Dove Photography, LLC

We've moved

2011-09-06T12:05:00.000-04:00

As we simmer down to the end of the wedding season extravaganza we have finally made some time to do something that has been on our To Do list for quite some time. We are VERY excited to release our NEW blog which we have redesigned to fit more of our style and panache.

So for the sophisticated readers who like myself go weak in the knees for all things Anthropologie, who cannot resist buying another Vogue magazine from the register when your about to pay for your groceries, I present to you our new blog site...drum roll please...

www.dovephotographyblog.com

Keep in mind, soon, you might log onto this site and it will no longer be. Hop on over RIGHT NOW to our new site and click on the "SUBSCRIBE" button at the top and then you will always be abreast at what Scott and I are up to ;-)

The Heart of a King

2011-09-05T21:47:00.000-04:00

On a chilly December day in upper Manhattan, their worlds came together in a perfect moment that forever changed their lives. A proposal of love, loyalty and devotion. He chose The Cloisters Museum to profess his endless love to a girl who possessed golden trusseled curls and his heart in her hands. Her name is Kiera. And rather than write anymore, I shall instead share their words with you because there is no way I could ever write anything more beautiful, emotional or breathtaking than the words they spoke to each other.

Above the museum, on the rooftop overlooking the New York Hudson River, with the crisp, cold winter wind blowing her hair, he whispers to her these words...

"Kiera, your hands are warm to hold. Your blue eyes are natural wonders in themselves. I can count on you to laugh at my jokes, good or bad. With you, I feel empowered to do anything. You are a true compliment. My love, the one I will care for the rest of my life."

With tears in her crystal blue eyes, she replies "David, you are not your average, adorable, tri-lingual mexican...You are humble, spiritually driven, undeniably genuine and you have the heart of a King. Falling in love with you was simple and unavoidable. If before, I saw in black and white, with you, I now see in color."

This is just their beginning. The first chapter.

Pictured above is the Three Village Inn.

Love is patient, Love is Kind

2011-08-25T22:46:00.000-04:00

Her favorite number is four because she likes the way it looks. When I tell her she's beautiful, she makes the ugliest face possible. Here is what it looks like.

I can't help but laugh at almost everything that comes out of that perfect mouth of hers. She makes me take doubly long to take her photograph because most of the time I cannot stop laughing at what she's saying. She is probably one of the coolest moms I've ever met and when I have my own children one day, I hope to me as amazing, patient, and wise as she is with her own two sons. Her name is Melina, and she is one of my best friends.

You know someone is a good friend when you don't have to talk to them every day to know you love them. You know you love one another, truly, and deeply when no amount of time can separate the bond you share, so that when you do finally get together , its as if no time was lost at all. I am fortunate to say that I have many good friends that I dearly love, and Melina is one of them. Here are some images from her session with Luca, her second born son.

All You Need is Love...and a picket fence?

2011-05-03T13:26:00.001-04:00

Stephanie and Sena are both meek, humble and truly sweet people and we met them for the first time on the day of their engagement session. They found out about us through an online forum on The Knot where one of our brides sung high praises about us- thank you Lindsay, and being that they live in Chicago we were commissioned by them last year via the good old fashioned telephone to photograph their upcoming wedding the end of this month. Since they are from out of town and had no specific attachement to location, Scott and I decided to challenge ourselves with taking the ordinary scenes and neighborhoods we drive through everyday and turn it into something extraordinary and the results excited us both! With a little bit of forethought and some planning we scoutted a few spots along the way to the beautiful local town of Ridgewood and captured Stephanie and Sena strolling along the daffodil lined picket fences of small town suburbia. We brought along some props as well including a gorgeous bouquet I had made earlier that morning at our local Whole Foods. Their floral department works wonders for me all the time! It was wonderful to get to know them better and find out what sparked their deep love and devotion for one another.

If you ever doubt whether an enagement session is something worth taking the time to dress up for and get your makeup done and have some fun may we cast that doubt deep into the bottomless ocean. Both Sena and Stephanie told us how they feel a tremendous sense of relief having spent the afternoon into evening with us and now they know their wedding day will feel calm, smooth and comfortable knowing how well we all gelled together ;-)

Thanks Stephanie and Sena for being such amazing peeps...we love you!

I absolutely love her eyes!

We love bringing out the lines and curves of the architecture that surrounds us and there was certainly plenty of that at Ridgewood Train Station!

One of my favorite images...Stephanie wrote to us she wanted to capture something that showed fast moving things in the background and them standing still "poetically reflecting our stable love for each other"...isn't she adorable!

Sweet Little Bambino

2011-03-16T13:09:00.000-04:00

We want to welcome a new baby into this world. His name is Luca Marcello Jondee. He was born on March 11, 2011, sharing the same birthday as my dear husband Scott so we have no excuse in forgetting each year Luca gets older, lol. He breathed his first breath of life weighing in at 8lb 8.2 oz. and 21 inches long so I give his wonderful mom and my very good friend Melina some B~i~G props. Here's a little taste from our session yesterday.

Luca Marcello Jondee

This is no "Trash the Dress" Session

2011-03-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

Many of you peeps out there who keep up with the modern trends ever expanding in the wedding photography world have come to hear the newer term "Trash the Dress" which implies utter destruction to a most valuable heirloom...the coveted wedding gown. Here is what image might conjure up in your mind when perhaps you may hear those words spoken...

However, Scott and I understand that "Trash the Dress" is not the most eloquently termed name to evoke romantic images in ones mind, such as this one below.

We WANT to bring out in you longful feelings of "I want that" flooding your brain and so we sat down, with freshly brewed cappuccinos, donned our thinking caps and thought long and hard, and before you know it we came up with a much better name for this amazing session...We call it "The Hangover". What exactly is this "Hangover Session" you may ask? Well, I shall whisper it into your ear...come a little closer...

