headshots, e-session & senior

We had all kinds of things going on last week! My favorite thing about our photography business is meeting all of these different people. It is always a pleasure meeting people and getting to work with them. Most often we get to see them smile and make them laugh, which even makes it more enjoyable. Our photos are all about the people in them, so we strive to make it a fun experience.

Last week we did some headshots, another e-session on Mt. Washington and a senior shoot (with action shots!): Meet Kaori, Liz & Jim and Grant. Thanks to all of you for working with us! It is our pleasure...

Kaori:




Liz and Jim:




Grant:

Happy Birthday B (Bridget)!

Friday, September 22, 2006 was Bridget's bday! We had some friends and family over for a cookout, which included Beer Can Chicken, Chicken Breast, Ribeye, Corn on the Cob, Seasoned Potatoes and of course Cake and Ice Cream. Bridget's father, Dave, and his wife Judi were in from Florida for the weekend, so that made it extra special for Bridget. We all ate until we could eat no more, sang and had cake and ice cream and then made a fire in our fire pit outside. We had the iPod cranking out great tunes all night while we hung around the fire. It was an Awesome 1st night of Autumn. It was great to relax too, because we were very busy with shoots last week. I will post more on these later.

Anyways, here are a few shots from the evening. Happy Birthday b! I love you.

The cake


The Grill


Bridget, Dave and Brayden


Mommy, Christian and Brayden


Pap Pap, Brayden, Bridget, Christian, Grammy


Damon, Alonzo and Stonepa during the singing of Happy Bday!


Make a Wish

Jamie and Nathan - The Album

Whooooshhh... That is the sound of this week. We have been extraordinarily busy this week with different shoots, print orders, album orders, appointments, etc... It truly is a blessing. We are so thankful for all that has been going on with our business.

An area that we have been focusing on is the importance of a Wedding Album. When we first started our business, we did not put too much thought into albums. Then after putting a few together, we realized the importance of them. An album is a true documentary of the day. We also really want our work to be presented in a way that can be cherished forever, so it is a win win situation!

Since Jamie and Nathan were married last Saturday, we rushed this one to the top of the list while they are still in everyone's mind! We have also started work on a few other albums, so check back often for the slideshows.

This slideshow is a 10x10 flushmount layout. Enjoy!

Click the picture to watch the show:

E-Session @ Station Square

On Sunday we had a great engagement session with Susan and Michael at Station Square. Their wedding is on October 21! This was the first opportunity we had to meet Michael. After knowing Susan, I had no doubt that he would be a great guy. He verified that. As you can see from the images, that these two are Naturals in front of the camera. I always tell my couples that the images look best when they do not look contrived. I try to find an area with good light and tell them to forget I am there! Sometimes it is hard :-) when you look up and I am across the way with a big zoom lense on. haha.. After the first few moments though, they get the idea and it 'just works'!

At one point, I had a man say, 'Excuse me. Is that couple truly in love or are they just models?' I laughed and said, 'Both!' Haha, they are not really models, but they absolutely could be!!!

We are really looking forward to the wedding now! Thanks for coming out with us!

A few from the day:

Jamie + Nathan

We had a wonderful weekend! If you keep up with the blog, you know that we welcomed our new nephew, Dylan to the family for one. Secondly we shot the wedding of Jamie and Nathan who are very special to us! Jamie's family has been a part of my life for many years and having the pleasure of shooting her wedding was an honor.

The day started off at the Renaissance Hotel across the river from PNC Park. First class, all the way! They had two rooms on the top floor, one of which included the balcony overlooking the city. It was such an ideal spot for getting ready! Jamie was so elegant and beautiful. Everything was detailed perfectly and she walked through the day with amazing grace. It was so much fun seeing the anticipation and emotions she went through. We were so glad to be there to get them all :-)

They were married at St. Anne's Church in Mt. Lebanon, PA. After the ceremony, we made a quick stop on Mt. Washington and then headed to The Priory, Pittsburgh's Grand Hall. What an amazing venue! Absolutely gorgeous. Jamie and Nathan also selected a few other 'top of the line' vendors. Videography by Gordon and Barbara Schu and the sounds were by DJ Spike Real. These people are so great to work with. So, if you ever need videography or DJ services, look no more. Be sure to tell them davidburke photo sent ya ;)

We just want to say 'Thanks' to Jamie and Nathan for trusting us to capture their day. Many blessings to both of you and enjoy your honeymoon!!

Be sure to check back soon for a slide show!

