Love Letters
Dear Blake,
It’s been over a week now since I’ve had access to my pictures and I must say that not a day goes by that I do not sit in front of my computer and marvel at my wedding photos. They are absolutely gorgeous! I am so pleased with the results and I wanted to share with you how thrilled I am with the overall package. Aside from your pictures, I was most impressed by how you conducted yourself with my family and friends, especially during the photo session. You were patient and in tune with the emotions of the day. Please accept my gratitude on behalf of my Joe and my family.
Warmly, Aisha Johnson, Washington, DC
Dear Blake,
Thank you for doing a wonderful job at our wedding last week. Our parents and families have been raving about you and Jennifer and everyone is looking forward to checking out the pictures online.
Thanks again, Greg and Martha
Dear Blake and Andrea,
Dan and I received our album last week and we couldn’t be happier. We wanted to thank you for an amazing job you did not just with photography, but with designing the album as well. It really tells the story of the day. And I couldn’t even imagine how much Andrea’s artistic layout would add to already beautiful pictures. We have gotten so many compliments on our album. People really look at it with interest, and comment on how they’ve never seen such an amazing album. We recommend you all the time. If you ever need a reference, please do not hesitate to ask us.
Irene and Dan Timm
Hi Blake,
I just wanted to say thank you again for shooting our engagement pictures yesterday. Kelly is very uncomfortable with cameras; the fact that he made it out still smiling (AND in a good mood) is a testament to your skills at putting people at ease. We’re looking forward to seeing the photos, but in the meantime, I did want to send a quick thank you for making it such a painless experience for Kelly 
Cheers,
Adrienne
Andrea,
I just wanted the thank you for the wonderful job you did shooting my wedding on April 4, 2004. I absolutely love my pictures! I spent a lot of time picking my photographer and I could not be happier with the results. The pictures were the most important aspect of the wedding to me. You and Andrea did and amazing job. The first time I looked through the pictures I was amazed at how many you took without me even knowing it. Thank you for being so patient with my camera hog flower girl. I am sure that I will wear them out looking at them over the years. My family friends love them also. It was a pleasure working with both of you. Thank you for the beautiful pictures.
Sincerely, Gretchen Bell
Andrea,
I just wanted to send a quick message before we leave for the honeymoon tomorrow. Thank you so much for doing the photography for our wedding. You guys were great to work with, and I am so thrilled that I was able to have such talented photographers. It was a wonderful event. While I have not yet seen the photos, I just know they will be excellent. Looking forward to seeing the website with the photos after we get back, and we can’t wait to design the wedding album in the next couple of months.
- Myles and Karen Weber
Hi Blake,
I wanted to write you a quick note and thank you for yesterday. I know it was frigid and bleak out there but I am so happy we went ahead with the engagement photo session. We had so much fun with you and Andrea. You two work so well together. And, you even got Chris to laugh. As we were leaving and walking back to the car, Chris said, “I know we picked the right photographers!” The pictures are awesome! I love them! I just got the CD in the mail yesterday and I’ve shared the online versions with my friends and family! You made us both look so photogenic.
Jenn
Hi Andrea,
[I just saw the pictures online and] I fell in LOVE all over again!! Thanks to your team for making things easy and so beautiful. Jason, “You the Man”…I love your artistic eye, and it seems like you were all over the place. Are you sure you were by yourself? Great job!!
Tara Scott
Dear Blake,
The pictures look GREAT!! There are so many good ones, that Adam and I are having a hard time deciding which ones we want for our album! We’ve gotten a lot of compliments from our guests about both you and Jeanie, about how professional both of you were at the wedding. I was impressed with how organized and quick you were with the posed images, and how you and Jeanie really blended in with the action at other times, truly embodying a photojournalistic approach. Both guests and family are having a great time seeing and picking out the images from the internet. What an innovative idea!”
Haley Falk, Philadelphia, PA
Hey Blake!!
I don’t even think a word exists to describe our collective reactions to viewing the pictures. EVERYONE is just absolutely blown away at the amazing work you, Andrea, and Jenny did. Personally speaking, I’m just speechless!! All I can say is you have an amazing gift and an extremely talented staff and we were lucky to have you!
Regards, Bill Sternberger
Blake & Andrea –
I just wanted to thank you again for the beautiful wedding pictures. We received the CD a few days ago and have started sorting through all of the pictures to find our favorites. There are so many wonderful pictures that it’s quite difficult to pick and choose. I want to print them all!!! Once Chris and I narrow down the pictures we will contact you to discuss a wedding album.