You like to have fun. Your wedding day F~L~E~W by. You want to wear that gorgeous dress again, without a care in the world. Without a time frame to worry your perfectly shaped brows. This is where we come in. We eagerly plan a day and a time. We make you look gorgeous-again-and then...we create magic. It is usually about 2 hours of complete and utter AWESOMENESS. You will have to endure hearing me constantly moaning and oohing and ahhhing and in the end we will have created an amazing portrait session of you and the one you will love for the rest of your lives together on this earth...We make ordinary locations look extraordinary. And most importantly we capture love, your love, and our love, for each other, for what we do, and for being with you. All of that love reflects through. And yes, I happened to intellectually rhyme that with intention ;-)

So for those of you out there, who perhaps did not pick the right photographer for your wedding day and you would like to have some cherished images of you and the love of your life- this is your perfect chance to recreate how beautiful you really are. We have a stylist on hand to primp you up and have lots of fun, because essentially, that is what we are all about.

Love Letters

2011-03-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

Dear Lauren,

The first time we spoke you called me as I was just about to escape the lights and action of Las Vegas and go into cyber sleep in Death Valley. You were my last phone call from the realms of functional cell phone existence and what a phone call it was! You had me thinking about you the next three days as I climbed stone mountains and traipsed along salt covered sea beds and I looked forward to hearing your happy voice again. You described your wedding plans briefly giving me a glimpse into your Robinhood world telling me tales of elegantly donned ladies walking down grass covered cobblestone aisles with glowing candle lanterns and you how in your hands laced around your fingers would be your grandmother's rosary surrounded by Stefanotis flowers. And as beautiful as I could have imagined it all to be, the reality was even more breathtaking. You created a fairytale at Skytop and I am honored that you loved me then and love me more today. I appreciate the many cards you've sent me since we've met, my favorite being the last, the one where you wrote "How do you thank someone for making your wedding dreams come true? Our pictures are beyond...I can actually feel our wedding every time I look through the photos." So touching. I love that at your wedding you introduced me to your friends and family, not as your photographer, but as your friend. I adore the way you look at my lens, as if you are staring deep into my soul, so comfortably. I treasure your love and friendship and will forever be honored that you chose both Scott and I to capture the love you and Travis have for one another. Thank you. I love you.

I love love.

The "First Look"

Behold BLHDN

2011-02-14T15:24:00.001-05:00

An extraordinary website unveiled its online window shops today. It is called BLHDN. Inspired by the Dutch word for “to keep,” as well as countless tales from family and friends of the extraordinary weddings they’d been part of, they began dreaming up something new. Their roots are with Anthropologie, so a passion for experience and creating one-of-a-kind moments runs deep. That is why, we at Dove Photography also must spread the word from our mountaintops and tell you of the beauty that is revealed within the pages of this site. So explore it. Love it. {Be} hold it and perhaps you shall {be} with us as we blissfully gush over your loveliness when you take your first steps down the aisle wearing such fine accoutrements.

Here are just a few of my favorite things...

Ethereal Monarch Gown

1 Year Anniversary for Steve & Ali at The Brownstone

2011-01-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

When I first met Ali and Steve they told me the most important images they wanted captured on their special wedding day would be the 4 foot long sparkler's their guests would be lighting after the conclusion of their ceremony as they exited the church. I can't believe it has already been one year since they said their vows but as we wish them a Happy One Year Anniversary and a congratulations on their soon to be addition to their new family with their first child I say to you "Ali and Steve, Scott and I wish you the very best in your new family and may you have many more healthy happy babies to fill the joyful home you've both made. We love you!"

Happy Anniversary!

I love the excitement in Ali's face...priceless.

The grand exodus!

The Brownstone in Paterson, NJ

La Chic Barn Se Magnifique!

2010-11-02T20:50:00.000-04:00

About a month ago I had written a blog about Amanda & Chris and how quickly they had to arrange their wedding day due to family illness (see below). Well, we had the privilege of photographing their chic barn inspired wedding on October 2nd and here are but a few of our favorite images captured on that perfectly warm and sunny romantic afternoon.

I love the timeless feel of these images.

Hands down, this was the funnest group of misbehaved bridal party ever...just look at those mischievous grins!

Look at the romantic pucker on their first dance. I love it when a man holds his woman so tenderly.

How gorgeous is that? L-O-V-E this moment!

Skytop Lodge Wedding Sneak Peek

2010-11-01T17:51:00.000-04:00

This past weekend Scott and I spent the weekend with the most amazing friends - Lauren and Travis, who not only stole our hearts from the moment we met, but have since become very good friends of ours who we treasure dearly. They celebrated their beautiful wedding at Skytop Lodge (The Pocono's best kept secret - no longer) together with a V-e-R-y fun group of family and friends and an amazing band! I HAD to share this image with everyone as a sneak peek of many gorgeous things to come...

The Hangover Sessions

2010-11-01T13:24:00.000-04:00

This is a story about a girl who loves photography and a boy who will do anything to make her happy. This is Chamonix and Jesse. We photographed them for a second time about six months after their wedding for a session we like to call "The Hangover". It is highly recommended to any bride who feels her wedding day has too quickly passed her by and would like to get some more dramatic portraiture of herself and her handsome groom traveling to places she might never dare or have time for on her special day. Our favorite image of the day is pictured below. Looks like a train is coming and Chamonix and Jesse could care less about the impending danger. Love it! Look at the cool calm collected spirit of the both of them. Such perfect models these two. We had so much fun traipsing through abandoned parts of NJ as well as her moms gorgeous home in Asbury. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. And remember, this could be you too, one day, soon ;-)

In Good Times And In Bad, And In Joy As Well As In Sorrow

2010-09-21T13:07:00.001-04:00

One of my most favorite new bands is called The Xx. I could pretty much listen to them everyday for a month and not get a headache. So when I heard they were playing in New York City this October, WOOOO, I was totally psyched and bought four tickets IMMEDIATELY for Scott and I and our BFF's. Nothing would stop me from seeing these guys...or so I thought.

