Agaton Strom

Mystic Seaport in Black and White

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:29:00 +0000

A few years ago Angie drove down to NYC from CT with a friend to catch a band during CMJ. Unfortunately the band they came to see canceled their show and they ended up seeing some punk band from Chicago.
After the show Angie and her friend struck up a conversation with the band members. One of the band members was John. Angie and John stayed up all night talking and the next morning John and his band drove off to continue their tour.
Angie and John stayed in touch and I was told that Angie had to take a second job just to pay the phone bills!
Long story short. A few years later and many many dollars in phone bills Angie and John married and moved to the The Windy City.

Luckily John is quite the poker player and never had to bet his wedding band.

Bryant Park

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:37:00 +0000

I had been looking forward to George and Karen's wedding for over six months and I was not disappointed. The Bryant Park Grill is a perfect place to throw a reception in the summer in Manhattan and with the ceremony at the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii on the corner of Carmine and Bleecker the wedding had downtown feel.
You can read George and Karen's story on The New York Times' website.

The Cafe Wha? Band got everybody dancing. Come to see them play on Monday at 115 Macdougal between Bleecker and W 3rd. I'll be there photographing.

I want to give a shout out to Christine Viola at Exquisite Affairs Production for coordinating everything. Thanks Christine for your help!

Summer Rain

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:07:00 +0000

Amanda and Kevin married under dramatic skies on the last day of May at the Old Field Club on the north shore of Long Island.

Thank you Joao for capturing this moment.

signed sealed and delivered

As I took this image Kevin told me: "this better end up on the blog". Here you have it Kevin.

In my initial statement for the blog I expressed an intention to only show candid and unscripted images caught in the moment, but rules are made for breaking.
It had been raining heavily earlier in the day and for most part of the early evening. Minutes before the sun was setting the rain stopped and a beautiful light illuminathttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifed the sky.

The wedding was magnificently coordinated by Hollie at Exquisite Affairs Productions.

Mary and Pete

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Torrential downpour and strong winds did not stop Pete and Mary from celebrating their nuptials in style. On the contrary. The wedding was loaded with great energy and genuine emotion.

This shot, I feel, is very emblematic of Pete and Mary's energy and playfulness.

Black and White

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Elliot and Alexandra invited me to photograph their dance class a few months prior to the wedding as a sort of different engagement session.
Having seen them practice their dance moves I was very eager to see the final result at the wedding. They are both, in my mind, exceptional dancers.

A quick rehearsal in the empty ballroom.

The Cosmopolitan club on the Upper East Side has a history that stretches a hundred years. This all womens club has had some distinguished members such as Eleanor Roosevelt and the Nobel Prize winning humanitarian Pearl Buck.

Nina and Lem

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:28:00 +0000

I met up with Nina and Lem the other week and we had a really fun and exciting shoot in the East Village. We tried some new stuff that included dodging traffic and I think that the heightened danger added some interesting elements.

United Nations

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:06:00 +0000

This was my first, and hopefully not the last, time shooting at the United Nations. Catherine and Andrew got married at the UN Chapel and threw a great party in the Delegates Dining Room in the main UN building.

Cross, Star of David, Crescent Moon and Star and The Dharma Wheel. But what is the symbol on the far right? After doing some research I discovered that the symbol is called Torii and can be found by the entrance of Shinto and also some Buddhist temples.

Andrew surprised everybody by singing two songs at the end of the evening. The guy can sing!

Cruice

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Jessica and Richard came from Fort Worth, TX to throw an amazing party on the Hudson and East River aboard the Noa Danielle.

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Deep into Richard Price's latest novel, Lush Life, it strikes me that the city itself evolves from a backdrop to a character in the story. The location is as much of an actor in the play as the protagonist.

Saturday, April 5th. Tribeca

Storm

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:31:00 +0000

Saturday, March 8th was the stormiest, rainiest and most windy day that I have seen for a long time. If it's true that rain on your wedding day means luck then Juil and Jiyoon got bucket loads of it. Although, after seeing them together it will become clear to anyone that they do not need luck.

mentos moment

I know I've said it before but I do love the photo booths.

