Masthead header
NYC Wedding Photography Blog bio picture

  • About Shira

    I am an international photographer based in New York, an award-winning member of the prestigious Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) , ISPWP, and a member of the Best of Wedding Photography Association. My work has been published and acclaimed internationally, appearing in Brides Magazine, Anhelo (Japan), The Knot, and The Knot China. I have also been featured on many industry-leading blogs such as Grace Ormonde, Style Me Pretty, WellWed, Essence, Bride's Cafe, Brooklyn Bride, OneWed, Merci NY and more. Originally from Israel, I have had the pleasure of photographing many American, French, Yemenite, Ethiopian, Korean, Indian and Moroccan weddings and events. I have photographed in New York's most legendary spots like the Waldorf-Astoria, The Plaza, The Pierre, Gotham Hall, the Hamptons, and more. Through my photojournalistic style, I aim to capture the spontaneity, joy, emotion and ambiance of the important day with photos that present an unfolding story. My incredible clients have taken me all over the world to photography their weddings; including India, Canada, the Caribbean, etc. I am free to travel throughout the US and internationally, and am available for a wide variety of events. Feel free to look at my website.

    Also, here are a few testimonials from some of my wonderful clients.

  • My Blog

    Welcome to my blog!   This blog showcases not only my work from many of the beautiful weddings I am privileged to photograph, but also reveals glimpses of my personality.    Here is an opportunity to share some great moments  as well as give clients,  guests and friends the chance to comment. I also hope prospective clients will be able to not only explore my photography and style, but will also find inspiring ideas, recommendations , and tips for their own wedding planning.   I myself got married five years ago and I remember how overwhelming it all was- especially picking the right photographer!  :-)

Posted in Awards & Featured Work

I am so excited that Shiri and Lawrence‘s photos were featured on Grace Ormonde’s blog! I’m so proud that one of the leading wedding blogs is showcasing my work – thank you, Grace Ormonde for the feature.

They were married at Angel Orensanz, one of NYC’s liveliest wedding venues. The interior is exquisite, and while the space is imbued with a spirituality and holiness befitting a Synagogue, it is also permeated by a restless and dynamic creativity that I find mirrors the personalities of the couples that choose, under its vaulted sanctuary, to get married there.

by admin

add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

Posted in Jewish Wedding, Weddings

Marina and Boris were married at Angel Orensanz, one of my favorite venues in NYC. Besides the stunning cathedral inspired architecture, one can only feel that this building possesses a soul. It has undergone many transformations through the decades from its 19th century original use as a congregation for immigrant German Jews, then mirroring the changing tides of immigrants to become the first Hungarian Congregation. It weathered vicissitudes by the 1970s when it was abandoned and vandalized, and finally restored to its present glory by the well known Spanish sculptor and painter whose name it now bears. In many ways, its history hints at the element of change in life and the need to accommodate those changes both through good and bad times. It is an important metaphor for those now privileged to marry under its splendidly lit and vaulted ceilings.

Marina and Boris were aware of that history and choose it in part as a reflection of their own heritage. They wanted their wedding to combine tradition with modern styling. There were many elements that gave it a distinct European feel from the French music during the procession to the violins, whose music invariably stirs the Jewish heart. Of course, there were also modern touches like the bright lights of Angel Orensanz – with requisite touches of high fashion that are rightly on the mind of tasteful brides on their wedding day, including the gorgeous European hairpiece by Ellen Christine, one of NY’s most celebrated hat designers, hair by Tuula Pera and make up by the runway artist Asif Zaidi. The bride intended to have a very vintage, classical European look to the whole event. That most important of all elements, the dress, was the glamorous work of Martina Liana.

