WeddingWire, a very cool bride-driven wedding website, just contacted me to let me know that Cohn Frankel Photography has won a 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! Here is some info about the award:
"In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Cohn Frankel Photography is one of the very best Wedding Photographers.
Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.
“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”"
Thank you to all my past clients for speaking on my behalf, leaving your awesome reviews, and helping me win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! Also thanks to all the wonderful vendors I've worked with who also left endorsements on my wedding wire page. Here's a couple of my favorites:
Brides:
"We couldn't be happier with our wedding photos. I receive so many compliments on our pictures. Lauren does way more then take pictures, she turns wedding memories into art.
During the wedding she's just a fly on the wall and captured us in very sweet moments that we'll treasure forever.
Choosing Cohn-Frankel Photography for our wedding was the best vendor decision we made.
"Some people may be wary of reviews with 5 stars in every category, but Lauren was fantastic! She was attentive to our needs and worked with us to give us the most for our budget. She surprised us with little extras here and there, which made us feel like she really values her clients and the relationship she has with them.
We booked her services over a year in advance and decided to purchase one of her wedding packages. We also ordered an album and plan on purchasing the digital negatives from our wedding.
If you're looking to capture your event, wedding or otherwise, with an experienced photojournalist, request some information. You won't be disappointed when you see how beautiful your event turned out when all of the special moments and details are captured by Lauren."
Vendors:
"Lauren is definitely one of the most highly regarded photographers in the Bay Area. Her photojournalistic style is very sought after and she's also a really great leader amongst the photographer community here."
"Lauren is a true photojournalist at heart capturing beautiful touching moments. Not only does she have a great eye, but she has fun yet professional personality that puts couples at ease."
"Lauren's work is beautiful...filled with touches of perspective an humor and a overtone of vintage glamor. It was truly my pleasure to meet Lauren and have the opportunity to get to know her. Laurent would be an incredibly fun, unique, and sincere person to have at your side on your wedding day!"
You can read the rest on my wedding wire page here.
Winner: 2009 Bride's Choice Award
A Certified Star!
This week I was delighted to learn that Lisa Edd, Managing Editor of Here Comes the Guide, decided to feature me on their blog for the 2nd time in a row this month!
Here is the text from the recent post:
"Wedding photographer Lauren Cohn-Frankel has had quite a year. In addition to being officially Certified By The Guide, she was nominated for this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Baylist Best list and had her gorgeous photos featured in Today’s Bride, and on East Bay Express’ Wedding Wednesdays, KRON 4’s gay marriage special, HBO Family. Busy girl!
To see what all the fuss is about, take a look at some of her photos."
Here is the link to this week's post, and here is the link to the older post. In that one, Services Coordinator Denise Auerbach mentions some of my most recent awards and accolades, and describes my work as "gorgeous and full of personality." [blush!]
Thanks Lisa, Denise, and HCTG for the awesome recognition!
New Couture Book Design: Lydia and Mike
Lydia and Mike's Couture Book
Full layout viewable here
I am working on blogging my last 2-3 weddings, but in the meantime I just had to post this now: it is my newest Couture Book design from Lydia and Mike's wedding. All my Couture Book albums are the result of a collaboration between myself and my designer Jenn (who is also a talented wedding and portrait photographer in Northern Virginia, and has been incredibly patient with me! :). My goal with each Couture Book album is to go beyond just storytelling with images; to incorporate colors, textures, and illustrative graphic artwork along with the photographs themselves, thereby creating a unique piece of art which matches the style and sensibility of the couple and their wedding.
The Couture Book is one of two different kinds of albums I offer, the other being the understated, classically elegant Heirloom album, whose pages are designed using photos only (sans embellishments). The primary difference between the two types of books is the design of the pages themselves, although there is also some variation between them in terms of construction and physical feel. Both books are handmade by master bookbinders, guaranteed to last a lifetime; yet the Heirloom album is more photo-album-esque with thick, hefty covers and rigid pages made up of actual photographic prints mounted back to back on archival board. By comparison, the Couture Book album is a lighter weight, coffee-table-style hardcover book with flexible press-printed pages made from luxurious papers.
I created the Couture Book early last year because I wanted a way to pay homage to the couples who suffused their weddings with creativity and intent; weddings that were not only momentous and fun but also unique, stylish, visually stunning.
I wanted to offer my couples a book that was more than just the sum of the pictures within it, that was not just a tool for displaying artistic images, but that was in itself a work of art...because the wedding that inspired it was a work of art also. And, I wanted to be able to offer my couples something that they couldn't get anywhere else.
Here are a few spreads from the new design. These spreads will be printed 10x20" on white felt paper stock, which will really emphasize the textured backgrounds on some of the pages. They will then be folded in the middle to create 2 left and right facing pages, before being stacked, trimmed, and mounted into the cover itself.
(like all my other images, the logo and black borders are for blog purposes only and will not appear in the final book)
And to illustrate the unique and custom nature of each Couture Book, here is the link to my last CB design from Tammy and Jamey's wedding.
Pictures of the other type of primary album I offer, the classic Heirloom album, can be found on my wedding website, in the Featured Weddings section. Once my copy of Lydia and Mike's book is back from the bindery I will be creating an in-depth guide to the different album options, for couples who can't come see them in person.
