Vanessa Joy Photography - Award-Winning Wedding Photographer

New Blog

2011-01-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well ladies and gentlemen...I think it's about time that I moved on to bigger and better things. Not that my time with blogspot wasn't fabulous, it was! But along with redoing my WEBSITE I thought I should spruce up the blog as well. So, my blog as moved to www.vanessajoyphotographyblog.com (and soon to make things easier by having www.vanessajoyblog.com forward to the new address as well). It's a sad moment as I've really gotten used to some of blogger's amazing features which I have on my sidebar there, and it's going to be a learning curve moving on to a non-sidebar blog, but, I think there are good things in store.

I have 53 subscribers to this blog and have had over 58,000 hits, and I hope all of you and more will come join me at my new one!

See you there!!!

www.vanessajoyphotographyblog.com

WEDDING Sites and Services Magazine {Published}

2011-01-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to share that my work has been published in January 2011's issue of WEDDING Sites and Services Magazine!! Diane and Steve's wedding from April 2010 is being featured and I couldn't be more ecstatic! I captured one of my favorites photos of the year at their wedding, and ironically the magazine didn't choose that one! Oh well. I'm going to post it here anyway cuz I just like it so much!!

Be sure to pick up a copy!

Joanna and Michael {Album}!!

2011-01-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

You may remember Joanna and Michael from their gorgeous beach wedding at McLoone's Pier House in Long Branch. Well just a few short months later, their album is ready!

I love this one. It's a beautiful metal cover that has their picture printed right on it, and the design my Dani is just impeccable! It's so much fun to see the final product!! Ok, ok, you can see it too!

An Interview With Animoto

2011-01-06T08:13:00.001-08:00

For the past year Rob and I have been speaking at various conventions teaching other photographers how to shoot, edit and incorporate photo/video fusion into their workflow. We've been fortunate enough to speak with some of the best photographers around like Doug Gordon, Clay Blackmore and Robert Isaacson and we have upcoming workshops in February and April for Maryland's PPA State Convention and NJPPA's Mini workshops.

We've also been working with Animoto over the past year writing blog articles for them explaining some of the fusion elements of equipment, shooting and editing, and this past month we were delighted to be interviewed by them for their first ever video blog post! Check it out below!

Rob Adams and Vanessa Joy - ANIMOTO EXCLUSIVE - WORKING WITH DSLR VIDEO from Rob Adams Films on Vimeo.

2010 {A Year in Review}

2010-12-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

2010 was a very defining year for me as a photographer. My business and I grew exponentially and for that I am so grateful. I was able to work with a tremendous group of photographers both as a second shooter and having them shoot for me. I celebrated my one year anniversary with my hubby. My 40 brides and grooms for this year were nothing short of a joy to work with and really made this year as wonderful as it was. And the shoes...oh my goodness what fun I've had with shoes this year!

Well, just for fun I made two collages of this year. I had do do a second one to just highlight the details, because I've had such amazing details this year!

Thanks so all of you who have made 2010 an incredible year. Here's to 2011!!!

Update 12/31/2010: I would be remiss if I didn't post the engagement sessions of this year too!

Lindsay and Scott {Engaged} / Central Park and Meat Packing District New York City Wedding Photographer

2010-12-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to be able to photograph Lindsay and Scott's engagement session despite not being able to photograph their wedding. We had a great time starting off in Central Park and ending up in the Meat Packing District in NYC. We even saw Big Bird resting on the bench and I just couldn't resist getting him passed out in the background of one picture. :-)

I think the highlight of the session was when we saw a bunch of pigeons that were gathered around bird seed that a woman was throwing out. What luck! We were all set for Lindsay and Scott to run through them creating an epic picture, and then the woman with the bird seed FREAKED OUT and said "Don't do it! You'll scare them! They won't come back! Don't look at me like I'm crazy!!" Haha, which at that point I really tried not to look at her like she was nuts! Lord knows where there is food, the pigeons will have no problem returning to that spot. :-)

Thanks so much for letting me photograph you guys! I hope to do it again, perhaps a day-after/trash the dress session after you're husband and wife!

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14912469_YG5UH#1113246247_R6yXL

Stephanie and Eric {Married} / The State Room Long Beach Island New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

Rob and I first met Stephanie almost two years ago and since then we've had a great time getting know them. We had an amazing time touring around Boston for their engagement session and Stephanie even let me take her travel mug favor idea for my own wedding. :-)

Their wedding was the last of my wedding season and it was an amazing one to end on. How much more could I ask of my last bride and groom than them braving the 44 degree weather at a beach location in LBI for almost an hour to give me their total trust in their wedding photographs?

Thanks so much guys for being an amazing couple and letting Rob and I join you on your wedding day!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14876745_NQsCL#1110206899_3nowy

Jacqueline and Rapheal {Married} / Waterview Pavillion Belmar New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

I first met Jackie when she expressed interest in wedding photographer and she assisted me on Marissa and Scott's Wedding back in June. With her love for photography, and of course for her future husband, I knew she'd make an amazing bride, and she sure did!

The wedding was a gorgeous fall wedding complete with some of the best fall weather we've had all season. My favorite part of the day was during the ceremony, at the end as Jackie and Rapheal were walking out, down the aisle. The officiant stopped them and told them that those were the first steps that they took as man and wife and that the rest of the steps that they take as man and wife should be the same, smiling and holding hands. It really was a profound and beautiful moment!!

