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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 BrideOneWedMerci 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!  :-)

Pleasantdale Chateau is a remarkable venue It was designed as a country estate and completed in 1933. It was built for Dr. Charles W. Nichols of Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation. It stands as a superb example of a French Normandy manor house, replete with 15th century Spanish tiles. Such European old-world charm affrords a lot of play with settings and colors. For instance, I must take the mandatory wedding dress, but at Pleasantdale, hanging it hear on a simple hook on that papered wall, gave it the innocent pure quality of the inside of an Edwardian dollhouse.

The decadent pool also provided an amazing color palette as a backdrop. Evidently, it is a well known setting and was used as a backdrop in both the movie Cocoon and in the Sopranos. One just had to be a bit careful with the framing- I was shooting so close to the edge that I was very close to falling in the pool with all my equipment.

Besides elements of design and architecture, there were also many moments of deep emotion and spiritual connection. When I was reviewing the photos, I had to pause at the frame of the signing of the Ketubah. It of the reasons I love photography, which can capture the details we would otherwise miss or forget. Right after signing, John grabbed Stacey’s hand and kissed it. It was such a beautiful, time-honored gesture and really demonstrated for me how pure his love was and how natural its expression.

The frame is so simple but it’s a beautiful moment. It happened in the blink of an eye and it’s nice that the camera captured it. It shows what a special person John is and is such a beautiful gesture. Kissing the hand was such a beautiful way to show his love towards her. Not so many men use that type of gesture, it’s a beautiful old-time thing that isn’t so common these days.

Stacey is very friendly, very down to earth, intelligent, and sweet. Her father described her in the toast as ‘the perfect child’ and it is true that I could really find no flaw to dispute that. This was evident from the moment I got there, from how she happily dismissed the fact that it was very rainy summer day, to how just before she set jetted off to Thailand on her honeymoon, she had enough time to write me about how much she and John enjoyed the wedding. It was especially meaningful that Stacey wrote “My parents loved you and they understood very quickly why I connected so well with you.” Of course, the feeling was mutual.

Update: Stacey had these kind words to say about her slideshow.. this kind of feedback from my clients makes all the hard work worth it!

“We absolutely adore our pictures! They are just stunning!! I know we will feel like we are reliving our special day every time we look at them. The hardest part might be narrowing down our favorites – what a terrific dilemma to have!!

Words cannot really express how lucky we are to have shared our celebration with you. Thank you so much for being you – wonderful, amazing you.”

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Michelle and Steven were married in a home belonging to their family. It’s a tradition in the family to get married there. The estate was so big and the setting looked beautiful. Thank you Michelle and Steven for trusting me with capturing your special moments on your special day! The day was very emotional and it was so beautiful to see the special connection that you share with each other. It is so nice to see the way your personalities compliment each other perfectly.

When I sent the slideshow to Michelle she responded with a wonderful email. Thank you, Michelle for the kind words, this kind of appreciation makes all the hard work worth it. :)

Thank you so much for these. There are no words to express how happy we are; the photos are phenomenal. Absolutely stunning. You captured not only the wedding but the emotions of that day and conveyed our relationships with each other and our families and our friends so perfectly. I am really speechless. You went above and beyond; you are amazing. Please feel free to use us as a reference anytime as it be deservedly, glowing.

Their Story, by Michelle:
Steven and I met working together at a company called Right Media. We were on the same team and sat a few feet away from one another for about a year. He annoyed me like crazy in the beginning. Nonetheless being in the same circle we would, by default, hang around together. I’m not sure when, but at some point our friendship quietly changed. We stopped inviting other people to lunch. He made excuses to be going in the same direction as my train when we lived in opposite boroughs. We had weird inside jokes and our own way of communicating. Anyway, things just felt different between us. Very long story short, I called him one night and said “Do you like me?” He replied, “Yes…” I was too embarrassed to go to work the next day.

Fast forward a few years. He asked me to marry him in the same spot he first told me he loved me. Simple, sweet and sincere.

Vendor List:
Dress: Jane Wilson Marquis
Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo
Suit: Davide Cenci
Groom’s shoes: Bally
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various
Makeup Artist: Piera Canu
Hair Stylist: Brandy McDonald
Florist: Garden’s Bloom, Hoboken, NJ
Caterer: Encore Catering, East Hanover, NJ
Location: Private Home, NJ
DJ: Rob Kelley, 74 Events
Tent: Sperry Tents, NJ
Invites: Paper Thin Design
Rentals: Party Rental Ltd.
Officiant: Bishop George Lucey

I’m so happy that Style Me Pretty New York has featured my work from Jen and Mark’s New York Wedding.

I’m so excited that they featured my photos alongside the gorgeous video by I Do Films. They were a pleasure to work with and did an amazing job. I would recommend them to all my brides.

I also highly recommend Jen’s make up artist, NYC Faces. :)

Mark & Jennifer from I Do Films on Vimeo.