Working with Alli and Dan could not have been better. Normally working with an out-of-town couple can have some challenges. However, Alli’s family was a huge help. Working with her mother before the wedding made all the difference in the world. Plus, I felt a personal connection to Alli and Dan. They were referred to me by friends and live in my old home town – Chicago.

The wedding was entirely hosted by the Renaissance, with the ceremony and reception in different rooms. The design created by Kim Singerman of Noteworthy Events was stylish, opulent and understated all at the same time. Various tones of white were used throughout and it looked amazing. The reception was lit beautifully to really show off the hotel. To compliment the great design, the team at Stephen Tokar Floral & Designs brought in some amazing floral arrangements. They draped a custom-made chuppah in white orchids and used complimentary flowers to decorate the tables.

So what really kept the guests going late into the night? None other than the Jerry Bruno Orchestra. They were so much fun and created an high-energy atmosphere. Below are just a few of my favorite photographs from the day -

Alli’s sisters and mother helped her to slip into her gorgeous wedding dress. The full veil was perfect for Alli. We then headed out into downtown Cleveland for a first look.

Coordinating a first look in an open space can always be tough. Thankfully, it was a little easier this time because we had a great team to help out.

Oooh – so exciting! The anticipation always kills me.

I love Dan’s reaction to seeing Alli for the first time. That reaction is why I always recommend a first look if my clients are willing.

One of the best times during a Jewish wedding ceremony is signing the Ketubah (marriage contract). The families gather around as the rabbi reads the document and the bridal party signs it. I really like the wide-angle photojournalistic shot above.

As I noted above, Alli and Dan’s wedding chuppah was gorgeous. It was draped top to bottom in white orchids, candles and beaded crystal threads.

All happiness and cheers on their wedding day!

The reception design created by Noteworthy Events and Stephen Tokar was lavish and classic! Simple white flowers throughout to match each place setting. Even more so, the lighting design really lit up the room (pun completely intended).

Alli’s sisters gave the most heart-felt and hysterical toast. They know Alli and Dan so well, and clearly love them to death.

Alli and Dan’s first dance backed by the Jerry Bruno Orchestra was great. All of the wedding guests stood and cheered the happy couple.

 The photo above is definitely my favorite. I have a real soft spot for emotional father-daughter dances. Plus, you can just see Alli’s sister in the background snapping a pic of her own.

Of course it wouldn’t be a wedding without the traditional Hora dance. Alli’s mother later commented that it was one of the longest and largest she has seen. I believer her! I was exhausted by the end.

I think you can see the real excitement above. Everyone, including your’s truly, was so excited for Alli and Dan. You gotta love weddings full of love.

To end, the Jerry Bruno Orchestra doing their thing. One of Alli’s bride’s maids jumped in on the singing action. So, that’s all for today. Definitely stop back soon as I have more coming to the website. Also, give us a “like” on Facebook where you can keep up with our current work.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Stephanie and Ben wanted to include the idea of live music in their engagement session. They love going to concerts and listening to music together at home. So, we planned to hit the Collinswood Arts district for a visit to the Beachland Ballroom and Music Saves. I would have loved to inside the Beachland, but their was some crazy children’s show going on. I was just happy to visit some great new locations. While it was mid-November, we did also want to include the fall colors where possible. Thankfully, our weird weather this year kept the leaves around a little longer. We headed to one of my favorite places, Cleveland’s cultural gardens where we found a yellow ginkgo sea.

A few of my fun favorites are below. The photos might look a little familiar – one is currently featured on my home page. Enjoy!

The Collinswood Arts district is such a great place to visit. It’s so colorful and has lot’s of indie music options.

You can only see a small part of the mural above. You’ll have to trust me – it’s crazy! As for Stephanie and Ben, it’s so nice when they laugh together, or at me!

The winds may have striped the leaves from the trees, but the color was all around. The yellow ginkgo leaves seemed to carpet everything.

