In April, 2011, Photographer RE began Studio services for the price savvy bride. The Studio offers quality photography provided by RE as well as other photographers who are selected by Richard. Our goal is to maintain the quality of your photography while offering services and product at an affordable price.

     An ideal Studio client would want a true professional photographer with quality images at a reasonable rate. This means our products and services are kept pretty simple. Studio weddings are primarily with 1 photographer who doesn’t use specialty lighting and just keeps their photography simple.

     “Because I want you to have the best of everything for your wedding, I created Photographer RE Signature.” – Richard Esposito

     This unique brand delivers world class photography, exceptional quality, and unparalleled service. Our Signature line of products are the best that can be offered from around the world. We focus on every detail when creating your images and allow complete customization of your products. You consult directly with Richard to determine the options that work for you and your investment.

     Photographer Richard Esposito personally photographs every Signature wedding. Each wedding has a second photographer that Richard works with on a regular basis. There is also a lighting assistant which allows us to produce the quality and style of images we offer, and handle all of our equipment. We give all of our Signature clients a complimentary Get To Know You Session before the wedding so that Richard can get a feel for how you are in front of the camera, and so you understand how Richard works behind the camera.

     Every product we offer is considered the best product in our industry from around the world. Your images are put through multiple levels of editing before you see them for the first time. We work with you on a design theme for all of your products. Every item is quality checked by Richard so that if it doesn’t meet his high standards it will be redone. Signature is about no compromises and providing the best in customer service that can be offered.

     Wether you choose our Signature or Studio service, we look forward to providing you photography that will last a lifetime. It’s what every bride deserves for their wedding.

Kate traveled all of New England to meet with and hand pick only the best wedding vendors in their area. I’m honored to say that I’m in that handful of photographers.

The site officially launched on January 1st. From Here’s how Kate describes the website:

“myKPW is the ultimate wedding resource and vendor directory developed and designed by a wedding planner for chic and savvy brides and grooms. The website is revolutionizing the way weddings are planned by catering to your needs and vision. With cutting-edge technology, you’ll be able to customize your planning experience by location, budget, style, season, and color scheme.”

It’s a fantastic site just to look at for some wedding planning inspiration. Check it out at http://www.mykateparkerwedding.com

So let’s talk briefly about what it costs to be a professional wedding photographer. My second photographer here is looking to buy his own equipment. Just to start off with the basics he was up to $8,000. Imagine the cost of what I carry. Oh, and I have to insure all of it. Then there’s vehicle expenses, commissions for running credit cards, equipment repairs, I spent $1200 on postage this year (postage!!!), continuing education, computer and software upgrades, hard drives, hard drives, hard drives, it costs to make albums, paying staff… I really could go on. Oh wait! providing for my family? Putting food on our table and the discount outlet clothes on our back? A professional photographer doesn’t have a “real job” during the week so we have to pay our own health care for our family, save for retirement, and hope for a weeks vacation that comes out of our pocket. I did 25 weddings this year and my expenses were double the average 2 person family income in Connecticut (according to census.gov)! Overpaid? My prices go up next year because I was underpaid this year.

For the other side of the story, the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers did an awesome survey of photographers recently. I know when I started my business, everyone I knew thought I just worked weekends. I was often asked “What do you do during the week?” Alot more!

It’s plain and simple. If I didn’t have the expenses that I have, or spend that much time getting everything done, I’d be out of business.

I recently met up with Kate Parker while she was driving all around Connecticut looking for the best of wedding professionals. Kate is launching a new website that she says will revolutionize how weddings are planned. I got a sneak peak of it recently and it is awesome! Kate only invites a few photographers to be on the site to be released, and I am one of them. Check out my Vendor Spotlight.

City Blossoms decorated the event with some really unique floral arrangements.

How cool are these wall stickies that just peel off when your done? You can get them at Blik.

CUPCAKES! sooooo goooood. From Chocolate Blossom Cakes.

Want a one of a kind wedding dress that’s custom made? Check out Kelima. The dresses were amazing AND reasonably priced.

I almost didn’t eat the veggies. At first I thought it was just a center piece display. I didn’t want to mess it up!

There was a phenomenal caterer there, Sterling, an invitation designer, Village Invites, and a videographer that I actually worked with before. There were a few more vendors that I didn’t get a chance to talk to because I had to leave for a photo shoot. I was able to briefly sit in on one of the panel discussions.

For more information on these events visit the New York Wedding Workshop website.

Yesterday I had a great time chatting with Mr Robert Norman (the eyes above) for his PHODcast, “Connecticut Photographers of Distinction PHODcast. Getting to know our states local talent and what makes them tick.” The two previous interviewees were my friends Carla Ten Eyck and Steve Depino. The PHODcast isn’t about the things that I normally talk about, like business. Ok maybe I talked about a little business. But it’s about me! And my background in my previous career and how I got into photography. Besides, um, learning about, um, me and, ahhuumm, you’ll learn that I tend to say uummmmm alot. I think out loud? It’s like meditation… ooooommmmmm.

We talked for over an hour BEFORE we started recording. Then we recorded an hour. Then we talked for another hour more! Have a listen to the interview… (it’s only an hour, ignore the ums).

Free on iTunes! Richard Esposito on Connecticut PHODcast. 

Don’t have iTunes? Listen to it here (80.3mb)

***UPDATE*** I just wanted to make a note that Kelley doesn’t wonder what I do all day at home. I was making a general comment while we were talking about how people think photographers only work on the weekend. She still loves me.