Two weeks ago my phone rang. It was a guy named Chris. What he told me changed everything. Chris recently asked Amanda to marry him. To be his true love forever. Amanda said yes. They set their wedding date for October 2011. Then they received devastating news. Amanda's father was diagnosed with cancer and given three months to live. They did the most loving and logical thing they could-move their wedding date to this October. When you first meet them you know right away, Chris and Amanda are amazing people and of course many of their good friends stepped in to do whatever they could to help plan this fast approaching wedding. They explained to me that it is going to be a small and intimate affair set on the property of a log cabin with 2 horses, a barn, and a perfect fall atmosphere complete with bridesmaids walking down the hay baled aisles donning cowboy boots. Then, more devastating news strikes: her father dies suddenly a few weeks ago. Of course it doesn't stop there. The photographer they had chosen unprofessionally bails on them and with sudden swiftness left there hearts burdened in their outstretched palms, BUT, not for long. This is the part where Scott and I came in. When I heard the compassion and love in Chris' voice for Amanda and then talked with her I was quickly motivated to come to their rescue. Assured that there would be nothing stopping me from photographing their wedding I quickly hopped on board. How could I not be a part of these two most brilliant individuals who love each other so much and though they have experienced the worse possible loss still maintain amazing resilience and joy despite their recent devastation! Wedding vows include the words: "In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as sorrow" and they have both certainly lived those words true. I can closely relate to Amanda because I too have lost my father at age 17 and the pain of his absence never goes away. Walking down that aisle without him was hard, however, one cannot give thought to the loss in that moment. You must embrace the man you walk towards and know that his arms and love will be there to carry you through the times when you miss your father the most. Amanda, I know Chris will do that for you.

I graciously thank you both for trusting your friends and family when they recommend you call us. And thank you for commissioning us to capture the beautiful memories that will record the precious celebration of your love for one another to all who join you on that day.

Below are a few shots of our engagement session we squeezed into our schedules in the historic town of Smithville, NJ so that they can have a "Be My Guest" Book for all of their close friends and family to sign on their wedding day.

Though near closing time, they ran the carousel just for us to get this shot.

Yes, its true, Amanda's tongue accidentally touched the KISS record, but it was worth it right Amanda?

This is the back of Smithville Inn, where they were going to be married next year.

A stolen kiss by the docks at sunset in Smithville under the bridge.

Good Ol' Fashion Pennsylvania Fun

2010-09-07T22:02:00.001-04:00

As people brace themselves for the work week ahead and life returns to everyday normalcy I reflect on the day after Labor Day and what it means to me. It happens to be my 12th wedding anniversary (holler) and it reminds me how much I love love. Yes, you read that right. I, Catherine Dove, love love. Yes, I know it rhymes too, lol. But, I have to say I am EXTREMELY grateful to be able to capture and preserve forever peoples most intimate memories of times that will pass but feelings that hopefully will remain.

And so with this thought in mind, I introduce to you very great friends I've recently met and fell in love with myself. They are Lauren and Travis and they are a bowl full of good times. We galavanted all over Pennsylvania from their home town of Nazareth, to the 7-11 where they met and fell in love at first sight, to Travis' mom basement where they had hours of make-out sessions, and finally to Skytop Lodge where they will be getting married next month. I must confess, it was hard to be serious in the cornfields when all we were doing was laughing. It was more difficult for me to behave with Lauren then when I try photographing my own family especially when she turned the camera on us and decided to snap a few pictures of us in the middle of the shoot! But we managed to pull through and as you scroll through some of the images below you can surely see the passion and love they have for one another. It is always refreshing to spend time with friends who love love. And so Lauren and Travis, I hope you enjoy your first peek at our day together and Lauren you can now stop cyberstalking me and finally enjoy what you know you've been waiting for since the moment I put my camera down at the dinner table. Love you forever! Xoxo

A rifle case in the cornfield, typical moments in PA & Lauren and I showing PA whose boss.

My Favorite Series "Put A Ring On It" dance

"The Spot" where make-out sessions in High School occurred...

Skyland Manor

You + Me = Love

2010-06-10T12:12:00.000-04:00

I LOVE to photograph in different and unique places. I LOVE peoples' love stories. So when I heard that Jessica and Vin fell in love in a classroom, ummm, how could we not photograph their engagement session in one? Yeah, I thought so! I made a phone call to our local High School in Ridgewood and went straight to the top - the Principal himself...dom,-da--dom-da-dommmm...to my surprise he was an amazing fellow who gladly opened his doors to us and said he would happily provide a custodian to help us into a classroom when we needed. Wow! I love my local community-they are awesome! Anyway, Vin told me just before the session that Jess HATES her photo being taken. As a matter of fact, at a wedding they attended a few months earlier, Vin's friends approached him and asked him where Jess was and Vin replied "in a corner, hiding from the wedding photographer". LOL, well she certainly didn't hide from me during our E-session, and I'm pretty sure she'll stick around on her wedding day too ;-D So go ahead and peruse a few of their images and drop a note or two on the bottom to let them and us know what you think...does Jess look like the kinda gal who hates having her picture taken?

Branches Catering - NJ Discover

2010-06-03T11:29:00.001-04:00

This summer Scott and I shall be photographing a number of weddings at Branches in Long Branch, New Jersey where we are featured as their preferred vendor. We thought we'd take a minute to share with all our faithful readers a video that was recently posted by Branches which highlights some of our beach wedding photographs! Thanks Branches ;-)

The Serenade

2010-05-12T00:57:00.001-04:00

This blog is dedicated to all my devoted fans who have been on my arse this past week, wondering why I have not blogged (in particular they are looking for engagement shoots). Well ladies (and gentlemen) I did just get over a crazy case of the flu so excuse the delay...

Ahem, (clearing of throat)...Say hello to Vinny and Melissa...