Thanks so much for letting me be a huge part of your wedding day!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Jacqueline-and-Raphael

Shannon and David {Engaged} / Allaire State Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-20T13:06:00.001-08:00

Shannon and David were high school sweethearts! I love hearing stories like theirs, it's inspiring and semi-intimidating knowing that though I'm married, they've been together longer than Rob and I! It's interesting how much I learn from my couples. :-)

So in addition to Allaire State Park (which I have photographed in many time, and yet still seem to find new places to shoot every time I go there), Shannon and David braved the Freehold Township School Board and got permission to take some pictures in their old stomping grounds! We had a great time and I'm sure they did since PDA in school was allowed this time around!

Shannon and David, you guys are such a great couple, Rob and I can't wait for your wedding!!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14735505_2PWpQ#1098048569_dfjP6

Jennifer {Trash the Dress} / Allaire State Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-16T16:23:00.001-08:00

Jennifer and Matthew have been such a fun and amazing couple to work with. From their engagement session (and party!) to their wedding, they have been a joy to work with. So when Jennifer said that she wanted to do a trash the dress session, I nearly jumped for joy! Jennifer let Rob and I totally trash her Vera Wang dress by rolling her around on the ground, stomping in mud puddles, pouring dirt all over it and even going in a lake!

Rob came along as well and did an incredible PhVusion piece for her, really catching all of the action! Take a look at that at the bottom of the post!

EnJoy!!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14688205_Rptpe#1093838495_HqWGs

PhVusion!!!!

Kirsten and Rob {Engagement Party} / Macaluso's New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

Kirsten and Rob had one of the best engagement parties at Macaluso's that I have ever seen! Between the food, people, dancing and, of course, the details including a cake from The Cake Boss himself, everything was simply perfect! Thanks so much for having me at this very special event at the start of your lives together!!

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14424164_cxZf7#1069725371_Y3wsP

April and Beau {Engaged} / Asbury Park and Long Branch New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

When April said that she wanted to have an edgy engagement session, I couldn't have been more thrilled! Not that I don't love taking warm, sweet, and pretty pictures, but April and Beau could be on a Guess billboard so needless to say edgy worked with them.

EnJOY!!!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14686717_YnkYe#1093626471_DreE8

Veronica and Brian {Married} / The Hilton New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-11-13T08:57:00.001-08:00

It's always an honor when a fellow wedding industry friend asks you for your services, and in this case it was a double honor! Mike from Creative Video Editing, long time friend now, asked Rob and I to film and photograph his brother-in-law's wedding. We were so honored to be held in such high esteem by Mike and were thrilled to be a part of Veronica and Brian's wedding day!

The day, of course, was so much fun with Mike and his wife Michelle being in the bridal party. When we got to the hotel room that morning, Veronica's dress was already hung in the best place for light and the shoes, rings and details all laid out for us to photograph. It was like having another assistant the day of!

Thanks so much for allowing us to share this day with you guys!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Veronica-and-Brian-November-6

Climbing a Tree

2010-11-05T06:31:00.001-07:00

So, truth be told, I like to climb things. I'll pretty much go anywhere to get the better light or angle. So on Mike and Melissa's wedding this past weekend, I climbed a tree! And thanks to Mike from Creative Video Editing, it was completely documented. :-)

I hope you enJOY this as much as I did!!!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1694002112355#!/video/video.php?v=1694002112355

And here's Mike's trailer of the wedding day!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Westfield-NJ/Creative-Video-Editing-Films/184402130850#!/video/video.php?v=1693794987177

Melissa and Mike {Married} / The Imperia New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

Mike and Melissa were one of my first client bookings that came from Mike from Creative Video Editing when I first opened my company (over two years ago now!!). I can remember meeting them in a Panera Bread and knowing that I was going to love shooting their wedding. From their engagement session to the wedding, Mike and Melissa were a joy to be around and as light-hearted and fun as they come.

It was a Jewish and Christian ceremony at the GORGEOUS Voorhees Chapel on the Douglas Campus in Rutgers University. Such a gorgeously lit church, I couldn't help but to take a few fun shots in there after the ceremony! Not only was it beautiful inside, but directly outside there were a ton of photo-worthy spots so no other traveling was needed. Lastly, we ended at the Imperia in Somerset for a great party.

I think I may have relived a little bit of my childhood today too as to find the good light for a picture of the invitation, I actually climbed a tree...and not an easy one either, one where the lowest branch was a good foot over my head. But I felt pretty good about doing it! Mike took some video and Kyleigh took a picture which I'm sure will both be popping up on facebook soon!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/gallery/14435488_4CFQv

Lauren and Andrew {Married} / The Desmond Hotel Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

2010-10-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

I met Lauren and Andrew while they were in the bridal party of Danielle and Nathan in April of 2009. I haven't seen any of them since then so it was a real treat seeing everyone at one time on Lauren and Andrew's wedding day.

The day couldn't have been more beautiful, with temperatures so warm I actually starting sweating! I know, gross, but I'm just trying to illustrate the beauty of the day (however unsuccessful that may have been looking back on it). But it was a gorgeous day in Malvern, PA with beautiful fall colors and a very cool park (Valley Creek Park) to take pictures in. Kyleigh and Nino were the crew on that day. One of my favorite parts of the day was learning that Lauren decided to alter and wear her mother's wedding dress! It was the perfect, vintage dress that had just the right color and detail. Thanks Lauren and Andrew for making me a part of your day!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Lauren-and-Andrew-Oct-24-2010

Amy and Dan {Married} / Oyster Point Hotel, Red Bank, New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-24T05:48:00.000-07:00

Amy and Dan had a beautiful October wedding complete with gorgeous weather too! Amy had a Priscilla of Boston dress (YES!!!) and blue Kate Spade shoes as her something blue! A really unique accent for her something old, was her grandmother's earrings that she had put on the stems of her flowers. Such a sweet touch!

