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  • 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

It is so nice to get recognition after such hard work and putting my soul into photography. Brides NY gave me a beautiful spread of Alicia and Joel’s wedding in their latest magazine of “New York Weddings We Love.” I knew the magazine was coming out, but I was not aware it already hit news stands until one of my clients, the super sweet Jennifer Mammana, offered me congratulations at the beginning our engagement shoot. Of course, I called my husband to get the magazine and when I returned home, he had it open and ready for me to see. He saw my Tweet about it yesterday when I wrote I have a great feature and a great husband, and he suggested I more permanently post the second part of that particular tweet to my blog as well :)

This wedding had great details, so keep that in mind as you plan your wedding. The little things create the atmosphere and character, especially when there is a unique and creative theme such as the “lush, wild garden feel in a converted warehouse space” as Lauren Matthews nicely expressed it in Brides.

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Posted in Destination Weddings, Indian Wedding, Weddings

It is so hard to distill the experience of shooting a 5 day wedding in India into words. There were breaks for a charming game of cricket (“The Patel Devils vs. The Sharks”) that ended unfortunately with an injury on one the Patel’s heads in the same shape and size as a Cricket Ball :) Overall, it was all so intense, that upon reflection, the days and many experiences meld into one. In sifting through the thousands of photos, I find myself at the same time sifting through and organizing my thoughts and memories. As evident from some of the photos below, the most vivid sensation was for me as a photographer, a visual one- an explosion of color that overwhelms, but somehow never numbs the senses.

I first have to express my great thankfulness for the wonderful way I was treated. A woman alone shooting in another country, always has to be a bit on guard, as my husband nervously reminded me countless times before my departure. However, R*** & V*** ‘s amazing family and extended family truly welcomed me into their family, and never once made me feel that I was on my own. They were all incredible!!!

R*** and V*** actually met 9 years ago when R*** was only 16 and living on different coasts. There was even a point when R*** tried early on to set up V*** with one of her friends! But here they were, and here I was, now in Mumbai, on the verge of a new stage in their lives together.

One of the highlights was the Mehndi ceremony, which is one of the most important pre-wedding rituals that symbolizes the bridge from the single to the married life. As is customary, the Mendi took place R***’s family’s apartment. A professional henna artist decorated the bride’s hands and feet and one can only marvel at the astounding intricacies of the designs. The colors of the henna are meant to ward off any evil and bestow luck on the couple. Applying the colors took more than eight hours, with R*** dozing off mid-way while the artist continued to decorate her in her sleep. She had to then sleep a full night, with lemon and sugar specially applied to preserve the henna. It is also a lovely custom that in the mehndi pattern the name or intials of the groom are applied and hidden. Here, of course, V***’s name was concealed on R*** and evidently he had to discover at a later time where it was.

One has to always prepare for the unexpected when shooting at a wedding, and India was of course not much different. For example, I am always talking to my second shooters about not blocking my shots or accidentally getting into my frames (something that is important and difficult at a dynamic event). In India, I had to contend with an even more tricky situation for the videographer brought what seemed like ten assistants(!) with him, all eager to jump around with great energy and enthusiasm, but occasionally blocking what I wanted to shoot. Luckily, there was enough to capture to satisfy everyone and the videographer himself was extraordinarily nice and a pleasure to work with.

The first few shots below were taken next to my hotel. I had only a little time on my own between all the festivities, and I stayed close by. I really think the photos capture a bit of the magic and contrast that is Mumbai- the hints of majesty and poverty. While I was standing there and taking the shots, I saw a poor dog and had to buy him some food, who swallowed it in a second. A poor woman, straddled with a baby, who saw this small generosity, came and asked me for money, and of course I gave her some. It was not long before her whole family started to follow me everywhere, when I looked back I saw the dog had called over his two doggie friends to follow me as well. It was embarrassing, sad and funny, all at the same time.

As a final note, I was extraordinarily impressed with R***. Planning a multi-day wedding in India is an extremely complicated affair, and R*** accomplished it with incredible finesse. She carries herself with a sense of authority, and has even earned the appropriate nickname from her friends of “Queen Elizabeth.” That managerial quality will prove very useful in the future for her in the new line of work she is considering- she told me that she wants to go into wedding planning! After the results I witnessed, I know she she will be unbelievable at it.

Thank you R*** & V*** for trusting me with these amazing moments in your life together!!!!

Many thanks to Subrato, a superb Bollywood videographer, for posting this video of Riri & Virraaj’s wedding.

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Posted in Awards & Featured Work

I was super excited to find out that two of my images were selected in the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) contest category, Full Frame Black & White. It’s a huge honor to get recognition from the WPJA.

From WPJA.com:
The Wedding Photojournalist Association puts the world’s best wedding photography at your fingertips. We offer a new perspective on wedding photography – quietly capturing the real moments as they happen for the bride and groom. It is our goal to use photography to tell the story of your wedding day, not dictate it for you.

This picture was taken while Gabrielle and her Dad were in the car on the way to Church. I was sitting in front, always at the ready for my documentary coverage, but this particular and powerful moment between Father and Daughter, shortly before he was to give her away, gave me pause. I couldn’t help to not only observe, but also deeply feel the way they looked at each other – Gabrielle’s soft tears, restrained only by the need for composure, and the intense and tender emotion that can be glimpsed on their faces. I told them they were going to make me cry as I felt my own eyes becoming wet.