Love 'em so much I had to give it a try.

Jennifer and Jeffrey

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:47:00 +0000

You may remember Jeffrey and Jennifer from may last post. A month has past since that post and they are now husband and wife.

Stacy Pitt did not only do Jennifer's hair but also all the bridesmaids. I have worked with Stacy at a few occasions and I'm always impressed by her creations and calming presence.

Curious bridesmaids

Ketubah signing seals the deal.

bananas

One month left

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Today it is exactly one month before Jeffrey and Jennifer's wedding. After their engagement session a few weeks ago I gotta say that I am really looking forward to the wedding. It is guaranteed to be a beautiful event and I am convinced it will be a blast.

I have moved!

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:02:00 +0000

I have moved to an awesome new office in SoHo.. or is it Tribeca or perhaps Chinatown? If I was one block west it would be Tribeca, if I was one block north it would be SoHo. Come visit me on Broadway just south of Canal.

Eternal Summer: Pt. II, Bahamas

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Tristan was sailing around the world when he arrived in Nassau and met Angela. I love the story since it's something out of a fairy tale or adventure novel (or Pirates of the Caribbean, depending on how your mind works).
Tristan is an Irishman with a French mom and Angela is a first generation Greek Bahamian. The wedding brought people from all over the world.

Teamwork.

Rules are made to be broken! When I started this blog I had the intention to only post candid and natural moments. That originally meant no portraits. Well, that rule is about to be broken.
I still intend to keep it real and only post natural and spontaneous moments but the next two images are the first portraits that I'll post. I did not "create" these moments, rather, Angela and Tristan just relaxed and tried to forget that the camera was there.

Eternal Summer: Pt. I, Puerto Rico

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:26:00 +0000

I am dog-sitting for a couple of days and this morning when I took the little pooch for her morning walk we were assaulted and beaten by the brutal NYC winter. The cold and the discomfort made me think back (longingly) on some of the many amazing places I had the opportunity to work in during the last year.
After revisiting the images of some of these location weddings I felt the warmth come back. I decided that I should post some images and hopefully the winter will be more endurable.

The first wedding that I'll post is from a tiny island called Vieques, a short plane ride from San Juan. If you get a chance I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful island. It is very laid back and not as developed as the main island. It has huge, near empty and pristine beaches and one of the largest bioluminescent bays in the world.

The wedding took place at a huge private villa right on the beach.

The chef took great care and pride in making this paella and he explained that it was made from a family recipe. He had every right to be proud. It was divine!

How every great party should end. In the pool.

Gracias James and Linda!

Princeton

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:19:00 +0000

Anton and Orly may be one of the most fun and easy going people I have ever had the opportunity to photograph. Their wedding day contained such an amazing mixture of emotions and events that was all playfully tied together with Anton and Orly's exceptional humor.

See what I mean?

BrideBoard

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:08:00 +0000

There is a relatively new NYC bridal site - brideboard.com- that allows brides and vendors to contribute content.

The features on the site include a Reviews section with vendor reviews, Bride Blogs with wedding advice and tips, Bazaar for purchasing new and used wedding products, and BrideSpace for brides to share photos and wedding experiences.

I know that there is a lot of resources out there but I think that this can be something.

Oh, if you want to review me just click here and create an account.

Winter Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:32:00 +0000

I really enjoy doing engagement sessions. It's a great opportunity to get to know the couple better before their wedding. As a wedding photojournalist I find it hard to pose people so my approach is to simply create an unscripted atmosphere where the subject is relaxed and I am there to capture the spontaneous and natural expressions.
Amanda asked we if we could do something with a holiday feel for their engagement portraits. I loved the idea! We met one morning on 5th Avenue, just a few days after Saks revealed their spectacular new holiday window display. It was a very cold morning and I really admire Amanda and Kevin's ability to relax despite the arctic temperatures.

Looking forward to the wedding at the end of May!

