Bob Gruen,John Lennon and Craig Sumsky 9/9/09

9/9/09 Beatles Day !!!

What a great time I had yesterday in the Big Apple . I had the pleasure to meet one of the legends of Rock photography Bob Gruen. What a really nice guy he is. Bob was so gracious and warm. I have to tell you that making a portrait of someone who is celebrity can be intimidating . Then you add that this person is a photographer well , they know what you know. I mean when someone does my photo I'm looking at the lights ,cameras ,what are they looking at all these things go through my head. I'm kind of evaluating their work before I see it. Well I would have done that and this you know. I guess it's like the dentist needing to go to another dentist ??

If you don't know who Bob Gruen is you must google him especially if your into John Lennon and the rock scene or the 70's and 80's. The guy worked with everybody The Stones,Led Zepplin,Sex Pistols,Bob Dylan,The Clash and many many more too many to list. His work is outstanding and did I say he is a really nice guy?

Before I go on none of this would have been possible with out my friend Craig Sumsky( Cutting Edge DJs). Craig is on a mission I said "whatever your doing count me in!!" Craig is a go getter and if you know him you know he is an inspiration. Craig told his idea to many folks about meeting Bob Gruen and most people told him he(Bob) would blow him off. Well the crowd was wrong again. Not only did Bob let us come up for an interview he also signed the many copies(that we drug around NYC) of his new book ( John Lennon The New York Years ) and gave me great opportunities for portraits.

If I may for a moment talk about the responsibility and the power that photographers have with a camera. When you put that instrument up to your face and snap the shutter you are taking something. We all know the stories of people who believe that photographs of people are a stealing of the soul. I believe that great photographs(portraits) are a combination of trust,respect and willingness of the subject to give you something. Always remember(photogs) you have the power. People trust you, don't ever forget that.

Bob Gruen gave me some great images. I have to admit the preconceived ideas I had for this photo shoot were not so great . You have to have some idea going in for any project . What I find is my advantage is just being open and honest about my intentions,motives and sharing the vision with my subjects. Let them have the power make them feel comfortable and know they can trust you.

There will be more about my(and Craig's) day on Craig's blog.. www.cuttingedgedjs.com . Also check out www.bobgruen.com and please if your a Lennon fan or Beatles fan get Bobs book John Lennon ,The New York Years.

Thank you Craig ,Thank you Bob !!

Seaport Museum partners with Kevin York Photography!!

Seaport Museum event planning now in house !!

I had the pleasure on Tuesday to meet with Kelly-Ayn Mckay and Elizabeth Brito of Culinary Concepts/Events at ISM. Both Kelly and Elizabeth are top professionals in the catering and event planning industry here in the Philadelphia market. I am honored and privileged to be chosen to partner with Culinary Concepts/Events at ISM as one of their premier wedding professionals.

I look forward to helping Culinary Concepts make Events at ISM a huge success.

Elkins Estate ,Kevin York Preferred Photographer !!

The Elkins Estate in Ekins Park PA has announced that Kevin York Photography has been chosen to be among the Elkins preferred wedding professionals.

I am honored and privileged to be named as a preferred wedding professional. The Ekins Estate(www.elkinsestate.org) is one of the most unique sites for a wedding I have ever seen. I had the opportunity to create images for their website and brochures.

Please stay tuned for more about Elkins Estate . If you need information please feel free to email or call me anytime.

A Robert Frank moment.

Hi Folks,

Many of you that know me understand that I'm a bit old school. I love old Black and white Images .One of my favorite photographers is Robert Frank .You can look at his work over and over and see something different each time. Photographers like Frank did there work with film,old cameras and bad light meters. Alot of their exposures were guesses,I mean experience. They knew their equipment ,their film and the results before it was ever printed.Unlike most photographers today who without a TV on the camera could not function as professionals.
To me Robert Frank's pictures were stories within single images.When you look at a Roberts work you wonder about the subjects and the situations. You can feel the mood ,emotion and his take on life. You wonder what people are thinking and in some cases you relate .
For me photography is telling a story with one image. I have always tried to do that. When ever I was at any event or moment in my life when my camera was in my hand the goal was to come away with that one image,that one perfect image. Sometimes I come close .
When I was editing my work from a recent wedding( Jillian & Jon @ Riverdale in Lancaster PA)I came across this image. I remember when I made it that I was kind of excited but I thought it was too dark . I knew it was a great moment but did I get it. These are the kind of images and situations you can't put your camera on automatic and expect to get results.I mean the lighting is from inside the car light and sparklers. You kind of need to have the experience to pull this off,old school.
Jon was not the most expressive person I ever met. I would descibe him as a proper British gentlemen and a very nice fellow. His beautiful bride Jillian is a typical American girl full of life and lots of fun,they are a great couple and very much in love.
I realize in this photo you can not see the brides face but to me Jon's expression tells you all you need to know about this couple. To me this is as close as I get to a Robert Frank moment .

What's it all about for you ?

I read a blog today from a good friend of mine Craig Sumsky at www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2009/03/25/your-wedding-dj-are-they-listening-to-you/
He wrote about a bride who hired a DJ and then was told that many of the things she liked the DJ did not . This person then proceeded to insult the bride by making comments about her musical taste . The bride was also told that not having a garter /bouquet as part of her day would be "Weird" ??

It amazes me when I hear these stories but unfortunately they are common. This also applies to photography !!

As a bride or just a consumer how is it that you make decisions about things you purchase?? What value do you put towards certain parts of your wedding ?? What's it all about for you ??

Maybe this bride thought that a DJ is a DJ ?? We'll hire somebody so we got them. As it turns out this guy was a jerk. Thank God she (the bride) caught on to this DJ she will now have a great experience because of Craig.

This also holds true with Photographers . Just because someone has a fancy 300,000 megapixel camera !! does not mean they know what they are doing. Or do they have any idea of what you want ,or do they care.

I recently met a young very successful professional woman the other day who told me she is getting married this year. I said "congratulations" and then I asked( you guessed it) "do you have a photographer? She proceeded to tell me about her bother in law who is a photojournalist for a large newspaper out west." He has won some awards and is really good , He also has all the hiTech state of the art equipment" she said. I then asked "has he ever done a wedding"? " well no but our engagement photos were really nice" ,Hmmm.

I really hope this young lady gets great photos . She has no choice and no options she must and will like whatever he gives her for the rest of her life.

Just because I have a camera and I shoot in a photo journalistic style doesn't mean that some newspaper will send me to Iraq. That job requires specific and learned skills that most wedding photographers do not have. On the other hand many photojournalists do not have the specific skills to shoot a wedding.

Ladies, whats it all about for you?? Is it a great Dj,photographer,band,cake,flowers,dress ,place or just fun. Whatever it is take the time to really study what you are buying and make sure that you know who your dealing with. Get to know your people as well they should get to know you.