Patrick Sweeney Photography

Ok I decided to play around with a video montage today.  I am not sure if people realize that we do video as well.  I put this little clip together really quick just to see what it looks like.  Nothing fancy but here is a little sample

This is Jane and Stephen. My Key West couple from Florida

Jane & Stephen's Wedding from Patrick Sweeney Photography on Vimeo.

Sorry I didn't mean to leave Rocky out of the title.  He was key that day.  He met some new friends in the park and some I think he wanted to eat and some to play with.

Well lets move on to Tiffany and Mike.  I have to tell you, it is so difficult taking pictures of a couple  like this.  Ha!  Talk about an easy task.  I don't think there was one picture that they weren't smiling for.  I could of done a toothpaste commercial they were smiling so much.  You have to love that.  A couple that is so in love and enjoys being around one another.  Or maybe it was Rocky?  Hmmm I will have to wait and let you all know after I shoot their wedding pictures now.  So be sure to keep checking back.  

I could of photographed this couple all day but Rocky was getting a bit tired by the end.  All his new friends and all sniffing around him, he just wanted to lay down in the back of the car and go for a ride. 

I really can't wait for Tiffany and Mike's wedding.  The main reason being, I have to see if Rocky carries the rings or not.

I really don't know how I am going to start this post.  I chose these pictures from Danielle and Jim's wedding for a couple of reasons.  One I like the photos and two I wanted to show emotion of a wedding day that is so often missed.  I looked through all the photos that were taken that day and WOW I was blown away by how much emotion there was surrounding this wedding.  I mean there is at every wedding but some of these shots just made me say WOW.  

For starters there is Jimmy's reaction as the doors in the back of the church open up and he sees Danielle for the very first time looking more beautiful then he has ever seen her in his life.  

My favorite picture of the day.  Dad shaking Jim's hand as he gives away his daughter. Just look at dads face.  You can't pose that.  Look at the grooms face, and the bride and the best man and the people in the background.  I just love this photo so much.  I can take this picture 100 times a year and I probably will never capture it the way it was captured here.  A split second later and dads eyes are open and it doesn't have the same impact.  A second earlier and maybe you can see how tight he is holding onto his soon to be son in laws hands.  To me this is just a special shot.

The laughter in Jimmy's face as we have some fun with the bride being fed grapes.  Again you can't pose the laughter and the look on Danielle.  I was laughing just as hard as Jimmy was after I took the shot.  

The first dance.  You can't see their faces but you can feel the love of these two on the dance floor just by the way they are holding each other.  I can get this type of shot thanks to Magic Moment DJ's because of their lighting and smoke machine set up for their first dance.  

Thanks guys for being yourselves and not letting the stress and pressure of a wedding day get to you.  

I can't remember the last time I was at Nanina's In The Park and it didn't rain that day.  It was fine all day as Joy was getting dressed and we took some photos outside of the house where she was getting dressed.  Then the church went fine and smooth and the couple had their champagne toast and not a cloud in the sky.

Then there was the drive from the church to Nanina's.  The ground was wet everywhere but the sun was still out.  I was saying to myself, not again!  Well it was a bit wet when we got there but Joy and Joe were troopers and I was able to get some amazing shots of this couple.  I got such good shots that I have already ordered a large print for myself of one of these shots.  

I had such a blast doing these photos and using these grounds and was so happy that the couple was into it as well.  

Thanks Joy and Joe for letting me be part of your day and thanks for having such a fun bridal party and family.  What a family it was.  Joe's father was his best man which I thought was really great.  I have only seen that one other time in my 16 years doing weddings.   Joy had probably the most brothers in sisters I have say at a wedding, or anyplace else for that matter.  Her parents had 9 children.  Joy's mom is my hero.  

A great place to shoot and a great couple and wonderful bridal party and family really makes my life so simple and I can make all their lives simple the day of a wedding. What more can a photographer ask for?

The GWB Challenge is a walk, bike and run for The American Cancer Society.  Awhile back one of my brides bridesmaids had asked me if I would be interested in photographing it. How could I say no?  So after a wedding on friday and a wedding on saturday I got up at 5am to go and photograph this event.  At least i got good parking.  Ok so finally I was awake and so were about 1500 other people.  Runners, bikers and walkers, contestants from the show "The Biggest Loser" and most of all cancer survivors.  There was a table just for survivors to sign up and have their photo taken so they can see themselves year after year and pretty much remind themselves hey, I am still here.  At least that is what one survivor had said to me as she pointed out her photo in this book that they sign from last year.  

So here I thought I would take shots at the starting point in Fort Lee Port Authority parking lot and maybe walk down over the bridge with some of the walkers and then come back and get the shuttle bus to the picnic and finish line and take more photos there.  Well down the ramp I went onto the bridge as the bikers led the way followed by the runners and there I was walking down the ramp heading to the NY side as they were already on their way coming back.  So as I made my own u-turn and walked back over the bridge and headed back, down the walkers came and yes back over the bridge I went for a second time. 

Then this photographer thought it would be fun to walk with people on the route and take photos along the way.  Ok before I knew it I was stuck on the route with the 10k walkers.  Oh man what did I get myself into?  Well finally crossing the finish line myself there was my in laws, my father in law who walked the 5k who is a cancer survivor himself. My mother in law who was handing out cards ( cards that tell people how to view the pictures online)  My wife who was another photographer there that day was snapping my picture and cheering me on with some others that were just standing around cheering people on as the crossed the finish line.  I thought to myself, I am tired and I carried all this equipment for 6 miles, my back is killing me and I just want to go home.  Then I thought for a minute and realized where I was. That was nothing compared to what most of these people went through.  Not just the survivors but the family members of the people that had lost their battle with cancer.  I know what the family members had gone through and are going through.  I am one of them.  

I have my photos online from the challenge.  The cards were handed out at the event for people to view and yes, to purchase.  All money that is brought in from that event will be donated back to the American Cancer Society.  I know it might not be a lot, and I am sure they could raise millions of dollars and it wouldn't make a dent in the research.  I don't know how much actually goes bot the charity, and I really don't think they will find a cure in my lifetime but it's a start on my part.  I hope to do this again in years to come.  

To view the photos of the event you can go to my website.

www.patricksweeneyphotography.com

Under Menu, click view and event.

The username is GWB09

The password is 4915