Here is what we saw:


















*That handsome boy with the top hat is my son Damon!*




This picture speaks volumes to me. Jamie dancing with her father, Ralph. This was a very touching dance because they selected a song as a dedication to Jamie's mother. Joyce, Ralph's love and Jamie's mother, passed away earlier this year. Being so close to the family, trying to shoot with dry eyes was more than a challenge. Seeing Jamie's smile and Ralph's tenderness is timeless.

Aunt and Uncle again!

Bridget's brother Darren and his wife, Erin, are proud to announce their new bundle of joy!!!

Dylan Darren Schumacher

was born Saturday September 16, 2006 @ 4:01PM. He weighed in at 8lbs 11oz and is 21.5 inches long. Mom, Dad and Dylan are all doing fine. We are so happy to have a new nephew in our lives!! Check out the head of hair he has... We love you guys! Congratulations and God Bless you all...

Slideshows

Our slideshows have been a huge hit for us! Our clients (present and future), family, friends, etc... have really enjoyed them. We are working on a few things to make them even better and more accessible. While we do this, please enjoy this one!

Click the pic to see the show!

Saturday Sept 9, I shot another great wedding with Heather Lahtinen. Be sure to check out her blog for details and some more fantastic images!

I linked to this image I took on her blog:


This weekend, Bridget and I are headed to Pittsburgh's Grand Ballroom for another fabulous wedding! Stay tuned.

September 11, 2006

Watching the 9-11 special on CBS last night took me right back to 9/11/2001. Seeing the horror unfold again, especially from the point of view of some camera men and firefighters, left me speechless. I can only imagine what it was like to actually be in the midst of it all. The bravery of those men is unparalleled.

It is hard to believe that it has been 5 years since the attacks. I don't think a day goes by where I don't remember and think about it. I remember being huddled around a 6-inch black and white TV with my co-workers trying to interpret everything that was happening that day. When we turned on the TV, the second plane was just about to hit. At that point we all knew that it was no accident. Somebody really wanted to kill innocent people. Unbelievable.

Watching those buildings fall was very surreal to me. I have only been to NYC once and that was April of 2001. It felt like I was just there on top of Tower 2, in awe of the structures and the amazing views from upon there, while they collapsed.

Today, I pray for the families of those taken and for the survivors that were among the attacks that day. I thank all of the heroes for being so selfless in doing what they do. God Bless.

Happy Times at the World Trade Center - This is how I like to remember NYC:

Me on top of Tower 2 in April of 2001

Photography

We have been bad bloggers lately. In a way, it's a good thing, because that means we have been very busy! Between Family and work we have been tapped for spare time!

Anyways, this post is about my favorite thing... Photography! I get a lot of questions from people about photography. The number 1 question is 'What is the best camera for X amount of money?' The second question is 'How can I make better pictures?'

In all honesty, you can take fantastic pictures with a disposable point and shoot. Most of the time it has very little to do with the camera. It is the person behind it that works the tool. :-) At any rate, here are my answers:

1. Best Camera: Buy the best camera you can afford. If you cannot afford an entry level Digital SLR such as the Nikon D50, D70s or the new D80, look for higher end Point and Shoot cameras. The Digital SLR is your best bet, because there is very little shutter lag (delay once you press the button to take a picture) and you can buy different lenses to suit your needs. Good lenses are very expensive as well. So if you cannot afford Nikon glass, look into Sigma or Tamron with Nikon Mounts. You want to buy at least a 2.8 aperture lense. These are considered fast, because they let more light in. One of the best bangs for the buck is the Nikon 50mm 1.8 Lense. This lense is about $100 and possibly could be the best $100 you spend on photography. I have this lense and use it often. It is a wonderful piece of glass.

2. Better Pictures: There are three KEY ingredients that make an image, from the camera point of view. Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO. I won't go into all of the details, but that is how a camera captures an image. There are many non camera ingredients, two that stand out are Light and Timing. Good Light is essential. My favorite ingredient for making better pictures though is Timing. Timing can make or break an image. Always be aware and be ready!
(although it can be done with a disposable point and shoot, it is much easer having a fast camera and lense! hahaha)

Here is one of my favorite images of lately where Timing was KEY:


Had I been a second earlier or a second (heck maybe even a 1/16 second) later, I would have missed this shot. I love this shot! His expression says it all.

I wouldn't spend too much time on things like, 'What is the best camera or What is the best lense...' Be decisive. Think about what is important and go for it. When I was first starting out, I used to search every forum possible, hoping that someone would tell me what the best tool was. There are many. Buckle down, pick one and get shooting! Have fun!!