In this picture is a special moment between the Groom’s father and the Bride right after the ceremony ended. The day was so full of special, real moments. There is an overwhelming theme of heartfelt emotion that runs through the pictures. For instance, this one of Robert’s Dad, Bruce, who displayed great emotion throughout the ceremony. Especially in the deep hug he gave Nanci afterwards when they greeted their guests and received congratulations. What a beautiful way to welcome the bride into her new family!

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Posted in Personal, Photography

Here’s my favorite pictures from 2010 in no particular order, I hope you enjoy it! :)

Two days ago was my last wedding of the season. Now that it’s over, I feel like it is the best time to sit down and reflect on 2010. What an incredible year it has been!

Thank you to my wonderful clients who made this year special, and thanks for the special bonds and friendships we have forged. I was amazed by the amount of love that I photographed. Thank you for your beautiful weddings, and the incredible love that I have witnessed. All the cuddles, hand holding, and laughing together really fills my life with love.

The appreciation that I get from my clients really keeps me going and motivates me. One of the biggest rewards for me personally is the wonderful feedback that I receive from everyone who sees the photos. I would like to personally thank each and every client who has taken a moment out of their busy lives as newlyweds to offer their kind words. It really is the feedback that gives meaning to all the hard work.

I would especially like to thank you, all the readers of my blog, for looking at the pictures that I worked so hard for.

This year I shot 40 weddings total. There always seems to be an overwhelming and unending to-do list, but it is passion that keeps me going. When I work during all hours of the day and sometimes full nights (80+ hours a week), and when I’m too tired to even think straight, passion motivates me to keep going. Sometimes the work can feel very overwhelming after many hours into the endless to-do list. (Organizing the photos, retouching, making slideshows, burning DVDs, arranging prints, blogging, etc … etc…) I am however, very lucky to be doing something that I love. I was taught that everything I do in life should be done in the most driven, passioned and intense way possible, in order to do the best I can. Shooting 12-14 hours on a wedding day doesn’t feel like hard work, rather, it’s exciting, stimulating and fun. My drive pushes me to always try to be better in what I do. And the more hours I’m behind the camera, the more experience I gain. The more knowledge and experience I acquire, the better an artist I can be.

I am thankful for my husband who unwaveringly supported me on this journey, who really understands what a workaholic I am. :) Since he’s probably going to read this, Adam: Thank you for all the help in this endeavor, you are truly the backbone of it! Thank you for pushing me to follow all of my dreams. You focus me and understand who I am. We make a fantastic team. Together we are sharing all the happiest and most difficult moments, and in the end it’s worth it. I love you!

Thanks William, my fabulous office manager. I know it’s not easy to work with me. I look for perfection and care about the tiniest little things. But I hope you understand, that which pushes us harder improves us every day and helps to get the best results possible. Thank you, William, for all your hard work, motivation and loyalty. You fit right into our family. I’m so lucky to have found such an incredible person to bring on board. (My cats approve too, they love him so much they cuddle on his lap every day. :) )

This year was so much fun; I shot a wedding in India and an Indian wedding in Florida. Next year I will have a wedding in the Virgin Islands and one in Canada, both of which I am eagerly anticipating. This year I won the WPJA, I had some weddings featured in some beautiful wedding magazines (Including one in Japan) and on some industry leading blogs. I am so grateful for the doors this year has opened up to me.

Part of the process of artistic growth is to gain knowledge. I really enjoyed visiting the WPPI and the Foundation Workshop this year. I learned so many important lessons like how to challenge myself, how to improve, how to grow and take big steps, how to shoot from the heart, how to think outside the box, and how to bring new ideas.

In two days, I am leaving to visit my family in Israel. Every year I take a short break between the wedding seasons to charge myself up for the next one. It’s so important for me to take that break, to just relax and breathe and keep my mind clear. I see my family only once a year, and I’m super excited to be in Israel already. Visiting them really puts everything in proportion. Sometimes we get so caught up with things, it’s good to take a break.

While I am there, I will visit Santorini, Greece. I’m so excited to bring my camera with me. I don’t often get the privilege of personal photography during the intense wedding season. It’s so important as an artist to nurture my creativity.

When I return from Israel, I plan to expand my horizons in photography and begin exploring fashion photography. Each area of photography is unique and has its own demands and style requirements. Each is its own form of art. Not only is it fulfilling to explore new areas, but I look forward to new inspiration. And for the fashion and wedding photos to feed each other with new and creative ideas.

I have so many goals for the next year, and part of that is continuing to be true to myself while I shoot. To shoot from the heart and try to let go of all the things that can hold me back. I want to set high expectations and big dreams. It’s never easy, but the key is to get out of the comfort zone and never fear failure. This will push me to explore and be creative. It will force changes and growth to continue my evolution as an artist. As artists we are always growing and developing. We have to always keep creating and pursuing growth. I have so many new ideas and changes that I am going to have in my life. I can’t wait to see where it will take me!

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