Hi, I'm Chris.
I'm a Documentary Wedding Photographer.
What is documentary wedding photography? Simply put, my approach aims to capture organic moments throughout your day in an unobtrusive way. Your wedding is a truly unique moment in time with your partner and whoever you're celebrating with. There should be laughing, happy-crying, dancing, and no worrying about it all being captured in a way that feels true to who you are and how you envisioned your day. If this all sounds good, you're in the right place.
I've been photographing this way for over a decade now and my guiding light as a wedding professional is to make sure my couples actually enjoy their day. I think a key part of photographing people is connection through every aspect of my work. This means listening, adapting to the needs of my couples, building trust, and genuinely caring about each moment I am photographing. It's truly an honor for me to be able to capture a wedding celebration.
I do things differently.
Traveler, writer, storyteller.
I'm from the smallest state in the US and although I've visited all 50, I still love Rhode Island the most. I've had a camera in my hand more often than not for the last 15 years and have worn quite a few hats along the way (I also really love hats). I started my journey as a photographer touring with bands and documenting life on the road. Now, I spend more time traveling on my own or for weddings around the world but still love photographing live music. I have a formal background in photojournalism which brings a unique look to my images.
Outside of my wedding work, I've worked with a range of different clients both locally and globally. Some past clients include Thrillist, Travel + Leisure, CNN, Merrell, Urth, The Specialty Coffee Association, Field Mag, Rhode Island Monthly, and more. Travel is my favorite subject if you couldn't tell, followed closely by coffee, and I'm always open to a good conversation about either!
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What I love:
The ocean, books, coffee, and New England.
The Ocean State is my home and my love for being by the water has carried through in my travels which are mostly centered around coastal places. Whether I'm trekking across a snow covered beach in Norway's Lofoten Islands or digging my toes into the sand in Thailand, I have an ear-to-ear grin when I can see the ocean.
I studied English at Rhode Island College and have a deep love for reading all sorts of fiction and nonfiction. Some of my favorite writers are Haruki Murakami, Thomas Pynchon, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, and Ocean Vuong.
I've also spent time working in the coffee world and one of my favorite things to do while traveling is visit new shops. My go-to first drink of the day is a cortado but I'm probably sipping black coffee all day long from there.
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My ethos in four words:
Travel light, move fast.
Documenting weddings is my passion but it wasn't where I started with photography. Almost 20 years ago in Providence, I realized I wanted to be a touring music photographer. Fast forward a few years and somehow a 19-year old me had the opportunity to travel around the US and Europe with a handful of bands. Living out of a van and shooting in tight, dimly lit clubs from New York to West Hollywood, I knew I needed to keep my setup small and I learned every trick about using available light (bands don't want bright flashes in their face while they're on stage, either).
On a wedding day, part of my unobtrusive approach also lies in the gear I use. Small, discrete cameras are what I use to capture a majority of the day. These things have been trusted by photojournalists in the most demanding of environments for decades so I have my faith in them as well.
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This is a
A wedding is a momentous occasion that deserves meticulous attention to detail.
Process
Your wedding day is a unique opportunity that will bring your closest friends and family all together in the same space. I believe an occasion like this deserves to be documented in a way that feels soulful and true to all involved. Most importantly, my goal is to make sure you feel present. My documentary approach allows you to spend the entire day with friends and family while I capture each moment as it unfolds naturally.
Have a look around my portfolio and check out my blog to see more weddings from real couples. If my photojournalistic approach aligns with your vision, reach out on my contact page so I can hear more about your wedding plans.
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Time to meet each other and for me to hear what you're envisioning.
Once you've sent me an inquiry and given me some more details about your planned celebration, I'll follow up so we can plan a time to talk on a call (usually around 30min, video or voice-only depending on your preference). I frequently book weddings 18+ months in advance, so please reach out as soon as possible if you're interested in my work so we can secure the date!
During our call, I'll ask questions about how you and your partner met, what types of things you're interested in, and how you envision your wedding day. This call is our time together for you to ask me anything as well! Every question is worth asking.
PROCESS
01. Let's talk!
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A boutique approach to meet the needs of every unique wedding day.
After our call, I'll follow up with a proposal that will include more details and an overview of the best photography package based on your wedding plans. Because every wedding is different, this is a nuanced proposal to make sure everything you're looking for is covered. Most couples can expect to invest around $6,500 for full day wedding coverage.
