They are my favorite kind of couple: they’ve got an upcoming wedding at a rock ‘n roll music hall and scheduled an engagement session at a massive antique warehouse, which also happens to double as a wedding venue itself. I am really thrilled to be selected as the wedding photographer for such cool couples!
i am not sure what this thing is but its cool…
i love old little cars and if i am doing a photo shoot and see one, it WILL be incorporated into the shoot, just ask my NYC couple from the other day!
jackie is my favorite kind of bride. she wears shiny red shoes under her wedding gown and goes with a simple bouquet using just red. guess what color her trolley was. yep, you guessed it, red. the wine? red. actually mike ditka kick ass red wine. okay, okay you get the picture. though the jackie and mike did a “first look,” because of the limited amount of daylight at this time of year, after the church ceremony at saint alphonsus, it got dark outside very quickly. having to do creative wedding photos outdoors at night can sometimes have some advantages, such as having a sparkling array of city lights as a backdrop. i am really happy with the results.
from the bride:
“i’ve been so excited to see the photos, thank you sooo much for all your hard work on our wedding day. we had a blast and i’m glad we can now remember more of the moments through our photos. we love the pics. there’s so many that are truly amazing and totally capture the feeling behind the day. they were well worth the wait. i love a lot of the details shots of the flowers, the wine bottles, the table settings, the people signing the guestbook, the tiny flowers on the cake, etc. the outdoor shots after the wedding turned out fabulous! there’s nothing we appreciate more about living in the city is when we’re downtown and see all the city lights and the skyline and know that we live here…truly beautiful and those shots are my favorites!”
Vendors:
Ceremony: St. Alphonsus Church 1429 W. Wellington Avenue, Chicago, IL (773) 525-0709
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learn about photography:
bokeh happens when a photo is taken under certain lens conditions and creates certain aesthetic qualities in out of focus backgrounds. the reason i do this is to limit distractions and emphasize the important subject in a photograph. the two lenses i use that produce a nice amount of bokeh are my canon 85mm f/1.2 and my canon 35mm f/1.4. to the average consumer, these lenses are pricey, but you can get a similar effect with a 50mm f/1.8. both canon and nikon offer these little lenses commonly known as nifty fifties (or shifty fifties!) for around $85 dollars. its hands-down the number one starter lens for anyone picking up a digital SLR. if you happen to get a DSLR camera for the holidays, promptly toss the kit lens in the bin and pick yourself up a faster lens. fun fact: i won’t date anyone who uses a kit lens, and if need be, i will go buy a 50mm f/1.8. i still have my nifty fifty and have no plans on getting rid of it!
what about film? i love film. i have more film cameras than i do digital. film is cozy and familiar. i learned photography using film. i used a camera for five years that didn’t even take a battery. if you have a film camera tinkering around, i strongly recommend picking it up and reading up on some photography 101. when you shoot digital, you will have a better grasp on understanding manual photography. when i shoot film, i shoot less. it forces me to shoot for quality versus shooting for quantity. for me, its a needed exercise and good discipline for reminding myself to shoot for quality. the film cameras i use are medium format and take medium format film which means i get between 12 and 15 shots on one roll. its expensive, tedious, and rewarding all at the same time. when i was hired to do resort photography recently in jamaica, i took along one of my film cameras, my hasselblad 503cx. though the V-system cameras have been produced since WWII, my camera might be about 25 years old. old, but not ancient. i like the simplicity of it. during that particular architectural shoot, while i waited for the clouds to make way for sun, i sat down to clean my camera and lens. the employees of the resort watched as i took the camera apart in three easy steps. i took the film holder off, i removed the viewfinder, and finally removed the lens. “so basically its just a box?” one onlooker said? yes!
p.s. if i don’t update the blog before christmas, happy holidays! i worked on this wedding until the wee hours and plan to get through as many weddings as possible in the next few days!
i was in duxbury, ma this weekend photographing a wedding and snapped this photo with my iPhone. i was talking to someone on the train about photography, and they asked what other kinds of photography other than weddings i shoot and i told them that my blog has become sort of a teaser section for wedding clients but that i would try to remember to post other types of shoots on here and passed them one of my cards. well, here are a few photos of some other projects that i should share. i will try to describe a bit of it.
first and foremost, though a lot of my shoots are local, many of them take me to interesting places, even allowing me to sit in the front sea of a cessna airplane!