Thank you both again so much for photographing our wedding. As a bride there are so many decisions to make that you fear you can’t possibly make all of the right ones. Choosing you to photograph the wedding was definitely the right decision. Thanks again.
– Julie
Hi Andrea,
We just wanted to let you know that we received the wedding album last week and love how it came out. Thanks for all your hard work. You guys really did a great job at our wedding & we will certainly recommend your services to friends and family!
Muchas Gracias! Carinos — Alina and Steve
BLAKE!!!
I’ve met with photographer after photographer and have been a bit disappointed. At the very last moment prior to throwing myself off the photography wedding cliff, my fiance found you. YOU GUYS ROCK. I’m in awe. We’re in awe. Your work is incredible, spectacular, amazing and breathtaking.
Anonymous
Andrea & Blake,
I haven’t even gotten through the ceremony and I’ve been running the slide show for almost an hour… These are fantastic! There are some amazing ones in here and there are still 5 hours left in the night to go! I can’t wait to see the rest, but just wanted to send a quick email thanking you all for everything!!!! Andrea, I just about died when I saw the pictures you took of my shoes! I’m sure you’ll get a bunch more emails from me as I continue to look through these!!
Thanks and talk to you soon!
Laura J
Hi Blake,
Our pictures are wonderful. You and Andrea captured our day from beginning to end in grand fashion. We have received nothing but compliments on the lot of them. There are so many shots and they are all great. Thanks so much for everything!!!
Danette and D.K.
Blake,
I have just received my wedding album and want to thank you for your amazing talent. Yasser and I adore so many moments that you have captured. We also thank you for your patience and diligence in capturing our group shots and family portraits. We were so pleased by your direction and professionalism. My regards go out to your team as well (Andrea and Stacey). Our warmest regards.
Lina and Yasser Ousman
Blake & Andrea,
There are so many beautiful pictures, we will have our work cut out for us in putting our albums together. Thank you so very much. The weekend was such a blur. These pictures helped me to remember exactly how I was feeling that day. It’s funny. I look so much more relaxed after the ceremony. That was just how I felt!
You were all such a pleasure to work with from start to finish. Choosing the photographers was the only big wedding decision I made without Reid. He wanted to bring in a friend from Colorado. I am so thrilled that I went with my instinct. You have given me so many beautiful memories. Thank you.
Carleigh Landers, Denver, CO
P.S. Thank you for catching all of those great moments with my father and me. I tried so hard to remember those moments, but they were starting to fade. Now I will remember all of the smiles and kisses forever.
Blake
Our wedding pictures are, in a word, perfect. You not only captured all of the moments that were important to us, you captured the true spirit of the event. The color prints are warm and beautiful, the black and white shots are just as evocative as we wanted them to be. A number of people commented to us how professional you and your staff were, and those who have seen the pictures have asked how you covered the event so fully when you were virtually invisible. Actually, we’re not sure how you did it, but we are truly grateful that you were able to create such a beautiful permanent record of a very special day. From start to finish, you have been a pleasure to work with, and we would recommend you without any reservation to anyone who wants the absolute best. With thanks,
Craig & Anne Turk, Hollywood, CA
Blake,
It is possible to give compliments on a photographer prior to seeing the pictures? Yes! I have received such positive comments regarding your diligence and ability to be everywhere but never seeming to be anywhere. Where in the world did your sister find him? He was taking shots of the building from every angle and constantly shooting unique looking photos, said to my sister after the wedding. I would like to thank you for all your help on the wedding day. I didn’t realize that you have to be part psychologist, part coordinator and part photographer. Perhaps you don’t have to, but you were. Your advice and direction kept everything together. In a word, you were invaluable. Thank you for the extra attention! We anxiously await the results.
Laurie MacDonald
Blake & Andrea,
Because of the both of you, George and I have so many awesome pictures to help us remember our wedding day! We thank you both so much for that. You guys did a fantastic job. We’d definitely redommend you to our friends. Andrea, it was so great having you with us in the bridal changing room. You were so cool and so fun!
Sincerely, Szu and George
Blake
What a pleasure to know you and work with you for that one special day in the life of our daughter, Charlotte. You were so kind, so professional in your attention to details, but most of all, you have the most wonderful smile, indeed it would warm the chockles of the devil’s heart himself! How fortunate we were to have you as our photographer – you certainly can use my name as a reference, with pleasure. Again, thank you for just knowing exactly what I wanted.
