Frank DiMeo Blog

Kelly and Brian Engagement

If you follow my blog then you should remember Hanny and Jesse's Wedding that I photographed last year. It was without a doubt one of the largest, most beautiful extravaganzas that I have ever been to, let alone photographed. At times there were five photographers, four videographers, and over 800 guests. It was a major amount of work to shoot, and over 100 gigs of photos were recorded. The post-production alone took me months to complete. I would guess that the time involved was equivalent to shooting approximately seven weddings. Would I do it again? For sure! It was a pleasure to be a part of such a gala event, even if I could barely walk by the time it was over.

I spent five days with the families, and really enjoyed doing it with them. The guests saw the effort I put into shooting it, and some of the images, so by the fifth day they would actually applaud whenever I entered a room. Talk about a good feeling! One of the photographers that joined me for the last day was shocked to see this and even commented saying, “Wow, they are applauding for you, that must feel unreal!” It was the first time I had ever witnessed anything like it too, and it did feel really nice to be appreciated so much. After the slide show (which had 630 images) many of the guests came up to me and said they had never seen a photographer work as hard as I do, and that I had covered the wedding better than any Indian photographer they ever saw. They were even more impressed because I wasn’t as familiar with the culture and traditions like an Indian photographer would be.

If you know me then you know that connecting with families, and people is a big part of what I do. It is one of the more pleasurable things about shooting weddings, and a big reason why I do it. I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Kelly (the bride’s sister) was and the fact that she would be getting married soon too. So I have to admit that she was on my wish list to shoot her wedding in the future. I was ecstatic when Kelly wrote me an email and said that she and Brian had decided on a date and that they would love for me to be their photographer. I am really looking forward to their wedding in September (talk about a gorgeous couple, she reminds me of Sarah Michelle Gellar, only prettier, and my wife says he looks a little like Ben Affleck), and getting reacquainted with all of their friends and family. Can’t wait to see all of you again!
As always, click on an image to see it larger.

Before and After

I have so much work to do, and my phone and email go off constantly (which is a good thing, especially because of how much I love to communicate with everyone). The perfectionist in me can sometimes cause me to fall behind, and unfortunately, some people have had to wait a little longer than usual to see their images. Everyone has been so patient and understanding, so I felt that it was only fair for me to take a few minutes and share some behind the scenes info.

I like to think that I am a pretty good photographer, but it is one thing to compose a beautiful image, find or create light from the heavens, and elicit an emotion from someone that they didn’t even know they expressed, and what actually comes out of the camera. At the risk of giving away secrets of the business, I am going to share some before and after images. Believe it or not, the before have been tweaked a little, but the after have had sometimes up to an hour or two of post-production work done on them. Sometimes it can be fixed easily; sometimes I like an image so much that I will combine images to create a new one. This set is an example of combining images (1+2) = the new one. It took awhile to do, but was it worth it, I like to think so. Sometimes I change whole body parts, or modify them. In this first example I swapped out the whole side of his face, then had to open the new eye, because it wasn’t quite right. Telephone wires were removed, and a ton of other things were done. Sometimes it is so subtle that the conscious mind doesn’t even see them. The sub-conscious always does though. I’m sure many of you have compared images, and like one better but can’t figure out why. That is why. A true master of photography plays on all levels of consciousness. It takes effort and time though, sometimes a lot of time. Unfortunately, it is not one of the things that the photographer can hand off to someone else. It is the creation of a piece of art, and no one knows what I was thinking or attempting to do better than myself.

So thanks again everyone for your patience and understanding. Just know that I am working as hard now as you saw me work at the wedding, and my intention is to deliver the best images I am capable of. I assure you that it will be worth the wait, and thank all of you who have expressed this to me already.

While I am doing an “extra” blog post, I should address another issue. It is feeding your photographer at the wedding. Unfortunately, some vendors just don’t get it, and don’t understand that we have been running non-stop for 6-8 hours already, and insist on feeding us in a corner somewhere after the whole room has been fed. This doesn’t work for so many reasons. I have even been given a bag lunch, when I know that my bride and groom are being charged another meal for me. It is the worst part of the day, and has caused so many problems. The sad thing is that it really doesn’t have to be this way. My good friend Luke Walker (another excellent photographer) just did a blog post called "Eats" addressing this issue. I urge all of you to click on his name and go to his blog and read it. It is well worth the time, and can prevent a lot of problems. There is still a lot of the wedding to photograph at this point. Please make sure that your photographer is replenished so they can continue to put their whole heart and body into what they are doing for you. (Edit) This is an industry wide problem too. After I published this post, a friend sent me this link at WedPix-Magazine, it gives a good account of what Luke and I are talking about. Please understand that all vendors are not like this, some are very good at looking out for us. They are usually the best at what they do, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Honestly, I don't get it. Which one do you think I am going to recommend?