the above architectural photography is of a home on nantucket island. for those who don’t know, nantucket island is east of the popular tourist destination of martha’s vineyard. on martha’s vineyard, i photographed this nice queen anne style summer cottage (below), which is owned by a software publisher by the name of peter norton, who created norton utilities and norton anti-virus.the above house has been published in a regional annual magazine issue by cape cod life publications. although i photograph a lot of historic preservation and restoration architectural photography, i also photograph modern architecture. massachusetts institute of technology commissioned steven holl architects to design a residence hall at the university. simmons hall as it is called, resembles an abstract sponge. i heard first hand that due to the cement and steel used throughout the building, mobile phone reception is virtually impossible. while many people hate it’s design, i would like to think equally as many people enjoy it. i personally think its at least a visually striking building if nothing else. the image below of the building was used by the Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole in a publication.i also went to barcelona to photograph the pavilion by mies van der rohe. it has an interesting story behind it and should really be called the german pavilion in barcelona.as you can see from the above images, i get to see a lot of nice buildings, homes, and other structures. though new buildings and restored homes that are often considered masterpieces are pleasant to look at, i find myself wanting to photograph the not-so-beautiful. here is a photo of one of the many post-katrina abandoned homes in new orleans, louisiana.as you can see, photography takes me many places. after tomorrow, i head to jamaica for more photo shoots and i will share photos when i get back to reality…
i always love having opportunity of shooting cultural weddings. i met with charlotte last year and was so excited to be hired to photograph her and mike’s wedding. earlier this year i photographed charlotte and mike’s engagement shoot, and since charlotte and mike travel frequently for work, we did a lot of communication via email regarding the details of the wedding day and her photography plans and ideas. in addition to wedding-related chatter, charlotte, being a foodie, she gave me some great tips on where to find true Québécois poutine made with real cheese curds.
charlotte is from singapore and her family spoke mandarin, while mike’s family spoke cantonese. i love being able to document cultural and family traditions, and this wedding in particular had some especially fun parts to photograph. i witnessed some hilarious games and a pretty tea ceremony which happened before the traditional style wedding ceremony that i am used to. before tea, the groom was quizzed by bride’s friends and family and had to partake in humorous demands before the mother of the bride released her daughter to the groom.
i asked charlotte about some of the details of her wedding day and she said:
The Chinese tea ceremony was requested by my mom. Basically it is a way for us to thank our families for raising us. The groom comes to the bride’s house to collect the bride. But the bride’s friends and family will try and block the groom and his men. The groom will have to go a series of games to prove his love for the bride. At the end, the girls will negotiate a price for the bride. Usually the number ends in 99. So $299, $399, etc.
When the groom claims the bride, they are supposed to go to the groom’s family to do the tea ceremony. Then they return to the bride’s family to do the tea ceremony. We did it all in the same room to save time!
Mike and I are so laid back, so we wanted fun pictures. Mike requested the lakefront shots and I like indoor shots and vintage looking locales, so Union Station was awesome! I love the look and feel of your photos! Very different from the others I have seen and very imaginative! That was ultimately the reason why we picked you!
after their wedding, the bride and groom headed to Curaçao for their honeymoon where they went to explore the island’s shores via scuba diving.
婚礼摄影师在芝加哥
中文和粤语的新娘和新郎
charlotte purchased adorable containers for the wedding rings which were enscribed with to have and to hold.the bride’s mother watched over over the groom during some lighthearted gamesthe groom answered questions regarding his new bridemike and char were a very easy-going couple – they joked around a lot and had a blast all day!two families came together during a tea ceremony overlooking famous michigan avenue. they had one of the best hotel suites i have ever photographed in.charlotte takes tea to present to the families.i heard someone mutter that some of the tea had some wasabi in it!the groom leaves the room before the bride changes into a white wedding gown.simple bouquet of flowers to match a simple elegant dress.the groom waits in the hotel lobby for a scheduled “first look” as the bride descended down a grand glowing staircase.we took a limo to museum campus and played a little game of trust over lake michigan.the chicago skyline is in the distance as the groom holds on tight to his bride.charlotte forgot the disposable adhesive heating pads in her hotel room to keep her bridesmaids warm for outdoor photos so we went to union station after museum campus. she had prepared for inclement weather by buying a photo permit in advance for union station so that we would have no issues if we needed to use the location as a setting for her wedding photos.the groom looked dapper don’t you think?the groom looked dapper, don’t you think?we wrapped up our 90 minute photo shoot by heading back to michigan ave and the bride and groom were cuffed by a chicago cop (all in good fun of course!).the newlyweds had beautiful rings which i photographed on the stem of a tulip.cocktail hour…what a cute nephew and a proud father!here are some of the wedding reception details including favors, cupcake centerpieces, and an overall theme of red – the color of happiness.and a toast…and a cake cutting and a cake smoosh followed by a smooch.guests seemed to be having a great timecharlotte’s matron of honor was just as fun as she, and raised the bar on the dancefloor getting everyone going!the bride and groom were a very fun laid-back couple to work with, and definitely know how to throw a party!
during their engagement shoot, abigail and sam told me about their wedding planning and were excited about having hired a professional lighting design team for their stan mansion wedding. they transformed a space that was a true blank canvas by choosing purple lighting that created an atmosphere for their wedding that guests commented about all night.