They were married at Holy Cross in Rumson (a GORGEOUS little church in one of the most beautiful towns in NJ) and had their fun reception at Oyster Point. You couldn't MAKE people get off the dance floor!!

EnJOY!!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Amy-and-Daniel-Oct-23-2010

Catrina and Danny {Married} / Eagle Ridge Golf Club New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Catrina and Danny were one of the first couples that I photographed who integrated their adorable dog into their engagement session. It was no surprise that when I walked into her parents' house yesterday afternoon that I was greeted by three cute little doggies!

Catrina and Danny's wedding was a walk down memory lane for me as their locations pretty much encompassed my relationship with Rob from start to finish. Their church was St. Clements and the reception hall in the back was where Rob and I ended up on the first wedding we worked together and had our first dinner together (not a date, just dinner because we eat dinner when we work, but I think it's a monumental dinner anyway since I remember how jealous I was when he mentioned that he had a girlfriend!). Their wedding ended at Eagle Ridge where Rob and I had our own wedding!

It was a great day getting to work with my crew of Nino and Kyleigh, and of course seeing Jason Jani from Sound Connection and his crew at the reception. They had their photobooth up and even let us use it to print off the prints for a mini-album that I made of the day for Catrina and Danny!!

EnJOY!!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Catrina-and-Danny-Oct-22-2010

Lindsey and Joe {Engaged} / Allaire State Park, New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-21T12:20:00.001-07:00

Lindsey and Joe such a sweet couple. The two of them just love life, live it to the fullest and are a ton of fun to be around. Their engagement session was at Allaire State Park where Rob and I both got to film and photograph them in the most amazing golden light (which, I'm starting to realize I just drool over every single time). I can't wait to see the video that Rob comes up with, but until then, here are some of my favs!!

EnJOY!!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/gallery/14297943_MMaS2

The Doughboy {LIVE Concert Filming} / Arlene's Grocery, New York City Photographer

2010-10-20T14:53:00.001-07:00

Some of you may know my dad, Myke Scavone, former lead singer of Ram Jam with the hit Black Betty back in the day (which was a Wednesday in case you were wondering). :-)

But who he's rockin' with now is his old high school band, The Doughboys. These guys KICK BUTT on stage and are one of the best live performances ANYONE has ever seen. If you don't want to take it from me, then take it from Little Steven (Stevie Van Zant, Bruce Springsteen's guitar player) who's named numerous songs of their the award "Coolest Song in the World" on his SM Radio station. And if you don't believe him, then get your butt to a show!

So why the blog post? Well this past Sunday, Rob and his team (Danny, Nino and Leah) along with myself and mine (aka mom, who is a photographer as well), got the opportunity to film a live concert for inclusion in their upcoming documentary/Live concert DVD which is planning to be released early next year. I was thrilled to get some killer shots of the guys in action as well as some fun details (you know me).

Check out the whole gallery of my favs here (including some behind the scenes with the crew): http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14285592_dXBCS#1056685113_gupYD, my ultimate favs below, and most importantly, check out www.thedoughboysnj.com. I can guarantee you'll find something new to go speeding down the highway to.

Amanda James and Chris {Married} / Basking Ridge Country Club, New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

Amanda James and Chris are one of the most fun-loving couples that I know. From their engagement session in Hoboken and New York City in Times Square to meeting them for tapas and drinks in Hoboken one night, I knew their wedding would be a blast!

Rob was there shooting the last bit of my promo before the interview portion (yikes! I don't do well on the other side of the camera!), Nino was second shooting and grandioso as always, and Kyleigh was the best assistant as she even helped detach my favorite black jacket from a thorny bush!

James mentioned that she always loved the thought of having a farm wedding, sort of rustic like, maybe even in a barn or farmhouse. The Basking Ridge Country Club is not quite that style (although beautiful of course), however, we did manage to give her pictures with that rustic type of flair thanks to a location suggestion by one of the waitresses and the God-given gorgeous lighting!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Amanda-James-and-Chris-October

Diana and Patrick {Engaged} / Yankee Stadium, New York City Wedding Photographer

2010-10-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Diana and Patrick, as you may have guessed, at die-hard Yankee fans, so when it came time for Pat to pop the question, what better place to do so than at the new Yankee Stadium?! For their engagement session, they went all out and decided to go back to where it happened and bring me along! Although, truth be told, I am a Met fan (sad, and eternally disappointed of course), I couldn't be more thrilled to photograph Diana and Patrick all throughout Yankee Stadium.

Escorted by Troy (security guard turned human light stand by the end of the session) we were able to go into the Delta Sky Box, on top of and in the Yankee Dugout, on the warning track and in Monument Park. We had a blast!

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14252726_zPsxf#1053549802_4SvVZ

Jessica and Jason {Engaged} / New York City Wedding Photographer

2010-10-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

I think I fell in love with Jessica the moment that she told me that she loves my pictures of plates. Ever since then whenever I'm at a reception taking pictures of plates and thinking no one is going to like this picture except me, I remember, yes, Jessica will like it!

We had a great NYC day in Little Italy and the Lower East Side for an engagement session, and even Rob (who is also filming their wedding) came along for some fun promo stuff (oh yea, and to hold my light for a few). :-)

There are no plate pictures in here, but I think those black stiletto detail pictures make up for it!

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/14205521_QJf8F#1049198529_AiPHh

Alanna and James {Engaged} / Washington DC Wedding Photographer

2010-10-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

When Alanna and James told me that they wanted to go to Washington DC for their engagement pictures, I was thrilled! I so love traveling and being able to photograph in different locations. So we set a date and time and had an amazing day! Rob was even along for the ride as before the E-Session we took a two night trip to Colonial Williamsburg VA (also a very picturesque locale), so Alanna and James agreed to let him do some promo filming for me as well! Great day all around.