A few weeks ago we changed gears. You may be wondering "Whatever do you mean Cat?" Well we were originally scheduled to head to NYC and begin our adventures at the Empire State Building for Melissa & Vinny's engagement shoot which is where they officially were engaged, but as Melis and I talked on the phone she decided to switch her location to Willowwood Arboretum because she desired something a little more natural and relaxed. Starting to photograph an hour or so before sunset gave us the perfect opportunity to capture the golden sunlight which played softly with Melissa's hair and allowed us to feel the warm and perfect slight breeze that blew every so often. We found a patch of daffodils and had them sit amongst them, which was breathtaking...as is Melissa.

At the very end of our session we started to hear faint music playing in the background and so we went on the search to find the source. Low and behold its was two guys walking around with guitars just jamming. They are part of a band called Reverse Curve. When asked if they would serenade our couple without a pause they started playing Mozart's Pachelbel Canon in D Major. It was awesome! What a way to end our amazing evening together!

I LOVE FAMILY PORTRAITS!!!

2010-04-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

I can't say it enough...I really love being with happy families and capturing the craziness of children running around while I chase them and laughing and of course the possibility of snot flying everywhere, lol. It just can't be beat. A few weeks back Scott and I were commissioned to photograph our friends Melina, Caesar and their gorgeous son Julian to Branch Brook Park in Bloomfield, NJ at the peak of the Cherry Blossom Trees. It was so much fun but boy is it a workout chasing around a 3 year old who has endless abounding, exploding energy. He was non-stop and I was right behind him rolling in the grass, jumping over logs, running up hills, running back down hills and all the while hearing him giggle incessantly because he knew I was always 3 steps behind. Here are a few snapshots of our afternoon together. By the way, check out MY cutie pie Scott at the end. Kids love him so much and Julian was no exception. While on Scott's shoulders he gave the command to go up, then down, up then down. Scott must have done about 50 squats with him on his shoulders. The next day he was definitely limping...(shh, he totally needs to do more of those). And if your wondering where Julian's snazzy little preppy outfit came from then you totally need to check out the very trendy Bellie & Katrina in Hoboken!

Elyse & Aaron at Addison Park

2010-04-27T23:36:00.041-04:00

"April 9, 2010 is your second and last time to make an appearance in a wedding party as a Matron of Honor!" That is according to the ban my husband Scott has put in place, lol. The first time was my sister Sabrina who was married two years ago in March and this time it was my very good friend Elyse of whom is like my little sister. As much fun as I had goofing off...constantly...with my new found friend Cherie (we were like two kindergartners at recess hopped up on Mountain Dew) Scott certainly felt the pressure of trying to reign us all in, lol, sorry ScottyDo...love you ;-)

Well in between being in some of the photo's I managed to steal the camera from under Scott's nose and snapped a few getting ready shots of Elyse...some of my favorite. We had a blast as you can see by the images. Elyse was such a fabulous bride because not only did she look unbelievably hot but she danced up a storm and laughed it up all the while! I love when brides are so full of expression...it makes our job a whole lot easier! So sit back, relax and enjoy a few of the highlights of Elyse and Aaron's beautiful wedding held at Addison Park, a gorgeous venue in Aberdeen, New Jersey. Oh, and I mustn't forget to give props to the very talanted Vic Pellicier who was our associate photographer. He did a great job and came up with some amazing and artistic shots himself...go ahead and check him out too ;-)

I love Elyse's expression as well as the bridesmaids in the background...hysterical!

Elyse busts a move...go Elyse, its your wedding, lol.

Look out here comes the force of Aaron! He unleashed the beast ;-D

Ingrid Michaelson @ Snug Harbor

2010-04-18T19:26:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, March 6th I kinda sorta (;-D) dragged Scott to take me to see Ingrid Michaelson in concert at Staten Islands Snug Harbor - a venue we will be photographing an awesome wedding in October for our bride and groom-Rachel & Jeremy. Rachel is actually the one who introduced me to Snug Harbor. Snug Harbor is not only one of the most architecturally and historically significant sites in the country, it is a place where history, architecture, the visual and performing arts, environmental science included in performing arts all come together to provide a rich and powerful learning experience for audiences young and old. Now, I am getting off point...lolol. Let me continue...

You see, I LOVE Ingrid. To me her voice encapsulates a realness and raw crisp energy that, if given the opportunity in the car alone, I try VERY hard to emulate myself...good thing you can't hear me! So along with Scott I took my next favorite thing, my camera, and while the concert played on I was able to move around the venue and capture some moments of Ingrid and the gang singing along. Underneath my viewfinder, all the while, I had a grin from ear to ear. I managed to combine my two most favorite pass times - attending a concert AND photographing it! Ahhh, I love life!

Ingrid sings and makes us all laugh - she is one hysterically sarcastic chick! And so adorable too, in a geeky sorta way.

This is the outside of the Music Hall which is the 2nd oldest in NYC. I loved the way the tree limbs intricately decorate the columns with their lacy branches.

Ingrid sings all together with the band. You can definitely see they have a fabulous time together on tour!

For the grand finale Ingrid and everyone else switches places and plays a different instrument-she's on the drums...amazing talent there!

Valley of Death

2010-04-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

So a few weeks back Scott and I took a trip out to Las Vegas for a humongous photography convention/trade show where 14,000 photographers attended...Needless to say it was huge and overwhelming at times. So at the end of the four day extravaganza we decided, on a whim, to rent a car and drive down to Death Valley, CA at the encouragement of our fellow photographer friends who had said it is like no other place in the world. Well ,my friends were right! Here is one of the many awesome photos we took...and yes it was a self timer, balanced on a very, VERY low rock which was so slanted that when the wind forcefully blew through the canyon, Scott nearly pooped in his pants as I ran toward him to make it before it snapped our photo. Its one of my favorites...I shall put more up as I have a moment. Ciao!

P.S. We are so not cool with our matching t-shirts we got for free at the trade show...though BigFolio sure would be happy!