Desert

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:19:00 +0000

I have been unable to exactly describe why I enjoy the desert so much. Until I have figured out the attraction I will keep returning every year.
For this years annual desert trip I decided to go to Death Valley. The weather was beautiful and the stars at night were breathtaking. Coming from New York the first thing that hit me was the overwhelming silence.

Party

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:40:00 +0000

Every wedding is as different and unique as the individuals getting married. It is never hard to find those special things that makes every wedding memorable and different from the next.
At Anna and Patrick's wedding there were a few specific details that caught my eye but the most astonishing aspect was the party. I have never seen people dance that much or that well at a wedding. It was truly out of the ordinary.
The ceremony was held at St. Theresa's Church in Kenilworth, NJ and following a cocktail hour it was time to start the party at Chanticler.
I have chosen to only show images from the reception. The ceremony and all the preparations are also worthy to be shown but I want to highlight the energy at the reception. Needles to say, the party was nothing short of awesome.

Colorado/NYC

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:37:00 +0000

At the end of October Eric and Lindsay came to New York from Colorado to get married and celebrate their wedding with a handful of family and friends. It is rare that I get to photograph such an intimate event. I immediately realized that with a wedding celebration with less than ten people there was nowhere for me to "hide" and blend in. Instead Eric, Lindsay and their family made me feel like I was part of the event.
The ceremony was held at the W Hotel by Union Square and the reception followed at a restaurant in the Meat Packing District called Valbella.

Thanks for having me at your wedding!

Being a pastry chef must be a great job. You are always making treats that people love to eat and that very often is quite lovely to look at.

VII

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:14:00 +0000

Last week I was very fortunate to attend an intensive workshop held by the prestigious VII Photo Agency . The workshop was taught by Ron Haviv and Antonin Kratochvil, two photographers whose work I am very familiar with and admire. Check them out here.
Each person attending the workshop had to create their own assignment and deliver a photo essay by the end of the week. Throughout the workshop my work was critiqued and reviewed by Antonin. Oh man! It was truly a humbling experience.
At the end of the week I feel like I have revised my way of thinking about photographs and I have also been injected with a new energy and inspiration.

I chose to document homing pigeons and the people that raise them on rooftops all over Brooklyn. If there are any images that you feel does not belong in this series or any image you like the best please feel free to leave a comment.

Homing pigeons have very strong navigational instincts and will always return to the coop where they were born.

One man told me that he sold a few pigeons to his brother down at the tip of Florida. The birds got out and a few months later landed back on the rooftop in Brooklyn. That is close to 1,500 miles! (I can't even drive to Jersey without a GPS navigator.)

Howard has been keeping pigeons since he was a kid and bred a few prizewinners.

BKLN

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:53:00 +0000

It was just a few weeks ago that Efrem and Eva got married at the Botanical Gardens in Brooklyn. It was early enough that the leaves had not yet begun to turn but the signs of fall were evident in the chilly morning air and the deep blue color of the sky.
The grand reception was held in the Palm House and the ceremony under a huge willow tree in the gardens.

...like dining in the forest

Downtown

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:32:00 +0000

Mary and Alan had a very downtown wedding.... as far downtown as you can get in Manhattan. The ceremony was held at the Seton Shrine right by Battery Park. The shrine is named after the first American (New York) born saint and the old church seems to be wedged in between the majestic downtown skyscrapers.

Yes, I did up the saturation about 15%. Too much?

In this lovely Polish tradition the couple is offered bread, salt and vodka. I think one of the glasses contained water and the other vodka. I'm not sure which one Mary got be she does look the happiest.

Bambalam

noreply@blogger.com (agaton) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:12:00 +0000

Andrew and Dorey had their wedding in Brooklyn with the ceremony and reception at BAM. It was a gorgeous, warm fall day that started with preparations at Andrew and Dorey's brownstone on a quaint tree-lined street not far from Downtown Brooklyn.

Andrew is a photographer which would explain the beautiful Ansel Adams print on the wall.

Dorey and her father waits anxiously for Andrew as they will see each other for the first time as bride and groom.

You would not believe me if I told you that the crowd is gathered in Dumbo to see an elephant paint. See for yourself here. Or more images from OQ62's Flickr page.