Stellar Year Wedding Photography

SARAH + NICK: CENTRAL PARK ENGAGEMENT

artis4 — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:48:08 +0000

There are some couples whose devotion to one another oozes out of them when they’re together. Sarah and Nick are one of those couples – a pair of people so completely dedicated to their relationship that selflessness reigns supreme. Nick is best friends with Antonis’ girlfriend, and they and Sarah had gone to high school together. That connection and life-long friendship (even though it only developed into a romantic one recently) makes for a level of comfort and familiarity between Nick and Sarah that allows them to be completely in tune with one another. It’s fantastic to witness when spending a day with them.

We love couples who choose a location that either has meaning to them or is a favorite spot. Cleopatra’s Needle, behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is the background on Nick’s phone. When we were discussing locations and Central Park came up, he immediately picked it. Not only did the location’s name offer a day of hilarious innuendo, but the obelisk is right in the middle of several blooming trees and is adjacent to the baseball fields in the middle of the park which offer a nice juxtaposition of the huge park and the imposing city skyline.

Without further ado, on to the images of the happy couple! We, obviously, started the day at the obelisk (and may or may not have climbed past the ropes preventing anyone from touching it…). It was chilly to start out, so we let Sarah keep her jacket on initially.

The way they hold each other…

…is outdone only by the way they look at each other. Pak’s angle on the left, Antonis’ angle on the right.

The benches in Central Park are a favorite prop of ours.

Pak’s angle on the left, Antonis’ angle on the right. Sarah dropped the jacket and rocked the little black dress. Gorgeous!

Again, check out the way they look at each other. Their eyes tell the whole story.

A standard shot on the left, and a creative one on the right done with a remotely-fired, off-camera strobe, shooting through cherry blossom leaves.

The ease with which Nick makes Sarah laugh is incredible.

Cherry blossoms in peak bloom and a couple in love and comfortable in front of the camera. You can’t ask for anything more.

Rocking the bling.

Oh, look! A magnolia in full bloom. Cherry blossom: ousted by pink!

A change to less formal wear for Sarah and the blues complement the grass and magnolia perfectly. Couples, take note: willingness to sit on the ground is a huge point in your favor! The creative boundaries know no limits!

The magnolia gave a gorgeous warm pink tone to our images. Sarah’s bling (and awesome nail polish) on the right.

The lawn, with baseball and cityscape in the background. And don’t you just love Sarah’s hair blowing in the wind?

Using long lenses to give the couple some space to be themselves. Again, done with an off-camera strobe at camera-left.

Antonis’ angle of Nick playing Photographer’s Assistant on the left, with the resulting shot on the right.

When we asked Nick and Sarah if they had any silly shots in mind, this immediately came up. They use “rocks-paper-scissors” to make many decisions, so this combination of inside joke and bling was logical. Antonis’ view first, then Pak’s angle below.

That’s all for our day with Nick and Sarah. An awesome shoot with a fantastic couple and a great location. Nick and Sarah, you guys are a pleasure to work with. We can’t wait to spend your big day with you next year!!

- Pak and Antonis

Jasmine Star’s “The Fix” – An Eye-Opening Evening

artis4 — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:48:05 +0000

I (Antonis) had the pleasure, a few weeks ago, of attending a workshop by my photographic idol: Jasmine Star. She embarked on a nation-wide tour giving a lecture and having an open discussion with thousands of photographers about building a better photography business, overcoming the struggle, believing in yourself, and successfully selling your work to those who want it.

Jasmine started the evening with a meet-and-greet (and an open bar). She was there to personally thank everyone who came and take pictures with those who wanted them. I spent a long time wondering what to say when I met her. She shook my hand and spoke to me like we’d been best friends for a thousand years. And all I could muster was, “I’ve waited a looooong time for this.” Which I then realized came out more stalker-ish than fan-ish. And I instantly wished I could take it back. So, sorry, Jasmine! At least I wasn’t as creepy as the old Eastern European guy who tried to make out with you!

