away she was the one. We also share the rights to our pictures. She also uploads them to a quality site for people to order from. The wedding pictures turned out wonderfully and we have lots of them. All the important moments, plus the small fun moments which are the best for me. Heather has also been great about further questions we’ve had about photography and has been quick to respond whenever we’ve had questions or asked her advice. She is great to work with and I’m glad we chose her. I’ve had several people ask me about her wanting to use her for their own or a child’s wedding in the future and I whole-heartedly recommend her.

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Nicole and Victor wedding at Pazzo’s 311

When we selected Heather to be our wedding photographer, my fiance and I wanted someone who was talented, artistic, easy to get along with, and someone who had an eye for detail. We have found all of these qualities in Heather.

black and white wedding photojournalism

Abigail and Sam’s mansion wedding

She was a ninja photographer as most of my family and friends don’t remember seeing here throughout the wedding, but she took wonderful shots. Great person to work with and great at capturing detailed moments. I’d definitely recommend her for your event.

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Jackie and Mike’s downtown Chicago wedding

We hired Heather for our wedding photos, as we wanted a photographer with a photojournalistic style, who played with colors and angles, and whose work had something extra special.  Heather Parker is just that.  Our wedding photos are unbelievable.  Her retouching work brought out colors that weren’t there in the first place and look phenomenal, and almost every moment of the day was captured somehow.  I had no idea she was there during most of the reception, as she blended in with everyone.  She did take the time to check in every once in a while just to make sure if there were any shots in particular we wanted.  I’m so happy I have bright vibrant pictures that show us actually having fun on our day and no cheesy poses and fake smiles.  We’re very pleased and would recommend Heather to anyone!

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Shannon and Clayton’s rustic autumn wedding awarded in The Knot Magazine national issue

We chose Heather as our photographer for our small autumn wedding in November and couldn’t be happier with our photos!!  I have never been particularly photogenic, but Heather somehow worked her magic and manged to make the bride look gorgeous in every photo!  :)   I honestly have never seen so many fantastic pictures!  The hardest part is choosing which ones we want to put in our album!  Each one is unique and timeless and captures the essence and emotion of the day.  I give Heather Parker my highest recommendation!!!

knot magazine award

Nikki and John’s Old Saint Pat’s and Germania Place wedding

Heather Parker is truly a professional. I hired her solely on gut–as I matter of fact I hired all of my wedding vendors that way. We really did hit the jackpot with Heather.  Of course I knew I wanted her photojournalistic style, but beyond that she seemed so..responsible, I guess would be the way to put it!  I knew that she took her profession very, very seriously and was a professional.  Therefore I knew I would be getting quality and excellent service, which every bride knows is a big added bonus.  Heather must work about a bazillion hours a day because she is also quick to respond, she is thorough with information, she is conversational, polite, knowledgeable, and more importantly;  our photos are stunning.  We got what we wanted which were very few posed, boring photos.  The shots really show us in action and highlight the beauty of both the church and reception as well as the fun of the trolley ride around town!

black and white photographer reviews

Joanna and Jonathan – Palm Springs

The pictures absolutely blew us away. The quality and caliber of the photos were awesome. She was so easy to work with, incredibly easy going and has a great vision. Our families and friends are so impressed with the creativity and color of the photos.

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Teresa and Bob’s passport themed wedding (featured on Asian Inspired Weddings)

If I had to choose adjectives to describe Heather and Heather’s work, it go something like this:  amazing, artistic, calm, creative, friendly, fun, helpful, kind, knowledgeable, punctual, prepared, professional, real, reasonable, respectful, skilled, thoughtful, and most of all, having the ability to think outside the box.   I might also add, that the woman behind the lens is an absolute joy to work with.  Meet with her in person and you’ll see what I mean.  Not only is her work phenomenal, but she is also phenomenal… down-to-earth, friendly, fun, personable and cool.  She is a creative genius & professional through and through. If you work in the design profession, you become critical of all things done in an artistic vein, photography included.  You come to have a greater appreciation for nice work and can distinguish between what looks just good or ok, and what looks truly amazing.  So on the day of your wedding, you need someone with a careful, creative eye, …and that person is Heather Parker. Don’t go with an amateur photographer.  You will regret it. When the day is all over, and you find yourself wondering what everything truly looked like while you were busy living it & enjoying it, rest assured,… Heather will capture all of the details you can cherish for years to come.  I couldn’t be more happy with the way it all turned out.  The girl’s got skills, mad skills.

wedding photographer reviews from a design professional

Karen and Matt’s art gallery Orthodox Jewish wedding

When we were looking for a wedding photographer, we wanted someone a little different from the standard wedding photographer; someone with a more creative and artistic flair. Heather was the perfect choice.  She is unafraid to try interesting shots. The resulting photos were really beautiful and unique. Her formals were great. More importantly, her candid shots really captured the personality of our wedding. Heather was very professional and easy to work with. She really put in the effort before the wedding to learn about the intricacies of our ceremony and reception, and was really well prepared to catch everything. The engagement shoot she did with us was a fun way to develop a rapport, as well as get some great pictures before the wedding. Thanks Heather!

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Bonnie and Jeff’s Taj Hotel wedding

Heather is just amazing!  I got married at the end of August in Boston and  couldn’t be happier with the photos.  They are artistic, emotional and just beautiful.  Heather is an artist and it comes through in her photographs. Beyond her artistic talent, Heather is simply a great person to work with.  She gave us lots of great tips in advance and even called us in 2 days before the wedding to let us know about there were problems at the airport so we had the opportunity to let our guests know.  If you are contemplating a photographer, I would highly recommend Heather.

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