Connor Studios Blog

What a day at Ford Field!  After going on an awesome 0-19 streak, it’s not hard to imagine why you can’t fill half the seats in the stands or get your team on local TV.

In the end, the Redskins just did everything wrong and the Lions just did enough right.

The day started off with Redskins owner Dan Snyder bringing his business partner (and “friend”??) Tom Cruise down onto the field during pre-game.  I assume Dan wanted to bring him out for a “guaranteed win” and his wife is from just down the road in Toledo.  Tom brought his son Connor Cruise out as well:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/640 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Jason Campbell had a hard time keeping his hands on the ball.  His very first snap was bobbled.  It wouldn’t be the last time of the day:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

The Skins marched down the field and Portis made a spectacular leap to get them on the one-yard-line.  He just got punched out of mid-air like a rag-doll.
Nikon D3 | lens: 125mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

That put them at 4th and 1 so they went for it thinking the Lions couldn’t keep them from one tiny yard.  Wrong.  This shows you how close they got though.  I would say an inch or two was all that separated them from 6 points and a possible win:
Nikon D3 | lens: 155mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Lions QB Matthew Stafford looked pretty impressive.  The guy could take off and showed a lot of enthusiasm when things went his way — fun to shoot.
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm (left) and 175mm (right) | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

This is the photo that ran on the front page of The Washington Times on Monday.  I guess it pretty much sums up what happened.  While editing, this whole sequence looked great but once I saw how Carter and Smoot looked in the background, this was the image.
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Jason Campbell under pressure forcing an incomplete pass:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

I could only imagine the collective gasp in the owner’s box when their Hundred Million Dollar Man Albert Haynesworth had to be carted off the field due to an injury.  I have never seen anyone carted off a field and return to play.  The bad news kept coming when the Lions scored the first touchdown as well:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

This photo made me wish I was working for the Detroit papers.  Knew it probably wouldn’t get in our paper but it did a nice job summing up coming off of 0-19.  It’s Anthony Henry reacting to missing and interception but it just seems to show all the pent up emotion from finally getting a win:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Bryant Johnson (80) picking up another 22 yards before Carlos Rogers could bring him down:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Figured I should throw in a pic making the Skins look good.  Fred Smoot breaking up a touchdown pass that would have made the beat-down worse:
Nikon D3 | lens: 135mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Ko Simpson (30) celebrating an interception:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Left: Jason Campbell jumping on his own fumble. | Center: Clinton Portis and a few of his “friends”. | Right: Campbell handing off to Portis for a loss of yards.
Nikon D3 | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

Chris Horton has no career in acting.  Horton was flagged for pass interference on the Lions final drive in the endzone bringing the Lions to the 1-yard-line and another touchdown:
Nikon D3 | lens: 400mm | 1/1000 f2.8 | ISO 2500

I can only imagine what was going through Jason Campbell and coach Jim Zorn’s head after having the dubious distinction of breaking the longest loosing streak.  I’m sure they weren’t good thoughts.  I hope both of them turned off the Sports Talk stations yesterday — it wasn’t pretty!
Nikon D3 | lens: 26mm | 1/500 f2.8 | ISO 1250

After the game was over and the team already left the field, the Lions came back to thank all the fans for sticking with them.  It was classy (and necessary):
Nikon D3 | lens: 24mm | 1/320 f2.8 | ISO 1250

One of our favorite DJ’s just posted an article where he interviewed a lot of are photographers and asked them all the questions you probably have about wedding photography.  We are interviewed about midway down about Engagement Sessions.  There is a lot of good info in there so check it out.

Also, for all of you who ask me for recommendations for DJ’s, Evan is always my first choice.  There are a LOT of bad DJ’s out there so do yourself a favor.

Click here to look at his blog.

I don’t think I have ever been to a home opener with such nice weather.  Usually the first few games can be a bit on the brutal side with heat and humidity so yesterday was pretty nice.  What I couldn’t believe were ALL of the empty seats!!  For a team who sells out and supposedly has a waiting list a mile long, there were so many seats open.  I hope they weren’t all being sued!

Yesterday’s game wasn’t exactly stunning to photograph.  When you get one touchdown and three field goals, it’s a bit of a yawner.  Luckily the little that did happen seemed to happen in front of me and I managed to get it in focus.

Zorn and Campbell during a timeout: Nikon D3 | 400mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200

Mike Sellers punching the ground after missing a touchdown pass: Nikon D3 | 200mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200

Don’t normally post a lot of the kicker but when he wins the game for you, I guess you have to: Nikon D3 | 180mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200The only TD of the game by Laurent Robinson: Nikon D3 | 70mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200Campbell bobbling the ball before throwing down field: Nikon D3 | 400mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200Santana Moss’s fumble: Nikon D3 | 550mm | 1/1600 f4 | ISO 200Zorn waiting for refs to call the Moss fumble: Nikon D3 | 180mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200My favorite photo of the game — Chris Horton causing Donnie Avery to fumble: Nikon D3 | 155mm | 1/2500 f2.8 | ISO 200Clinton Portis saving a Jason Campbell fumble: Nikon D3 | 400mm | 1/2500 f2.8 | ISO 200Zorn getting a workout sprinting down the sidelines to call a timeout: Nikon D3 | 200mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200Teammates congratulating Chris Horton (right) after he broke up a long pass at the end of the game virtually ensuring a win: Nikon D3 | 400mm | 1/3200 f2.8 | ISO 200

Jessica and James’ wedding was beautiful down on the Chesapeake Bay in Stevensville, Md.  The night before they had massive rain during the rehearsal and everyone was worried about Saturday for their wedding.  In the end, everything went off perfectly.  The day was pretty warm but shortly before the outdoor ceremony, a massive stretch of clouds came up the Chesapeake to give everyone some shade and then we had a beautiful sunset on top of it.

