Favorite Wedding and Senior Portraits of 2016 | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

Listening to the repeated pops and booms of backyard fireworks in San Antonio, Texas as 2016 draws to a close and New Years' 2017 looms, it's a good time to reflect upon and share my favorite images from 2016. I am definitely looking forward to 2017 as another year of awesome people and creating unique artwork authentic to themselves, bringing the best wedding photography and high school senior portraits to my clients in Rochester, NY, western New York and beyond! These photos are presented in roughly chronological order.

What I see in this collection is I love moments-- epic moments, funny moments, emotional moments, loving moments, even routine moments. And it is these moments, visualized in an authentic manner, that will have far more value in the future than the coolest filters or copy-cat poses.

Love from both moms during the ceremony at Kelli + Matt's wedding

Lots of wind + outdoors ceremony + long veil = laughs when it drifts into her face ;)

For Sarah and Toby's engagement photos, we went to the very bar / lounge where they met for the first time, with the two friends who introduced them!

The "crew" poses for an old-fashioned style portrait. I shot this on peel apart "polaroid" instant film.

A wedding in the Little Theater demands a fun pose in the seat. And Sarah and Toby are definitely fun people!

How low can you go? I love the perspective on this one

Sometimes I even do professional headshot portraits... Cate came to me to freshen up her portfolio.

Deanna came to me for authentic senior portraits, because she and her mom both were tired of the usual studio portrait style photos that so many get. They wanted unique photos that showcased her passions and talents.

Megan + Jim were just so much fun to shoot their engagement photos with at the marina

Mandi + Daniel are excited to be finally married!

A tearful toast from Mandi's sister

The cutest little photobomb ever!!!

Nicole and Ryan making some epic engagement photos together.

Isabelle's senior portrait was equestrian themed. We teamed up with Brie and Sam to make some artistic photos to capture this big part of Izi's life.

Towards the end of the session, we made a polaroid instant photo that was more artistic in mood. This is a scan of the resulting negative

Several things had lead up to the making of this photograph. First, I had worked with Lowell's two older sisters to do their high school senior portraits, and second, the only family portrait print that Lowell's parents (they own a company together) have hanging in their office is an "old west" costume prop photo. At this point, a still somewhat experimental process for me, Lowell had agreed to try out a collodion wet-plate photograph. This is the same process for creating a photograph as used in the 1850's. This type of photograph requires a darkroom on the spot, to make the plate and develop it, all within a 15 minute timeframe. Truly "instant" photography! 

The rest of Lowell's senior portraits were still pretty cool

While readying for Alex and Robin's wedding, Robin's father came into the room and there wasn't a dry eye there when he saw her for the last time before her marriage.

Alex checking out the goods on his new wife Robin ;)

Well loved by family and friends

I love the simplicity of this moment of Alyssa's mom putting the final touches on her daughter's wedding preparation.

Alyssa looking elegant

Sam unfortunately had an accident a few weeks before the wedding and was in a back brace.. combined with plenty of time between the ceremony and reception for pictures, and Sam only able to stand for 15-20 minutes at a time... it was the perfect opportunity to try something that only a handful of modern photographers today ever even attempt: A collodion wet-plate tintype at a wedding. Because of the setup and time needed, almost all eschew this process. Alyssa and Sam were willing to take the 15 minutes needed to create this unique photograph that will last longer than their lives.

Alyssa and Sam's first dance

Epic dance party time!

Cristina being helped prepare by her mom

Cristina and Nick were cool enough to let me have another go at a collodion wet plate / tintype at their wedding.

"No Pam, this is not a good time to call.. I'm getting married!" (it was a telemarketer selling, but from our half of the conversation, it sounded far more salacious)

So cute to see Emma Lou dropping the flowers for Lisa's walk down the aisle

Family photojournalism. They love playing music together.

Niagara Falls love. The very spot where Lisa and Zach got engaged.

Zach being, well, Zach

Epic underwater engagement session with Sapna and Ryan!

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This next section is my personal work.. which in 2016 was mostly my kids. We traveled together quite a bit more than 2014/2015, thus there was a lot of interesting events to photograph above and beyond their amazing year of growth.

Typical evening at the Welsh house

Biking bandits

Elliott wanted a turn with the chick

No diving

Firsts:
-boating
-visiting Maine
-fishing
-fishing with my Uncle, something I did when I was their age
-catching a fish

Fearless

While this stunk in the moment-- it is part of the experience of being a parent. We were waiting for the fast-food seafood restaurant at York Beach, Maine, to make our order.. but little Elliott was hungry and tired and upset he couldn't have the whole cup of watermelon chunks at once.

My boys started soccer this year

And remember to spread a little love for 2017!

Thank you for a wonderful year, all of you.. and all of your support. As most of my clients are referrals, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with me. I am grateful for your kind words.

-- Andrew