CRUISIN' TO COZUMEL Mexico!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!  We hope you are out enjoying the weather and a yummy margarita!! Sorry there aren't any margaritas in this image, but it was taken on a post bridal shoot to Cozumel, Mexico! Close enough!

This shot was done for a photo shoot we did on a Carnival Cruise! What an amazing adventure. It was a post bridal shoot with a wonderful couple. The Bride packed up her wedding dress in a suitcase and we were on our way! 

This was done around sunset one of the nights on the ship. Since it was on a cruise ship, we didn't really have hair and make-up on board, so it was compliments of me! I must say, I didn't do too bad of a job! But I won't quit my day job. Of course it was windy, so hair didn't last too long. But we all know how much Neal loves to work with wind and long veils, so it didn't matter.

We wanted the signature Carnival Cruise smokestack for the shot. Because it was a bit windy, there really wasn't anyone else up there, so we had free range. All we needed was for the Bride to strut her stuff and interact with her veil. She was so much fun. She had such a wonderful personality that we really didn't need to direct much.

We used as much available light as we could, but the sun was sinking fast. We did need to add in some artificial light on her face to brighten it up a bit. But all in all, Neal captured an amazing image! One of our favorites from the trip!

-Danielle

Destination Mexico Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Cruise line - Carnival

Destination - Cozumel, Mexico

The MOMENTS BEFORE...

Taking us back to Miromar Lakes in Florida for today’s image. We photographed this wedding two years ago at Miromar Lakes Golf and Beach Club. 

For most weddings, if Neal and I are working together, I stay with the Bride right before the ceremony, while Neal is up front with the Groom. I love this time with the Bride, her Bridesmaids, her Father, or whomever is walking her down the aisle. There is always laughing, crying, and nervous jitters behind the scenes. If the Bride is super nervous, I try to throw out some jokes to help calm her down. I can’t say they are good, but it seems to do the job!

This shot was taken on my walk over to the ceremony with the Bride and her father. There were no nerves from this Bride. She and her father were cracking jokes and laughing the whole time. I couldn’t help but laugh too. It made for great photos.

We were standing in main entrance to the Club waiting for the wedding planner to ok us to continue walking over. The sun was starting to set and I was in luck that it was happening right behind them. The light was coming right through the top of the doors creating a beautiful glow around them. I always do simple basic portraits right before the Bride walks down the aisle. With this lighting and cool looking doors, I knew I could do something really beautiful. I asked the Bride and her father to have a final moment between each other before “Go time!” They were already standing where I needed them, so they didn’t really need to do much.

My favorite part of this image is the Bride is still laughing at something her father said to her. It was great they were still having a conversation and being themselves. This is surely a moment they will always remember!

 -Danielle

Desination Fort Myers, FL Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Ceremony, Photo Session & Reception - Miromar Lakes

Destination Wedding Planner - Jet Set Wed

We hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather. Finally! Today's image was taken from an engagement shoot on Center Street in Lewiston.

Neal and I love shooting in this little village. There are so many cute shops, restaurants, and store fronts. For this shoot, the Village of Lewiston was very special to the couple. This is where they got engaged. So what better place to take engagement photos! We were taken on the journey of how the Groom got up the nerve to ask his Bride to marry him. It was so nice to park the cars and walk around and take pictures of all their favorite spots. We didn't really go in with a plan, but let the events unfold as we went along. As the couple was telling us how the proposal happened, it almost felt like it was going to happen again!

We stopped at so many different places along Center Street and came upon an old antique store front. The landscaping in front with the large stone wall and little stairway was perfect. We had the couple take a seat and just start talking to eachother. We wanted them to feel like we weren't around (easier said than done)! But they did a great job.

There weren't many people around either, so the couple didn't have a crowd watching or making them nervous. We didn't really direct them either. Neal was in the middle of the road waiting for the perfect moment. I was watching for traffic, so Neal didn't get hit by a car. Then the couple went in for a gentle kiss. That was it!

The rest of the shoot was just as beautiful. We captured so many wonderful moments between this couple. We can't wait for their wedding this year!

-Danielle

Neal Urban Studio 

MARCUS!! The Chinese Shar- Pei puppy!

If you follow us on facebook then you'll recognize this cute snuggly face. Are you tired of Marcus the pup yet? I hope not because I sure am not. We felt it only appropriate to end off the week with one last image. 

I mean, look at that face. So smooshy, you can't help but love this little guy. Neal and I saw Marcus, the Chinese Shar- Pei,  on Facebook and knew right away we needed to take photos of him. We contacted the owners and told them we would love to take photos of Marcus. They loved our ideas, so we scheduled them in! We also had Leah, (one of our photographers, who was introduced to you not long ago) assist on the shoot. She is such a dog lover as well! We even told her to bring her husband along for the fun and to get attention of Marcus in case Leah was on lighting detail.  When Marcus came through Neal Urban Studio doors, we were instantly in love! I pretty much smothered him. A quick hello to the parents (owners) and then back to the dog haha. We were expecting the typical puppy play. Running around and biting at things. But not from Marcus. He was so cool and calm. Awesome! It was time to get to work because we knew we had a model on our hands.