Susan Kazul
Blake
I really appreciate your special attention and patience. You were wonderful for helping me button the 100+ buttons on my dress and your help opening the champagne went above and beyond the scope of our contract!! Thank you for your special attention, kindness and professionalism. From viewing your web site prior to meeting you and seeing your pictures in person, I knew you were one of the best photographers in DC. I knew I would get wonderful pictures, but was even more pleased to receive exceptional service and patience. Thank you, thank you, thank you for capturing my perfect day!
Julia Kaiser
Blake
We just wanted to thank you again for helping to make our wedding so great. The pictures are absolutely wonderful and we’re looking forward to putting together a book of them. Thank you so much.
Amy & Ryan
We all know that Blake has excellent photographic talents, but his outstanding human quality exemplified by his assisting others at a time of need, at the possible expense of his performance, shows what a real, wonderful, gracious, caring person he really is. We’ll never forget his thoughtfulness … He’s a winner in every sense of the word. A gift to us all.”
Blake,
Your photography is exquisite. You have wonderful eye for your subjects. We appreciate the care and artistry that went into Megan and Andy’s pictures. If you ever need a referral or recommendaton, please let us know.
Thanks so much, Lynn Black
Blake
Thank you for the incredible photography you and your associates did for us. The chef photography was especially nice. I used to work for Cooking Light magazine (for eight years) and your chef photography is up there with the finest I’ve seen.
Darryl Moland, Art Director, “I Do”… For Brides
Blake,
I just wanted to let you know that we got our wedding album. It looks absolutely wonderful!!! It is truly a piece of art that Todd and I will cherish forever. Thanks again for everything. It was a joy working with you and I hope that we get to meet and work together again.
Keep in touch, Rebecca and Todd; Washington, DC
“WOW! We hardly have the words to express how happy we are for the incredible job that you and your colleagues did for our weddings. Blake, you claim that all the “stars were aligned” so that everything went perfectly during the portraits and candids for this momentous event in our lives. However, we believe that you really aligned them through your professional and personal commitment to the exciting challenge of a double wedding…”
Dr. & Mrs. Howard Weinstein; Potomac, MD
Hi Blake:
The pictures are fabulous. We are going to have a hard time choosing. The kids are having a great time emailing all of their friends to see themselves in the pictures. One girlfriend said she found the photographer, now all she needs is the guy!!
Regards, Roz Wigman; Potomac, MD
Dear Blake:
Congratulations on your award for Best Photographic Coverage of an Event at the second annual ISES Awards Gala. It was very exciting to be a part of such a wonderful event, and you should be very proud of your excellent accomplishment. We wish you continued success in all your endeavors.
Nancy Martinucci, Director of Catering, The Ritz Carlton-Pentagon City
Andrea,
We got the pictures on Saturday and Emile and I were just speechless. You captured every single imaginable detail of our wedding. Not only were we impressed with your work but everybody just loved you!
Thank you soooo much! -Raquel
Blake
Somehow, without being obtrusive, you were right where the action was. From the ring bearer and flower girl playing in the fountain to my expression when a groomsman threw his bottle of bubbles all over my dress as we were departing, you caught on film the narrative that words cannot adequately relate.
Susan Mears
Blake,
Let me just say that you and your staff [Andrea and Jennifer] were absolutely fabulous and I know you probably hear that every time but I genuinely mean it. Also thank you so much for making the extra effort to photograph the rehearsal dinner it was better than I had envisioned.
Thanks Again for everything, Matt Vinnola; Denver, CO
Blake
I wanted to express my thanks for all the patience you and your staff showed … I do realize you were tripping over amateur photographers while trying to do your job, but you remained gracious throughout. It was a pleasure to have you photograph the wedding.
Irene Delamater
Blake
Thank you so much for the use of the photos that were supplied for use in our “Getting Married” advertising supplement of The Washington Post. They really made our section very attractive. I would have liked to have used more but was very restricted on space.
Lisa Pampillonia, The Washington Post
From the first time we met you to the moment of assembling our wedding album, you have been patient, helpful, accommodating and professional in every aspect of his work. On our wedding day, you stayed until the end of the reception beyond the time he was scheduled to be there without any extra charge. You and your colleagues worked smoothly as a team to ensure that the wedding ran on schedule and took pictures in a very time-efficient and unobtrusive manner, and always with a smile and a kind word.
Thank you. Katherine Martin
Blake,
You and your team did a phenomenal job. When I look through our pictures, I feel like I am re-living the whole day again! With a wedding day as crazy as ours was, we are so happy that you managed to catch everything. I was also pleasantly surprised by your knowledge of the cultural aspects of our wedding. You knew about all of the various Hindu ceremonies and Chinese traditions. Best of all, you were completely unobtrusive. Many of our guests commented to me afterward that they were really impressed with my photographers! You definitely exceeded all of my.
