Posts Tagged ‘new orleans’

the only thing i know about the sport of football is that it is a bunch of beefy men in shiny spandex rolling around getting grass stains. with that being said, this is my congratulatory post to new orleans saints for winning the super bowl. new orleans is a such a vibrant city which i admire so much. if you ever have a chance to visit, you’ve got to. even in a short visit, a trip down to NOLA leaves you feeling like you have left the country.

yellow mustang and bunny mask!

they know how to party, during mardi gras and year round, constantly.okay sometimes they need to take a break.they’ve got cute water meter covers, seriously!NOLA uses mules instead of horses for tourist carriage rides since they tolerate heat better.cafe du monde is bustling 24 hours a day. this shot was taken past your bedtime.restoration is ongoing. the transformation is incredible.and because new orleans is for loversmany brides and grooms choose to have their wedding in the Big Easy, like this wedding in jackson square right out front of st. louis cathedralthe second line parades for weddings and the second line umbrella / parasol along with the handkerchiefs are a tradition popular in NOLA there are so many unique details everywhere you look. i loved the wrought iron fences throughout the city.every time i visit new orleans i make it a point to take the free ferry over to algiers to catch a glimpse of the skyline

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…

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.

wedding vendors:

venue for ceremony & reception: stan mansion
photographer: heather parker photography
florist: lasalle flowers
lighting/drapery: art of imagination
br>caterer: food evolution
wedding cake: b true bakery
br>ceremony music: guitarrista neil dixon smith

Perhaps the most notable tradition of all in regards to a New Orleans wedding is the second line parade. just about all weddings in new orleans have some form of a second line. Everyone including the bride, groom and wedding guests dance in a line through the French Quarter, led by a second line brass band.  If you would like to hear what a second line band sounds like, click here. The W New Orleans Hotel and the W New Orleans – French Quarter are two of my favorite NOLA wedding venues. The courtyard and fountain at the French Quarter location is such a perfect location.

new orleans wedding photographer w hotel

The bride generally carries a parasol, or “second line umbrella” as guests twirl handkerchiefs. The French Quarter is a festive location filled with great energy throughout the year. The parades usually lead the guests from the church to the reception location.

New Orleans’ famous St. Louis cathedral in Jackson Square is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the US. Its a great piece of architecture inside and out, day or night.

When strolling through the French Quarter, you will undoubtedly notice the unique architecture showing the city’s multicultural heritage. You’ll see everything from creole cottages, to the more iconographic balconies.

Whenever I find myself in New Orleans, i always stop at the 24-hour Cafe du Monde, the french market cafe for some beignets.

If you head outside the French Quarter (and i strongly recommend doing so) down St. Charles and on to Prytania, you will see magnificent historic mansions, many of which are popular locations for weddings.

At the time of this blog post, there are still many areas of the city that have yet to be restored after Hurricane Katrina.

When I am in town, I can’t help but notice how friendly everyone is, and the cheerful mood that encompasses the city, even after everything the city has gone through. On my left hand, I have tattoo of the fleur de lis, the symbol of New Olreans and it reminds me how great the city truly is.

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