Jasmine then did a 90-minute lecture on building your business. She said right from the get-go that she wished we all came away with one enlightening piece of advice. I got about 7,500 of them. My notes from The Fix take up 6 hand-written pages (and I write small)! The first two lines are the ones that hit me hardest:

1) The average photo business in the USA lasts 3.5 years. If you make it past this point, it’s a good sign you have a good business model and can succeed, but it takes motivation and sacrifice.

2) Other photographers are not necessarily competition: a photographer can only shoot one event at a time. Creating a network of photographers to which you can spread booking overflow will create a great mutual relationship that will yield tons of business.

The second item in particular hit home very strongly. I’d always viewed other photographers as people to be avoided and ignored: they were, after all, out for the business we left behind. Jasmine’s point was something I’d never even considered, and something I really, really want to get done in the next few months for Stellar Year.

After her lecture, there was a moderated discussion forum and several open question sessions. I mustered up some courage and asked Jasmine about her workflow and outsourcing her editing. There were fantastic questions which received some great answers. Jasmine wasn’t afraid to say what needed to be said, and I think everyone appreciated her honesty and sincerity.

I won’t go into a detailed play-by-play of everything Jasmine said – we’d be here until August. The evening was absolutely enthralling, completely engaging, and an absolute pleasure. I would see her workshops again in a heartbeat. Jasmine’s manner of speaking, humble attitude, and incredible ability to be in a room with 200 people who idolize her without once making us feel like she thinks she’s better than us are just incredible.

Jasmine, on the off-chance you read this, I really want to say, “Thank You.” The things you said, the way you acted towards me for the 14 seconds we interacted, and the candidness with which you put yourself out there for the world to see are inspiring. You exceeded every expectation I could have had, and I feel so very honored to have been able to meet you. I’ve read countless times that you shouldn’t meet your idols because they’ll disappoint you – you did no such thing. Thank you very, very sincerely for your words and your welcoming nature. Your work has been an inspiration to me for years and your advice will now take a huge role in shaping our business and our marketing. You really are, to use your favorite word, fabulous.

- Antonis

ANITA + SEVAG: SAYAT NOVA ENGAGEMENT CELEBRATION

artis4 — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:36:27 +0000

Our first event of 2012 was this awesome engagement celebration for Anita and Sevag, a couple from New Jersey. Anita’s father, a colleague of ours, asked us to document their big engagement party and we were honored to accept. Everybody gathered at Sayat Nova Restaurant in Hackensack, NJ on a cold February afternoon. The joyous occasion was full of music, food, laughter, food, dancing, and food. Both families are Armenian and they welcomed us with open arms. We were fed like kings and both felt like we’d known these people our whole lives. It relaxed us and our subjects and yielded some truly extraordinary images.

We started with some formal images of the happy couple. We brought our portable studio and put two speedlites in a softbox off to camera-right. The softbox lit the couple and the wall behind, providing flattering (but dramatic) light.

Time to get creative with that softbox!!

We made sure we took shots of the details Anita and Sevag had worked so hard to perfect. And her ring is gorgeous!

There was a traditional ring blessing ceremony. The entirety was conducted by a family member in Armenian and was a very nice touch.

Anita was showered with jewelry after the ring ceremony. Crazy amounts of bling! A necklace with a cross pendant, a gold bracelet, a pearl necklace, and a pearl bracelet!

Halfway through their celebration, we pulled Anita and Sevag aside for an intimate series of images in an isolated corridor. We were aiming for a slightly more sensual feel and they were more than happy to play along. Thanks for being such great sports, guys!

Both Anita and Sevag wanted shots with their closest friends.

And then it was time for everyone to hit the dance floor! The mix of Armenian music and modern pop was awesome.

Anita and Sevag gave very heart-felt speeches thanking their family and friends for their love and support in their relationship.

The night concluded with the cutting of the beautiful cake.

We end with this image. We don’t think Anita and Sevag knew we were shooting, and this little moment of intimacy between the two in the midst of the crazy celebration is the best sign you’ll get of how close these two are.

For those who want to see more of Anita and Sevag’s event, we’ll have a slideshow up very, very soon.

Congratulations, Anita and Sevag! We’re sure November 17 can’t come soon enough. We know you’ll have a long, happy, fantastic life together!

Shnorehagal em!