Very Truly Yours, Cassandra M. Chin
Just a note to thank you for everything you did at Jodie and Phil’s wedding. I really appreciate your sensitivity to the family issues, and your style and gentle manner while taking pictures was wonderful. David and I have both hosted and attended many Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and have never encountered a photographer with such a comfortable demeanor….
Sandy Reznick, Potomac, MD
Hey Blake…
I can’t remember if I wrote you or not (Alzheimer’s is setting in), but I wanted to let you know how amazing Isabel and I think the album turned out. The pictures are unbelievable.
Dr. Ryan Jander; New York City, NY
Dear Blake,
Brad and I were both so impressed with how well you were able to handle the crowd at our wedding, while managing what was a very emotionally charged day. Everyone talked about how great your pictures turned out – I couldn’t be more pleased with the posed images, and your candid shots were wonderful. You found the most profound images of love and joy in that hectic day, and captured them just perfectly in every picture.
I usually hate to see myself in pictures, but you made Brad and me look absolutely radiant and beautiful. Words can not properly give you credit for the gift you’ve given us: the most wonderful memories of our wedding day. I am so grateful that I was able to find you, and that we had the privilege of having you photograph our wedding. I always knew you were the photographer to have, but did not even realize just how lucky I’d been until I got these images back from the lab.
Helen Lee Carris; Oracle Corp; San Francisco, CA
Blake,
If you ever need anyone to provide recommendations or references, please feel free to use me. Our pictures are the most beautiful and incredible images we have ever seen. Everyone who sees the album is blown away. One of my favorite compliments was from my friend who said, ‘It’s not even an album, it’s like A Day in the Life of a Wedding coffee table book!’ (Hmmm, how about publishing such a book?!?) I also wanted to tell you that a friend of Steve’s came to visit, and we showed him the wedding album. The next morning when I woke up, he was out on our couch looking through the album again by himself. This is a guy, independently choosing to look through wedding pictures. That’s when I knew the pictures were as incredible and full of life as Steve and I thought they were. Thank you, thank you, thank you for my pictures…they keep the wedding alive for us every day.
Dr Steve and Kathy Pretzer, DDS, Raleigh, NC
Dear Blake
We received the proofs from Duggall Photo Lab (NYC) and they are wonderful! Hats off to you. Even the folks at Duggall said that our photographer was no ordinary photographer. You are so talented, it really shows in your work. We are so lucky to have had you shoot our wedding. Thank you again.
Leslie Besner; Calvin Klein; New York City
Dear Blake,
The photos from our June 5th wedding are really outstanding. I have to say that I have never been a big fan of portraits, but the portraits you took are absolutely gorgeous (and make me look way better than I really do!). The candids are lovely too, of course-everything was captured so nicely. It’s going to be really, really hard choosing prints and album shots. Thanks again for your beautiful work. Everyone who has seen the pictures has been really impressed.
Stephanie Martz, Washington, DC
Dear Blake
Thanks so much for the wonderful job! We received our wedding album and we love it! We have gotten so many compliments on our wedding photographs. Everyone who has seen them claims they are the most beautiful photographs they have ever seen. We agree, and we show off our photographs every chance that we get.
We also appreciate the professionalism you and your staff (Laura Pearson and Darius Torshizi) displayed while working with us on the most emotionally stressed day of our families’ lives. The wedding day itself was only a small manifestation of [Artist & Associates'] wonderful talent and customer service: You were there for us every step of the way, tolerating all the changes and last-minute requests during the pre- and post-wedding planning. We are truly grateful and will always recommend you and all the artists in your firm…
Donna Ferarri & Chris Jackson, Atlanta, Georgia
Dear Blake,
I can’t tell you how much we LOVE the wedding pictures! As a bride, you hear so many horror stories about wedding photographers from lost pictures to bad shots. You and Jenny were an absolute pleasure to work with and you both definitely come highly recommended by us! We hardly even realized you were still there. You got all of the pictures that were definitely important to us and so much more. Thank you for your professionalism and, most of all, for sharing your talent in capturing just how special that day was to both of us. Once again, the pictures were spectacular!