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/gallery/14205019_g5tAg

Nicole and Michael {Married} / Mayfair Farms New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Rob and I were lucky to have Nicole and Michael for our 10-10-10 couple, and they had a beautiful wedding at Mayfair Farms and Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church (um, WOW, that's an incredible church). You may remember Nicole and Mike from their Holmdel Park Engagement Session in May (which made a killer signing book for the wedding since Nicole picked out her own, fall-themed fabric to wrap around the cover).

I am particularly proud of the Dove release picture, although chance has more to do with it than talent, but I'm still proud of the full wing spanned Dove in the foreground of the picture none-the-less! AND, the official mascot from the NJ Devils made an appearance at the reception!! It was quite a party, but nothing was sweeter than the end when Nicole asked for a group hug from the joint Photo/Film crew!! :-) Thanks for being such a great bride Nicole!!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/nicoleandmichaeloct102010

Above by Craig Pittelli

Above by Craig Pittelli

Above left by Craig Pittelli

Above left is one of my FAVORITE bride pictures I've ever taken. It was while she was running back to the bridal party from the reception hall...just a quick moment in the day that made a masterpiece in my eyes.

Dress : Maggie Sottero
Church: Saint Henry's Roman Catholic Church, Bayonne, New Jersey
Reception and Photo Session: Mayfair Farms, West Orange, New Jersey

Danielle and Daniel {Married} / Stone Harbor New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

I met Danielle and Daniel on TJ and Lisa's Destination Wedding in St. Lucia and I distinctly remember taking their picture for the first time as they sat next to me at our reception table. Little did I know that I'd have the privilege of photographing their wedding in just over a year later at the Yacht Club in Stone Harbor, NJ. I had Craig PIttelli 2nd shooting for me, and as always we had a great time!!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Danielle-and-Daniel-October-2

Jennifer and Michael {Married} / Governor Morris New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and Michael are from Arizona and chose to have their destination wedding here in New Jersey at the Governor Morris Hotel in north Jersey (and a beautiful hotel it is!). They had the perfect weather day that started off as rain but when we were ready to go outside, let up and left a saturated ground with beautiful soft light peaking through the clouds.

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Jennifer-and-Michael-October-1

Above by Matthew Cheung

Joe and Christina {One Year Anniversary} / Holmdel Park, New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

I always say that I love photographing people that I know, and I've known Joe since about birth. So when they came to ask me to shoot their One Year Anniversary session, I was more than thrilled to do so. We went to Holmdel Park at the perfect time of day and found some of the most amazing light that I've seen in a while! We were even lucky enough to sneak our way into the fenced off corn stalks and get some fun shots there as well. Thanks guys for being so adventurous with me!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13988644_fVxbf#1028651447_LC7hh

Kristin and J {Trash the Dress} / Meatpacking District, New York, NY Wedding Photographer

2010-10-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

This was such a treat for Rob and I to shoot Kristin and J's Trash the Dress Session. Not only are they a great couple (you may remember them from their wedding in May) but they also picked a great place to photograph in. We walked through the streets of the Meatpacking District in New York City and walked up to Highland Park for a few as well. There's a really great video Coming Soon on Rob's end, but for now here are some of their amazing images!!

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13988669_6j4dr#1028655975_TnuYU

Jamie and Kevin {Married} / Sea Oaks Country Club New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

You may remember Jamie and Kevin from their Central Park engagement session last year. They are a great couple all around and were definitely patient with me as I tried to get the epic shot of the year since there were INCREDIBLE clouds in the sky (no, those are not fake clouds)!!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/JamieandKevinsept2010

Above right image by Kay English

Meghan and Nick {Married} / Highlawn Pavilion New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-10-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

We had the whole team for the start of this weekend, Kaycee, Kyleigh, Leah, Rob and Nino. Meghan and Nick had a sunset wedding up at the Highlawn Pavilion under one of the most beautiful trellises I've ever seen!

The day started off with Meghan and I ALMOST having something in common with our wedding days as two of her bridesmaids were missing their bouquets (my flower girl didn't get hers until the reception). Luckily, they were found and the day went on from there without a hitch!

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Meghan-and-Nick-September-24

Above left image by Kay English

Above image by Kay English

Above image by Kay English
Above image by Kay English

Susan and Ray {Married} / McLoone's Pier House Long Branch New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-22T11:38:00.003-07:00

I have to say, I believe Susan wins the award this year for the most calm and collected bride on her wedding day. Not to say that I didn't have amazing brides so far this year and by far none who were "bridezillas" (have I mentioned that I HATE that word?), but between being an hour late leaving the salon, a bridesmaid forgetting her dress at her home an hour away and then the florist not delivering the boutonnieres on time so that a few of the groomsmen had to ride the limo back to the hotel to pick them up, Susan kept not only her cool, but her smile as well.

This beach wedding was beautiful and the ceremony was full of Filipino traditions including the veil and cord ceremonies.

EnJOY!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Susan-and-Ray-September-19

Nicole and John {Married} / The Breakers Spring Lake New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-22T11:38:00.001-07:00

Nicole and John had one of the most beautiful days for a beach wedding in Spring Lake. Not only were there beautiful clouds, which gave us AMAZING infrared pictures and beautifully soft light for their wedding, but it even drizzled for a couple of minutes during our photo session giving Nicole and John that kiss of good luck that every bride wishes for on their wedding day. Not to mention that Nicole was a trooper and we kept right on shooting in the light rain!