From here, you'll look over the proposal together and discuss if I'm the right fit for your wedding. I really hope so, but I also understand that you have so many options when choosing a photographer. If you have any questions or want to make adjustments, please know that I am always happy to talk.
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02. Proposal
A decision to be present on your wedding day and have every moment documented.
If we're the right fit, the next step is to sign the contract and make things official! At this point, you are doing more than booking your wedding photographer. You're reserving my exclusive attention for the agreed upon date/amount of time and you're also making a decision to have your wedding day documented in a way that lets you enjoy every moment. I know how much time, attention, and detail goes into wedding planning and your decision means it's going to be preserved for generations.
Once the contract is signed, a 20% deposit is required to book the date with the final balance being due one week prior to your wedding day. Now it's time to dive into the details!
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03. Agreement
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Time for us to collaborate, plan, and go over every detail.
We'll plan a time to talk and go over the wedding day details and timeline. I'll also ask that you share any inspiration with me in a collaborative way so I can put together a mood board for us to discuss. I have my own approach but the look of my images is something I adapt for each couple because each wedding looks different and deserves to be photographed as such.
One month out from the wedding day, we'll have a final check-in call to go over anything and adjust for changes as needed. If you prefer a more hands off approach to the logistics of the wedding planning, I'm happy to setup these calls with your wedding planner.
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04. Consultations
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Now it's time to party and forget about the work of planning.
On your wedding day, I have one single request: be present.
I ask this because I genuinely care but also because this is a core part of how my entire approach works. I don't want you to pose or worry about how something looks. I've been doing this for a long time and I have a sharp eye for details. If something is truly off (i.e. your shoelaces are undone, the cake is about to fall) I will let you know. To document your wedding candidly I need you to forget I'm there and be exactly who you are when surrounded by the closest people you love. I also need you to party because this is your darn wedding day.
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05. Wedding Day
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A small glimpse of your day while the editing work is done.
Following your wedding day, I'll go through every image while creating a third back-up of the files (everything captured during your day is backed up in the moment). I'll then create your gallery site and upload a small selection of highlights (usually about 75 images or two rolls worth of 35mm film) for you to have while the editing is done.
The previews will mostly just be about you and your partner and highlights of moments between you both throughout the day. The bulk of candid friends/family moments, details, and other documentation will come with the full gallery in 6-8 weeks.
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06. Previews
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Polishing and retouching to bring an artful and editorial approach to your day.
By this point you'll probably understand that I am not someone who processes my images heavily and spends hours in Photoshop. That being said, the editing time is truly where the majority of my work happens (think ~2hrs for every hour of photo coverage).
While I retain a photojournalistic approach that adheres to staying rooted in reality, I fix things in images that would be made better if I took the time to fix them. Cropping, color correction, and processing of each image is always done by me. At this stage, I take an editorial approach to look at your wedding day holistically and determine how the work will best tell the story.
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07. Editing
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The big moment when you finally get to see all of your big moments again.
One day when you're probably least expecting it (within 6-8 weeks after your wedding) I'm going to send an email that I guarantee will make you drop everything you're doing.
This is the final gallery. All of your hard work in planning, all of those moments that you want to relive over and over, all of one of the biggest days of your life with your most important loved ones. Now it's time to sit back and look at all of the images with your partner. While the exact number varies slightly, you can expect around 70-80 edited images per hour of photo coverage from your day. Film processing and final retouching to scans will be done in 2-3 months.
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08. Final Gallery
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Imagine a Sunday morning with coffee where you can *hold* these photographs.
Albums are seriously special. They let you move all of these images and moments off of a screen and into the physical world. If you decide to add an album to your wedding package (spoiler alert: I think you really should) we'll get started on making selections from your gallery at your own pace. There are tons of options to choose from to personalize your album and make it totally unique.
Once I have the final selections from you, the album will be designed by me in my little studio. I'll put together a layout and handle the sequencing on my end before sending you a final proof to approve. After you've looked over the final proof, the album will be delivered to you in 2-3 months.
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09. Albums
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I'll be here with my camera and ready to document every stage of your life.
We've spent a lot of time together at this point and I hope you know that you mean more to me than a typical client relationship. I'll stay in touch and will be there if you need anything from me in the future.
I've had the honor of photographing so many other stages of life for couples over the years—whether it's maternity, family, new homes, or pet sessions. I'm here for any of your photography needs and would love to continue working together.
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10. Keep in touch