Vendor List
Venue: Angel Orensanz
Wedding Gown: Martina Liana
Hairpiece: Ellen Christine
Band: Empyreal Strings
Bridesmaids Dresses: Butter by Nadia
Hair Stylist: Tuula Pera
Catering and Cake: Russian Elite Catering

by admin

add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

Posted in Jewish Wedding, Weddings

As they relate on their wedding site “Abbie and Ben met briefly in May 2009 at a friend’s birthday party. Ben was admiring her from across the room, and with the help of his roommate, approached her with the line, “My parents are going to love you…” Ben denies using a cheesy line like that, but I find it to be a pick-up line of sincere and refreshing honesty. It really doesn’t matter if he said it or if Abbie just thinks he did (though I must side with a woman’s recollection :) – what matters is that they immediately saw each other in the context of a relationship. And of course, Ben’s parents DID  love her. They also share on their site the rest of the story of how things progressed, delightfully entitled “I Gotta Feeling..”

Ben proposed to Abbie in Colorado. And that morning, back at Abbie’s home, her Mom and Dad anxiously waited for a phone call from the couple. Becka, their daughter, called from Indiana. She told them she had a dream that Abbie was getting married – but unsure if Ben or Abbie had revealed the plans, her Mom played it cool. Later after the engagement, Abbie and Ben called Becka to tell her the news and she could hardly believe her amazing premonition! There were so many amazing signs that they were meant to be together; on their wedding site they explain how everyone around them had premonitions about it. For example Abbie’s Mom saved a sentimental text for 15 months from their first date. It said the date was going “wonderful!” After they got engaged she showed them the text- she had a feeling…

Abbie and Ben’s wedding day was very important to them, and they planned out every last detail with the incredible work of the amazing wedding planner Amy Shey Jacobs of Chandelier Events. She did an amazing job – everything was so professional and efficient, as well as organized and stress free. The best way to explain the planning and design process is to share Abbie’s own words on it:

Theme/Inspiration: With the timing of the wedding at the very beginning of fall, we took inspiration from the idea of an Indian Summer. We were also inspired by Marrakesh which led us to use the lanterns and votive holders seen throughout the event. Last but not least, we wanted to celebrate the occasion and have FUN!

We wanted the night to be filled with color and achieved this by using jewel tones of some of our favorite colors – teal, orange, pink and gold. The gray bridesmaids dresses were selected for the sophisticated look that would also work well with our colors.

We wanted the rooms to feel warm to give the night a more intimate feel – which is why we went with low flower arrangements for the tables – so talking and laughing was easy for our esteemed guests.

We also wanted our guests to dance the night away – so the band was a difficult decision but we definitely chose well as the dance floor was packed all night!

For us – our wedding was absolutely perfect! We had the most incredible time – from the personal and emotional ceremony to the touching speeches from family and friends, to the stunning decor that encapsulated us and our guests, to the fun, high-energy band that kept us on our feet – we wish the night could go on forever.

Abbie and Ben, it was a pleasure capturing your love and connection together! Thank you for trusting me with your most precious memories. The day was truly a pleasure and a joy to photograph and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience every emotion that you shared with your family and friends on that special day.

Update: I just got this beautiful email from Abbie.
“Thank you SO MUCH for sharing the gorgeous, stunning and wonderful photos with us! We absolutely love them and it is so great to see them – helping us to relive the wonderful day!

You are so talented and we are so lucky we had you to capture our special day!”

Vendor List:
Wedding Planner: Chandelier Events / Amy Shey Jacobs
Flowers and decor: Stone Kelly
Music: Vali Entertainment
Photobooth: We Love Photobooths
Video: Anna Davis of Open Eye Media
Venue/Catering: Tarrytown House Estate
Dessert Bar: Baked (Brooklyn)
Cake: Oreos :)
Ketubah: Rachel Warschawski
Lights: Levy Lighting
Favors: bride and groom made chocolate covered pretzels and made donation – as thank you to guests – to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Paper (invites, programs, menus, escort cards, etc): East Six

You can see their engagement shoot photos here: http://nycweddingphotographyblog.com/?p=7932

If you would like to watch Abbie and Ben’s wedding video by Open Eye Media, click here.

by admin

add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

Posted in Weddings

Elizabeth and Sean were married at the Lawrence Beach Club on Atlantic beach. I always love shooting on the barrier islands, as the setting is so natural and relaxing, and as an escape from Manhattan, it makes me feel like I am going on a holiday. Albeit, the milder than expected hurricane Irene still took quite a toll on the Club, and Elizabeth and I had traded a few emails back and forth about the uncertainty of whether the Club would would be up and running as her big day approached. Hurricanes often provide a jarring reminder to appreciate our good fortune and live life to its fullest. This was one of those days, with the club and beach thankfully open, on which Sean and Elizabeth would fully embrace life and love.

