Harry & Margie

Just back from Virginia. My wonderful sister Margie was married to Harry Lee on Sunday. The wedding was small and intimate with just immediate family present. It was a beautiful afternoon and the whole thing went off without a hitch. It was really very nice... I usually hate weddings because they're generally too formal, too long and too stuffy. Theirs was fairly brief and wonderful.

I was the designated photographer. These are just a few unedited random snaps--don't judge my wedding skills on these!

The vows...

Margie and Harry at the reception...

Wanting to make this day special, I dragged a ton of lighting equipment to the affair hoping to take some beautiful group portraits. As soon as the service was over everyone was running for the door. I was once again reminded (for the ten thousandth time) that most people really don't like having their picture taken. If I snap more than a few frames they start to complain..."Why do you take so many?" And they sigh with disgust, "Another one?" They roll their eyes and make faces and slump and complain. This isn't just my family, it's everyone. If I had a dollar for every time someone has said, "I really don't like having my picture taken," or, "I don't look good in photos," I'd be a millionaire. I want to scream out, "Shut up! I have to shoot a lot because you're going to blink in 75 percent of the photos and you're going to give me fakey unrealistic smiles in 90 percent of the shots, so shut up and let me shoot. I might just get a good one. And take that damned mint out of your mouth so your face won't be contorted." Damn what a pain in the ass. Now, this was a wedding with only twenty people attending so it was fairly painless. I can't imagine shooting 200 and trying to get a few good frames of each one of them.

A few times during the evening someone said, "Gee Steve, you may have found your calling. Move back to Virginia and become a wedding photographer." To which I replied, "I'd seriously rather blow my brains out," and I wasn't kidding. I'd sooner shoot myself.

After the wedding and my SHORT photography break, we went to a great little Italian restaurant in downtown Fairfax called Bellissimo. Amazing!

http://www.bellissimorestaurant.com/lunch-menu.htm

The the service was incredible and the food was as good or better than any Italian I've had in New York City, and that's saying a lot. Truly great!