Daddy's Little Girl...no more

2010-03-30T14:36:00.000-04:00

I am normally not a fan of my brides looking directly at my lense in a moment like this, but God Ruby you looked so incredibly mesmerizing! And I totally love your father's emotion in this moment!

On March 7th, 2010 Ruby and Maurice tied the knot in New Rochelle, NY and held their reception celebration in Westbury Manor, Long Island and what a beautiful day it was! Well, I shall share more images of that another time. However, today, as I pour through and edit their images of that day I couldn't resist sharing my two favorite Daddy & Daughter first dance photographs with you. I love the way Ruby's dad is looking so debonair and proud...or maybe he was so excited cause he was getting ready to bust a move. Everyone clapped joyously at the end of their dance because I think we would all agree - it was the liveliest Father/Daughter dance we had all ever seen!

One moment is was slow dancing and all of the sudden they broke out in a full jive, lol, total awesomeness.

Is that really you?

2010-03-29T19:42:00.000-04:00

So if you are following our blog you can probably recall we had a different photo along the top of our blog. It has been a long time that I've stared at that image, and, as much as I loved it, it wasn't us. So this morning, in the shower-a place I have many epiphanies, the light bulb in my head went on and I thought "why not scan in my favorite image from our wedding album and use that as the header?" Genius! I love it! So if you are wondering if that is us...then you now have your answer. And if you are wondering when that beautiful and fun day was, well then the answer is September 7, 1998. We will be celebrating our 12th anniversary this year and YES, we still dance that crazily!

When a Boy Becomes a Man... New Video

2010-03-22T16:30:00.001-04:00

Hello there again!

This morning we had a Premier Release Party for a very excited, very busy mother of two named Debi, who just had her second sons Bar Mitzvah this January. A long awaited and long anticipated event which consumed Debi's every thought, every second of the day, lol. When I first met Debbi she had fell in love with our work and was gushing about our artistic vision but was slightly hesitant due to her budget restraints. HOWEVER, she had just went through her firstborn son Charlies Bar Mitzvah and was so disappointed with the photographs that were taken by another professional photographer that she decided to go with her gut and commission us.

This mornings Premier Release Party affirmed she made the right decision! She walked into our studio telling us of her over the top excitement as she had not seen one image from the party because none of her friends took any pictures. That made me extra happy because I knew Scott and I were gonna blow her socks off. She brought a friend along with her who also happens to have a daughter with an upcoming Bat Mitzvah and the biggest compliment I could have received was when she solemnly looked at me with her big beautiful green eyes and said "Every image is so beautiful- you really see John's personality in each photograph! Tell me your booked June 5th so I don't feel so bad having already booked another photographer." Don't worry Tobi, you said it yourself, you still have two more children to go so we shall see you then! In the meantime, enjoy the music video we put together for Debbie as a mini surprise :-) She loved it and we hope you do too!

The Dove Lounge

2010-03-16T14:28:00.002-04:00

Ok, brace yourselves . . . I am about to flood you with updates on all the latest happenings with Dove Photography and boy do I have a lot to share! We've been all over the place from Staten Island, to Long Island, Las Vegas to Death Valley in California. So sit back, relax and check out some of the places that captivated & inspired us ;-)

A few weeks ago Scott and I decided to do our first ever Bridal Show Expo at The Crown Plaza Hotel in Secaucus, NJ and while it didn't go perfectly (Scott stayed up all night building two Living Room like adjoining walls that ended up not fitting in the space we were given) we did blow away the competition, if I may say so myself ;-) We designed our (supposed to be 8x10 but in reality 6x8) space to resemble a Lounge, "The Dove Lounge" if you will. We purchased two small leather love seats and brought in a bookshelf that held our monitor display which ran a slideshow of some of our favorite images. We also had a bowl of Dove Chocolates, available to anyone who stopped by, but of course, lol. Most exciting, though was our stunningly beautiful model who wore an amazing gown from Something Special located in Wyckoff, NJ - which by the way offer free alterations. It was a gorgeous ivory embroidered tulle trumpet gown designed by Lazaro with jeweled applique at empire waist and bust and cascading flowers down the back of the skirt with a chapel train which is priced at $4,565. She also wore a beautiful ostrich feathered by Toni Federic and a Flowered haircomb underneath that by Malis Henderson as well as petite Debra Moreland by Paris earrings, all provided by Something Special. I cannot compliment these three amazing woman - Irene, Lynda and Lisa enough for helping us be so successful at the show and recommending us at their Bridal Boutique. All of them helped Katilyn look breathtaking for the day of the show! So all you brides out there looking for a Wedding Gown that will take you and your husband-to-be breath away, go to Something Special now! They have the best and most caring woman there ready to help you with your every whim and desire :-)

We also received beautiful flowers for our booth from Anna Rose Floral Design which we prominently displayed between our two love seats as you can see in the images below. And if your wondering about the red rose bouquet that Kaitlyn was holding, well that stunning arrangement was made by Beers Flowers who are located in Ridgewood, NJ. All in all, it was a very good show. We had a constant line of brides, grooms and moms waiting to talk with us, most of whom were inquiring about 2011 so if you are thinking of getting married then ladies, now is the time to book us because we are quickly filling in the 25 slots for 2011 already!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2010-02-03T17:14:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back I was commissioned by a most beautiful mother and daughter to photograph them together. They told me they didn't really have any photographs of them together and wanted to preserve some memories while the daughter was still young and so I suggested The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The mom was a tad bit on the hesitant side because being that her daughter was six (going on thirty in my opinion) she was afraid she might be bored. Well I have to say "au contraire mon ami" (to the contrary my friend)! This little girl was so enthralled at all the amazing artifacts she was running from one exhibit to the next and all the while asking a million questions about everything. We had a lot of fun and were all happy to be inside because it was mucho frio (very cold) outside that day. You see, Dove Photography is limitless with ideas on how to capture great images and stay warm. Go ahead and challenge us, I dare you!

