Julia & Essex | The Sofitel from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

Lisa & Ian | Studio Nine Destinations from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

We love the Ritz-Carlton! Such an amazing place with amazing light! This end-of-evening slideshow is one of my favorite since it has such a definitive style and feel to it.
I was taking photos while it was playing and when it ended I heard someday say, “How did they do it so fast?”

Claudia & Chris | Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

This was our first end-of-evening slideshow we produced! We projected the slideshow on a large screen for all to see. The slideshow ended and the room was in shock! Nobody moved for what felt like forever. Then the place erupted in applause and we knew we were onto something great.
The Loews is a favorite spot of ours with its amazing art-deco design, massive windows, and lots of photographic options to choose from.

Gabby and Rob at the Loews Hotel from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

We are now offering a new look. . . or should we say old look?
It looks like film. Feels like film. Except it’s HD video.

Vintage 8mm Film ! from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

How Soon is Now???

Some reaction footage from our shoot in Grand Cayman. We pulled an all-nighter to produce a killer 10-minute photo+video+multimedia slideshow. We gave out iPods and DVDs like candy!

Instant Gratification | The Sunday Brunch from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

Our five-day shoot in Grand Cayman last month was amazing! Chase, Alex, and I went with the idea that we were to create a masterpiece for Lisa and Ian. We spent months planning the shoot and edit: we photographed them in Central Park, scanned hundreds of old family photos, researched the best music, and created a pre-edit in order for us to create our photo+video+multimedia slideshow by Sunday morning. We shot with two HD cameras, one 8mm film camera, 4 digital still cameras, and one underwater photo+video camera! Chase and Alex went the distance on this one, working around the clock to have an amazing edit ready for the Sunday brunch. In all, we presented a 10-minute photo+video+multimedia slideshow on a TV for all to see, we gave out two iPods — one to the bride and groom and one to the parents of the bride — and DVD copies to family and friends!

Below is a cut of one of the three segments: the interview we shot on our snorkeling “excursion”. I love how the interview tells their story as a couple. I stole the idea from the movie When Harry Met Sally!

Lisa & Ian | Grand Cayman Islands from Studio Nine on Vimeo.

Here are some images…
The first is from the roof overlooking the entire hotel. Grand Cayman has no mountains so it is very flat and open, unlike many other Caribbean Islands.

Part of why I love what i do is taking the initiative and creating experiences for my clients. We had a few free hours so we asked around and discovered the best snorkeling beach. I rented snorkel gear for all of us and off we went to Cemetery Beach! Literally next to a cemetery!

This is a page from Lisa and Ian’s album pre-design. I bought an amazing underwater camera that takes both photo+video. Perfect for our multimedia needs! I learned how to use it in about an hour. I was very impressed with the quality of this little thing and how it looks and feels like a regular point and shoot, but it can go underwater! I am offering my clients the option to rent this for the honeymoon! They can give as some footage to edit to complete their story!!

Later that evening, we went on a sunset cruise on The Spirit of Calypso, Jacques Cousteau’s son’s boat, which is part of an underwater education society located on the island.


We caught an amazing sunset. How many times have I witnessed a magnificent sunset and considered how lucky I am that all the variables fell into place and I was given the opportunity to witness such an amazing sight? That mighty cloud perfectly placed caught and diffused the garish sun to make this image something special, a full page spread in their album.

The next night we went to the beach early so we could take portraits and grab a few setup shots of the soiree on the beach. The Ritz did it up right!

I love these images of Lisa and Ian! So fun!


The next day, the ceremony!


I love this shot of Lisa right after the ceremony. Randy is on the left. He is an amazing person who works at Kleinfeld’s in New York. Romona is a fab hair stylist who works out of New York as well. They made a great team!
The party was a riot. At the end of the reception, the band led everyone into the Afterglow room!


Jello shots all around!

