Liz & Tim's Engagement & Wedding

Dulles, VA - August 2014

I finally had my opportunity to get out onto 1757's grounds, and it was everything I wanted it to be!  It was very fitting considering this couple photographed so well outdoors.  I got to use the "Bazooka Lens" on this one.  A VERY large 400mm lens.  You know when you're watching a football game and on the sidelines you have the huge lenses?  Yeah, that's what this big guy is!  

Cameras: D4, D600 Lenses: 24-70 ƒ/2.8, 70-200 ƒ2.8, 50 ƒ/1.8, 400 ƒ/2.8, 16 ƒ/2.8 Fisheye Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture, Nik Software Color Efex Pro, Photoshop

Alyssa & Ben's Wedding: One for the Books

Dulles, VA - January 2014

The second of my missed opportunities to get out on the grounds of 1757.  The night before we had show and freezing rain, so they closed the cart paths and wouldn't let us out of the patio area.  We made due, and our bride, Alyssa, was quite the trooper for our outdoor shots, shedding her jacket a couple of times for the sake of posterity.  Check out the bride's bouquet, the perfect prop for a couple of book lovers.  Party favors were bags of coffee or tea, definitely one of my favorite parts!

Tip: Never be afraid to ask the couple if they're down for something different or fun.  It may be small like asking for silly faces, or asking the bride to go out in the freezing cold.  You'll never know unless you ask!

Cameras: D4, D600 Lenses: 24-70 ƒ/2.8, 70-200 ƒ/2.8, 50mm ƒ/1.8, 105mm ƒ/2.8 Editing: Aperture 3, Photomatix HDR, Portraiture, Nik Software Color Efex Pro, Photoshop

Anna & Anil's Wedding

Dulles, VA - December 2013

Another fun wedding at 1757 Golf Club!  The bride and groom were late getting to this one; note to self: when you're coming from the Lorton area, give proper time for traffic.  This meant we didn't have time to get out before the sun went down and the temperature dropped to the teens.  So, we made lemonade by taking pictures in the entryway and the women's locker rooms.  This would be the start of a few weddings in a row that we weren't able to make it out onto the beautiful grounds for photos.  Inside or outside the show must go on!

Fun fact, this was the first wedding I had the opportunity of shooting with the Nikon D4.  Love at first click.

Cameras: D600, D4 Lenses: 24-70 ƒ/2.8, 70-200 ƒ/2.8, 105mm ƒ/2.8 Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture, Photomatix, Photoshop

Kiley & Louis: Wedding on the Occoquan River

Woodbridge, VA - August 2013

A chance to photograph the beautiful sister of a previous client; I was excited for the opportunity to hopefully impress once more.  This was a small wedding with a beautiful couple.  Some of my favorite photos came from this shoot, including the one below, which came out perfectly!

Cameras: D600, D3s Lenses: 24-70 ƒ/2.8, 50 ƒ/1.4, 105 ƒ/2.8  Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture, Photoshop

Julie & Keunhwan

Old Town Alexandria, VA-Engagement Shoot / Dulles, VA-Wedding  - July 2013

A beautiful shoot in Old Town Alexandria paved the way for a great wedding at 1757 Golf Club.  A beautiful couple and ceremony, along with some slick dancing and playful poses amongst friends.

mcp

Cameras: D4, D600  Lenses: 24-70 ƒ/2.8, 50 ƒ/1.4, 105 ƒ/2.8  Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture, Photoshop

Eileen & Henry's engagement session

Washington, DC - March 2013

It's nice to have friends who get married and want your help doing their engagement shoot.  I love doing engagement shoots.  I probably enjoy these more than weddings because there's always joking, laughing, and in the case of Henry and Eileen, talk of beer!

We did a lot of walking for this shoot, starting at the Lincoln Memorial and walking up and down the mall and surrounding areas.  I loved that we hit so many different places, it gave lots of variety to the shoot.

mcp

Camera: D600  Lens: 50 ƒ/1.4Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture, Photoshop

Yes, I shot my own engagement photos (or "No, it's not a watch ad")

Washington, DC - March 2013

Beginner's Tip #3: In DC, when you're at the Navy Yard taking photos by the Anacostia River, it gets a little cold.

I've known my wife since we were freshmen in high school.  Since we were kids she's always been the best thing ever.  God bless her for putting up with me because I can have some crazy ideas.