- Antonis and Pak

JEANNE + ALEX: CENTRAL PARK ENGAGEMENT

artis4 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:21:18 +0000

What an odd day we had for Jeanne and Alex. It was October 29, and yet mother nature had dumped almost a foot of snow on the ground! Jeanne and Alex had chosen the date in the hopes of having colorful fall foliage, and we had an eclectic mix of snow, ice, and great leaves.

We started the day at the Bow Bridge bright and early. Antonis almost didn’t make it thanks to some ice on the highway that almost sent his car into the woods. Disaster averted for the first time, we met with Jeanne and Alex at the base of the bridge. There was a coating of ice that sent several passerby down to their rear ends despite our warnings. Even dogs, despite their four-legged advantage, couldn’t stand up!

Without further ado, on to the pictures. Ladies and gents, meet Jeanne and Alex!

The Bow Bridge looked gorgeous in the low morning light. The foliage added a fantastic background.

The mix of backgrounds, snow and leaves, provided great color and lighting opportunities. As in all our engagement shoots, these images were shot with the aid of a small flash umbrella to make sure we got balanced, flattering light. While shooting the image on the right, Pak lost his footing despite having seen 15 people fall before him. He landed in perfect push-up position and barely prevented his camera from hitting the ground. Disaster averted for the second time!

The architectural detailing on the bridge parapet is phenomenal. We used a couple of vantage points to highlight this.

The next stop was Bethesda fountain and the arches nearby. The light was coming from the southwest, which highlighted the stone masonry and allowed perfectly lit portraits at the edge of the water.

The arches provided great context for a variety of shots both outside the tunnel and within its confines.

Under the arches, staying away from the cold, was a great singer. He was doing classics from every decade and threw in both Halloween and Christmas songs in celebration of the freak snowstorm. He was more than willing to play along with our photography. Jeanne and Alex got some dancing done in anticipation of their wedding day!

The detail on the ceiling and walls of the arch tunnel is brilliant and colorful.

Antonis then climbed the stairs up to the balcony that overlooks the fountain. At the very top, he turned and slipped on a protective metal grating. He went down onto his rear and the camera he was carrying (which happened to be Pak’s) slammed into the stone parapet. Thankfully, everything was in working order. Disaster averted for the third time! This shot, taken from the balcony, is a meant to simulate a “tilt-shift” image (usually done with specialized lenses). We love the miniature effect it yields!

Meanwhile, Pak was down below capturing secondary images. It was just too cold to ask Jeanne and Alex to stay jacket-free, so we let them bundle up for the last few images.

Our last stop was the mall with its gorgeous treetop canopy. The color photo on the left shows some of the tree damage caused by the massive snowfall and freezing the night before. The black and white image on the right accentuates the varied lighting we had to contend with and showcases the canopy’s brightness.

While Pak was shooting the images above, Antonis was next to Jeanne and Alex holding the umbrella. Between shots, he captured this close-up image of the couple.

This is a shot of Antonis capturing an image Jeanne and Alex requested. It stems from an inside joke amongst their friends that Alex is Jeanne’s bodyguard. The paparazzi won’t be able to touch them!

Here’s the shot Antonis ended up with.

The image on the left shows the personality Jeanne and Alex share that makes them so good together. They’re so happy, so in love, and comfortable enough in front of the camera to really be themselves. The image on the right demonstrates our lighting technique. Alex thought he could do a better job lighting himself, so we let him have his chance.

That covers our amazing (and cold) day with Jeanne and Alex. The images can’t do their love and happiness justice. Their inside jokes, common interests, and positive outlook are just some of the things that make them an awesome couple. To see more of their shoot, check out this slideshow.

Jeanne and Alex, we cannot wait to spend your big day with you in June. Congratulations again on your engagement, and we’re looking forward to your wedding day on Long Island!!

- Antonis and Pak

Behind the Scenes: Portable Studio Lighting

artis4 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:10:37 +0000

Clients often ask, “What does Stellar Year offer that other wedding photographers don’t?” After all, with the advent of digital imaging, it seems wedding photographers are a dime-a-dozen and, especially among the more experienced professionals, there is strong motivation to outdo the newcomers and the competition.