i photographed abigail getting ready at her home, and on the wall i noticed a painting by jamie haynes! i immediately recognized she had a connection to my favorite city: new orleans. abigail’s mother lives in new orleans’ garden district and we chatted a bit about second line parades. abigail didn’t grow up in NOLA otherwise i probably would have photographed another bride and groom in new orleans. abigal and sam headed to logan square for a planned meeting where they would have a documented “first look,” followed by some fun photos before the ceremony. after we finished creative photos in the park, sam went to stan mansion and made sure every detail was set perfectly, and gave a thumbs up to begin the ceremony. i wanted to make sure as much purple light was visible in their wedding photos as possible so i used my one of my favorite lenses for most of the night, that enables me to shoot without use of flash. whenever possible, i try to shoot without flash, or with low flash, so that the natural colors, shadows, and true look is preserved. i want my clients to have photos that accurately document their wedding from the little details, to the atmosphere of the room.
i had the opportunity to photograph dora and diego before their wedding for an engagement shoot. they had an atypical wedding and put a lot of thought into the unique details. her good friend happened to be a costume designer and created a wedding dress that was exactly what dora wanted. she enlisted angela from lather to come up with a vintage pinup hairstyle for her wedding day. they wed on a rooftop in the presence of their friends and family and invited their friends inside zed 451 for a private reception where guests visited bountiful harvest tables full of so much food and then had churrasco – a variety of meats brought to each table, served on skewers. the newlyweds had their first dance to madness’ song “it must be love.” the bride said that “the wedding certificate that our guests signed is inspired by a traditional quaker practice. when quakers marry those who are attending the meeting sign a marriage certificate as witnesses to the promises that the couple made before God. ours served as a way to include friends and family in our ceremony and it was also used in lieu of a guest book.”
a review from the bride:
“when heather and i were discussing the final time line for my wedding i had very few things scheduled and not too many “must have” photos to tell her about… when i first looked at our photos i realized that she had managed to capture exactly what i had wanted. we had a smaller wedding so every guest was someone important to us. heather and her assistant were able to capture so many fantastic candid photos of our loved ones. it’s like we now have portraits of all the special people in our lives! she managed to get some gorgeous shots under some challenging lighting conditions and she put a lot of time above and beyond our contract into adjusting the contrast of those photos. i feel really fortunate to have found heather! she’s talented, dedicated, professional and easy to communicate with!
i met with shawn & tamar for an engagement photography session in downtown chicago, and ever since i had a chance to work with them and tour their gorgeous venue, i have been looking forward to shooting their wedding. tamar works for the intercontinental hotels group and got ready for today’s wedding at the intercontinental hotel on michigan avenue. shawn and tamar chose to have their “first look” in the lobby before heading down the street to get married.
the ceremony and reception were held nearby at the spertus museum with a kosher dinner catered by wolfgang puck. with so many reflective angular surfaces, it is such a fun space to shoot in. architecture aficionados (and green conscious brides!) can see some in-depth images of this sustainable building by visiting architects’ krueck + sexton website.
hezzie and sam live in san francisco and got married in chicago. i had not met them before their wedding date. they had their wedding yesterday, getting ready at the conrad hotel over magnificent views of michicago ave, followed by the ceremony and reception at gallery 1028 in chicago. the gallery space is on goose island, and was my first “island” wedding shoot in chicago. gallery 1028 is one of chicago’s newer wedding spaces and is getting a lot of buzz. owned by calihan catering, the gallery is a huge space with tall ceilings, exposed brick and beams, with a true raw loft space. the gallery is very dark inside and provides the perfect ambience for a modern, contemporary wedding. there is plenty of parking too. gallery 1028 could be a challenge to shoot in since there is very little “white” space for a photographer to bounce a flash off. with the right lenses and extra flashes, the night was a success.
nicole fitzpatrick, the coordinator for the venue and calihan catering was friendly and on top of things. she recently got back from maternity leave and has hit the ground running. i am excited for more fun weddings at gallery 1028 in the future.
as many of my blog readers know, i have shot many weddings around the country. the DJ at last night’s event was by far the best DJ i have ever had the opportunity to work alongside. if you ever have the chance to hire zebo from style matters, you won’t be let down. he is a club DJ and spinning vinyl, and is able to blend songs together seamlessly and had generations of family on the dance floor all night with fun remixes of classic hits. he definitely knew how to read the crowd and had a great selection of indie, old school hip hop, and typical run-of-the-mill wedding requests.