So there we were, in need of engagement photos to send our our invitations and I had the bright idea to do them using an IR remote trigger and some guess-work.  I would set up the camera, take sample shots while Stephanie stood there in her jacket freezing.  One the settings were right, the jackets came off and I shot away.  I still love these photos.  I catch flack from the wife about how it looks like a watch ad for Bulova, but you have to admit, that's a nice watch.

Which reminds me...

Beginner's Tip #3a: If you're going to wear jewelry that may stick out, be subtle, don't put it front and center the way I did.  A second set of eyes looking at the raw photos helps.  You have a display on the back of that nice camera: USE IT!

mcp

Camera: D600  Lens: 50 ƒ/1.4  Editing: Aperture 3, Portraiture

A friend gives me a chance

Dulles, VA - April 2012

God bless Lindsay and Nick.  Nick and Lindsay both worked at 1757 Golf Club, a beautiful course in Dulles, VA where if you aren't on your game, the course will make your day a long one.  Lindsay approached me a few months back and told me that she liked what she had seen of my photography and wanted me to shoot their wedding.  This was before I shot my first wedding for Danielle and Troy, so I asked her if I could do that first and then let her know.  Lindsay said sure, and after a successful first attempt, I was on my way.

I must say, this was a beautifully put together wedding.  Lindsay does this every day of her life, so you knew it was going to be the best of the best.  For the photos, I definitely had to get a little creative since the weather wasn't the best, but the results were to my liking.  Still a little heavy on the edits, but I felt that I started to get a little more natural part of the way through.  Like the other wedding, I still tell myself that one day I'd like to through those again.  I even joked about it to Lindsay once, and in her sweetness she laughed it off and said they were great.  She definitely gave me the confidence that I could do this.

Beginners Tip #2, no matter how nervous you are, go through your checklist.  If I could go back, one of the things I would add would be to make sure you change before you leave.  I left the house in my nice white dress shirt and jeans.  That's right, I was so nervous I forgot to change into my slacks.  D'oh!

Thank you Lindsay, you started something good. 

mcp

Cameras: D3s, D7000  Lenses: 105 ƒ/2.8, 50 ƒ1.8, 70-200 ƒ/2.8, 24-70 ƒ/2.8  Editing: Aperture 2, Portraiture

The first wedding... a family affair.

Orlando, FL - February 2012

I never wanted to shoot weddings.  I didn't want to deal with the pressures and stress of cataloging what would be the most important day in a couple's life.  Moreover, I didn't want to screw it up!

I shot my first wedding in 2012 for the cousin of my then-fiancé.  It was pretty perfect, the price was right, the guests were laid back, and most importantly Danielle and Troy knew that even though I could be considered "professional" for some types of photography, I was venturing toward the deep end.  Luckily, I was already renting some pretty serious equipment, so I couldn't blame it on the D3s or the N-glass.  If anything got screwed up, it was on me!

One of the things I had going for me is that Danielle is beautiful and Troy isn't a slouch either.  For their beachside wedding, we were graced with beautiful weather and I had already been shooting a corporate event for the past three days; so I was already in the zone.

Beginner's Tip #1: I've come a long way since this shoot and sometimes tell myself that I should re-edit these since my style has changed with regard to editing and airbrushing.  One thing I would tell anyone starting out is that you don't need to make someone look like a wax statue.  Perfect skin is only for CoverGirl commercials.  Like makeup, less is more!

mcp

Cameras: D3s, D7000  Lenses: 105 ƒ/2.8, 50 ƒ/1.4, 70-200 ƒ/2.8, 24-70 ƒ/2.8  Editing: Aperture 2, Portraiture

A new chapter, a new website!

Well, here it is.  After a couple of years of the same old, too dark, too basic, too amateur website, I've finally upgraded!  While taking a peak be sure to notice some of the features that were the most important to me:

• better presentation of photos
• easier site layout
• quicker navigation to the important details
• better commerce options
• ease of use to set up and maintain

Along with a new site comes a new section, which you've found!  Welcome to the blog.  Still to this day, one of my favorite insights on the "blog" was stated by Hank Moody in Californication.  I shouldn't say what those insights were on this site, but I'll try to live up to them, including leaving out things like LOL and BRB.

To start, you'll start seeing blogs from older shoots along with those from newer shoots.  I'll leave tips and things that I've learned as we move through the years.  I'll also add the gear used as well as the software I edited everything with.  

With that said, take a look around, comment, share your thoughts and remember to Pin and Like away!

Best,

mcp