At Stellar Year, we pride ourselves on our use of supplemental lighting during formal portrait sessions. Our packages list this as “Portable Studio Lighting” to better convey just what it means. Essentially, we bring professional lighting equipment with us on site and can set up a quasi-studio to ensure great shots and any number of varied lighting methods. We can create dramatic light, even light, flattering light, or accent light equally as easily. Natural light (whether outdoors in the sun, or indoors near a window) can be gorgeous, flattering, and versatile but supplemental light can give images a different look entirely and provide a diversity to the portfolio we present our client in our final work.

The level of lighting we decide to use depends, of course, on variables such as the subject matter, the pose used, the time available, space limitations,and any other factors that influence an image’s composition . Our lighting scheme may vary from using several strobes mounted in softboxes and umbrellas to organizing a small army of flashes in various locations. All of our strobes and flashes are triggered using Pocketwizards (FlexTT5′s and Plus II’s) for the Canon flash system.

For instance, at Jen and Luigi’s wedding, our studio was set up at The Mezzanine for the portrait session. The original plan had called for formal portraits in the park, but rain canceled our plans and we had to create an ideal setting in less than ideal conditions (a large, dark room with a high ceiling and reflective floors). Our lighting scheme used two strobes. One strobe, fired into a large softbox, was used as the main light and was set to camera left. Another strobe, firing into a large umbrella, was used as the fill light. The umbrella, a Photek Softlighter, had its diffusion panel mounted to soften the light. Lastly, a single Canon 550EX flash, mounted on a tripod, was used as the background fill light.

We used this elaborate set-up at this event because of the room’s size. A smaller room would have allowed a simple scheme, but we always ensure we have enough equipment with us to cater to any situation. With this set-up, we were able to take advantage of the marble floor’s reflective nature. We allowed for a beautifully subtle reflection of the subject in the marble to add depth to the image. The resulting soft, dramatic light perfectly accents Jen’s beauty and creates a versatile system for a single person or groups of people.

During Jen and Luigi’s engagement session, Pak’s vision for a dramatic night-time image was realized on the Brooklyn Bridge. We used a single flash behind Jen and Luigi to produce an extremely powerful composition. This was done with two Canon flashes triggered from a Pocketwizard on the camera. One flash was used to light the umbrella, and the other provided the backlight for the silhouette.

In Eunice and Henry’s wedding, we did a portrait session in the church after the ceremony, and at the outdoor gardens before the reception. Both sessions were done with three Canon 430EX II flash units mounted inside a single softbox. This set-up is incredibly versatile because of the range of power settings available and the large, soft light source provides even, flattering light. In the first set of images, the softbox was at camera left, aimed slightly downward at the subject. In the outdoor image, the softbox was at camera left but positioned much further away and set at full power to ensure even lighting across the scene.

In Jeanne and Alex’s engagement session in Central Park, we carried a small umbrella with a single Canon 580EX II flash mounted inside it. This created soft light when positioned close to the couple, and dramatic directional light when held further away. The versatility allowed us to work quickly and create a varied portfolio for Jeanne and Alex. In the first set of images, taken on the famous Bow Bridge, we used the umbrella to provide fill light in the harsh sun. In the first image, Antonis was standing behind and to the right of the couple, holding the umbrella on a long monopod above the couple’s heads and aimed downward towards camera left to light the dark shadows. In the right-hand image, the umbrella was positioned just to the right of the camera, facing towards the sun, to again counter harsh shadows. In the second set of images, taken along the long walkway in the Central Park Mall, the umbrella was held much closer to the subject to provide dramatic directional light intended to replicate the beams of sunlight coming through the branches.

We hope that little glimpse into what we offer is enlightening (you knew there had to be a pun in this post somewhere…). We offer the capability to create and execute varied, professional-quality lighting schemes for our clients that give us a step up on the competition.

- Antonis and Pak

YOLI + BECKER: BRUNO’S ON THE BOULEVARD (NEW YORK) WEDDING

artis4 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:50:38 +0000

It’s always a blast to shoot weddings from different cultures. The customs, languages, interactions, and party styles are awesome to witness and be a part of. Yoli and Becker’s wedding was no different. The family is incredibly tight-knit, and the two sides interacted so seamlessly that we were often wondering whether a given person was from the bride’s side or the groom’s. That’s a strong sign that the marriage will be a long and happy one, and Yoli and Becker’s relationship doesn’t leave a shadow of a doubt. Yoli and Becker, you’re both amazing and we wish you the very best in your life together. Thank you so much for braving the bitter cold and working with the unexpected snowfall! Uno, dos, tres and ¡felicitaciones!