Sincerely, Donald and Jamila Perritt; Washington, DC
Blake
Many thanks for bringing the photos last night…I tried to stay awake to greet you and invite you to visit but somehow, I could not keep my eyes open. I was shocked when John said you had come and gone. You are keeping very late hours … that was well beyond “going the extra mile” for client service. Anyway, the pictures are lovely and I thank you very much. … Again, many thanks for coming by last night…
Louise Murray
Dear Blake
We have been searching for the “right” photographer for the past 5 weeks, interviewing at least 20! This has been the most difficult and stressful part of the wedding plans but the most important to Cristen. Being artistically inclined herself, she immediately recognized your excellent talent and wonderfully creative ability to capture the natural moments that occur to a bride & groom on such an emotional day. Your style of photojournalistic coverage is just what she was looking for. She just couldn’t believe she finally found the “right” photographer. We are grateful and relieved that you accepted and are looking forward to working with you in making Cristen and Jason’s wedding album a most memorable and precious keepsake!”
Cathy Curt
Blake
Sitting for a photographic session is a bit strange for me. Somehow, you have been able to make me look natural and unstressed, thereby, you have fallen into the genius category.
J.C. Herbert Bryant, Jr
Blake
Thank you for being such a wonderful photographer. I was amazed when I watched the video and saw you taking pictures. I never even knew you were there.”
Bridget Patton
Blake,
I have grown to greatly dislike having my picture taken. Why is it, then, that I’m so happy with the portraits you took of me and Mandana? Your portraits capture precisely how I feel about my bride. These pictures are not simply pictures of a couple about to marry. They are pictures that tell exactly why these two people have decided to spend the rest of their lives together. In short, they are everything engagement portraits should be. I should also note that Mandana and I both enjoyed our afternoon with you a great deal. You made us feel very welcome and comfortable in front of the camera. We expected to be self-conscious; instead, we had a lot of fun. Thank you again for a wonderful time, and for the extraordinary portraits.
Peter Cortner, Philadelphia.
Blake
You and your staff … mastered a distinctive documentary style that captured all of the details that went into the wedding plans … the breath-taking candlelit ballroom photograph, the chef putting the finishing touches on the hand-painted cake, the antique cars … and most of all, the spirit of the occasion.
Carol Sysak
Andrea,
We got the pix in the mail today! There are some really great, great shots on those CDs, we were really happy with the way they came out. You and Alejo did a great job, we really feel like the pictures made the whole day worthwhile. We’ll be able to keep these forever. There were lots of great shots of our guests, too, which I really wanted. We’ll have to see what we want to do for a photo album! Please give our thanks to Alejo, too!!
Peter Thorin
Blake
Your work is beautiful! On behalf of my entire family, I thank you for making our family portrait something we will cherish forever …From the time you took to select the most interesting outside location, to your patience on a blustery day … to your meeting our short-term Christmas deadline, you were very knowledgeable, professional and a pleasure to work with … Thank you again. I will most certainly recommend your work to others in the future.
Nancy Schelhorn, Westfields International Conference Center
Blake
We can’t even begin to thank you on a job well done!! We are so happy with the pictures. You really have made our day quite memorable!! Hope to always stay in touch!!
Jennifer Ting
Dear Blake,
First let me tell you how absolutely pleased Justin and I were with you and your crew on our wedding day. You were organized, efficient and unobtrusive; I have no doubt that Justin and I made the right decision… We were so excited and pleased that we told everyone on our honeymoon about our wonderful photographer and his staff. Actually, I have a funny story that goes along with that…
On our honeymoon there was this couple who Justin and I deemed the snobby couple because they were, well, snobby. Anyway, one evening Justin and I are in the bar and the snobby couple comes in and strikes up a conversation with us. Turns out they were married on the same day we were. The snobby wife turns to me and asks, “Who did you get to do your photography?” and we say, “Blake Newman.” Well, her mouth gapes open and she announces, “You got Blake Newman! I wanted Blake Newman but he couldn’t do it because he had another wedding to do! We tried everything but he said he had another function and he was sorry. It must have been your wedding he was talking about. We finally got another photographer but she was horrible, making us pose in really goofy positions. I was sooo disappointed.”
Ha!, thought Justin and I, obviously the snobby couple didn’t try hard enough. At the moment, Justin and I were more pleased than ever with our decision. Not only because we had beaten the snobby couple but because we knew we had gotten the best. I even told her that you stayed until the bitter end (which, by the way, was exceptionally comforting)…”
Christine
We would love to add your letter to our list. To find out more about our photography services and/or availablility, please give us a call at 310.880.1162 (my California cell – even though we have moved to DC) or e-mail me at blake (at) inQbation (dot) com or check out our website at www.ArtistsCafe.com