A bunch of toys and treats came out! Sometimes there is a bit of bribing to get a dog where you need him to stay. There were a lot of squeaky toys in action from Leah, her hubby, and myself. We got him up on the furniture and Neal started clicking away.

Most of you have seen the other pictures of him on Facebook this week. If not, you are missing out. We did a family portrait and then solos with mom and dad. Then of course Marcus on his own. So, today he is taking the spotlight all by himself. We had a vintage style theme for our ideas, so we kept that going for a lot of the images. What better than a pink velvet looking hassock with wallpaper in the backgroud. Now, the trick was to keep Marcus on it. Lots of treats! He listened so good too! His owners told him to stay and he pretty much did. All Marcus needed to do was sit there and look cute. No matter which way he turned, he was adorable. Every shot was a keeper. We didn't want the photo shoot to end. But Marcus was starting to get tuckered out. We said our goodbyes. About 10 minutes later, we got a message saying Marcus was completely passed out and snoring. It was a big day for him!

We hope that you all enjoyed our little series of Marcus and his family! We hope he brought smiles to your faces like he did to ours! 

-Danielle

Neal Urban Studio

CIRCLE OF LIFE

Take a look. What do you see? If you can find it, you will know why this image has this title.

This wedding took place at Asbury Hall, or Babeville in Buffalo. This venue has an awesome balcony that almost goes around the entire perimeter of the hall. It is an added bonus for photography! The Bride and Groom were very family oriented and wanted a group photo of all the guests. This is usually a tough request, especially when there are over a 100 guests. Most of the time, we need to find a higher vantage point to get everyone in the photo. Good thing for the balcony!

The only request we asked the Bride and Groom was to have the DJ make an announcement for all the guests to make their way to the center of the dance floor and we would do the rest. Neal was on the balcony directing and I was at eye level doing the same. Once everyone was in place, Neal snapped off about 50 shots. Have to be safe when there are that many people. There are bound to be eyes closed or people not looking at the camera. But at least a handful should be perfect. 

So have you found it yet? Do you feel like you are playing “Where’s Waldo”? This group of people had a great time in this shot. Even the family holding the baby up over the group. It looks like the scene from “The Lion King”, where Simba is born and introduced as the next king when he is older. We did not notice the baby until going through the shots after the wedding. Well done by the parents of the baby, making this a group portrait with a twist!

-Danielle

Buffalo Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Cermony location & Photo Session - Delaware Park

Buffalo Wedding Reception - Asbury Hall

Buffalo DJ - Premier Sound

Buffalo Videography - Candlelight Productions

THE GROOM AND HIS BRIDESMAIDS!

I promised I wouldn't leave out the Groom! Here he is with the Bridemaids at Buffalo Central Terminal in Buffalo. 

I know I mentioned yesterday that the Groomsmen were funny. Well this Groom was even funnier! He had the best expressions and one liners. There were a few times when Neal and I were laughing so hard, the cameras were shaking. Great time!

As you can see, we stayed in the same area of the Terminal for this image as well. The lighting was just amazing at this time. The Groom wanted it simple with the Bridesmaids around him. They just kept inching in closer to him. The ladies love to be sassy with giant smiles. We asked them to do just that. As their personalities started coming out, the Groom gave us the same smiles that the girls were giving. What a priceless smile! He even tilted his head like most ladies do when they are in a picture. His Bride said, it was so him!

The Bride and Groom had so much energy. They were a wonderful couple and had a great wedding party! The fun expressions continued later in the night on the dance floor and during their end of the night shoot!

-Danielle

Buffalo Wedding Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Ceremony location - Holy Family Roman Catholic Church

Photo Session -  Buffalo Central Terminal

Buffalo Wedding Reception - Brierwood Country Club

Buffalo Wedding Band - Joy Ryde

THE BRIDE AND HER GROOMSMEN!

Besides having photos done with her Bridesmaids, the Bride needs her spotlight with the Groomsmen!

These are always fun images. The guys always want to do something super crazy. But of course in the end, the Bride gets the final say! This wedding party chose to have their pictures done at The Buffalo Central Terminal in Buffalo. It is an awesome place. However, due to renovations they stopped allowing weddings for a while. We lucked out, and got in right before that happened. Close call and hoping to get back in there soon! 

The Groomsmen in this party were a blast. They kept everyone laughing the entire day. For this image, we wanted to keep the guys feeling manly with the poses, shooting at a low angle and use of shadows, but keep a bright feel for the Bride with the backlight. We had the men stand as though they were FBI agents guarding the Bride. We had them try to be serious at first, but too many jokes were being said that nobody could keep a straight face. It actually worked out nicely.

Even though the Groomsmen were smiling, they still kept their stern, manly stances. It balanced greatly with the beautiful smile of the Bride as well. The scaffolding on all the windows created a cool background for the men. Another reason was to take advantage of the light coming in behind them to help soften up the image just a bit.

