Long Island wedding

Garden City Hotel Wedding /  by Ryan Brenizer

We feel truly lucky to have been a part of Julie and Marc's incredible wedding at the Garden City Hotel. The sun was shining brilliantly, setting the stage for a beautiful celebration.

We've had the pleasure of photographing two of Julie's cousins' weddings, so seeing so many familiar faces made the day even more special. The wedding party was filled with vibrant energy throughout the event.

The most unforgettable moment was when Julie, a talented trombone player, surprised everyone (including Marc!) by joining the fantastic Hank Lane band for a set.

The dance floor was electric, with Julie fully embracing the moment and dancing with as many friends and family as possible. We're genuinely grateful to have shared this unforgettable day with Julie, Marc, and their loved ones, capturing memories that will last a lifetime.

Mansion at Oyster Bay wedding /  by Ryan Brenizer

Here it comes, 2021! I don’t think we’ve ever been so excited to document or even just be at weddings again, tied only with last June when our job and passion became legal again. Every wedding has felt deeper and more meaningful than ever, as every guest had to be deeply conscious and *work* just to be there, and we are vaccinated as of the end of March (but still careful) and ready to mix with that wonderful energy again.

And what a fantastic way to start 2021 than with Alli and Alex. A little FYI: We were once slated to star in our own reality show — but it turns out that you’re not the perfect reality show subject when your job is to be an oasis of calm at all times. Still, it was a fun experience to make and we got to meet amazing people like Alli. And since then, she met the amazing Alex, and they make beautiful music together … literally. They met when they joined the same band.

They were originally slated to have a big party at the Mansion at Oyster Bay. That didn’t happen, but we are so thankful that the Mansion opened itself to us to do portraits with them.

Gloria Rocking It and a quick review of the Sony HVLF45RM /  by Ryan Brenizer

Now it's time for "As long a review of the Sony HVL-f45rm flash as a wedding photographer time for in October!"

Good: It's freaking magical -- why is it so tiny, so well-balanced with small Sony cameras, with such little meaningful power difference? If I'm rocking a reception with a big flash at 1/8th power, on the tiny 45rm I'm *maybe* at 1/8th + 1/3rd, a negligible difference. Here it's hitting ISO 100 f/11 at well under full power, balancing the bright sun outside and highlighting how bad-ass Denise is. And it's the best TTL I've ever used, so good that … I even use it occasionally.

The bad: Weirdly fragile, in my experience. We are fairly good to our gear these days, and out of the four Sony flashes we own, four have been to the repair shop for hot shoe issues. Now we pack it as gently as we would a newborn kitten.