Inspiration

2010-01-28T19:12:00.001-05:00

As I sit here listening to one of my favorite bands Tricky and write this long overdue blog, I come to you with a heart full of appreciation for the privilege of being able to work at something of which I never consider work, the beauty of photography. Today, I found myself meandering through a second hand store (a small obsession of mine) looking for interesting objects/furniture and I came across a table of about 150 old photographs spread out for the taking, most of which had handwritten messages and were dated on average of 1914-1916. I was immediately entranced and started sifting through each photograph with intense curiosity. A woman perhaps who just finished hanging her laundry to dry and decided to put her baby to sleep in a wicker carriage as the summer breeze blows, a photo of a young couple lounging in the grass with a woman embracing a doll she is too old to play with, a man dressed in a kimono complete with fan and umbrella as a long skinny lit cigar gently smokes on the edge of his lips. Questions arose in my mind, "why was this moment captured? What is the story within this moment that has passed so long ago?" I stopped to ponder and what I realized is that my whole entire existence on this earth has always pulled me like a magnet to images such as these, causing me to ask question after question to those around me who may have known more. I realized that my images today are but a small reflection of my minds eye, things I've subconsciously recorded in my life movie that never stops playing in my head. So today, I share with you these images. Even though I know not any of these individuals, and even though I may never meet them, they will be framed on my studio wall as a constant reminder of what started my passion for freezing moments in time.

Aaron + Elyse = FuN

2009-12-18T10:37:00.014-05:00

Before I had met Aaron I had heard much about him from my very good friend Elyse however nothing could prepare me for the copious amounts of fun he brought to the table the day we did their engagement shoot in Central Park, NYC. He made me laugh so many times it was nearly impossible to concentrate on "maintaining a romantic mood", lol. Actually they both provided my lense with a lot of great moments . . . so without further ado . . .

oh and there's a music video too . . . surprise :-)

And this makes it even sweeter!

The Perry Family Music Video

2009-12-13T15:56:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend we had a party for my friends the Perry's and we surprised them with this video. A few days before the party we did a portrait session to capture Melissa's belly before she gives birth to her first son. So enjoy the show!

Sunil + Toral.....The Video :)

2009-12-08T14:23:00.000-05:00

Shoes Anyone? | Fort Totten, NY

2009-11-24T14:25:00.007-05:00

Have you ever seen the movie UP? That question was posed to me a few days before Mary and Frank promised to be each others love forever. Mary wrote me a beautiful e-mail in response to my question of what feeling she wished me to capture on her wedding day. This is some of what she wrote me . . .

"I saw "UP" tonight and as silly as it may sound, it totally made me realize how awesome life really is and why I want to be alive. On Saturday, I want you to capture love. I want you to try and capture a pure love. My flower girls are my babies I love them all and I want lots of shots with them and I want you to capture the innocence of them as well and the connection and bond that Frank and I have for each other. I asked God for someone who has what I need and who needs what I have and Frank has been all of that and more. I am convinced that God has brought us together for so many reasons and I want you to capture friendship and silliness and intensity. Frank is my best friend and my true love."

Mary epitomizes the character Ellie in UP. They both possess the amazing energy and passion for life and all things in it. To give you an idea of the excitement of Frank and Mary's world, after their ceremony she walked up to me with the biggest smile and asked if I minded we stop by a store called Love My Shoes (on our way to the reception at Fort Totten) so she could pick up a pair of flats because her feet were hurting in her high heels. I heartily laughed and said as long as I was permitted to trail behind her with my camera in this adventure I will go anywhere with her! So check out a few of the images we captured along the way, a fly on Mary and Franks wall!

Yes, Mary is just a wee bit taller than her flower girls! She's a cutie petutie!

Here is our Love My Shoes Excursion! The customers in the store did not think this was for real!

Everyone in Frank and Mary's wedding were willing participants for a good time! That is her father in the left image on the far right...he was so awesome!

Toral & Sunil | Addison Park, New Jersey

2009-11-13T11:30:00.007-05:00

Unbeknownst to a beautiful woman named Toral, who flew to India to be with family, she met the love of her life. He is tender. He has a quiet strength about him. He knows what he wants and he makes sure he gets it but never demandingly so. His name is Sunil. She is sweet. She has a deep respect for him and it flows from her eyes to the fingertips she gently touches his face as she softly kisses him. They are beautiful together. They are truly happy. They are Toral and Sunil.

Baby Portraits

2009-10-30T23:35:00.003-04:00

This is Tanner whom we photographed over the summer at the beach. About two weeks ago we took him and his parents up to Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York and photographed them again. We had a lot of fun in the autumn leaves which were so beautiful. Tanner loved all the new things he saw around him, but he especially loved Scott. Everywhere Scott went Tanner followed with his eyes. It was hysterically cute!

Jay + Lauren = F u N !

2009-10-25T22:29:00.004-04:00

So for those of you who are just dying to see what Jay & Lauren look like, you know you do, here they are. Who is Jay and Lauren you may be wondering? Why they are the amazingly awesome couple I spoke about just below this blog entry, you know, the ones who wrote such sweet things about Scott and I :-) So a few weeks back Scott and I decided last minute to go to this street fair in Brooklyn called the Atlantic Antic which is an annual extravaganza of food, art and interesting peeps. We invited Lauren and Jay and they happily joined us, gladly dumping their daunting task of writing thank you cards. It was a perfect and still evening as we strolled on the promenade in Brooklyn Heights waterfront and along the way we happened to stumble across some fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge and South Street Seaport. Jay jokingly said if he knew ahead of time it would have been this perfect of an evening, he would have proposed to Lauren that night on the promenade. It's ok Jay, I'm pretty sure Lauren likes the original version, lol! In conclusion, now y'all have met the sweet faces behind those sweet words below = )

W O W ! ! ! This is A MA Z I N G !!!