Thanks everyone, and please hang in there. As always, I promise to do the best I can for you.

Allie and Jake at Sheldrake Point

I knew instantly that Allie and Jake were special when I first met them in NYC for their engagement shoot. They are two of the nicest people one could ever hope to have the privilege of meeting. On their own they are amazing, well-educated, caring individuals. Together they make an incredible team. I know that a lot of people out there are going to be very fortunate to have one of these two as their Doctor. I only wish they lived closer to me because I would be first in line in to sign up.

One of the most fascinating things about what I do is that I get to learn a lot about people, their families, how they were brought up, where they are today, and where they will be tomorrow. The whole experience is a pleasure to witness, and always leaves me with a greater appreciation for love, family, friends, and life.

We started things out at Olivia's American Bistro & Bar for the rehearsal dinner. This place has become a favorite for rehearsal dinners, and I can certainly see why. It has a beautiful decor, an awesome back deck that makes it very spacious, excellent food, and the fabulous Laurie Chadwick is one of the best event coordinators in the area.

The wedding and reception were at Sheldrake Point Vineyard. It was a gorgeous day for everyone at one of the prettiest vineyards in the Finger Lakes area. Tara Reimer of Terra Rosa did an outstanding job coordinating everything. Kris Kellogg from Makeup on Demand did an awesome job helping everyone look incredible.

My good friend Jesse Winter came in from NYC to shoot with me, and it was a pleasure to do this together. His Birthday was the day before, and mine was that day, so Allie asked the band and all the guests to sing us Happy Birthday. It was really nice and appreciated by both of us.

As always, click on an image to see it larger, and click here for the slide show. The wedding announcement was in the NY Post on Sunday. Congratulations Allie and Jake for getting on the the Post's Most Emailed list, and for having your wedding chosen as Wedding Of The Week! Hope you, your families, and friends enjoy it, and that all of your days are filled with love, joy, and blessings.

Kristi and Michael get married in Syracuse

I had the pleasure of shooting Kristi and Mike’s wedding a couple of weeks ago in Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Baldwinsville, New York. Technically, it was a little tough to deal with because there were only a few places that I could point my camera and not be looking at an overexposed exterior in the background, or having a strong light coming right back into the camera. The church is so beautiful though that it was worth the struggle, and the few spots that were nice, were really nice. Next we went to Franklin Square in Syracuse for some awesome group photos, and ended the night at the incredible Oncenter complex for the reception.

My good friend George Cannon second shot with me the whole day and came up with some really exceptional images. Please click on his name above, to visit his web site, and see what I am talking about.

This was the first full-blown wedding of the year and I have to say that it took a lot out of me. I can tell that I have to get back in a little better shape to do the job I need to do. Good thing I had George to help out, because we were both beat by the end of the night. Anyone who has seen me shoot knows what I am talking about because I am on the run constantly from beginning to end. A few people made it a point to come up and tell me that they have never seen a photographer work so hard. To me, that is what it is all about, and I love doing what I do. It did take me a few days to recover though.

Kristi, Mike, their friends, and families were all so nice and friendly. Thank you everyone for welcoming us with open arms, and making us feel so appreciated. Thanks too to Kristi, Mike, and everyone for your patience. I know you have eagerly waited to see this post, and appreciate your understanding as my business soars to new heights.

Oh, I am so busy that I almost forgot. The editor of The New York Post contacted me asking if I had any couples that live or work in the city, because they would like to do a story on them in the Post. I have a few this year, and fortunately Kristi and Mike are the first.
Click on an image to see it larger, and here is the link for the slide show.

Wedding Photographers in Florida

Wow, so where do I start? I guess an apology to everyone that is waiting to see pix from your event would be a good place. I am very sorry that it is taking me longer than usual to get your images up, and promise to do the best I can this week to catch up. So please check back often because there will be many new blog posts over the next few days.

People that know me, and my history, know that I have many years of experience as a photographer and some of the best formal and informal education. I have taught at the college level for two different universities, and strongly believe that we never stop learning, especially in a field as vast as photography. With that in mind, I am constantly working to improve myself, and everything I offer to my brides and grooms. When my good friends Garrett and Joy Nudd announced their Elevate 2 seminar, followed by a Zack Arias One Light workshop, I knew that this was something not to miss. Over twenty of the best wedding photographers in the country got together for the past week in Orlando Florida to network, share, and grow. It was a phenomenal experience for all of us, and I am excited to watch how it brings our photography to new levels.