In the meantime, if you would like to learn more and see and touch both album types, you can email me to make an appointment to meet with me in person.
Gay Wedding Photography Giveaway
Update post-election:
Sadly, in an unprecedented move based on bigotry and small mindedness, Prop 8 was passed this week and therefore (for the time being) gay marriage is no longer legal. I just want to let all my LGBTIQ clients from this past year know how sorry I am that we lost. I will cherish the images I have from your weddings and the memories of them, and I have every confidence that this is not the last CA or America will hear from us on this topic. Lawsuits are being filed, and as of this writing Gavin Newsom has pledged to keep issuing licenses until he is sued (Go Gavin!).
For my part, the past 48 hours have been such a mix of bitter and sweet, of sadness and hope. Even though we lost this initiative, progress is still being made and we are still moving forward.I will keep this post and link open for any gay couples getting married in defiance of the proposition, or those having commitment ceremonies or other partnership ceremonies who need a photographer in the future. I look forward to having the chance to stand with you and support you. Here's hoping that the time between now, and the day when all of us have the right to marry who we love again, is short.
Love,
Lauren
"Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." MLK Jr.
same sex wedding images:
Click here to see the slideshow from Days 1 and 2 of Wedding Wednesdays, an event which was organized by the East Bay Express, in which 6 different gay couples were married over two days.
Click here to see Maryellen and Diana's City Hall elopement wedding'
~or~
View my portfolio and read more about my wedding and lifestyle photography on my main website here
for posterity purposes, my old post text is below:
CONTEST INFORMATION
The background:
For the first time in my 30 years on this planet, I am beginning to feel like the good guys are winning. The legalization of gay marriage in CA is awesome, and with NYC following close behind in recognizing out of state unions...I feel giddy just thinking about it. They are predicting something like 30,000 gay marriages taking place in this first year alone-- I can't wait to meet all the GLBTQ couples who will be my clients in the next year, to hear their love stories, and to document their marriages.
So it is in celebration of this thrilling victory, and to show my gratitude toward all the couples who fought for it (especially my previous civil union couples who got married before they could even legally call it that), that I announce my first official contest! Entries will be taken via email (see below), and one lucky winning couple will win my complimentary services for a full day's coverage of their fabulous wedding.
The basics:
~ NEW extended Deadline:
December 31st, 2008
~ Requirements:
Wedding date between January 1 2009 and April 30 2009 (subject to Lauren's availability).
~ How to Enter:
send an email containing the details of your wedding plans, your unique love story, and why you feel you deserve to win to MY EMAIL ADDRESS (lauren@cohnfrankelphotography.com). Wedding plans should include such things as the location(s), guests, decor, approximate timeline or duration of events, and details on why you are doing what you are doing and what it means to you. Please don't forget to include your names, date, and a way to contact you!
At least one photo of both partners is required for entry, but feel free to submit as many photos/videos as you like to show me who you are and why your wedding is special!
~ the Winners:
Blog readers will vote for one winner from among three finalists. Check the blog after Jan 1st to see who the finalists are and vote for your favorite!
~ the Prize:
Full Day Wedding coverage by Lauren Cohn-Frankel (up to 8 hours). All images at high resolution on DVD. Plus all the usual goodies that come with all my weddings (engagement session, event cards, images posted online, etc).
Travel within the greater San Francisco Bay area is also included, entrants with weddings outside this area are welcome but they should be prepared to cover travel costs for Lauren and her assistant.
~ Where do we send our entry again?
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME
The fine print:
No purchase necessary. Entry open to engaged couples planning a wedding which will take place between Jan 1 2009 and April 31 2009, subject to Cohn Frankel Photography's availability. Entrants whose wedding date falls on a date for which CFP is otherwise booked, as of entry closing date, will not be eligible. Current or former clients of Cohn Frankel Photography are not eligible for entry. Prizes are non-transferrable and not redeemable for cash or trade--failure to claim prize(s) within the time period specified will result in forfeiture. CFP reserves the right to substitute equivalent services and/or products in the case of illness or other circumstance beyond our control.
Cohn Frankel Photography (CFP) does not discriminate in any way on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, so technically this contest is open to all engaged couples regardless of identification....however, please note that the winning couple's names, stories, and photos will be used by Cohn Frankel Photography to promote wedding photography services for same sex weddings and to advertise in local and national same sex wedding resources and to same sex wedding clients. By entering the contest, both partners hereby agree to allow the unrestricted use of their likeness, story, and images for this specific purpose, and/or for any other promotional or other purposes deemed necessary by CFP or its assigns, including editorial or promotional use by other companies, and agree to sign a release specifying same. The winning couple must also agree to the terms of my standard wedding photography contract, which can be emailed upon request.
Latest Vendor Collages
I am chomping at the bit to post about all the incredible experiences I had at Flourish photography workshop in Louisville KY, which I attended two weeks ago...but there is so much to write about, and I think I need just a few more days to organize my thoughts. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of the collage pages I made recently for wedding vendors I worked with last year.
Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose
Winter is my chance to catch up on making custom books and print pieces for all the florists, designers, venue coordinators, caterers, and other vendors who made last year's weddings so fabulous. Any vendor who asks would have already gotten images on disk by now, and/or maybe a few prints for their portfolio...but when I've done a wedding with someone whose work really inspires me, I feel compelled to give them something more.
