joel plotkin photography bio picture

Welcome to my Blog!

I am a professional photographer located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. I work as a full-time photographer for a Fortune 100 corporation.  My full-time job includes product photography, executive portraiture, editorial work for internal publications, advertising images as well as the occasional event.

In addition to the photography involved with my primary job, I have a successful personal studio that specializes in commercial, corporate, editorial, advertising and what I like to call "special day" photography.

I am extremely lucky in that I get to do what I love everyday - although at times it can get, believe it or not, pretty stressful - I cannot imagine doing anything other than photography.

There used to be a stigma attached with photographing weddings and I am trying to do my part to alleviate the notion that it is a lower form of photography. 
On the contrary, wedding photography has come a long way in recent years.  It has become more creative, and rivals most commercial, editorial or advertising photography out there today.

There are several reasons why I shoot weddings; the most obvious is having the opportunity to share such a special day with people who are genuinely happy. Is there a better situation to work in?

Most importantly, weddings provide me with a way to exercise my brain. They are also an opportunity to prevent me from becoming complacent. Even after 20 years, I am constantly learning and trying to improve my techniques and skills. Weddings keep you on your toes, you need to be able to react in a moments notice, and be prepared. That skill has come in handy more often than not in my daytime job, especially when it comes to photographing executives, celebrities, and just plain old busy people.

About 3 years ago I could not find an option that I liked for my online sales, so I started efotolab.com,  a company created by photographic professionals to serve the online hosting, sales and lab needs of professional photographers across the country. The key difference between efotolab.com and other services is that we are truly a professional lab and understand the need to provide high-quality prints and other products that best represent your work.  Check it out - www.efotolab.com

In my spare time I enjoy working closely with seasoned as well as new photographers by sharing experiences, ideas on style, technique, best business practices and ways to increase business overall.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog - if you have suggestions or would like to hire me , I can be reached at joel@plotkinphotography.com

If you are interested in efotolab.com services and how they can best serve your professional needs, contact sales@efotolab.com, and I will get right back to you.

Cheers,

Joel


The Improvisational Bachelor (ette) Party

So, I’m in San Francisco on business and the evening before I have to fly to Phoenix I decide to take a walk and see a little of the city.  I grab a camera and walk out  the door of my hotel on Union Square and step right into the middle of what looks like a wedding party. Something is a bit askew – the bride was a man, white dress, flowers, veil – unshaven and wearing a red clown nose.  The rest of their crew (men and woman) were dressed like groomsmen – woman sporting painted on moustache and top hats. Not being too shy I started taking photos and soon was swept into the party as “The Photographer”.

Everyone was so nice, I even had a few swigs of Crown Royale from one of the groomsmens flasks. I decided to tag along for a couple of hours walking the streets of San Francisco recording the spectacle that I soon learned was a sort of bachelor party.  We ended up at an art space where they were featuring a pseudo performance-art session featuring people telling stories based on the theme “Paying for it” – great stories, super cool people. I left after the “Escort” talked about her entree into “the business”.

So, thanks to Jared Hirsch and Justine Smith for letting me hang out with you and congratulations on your wedding.  Jared and Justine are getting married on Saturday, July 18th in San Francisco, CA.

The Bridal Party?

The Bridal Party?

Traditional Family Photos

Traditional Family Photos

jj2b9x5603jj2b9x5610

Everybody wanted to kiss the lovely bride!

Justine

Justine

The real bride – Justine.

Macy's

Macy's

We needed to check the bridal registry…

Product Testing

Product Testing

Everyone knows a strong foundation for successful marriage is a good mattress….

jj2b9x5688

The happy couple.jj2b9x5694

jj2b9x5710

A stranger

A stranger

Even a stranger (in addition to me) got in on the act….

jj2b9x5721

Mock wedding ceremony on the city bus.jj2b9x5743

A friend of the bride and groom.jj2b9x5761

Enjoying the show.jj2b9x5764

The couple taking a much needed break from the hysteria.  Congratulations!!!!

July 17, 2009 - 1:40 pm Joann - Love love the photos! Thanks, for sharing and being a part of the adventure!

July 17, 2009 - 9:31 am Dr. Clem Foraker - Looking at the "bride" I am sad to admit that I've done worse. Great shots, though. I'll bet they are glad you tagged along for the soiree.

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

*

*

Anti-Spam Protection by WP-SpamFree