Doing different combinations with the wedding party is always fun if time permitting. They all let loose and act silly. The Bride and Groom love and appreciate the variety. I know what you are thinking right now.. Where is the Groom with the Bridesmaids? Check in tomorrow to see him shine with the ladies in the Terminal!

-Danielle

Buffalo Wedding Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Ceremony location - Holy Family Roman Catholic Church

Photo Session -  Buffalo Central Terminal

Buffalo Wedding Reception - Brierwood Country Club

Buffalo Wedding Band - Joy Ryde

THE END OF THE NIGHT

Happy Monday! Let's start the week off with this beautiful image taken at Park Country Club in Williamsville.

If you have never been to Park Country Club, take a drive down Sheridan Drive in Williamsville, NY. It looks like a castle. A beautiful venue for a wedding. We got wonderful images the entire day for this wedding. We knew we needed to continue for the end of the night photos. Neal stepped away from the reception to take a quick look of where to go. This door is to the side of the main entrance. There were no guests around that area, so it would be perfect for the Bride and Groom to catch a breather from the party.

The door was outlined with windows and the lights from the chandelier inside were lighting up the doorway. That took care of backighting for us! The outside light put a nice glow on their bodies. So, we only needed a tiny bit of fill light on their faces. Neal started off shooting directly at them in front of the plants, but felt the image needed a little more color contrast to it. He decided to move behind the plants and get some of them in the foreground. It worked out great with the little touch of green and almost helped to frame them in the doorway.

The Bride had a very elegant wedding, so we wanted to keep that feel in the image. We decided a simple and romantic pose would do the trick! We had the Bride and Groom look at each other at first. It looked good, but something felt missing. A few easy adjustments to the pose, and wallah! The portrait was complete and fit with the Bride and Groom's style of the wedding. It was a great way to end the night!

-Danielle

Buffalo Wedding Photography by Neal Urban Studio

Ceremony - St. Peter's of Lewiston, NY

Photo Session - Private Residence & Park Country Club

Buffalo Wedding Reception - Park Country Club

Buffalo Wedding Videography - Brandon Peszko

Buffalo DJ - Toy Bros

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!

They say that as you grow older, you will be able count your true friends on one hand. But the bond you share with your siblings, will be there forever. It sure seems that way for these little ones!

Family portrait time! These little ones are both under the age of five, with the boy being the older of the two. This shoot took place at a private residence in the Lewiston area. There is vineyard and cornfields on the property, as well as a large pond. The owners are nice enough to let locals occasionally fish at the pond. This little guy loves to fish with daddy and throw rocks into the water, while his sister is a little diva like her mom.

The shoot started out with some running around and playing in the vineyard. I mean, that seems pretty fun to me! (quite tiring as well)! We got some great family portraits and the kids were having a fun time playing in the flowers. But now it was time to get a little more artistic. The boy wanted to go down by the pond to throw rocks and watch some people fish. We figured, let's go and see what happens. He sat down, while we all gathered rocks for him to throw. His sister saw he was having a blast and wanted to join in. She had a seat right next to him.

Before you know it, the sun was setting over the pond. This was the perfect time to get creative. All we needed was for the little boy to put his arm around his sister. Easy right? Wrong! She kept pushing him away. Normal brother/sister fun. After a few minutes she finally gave in and let him put his arm around her for about 5 seconds. That was enough for Neal to get the shot. The great part about it, was the little guy threw a rock in the water right as he rested his arm on his sister. A perfect ripple in the water! 

They may not realize it yet, but they will learn to always be there for each other. As they grow, they will fight with each other, make new friends, and possibly go off to college in different places. But, they will always remain brother and sister and remember they were friends first before anyone else came along! Neal and I were so happy to capture this photo for them to remember.

LOVE ON LAKE ONTARIO!

Neal and I love engagement shoots. It is a great way to build a relationship with the couple. It gives them a taste of how we work. It also helps to build confidence in front of the camera, so the Bride and Groom are not as nervous to have their picture taken.

This engagement shoot was done at Fort Niagara State Park in Youngstown, NY. There is beautiful foliage plus a small beach right on Lake Ontario. Sometimes, you can see the highrise buildings in Toronto, Canada across the Lake. Neal loves shooting in tall grass. To the normal eye, you wouldn't think much of the tall grass. But, to Neal, it can make for a beautiful image. We placed the couple right in the heart of the tall grass, slightly off center.

We used as much natural light as possible, but it was a bit too dark on their faces. We added some artificial light to help brighten them up. The clouds were starting to roll in as well! They were big and puffy with a hint of gray to them. Neal was in heaven! We had the couple do a few different poses. Then we asked them to slowly go in for a kiss.

Sometimes the image right before the lips touch, is the more intimate shot. In this instance, it had a very dramatic feel to it. The couple is so in love and you can feel it through the image. The final product...Amazing!

-Danielle

Neal Urban Studio