From the client via Yelp Chicago Photographer wedding reviews:
“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!”
the challenge continues! more photos at millenium park! i love this white sculpture better than cloud gate. the sculpture has these curves that take your eye around the negative space in a manner that reminds me of the images of one of my favorite photographers, herb ritts. he played around with lights and darks and curves to create refreshing images within a tired genre. the couple i photographed for this engagement shoot is having me photograph their wedding at the newly renovated spertus museum. spertus is just as much a piece of art as it is an architectural marvel. we were able to walk around inside touring the stark, beautiful spaces where the wedding ceremony and reception will be held. i even bumped into someone who was a guest at another jewish wedding i photographed recently.
kelly and patrick were recently married and i had the pleasure of photographing their day. it began at hotel indigo, where the colors of the interior space were perfectly in concert with everything going on that day. kelly’s sister was the maid of honor and she joined their mother in helping prepare the bride for her wedding. with time to spare, we headed to the lobby and lounge and made great use of the unique chairs for some photos! after capturing every little detail and moment of kelly getting ready, i hopped in the limo with the ladies and grabbed a few shots as we headed to the wedding ceremony. i have noticed a trend recently where couples are looking for creative locations to tie the knot, galleries are a popular option. the groom had let me know in advance that he was planning a surprise first dance with the bride right after the ceremony. the newlyweds and i snuck outside amidst some fabulous natural light and grabbed a few shots before they returned inside to cut the cake. there were plenty of smiles to go along with the dancing, and even the children joined in.
update august 10, 2009, the bride kelly writes:
“I cannot imagine a better photographer for our wedding. Her unobtrusive style was perfect, especially for my camera-shy husband, and she was very gracious and patient with all of the guests taking flash photos, which I can say from attending other weddings, is not always the case. Many guests commented on how much they liked her. She was always quick to respond to my questions– and most importantly, the photos turned out beautifully!”
the dress is from white chicago, you may find out more on their FAQ page, or email them at info@whitexchange.com. their phone number at their chicago wedding gown boutique is (312-397-1571).
i love old little cars and if i am doing a photo shoot and see one, it WILL be incorporated into the shoot, just ask my NYC couple from the other day!
i was in duxbury, ma this weekend photographing a wedding and snapped this photo with my iPhone. i was talking to someone on the train about photography, and they asked what other kinds of photography other than weddings i shoot and i told them that my blog has become sort of a teaser section for wedding clients but that i would try to remember to post other types of shoots on here and passed them one of my cards. well, here are a few photos of some other projects that i should share. i will try to describe a bit of it.
the above architectural photography is of a home on nantucket island. for those who don’t know, nantucket island is east of the popular tourist destination of martha’s vineyard. on martha’s vineyard, i photographed this nice queen anne style summer cottage (below), which is owned by a software publisher by the name of peter norton, who created norton utilities and norton anti-virus.
the above house has been published in a regional annual magazine issue by cape cod life publications. although i photograph a lot of historic preservation and restoration architectural photography, i also photograph modern architecture. massachusetts institute of technology commissioned 
i also went to barcelona to photograph 
as you can see from the above images, i get to see a lot of nice buildings, homes, and other structures. though new buildings and restored homes that are often considered masterpieces are pleasant to look at, i find myself wanting to photograph the not-so-beautiful. here is a photo of one of the many post-katrina abandoned homes in new orleans, louisiana.
as you can see, photography takes me many places. after tomorrow, i head to jamaica for more photo shoots and i will share photos when i get back to reality…
charlotte purchased adorable containers for the wedding rings which were enscribed with to have and to hold.
the bride’s mother watched over over the groom during some lighthearted games
the groom answered questions regarding his new bride
mike and char were a very easy-going couple – they joked around a lot and had a blast all day!
two families came together during a tea ceremony overlooking famous michigan avenue. they had one of the best hotel suites i have ever photographed in.
charlotte takes tea to present to the families.
i heard someone mutter that some of the tea had some wasabi in it!
the groom leaves the room before the bride changes into a white wedding gown.
simple bouquet of flowers to match a simple elegant dress.
the groom waits in the hotel lobby for a scheduled “first look” as the bride descended down a grand glowing staircase.
we took a limo to museum campus and played a little game of trust over lake michigan.
the chicago skyline is in the distance as the groom holds on tight to his bride.
charlotte forgot the 
the groom looked dapper don’t you think?
the groom looked dapper, don’t you think?
we wrapped up our 90 minute photo shoot by heading back to michigan ave and the bride and groom were cuffed by a chicago cop (all in good fun of course!).
the newlyweds had beautiful rings which i photographed on the stem of a tulip.
cocktail hour…
what a cute nephew and a proud father!
here are some of the wedding reception details including favors, cupcake centerpieces, and an overall theme of red – the color of happiness.
and a toast…
and a cake cutting and a cake smoosh followed by a smooch.
guests seemed to be having a great time
charlotte’s matron of honor was just as fun as she, and raised the bar on the dancefloor getting everyone going!
the bride and groom were a very fun laid-back couple to work with, and definitely know how to throw a party!