Nicole received not only flowers from her hubby-to-be the morning of her wedding, but also a pair of socks in case she got cold feet! It was one of the most ADORABLE wedding day presents I have ever seen. I think it was even cuter because Nicole did, literally, have cold feet that morning and wore the socks with little hearts on them while she was getting her hair and makeup done! See if you can spot them in the slideshow. :-)

EnJOY!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Nicole-and-John

Joanna and Mike {Married} / McLoone's Pier House Long Branch New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Joanna is probably one of the sweetest ladies that you could ever hope to meet and she was nothing short of just that on her wedding day. From the moment that we walked in to the room until the moment we left the reception, she had the biggest smile on her face the entire time. But what really got to me that day was Mike.

Mike is so in love with Joanna and it's written all over his face every time that he looks at her. But the best part of the day was when Joanna called to say that the flower girls didn't have their flowers. I know, sounds like a disaster (actually, this happened to me at my own wedding), but what came from it was a perfect display of true love. Mike and Joanna are both so easy going that they knew this setback wouldn't ruin their wedding day, and Mike said so to me after getting off the phone with Joanna, but what he said next was really the kicker. "I just want her to be happy. I don't want to hear her upset." Seems so simple but it really shows the selfless love and care that Mike has for Joanna.

That being said... enJOY the preview of their wedding day!!!

Gallery: http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Joanna-and-Mike-Septmber-17

Kate and Chris {Married} / Seasons New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

It is such a treat to photograph a bride who is in the wedding industry herself. Everything is just put together perfectly and you know you've really got something to look forward to when you get to the reception decor. Kate is the banquet manager at The Hamilton Park Hotel and we met by sharing a mutual bride and groom, Jaime and Bobby last June. Oh, and Kate had a Pronovias dress, so she stole my heart from the moment I walked in the door!

Rob and I both enjoyed being a part of her day and of course were thrilled to be working with our crew of Andres, JP, Nino and Leah. Good times as always!

EnJOY!

Preview Gallery (where proofs will be also in a couple of weeks): http://vanessajoy.smugmug.com/Weddings/Kate-and-Chris-September-10

Dress: Pronovias
Bride Prep PIctures: The Westin Hotel, Jersey City, NJ
Ceremony: Saints Peter and Paul, Hoboken, NJ
Photo Session: Pier A, Frank Sinatra Drive, Hoboken
Reception: The Seasons, Washingtown Twp, NJ

Jennifer and Matthew {Married} / Eagle Oaks New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

I LOVE it when reception halls have internet! Here's what's going on RIGHT NOW at the beautiful wedding of Jennifer and Matthew, who you may remember from there engagement session. :-)

EnJOY!!
Gallery at http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13632844_6HDup#994858778_6RyeT

PS - Rob's Killer Same Day Edit here:

Jennifer and Matthew - SAME DAY EDIT from Rob Adams Films on Vimeo.

Jessica and Rob {Engaged} / Point Pleasant New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-09-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

This was a very fun session. I knew it was going to be good when Rob came home the other day with silly string and party poppers, totally psyched to use them on Jessica and Rob's engagement session. They were, of course, totally into it and we had a blast walking up and down the boardwalk in Point Pleasant. I was even able to get on the swings ride for some fun pics without needing to puke my brains out from motion sickness afterwards!! :-)

EnJOY

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/13597714_RyV6q for the gallery!

Kim and Christian {Married} / The Venitian New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

This wedding had been anticipated by Rob and I for quite some time as we've been super-excited to photograph Kim, now Sales Manager at The Palace in Somerset, and her fiance Christian.

It was quite a day! We started out at Salon 527 in Old Bridge, headed over to Kim's mom's home (Roseann, who was simply a doll throughout this whole process helping Kim plan, the perfect MoB) which was decorated immaculately and had some of the best light ever, then off to Nutley to Grace Episcopal Church, then Main Street in Nutley for a few fun shots of our couple and ultimately to The Venetian in Garfield where the night ended with the BEST Viennese hour EVER.

It was great working with my hubby again (and we have two more consecutive wedding weekends together too) along with Kyleigh, Nino, Andres and Leah. And of course, Jeff from Sound Connection had the party up and going all night long!

EnJOY!!!

Animoto Newsletter Part 2!

2010-08-24T15:51:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! I'm happy to announce that Rob and I are featured in this months newsletter from Animoto. You can see it here: http://animoto.com/photography/guest/vanessa-joy/part2?utm_source=A4P&utm_campaign=a8efc55944-Photography_Newsletter_August&utm_medium=email

This time we've focused on discussing how to shoot video with a DSLR camera along with some fun stabilizer toys that us photographers are mostly new to. Hope you enjoy it!!

ALSO

Rob and I have OFFICIALLY RELEASED OUR NEW SOFTWARE - PhVusion Effects!! If you haven't heard about this yet, where've you been!? JK :-)

Rob and I have developed a sweet Adobe Photoshop script that allows you to edit video IN PHOTOSHOP!! That's right! You can import video clips from your DSLR, trim them, grab pictures from them, effect them (exposure control, glower, black and white, etc) and BATCH export them to 720 or 1080p! It helps you make you video clips look great next to your edited photos so that you can make slideshows (cough-using animoto-cough) like the one in the article above. :-)

To learn more about it (and hear my husband's super-sexy voice in a tutorial video) go to www.PhVusion.com.

Thanks guys!!!

Carolyn and Mark [Married} - Jumping Brook Country Club Neptune New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

This is Rob's and my third weekend in a row (and counting!) in which we're working together on wedding! We've been having such a great time lately implementing some new techniques, trying out new equipment and of course working with some of our favorite people (Nino and Erin joined us for this wedding). During our photo session in Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown, Carolyn and Mark were posing for us and we were just loving their energy and I guess you could tell how much fun we were all having due to it because Carolyn said "They have way too much fun doing this!". And it's true! We have such a great time. :-)

You may remember these guys from their super fun engagement session in Red Bank earlier this year!

