2010 May | Kyle Hepp

May 19, 2010

If you don’t live in NYC you’re probably looking at the title of this blog post wondering why I’m calling my photography DUMBO That’s actually a neighborhood in Brooklyn (don’t feel uncool, I didn’t know either). The acronym stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

Seba and I headed down that way to meet up with Emma, Lydia and Sylvia for a little photo session while we were in New York. It was AMAZING. First of all, Emma is one of my best friends. We met back in the day in Chile. I can honestly say that meeting her, along with a couple other wonderful gringas, literally changed my life. I had been miserable up until that point, until Emma and her cloud of happy stormed into my life.

She’s such a good person, right down to her very core. I love being around her because I feel like some of that rubs off on me!

So Emma decided she wanted to do a photo session with her two best friends from childhood. She, Lydia and Sylvia have known each other since they were in the womb. I admire that. Ever since moving to Chile, I’ve realized what an immense amount of loyalty and love and dedication staying friends through time and over distance requires. Theirs is definitely a friendship worth documenting.

Working it in DUMBO with some pretty light for pretty women.

No matter how many subjects I have, I will always find a way to half their faces. It’s classic Kyle Hepp photography

This puts a smile on my face. We were re-enacting a picture that these ladies have of themselves when they were toddlers. They cracked up every time. Love it!

Isn’t this picture so cool?!? My girls look like they’re straight out of a magazine. Big shout out to the incredible New York City wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer for teaching me the flash composite method he has so perfected!

Aaaaaand of course this is my favorite. I LOVE this picture. Totally worth standing out in New York City traffic to get it!

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May 17, 2010

Erin and I went to high school together, back in the day in good old Michigan. She was a few grades ahead of me, and we were both band nerds. Yes, we played the flute. No, we don’t think it’s funny when you say, “This one time…at band camp…”

When she first got in touch with me about photographing her wedding, I was surprised to hear from her after all these years, but not at all surprised that she’s now a big deal New York businesswoman. Because when we went to meet up with her to discuss the big day, she was just as I remembered her — ridiculously smart, very motivated and very witty — though I now find her significantly less intimidating than I did when we were in high school And Matt is the nicest guy. He’s also ridiculously smart and motivated (I think it’s a New Yorker thing), and he still has the heart and fun loving spirit of a kid. I instantly loved that about him — who wouldn’t?

I had insanely high expectations for this NYC wedding — and they were exceeded in every way. The venue was the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden on a sunny day, even after a week of cold and some rain. Erin looked absolutely stunning in her Reem Acra dress. Their friends and family celebrated with them all day long and gave some of the funniest Best Man/Maid of Honor toasts I’ve ever heard — and I’ve heard a lot.

Seba and I were so happy and honored to be there to photograph it as it all went down. Congratulations, Erin and Matt! I hope you love your pictures!

I loved their ceremony. A friend of Erin and Matt’s was ordained as a minister and he wrote the whole thing. He kept it short and to the point, and it was beautiful without verging into sappy territory.

They spent the whole day laughing!

I know that a lot of photographers don’t love the cake cutting, because there’s not a lot you can do to make photos of it particularly unique. But I love it, just because it’s such a ridiculous tradition that it makes the bride and groom crack up every time, without fail.

After a break in between the reception at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, all the guests went back to their hotels to take naps, Seba and I went to our to download the photos, back them up and post a sneak peek of the wedding, and then we all headed out to the after party. It was at a really cool bar in Manhattan called the Stone Rose, overlooking Central Park.