A Proposal for 2014

January 6, 2014 by Chris Zarconi

So I’ve been a little slow-motion with the blog. Perhaps one might even say absentee. It’s my blog, right? So I should be able to do whatever I want. I can post as often (or as seldom) as I like. Ok, that’s enough of that. Here’s a proposal for 2014 – I’m going to actually write in my blog. Weekly. What do you think of those apples? Well here goes.

Oh, and, being a photographer, I couldn’t possibly write a blog post with the word “proposal” in it without sharing this lovely marriage proposal. I was hired to photograph the Run or Dye run in Washington, DC.

I was photographing at the finish line of the race for a while. While I was standing there, plenty of excited parents came up to me and asked me to make sure to get a photograph of their child. Now while I’m a pretty accommodating fellow, when I’m working, I’m working. And with instructions like “shoot as many people crossing the finish line as possible”, I don’t think every excited mother at that race giving me her daughter or son’s description was really necessary.

One mother, however, did catch my attention. She told me (over my shoulder while I was working) about her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend who were running the race together. Their dog, waiting for them at the finish line, had the daughter’s engagement ring in a box on it’s collar. Obviously the daughter did not know this.

I was interested in this story. So I tuned in, watched for her, and waited (diligently photographing folks crossing the finish line all the while). And then it happened.

So perhaps I started the year with two proposals. This is going to be a good one. And good luck to you two as well.

We Can’t Cancel This Shoot, Let’s Move It Indoors

June 18, 2013 by Chris Zarconi

Ever have one of those shoots that you schedule and reschedule and reschedule because of weather, scheduling changes, etc.? Everyone has. When Steve & Mary told me that they’d gotten engaged, I was so excited to be asked to be a part of their wedding and their engagement shoot. Sadly I’m already booked for their wedding date, but at least I got to spend some time with them. But when we finally had the engagement shoot we’d scheduled about four times, we made some really wonderful images. And who says rainy days are a problem for outdoor shoots? Just take it inside!

So we moved our Capitol Hill engagement shoot into the Capitol. And I couldn’t be happier with what we got. I brought my girlfriend along to help out and test out a new camera purchase and even got to end up in one of my own shoots. (trust me when I tell you I do everything in my power to remain on only one side of the camera – posting this photo is all for her. Enjoy, darling.)

After a bit of shooting indoors, we decided to take the show back outside and roll the dice with the seemingly-improving weather. And as far as dice-rolling goes, we won! We walked around the Capitol some more and then headed out to Memorial Bridge for a few more classic Washington, DC shots before calling it a day.

Not that these two need any well-wishes, but all the best!!! I can’t remember an engagement shoot where I had to tell a couple to stop kissing. I hope every couple getting married this year is half as in love as you two are.

Proposal From the Grassy Knoll

January 28, 2013 by Chris Zarconi

Ok, maybe that’s a little more dramatic that it really deserves to be… But I’m entitled to a little drama from time to time – it’s my website. Besides, every story is better with a little, how do you say, flare. So yeah, the grassy knoll, that’s what I’m going with.

So I’m helping my girlfriend’s work friend pack up and move out of her apartment in Falls Church, VA one crisp November morning since I had no shoots or plans that day otherwise. We get there early enough to see that we were late and much of the hard lifting had already taken place – accidentally, I swear. But there was plenty left to do and we got started right away. We helped carry stuff down the stairs and through the courtyard to the moving truck parked as nearby as possible. Until we’d emptied the whole apartment save a roll of paper towel and the pizza (and beer) we’d ordered to take a break. Finally it was pizza time.

While eating pizza, Brandon, another work colleague of my girlfriend who had joined us to help with the move (and who had done much of the heavy lifting) asked what I had on my agenda for the rest of the day. I made small talk for a minute before asking him what he had planned for the rest of the day. He calmly looked at me and said that he was planning to propose to his girlfriend that afternoon.

And just like that, our conversation changed. He had the ring in his car – the story just kept getting more and more hilarious. So we discussed photography and the plan began to come together. This was a first.

I got the call from Brandon that it was time and my girlfriend (my cover in the grassy knoll) and I jumped into my packed and ready car and raced (carelessly disregarding almost all posted speed limit signs – sorry officer) out to Old Town Alexandria where Brandon and his unsuspecting girlfriend were enjoying a chilly-but-romantic picnic by the water. We parked, geared up, and sent him the “you’re on in two minutes” text as we briskly, but casually, walked over to take our place. Brandon was, in comical form, fumbling around with every possession he’d brought to the park in an effort to keep Meg relaxed and enjoying the afternoon. Meg later described Brandon as “weird all day long”. Guess it wasn’t quite as casual as he’d thought.

Finally Brandon figured out the blocking for the big moment and after retrieving the ring from their bag, it was time for him to make his move. Not even Steven Spielberg could have better staged this one… Nice work, Brandon.

Needless to say, she said yes. And spent a moment in shock and joy before discovering “some guy taking pictures of us”. Brandon calmly responded, “I know”. I mean, what else was he supposed to say, he did know?