Like photography, a lot of other wedding-related businesses are artistic in nature. So much of what these artists do is about the intangible experience of their clients: using color, light, taste and/or textures to create a mood or feeling the bride is looking for. It takes more than one image to convey these things to a prospective bride--the whole story must be told. That's what I try to do with my vendor pieces.
I love providing wedding vendors with beautiful pictures of their work. I think that as a photographer I am in a unique position to be able to give something of real value to them, with only a minor amount of extra time or expense on my part. And hopefully in doing so, I am increasing the chances that I will get to work with these awesome people (and their awesome clients) again and again.
Hiddenbrooke Golf Club, Vallejo CA
Florist Stacey Miller Designs, San Francisco City Club, San Francisco CA
PS. If you are a wedding vendor or venue manager who has worked with me before and you haven't gotten collage pages and/or a book from me yet, please email me with the wedding date and bride's full name, and your logo in pdf or eps format attached. Thanks!
Ritz Carlton Modern Bridal Show
On Sunday Jan 6th, I participated in the Modern Bridal show at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco...and had a fabulous time! A lot of thought and effort went into my booth, and I was really happy with the amount of attention it got from both exhibitors and brides. The show admission included champagne and lots of yummy cake and food to sample...although I really didn't have time to eat any of it myself as we were about 6-8 people deep for most of the show. However I had a chance to talk to about 80 couples in depth, which I really enjoyed; it was fun hearing so many varied stories and wedding plans and I enjoyed hearing all the nice things people had to say about my work.
My booth was about 3-4 months in the planning; I had the two back walls made custom for me by my carpenter Aaron, who also set up and broke down the booth for me and that alone proved to be more than worth what I spent to hire him...I definitely couldn't have done it without him. The walls were made from 4x8' wood boards, painted chocolate brown, with crown molding painted blue along the top and bottom. They were held up by wood braces in the shape of a sideways "A".
Large prints were purchased from my pro lab, mounted on styrene board and mounted on the wall using velcro (so they could be easily removed). Florist Laurel Winzler, who worked with me on Tammy and Jamey's wedding at the Ferry Building last October, did my flowers: she did an incredible job even though she came down with the flu the week before the show! Laurel really came through for me, and her flowers were beautiful. And fellow photographer/part time second shooter Nick Lostracco made himself available at the last minute to assist me with set up and talking to brides at the show, after the girl who I originally planned to hire had to cancel due to the storm.
Probably the most talked about part of my booth were the little goodie bags I made up to give all the brides, which contained a mini-album, a few prints, a brochure, a personalized letter, and a few gifts to thank them for taking the time to come out and see me. Brides went crazy over the cute, tiny mini albums, as well as the other gift in the bag including homemade caramels, handmade mocha candles and blueberry lip gloss, and chocolate scented soap. I picked all the gift items so they would go with my branding and colors (chocolate and blue), and I found all of them from a wonderful site called Etsy.com.
I was first turned onto Etsy by another photographer. Etsy is basically a community of artisan businesses, whose products are all handmade and most of whom use all natural, earth-friendly, and/or upcycled materials for some or all of their creations. It's a great place to find things like handmade stationery, exquisite bath and beauty products, and all kinds of yummy food and gifts. Plus you can feel good about buying from them, as the people who advertise on etsy are almost always small, highly ethical businesses.
In addition to talking to brides, I also collected names at the show for a Free Engagement Session drawing I held earlier this week. I'm happy to announce that the drawing has been made and we do have a winner... now I'm just waiting to hear back from her to make sure she is able to accept the prize. I'll post her name and pictures from the E session soon!
For everyone else who entered, thank you SO much for your interest in my work. It was wonderful meeting you on Sunday, and I am so looking forward to your weddings! I encourage everyone whose wedding date is this year to contact me ASAP, so we can take the next step and make sure to secure my availability for your date!
Finally, although I wasn't able to get my sample in time for the show, I am very excited to be rolling out my new Couture Book wedding albums in the next couple week for this year's wedding clients. I should be receiving my sample book any day now, and as soon as I do I'll take pictures and post a complete description. For now, let's just say that I think these books are going to represent something truly unique and different among Bay Area photogaphers, and that the clients who get them should plan to be the envy of all their friends!
Lauren Cohn-Frankel, International Award Winning Wedding Photojournalist!
***FREE SECOND SET OF PRINTS FOR EVERYONE!***
(Scroll to the bottom for info on how to get your free second set of prints)
in honor of
HUGE news! Some of you have been reading this since early last year, when I posted about getting accepted into the Wedding Photojournalist Association or WPJA. It was (and is) an honor to be accepted--they accept you based on an evaluation of your work, and they have very strict standards. Less than 5% of people who apply get in.
One of the many perks of getting into the WPJA is entering the quarterly contests--entries must be fresh work, from weddings shot during the same year as the contest, and they are always judged by established, working photojournalists (not other wedding photographers). These are the guys whose images grace the cover of national news magazines and papers, who cover wars and conflicts, foreign affairs, politics, etc...You're considered a winner if you place between 1st and 3rd, but honorable mentions for 4th-20th place are also given. Thousands of images are entered each quarter, and having a winning image is a very big deal.