It’s been forever and a day since I last wrote. After a complete overhaul of the studio’s computer system, including a new mainframe hard drive system, two new computers, one new laptop, we are now ready to burn through a staggering amount of photo+video+multimedia, and I am ready to get back to keeping up with the blog!

Kira and Noah’s wedding was at Sherman Mills, a very unique, urban location in East Falls.

Lindsay Landman of Lindsay Landman Events did the planning. The band was called The Union, out of New York City.
The florals were arranged by Flower Sculpture, Marie Huss. The wedding dress was by Badgley Mischka from Mark Ingram Bridal Altelier.

We were so lucky since the weather was perfect. The day unfolded beautifully. At the end of the night, we presented Kira and Noah with our video iPod kit to take with them on their trip, complete with iPod, charger, headphones, a splitter so they can both listen at the same time, and lots of music that I found online at archive.org.

I adore this image! The shadow detail of the dress on the floor is stunning.

This was their first seeing each other at the Four Seasons. Luckily, no one was out there!

We then went to the Waterworks area and took these shots on the newly built stairs that connect the Art Museum with the Waterworks.
I look forward to the construction being completed; when all done, it really will be amazing!

This is one of my favorite images. The camera / lens do not make the photographer, but without my 85mm 1.2 on my Canon 5D, I do not think I would have gotten this shot. I hope to submit this for competition.

I photographed the chupa on my back using my Fuji S5 with my trusty fisheye lens.

The bride walking down “the aisle”…

Details of the space, as transformed by Lindsay and Marie Huss…

The hora is probably the most intense photographic experience one can have. We shot over 200+ images with three different cameras in the span of three minutes!

Thank you, everyone, for making this such a great event!

—jonathan

For the third time in as many months, I scouted a location for a shoot then watched a movie that used the same location.
This time it was “The Mall” in Central Park. The movie was Vanilla Sky. The scene was a dream sequence wit Penelope Cruz walking away from Tom Cruise.
I love this image, shot with the 5D with the 16-35 f/2.8 lens. Super wide angle. I held the camera above my head so that we can see the vanishing point of the two lines. Just this little difference changes everything. POV…point of view. Even just a few inches changes everything. I like to “dance” with the camera to find that exact point in space that best articulates the majesty of the scene…

Since Lisa and Ian were a bit nervous for the shoot, I told them that I am not a “poser”, that I want them to feel relaxed and natural and fun.
So I told them to dance!

We walked down The Mall towards Bethesda Fountain. We found this amazing archway…I love the people at the top, their forms mimicking those of Lisa and Ian…We thought about cloning them out, but this is part of the scene so they stayed in!

I love this series! I took about 60 shots here that will be animated to show movement when we make their final DVD Slideshow

We walked on to the south part of the park to one of the cool rocks that grace the park. They make such great natural vistas…

We then took a cab down to an amazing bar called 230 Fifth, with 15,000 square feet of deck space. Who do we see but Naked Cowboy himself. He just got done shooting a commercial. I sneaked this shot of him without looking.

A wide shot of the bar…It was so cold and the rain was on it’s way, but the company was wonderful and the food and drinks hit the spot!

We went inside to get warm and captured this fun shot using just candlelight…

For me, the engagement shoot is, of course, about images, but it is also about getting to know one another, about being present in a moment together and having fun!

Thank you , Lisa and Ian! Looking forward to your wedding next month in Grand Cayman!!

A day at the beach, the park, the mountains, a summer bbq with all of your family together…the options are limitless!
“Lifestyle Portraiture: creative environmental portraits in fun locations”!
Below are some sample images…

This is a previous post about my niece Sadie the day she was born! We now offer photo + video for our “Year from Now” option: 4 sittings spread across one year! We will have a sample ready for Sadie this summer when she finally turns one!

Here are a few canvas prints we created that just arrived in the studio! They look amazing! The image is printed directly on canvas then stretched to fit around a wood frame. No need to buy a frame.