After getting the shots I wanted, we came over to officially be the first to congratulate them (sorry to Brandon and Meg’s family, we beat you to it!). We all enjoyed a good laugh but kept it brief, we didn’t want to intrude on their special afternoon – especially now that it’d gotten much more special. Knowing Brandon, I’d come prepared with a victory cigar for him since after hearing his nervousness approaching the big moment, I felt he needed a little pat on the back. And before we left, I snapped a few engagement photos of the couple at the scene of the crime.

Congratulations, guys! Enjoy it.

30, the new 20.

December 19, 2011 by Chris Zarconi

So today I turned 30. I guess this means I’m old now. Or at least it seems like I should mean that having never been 30 before. I didn’t really feel that my birthday required a blog post about it, until I spoke to a friend this morning who asked me a seemingly-innocuous question that ended up prompting a little introspection. So here I am, getting ready to go out to eat and drink to celebrate 30 years, writing a blog post. She asked me, “Are you where you thought you would be by this point in your life?” Ha.

Well turns out, that’s a good question. I think the value of birthdays, at least to me, ought to be to take stock of where you are, where you have been, and where you will go. And while I might have had a perfect and blissfully-ignorant birthday without such contemplation, it is, I think, fitting to reflect on these things. Afterall, failing to do so from time to time will ensure that the answer is always no. You can’t be where you’d hoped if you never stop to hope.

Am I where I thought I’d be by age 30? Yes and no – of course the answer has to be yes and no. Otherwise I’d be dead. My life, like anyone’s, is a work in progress. And when it stops being in progress, it’s over. I love to say to people, “If you’re not living, you’re dying.” And dying I am not. Progress, though, is certainly the word of the day – actually, it’s the word of the year. Something kicked in for me a year ago that got me moving on the things I’d spent years thinking and dreaming about. I seriously doubt it was the proverbial “clock ticking” that got me in action around my dreams rather than in dreams about my action. But whatever it was, thank God. It’s about time.

So where am I? Well, I wanted to start a photography studio and be famous. LOL. Yeah, so some of that might have been more dreaming than anything. But I have to say, the fact that I’m making my way with photography was something I dreamed about, but never really thought I would or could do. Sometimes being wrong is great. And in the nearly 9 years of shooting weddings and events in the DC area and all around the country, I have come a long way. I’m coming up on 200 weddings, I’ve shot weddings on both of our bordering oceans, in a handful of states around the country, transitioned from super-traditional to much more contemporary style of shooting, transitioned from film to digital, worked through (and welcomed) the legalization of gay marriage, learned about such a plethora of different cultures/religions and their wedding traditions and beliefs, connected with so many different and wonderful people, and seen places I would have had no other reason to see. I’ve watched my style develop from scattered to a more refined and personal style. I’ve learned how to sell myself and my work – well, I’m learning anyway. So many wonderful accomplishments that have happened without too much stopping and smelling the roses.

And with all that being said, I’ve only begun to start this studio. Am I where I thought I’d be at age 30 with a photography business? No. But I didn’t know when I was 20 that starting a business was actually difficult. I thought if I just took nice pictures, I’d be rich. I don’t wish I were that naive again. Reality is more work, but more rewarding. And hard work is living.

Besides photography, I’d say I’m further along than I’d hoped to be. I own a house, who knew I’d own a house already? I can drive motorcycles (and love to). I enjoy and own a few single malt scotches, know a little about wine, and enjoy good beer. I still remember when I asked my father at a very young age to try what he was drinking (scotch) and having him grin and pour me a teaspoon-sized taste in a shot glass. I was sure I would never touch alcohol for the rest of my life after that little taste. Nice move, old man! I want to learn to fly helicopters. Eventually I want to own one. That I can’t check off my list yet. But I don’t think at 20 I thought I’d have checked it off by 30 so I’ll take that one and keep working. I’ve lived on a boat for 5 years – yeah, I didn’t see that one coming either 10 years ago. Learned a lot from that. They say the second happiest day in a man’s life is the day he buys his boat and the happiest day is the day he sells it. I vehemently disagreed when I bought my boat, and slowly came to realize that no matter what you think, that statement is pure fact. I’ll have another boat one day. But not today. But all in all, I think that I’ve done a few things since birth of which I can be proud. Guess I’ll keep trying.

But I’m really glad that since my first days of photography in high school yearbook I’ve improved, learned, and grown. It’s been a long road and it’s always funny to look back at photos I’ve taken over these years and see what an amateur I was and how much I’ve learned. Without digging up the archives too much, I’ll do a little share and tell:

Ah, my first wedding ever. 2001. The bride, my high school social studies teacher and theater director, contacted me during my freshman year of college and asked me to photograph her wedding. Thanks, Peg, for trusting me with this. You were certainly a great kick to get started. Wish that my skills were a little more refined at that point… The image was shot with medium format film in a Mamiya RZ67. And for those of you who don’t know what that camera is, just imagine shooting weddings with one of those big, grey bricks that they make the basement of your house out of. Yeah, it was basically one of those. Beautiful camera, but what was I thinking???