Now to the images from their great, great day…

The transformation!

Yoli’s dress had incredibly intricate detailing on the back that was painstakingly done by her bridesmaids.

We love, love, love when couples opt to do a first-look before the ceremony. The raw emotions and resulting images are just awesome.

The original plan called for this shot to be done closer to the castle. The snow played an evil trick on us and came down in droves the night before. Everyone was more than happy to play along. Yoli was freezing but didn’t complain. (Not nearly as much as the bridesmaids and groomsmen did…ahem.)

Married! Becker will say that Yoli couldn’t wait to kiss him and came in for a huge kiss as soon as the officiant announced them man and wife! I have a feeling Becker was excited, too!

Pak counts, “One, two, three” before every picture. We’re not sure if he realizes he’s doing it. But he switched to Spanish for one shot, and the image on the right is the reaction he got.

Handsome set of guys.

And a beautiful group of ladies.

Yoli’s big request of the night. I hope you’re happy with the shot!

Congratulations again, you two!

- Antonis and Pak

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

artis4 — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:34:45 +0000

We wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, and a happy welcome to 2012. Another year has come and gone and we hope the next one will bring us lots of new readers, fans, and clients!

Pak’s happy family (taken in his personal studio at home).

Antonis’ family at home.

Antonis’ family tree on the left, Pak’s on the right.

Again, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year to you and yours! We appreciate everyone’s support and encouragement and look forward to expanding our reach and business in the coming year!

- Antonis and Pak

ALIA + SCOTT: CENTRAL PARK ENGAGEMENT

artis4 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:48:36 +0000

Neither of them had been looking for a relationship. Alia (an old friend of Antonis’ from High School) was working at a local diner in July 2009. Scott ate lunch often at the same diner with his colleagues. Eventually, he started asking Alia’s colleagues about her and finally mustered up the courage to leave his cell phone number on the bottom of the check. Alia decided to call him out on the lack of nerve his method showed. They started talking regularly, but it was just small stuff. Then, while at a Bachelor party in Florida, Scott took leave of his friends and called Alia to have a 20-minute conversation about how her day was going. This small gesture convinced her that he was the real deal, and they got engaged on April 1 of this year.

Alia asked us to do her engagement shoot and, as she works near Central Park and they’d gone there on one of their first dates, she and Scott chose that as their location. We started at Harlem Meer and walked around the lake.

These aviators were a theme during the day. It took a lot of coaxing from Alia for Scott to take them off at first…

Re-enacting the proposal with a Ring-Pop we’d brought from home. We love when clients are willing to play along with our silliness. It relaxes everyone and yields awesome results! Thanks for being so cool, you two!

Can you say Hollywood moment?!?!

What absolutely beautiful people you guys are.

Do you see what we mean by infectious? Their smiles make you want to smile!

After an outfit change and a stop for lunch at Five Napkin Burger (highly recommended!) we walked to Belvedere Castle, the Bow Bridge, Bethesda Fountain, the Mall, and the Great Lawn before making our way back to Broadway and the car.

A perfect color combination for the city and the park.

Bethesda Fountain with its gorgeous red brick and foliage in full bloom.

Bling! Simple, understated, but beautiful.

Overall, an absolutely perfect day. Alia and Scott are a complete joy to work with and are incredibly comfortable in front of the camera. They make each other laugh with no effort at all, and even my cheeks were sore from having such a good time with them. Our most successful shoots are the ones that don’t feel forced, and this one was so easy to do we completely lost track of time. Even the heat that day didn’t bother us.

For more from this session, please check out this slideshow (please note: the show requires Adobe Flash and includes music).

Alia and Scott, you guys are absolutely awesome. It’s obvious how much you love each other. Your love is infectious. We wish you the absolute best together, but have no doubts you’ll make it look easy!

