This video is about 5 of my favorite pictures that I took sometime over the past 2 years. For each picture, I describe the story behind each shot. Here you go... enjoy!
Thanks for spending some time to get to know a little more about me. The first thing you should know is that I love what I do. I really enjoy and am energized by photographing weddings. There are so many wonderful emotions I get to see at every wedding - happiness… sadness… nervousness… love… joy… excitement… anticipation - you name it, they happen at every wedding. And I'm the lucky person who’s there to capture it. I couldn't ask for a better and more important job.
O.K., now back to the normal biography stuff you were looking for. In 1996 I received a B.A degree in communications from Purdue University. After graduating, my interest in photography turned from a serious hobby into an uncontrollable passion. I’m a big believer in always fine tuning my skills, so I continue to enhance my technique by attending a variety of seminars and workshops.
On a personal note, I married the women of my dreams (Carolyn) in 2007. We had a beautiful, small destination wedding at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman. For our honeymoon, we went on a two week Safari to South Africa. The entire experience was unbelievable and one we’ll never forget.
In my down time I enjoy playing golf and volleyball. I've run several marathons and have competed in 2 adventure races. I also excel at being a couch potato, which means I'm always up for a good TV show or movie. I live in Chicago and love taking advantage of all the wonderful things the city has to offer - restaurants, shopping, street festivals, art fairs, etc.
People connect with each other in unique ways. My goal as a photographer is to capture these connections. I focus on capturing real moments and raw emotions... with a twist to the softer, more intimate side each couple has. I believe each couple has a one of a kind energy and spirit, be it on an emotional or physical level. I seek to understand this energy and bring it to life via photography. These are things that excite me as a photographer. These are the things that motivate me and make me passionate about what I do.
LOOKING TO HIRE STEVE?
Naturally, the biggest reason why people hire a photographer is to have someone take great pictures of their wedding. Don’t worry, taking great pictures is what I love to do and it's what motivates me. But what really makes working with me unique is the overall experience I provide my clients. Wheather it’s the detailed planning I do, or the fast turnaround and individual attention I give to each of my clients, I offer an experience that is extremely hard to find elsewhere.
So now let's talk a little bit about style. A lot has changed over the years in wedding photography. In the past, photographers focused on creating posed situations at certain times during the day. This worked just fine for people and everyone came to expect these kinds of pictures. Over the past 5-10 years, a new movement started in photography called wedding photojournalism. This is where a photographer aims to capture the essence of the day. It's all about being in the right place at the right time.
So where do I fall? My focus is definitely on the photojournalism side. To me, there's nothing more exciting than capturing all the special moments that happen at a wedding. Some of them are very predictable (i.e. the first kiss, the first dance, etc.) Others are not able to be predicted. For example, I had a small outside wedding last year where one of the little girls walked up the aisle during the middle of the ceremony to take a picture with her parent’s camera phone. No one could believe what she was doing, and everyone laughed. To me, that was a moment that defined the ceremony. And for me to capture that moment was to define the spirit of the ceremony.
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not a photojournalist 100% of the time. I will also capture posed pictures for every wedding since it’s something I feel that should still be done. After all, It’s not every day all these people will be together in the same room. So from my perspective, posed pictures still have a place in every wedding.
All my camera equipment is digital and I exclusively work with Canon's L series professional lenses. Working with the top of the line equipment enables me to capture richer details, brighter colors and more memories (10 pictures per second if I need to). I work extremely fast, and can usually have a wedding finished in about 1-2 weeks.
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