My Story
In no particular order, because that would just be too much 🙂
Okay, so I love analog photography because I’m old school
I learned photography on real film. My Dad enrolled me in a summer photography program when I was just 13 years old. He was a die-hard photography enthusiast who processed his own film and I needed to have something useful to do for the summer. So he figured a good photography class would do it. And he was right! I absolutely loved it. We were taught all the basic principles of composition, exposure, lighting, the decisive moment, how the film’s crystal halides work, and all the essentials of film photography, etc, etc. We had photography assignments then developed and printed our own work. Then at the end of the summer, we each mounted our best 3 photographs and had a little show at the mall.
When I pick up a film camera it’s an old friend
An old friend that I know very well. When I started Wendy G Photography, everything was 100% film. After a few years there were more and more murmurings about digital cameras. So I transitioned to professional digital gear. And after a few years of wrestling with digital files, photoshop actions, filters, and hours and hours and hours at my computer trying to make my digital images look as gorgeous as my film images, I went back to film. And I stuck with 100% film for several years. Then in 2014 I decided that I’d prefer to use digital photos for night time photos or dark indoor settings. Since then I’ve been what’s called a Hybrid Photographer. I shoot using film and digital cameras deciding what’s most appropriate based on what I’m photographing. But my love for film and the entire process of shooting with film will always remain.
I’m not just a photographer
Do you want to know more? Take the quiz! If you’ve been following me on any of my Social Media channels, you’d know at least half of these already.
- My favorite snack: (a) cheez-its (b) pickles (c) chocolate (d) trail mix
- My favorite person is: (a) Frederick Douglass (b) Jimmy Carter (c) my Mom (d) Ronald Reagan
- I have a graduate degree in: (a) Business (b) English Literature (c) Medicine (d) Fine Art
- My 1st International trip was to: (a) Mumbai (b) Medellín (c) Kinshasa (d) Paris
- Most beloved hobby: (a) baking (b) knitting (c) painting (d) roller skating
- All time favorite ice cream flavor: (a) strawberry (b) pistachio (c) chocolate (d) butter pecan
- My favorite dog breed: (a) Poodle (b) Boston Terrier (c) Pomeranian (d) Golden Retriever
- I don’t trust people who say they don’t like: (a) traveling (b) fried chicken (c) children (d) all of the above
- In high school I was a cheerleader. (a) True or (b) False?
- In college a ran for Senior Class President. (a) True or (b) False?
Go to the bottom of my Contact Wendy G page for the answers
The latest Blog posts…..
Being a Wedding Photographer in New York City was far from my dreams when I first moved to Manhattan. Like many people, I moved here after my education in pursuit of a job. I fell in love with NYC at the same time I fell in love with photography. And I was photographing people and their pets; small events; silent auctions; portraits of my friends and family….. I literally had photographed everyone I knew and needed more of a challenge. So I thought photographing weddings and portraits for other people would do it. And it worked! I started photographing weddings in NY way back in 2002. My best friend was about to be a bride and I went with her to meet a potential wedding photographer. He was so incredibly kind and generous. So gracious, he allowed me to take photos at my best friend’s wedding, even though I was the maid of honor. He taught me how to use a light meter and I used those photos on my first website. Then a few months later my cousin got married in Jamaica and I was their official Destination Wedding Photographer in Jamaica. Even though I was doing it for free, I put my heart and soul into it. I spared no expense or ounce of creativity. They loved the photos and it made a really beautiful wedding album.
Fast forward about 18 months and now my wedding photography website with 2 weddings has gone live. I’d figured out some of my costs and my wedding photography products and pricing was organized. Then a lovely young couple in love hired me — my first paid wedding photography gig. I was thrilled! The wedding was in East Williamsburg Brooklyn at a cool rooftop venue. Their entire wedding day was magical…. for the couple, for their guests, and yes, you guessed it, even me the wedding photographer. I’d just learned about submitting work to wedding magazines and to my surprise, The Knot magazine was interested in publishing photographs from that wedding. Yeah! Images from my very first paid wedding graced the pages of one of the biggest Wedding Magazines, The Knot.
That summer I spent photographing all sorts of interesting weddings all over New York City. One was an outdoor garden wedding in Queens and my dad was my photo assistant who actually captured some cool photos. It was my dad, BTW, who got me interested in photography in the first place when I was just 13 years old :-). Another wedding was at a hip downtown art gallery in the NYC Meatpacking District back when that area still smelled a lot like meat. There were other memorable weddings that summer too. At one wedding my mom was my photo assistant and sometimes she would tell me to take a certain photo. Mom’s are like that, right? And every time she pointed a special moment out, she was right! LOL
All these NYC weddings happened back in 2004 and I’ve been growing Wendy G Photography into a Fine Art Wedding and Portrait Photography business ever since. I’ve learned soooo much from my couples and all of their weddings I could write a book. But instead I love giving helpful tips and pointers along the wedding planning process. From the booking, the engagement session, preparing for the wedding day, on the wedding day itself, and after the wedding when it’s time to curate the images for the album and design the layout. I’ve learned how much work and love and late nights and even some stress my couples experience as they approach their wedding day. I’m right there for my couples and I just want to do whatever I can to make their experience more lovely and less stressful.
Here are some ways that I come alongside my couples to serve them:
- I really believe that the wedding day should not be a photoshoot. You are to enjoy your loved ones and be in the moment. Wedding Photography should fit within the overall structure of your day.
- I believe that I’m here to serve my couples. So I come prepared with a timeline and with lots of ideas but I’m open to their ideas as well.
- I believe that I need to be a good citizen and get along with all the other vendors. The Wedding Planner, Videographer, Florist, etc all want to do their best work, just like I want my wedding photography to be my best work. I’m gonna be a friend to EVERY vendor for the sake of my couple.
- I believe the Filmmaker or Videographer needs to have their time for great shots and footage too, both candid and artistic moments.
I am Wendy G, The New York Wedding Photographer for couples who want beautiful wedding photographs without needing to pose, perform, or do anything unnatural. I just want you to enjoy your wedding day and I’ll take care of capturing those moments artistically.