Well, I said all that to say this: I WON! Twice! (ie with 2 different images in two separate categories).
Here are the winning images:
Just winning alone would normally be enough, but some of the judges of this particular contest have been inspiring me and my work for more than 10 years! One of them in particular is Eugene Richards, who has authored numerous photographic books and projects on such diverse topics as breast cancer, drug addiction, emergency medicine, pediatric HIV and AIDS, the meat packing industry, and aging and death in America. Richards' work was a huge inspiration to me in college; his work became the inspiration for a lot of my own, including a solo show I did in my senior year called "Scars" which was laid out like the pages of a book; containing 20x30" prints and accompanying text pieces mounted along the gallery wall.
Another contest judge I admire was Lauren Greenfield, who directed the Emmy nominated documentary "THIN", aired on HBO, about the lives of young women struggling with eating disorders. The movie spotlights her own emotional journey through the Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, Florida, a residential facility dedicated to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia. It is a beautiful, touching film; and IMO any woman or man who has ever struggled with body image and weight issues (and who hasn't?) should see it.
The incredible team of judges also included Gary Knight, John Stanmeyer, and Ron Haviv. You can read bios of all the judges here, and see their work on the VII site here. It is such an incredible honor to be recognized by these photographers.
As for the images, the funny thing is that they are both from the same wedding! Kevin and Caitlin's wedding from September was SUPER fun, and the couple themselves are two of my favorite clients from this year.
About the cake smoosh image: Because the cake cutting is such a staple in wedding photography, the WPJA judges cake cutting images especially hard: contest rules for that category specify that entries should show a unique perspective, something beyond the usual "cutting and feeding" shots. Knowing this, I've been on the lookout for shots that I thought were unique enough to meet that standard, and with Caitlin and Kevin's shot I had a feeling even as I shot it that it might be the one. The judges' comments about my image praised it for good interplay between the main subjects and the guests in the background; Kevin as you can see is a real comedian and knows how to play to the crowd.
You can see all the winning entries for this quarter starting here (use the arrow buttons to more from image to image, and the drop down menu if you want to look at past contests or flip to another category). My winning images are here and here.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank Caitlin and Kevin for being such freaking awesome clients, subjects, and friends...and also thank you to all of my brides and grooms, for helping me to create work that I am proud of. Without you guys, this never would have been possible.
To express my thanks to all of you and in honor of my second place award, I'd like to offer anyone who places a print order from now until the end of January a FREE SECOND SET OF PRINTS! YAY! Just email me with the words "WPJA2" in the subject and the name of your event, and wait for my response, then you can go online and order like you would normally. Please wait for my response BEFORE you place your order!
(make sure to do it like I say above, sorry but I can't honor this on orders already placed or if you forget to wait for my response before you order. I also can't honor this on albums or anything else other than individual prints)
San Francisco Ferry Building, plus new featured weddings!
I just updated parts of my website with new pictures from this summer and fall's weddings! I added some new images to the main slideshow, and also replaced my old Featured Wedding with three new ones-- Jenny and Roy's wedding from 7/7/07, Stella and Phu's wedding from 7/01/07, and Tammy and Jamey's wedding from 10/6/07. One of my goals in updating the site was to make sure there was more representation of different ethnicities on my website; this year I've had the pleasure to be a part of some fabulous weddings from all parts of the cultural spectrum, and I wanted to make sure my site reflected that. I will be working on putting more new images into the main gallery sections later this winter.
I also want to announce that I will be participating in the Modern Bridal Fair at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco, on Sunday, January 6th. This chic event will showcase some of the best high end wedding vendors in the Bay Area, and I am thrilled to be a part of it! I am working on my booth design right now and should have some cool goodie packages to hand out, so if you are in the area that Sunday and you want to stop in and say hi, I'd love to see you.
Speaking of Tammy and Jamey, their wedding at the San Francisco Ferry Building was definitely one of the most beautiful, upscale events that I did this year, but between editing their pictures and getting ready for the show I realized that I never had a chance to blog about it! Well, better late than never...
Tammy and Jamey currently live in New York, but most of their family is in the Bay Area. Tammy and I exchanged emails for months leading up to the wedding, to make sure everything was in place--Tammy was a meticulous planner, yet I appreciated how she kept her easygoing attitude the whole time. This was a technically challenging wedding because of the lateness of the year: in October, the sun sets at around 6PM, and their ceremony was scheduled to start at 5:30. I knew we would have to rush out after the ceremony to shoot pictures of the bride and groom in the last bit of remaining light. Not being from the area, it was very important to Tammy to have a lot of iconic San Francisco pictures, and given the location of the Ferry Building, I knew we would not have to look far to find them. I have been perfecting my lighting techiques this year, so I was looking forward to finding creative ways to solve the problems that this wedding would present.
To light the outdoor, post-sunset images, I used a combination of natural light for some and judicious amounts of softened, bounced flash...I was able to utilize the environment to this end, bouncing my flash off of nearby white walls and the sides of trucks to create an impromtu softbox and a fashion lighting-type effect. Back in the reception, I used a couple off camera flashes and my Pocket Wizard radio slaves to illuminate people on the dance floor and at the head tables, while still retaining the atmospheric lighting and natural ambience in the background. This is a technique I find myself using more and more, as it allows a greater amount of flexibility in lighting and the results are much more dramatic and interesting than the standard bounced on-camera flash.
