MASTER AWARD AT WPPI

We are back from an amazing trip to the annual WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photographers International trade show and competition in Las Vegas!

If you tuned into Neal's facebook in the past week, you noticed that we took home four print awards this year! Not only do they judge the image but the quality of print also plays into the judging process. (See video link below) - This is why we stress how important it is to order your prints from us. The prints & albums are the final product, not the digitals. We've seen it happen so many times where clients order prints from a 3rd party printer and they destroyed our beautiful images. If you have any questions and would like to see the prints that we offer please do not hesitate to ask!!

Also, Neal was also recognized as a "WPPI Master Photographer". This is a very hard honor to achieve. There are a small amount of Americans that hold that title! It is based on the prints that we submit for the WPPI Competition. We accrue points for photos that score high in the competition. I sat in on the judging this year and let me just say, the judges are tough! I couldn't believe how technical they were. I actually told Neal I wasn't returning after the lunch break because it was too stressful. (Watch this short video on youtube about the competition and how intense it is!)

Neal has been working on this goal for quite some time. And within 4 years, he accomplished that goal. It may seem like a long time, but it's not. Some may acheive the status within 5-8 years or possibly a lifetime for others. This is one thing that photographers can't copy or fake, this status must be earned through years of hard work, consistency, skill, originality and dedication!

I am so very proud of my husband. He always strives to be the best he can be. But just when I think he's reached his limit, he comes up with another crazy idea. He is always trying to create something magical for our clients. He taught me everything he knows about photography. I would not be where I am today without him. He not only helped me, but he is always willing to teach others and educate them. 

Congratulations Neal on this amazing achievement!

-Danielle

Buffalo Wedding Photography: Neal Urban Studio

Wedding and Portrait Photographers International

LOVE TAKES FLIGHT!

So many people have asked if this image was fake and photoshopped. But to show everyone it really happened, we decided to show the sequence of events leading up to this amazing shot, taken be me (Danielle)!

This was an awesome engagement shoot at the Akron Airport. The Groom to be used to be a commercial airline pilot, now he has a hangar there and inspects and fixes planes. The Bride to be also works there sometimes. So, what better place to do their engagement shoot, but at their Airport. This shoot ranged from a vintage car on the runway, fighter planes in the hangar, to glider planes flying over and behind the couple on the runway. At one point, there were even sky divers! Pretty cool!

These images were taken directly on the runway. We spoke with the pilot before take off and asked him to fly right over the couple and let out some smoke on the way up. Besides Neal and I, another one of our photographers, Shane was working with us. We needed all hands on deck for this engagement shoot. We all positoned ourselves in different spots. I decided to lay completely flat in the middle of the runway. Yes, I was the crazy one this time.

The couple was all for standing in the runway. We placed the couple where we needed them to be and prayed haha! As you can see, I started clicking away right from take-off. As the plane was getting closer, my whole body was shaking. I was terrified. A plane was going right over our heads! "Don't panic, just keep taking pictures." Before you know it, the plane was well past us. None of us got up off the runway. We all looked at our cameras while still on the ground. Once I began to look, I knew I got "the shot." I yelled over to Neal, "I got it!" At first he didn't look up from his camera. So I walked over and shoved my camera right at his face and said, "Neal, I got it. I got the whole plane!" He put his camera down and said, "Wow, you sure did!" His eyes didn't move from the camera screen.

We went over to the couple so excited and told them it was going to be amazing! The Bride to be was still shaking as well. She was pretty scared too having a plane go over them. From begining to end, this engagement shoot turned out absolutely amazing. The couple loved the images so much, they sent out 6 different "Save the Date" cards because they couldn't choose just a few pictures. We can't wait until the wedding!

I won my first award with this image at this year's WPPI - Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Competition in at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Photographers from all over the world come to this event to compete. This was the first image I have ever submitted. It was actually questioned as well if it was fake or not. We had to supply the sequence of shots to the judges to prove it was real. If we didn't then it would have been disqualified. It was so exciting walking through the winners gallery and see my photo hang with an award on it. Neal took home two other awards as well. Three more awards for Neal Urban Studio!

-Danielle

Buffalo Engagement Photography by Neal Urban Studio