I still cannot remember what I said or did to elicit the reaction in the last photo, but I love it. Maybe Stephanie will remind me one day. That’s all for today. I have been on a tear lately with new content on our website, so make sure to check back often. Also, give us a “like” on Facebook where you can find our most current work.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

When the day arrived, I simply met them at their house. We gathered up the dog and headed out for a local park. The sun was beaming through the trees, creating the perfect place for an afternoon outside. After Zoey had her time in the spotlight, we moved to some of my favorite places. One is a little secret of mine, but you will definitely see it below. The other is Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Given the season, it’s hard to resist spending some time in the valley sun. The park makes for such a nice afternoon. You just have to watch out for the crazy bikers (their everywhere and their fast!).

Danielle and Matt’s wedding is coming up soon. Given what I know about the event, I really am excited for them. Their wedding will be truly amazing! And so close to my house, which is just a little bonus! Below are just a few of my favorite moments from their engagement session. It was hard to pick just a few key photos. Danielle and Matt are so close to each other, and it makes every photo really stand out. Kinda like spending time with them – they are just stand-out people (Zoey too)!

Zoey really is unforgettable. She patiently held still for the camera like nothing I have seen before.

The golden light cast off from Danielle’s scarf is amazing. And I was happy to catch a nice private moment as well.

Almost on queue, Danielle and Matt were great at ignoring me and doing their own thing. I was just changing a lens and caught the moment above just in time.

She’s simply beautiful. I’m sure she will look radiant for Matt in her wedding dress.

I still can’t get over how amazing Danielle and Matt looked as a couple. On their engagement session, they just seemed perfectly fit for each other and the season. Soon the wedding will come rolling along and I’ll have more then. However, in the meantime, check back soon as I have a whole list of new stuff coming. Also, check us out on Facebook where you can keep up with our current work.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

On the drive to their house, I could see a storm chasing me down. Not long before I arrived, the clouds opened up and the rain began. Then it rained more and more and more.  Before long, it was clear the steady drizzle would not quit. I was happy to reschedule or continue, and left the decision to Molly and Dave. After some discussion, we continued.

I’m so glad we continued. The rain added drama when desired, or we could duck into sheltered spaces when needed. After shooting around their home, we headed into downtown Cleveland. I know of many sheltered places in the city, so it was the perfect choice for a good session.

Below are a few of my favorites. The rain need not go away, and we had a wonderful day (I know, I should be a poet .

Oh, Bella! Molly and Dave’s Shar-Pei is so sweet. They rescued her from a bad situation and she now has a forever home. As the owner of multiple rescue dogs, I could not have been happier to meet Bella.

We had always planned to use their antique convertible, and the rain wasn’t going to stop us. I love the above-right photo. It feels like the outside looking in.

Molly and Dave really know how to have fun together. Here we are in a parking garage in downtown Cleveland. The empty garage may sound like a strange location, but it offers a nice, clean background and gorgeous, dynamic light.

I don’t pose people much, and I hardly needed to do anything with Molly and Dave. They are just so comfortable with each other.

Above – a private moment with Molly as we waited for some heavy rain to pass. Below, some special requests from the couple.

I would love to share so much more from this session, like some fun “angry bunny” faces, but those are just for Molly and Dave.

There’s  more coming soon, so keep an eye on the website. For more up-to-the-minute work, check out our page on Facebook where I share what I am working on now.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Meeting families ahead of the wedding is always so nice. Getting to know each person is important to me, so the surprise presence of the entire family was very welcome. Even better for their session, a late autumn sun was beaming across Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio.

By far the best part – better than all the above – was simply Katie and Jonah together. They are a truly magical couple. Their love for each other, in ever aspect, is evident all the time. On that particular day, they were relaxed and wonderful to be with. Even better, they brought their dog along, which always makes me smile.

Katie always seemed so happy when Jonah held her hand, gave her a deep hug, or simply kissed her forehead. She would become completely radiant.

After the session, I came home and immediately started working on their photos. When I saw the photo at above-right, I nearly melted. I couldn’t resist posting an early preview.

I love the autumn colors and bright light through all of their photos, especially above.