A little travel photography in Prague during a spring break trip in college circa 2001. I traveled with a friend from high school and we fancied ourselves a couple of real artists. We hardly slept, just wandered the streets of Prague photographing. Magnificent city!

In a black and white class in college, I took a page from the playbook of Mario Testino and thought perhaps I’d one day be a great fashion photographer. Thanks, Amy, for not telling me the truth at that time… Needless to say, I’ve shifted my photographic goals ever so slightly. But it was fun learning.

I loved and continue to love photographing sports. And I love moments in sports that aren’t the most typically seen. It was fun using Zipcar to get to baseball games in VA when I was a college kid without a vehicle.

Shooting performances at GW was always fun for me. Indian dance is so beautiful and I got to learn about new cultures and people. What a great experience for me as a photographer and as a person seeing all the things I saw as an undergrad at The George Washington University. The slogan when I was there for the university was “Something Happens Here” and I can’t say how true that was for me.

If you don’t believe me, ask Larry King. When GW opened their new, shiney School of Media and Public Affairs, Larry King stopped by as a surprise visit at the ceremony where GW was inheriting the complete archives of the Larry King Live shows to be stored in GW’s SMPA. What a treat to photograph such an icon.

Speaking of icons, I think we all recognize this character. While he and I probably didn’t sit down to too many political discussions together, I photographed President Bush a few times and this photo was from the 2004 Republican National Convention. As the Photo Editor of The Hatchet, GW’s student newspaper, I got an internship with National Journal Magazine which took me to the DNC and the RNC in 2004. A pretty lucky break for a young punk like me. I actually heard the speech that put Obama on the map while on the travels with National Journal. Talk about access, I thought I’d arrived…

This shot is still a favorite of mine after all these years. Presidents Day in Old Town Alexandria, VA is home to a parade every year. The parade is full of Americana and down-home goodness. This photo really made me feel like I was a reporter, and a good one. And I was so proud of myself for using a gel filter on my flash to keep some of those warm tones from washing out with the flash. Learning all the way.

Thankfully my engagement shoots have improved from 2005. I love the people I’ve had the privilege of photographing over these years. Each wedding, engagement shoot, portrait, event, or assignment I learn something new.

2006 wedding. Hoping to shoot the bride’s sister in February, they were so sweet and I was delighted to hear from her mom recently.

2007 wedding. The groom described this pose as “too much metal for one hand”. Guess that pretty much sums it up.

2008 wedding at the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore. Lovely!

2009. Kentucky. Forecast was 100% chance of rain all day. Psh! The entire 9 hour drive from DC to Kentucky was a monsoon. And the wedding day was supposed to follow suit. So happy it did not.

2010 wedding on the Eastern Shore of MD. I love this couple. I love this location. And I love my job.

So am I where I thought I’d be by this time? No. Mostly because I had no idea where I’d be. I had no plan, I was just doing it. And the only difference, now that I’m 30, is the plan. 30 is not really that much like 20. As 30 was getting closer, I thought I might wish it were. But the truth is, 30 is just fine. It’s just a number.

Home Field Advantage

August 22, 2011 by Chris Zarconi

So I just returned from my trip to California a couple days ago and am recovering from whatever bug I caught while I was there. Who knew it was going to be cold there in August??? I packed four pairs of shorts and one pair of jeans and pretty much wore the jeans for a week straight. Oops.

Like my first wedding-based trip to California, my trip this time was great! The wedding, which I’ll talk more about in a post or two once I’ve made some progress editing the epic quantities of images I shot, was wonderful. I also had some time to spend in San Francisco with my brother and his fiancee. And while we did much recreating, we also spent some time doing engagement portraits. This was good motivation to share an engagement shoot that’s already done (while I spend all my time editing the one I shot of them). It struck me, while in San Francisco, how clueless I was about where we should go to take photos. We basically traveled around the city armed with camera equipment at all times in case we stumbled upon a location suitable for photos. In the end, the approach worked great and the shots were awesome. But it did make me miss the home field advantage of DC where I know well every shoot-worthy inch of the city and surrounding areas. A five-minute conversation with a couple about who they are or what they want is enough here to make a recommendation. Here are some shots.

Becky and Jordan will be getting married in Maine in October, but they wanted shots in the city where their relationship began. They love the city and wanted some shots that captured the beauty of the city and the twinkle of their burgeoning romance. We spent a morning together doing some shooting and some talking and had a great time. And, like I said, knowing the city made guiding this couple very easy.

I used to think engagement shoots were just a quick collection of portraits to be made and moved on from. My focus was very checklisty and terse. As my interest in and ability for making meaningful engagement portraits has changed, so has my shooting style. Now I spend a little more time with the couple before and during the shoot. And the images speak for themselves – it’s been a great change for me.

DC has so many places that are perfect for engagement shoots (or any kind of shoots). In fact, I daresay, there is a beautiful setting within about 15 miles of DC for virtually any mood or feeling that a couple could want to create. Don’t believe me? Try me. I’ve lived here for 11 years this month (wow, it is this month…) and I know a random place or two.

And if you can actually stump me, then we both learn something.