George Weir Photography

Sees, Shoots & Leaves…

Written by George on February 20th, 2009

“Always with Unique Images!”

“unique even amongst photojournalistic shooters” American Photo

See, Shoots & Leaves -always with unique images!

A series of conversations with George Weir, and other great photographers, for the working wedding photographer promoting the vision & thinking behind the consistent creation, capture & delivery of unique images on every assignment. The experience, and yes it is an experience, is filled not only with learning but also with great food.

You will be given lots to think about, you will re-examine how you see and what you shoot. You will not be given the opportunity to purchase “Actions” or “How-to” DVD’s. You will not have to endure plugs on behalf of our sponsors, we decided that we wanted to keep it clean and simple. You will however, in the words of a previous participant, be “overwhelmed with information”.

Topics will include:

Seeing: Bringing together your own “eye & brain” with that of the camera.

Shooting: Owning the Image, Discovering & reaching the point where “your” images reflect “your” own vision & style.

Leaving: Ensuring that the story is complete.

Worklow: A detailed demonstration of a complete workflow from image capture through through the editing, proofing, and album production and image archiving.

Hard Edits: Yes editing is tough and it does require more than a little skill, we’ll discuss the thinking behind and the execution of hard, brutal, and successful edits.

Albums: Designing and presenting clean, yet dramatic albums that will stand the test of time.

Details: How to capture the details; food, bands, architecture, dresses and more with the minimum of fuss yet with the maximum impact.

Speakers:

Two at each seminar. George Weir and at least one other fantastic photographer, Paul Gero, Tim Zielenbach, Matt Gillis, or Mike O’Bryon depending on their own shooting schedules.

Location:

In my Gallery, Bayonne, NJ

15 Minutes from the Holland Tunnel or 20 minutes from Newark Airport.

Dates & Times:

April 20 & 21

July 13 & 14

November 9 & 10

9:00 AM till dinner ends

How Many & How Much?

Limited to 10 participants. Fee is $1,000.00. Deposit of $500 required to register. (a limited number of vouchers are available for, FW and DWF members as well as Mystic4 attendees - contact the office for details)

Meals:

Lunch is included on both days and a superb dinner is included on the second day. No bandwiches, that’s a promise.

To Sign up or ask for more information e-mail;

info-please@georgeweir.com

or Call

201-566-8925

George Weir: Born in Scotland, studied photography in Edinburgh, at Napier, and began his professional career in Texas. He was an Ophthalmic Photographer, CRA, for many years during which time he learned what it meant to be a professional photographer. George has never stayed still or complacent, he shot his first digital images in 1985. He has been a consultant for major camera & film manufacturers & has been an instructor since 1987.

George has been photographing weddings, full-time, since 1998 and is known for his award winning images and his unique style of documenting weddings with a vision & skill rarely seen in wedding photojournalism today.

“Simply amongst the most beautiful work I have ever seen”

Gary Ross Masters of Wedding Photography

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Tags: Add new tag, Seminars

“Nothing Else Matters…

Written by George on June 19th, 2009

…in this whole wide world when you’re in love with a “Jersey Girl”.

It’s not often that one hears Tom Waits music being played at weddings however, ever since I heard it as a couple took to the floor for their first dance many years ago, it’s had a special place in my heart, even more so since my wife, Carol, took a temporary job in NJ. - eleven years ago!

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My “Jersey Girl”

and I’m glad she’s wearing my ring.

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“Don’t you know that all my dreams come true when I’m walking down the street with you?”.

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Happy Anniversary.

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…and all our best wishes to all the “Jersey Girls” getting married on the 20th.

Posted in Inspiration | 1 Response »

Ivy & Tariq are married

Written by George on June 3rd, 2009

What a great day it was, I am nowhere near finished processing the images from Ivy and Tariq’s wedding at the downtown Marriott in Philadelphia, however I thought I’d post a few that caught my eye during the editing process. Thanks Ivy and Tariq, it truly was a pleasure.

