May 2018 - Black White and Raw Photography

Philadelphia bride and groom in the Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom photos after a Philadelphia City Hall elopement

It’s been a real joy this season to shoot several small Philadelphia elopements followed by fun photo walks. When Pudding, a ridiculously fun woman from Singapore contacted us about her upcoming wedding, I loved her idea for doing three separate events. The first day would by their Philadelphia City Hall Elopement followed by Broad Street photos and then a drive to the Cherry Blossoms. The following night they had a party for their friends at Urban Axes, and next month there will be a reception for family and friends in a family home. There is so much love between these two, so many smiles and genuine laughs, I can’t wait to spent to spend another evening celebrating their love.

Scroll to see the highlights of the day, or click to jump to a specific part!
Philadelphia City Hall Elopement
Broad Street Wedding Photos
Cherry Blossoms
Urban Axes

Philadelphia City Hall Elopement

I met the couple at City Hall with a few of their close friends and family. Pudding’s brother was visiting from Singapore, and by my side capturing video all day, which was really fun. There was lots of “face-timing” with family that couldn’t be at the courthouse that day. If you choose to do a Philadelphia City Hall Elopement, keep in mind they give you a time window. You’ll wait in a large courtroom with other couple getting married that day, before they call you into a private room for the wedding. The judge was wonderful and we found a stunning staircase for photos afterwards. I’ve actually discovered that staircase is pretty easy to get access to, so keep it in mind if you’re shooting around City Hall anyway. It’s a beautiful spot.

Broad Street Wedding Photos

I’m always a huge fan of Broad Street Wedding Photos. I love that Pudding and Franklin couldn’t stop laughing! We then walked to the flag of Singapore and snapped a few in front of swan fountain.

Cherry Blossoms

There are several great spots for Cherry Blossom photos around Philadelphia. These were near the Shofuso Japanese House. There is a very brief time period when the Cherry Blossoms are in full peak, and every year I try to shoot there. We’ve photographed models, dancers and weddings in the Cherry Blossoms, but they would also be perfect for family photos, head shots or anything else you can think of. If you like these, keep us in mind for photos next year!

Urban Axes

Since the couple had a small, private ceremony, they threw a party at Urban Axes the following night! SUCH a fun spot. They don’t allow flash photography, so keep that in mind if you want photos there, but our cameras are excellent in low light, so it wasn’t an issue. The staff is wonderful, the guests had a great time and it was a fun way to wrap up the weekend. Can’t wait to see what next month’s reception with this amazing couple is like!

Our “Last To Leave” series with clown babe Mackenzie Moltov not only continues to be a real passion in our personal artistic projects, but it evolves, takes shape and becomes something entirely different with each beautifully abandoned building we’re fortunate enough to photograph. Our goal is always to honor the space, and to try to tell a story, whether it’s an abandoned amusement park, swinger’s resort or mental institution. Every time I think we have enough shoots to complete the art book that this will one day become, a new opportunity presents itself, and we will never say no to an amazing opportunity to create more art.

This time we lucked out with a little location help from a new friend who wishes to remain anonymous. We hadn’t explored a former school with Mackenzie before, and shooting in different types of buildings is always the goal. It was just a few days after the school shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. I knew it was a sensitive subject, but we’ve never shied away from provocative artwork. Although we did receive some pretty ugly internet hatred for our Bad Mommy , it is important to us as artists that we don’t shy away from sensitive subjects. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to let the tragedy and on-going discussion about gun control affect our work. It was paramount to me that we treat the subject delicately, which isn’t easy when your subject is a clown and you’re loaded with toy guns. I truly hope we achieved that goal.

Photos by Lori Foxworth and Paul Cofield