Wedding Photography Information

Introduction

I began my photographic career as a photojournalist about twenty years ago in New York City, and at the same time began my career as a wedding photographer. For me, the two specialties are similar, both calling for a photographer who can create compelling and memorable stories with candor and empathy.

As a photographer, I am drawn to the people, traditions, rituals and emotions that feature prominently in any wedding. But more importantly, weddings allow me to focus on beauty, joy and happiness in a way that is not often available when photographing other subjects most often associated with photojournalism. As a wedding photographer, I try to capture all the elements of a wedding in a manner that allows for the wedding itself, and the people in it, to emerge as clearly and as genuinely as possible. The images I capture are elegant, classic and timeless, and when combined, tell a story that is visually and emotionally engaging.

Weddings never fail to provide moments that make for memorable images, and I am always trying to capture those moments for the couples I work with. I try to be both omnipresent and discreet, with the firm belief that the hardest part of the job is being connected to the events unfolding in front of my camera in a way that results in great photographs.

All that being said, my ultimate responsibility as a photographer is the satisfaction of my clients. To that end, I am entirely at the service of the couples and families whose weddings I photograph. I am happy when my clients are both confident that their wedding photography is well taken care of, and comfortable enough to ask me for anything.

Please forgive this lengthy testimonial from a young couple whose wedding I photographed in New Hampshire, but I think it captures very well the way I want couples to feel after I have photographed their weddings...

"Porter Gifford was exceptional. He arrived promptly and immediately settled into the environment, never asking us where he should be or what he should be doing or directing us to be doing anything other than what we were - having a fabulous time. His non-imposing personality and style was exactly what we were hoping for, and at the same time he always seemed to be capturing the really great moments (I caught him snatching photos of the most wonderful pieces of the day). And, the entire party loved him I got comments from guests in the days and weeks that followed, mentioning how great he was -- he fit in so well, he could have been one of the guests. And, after sifting through the images online, we couldn't be happier. The portraits are great, the ceremony images are beautiful, and most of all, the candids truly capture the day -- and, really, that's what we hired him for: to have the essence of our day captured on film. They are beautiful, and a wonderful memory of the day."

I consider it a privilege when a couple asks me to photograph their wedding, and I consider it my job to return the favor.