Tammy and Jamey were so cute together: in addition to being a naturally attractive couple, they just sparkled when they got around each other. We had done a short engagement session the night before, just prior to the rehearsal dinner; which helped them to understand what I wanted from them during the our time alone. By the time the actual wedding rolled around, they were well versed in letting themselves be caught up in the moment of being with each other...although I can't take all the credit for that, as I think they were just naturally susceptible to becoming lost in each other.
One of the highlights of the evening was a speech by best man Ladell Robbins, whose deadpan humor and sense of timing had everyone rolling. Another highlight involved the bride's grandmother, whose was celebrating her 95th birthday that weekend--the couple surprised her at the wedding by bringing out a cake and candles for her, and singing.
The wedding was catered and coordinated by Paula Le Duc--it was a real pleasure working with June and Tim, the onsite coordinators, who ran a very tight ship, and made themselves completely available to help us get the best shots we could (including Tim escorting myself and my second shooter up to the overhead balcony every single time we needed to get a shot from above). The food was amazing, and very artful--desserts included two "strawberry trees" (see below: these are fresh strawberries mounted on toothpicks around a palm leaf sphere, set atop a wooden branch planted in brown sugar "dirt", and with bowls of cream and sugar below for dipping), and miniature ice cream cones. The strawberries and cream were so good, when I got around to editing the images of them I actually couldn't resist taking a break from working to go to the store and buy myself the same ingredients for snacking.
There was a candy bar, and late night munchies in the form of miniature hamburgers. Flower decor was by Laurel Winzler--my first time working with her, she completely transformed the stark upper floor of the building into a warm, colorful atmosphere,. and was able to work with the lighting scheme so that the flowers and lights never competed, but rather complemented each other perfectly.
Tammy's hair was done by Arelis Pena, and makeup by Melissa Bugarin kept her looking flawless all night. The wedding was officiated by the Reverend Dr. Dorsey Blake, ceremony string music was provided by players from the SF Conservatory of Music , while the cocktail hour duo and dinner music band was led by Bob Marshall. After dinner was over, DJ David Carvahlo kept everyone dancing.
Here are some highlights:
strawberry trees
You can see more of Tammy and Jamey's pictures in the Featured Weddings section of my site, or their slideshow here.
Their full set of images from both the rehearsal dinner and wedding, will be available here in about a week.
Special thanks to Vic Valbuena, my second shooter at this wedding.
I'm in People Magazine!
This month, People Magazine came out with their first ever "Real Weddings" issue (appropriately colored cotton candy pink) and I was thrilled to learn that one of my weddings is featured in it! The issue is a collection of stories about ordinary people and their extraordinary weddings...my couple, Jeromy and Nicky Smith, and their "Lord of the Rings" themed wedding, can be found on page 47. Jeromy and Nicky exchanged replicas of the "rings of power" at the Smith's private estate in Yountville CA on June 24 2006, after which they were served pink champagne and hors d'oeuvres by Gandalf, Frodo, and Galadriel. Their wedding programs were also LOTR-themed and written in Tolkien-esque poetic verse.
I had a lot of fun telling Nicky that they wanted to interview her for the article. At the time of the wedding she was pregnant with their second daughter, who was born later that year; so I guess you could say her picture is in the magazine too. What a great 1st birthday present...I'm totally picturing her bringing the issue to show and tell. ; )
This was such a cool, unique wedding, and I'm overjoyed to have it seen by so many people. To see more pics from Jeromy and Nicky's wedding, click here.
New Website is Here!
I am so proud of this site! In addition to being much easier to update, and therefore consisting almost entirely of brand new work, it really represents a new era in the way I see my work.
Before I bought the site, I sat down tried to write out what exactly it is that characterizes my style of photography. This proved to be much harder than I thought--it's one thing to do it, it's quite another to be able to talk about it: I am so involved in my work that it was very hard to see it from the outside. But I got some feedback from Brian, who has seen my work evolve over the past 10 years and looks at everything I shoot, and that got me started in thinking about my work in a more detached way. I was able to make a list of all the things that I do well, those things that continually define my work and set me apart. Then I narrowed this list down to four key themes: real beauty, real emotion, real moments, and real decor; and divided all the images on the site into one of these four categories. I then wrote a "style" page that explains the four themes, what they mean to me and what they look like, and what they mean to those who hire me. And everything just kinda fell into place after that...
www.cohnfrankelphotography.com
Conquering the world one publication at a time...
This is going to be a great year for my business...well I mean hey it pretty much already is! I've been published again, twice, this time in conjunction with the Knot Northern California wedding magazine and website.
First is a full page article detailing the Sacramento Market Party which I shot back in November, featuring about 8-10 of my pictures spread out over the whole page. I shot this party for the knot hoping to meet some cool vendors and get a little publicity, I was thinking maybe a little blurb with one photo or something...but nope, I got a whole page! And photo credit right at the top of the article--in the first sentence! I really can't thank Alicia Davis, owner of Forever After Wedding Consulting, enough for hooking me up with this gig.
You can see the link to the web version here but the layout and pictures really are SO much better in the actual printed magazine...so if you are in the Northern CA area you can go to your local Barnes and Noble to check it out, or you can order a copy online (or stop by and look at one of my ten copies...).
