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I found this great article online today about the Trash The Dress phenomenon. It gives a nice account from the bride’s perspective. A good read, you should check it out if you’re thinking about trashing your dress! This season I have five brave brides who have signed up with me for TTD already. You don’t have to have me photograph your wedding in order to do TTD with me! So email me and let’s chat. Also, comment below on what you think an ideal TTD session would be.
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Welcome to Trash The Dress IV. Before you go on to look at the SHOWCASE, I want to share the story along with some of my favorite images of the day.
Mary and Nick found me online. They came all the way from Syracuse to have this shoot with me, which is such a great honor! They wanted to trash the dress around Ontario beach, because, really, it’s a gorgeous beach if you don’t mind the algae and stuff 
But before we could do the beach, I had a few different ideas for them. Luckily for me, they accepted and after a brief warmup shoot in the park off we went to Rochester’s abandoned subway.
The subway features an awesome graffiti wall
One of my faves of the day
It was super dusty and probably a bit dangerous, but we had a lot of fun.
We got to the beach a few minutes before the golden hour, so we took some “normal” pictures before getting all wet.
This is where I should mention that Mary’s petticoats were blue. VERY blue. And very awesome! And not just for the shoot - that’s how she got married.
I don’t know why, but I really like this image for its artistic quality.
Into the water we go!
Nick joined in the fun. Reluctantly at first.
When you get to make out with your hot wife, it doesn’t matter where you are.
Another of my faves
There was a wedding going on next door, and the guests kept coming out to have a look at the “crazy bride gettin all nasty” on the beach. People couldn’t believe that she’d trash that gorgeous gown. Mary told me that she had had the gown professionally cleaned and pressed and stored for a few months before they decided to do this shoot. I hope it gets as squeeky clean this time around, too.
More images on the SHOWCASE of course. But these were my favorites out of 300+ I took that day. Mary and Nick were such good sports to indulge me in my crazy ideas, and I want to thank them for driving to Rochester all the way from Syracuse to do this with me. It was an amazing experience, as always!
So I went to New York City to a mega trash bash. Bright and early on Saturday September 1st I walked slowly past the World Trade Center and into the Financial Center. There we met up with the brides and the photographers who would be participating. I claimed Samantha, a petite asian bride who is planning her nuptials for next year. She bought a gown specifically for TTD, and is going to donate it afterwards.
We shot quite a few images at the site
Later, we went walking around town. Samantha had a big list of locations to use, and I’m very glad I chose her because I don’t know the city at all.
Her fiance joined us for a few pictures. Unfortunately he felt sick and had to leave later. This is one of my favorite images of them together.
I love the light in this one
For this one, I had to lay flat on the ground so that I could see the hole in the statue. Yes, people were staring.
A tender moment between the lovebirds
Later we found a paper mache-looking statue, which had great shooting opportunities
Tony had a great idea at a nearby skating park. The kid got a dollar, and we got an awesome shot
I just love how the flash lit up the cones
And of course the trashing wouldn’t be complete without getting wet! We went to Battery Park and EVERYONE was staring. We had quite an audience
Samantha’s SHOWCASE has more pictures for you to look at. Enjoy!
Maggie and Matt, your wedding pictures are ALMOST ready! I just have to convert them to JPG and they’re all yours.
While Photoshop is slaving away, let me share the awesome weekend I had. Matt organized a mega trash the dress bash in New York City on September 1st. We had four brides, eleven photographers, and two German camera crews covering the day. I’ll post Samantha’s gorgeous images later, but first - behind the scenes!
4 brides with camera crews
Punam is busy posing
Amos is such a helper
Tony shoots up
Tony shoots laying down
Amos gets the big gunz
Anna gets some action
Torturing the bride
Acrobatic maneuvers
And I’m hiding on Tony’s blog
Well, I got the ball rolling with Rachel a few weeks ago, and just this weekend I got two awesome people to model The Dress one more time. It’s getting quite some use! I can’t believe the good deal I got for this beautiful dress, it was originally $180 at DEB (oooh how I love that store!) and it was marked $35 at a sale. They gave one more discount for it at the register and I ended up getting it for a final price of $24.46. Woohoo! Totally worth it, especially considering the fact that TWO “brides” have gotten to use it already, and it’s still in top shape (the straps will have to be resewn… resewed… um… re-sew-ed after some grabbing and dunking in the lake). I haven’t even had to wash it.
Without further ado, I give you (ta da!) the SHOWCASE. Before you click on it (oops, too late?) please check out some of my favorite shots of the day in their glorious bigger versions.
Benny and Antoinette are my photographer slash make up artist slash model friends from Model Mayhem (artsy social rival to MySpace) They are NOT professional/paid models, but they do have more experience in getting “the look” without actually having to make out in front of me 
So no, this wasn’t an actual BRIDAL dress trashing. Although you probably already gathered that from the $24.46 price tag brag above.
Will I EVER get to the actual pictures?
Sheesh. Here goes.
Suits first.
Fenced in
Got the blues
New horizons
Wet dancing
And… roll!
Up to the elbows
The HAWT one. This one’s going POSTER size. My absolute favorite.
Sweet and tender
Gushing waters
I was changing cards in the camera and they had a moment to rest. I turned around to see him tenderly pushing a wet lock of hair out of her beautiful face.
One of my favorite B/Ws
Up close
For fun, I had them pose the same way in the beginning and the end of the shoot. THIS is why I tell my brides to give plenty of time for pictures. Just look at the difference that time makes - how you ease into the shoot and look so much more comfortable at the end of it than the beginning. You have to give yourself enough time to warm up!
Benny really wanted to trash his suit, so we went deep for this one. I’m glad I was wearing a bikini and had a change of clothes!
Well, there you have it. These are my favorites, along with a ton of other great ones in the SHOWCASE. I wish I could show them all off as POSTERS. But then I’d have to have a big big studio and lots of big big wall space… and I just don’t want to be confined in one space. Oh well. Meet me for coffee and I’ll bring that poster one!
P.S. The music in the showcase is, once again, Lithuanian. Gytis Paskevicius sings “Dukrai” (”To My Daughter”) I like the melancholy feel, kind of like a boat bobbing against the waves.
Oh. My. Gosh. I finally did it! I had my first TTD session! If you have no clue what I’m talking about, check out this website, where a bunch of fabulous photographers submit their best images of dress trashing.
Anyway. Today’s TTD was made possible by Megan and Rachel, who were my partners in crime and a bit of trespassing Megan did makeup, I did hair, and Rachel endured the torture like the great model she is.
We went to an old barn out in the country and got hundreds of awesome shots! You can view the full SLIDESHOW, and I also want to show bigger images of my favorites:
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There was even a fake bouquet or two!
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Strike up the pose
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From the inside
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Up and away
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The point here is that you don’t care that it gets dirty.
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Sitting on the floor
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In the hay
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Wheeeee! Hayyyyy!
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Change of accessories
My favorite headshot of the day
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My favorite inside-the-barn picture, ala Alice In Wonderland
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Happy to be outside, and accessory change
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And some more hay
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Again, don’t forget to view the SLIDESHOW. Also, please let me know what you think, I’m looking forward to some comments!