The wedding and ceremony was held at the Silver Swan Bayside — a very relaxed place on the water over the Bay Bridge.  Everyone there had a blast!  There was dancing inside and the night was perfect outside.  The storm went north of them so everyone was treated to a lightning show up over the Bay Bridge.  The rain held off until the last seconds when it finally rained just as they were walking out to get in their car.  If you are going to have rain, have it on the way out!

Jessica let James plan the honeymoon so nobody at the wedding (including Jessica) knew where she would be going.  It wasn’t until she got home that night that he revealed they were off to Hawaii.  I wish I would have known.  I would have definitely offered our services to photograph all the relaxing they would be doing there!

There are a few more silhouettes than we normally include but when you get a beautiful sunset on the water, it’s hard not to use it to its full potential.  And yes, the photo of the spreadsheet is Jessica’s timeline!  This is why I like Jessica — I think I did the same thing for my wedding.  Full disclosure – Jessica is a teacher so timelines like this come naturally (don’t want anyone to think that made her difficult to work with — exactly the opposite!).  But I was impressed!

My thanks also to Chip Litherland who flew up from Florida to help with their wedding.  I couldn’t have asked for a better eye!

Wedding 411:
Reception: Silver Swan Bayside | Taylor Kshimetski | 410.643.2021
Florist: Gateway Florist | Cindy Cheben | 410.263.8141
Hair: Lisa’s Hairdos | Lisa Ruth | 410.827.8276
Cake: Peace of Cake | 410.6040355
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael Connor & Chip Litherland | 202.321.1496

Jenny and Scott made my day by picking a place that I had never photographed in before (pretty rare around here).  After 10 years as a photojournalist and almost 9 photographing weddings, I can pretty much say that I have photographed in most places in the DC/MD/Northern VA area so I love finding something new.  The Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna are beautiful (and sprawling).  I can’t believe I never knew about this place before.

Since Jenny and Scott will be getting married on the Chesapeake Bay next month, it was nice to get some non-water photos for their engagement pictures.  They were both so easy going and I can’t wait for their wedding.  I get a couple weeks off of weddings and start my busy October season with their wedding so it should be wonderful.

While these are just some of my favorites, make sure you check out the rest of their proofs by clicking here. (password: Jenny’s last name all undercase)

At the outset, I have to provide full disclosure.  I was so excited that I averted rain at our wedding in Sweden, and kept my 8-year streak of no rain on weddings alive, that I bragged about it.  For any of you who believe in God, karma or cheddar cheese, you know that bragging is not the best thing to do – EVER!  So with that, I perform my act of contrition and apologize whole-heartedly to Shawn and Mike for the water that fell from the sky during their wedding.  Please forgive me!

All rain aside, Shawn and Mike’s wedding was amazing.  Luckily, the rain only stopped us from shooting the portraits outside since their ceremony and reception were well protected.  I had been looking forward to their wedding for a long time — if you know Shawn and Mike, you will understand why.  We have the pleasure of working with great brides and grooms here but there is something about both of them that puts them in the “even nicer” category.  That is the problem with this industry.  Most businesses want to make repeat customers out of clients like Shawn and Mike.  I hope to never work for them again!!  I take that back — I can’t wait to work for their “family” some day!  (no pressure)

Their wedding was at St. Aloysius (Gonzaga) in downtown Washington.  I love working in this church.  It is absolutely beautiful and the Priests have been great to work with. The wedding was gorgeous and Shawn’s dress was spectacular!  During the ceremony, there were a couple well placed thunder claps (or God’s applause if you will…).

After the ceremony, it was off to the Reception at Union Station.  We photograph a LOT of weddings at Union Station and it is by far one of the most beautiful locations in Washington.  The rain made for some great photographs as the Bridal Party got out of the limo and dashed inside (or hung out under the tailgate of a random guys Hummer to stay dry).  Once safely inside, they had their cocktail hour in the Columbus Club and the Reception in the East Hall.  You just can’t go wrong with that combo.

I have to say a sincere thank you not only to Shawn and Mike but their friends and family as well who all treated us better than you could have ever hoped for.  At the end of the night, I asked Mike if there was anything else he needed from us and his only request was a photo with me in it (the last photo).  You know you did something right in your life when you get to work with people like them!

Wedding 411:
Ceremony: St. Aloysius
Reception: Union Station / Hillary / 202.289.5282
Coordinator: Patti Ogle / 202.251.5667
Band: Marquise
Florist: Devers Design / Michael Corrado / 703.522.9331
Caterer: Design Cuisine
Photographer: Connor Studios / Michael Connor and Jonathan Newton / 202.321.1496

The pics: (lots-o-pics!)