Many thanks to Joy & Garrett Nudd, Zack Arias, Gene Higa, Ann Hamilton, Rachel & Andrew Niesen, Curt Littlecott, Lisa Konecny, Monique from Solutions Bridal Design House (I want to live and shoot in their incredible place), Lori Barbely (my R.I.T. homey) from Destination Weddings and Honeymoons, all of our models, all of the awesome photographers that were here, and especially my brides and grooms for being so patient.

The flight back was a nightmare (US Air) it took me over thirty hours to fly three hours. I was so thankful for not scheduling a wedding on the weekend following, but I did do a really cool engagement shoot with Kelly and Brian, and then met with Michelle to book her wedding for next year. That makes three weddings booked already for next year so if you are thinking about having me shoot yours then I suggest you get it on the books as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, my bride has had to cancel for 7/7/07 so I am now available on the most requested day of the year. I have had to turn down many requests for that day, so if you are reading this and would still like to have me shoot your wedding then please let me know.

Here are a few images from last week. We also shoot each other, and there was a sauna in the conference room so…I think Garrett and I together can talk just about anyone into anything. It was a lot of fun, and we all had a ton of laughs. Thanks Tomas Flint, and Susan Stripling for those legs.

Oh, and if you ever get stuck at the airport, make sure you cash in on the luxury tinfoil blankets they give out. I will try to post more after I catch up a little on the other blog posts. As always, click on an image to see it larger.

Thanks again everyone!

Patricia and Alan at The Aurora Inn

The majestic Aurora Inn provided a beautiful backdrop for Patricia and Alan’s engagement shoot this past Saturday. Thank you Lauren Tillapaugh, Director of Marketing and Events at the Inn, for recommending such a wonderful couple to me. Lauren is one of the most friendly and attentive people I have met in the wedding business. I can’t say enough good things about her and the rest of the crew that help make the Inn the special place it is. I told Patricia and Alan that they were in good hands with Lauren. They appreciated hearing that, and added that she has been a pleasure to work with. All I can say is wait until the wedding she really is amazing.

The Inn is located in the lovely town of Aurora on the east side of Cayuga Lake. I have shot a few weddings there, but never really had the opportunity to just hang out and take in its splendor. There were no official events scheduled at the Inn, but lunch and dinner entertained capacity crowds. They did give us run of the place though, and as usual, everyone was intrigued watching us work our magic.

Patricia, Alan, and I spent a few hours together, and as always it was such a treat to get to know them before their wedding. Again, I believe whole-heartedly that getting together for these engagement sessions is an essential ingredient to producing more incredible results at the wedding. I honestly feel that they facilitate me becoming a friend instead of just another vendor, and to me that is priceless.

We were all starved when we finished so Patricia and Alan insisted on treating me to a succulent dish of pan-seared scallops with eggplant stuffed ravioli. Did I say YUM! O.k. you got me, another reason I love doing these is because my awesome couples usually treat me to a fantastic meal too. Thank you so much for such an awesome meal, and day together, Patricia and Alan. It is a pleasure to share these images with you and your families, and I look forward to a beautiful wedding, in one of my favorite locations.
As always, please click on an image to see it larger.

Kristen and Greg in Skaneateles

Wow, what a fun couple! Kristen, Greg and I hooked up last weekend to do their engagement shoot in Skaneateles. This week has been so crazy (posting six Cornell shoots online, traveling, and a ton of other things) so it is such a treat to be able to come back and edit images like these and think about the wonderful time we had together. They were a little shy at first (I think everyone is, and know I would be) but they have been together for seven years, and obviously love each other, so it wasn’t a problem. The more we shot, the better they did, and I have to tip my hat to them for being open to anything I suggested.

I also need to thank Kristen’s aunt Ann Crowley, and cousin Andrea from Bella-brations Event Planning (315) 730-7878 for getting us together. I did Jessica and Todd’s wedding last year with Ann and Andrea, and as I said back then, they are awesome! I would highly recommend contacting Ann or Andrea when planning a wedding or big event.

So back to Kristen and Greg. Sometimes I feel like people think I am a little crazy when I ask them to do something. I am constantly asking, “How are you doing? Are you o.k. with this? It might feel a little strange, but it looks awesome!” They both replied, “You’re work is great and we trust anything you say.” That kind of response is so encouraging, and it feels great to know they have such confidence in me.