2009-09-29T11:24:00.005-04:00

Last night Scott and I hung out with a sweet, trendy, artistic couple named Jay & Lauren to chat about their wedding which will be at Spring Lake, NJ on the beach next June . . . Amazing - we can't wait! Our personalities clicked right away and I could tell my girl Lauren and I would get along perfectly. It's funny how every time I meet a new bride they always seem to reflect some aspect of my own multiple personality, LOL - last night she was my Rock Star Side ;-)

Anyways, we had so much fun and there wasn't even any alcohol involved! They left our studio with such enthusiasm about our art and how happy they are for Scott and I to be able to photograph their wedding, but then it got even more fantastic! This morning I awoke to the most unbelievable e-mail I've ever received and I thought I'd share it with the world - in fact I may even just frame it on my wall because this is what I want to make every person we ever meet feel! Here is the magic they wrote . . .

"Hey Catherine,

Lauren and I just wanted to thank you and Scott again for taking the time last night. We were in love with both of your guy's work just from what we had seen, but left last night completely blown away after getting to meet the two of you. The work you both do, as well as all of the effort behind it is fantastic.

We are so excited to have you guys a part of our wedding. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you again on Friday.

Jay and Lauren"

Thank you Jay & Lauren - I struggle to put into words how genuinely excited & honored I feel to be to be spending time with the both of you and to capture your amazing wedding!

Engagement Shoot in Fort Totten, NY

2009-09-24T23:48:00.006-04:00

This coming November we will be photographing Frank & Mary's wedding at Fort Totten, NY. But before that happens, we did an Engagement Shoot there just before the sun set. The weather was perfect and of course they are such an awesome couple because they are fun and laid back and love to have fun. They were so easy to capture because they truly love each other and their comfort level was enormous! We had a blast by the Throgs Neck Bridge and we even "borrowed" an old lady's double bicycle for a photo opp...how could I resist a rickety red vintage bicycle? It was awesome!

Providence | Rhode Island

2009-09-15T01:46:00.005-04:00

Last week my husband Scott surprised me with a trip to Providence, Rhode Island and then Cape Cod, Massachusetts to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. We left on a Saturday afternoon and arrived in Providence with a voracious appetite deciding to stop into Ruth Chris Steakhouse for some, you guessed it, steak (sorry to disappoint my vegetarian readers). It was amazing, needless to say, and as I sipped on my Orange Citrus Mojito I noticed along the river banks I was looking out onto fires being lit and learned that we happened to catch the WaterFire event. After dinner, we walked along the riverbank, taking in my favorite scent of burning wood and watching the many hundreds of people walking along the oil lantern lit paths and listening to live opera, we were transported into a different time and felt as if we slipped back into the early 19th century. I noticed a young couple embracing under a tree and I was so moved by their illuminated silhouettes that I couldn't help but take their picture happening to catch it at the perfect moment the gondola drifted peacefully by. It was an amazing evening.

Baby Portraits | New Jersey

2009-09-10T18:19:00.005-04:00

About a month ago I was hanging out with my friend Jason and his wife Emily, who happened to be the first bride and groom I've photographed... in their beautifully lush backyard of Pompton Lakes for a summer afternoon barbecue. The air was heavy and sweet with a smokey yet honeysuckle like scent that only summer could bring to ones olfactory senses. There were lots of people there and so as usual I drift off into my own world with camera in hand ready to capture anything that may catch my visual imagination. Then she appeared in front of me, a vision of beauty with her crystal blue green eyes which made me think of my trip on the Mediterranean Sea some years back and put me in a trance causing me to follow her wherever she willed. Her name is Milan and these are but a few glimpses of what I caught.

Come to me, my love . . . Sevgilim, bana dön. | Prallsville Mills, Stockton, NJ

2009-08-27T09:54:00.005-04:00

The Turkish language is, in my humble opinion, a beautifully spoken and romantic sound. Before Alp and Aydan's wedding I had not really been exposed to it much, however, that day certainly made up for lost time!

The day was steamy, dripping with water droplets that seemed to float in midair, probably the hottest of the year and yet that seemed to barely effect anyone because the beauty of Aydan in her wedding gown took everyone's breath away. With a rustic feel and vintage backdrop of an old water mill, they wed at Prallsville Mills in Stockton, NJ which sits alongside the Delaware River. Here are but a few of our favorite images captured that lovely day.

Portrait of a Lady

2009-08-25T10:40:00.011-04:00

A few years ago a sweet young girl walked into my piano studio eager to learn to play piano. Every week I was always touched by her meek and humble countenance and I often thought in the back of my mind how beautiful she was not only on the outside but on the inside . . . a lesson my mother always ingrained in me which was the most important quality anyone could achieve.

Well, eventually Elizabeth had to discontinue her piano lessons and I had on occasion wondered what ever became of her. My answer came in a surprise phone call from her mom who had asked if I could do a portrait session of Elizabeth. She wanted to surprise her daughter for her Sweet 16 and knew Elizabeth would be extra excited once she saw me pull up in my Mini Convertible with camera in hand ready to do a Diva Session :-) And boy was she right! Despite the many mosquitos out that night - Elizabeth was a such a pro and one would never guess that during the session we were getting eaten alive! Oh, what we do for beauty . . . Check out some of the amazing images we captured on that warm, sorta-kinda-humid evening.

Family Portrait Session

2009-08-19T20:39:00.005-04:00

This Monday I had the privilege of photographing the most beautiful little 9 month old boy named Tanner along with his mom and dad. It was a perfect sunny day at Point Pleasant, NJ and we walked along the boardwalk randomly catching glimpses of a typical summer day. I hope you all love the images as much as his mom and dad do, and of course me too! :-)

SOHO Wedding | NY Wedding Photographers

2009-07-14T10:43:00.003-04:00

This is the wedding that kicked off our season this year! We couldn't have asked for better weather or people on May 18, 2009. What an honor it was to share the joy, happiness, & beauty of this day with Mary + John! The day began at the Soho Grand Hotel (www.sohogrand.com) , NY's premiere boutique hotel, it was here that Mary + John first saw each other on their wedding day, and from there we took a bus tour of lower Manhattan jumping out and capturing beautiful images along the way....Here is a little taste! More to come on our website : www.dove-photography.com ........So stay tuned!