Here's some of my personal favs from the day along with their slideshow!

EnJOY!

Used the bridesmaids' dresses as a background!

One of my favorite pictures of the year to date below!!

I definitely stole, ugh I mean, learned, this post from Ahmet. :-)

Ali and Manish {Married} / North Brunswick New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

This was such a special treat for me, both photographically and personally. Ever since I started being a wedding photographer I have always wanted to photograph an Indian ceremony. Not only did I get the opportunity to do that, alongside my hubby no less, but I was able to be a part of my friend Ali's wedding day as well. I've known Ali since high school and being honored to photograph her day was simply wonderful.

Ali was the queen of wedding planning since she not only had to orchestrate a wedding day, but a wedding day with two ceremonies, a Catholic/Christian ceremony at Rutger's Kirkpatrick Cathedral, but also an Indian Ceremony as well. She was full of time-lines and to-do lists so that every ran smoothly, but what made her great at being a bride, was that when everything ran a consistent 45 minutes late, she didn't sweat a moment of it, but knew to just enjoy her day and handle everything as it came to her.

We had almost the entire Team Awesome there with Rob, Danny, Nino and Leah, so it was a success all around (and not to mention enjoyable being able to partake in the Indian food that was served...yummm!!!). I hope you enJOY the favorites from the day!!

Morgan and Chris {Married} / The Berkeley Hotel Asbury Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-12T10:22:00.001-07:00

This was definitely one of the best weddings this year. We had the whole crew on the photo/cinematography team (Me, Rob, Danny, Nino, Kyleigh and Leah) and we had a blast! Morgan and Chris have been great to work with from the start and their engagement session and engagement video was so much fun to shoot in Long Beach Island.

The team was super-pumped this being the first wedding after our team workshop (video below by Nino - it's just too much fun not to embed in here!) and in addition to the picture, Rob's same-day-edit of the day is amazing as well!! We had a fun time walking down the Asbury Park Boardwalk and shooting by Convention Hall. We saw some pretty interesting characters along the way. Asbury Park has a way of promising these things. :-)

Rob Adams Birthday Workshop from Nino Gallego on Vimeo.

EnJOY!!!

Published in Engagement 101 Magazine!!

2010-08-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to announce that I've been published in the Fall 2010 issue of Engagement 101 Magazine! They chose eight brides to be in the "Real Wedding Style" section and FOUR of those brides where mine! Congrats to Megan and Rob, Viviane and Ty, Nancy and Eric and Sarah and Stephen all for being such beautiful and stylish couples to make it into a magazine!

Be sure to pick up a copy today, support them and enJOY!!

Jessica and Andy {Engaged} / Asbury Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Poor Jessica and Andy. We had to reschedule this engagement session twice because of thunderstorms. The last time we rescheduled it we both vowed that we would do it rain or shine and in the end have some fun shots with them dancing in the rain with or without an umbrella. :-)

Luckily it didn't rain and we were able to photograph on one of the most beautifully lit evenings that I've seen in Asbury Park. We even explored a little bit into this field that I found with a bunch of stumps, some colored, some with faces painted on them and some with piles of stones teetering creatively on top of them. Needless to say, this was a great shoot (not to mention I just love shooting brides with red hair)!

EnJOY!!

Jennifer and Ryan {Married} / Freehold and The Crystal Point in Point Pleasant New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and Ryan were such a fun couple. In the beginning of the day, I couldn't get Jenn to do a "serious" face, she just kept cracking up (which made for some excellent snapshots of course)! Later, when we were doing out photo session in Spring Lake Park, we did manage to get a few serious ones, but Ryan and Jenn were so very much alike that when together, neither of them could stop smiling at each other. Ahhh, love. :-) Their bridal party was just as fun. One of them even dubbed Kyleigh as their personal assistant, and somehow she managed to be his and mine at the same time!

Nino, my lighting specialist, didn't fail to help me product some KILLER images at sunset again. So in love with this one in particular!

EnJOY!!

Vanessa and Wayne {Married} / Eagle Ridge Golf Club New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-08-01T13:16:00.001-07:00

Wayne and Vanessa are one of the first couples I met with when I started my business, so it was so great finally getting to their wedding day after well over a year of planning. :) It was a great day all around starting at Soho Salon (I love photographing in salons) and ending up at Eagle Ridge (where Rob and I had our reception)!. :-)

The day started off with a bang...or more like a SMASH as Rob and I had to literally break into our house after locking ourselves out (yes, I did try all windows and even personally climbed on the roof to check the bedroom window). We did finally get in and get going (I don't like being late and never have been to a wedding), and then got a flat tire (slow leak so we quick fixed it and went on our way). So, there's not much to say about the breaking and entering part, so we took a video:

I think one of the most fun parts of the day was how many times that someone said "Vanessa" and both of us turned around to respond (although, I think I looked like the goof doing so because 95% of the time they were calling her and not me)! All-in-all the day was wonderful and I couldn't have been more thrilled to have Nino 2nd shooting with me (who I've now names my lighting specialist) and getting some KILLER stuff!

EnJOY!

Kim and Todd {Married} / New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-07-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun wedding being able to work with Erin second shooting for me, Kyleigh assisting, and Michael and Michelle doing video. We were able to withstand shooting in 100 degree weather for about an hour outside at the beautiful Mayo Park in Beachwood, but slurpies at 7-11 came quickly afterwards!