When we finished shooting, they insisted on treating me to a fantastic meal at Joe’s Pasta Garage. Yum, it was so good. Thanks again for dinner, and everything Kristen and Greg. It was such a pleasure to spend a few hours together and get to know you a little. I hope you and your families enjoy looking at the images as much as I enjoyed creating them. Skaneateles is a beautiful area, and I hope to be shooting there much more in the future. Please click on an image to see it larger.

Motoko and ViMal

Wow, I am really swamped already but just had to get this blog post up for Motoko and Vimal. I had the pleasure of photographing their wedding last weekend in Ithaca and they really are a wonderful couple. I was intrigued by their first email and copied part of it here for you, “Hi, We are getting married on May 5th, 2007. Since this will be the only time all of our families get together (from Japan, India, and US), we would like to have really nice pictures taken on our wedding day. We really love your pictures.
Thanks.”

I was thinking, people from Japan, India, and the US, that sounds awesome, of course I am interested, lets make this happen. Well it was fantastic, and Motoko was a beautiful bride. Thank you both for allowing me to have a part in such an important day of your lives.

I am working on doing more destination weddings, and realized recently that I do them in my hometown all the time. This wedding was another one of them. No one lives where the wedding is held and they come from all different parts of the world to witness it.

As always, click on an image to see it larger, enjoy, and please leave me a message if you like the images.

Nora and Eric in Ithaca

I arrived a little early to meet Nora and Eric at Cornell on Sunday and was thinking about what I do, and these engagement shoots. I have never met them, or Mark and Katherine before yesterdays shoot, and didn’t have a clue as to what any of them looked like. I was wondering how many people could meet someone for the first time, point a camera at them, and walk away with the images I intended on creating with them. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how blessed I am to have this gift that I love so much.

Then I started thinking about the wedding and how much work they are, and how constantly being on the run that day doesn’t really give us a chance to get to know each other either. That is why I do these engagement shoots. I include them in my packages because I feel it is essential for me to connect with my brides and grooms. A lot of photographers do them and charge extra for a limited amount of time. My contract says 1.5 hours but I have never done one in that amount of time. Today we are squeezing it into two hours because Nora and Eric have to go to her Mom’s birthday party (Happy Birthday Mom). Yesterday Mark, Katherine, and I were together for six hours (that is $50.00 worth of babysitter time too) and I have no regrets, in fact I loved it and would not have it any other way.

So I am sitting in my car waiting for another car to pull up. I already asked the wrong girl if she was Nora, and I could hear her telling her friends “I don’t know who he is”. Then a couple walks up out of nowhere, sits down, looks around, and then she starts to pull out a phone so I know it must be them. I pull up, they know it is me, I know it is them, but how does that happen really? Instantly, it is like we have known each other forever, they get in and we drive away to create magic. The whole thing is such an amazing experience, and really blows my mind when I think about it.

I also feel blessed because of my clients. All of my couples are so friendly, and the greatest people. Nora and Eric definitely fit right in with this, they are awesome. Nora’s skin is angelic, light and the camera just love her. I was working on the images trying to think of who she reminded me of. Then it hit me; she looks a lot like Katie Holmes. My wife saw the images and said that she is going to be a beautiful bride.

Thank you Nora and Eric, I wish we could have spent a little more time together but the time we did have was a lot of fun. Hope everyone likes the images, and I can’t wait to be with you on your special day. As always, click on the photos to see them bigger.

Mark and Katherine in Rochester

I was looking forward to shooting Mark and Katherine’s wedding this September at the Avanti Mansion in Buffalo because they seem like such a nice couple. Well, all that changed after Saturday when we got together for their engagement shoot. Now I am REALLY looking forward to it. These two are so much fun! We spent almost six hours together on a rainy day in Rochester and none of us could figure out where the time went. Katherine commented about how nice it was to work with someone that obviously loves what they do for a living. We met at The Dinosaur Bar B Q and decided to drive around to see what we could find. We ended up at the Strong National Museum of Play, and we played. It was so much fun, these two are such a pleasure to be around and were open to just about anything. We ended up back at the Dinosaur where Mark and Katherine treated me to some finger-lickin good ribs and catfish strips (yum).

The men’s bathroom has awesome red and white walls filled with graffiti. Any one that follows my blog knows about my fixation for shooting in bathrooms. They are usually small, with light colored walls, and have tons of mirrors. In other words they are a little paradise for light and mirror junkies who like to bounce their flash around. Well I mentioned it to Katherine and she was all for it. We put some guy on guard at the door but he didn’t stop anyone from coming in, and of course everyone had to go when they saw a woman walk in and the flash going off. We finally walked out after the place filled up, and jokingly fired the guard.

Thanks for the good times, and great food Mark and Katherine. Hope you and your families like the images, and I look forward to getting together again at the wedding.