- Antonis and Pak

EUNICE + HENRY: BARTRAM’S GARDEN (PHILADELPHIA) WEDDING

artis4 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:27:35 +0000

This wedding came to us through multiple degrees of separation, and we were thrilled and honored to be able to work with Eunice and Henry for the day. Their wedding took place in Philadelphia and we were more than happy to make the trip for this amazing couple. It took very little time for Henry, Eunice, and their guests to get comfortable in front of the camera, and their willingness to take direction and be themselves made our jobs incredibly easy. It’s always great to work with couples we can connect with and who are too in love to care about multiple cameras in their faces. Eunice and Henry, we hope your marriage has been full of nothing but good times and that you continue to cherish, respect, and love each other as you promised to do in Philadelphia earlier this year. We have no doubt it’s the case and it’s not often we see a couple as dedicated to each other as you two are. The support you give each other (and acquire through your families as well) is awe-inspiring.

On to the pictures of their big day!

The ceremony took place at Woodland Presbyterian Church, and Eunice and her Maid of Honor got ready in the adjacent atrium while Henry and his Best Man prepared at Henry’s house next door.

Henry surprised Eunice with this simple, but gorgeous, necklace on the morning of their wedding.

All the musical accompaniment during the ceremony was live.

This moment after the ceremony was emotional and beautiful. After the ceremony, we always give our couple and their family a moment alone without us in their faces. And it’s amazing the scenes we capture when our subjects don’t know we’re peeking through a barely-open door waiting to get going again.

At Stellar Year Wedding Photography, we offer on-site studio lighting, which we achieve by bringing various lighting tools.

We’ll end with the cake-cutting. Pure, unadulterated joy.

Congratulations again, Eunice and Henry! We hope you’re having a blast together!

-Antonis and Pak

JEN + LOU: THE MEZZANINE (NEWARK) WEDDING

artis4 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:17:15 +0000

Jen and Lou’s story began in the workplace in 2002 when they were both engineers for the same company. Pak was also a structural engineer with the firm and knew Jen and Lou both well. Antonis came along as an intern in 2006 but Jen had recently left the company so he missed her. However, he worked quite a bit with Lou who was a civil engineer. In 2009, Pak shot their engagement in New York City and they booked us for their wedding in August of 2010. That day was a hot, humid, rainy day which put a severe damper on our plans for a photo session in the park. Instead, Pak and I set up a studio at The Mezzanine in Newark, NJ for the formal images. We had to work around some negatives (weather, light, time) and some positives (romance, willing subjects, and acrobats!) and ended up with images that demonstrate the love Jen and Lou have for each other. Jen and Lou, you’re an amazing couple. We’ve seen you together since your wedding and it’s clear you’re perfect for each other.

First our favorite shot from their 2009 Engagement session:

Now on to August 2010. Jen got ready at The Mezzanine, where the reception would be held later that day. Her mom, sisters, dress maker, and make-up artist were all there, busily getting everything ready. They allowed Pak and I great liberty in documenting the preparation and were more than willing to play along as models.

After Jen was ready, we did some formal images with her mother and sisters. Pak and I had set up the studio earlier in anticipation of coming back after the ceremony, so we made use of it with the girls since we had plenty of time and nobody wanted to go out into the rain!

Then it was off to the beautiful St. Lucy’s Church in Newark, NJ. The stained glass, ceiling, and light were all extraordinary and gave some incredible photo opportunities.

After the ceremony, we and the wedding party rushed back our “studio” at The Mezzanine for formal images during the cocktail hour. The original plan had called for formal images at Branch Brook Park (which has a gorgeous gazebo), but the weather decide it would rather keep us indoors. Jen and Lou, to their credit, were great sports and never let their spirits get down. Adapting to conditions is a something anybody involved in weddings knows all about, and their understanding allowed us to make the best of an unpleasant situation.

Jen had surprised Lou with acrobats (she now makes her living as a juggler and performer). Their routine was brilliantly done and everyone stopped to watch.

Jen and Lou danced together for the first time as a married couple, and then Jen prepared a choreographed number with her juggling coach that showed off her moves. You can move, Jen!!

Congratulations, again, you two. We wish you the absolute best in your lives together. Lou, see you in the office. Jen, see you on stage!

- Antonis and Pak