When a couple selects a photo for printing, it’s always a good sign. Katie ordered the above in the largest size possible!

The peaceful expressions in the above-left is one of my favorites. I think the magic is in Katie’s smile.

On another note – our weird weather this year really brought out things I haven’t seen in ages. I cannot remember the last time a saw a woolly-bear. This year it seemed like I saw them all the time. Snakes too, but that’s another story.

At the end of the day, Katie and Jonah sat down on a nearby bench. I melted into the background and caught the photo above. The beaming sun reflected off of Katie’s shirt bathed Jonah’s face in golden light. I just love it!

That’s all for today. Definitely check us out on Facebook for our latest work, and stop back soon. We have lot’s more coming since I am in catch-up mode today.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

An engagement session that feels simple is usually a great one. Working with Molly & Zac felt very simple and comfortable from the beginning. I consider all of my clients to be friends, and this was especially so for Molly & Zac. Prior to working with them, I already considered Molly’s family to be personal friends, but that’s a story for another day.

Molly & Zac gave me creative freedom for their engagement session. We decided to keep it nice and simple. We spent a gorgeous afternoon walking around various neighborhoods in downtown Cleveland. Making it better, it was a warm and comfortable afternoon with amazing light.

We were also lucky! Below are a few of my favorite photos from the session. You’ll notice an Air-stream trailer filled with vintage clothing. We just so happened to stumble across a street fair with the trailer sitting at the end. It was a totally fortunate accident (wink, wink).

I love that Zac is gently holding Molly’s hand above. Her smile is priceless as well.

Molly is a true Clevelander, so we made sure to stop by a true Cleveland institution. In hindsight, we should have stopped longer and had a beer!

The last photo is one of my favorites from the summer. It’s an image I had stored in my head for months. I was waiting for the right couple and the right time. For Molly and Zac, it the setup was perfect, but their execution was even better.

That’s all for today. As always, find us on Facebook to keep us with our current work. And, more coming to the website very soon.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

During the (very low-budget) video, I discuss aspects of my shooting style and an overview of the VSCO package. Here is a quick list of what I cover -

• My photographic style and why VSCO Film works for me
• A walk-through of the different film emulsions included with the package
• I briefly touch on how VSCO Film works
• The additional preset “toolkit” items included with VSCO Film
• How to integrate the presets into a Lightroom workflow
• and finally, some potential hurdles to watch out for

I think that covers it for today. I certainly aim to produce better videos in the near future. Speaking of which, I will have more coming soon specifically for photographers. Also take a moment to check out what we are up to now on Facebook.

P.S. – This one video took me 9 takes and a barzillon edits. Please be kind

See y'all soon,
Hunter

All three of us wanted some variety in the pictures, so we planned the afternoon session for multiple locations around the Lakewood and Cleveland areas. After a little time in my Lakewood studio, we headed out into the beautiful October weather. We shot a little in Cleveland’s west flats, as well as locations around Lakewood.

For each senior portrait session, I like to include something personal about the client. For Elise, she was absolutely in love with her mid-eighties Mercedes Benz. This opened us up to shooting at a location I had on my list for a long time – a simple car wash in Lakewood. I knew the light streaming through the wash bay in the evening would be truly magical. In the end, the shots at the car wash turned out to be my favorite, and we happily avoided the standard car wash cliches.

Here are just a few highlights and some personal favorites -

Shooting in a truck parking lot might not seem like a good idea a first. However, the light passing through the golden fall leaves creates a gorgeous color palette with Elise’s fair skin and blonde hair.

Elise brought an amazing variety of outfits to her senior session. This allowed us to mix and match the outfits and create something unique for each location. Not to mention, she just has great style!

I drive by this car wash nearly daily and I have always wanted to shoot here. The light can be really amazing. I just love how the light seems to flood everything and be constrained at the same time.

Right as the sun was setting, we were able to capture the last photo below. I love how the light moves through the water spray. Elise’s “straight” glance is also priceless.