Love at Lake Champion

2009-06-19T00:21:00.006-04:00

Lake Champion . . . where is that you ask? It is the most amazing, beautiful and diverse area of Upstate, New York where you must drive through winding mountainous roads that seem to only appear in BMW commercials. There is where a very artistic couple named Shawn and Sarah wed. Here are a few shots of our perfectly sunny day complete with a sparkling exit!

Gerry + Miia

2009-06-01T14:00:00.010-04:00

On Saturday, May 23, 2009 a gentle Scottish soul named Gerry married a beautiful and vivacious Swede named Miia! And what a gorgeous pair they make! We had sooooo much fun taking pictures all over town. Miia was really up for anything and she and Gerry really did do anything I told them, which is amazingly awesome for any photographer with imagination! I think they were just so happy to finally be together and married after a long distance relationship conducted mostly over Skype! Can't you just hear the softly sung words of Napoleon Dynamite's older brother Kip . . . "I love technology, but not as much as you, you see." Ha, ha, ha, I crack myself up. Anyways, here are a few sneak peaks at what we captured!

Yes, it's true, that is rain, and she totally loved it!

How many brides do you know will kick around a soccer ball before their reception?

Bombay Dreams

2009-05-27T00:28:00.019-04:00

This will be the most pictures I have ever put onto the blog at one time . . . I'm sure most of you won't mind scrolling down. How could you? Do you see the colors, the emotion, the joy, the fun we had shooting Navina and Kyle?

What an adorable couple these two were. In her own words, by the end of the evening she said, and I quote "I had people coming up to me after the wedding commenting about how hardworking, professional, nice, and funny the four of you were." Four you ask? Yes, it took a team of us to cover all the goings on at the wedding! We certainly had plenty of photographic opportunities with all the people and rituals and food, oh the food! Well, suffice to say, if you love Indian food then you too would have been in culinary heaven. Savory spices and mouth watering sauces were available in abundance as was the amazing beats that played whilst we danced around the crowd pushing the boundaries of our creatively mezmorized minds.

Sugar n Spice

2009-05-19T23:43:00.003-04:00

Sugar and spice and all things nice, that is what Emily is made of ;-) I photographed beautiful Emily prior to her actual Communion and though it was a bit foggy outside you would have never known from the big smiles I got for my camera. Ok, so it also helps when I kept backing into things and making her laugh along the way, ha ha. I guess, I'll never stop crashing into things! Part of the territory when you walk backwards while snapping away I suppose ;-)

Just For Fun

2009-05-13T10:15:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Denise and Adam! This dynamic duo decided to have a portrait session"just for fun" as Nacho Libre would say. We drove all over the Clinton/Frenchtown, New Jersey area and took some pretty amazing shots including an airport field. Of course, it was easy, look at them . . . they are the perfect J.Crew couple! Would you ever have guessed they've been married for almost 15 years?

Boat Wedding

2009-05-01T23:50:00.006-04:00

Can you imagine sailing around NYC in a boat while saying"I do"? Eric + Joanne did! They picked a beautiful day to sail around our great city on a World Yacht Cruise Ship (the Princess to be exact) and had a blast. What could be better than watching the sunset while in the arms of the love of your life, sharing that special moment with all your close friends and family? Nothing, this was both a creative and really FUN wedding! Many thanks to everyone at World Yacht Cruise Lines www.worldyacht.com who prepared amazing food and drinks. Also Eric's friend was an awesome performer....Stay posted for more......

Brooklyn Engagement Shoot

2009-04-21T11:13:00.002-04:00

Sam + Jamie were spectacular to spend the afternoon with. There we were in the freezing cold having a ton of fun. Sam + Jamie will be tying the knot in UTAH this Summer! You probably have heard the expression:"Go West Young Man", and out West we will head on June 6th. Wondering where these pictures were taken? Good ole' Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO area. Probably one our favorite places to take pictures in since it offers so many fun + great backdrops for great photos.....So if you want to see more of Sam + Jamie check out our website: www.dove-photography.com

Beach Wedding

2009-04-14T17:08:00.003-04:00

Last summer Cat and I found ourselves in Ocean Grove, NJ to shoot a beach wedding. The above picture is taken on the board walk in Ocean Grove. Mike + Vanessa have been captured lovingly gazing in each others eye, which wasn't hard to do when you have such awesome people to work with! It was a perfect day and after the beach ceremony we headed over to Branches Catering in Long Branch, NJ. We would like to extend a B I G thank you to everyone at Branches for taking care of every detail and making Mike + Vanessa (& us too) so comfortable and at ease. Here's their website for more info:http://www.branchescatering.com/ We are proud to announce that Dove Photography is now on their preferred vendor list. We certainly look forward to spending more time down the shore, and of course at Branches....

BLOG This!

2009-04-14T16:59:00.002-04:00

Yes we have given our blog a face lift. The blog as many of you know is to keep up with our latest adventures, projects, and general stuff! We hope you like the new look. It super easy to leave a comment, so we encourage you to do so. Feedback is our friend. Until next time......

Sarah and Shawn

2009-04-14T15:23:00.002-04:00

Sarah + Shaun spent the day with us in lovely Mohonk Mountain House! Many thanks everyone at Mohonk for allowing us to make use of their facility for our photo shoot. Mohonk offers spectacular vistas of Upstate NY! We can't wait to spend more time with Sarah + Shaun this May on their wedding day! To see the rest of the photo shoot on www.dove-photography.com

Oh by the way here's a link to Mohonk, great place to take hike, ice-skate, or have a delicious meal.
http://www.mohonk.com/