So writing a blog is primarily about sharing my images.  But knowing your photographer is really almost as important as liking his images or trusting his artistic judgement.  I don’t intend to have this blog solely serve as a showcase of my images – if you want to see those, you should go to my website.  Actually, since you mention it, why don’t you swing by my website?  (too shameless?)

So I had a marathon weekend of shooting this weekend.  I shot a rehearsal dinner Friday, an admissions piece for The George Washington University on Saturday morning, a wedding Saturday evening, and a wedding on Sunday.  And, in case that wasn’t enough images to bury myself in editing, I employed one of my assistants to cover a rehearsal dinner for me on Saturday too.  Phew.  No wonder I was looking for a 5-hour energy at the start of the reception on Sunday.  And no wonder I slept in on Monday.  And no wonder I still have studio lights, stands, and god knows what else still in my trunk today…

But what a spectacular weekend and pair of weddings I was able to be a part of!  Certainly each of these weddings will have its own blog post later (once the images are edited), but for now each of them warrants a story that doesn’t need images (and might help you to know me).  So if you’re looking for pretty images, scroll down farther (or go to my website).  These ones I stole from the googles. 😉

So the wedding I shot on Saturday was a gay wedding.  James and Bill contacted me through a fellow photographer who was unavailable to cover their wedding and discussed with me their plans for a “garden party” outdoors at the beautiful Woodrow Wilson House in NW DC.  They described their tastes, hopes, designs, and dreams about their wedding and talked to me about what they liked about my photography and about photography in general.  I could tell right away I like them.  Little did I know how much I’d like them – but you will read more about that when I share photos from their wedding.  Suffice to say they were wonderful.

Shooting gay weddings is always interesting as a straight man.  You don’t realize necessarily what it’s like to deal with vendors for your wedding (for example) as a gay couple planning a wedding.  Since DC legalized gay marriage, there has certainly been an influx, at least in my business, of gay weddings and gay couple contacting me about photography.  And of course I’m happy for the business, I mean at some point it has to be a business.  But it’s been a joy celebrating with these couples because their celebration is about more than just each other, their love, and their lives.  Their celebration is about something much harder for us to understand, something we all take for granted, and something that these couples have to work hard to find.  Their celebration is about things I’ve never had to fight for and about things I don’t claim to fully understand.  But what I do understand is that James and Bill are in love.  They’re not in love a little bit, or for appearances, or for their families to understand.  They’re not in love so they can file taxes together or join their bank accounts.  They are in love because James makes Bill so happy he can barely stand up for a 20 minute ceremony.  They are in love because Bill makes James so happy he can’t even close the lips around his smile for a 20 minute ceremony.  They are in love because they are in love.  Does it matter that they’re gay?

I was speaking with Sherri, their officiant, at the reception.  She and her partner were there together and while she was waiting for her partner to arrive, she chatted with me at dinner.  She is the one who mentioned the fantastic advertisement posted above.  I thought it was clever and it made me smile so I thought I’d share.  Then I started poking around a bit and found these other funny little quips.  There are a lot of funny images and sayings online about gay marriage.  But they’re only funny now that it’s legal.  And it’s not legal everywhere (yet – go ahead, doubt it, it’s coming).  I was telling Sherri about what it’s like getting calls from same-sex couples about photography.  There is always a moment in the conversation, after I’ve told them I’m available for their date but before we get too much farther, when they stammer a bit about making sure that I’m comfortable shooting same-sex weddings.  And to all of you couples out there who have learned through bad experience in your lives that this awkward part of the conversation is necessary, I am so sorry.  Let me assure you that there are people out there dying to celebrate with you.  And if you call my studio, I’ll celebrate with you.

Besides, it’s straight people’s fault anyway, right?  LOL.  That’s a good one.  I’m not sure where this sign was displayed, but I’m glad someone got a photo of it.  Pretty priceless.  This isn’t a political post (I mean, more than it has to be I guess).  I’m not looking to incite anything or stir the pot.  Sherri made several comments that made me think and I just felt like a little flag-waving for basic human rights never hurts.  When we forget that we are all humans and that our basic rights are rights and basic, then they go away.  And what a terrible shame it would be to see the means for such joyous celebration go away for anyone.  More happy and healthy relationships like James and Bill’s relationship is the solution, not the problem.  Congratulations, guys!  Can’t wait to share your photos.

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