Second, and I'm not really sure which is better, is that one of my images is in first position on the front page of the knot's Northern CA website!
One of the things you need to understand about most wedding magazines is that there is a difference between paid advertising and editorial exposure: pretty much anyone can pay to have an ad (up to a full page) in the magazine's advertising section, or in the "Find a Vendor" area on the website--many business do this to attract clients and book weddings, and there is nothing wrong with that. But when they start choosing your pictures voluntarily, for editorials and articles in the other sections of the magazine and online, it is a much bigger deal. Hundreds if not thousands of photographers submit work every year for every issue, and getting picked is quite an honor and represents, to me, that that photographer is really going places (or has been there already).
My next goal: to make it into the "Real Weddings" section, where the magazine profiles actual weddings using many images in a multipage article, including interviews with the bride and groom and credits to all the vendors (and all images supplied by the photographer). I think I'm getting close...
Anyway the link to that page is here but I've posted a screenshot below so you can easily see which image is mine.
Also I need to give a big shout out to Michael Cuckler and Helen Fisher--the bride and groom in the image, one of my coolest couples of all time.
Helen is also one of the brides I used in my paid ad in the Knot magazine and she is currently one of the first brides you'll see on my website. In case you haven't seen it yet, check out their wedding slideshow here. They were married in September of last year. 
Published in Here Comes the Guide and Span Magazine!
Here Comes the Guide is a great resource for wedding planning-- their "wedding locations and services" source book has some of the most comprehensive venue information of any industry publication, and among wedding coordinators it's about as popular as the Bible (and at least twice as thick) . Anyway, they recently did an article in their local wedding magazine about my friend and colleague Swati Kapoor, who I've shot for a number of times now--if you've read the other posts you'll know Swati is a fashion designer who makes unique and beautiful garments, including but not limited to custom designed one-of-a-kind wedding gowns. She creates her designs by blending Eastern (Indian, African) and Western styles, the result being something that transcends them all. Her designs are especially beautiful to photograph as they are often decorated with semiprecious stones and other sparkly bits that catch the light.
The article and Swati Couture's full page ad both feature images by Cohn Frankel Photography, and here I need to give a big shout out to both Swati and the editors at HCTG for the great job they did attributing a proper photo credit! The book is now sitting with pride of place on my studio desk and those of you who have upcoming meetings with me will, I'm sure, hear ALL about it when you come over. : )
A shorter version of the printed article can be seen here.
Here are some shots from a recent Swati Couture fashion show that I shot. You can see more pictures from the show, as well as from the rest of the huge upscale New Year's Eve party where it took place, here.
My pictures of Swati's work were also published in Span magazine, as part of an article they ran entitled "Coming of Age for the Indian American Community". The article focused on Swati and other Indian-American entrepreneurs in the Bay Area, describing they way in which they are making names for themselves in their chosen fields. It included a shot we did of her helping a client shop for clothes at her showroom in the east bay.
Its great to see Swati acheiving so much success and recognition--she certainly deserves it.
Published by AAC Perspective
Well as promised, my pictures of Swati's fashions got us both some exposure in the newsletter of the Academy of Art College. Which is nice, because art schools tend to be picky about the photography the use (with so many talented photographers at their disposal). Swati went to AAC and got her degree in graphic design. Hey, maybe I should see if California College of the Arts wants to do an article about their successful graduate...
Here's the article.
And now for something completely different: Swati Couture
A few weeks ago I attended a very special bridal show, one which caters specifically to Indian and Middle Eastern brides, called the Suhagg International Bridal Show. The dress and traditions of these weddings are very different from most American weddings as we know them, hence the need for a bridal show that specializes in them.
I shared a booth with my friend Neeta, from Mehndi Designer (see post below), which was neat because some of her clients got to see my work and vice-versa. There were two other photographers there, but I was the only photojournalist, and so my work really stood out. Everybody just LOVED my pictures. Anyway, at the request of the show coordinator I took some shots at the show of people's booths and put them online, after which I made contact with the vendors whose work was on there and (as I usually do) offered them use of the pictures free of charge, as a way of getting to know more people in this specific market.
One of the people who contacted me back was Swati Kapoor, a clothing designer who, under the design studio name Swati Couture, is fast becoming very well known for her blend of Eastern and Western styles. Her fashions include traditional Indian wedding gowns and other beautiful Eastern outfits, plus other formal and semi formal wear whose eastern influence ranges from the subtle to the sublime. She had recently opened up her new showroom in Milpitas and needed some good pictures of her new work ASAP for various publications and other marketing. She also needed some photos of the new showroom, including portraits of herself at work, for some of these articles. Could I do a fashion shoot with her?
Well, okay, I've done a bit of fashion before but not much. I'm not very into the idea of over-directing my subjects, working in a stuffy photo studio, or manufacturing a concept that is not there to begin with--my background, after all, is in photojournalism. But this sounded like fun, so I told Swati that I'd come over, shoot her dressing up the model as if she was a customer, and we'd see what we'd get.