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Posted in Wedding Images, Wedding Information, Wedding Locations | 1 Response »

Camera Equipment - Best Accessories Ever

Written by George on June 1st, 2009

One of the participants from a previous seminar wrote to me over the weekend with a follow-up question about some of my equipment accessories. The question he asked was about the pouches I use to carry my strobes in. Yes, I do actually have strobes and yes I sometimes even use them. Even if I don’t use flash all that much I pretty much always carry at least two when I’m photographing weddings, anywhere - could be downtown New York or on the beach in New Jersey. However most of the time they are in pouches which are on a belt.

I bought these pouches many years ago. While writing my reply a couple of things came to mind. The first of which was how much I love these things and this was swiftly followed by the realization that here again was another great example of a company coming up with a well designed product only to discontinue it leaving behind a void that I have been unable to fill.

These pouches are perfect. They are simple. There is nothing else like them that I’ve found anywhere. Canon and Nikon strobes fit very snugly inside them, as do 16oz bottles of water.

Best of all there is no Velcro, the flaps close with one plastic snapper, therefore there’s little or no danger of distracting anyone with the classic Velcro “RRRRRiiiPPPPPP”

So, if you happen to find any of these items in the proverbial dark and musty corner of an old, or not so old, camera store don’t even think about just buy ‘em. You can always send them to me if you don’t like them.

: Lightware strobe pouches

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Tags: Equipment

Music and Pictures

Written by George on May 27th, 2009

Driving back to New Jersey this past weekend I had the pleasure of listening to an interview with Booker T. Jones, the grandmaster of the Hammond B-3 organ. Aside from the excepts of music, which were absolutely wonderful indeed, the interview was more than a little interesting and I drew some comparisons with what he, Booker T, said about writing music and what I feel and see when I capture photographs, especially at weddings.

When one thinks of the name Booker T. Jones, the Hammond B-3 is probably the first thing that comes to mind, then if you’re at all like me you’ll think of many of the recordings he made at Stax Records with people like Otis Redding. Neil Young’s name though is probably not one that you’d immediately associate with Booker T. until he explains how he was influenced by Neil Young’s big guitar sound. I think this was the point in the interview where I pulled over and sat and listened intently to the rest of the interview.

I’m glad I did for as I listened to the track called “Native New Yorker” I could feel that big sound and I laughed out loud when Liane Hansen said that one writer had described it “as grungy as the subway on a summer day”, what a wonderful visual description that summed up exactly how I felt one hot, muggy Sunday last June as I rode the subway after photographing a wedding at the Terrace in the Sky in New York.

However the really interesting, for me anyway, part of the interview was when Booker T. described how he has pictures in his mind as he writes his music. “Hey, that’s just like me!” I felt like answering back to the radio; “I have music in my head when I shoot”

Just as he sees images as he writes I let the music guide me as I attempt to capture the “feeling” or the “sense” of the sound that the performer is giving us, it’s not simply enough to capture a sharp, crystal clear image if all that results is a sterile image which is devoid of emotion, movement, drama, or to be blunt empty! The image needs something, anything to impart more about the performer or performance.

Other parallels between music and photography?

Q. “What’s the new Booker T. sound we’re hearing on this one?

A. It’s actually the old sound with some new elements, I believe. It’s the same instrument and it’s the same me, but I am just motivated a little differently here.

Q. What’s the new George Weir style now that you’re shooting all weddings with digital?

A. It’s the same me, I’m seeing the same, I’m shooting the same, I’m simply going a little further with the tools that I have.

Q. Is there a lesson you think you’ve learned in your career that would be good advice for young musicians today?

A. I would advise to do something I do, and that is to practice every chance I get. I still go back to the scales that I was playing when I was 15 and 14. That hasn’t changed.

Q. Is there a lesson you’d like to share with young/new photographers today?

A. Yes, for me to be in control of the images I have to remember that E=IxT (Exposure = Intensity times Time) and that exposure begins in my head.

The album is titled “Potato Hole” and you may find the interview here

Blue Horn

Feel the Music, See the Image

Eye and Brain

"If you can't feel what you're looking at...how on earth will you ever get anyone to feel anything when they look at your images?" Don McCullin

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