Kim and Todd were a great couple to work with and them and their bridal party didn't complain one bit about the heat. Instead, the bridal party took the initiative on their own while we were working with Kim and Todd alone, to pose themselves on a lifeguard stand (perfectly I might add) and wait for the bride and groom to come and join them. Who could ask for a better bridal party?!

EnJOY!!

Maria and Tom {Engaged} / Asbury Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-07-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Rob and I found ourselves back in Asbury Park for Maria and Tom's E-session, except this time we didn't have to do any breaking and entering to get to the super-sweet wall murals (I guess the construction has moved on a bit). Rob and I had a blast with these two and can't wait for their wedding next year!!

EnJOY!

Meaghan and Ben {Married} / Villanova University and The Knowlton Mansion Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

2010-07-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have been looking forward to this wedding for quite some time, especially since Meaghan and Ben took me on a tour of the Villanova University campus. But not as long as they've been looking forward to it! Would you believe they had to plan their wedding 19 months ahead of time just to book the church at it's first available date?! Believe it! Villanova's St. Thomas Catholic Church takes about 18 months on average to reserve, and for good reason! It and the surrounding grounds are incredible. This is, of course, including the tree who's leaves and branches fall all the way to the ground creating an inner sanctuary underneath the tree completely invisible to outsiders. It was like walking into Narnia!

This reception at The Knowlton Mansion was definitely a fun time and I was able to see some old faces including Carla and Doug Skinner who were just married last month. It was such a great day!! Thanks Meaghan and Ben for making me a part of it. :-)

EnJOY!!

This may just be my favorite ring shot I've ever taken!
Purple and green are so much fun together!

Love the parasols!!

The boys loved them too. :-)

The Narnia Tree

Emily and Joe {Married} / The Tides Estate New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-07-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

I remember the very first time that I met Emily. I liked her from that very moment. Maybe it was the way she was so laid back. Maybe it was because she was ok with my car trouble, losing her phone number and being an hour late for our first meeting. Or maybe it was because she still liked me after that (and hired me)! Whatever it was, I knew we clicked and that we would have a great time at her wedding and that it would be a perfect way to spend my birthday this year.

I know what you're thinking. "You WANT to work on your bday?" Well, I suppose I don't consider it work. Yea, it is hard, yes its frustrating sometimes, yes timing doesn't always work out when the limo driver gets into a car accident on the way to the ceremony (yes, it did happen). But you know what? It's always fun and completely exciting! And what really makes it all worth the while is the look on their faces when I show them their wedding pictures at the reception that very night. Makes all that "work" seem easy and superbly rewarding. :-)

So you may remember Emily and Joe from their engagement session with his sweet motorcycle and really fun images. And just under a month later, here are their wedding photos.

EnJOY!

Caroline and David {Engaged} / Gantry Park New York City Queens Wedding Photographer

2010-07-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Rob and I know Caroline and David through Kristin and J from this year's May wedding (J is actually Caroline's brother). For this E-session Rob and I strayed from the norm and journeyed to Queens to Gantry Park, and boy are we sure glad we did! This park was simply glowing with gorgeous light and great little spots to photograph. Not to mention that Caroline and Dave were pretty much glowing themselves!!

Personally, I'm thrilled with their photos, but I'm even more excited to see the engagement session video that Rob puts together for him because just the day before he went to a Ray Roman workshop and came home incredibly inspired and ready to start some new tricks (which he definitely used on this e-session). You probably can wait to see it either, but hopefully the images will satisfy you until then!

EnJOY!!

Zagana and Jaymes {Engaged} / Asbury Park New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-07-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

I have been DYING to shoot in Asbury Park for quite some time now. Not just because it's one of my favorite beach areas because of all the history and cool architecture, but because of these really cool wall murals that Kay English told me about. Well, I found them for sure...but they were completed blocked off by some sort of construction and had fences around them and signs and all sorts of things to burst my bubble. What a bummer... or not! I was so determined to have some fun in front of these cool paintings that instead of being a good girl and following the rules, we decided to start the E-session with a little B&E. :-)

Rob and I both were able to capture some great images of Zagana and Jaymes despite (ha, or maybe because of) the looming thunderclouds (yes, we braved the weather and won!).

EnJOY!!

Erica and Mike {Married} - Ocean Place, Long Branch New Jersey Wedding Photographer

2010-07-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I think my luck with shoes has definitely hit the high point at the last wedding. If you're familiar with Rene Caovilla, then you know what I mean!! Rene's shoes are fitted with Swarovski Crystals on the soles and are simply one of the most exquisite shoes I have ever held in my hand (haha, and tried on with no intention on purchasing ~sigh~ maybe one day!). Erica had a pair of these amazing shoes to wear during her reception, and WOW, they were amazing, Swarovski Crystals and all!!

I have to say, being that this was a military wedding, with all of the groomsmen in uniform, it was definitely a rowdy bunch; but I simply laughed through the whole day!!! Rob was second shooting for me, and the two of us had such a fun time it was hard to leave at the end!

EnJOY!!

Lauren and Dan {Engaged} / Bryant Park New York Wedding Photographer

2010-07-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

What a fun day yesterday! I had the privilege of photographing Lauren and Dan's E-Session in Bryant Park. I took the train in to Madison Square Garden where there was a Lady Gaga concert about to go off and WOW, did I see some really funky dressed girls (who at first I thought maybe were eclectic cheerleaders, but after learning about the concert, I finally understood their attire). It was such a great opening atmosphere into NYC.

Lauren and Dan are such a great couple who simply light up in front of the camera. We were able to shoot in Bryant Park and in the New York City Public Library right next door. I was even able to do a few shots in a "no photography of any kind" location by shooting from the hip. You'll notice the books in those shots. :-)

Here's a couple of my favs and, of course, their slideshow!