Well I get there, and first off all, the studio is awesome, totally unexpected for the residential neighborhood that it is located in. The lighting and decor are minimalistic but glamorous, like something in a SOMA storefront, and Swati's made good use of the space. Second, the model, Oksana Koval, is absolutely gorgeous and incredibly talented. She needed very little direction from me and there was no worrying about getting her "good" side--both sides were equally good! She was also very quick to get into character and to anticipate my instructions before I even thought of them.
So we start shooting, and the clothes are just beautiful. Flowing lines, bright colors, all kinds of gorgeous detail. I had a lot of fun just doing the part of the shoot in the studio and found myself really inspired as to how to use lighting and composition to make the different outfits look different, even in the same exact space. But it was at the very end, when we went down the street to a local horse ranch do some final shots outdoors, that I really got into the zone. There are some shots that, when you take them, you just know they are going to be incredible, and the scene above with the cat on the post was one of those. It looks like something out of movie to me--Oksana looks dramatic, vulnerable, and glamourous, yet also kind of countryfied at the same time. I think it really makes a statement about the interesting juxtaposition that exists in Swati's designs between the ethnic peasant look often associated with this genre of fashion, and the glamour, beauty, and accesibility that her clothes exude.
By the end of the shoot I was having so much fun, Swati actually ended up kicking ME out! I wanted to stay and shoot more details--she had to go to a family dinner. I was so excited to see what we got, I stayed up late Friday night editing the shots--even with an early morning wedding the next day (don't worry, I still got 6 hours sleep and did a great job--I will probably post about this one next week).
This whole situation is a perfect example of worth of mouth marketing at its best. As a result of this shoot, Swati plans to hire me for her own family events, and reccomend me to just about everyone she knows, including her brides. I will also be getting photo credits in a number of articles coming out about her. She has ceased to be just a client, now she is a Customer Evangelist. I, in turn, am so happy with these shots that I will show them to everyone I know, and of course when they ask about the clothes, I will be evangelizing for Swati as well. Any photographer friends who need a model will be told about Oksana. I would never have gotten this job by bidding on it, competing with thousands of more experienced fashion photographers in the area--but now that I have these pictures, I could easily get more jobs like this if I wanted to at normal day rates. Plus, I have a new friend in the wedding business--something I can always use. And it cost all of us nothing but time (well, Oksana may have gotten paid...)
; )
Update--to see the full proofs from this shoot, click here.
Published on Party Spot
What a week--now I've been published! Party Spot is a new internet magazine dedicatd to Sweet Sixteen's, Quincenearas, Bar/Bat Mitzvah's, and other significant teenage events. A division of the knot, Party Spot offers advice and resources for planning these events, as well as feature articles about real events. I shot Amanda Aguilera's fabulous Quinceaneara last October, and when I was contacted by the site a few months ago about submitting work I knew that it would be perfect for their article.
The article is called "Real Quinces: Amanda in San Ramon, CA": similar to the "Real Weddings" articles in the knot magazine, in addition to my photos it features an interview with Amanda, descriptions of the decorations, the theme, and other details of the party. In the interview Amanda talks about how she made her day happen and gives planning advice to other girls and their families. Amanda and her family were totally psyched to have their words and faces in print, and of course I am honored to have my work noticed by the world's most well known wedding and event planning resource.
The best thing about working with Amanda and her family was how down to earth they are--despite being incredibly beautiful, and the focus of attention for this huge event, Amanda was far from the spoiled, frivolous stereotype of the sweet sixteen. She conducted herself with the grace and humor of a woman twice her age, and her family and friends were a pleasure to work with. This article is just the icing on the cake.
I can say I'm a bit surprised at the choice of photos Party Spot used. Out of approximately thirty they had to choose from, they picked nine. Most of them were among my favorites, but a few of the more "edgy" or ""artsy" ones (like those above) were passed over, perhaps predictably so. These are, of course, the ones I found most interesting, and I'm a bit sad to see they didn't make the cut-- like most artists, it is hard for me to give up that level of control.
Overall however I am very pleased with the format, and will be submitting more work later this summer for the Real Weddings features in the print magazine, as well as entering images in a number of contests (esp. those run by the WPJA). So keep your eyes out for more of Cohn Frankel Photography in print, and stay tuned to this blog to hear all about it.
I'm in!
I am extremely proud to annouce I have been accepted into the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA)! WPJA members include some of the most incredible, talented photographers out there, people I've admired for years, and now I'm one of them!
Membership in the WPJA is pretty exclusive--unlike a lot of photography organizations, you cannot pay to get in. Your portfolio and website are actually reviewed and must be deemed good enough quality, and concurrent with the philosophy of the WPJA, to get in. From their website:
"The Wedding Photojournalist Association is a highly screened, critical organization. Less than 5% of wedding photographers out there qualify for membership. "
and
"[WPJA is] an International, membership-based organization, represent[ing] professional photographers skilled in the documentation of weddings and events in a candid, unobtrusive style. The WPJA was founded to uphold excellence in the area of wedding photojournalism."
Less than 5% of wedding photographers qualify for WPJA membership.
Read that again:
Less than FIVE PERCENT of wedding photographers qualify for membership.
As you can see, I'm just a tad bit excited.
For more on the WPJA, including membership requirements, benefits, and the great article entitled "What is Wedding Photojournalism?", see their site. They have a seperate section for brides and grooms to help them plan the photography portion of their wedding, and regional listings for all members. But of course you won't be needing those--you already know who's going to shoot your wedding, right? ; )
Mehndi and Neeta Sharma
"Henna designing is a form of intricate painting that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is an ancient form of body art which has originated from the Middle East and India."