So that’s all for Elise’s senior portrait session. We had a great time, and Elise and Mary were very happy with the results. I was just happy I could help. Looking forward, I will have a few more senior portrait sessions coming soon and I’m really looking forward to them. The sessions are definitely a welcome change of pace.  To see what we are working on this very moment, stop by Facebook for a quick peak.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Jessica and Justin really deserved a special day, especially Jessica. As it turned out, everything went smoothly and seemingly perfectly. The Abbey was a gorgeous place to hold their ceremony. Normally only the domain of monks, the Abbey opened their doors just for this lovely couple. The weather cast a bright light over the Cleveland Cultural gardens. Lastly, La Malfa put on a real show for their returning guests. You see, Justin’s family has held their weddings with La Malfa for years. As I said, familiarity is good.

Below are just a few highlights from a good day, one that I felt was filled with friendship -

A new iPad for the wedding? Yes please! Something I saw a lot this year was grooms recording heart-felt videos for their bride to watch on the wedding day. I love the personal touch.

There may have been a little dancing before the wedding ceremony.

This was my first time to St. Andrew’s Abbey at the Benedictine School and I love it for two simple reasons – giant double-doors and a hoop of lights over the alter.

Jessica and Justin are truly blessed – they had four priests to oversee their wedding and received a personal blessing from the Pope (see below)! Remember I mentioned the value of familiarity? Father Michael recognized me and took a moment to make sure I got the shot below. It was welcome and quite embarrassing at the same time (I like to blend in).

I about died when I saw the photo above. This is truly one of my favorites from the whole year. Such a simple thing – a hoop of lights.

I love proud parents, and bless the Jakab’s – two weddings in one year!

Some of my favorite formal photos are actually the less formal ones. Loose groups of friends just seem so much more natural than people standing in straight lines.

Even though it was late October, you couldn’t tell in Cleveland. The sun beaming through the still-green trees was amazing.

The above photo says so much to me. Jessica and Justin seem ready to march into the bright and beautiful future they have ahead.

Jessica and Justin put on a real show at the wedding reception for their first dance. They had practiced a gorgeous dance and executed it to perfection.

Now this is a sight to see – the dance floor slammed packed with people for the very first song. The DJ did an amazing job getting everyone on the dance floor. It was like nothing I have seen before!

Jessica and Justin definitely have a bright and beautiful future ahead. They are an extraordinary couple with wonderful family to support them, and I’m sure they will have very accomplished lives together. That’s all for the moment. More is definitely coming soon. In the meantime, Facebook is a great way to keep up with what we are working on currently.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

As I always do, I promptly fetched the mail from our mailbox. Stuffed inside was about 25 pounds of late holiday cards, Christmas catalogs, and other detritus. However, hiding among the treasured cards and other trash was a curious little package. In a Christmas habit, I gave the package a squeeze and a shake. Then it hit me! I tore into the package and was greeted by long awaited, but temporarily forgotten news. The new Knot Magazine had arrived.

I am pleased as punch to announce that a Hunter Photographic wedding has been featured in The Knot Magazine for the second time in a row. For the Spring /Summer 2012 issue, the editors of the Knot reached out to me and requested a fresh wedding right off my site. They chose Holly and Brian’s amazing wedding at Lantern Court and Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. I was not surprised at all when the Knot requested the wedding. Holly and Brian’s wedding is definitely one of my favorites from this year. It was so special in so many ways.

I was just there to capture the moment. Holly and Brian deserve all the credit for planning such a unique wedding. Also, special thanks to Carri-An at Holden Arboretum for presenting such an amazing venue and for being a gracious help. Also, kudos to JMS Originals for putting together such amazing flowers. The flowers were truly unique. Lastly, Cakes by Maria & Joe put together a fabulous cake. I hear it was very tasty!

As I noted above, this is the second Knot Magazine feature in a row for us. Jamie and Ethan’s wedding was featured in the last issue. Looking forward, I will have a lot of good news to share over the next few weeks. More publications, blog posts, and new ideas are coming soon. To say the least, 2012 is going to be a truly special year. I hope everyone has a bright and beautiful 2012!

See y'all soon,
Hunter