The simplicity of the setting was a reflection of their characters and taste. Elizabeth even asked me beforehand to suggest ways in which she could avoid the sometimes heavy make-up reasonably suggested to brides- as it just didn’t make her feel like her usual self. And Sean wanted to marry someone he recognized. ;) That genuineness was apparent from the moment we arrived. It was an intimate and just beautiful ceremony, with Elizabeth’s brother as the officiant, and Elizabeth and Sean were a truly captivating couple.

The beach was a beautiful setting for portraits and my interest in shooting amidst the bushes won over my fear of possible tick bites. When I pointed towards the dunes, always sensitive to a bride’s concerns of dirtying her dress or having her hair too windswept, Elizabeth exclaimed without hesitation: “YES! We’ll do anything for good photos ! Just tell us what you want us to do!” I immediately envisioned shots with my tilt-shift lens. The shoot was very enjoyable as they were both cooperative, and most importantly, excited. I love brides and grooms who are excited about the art of photography and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot.

I was so happy as well to learn from speaking to Elizabeth’s mother and Elizabeth, that they knew several of my previous couples including Gabrielle and Anthony, Renata and Paul, and Katherine and Michael, who actually referred me. They even passed on my name before I shot their wedding to Anna and Geoffrey, who I look forward to shooting at the Union League Club in November, and who I was so happy to see again at Elizabeth and Sean’s wedding

Vendor List:
Make up: PerfectFaceNYC
Hair: Hair Machine
Dress: Bali by Amsale
Shoes: Reef Stargazer and Liz Claibourne Massey Sandel
Flowers: Wicks Florist
Band: Jim Neale Band
Groom’s Suit: Charm’s Tailor
Shirt: Brooks Brothers
Tie: Ralph Lauren
Shoes: Cole Haan

Update: I just received a very touching email from Elizabeth and Sean after they watched their slideshow. It makes me so happy and really makes all the hard work worth it:

“Honestly…we have no words. Your photos are just so insanely beautiful. So much more than we ever imagined. We sat here in Mexico and cried through the whole slideshow…in a good way :)

They are perfect. Exactly what we were going for in every way. You captured so many aspects of our ceremony that we didn’t even realize were happening! Plus, you captured exactly what we wanted our ceremony to be filled with…love and laughter. That’s what we hoped it would be…it’s what it felt when we were standing up there…and your photos reflect that. It’s just amazing.

Personally, I have no idea how you got so many amazing shots out of that Marriott hotel room. When I arrived on Thursday night I thought “oh no, poor Shira…this room stinks,” and yet you managed to make all of the getting ready shots incredible. How did you do that?!?! They are AMAZING!

Shira, honestly, I don’t know what to say. They are perfect. You were the very first wedding decision we made and so clearly the best. Thank you SO much.

Sean and I both agree that our number one piece of advice for brides and grooms would be to hire you! I’m embarrassed to admit to the number of times we watched our slideshow while in Mexico…thank goodness our resort had wi-fi! We still can’t get over your photos and have been bombarded with compliments about them all week. We just keep telling our guests the same thing…it was all Shira…she was our first choice and we are so happy with the outcome :)

xoxo,
Elizabeth and Sean”

I also received this very touching message from Elizabeth’s mother:

Your slide show of Elizabeth and Sean is just unbelievable. You have captured my daughter (and wonderful new son-in-law)’s personalities so perfectly. And your vision of our dear Lawrence Beach Club was perfect. You are making it possible for us to relive what was a perfect day over and over. I told every single person I know to look at your website. They too are amazed. I will never be able to thank you enough for all you have done. I look forward to giving you a big hug at my nephew’s wedding in November.

I decided to surprise the happy couple, now on their honeymoon in Mexico, with a sneak peak of some photo set to their
favorite song: Taj Mahal’s Loving in My Baby’s Eyes.

by admin

add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

« Older posts Newer posts »