Speaking Gigs

2010-07-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Rob and I have had so much fun this year speaking at various places such as PPANJ Central meeting, PPANJ/PPNYS State Convention, The Mars School and Pilot Imaging's "Bringing Back the Value to Photography" with Doug Gordon, Clay Blackmore and Robert Isaacson. We have been teaching photographers how to shoot video with their VDSLRs and showing them how to put together some PhVusion pieces like the Digital Album and Animoto Slideshows. We've also been pre-debuing our new software - PhVusion Effects - for photographers to grab before it goes out to all (Yikes!! It's actually ready for launch in a week or so!!).

I just have a few images to share taken by a few of the amazing photographers (Gary Lloyd and Jon Armstrong) that we met so you can get a feel for what Rob and I have been up to on the teaching end of things. We've also just been accepted to teach for PPA's Super Monday class in the fall where we'll teach a full day workshop on shooting and editing PhVusion pieces. Space is limited to only 20 people, so as soon as we're ready for registration, I'll let you guys know!

Thanks to all of the people that have supported us in the this endeavor!!

Mike and Meryl {Married} / Boston Wedding Photographer

2010-07-05T20:50:00.001-07:00

This was such an amazing week for Rob and I being in Boston doing what we love. It was so much fun being in a different city (which we've discovered that we could move to in a heartbeat), shooting in new places and getting to know the area. Saturday, on July 3rd, we topped it all off by photographing Mike and Meryl's Wedding at the Arlington Street Church, Boston Gardens and The State Room.

Now...I think all I have to say to preface these pictures, and the incredible style of Meryl, is that both her and her bridesmaid, Allison, work at Kleinfeld's in the New York City. Um, score!!!! Not only did Meryl have a hot dress with all the right accessories, but she had sweet shoes in which she added the ribbon herself!!! Can you believe what style this girl has to begin with, but then to play arts and crafts on her shoes and have them come out so super?? I was in heaven from the moment I walked into the hotel room and saw those shoes! :-)

EnJOY!!

Stephanie and Eric {Engaged} / Boston Massachusetts Wedding Photographer

2010-07-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Rob and I have been looking forward to shooting this engagement session in the heart of Boston Massachusetts for about a year now! We first met Stephanie when Rob and I were just dating (wow, that seems so long ago!) and we just loved her enthusiasm for her wedding and for doing things different from the norm. Since her and her fiance met and dated at the Pharmaceutical School they attended in Boston, they thought of the idea of doing their e-session there and Rob and I were more than thrilled to come along for the ride. :-)

We got some great stuff around the city, including a few at Fenway Park and Newbury Street. Rob did quite a few really fun shots that he'll use in the PhVusion piece that we're putting together for them, and in addition to that, for the first time ever, I actually grabbed some stills from Rob's video! Bet you can't tell which handful are stills from video!!!

EnJOY!!

Daivd Tutera and My Fair Wedding Season 3 Episode 2

2010-07-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

FINALLY!!! I'm allowed to show you the pictures from the My Fair Wedding episode I was honored to shoot on back in March. They were top secret until the show finally aired two weeks ago (haha, although I finally got around to watching it myself just last night).

It was so much fun to watch the show and know exactly what was happening behind the scenes...and what "reality" scenes had to be reshot (just one) because the expressions from the bridesmaids wasn't too excited the first time around. I did spot myself in the background just once (and by background, I mean I looked like a little black and white dust bunny in the back of the reception room guarding my equipment - Rob and I were doing our best to not irritate the crew by staying behind the cameras), but Rob had a good 30 seconds on screen at the reception! If you watch the episode (super easily downloaded on iTunes), just look to the left of the screen at the guy taking pictures on stage in a blue shirt. That's my man!!! :-)

So without further ado, here are my fav images of the day!!

Flowers come first. I loved the idea that these were all different bouquets instead of just the brides being the different one. I feel like the concept of bridesmaids not looking like replicas of each other is becoming more and more popular with different dress styles, sometimes all different colors and definitely with this unique bouquet idea.

The ceremony really was a dream. It had everything from custom candelabras, a beautiful blue and yellow runner, an exquisite arch complete with hanging butterflies and birds nests, as well as an explosion of butterflies that went off at their first kiss. So amazing.

Finally, the reception. There are really no words to describe the surreal feeling that I got when I first walked into this room. The whole thing was just so intricately done, smelled beautifully and there were just flowers everywhere.

All of the centerpieces on each side of the room where hung delicately with umbrellas and little white, glittery butterflies. To top that off, all of them were connected by tying the stems of the flowers together to create a huge canopy over the tables, really making the reception room, although quite large and grand, feel connected and intimate.

Even the dance floor was covered with flowers with a custom cover and there were little butterflies at every place setting. Truly a perfect Spring Wedding!

And of course, some behind the scenes shots!

Thanks so much to the entire My Fair Wedding crew and of course to David Tutera for being such an amazing person to work beside. :-) Sorry guys, no "actors gone bad" horror stories there! He was simply a joy to be around!

Chris & Kim {Married} / Channel Club Monmouth Beach Wedding Photographer

2010-06-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

What a great wedding yesterday! Rob and I shot alongside Michael Travisano (with the assistance of Leah, Nino and Johnny) at the Channel Club in Monmouth Beach with the ceremony held at Georgian Court University. It was a really unique wedding for me as both Michael and I decided to step forward and photograph the wedding together. It was a great experience for both of us getting the chance to learn from one another and I'm excited to see our images combined! In the meantime, here's a selection of my favs of the day and the slideshow. :-)

EnJOY!!!

Vj