TL;DR: The BEST!…read more
Looking for a cheap wedding photographer? Consider that friend of your cousin that picked up an entry-level camera and has been shooting a few weeks and almost always doesn't cut the people's heads off in the pictures. Looking for a good wedding photographer? Consider one that does it for a living, professionally. Looking for a great wedding photographer? Call Charlie Coury at Apple Video & Photography Studio. Charlie didn't just pick up a camera and start shooting...he studied portraiture with the best; learning from them and working with them. We had interviewed a potential wedding photographer prior to talking to Charlie, and they seemed to tick all the right boxes - portfolio looked good, had been in the business a while, asked about what we wanted. We went to visit Charlie, and ticked the same boxes, but the pictures he showed us were a cut above, You can tell when someone sets up the shot, points the camera, and shoots, and you can tell when someone sets up the shot, carefully considers every factor (light, precise positioning of the subject, wind, etcetera, etcetera), and only then releases the shutter. Charlie spent about an hour with us, learning about what we hoped for regarding the wedding, and how we liked to be photographed. He presented a complete menu of services, with everything from engagement sessions to videography to prints. Want to do your own prints? No problem - he offers the option for you to purchase the full resolution images. His prices include processing - he doesn't just dump the pictures on a USB drive and hand it off after printing a few - he looks at every picture, sometimes making adjustments to bring out the best, and sometimes adding effects like sepia to give the picture a particular feel. Anyway, we told Charlie we'd get back to him. He walked us out, beat me by a few steps to open the car door for my fiancée (he's a gentleman), and said goodbye. As soon as I started the car, I looked at her and said "Sorry (other photographer's name)." This was met with "Oh thank God". I shut down the engine, we got out, and knocked on Charlie's door 20 seconds after he closed it, and hired him right then. It's a decision we don't regret!
Charlie provided an engagement session - which served the dual purposes of providing us with engagement photos and getting to know us. We met him in Boca Grande, and he seemed to know all of the picture perfect spots on the island to create stunning portraits. He took our photos in at least a half a dozen spots on the island, ending with the beach at sunset. We were able to meet him a few weeks later, where he gave us a slide show, and we picked out the photos we liked best (it was pretty much all of them). We got electronic copies and some prints, and are very happy with them!
Fast forward to the wedding - Charlie will work with the venue (and planner, if you have one) to ensure that he can capture the wedding and provide pictures of all of the memories you want. He arrived long before the main event to take pictures of the wedding parties getting ready. He suggested taking a set of bride/groom and party photos before the wedding. Being a traditionalist, I initially was thinking "Wait a minute, I'm not supposed to see the bride in her dress until she walks down the aisle." But we did it the way Charlie suggested, and it worked out great! He also took pictures in a session between the ceremony and reception. During the event (he was there for *all of it*), he was everywhere but nowhere - what I mean, is if there was something to get a picture of, he caught it - but at the same time he was unobtrusive, and not poking a lens in anyone's face. His videographer (Holly) was the same - she caught it all, but you hardly noticed she was there. Speaking of videography - same deal as Charlie's photography - very professionally done, with stunning results. Charlie and Holly work together often, and they work in unison to capture all of the wedding.
Charlie is high-energy, relentlessly cheerful, and just a hoot to work with. At the end of the reception, he brought us outside during the "Golden Hour" and quickly worked with us to capture photos in the best light of the day.
We now have DVDs full of pictures, a *very* professionally produced video DVD, and copies of it all on hard drive. Charlie (and Holly) captured our special day perfectly, and we couldn't be happier with the results. The stills and videos are simply stunning - both of us newlyweds didn't know we could look so good. I would say that Charlie always managed to capture our good side, but that wouldn't be how he would say it - for Charlie, nobody has a "good side" and a "bad side" - they have a "good side" and a "better side" - he'll always get the better side.
I realize this is a long review, but bottom line: if you're looking for a photographer to capture your special occasion, I enthusiastically and without reservation recommend Charlie Coury and Apple Video & Photography Studio!