I know Neeta Sharma, owner of Mehndi Designer and author of the book Sangeet, from Mehreen Hussain and Asif Shah's fabulous wedding. Neeta is a Mehndi Artist--she uses Henna to create intricate designs on the hands and feet of her clients, many of whom are brides of Indian or Middle Eastern descent. Henna is "a dye procured from the tree Lawsonia inermis [which] stains the skin a mahogany color."
I met Neeta on Friday night, at the first of three different parties I was covering for this wedding--she had set up a small area in the corner of the room and was applying mehndi (another term for the decorative application of henna) to anyone who wanted it--of course I took a short break from shooting to get some myself! Looking over her books and photos of past work, I soon saw my opportunity-- I noticed there weren't many good quality photos. I immediately offered to help polish up her portfolio and she said yes!
The first shoot we did together was for another bride (slideshow below). It was incredible watching the whole process take shape--over 2 hours of work went into one bride's hands and feet! Henna is a very interesting substance--it goes on brownish, and you are supposed to let it stay on until the crusty part falls off (occasionally dabbing it with lemon to improve the color). Once this happens, the pattern is left behind on the skin as a light orange color--but what is so interesting is that it actually gets darker for the first few days you have it on.
Facts about Henna:
**"In the Middle East, women use henna to decorate their hands and feet. Men also use it as a dye on their hair and beard. Women apply henna on their hands and feet approximately once every two weeks. It is usually after the night prayer that most women dye their hands and feet.
**The role of henna goes much beyond cosmetic and aesthetic value. Henna has a deeper meaning to the women of India. The night before a wedding is known as the 'Night of Henna (Mehendi) when the bride's hands and feet are decorated in elaborate floral and fertility designs. On the henna night, relatives and friends (married as well as unmarried) of the bride gather at the bride's house. While henna is being applied the bride is enlightened about the mysteries of married life.
**There are many stories about the longevity of henna on the bride's hand. It is said that if the henna lasts longer on the bride's hands it indicates that the bride is treated well at her in-laws' place, sparing her from the household chores, at least on the first few days of her married life. The bride's mother feels a sense of relief when the daughter visits her few days after the wedding and still able to see the henna design on her daughter's palm.
**Henna has medicinal value too. It is considered an anti-irritant, a deodorant and an antiseptic. It is used by Ayurvedic physicians for the treatment of heat rashes and skin allergies and to cool the body against the intense heat of summers. Because of its cooling property henna leaves and flowers are made into lotions and ointments to be used externally for boils, burns and skin inflammations, including sores from leprosy."
Neeta's work goes far beyond bridal decoration--people hire her for many occasions. The second shoot we did together was decorating a 6 months pregnant woman's belly, in preparation for a birth blessing/baby shower she was having that weekend. In addition to the regular henna, Neeta added some glitter and rhinestones to the design. The end result was incredible:
Here you can see the slideshow I made for her, detailing the process of mehendi application. Or see it bigger here.
All quotes in this post are from Neeta's site, mehndidesigner.com.
Ipod's for everyone!
How cool is this? I am thrilled to announce a unique new product for my 2006 weddings: Engraved His and Hers 30GB Video Ipods with 300 of your best wedding images set to music in a beautiful slideshow! Using Apple's groundbreaking technology and streamlined design, you can take your wedding pictures (plus your favorite songs and videos) with you everywhere you go.
Later in the year, I am planning to introduce Ipod proofing into the mix. Here's how it would work: We shoot the Engagement session, and when your proofs are posted online you would receive your Ipod, populated with all 1-200 of the engagement shots and with numbers which correspond to those on the website so you can order reprints easily. Then on the wedding day you give the Ipod back to us, and we mail it to you a week later with all your wedding pictures added plus your slideshow. You could take it on your honeymoon! Alternatively, those with a little more computer know-how could keep the Ipod, and download the slideshow in podcast format from ITunes.
Image quality on these Ipods is gorgeous! They could replace the proof book as a portable, fun way of sharing your pictures with your friends and family, and of course the Ipods will have plenty of room left over for your own pictures, songs, and video!
Stay tuned for more on this innovative method of image sharing!
UPDATE: His and Hers Video Ipod Slideshows are now available free with our Level 6 package and above! For pricing information on the Ipods and all other packages, please email me!
New studio!!!!
Okay, well it's not THAT new (we've been here a month), but the blog is new, so I thought I'd brag a bit here. After working out of my home office and meeting clients at restaurants and Starbucks' for so long, it was time to get a place I could call my own. THIS IS IT! In a quiet, beautiful neighborhood, ten minutes north of Berkeley and 60 seconds from I-80, sits my new home, the front part of which has been converted into my new studio. I cannot express what a difference it makes to have a whole environment dedicated to my work --to have huge, beautiful prints on the walls, many albums and proof books on the shelves, and, best of all, a 32" flat screen TV to show my slideshows on!
I live and breathe photography, and in this environment my clients really get to see that. And it must be worth it, because I've been booking the overwhelming majority of clients who have come seen me here! Which is good, because I've already spent WAY too much money outfitting the studio and now I need to make some of it back!
