I have photographed many weddings, grandiose and ornate, as well as small and simple. I’ve shot high-society nuptials in great halls, and shot backyard barbecue ‘n beer hitchings. I’ve shot ‘em for money, and done ‘em for free. I’ve shot them as a friend, as a journalist, and as the official, hired wedding photog. I’ve shot them wearing a tux, and wearing a photo vest.
Now, it appears, I will shoot them in the back of a truck.
When my friends Gene and Olivia got married at City Hall in NYC, it was a wonderful day, and an eye opener. So many people getting married! As I said on my blog about their wedding:
“Once inside, I found myself in an effervescent swirl of happy humanity, all of them there to simply declare their love of someone. This wasn’t atheist, or Christian, or Jewish, or Buddhist. It didn’t have a color, or a preference. It wasn’t about where you were from. It was about where you were about to go with the person you had just declared your love for.”
Smitten by the wonder of that day, an idea took shape, at least a bit. How about we offer a wedding studio, for free, impromptu, to anyone who gets married at City Hall? Either going in with nervous smiles and laughter, or coming out, tumbling through the doors in the rush of love and excitement, there’s a photographer there, fully equipped, ready to make your wedding portrait.
Given the neighborhood of the marriage bureau, nestled in amongst virtually all of the government buildings of NYC, it’s impossible to commandeer a stretch of sidewalk to set up lights, camera and action. But what about a truck? Parked next to the doors of the wedding bureau? Fully staffed, with cameras, speed lights, backdrops? Hmmmm….
Gracious thanks to Nikon USA for jumping on board with this notion. We will be there in full force on June 4th and June 5th, raring to go, and happy to shoot your official portrait of the best day of your life. So, if you’ve got your marriage certificate and have been hitched during the week of June 1 through 5, and want a beautiful portrait on a backdrop as a keepsake, the Wedding Truck is the place to come to. We will be waiting, with cameras, lenses and lights at the ready.
It’ll be a hoot of a couple of days, and so much fun to craft these portraits inside a 20′ box truck. I mean, I’ve done lots of different approaches for brides and grooms. My elegantly beautiful friend Rita wanted classic black and white.
My dear friends (and new parents!) Kent and Amy had a hoot of a day, and I went along with a camera.
Mo and Tom were all smiles.
Bill and Chris played shadow games for the camera.
I’ve even worked in the water.
But never in a truck.
The truck will be in place on June 4 and June 5 outside of the Office of the City Clerk, near 141 Worth Street in New York City. The portrait sessions will be free of charge, provided on a first come-first serve basis. Couples will leave with their images so that they can be shared with their loved ones.
Want a cool wedding portrait? A beautiful keepsake of your special day? Come by the truck!
More tk….
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Do you supply music and champagne too? This is from 2009 (although they picked one couple).
http://improveverywhere.com/2009/06/02/surprise-wedding-reception/
Love the idea, BTW. Thanks to Nikon, but thanks especially to you and your crew!
Mike.
P.S. Yesterday was Marcia’s and my 151st Monthaversary of being married. 🙂
Hi Joe! Very nice photography. I get many ideas from your this post about marriage. My wedding is near so now a days i want to get more information on wedding by searching online. I highly requested you to share more wedding ceremony ideas in next few weeks. Thanks alot in advance.
OMG this is so exciting Joe! It makes me want to get married all over again. Thank you so much for immortalizing our nuptials. Gene and I cannot thank you enough.
This is very cool. I hope you can post some of the pics from the truck. Love your work.
That is about the nicest thing someone could do for a couple who were probably counting on Uncle Phil or Nephew George to take their photos for them. I will have to hand my wife of almost 26 years a handkerchief when I tell her about this. Thanks to Nikon, there will be extra special memories. I would love to fly to New York and marry my wife all over again just to get our photos taken by Joe McNally! But I doubt that they would issue us a license. 🙂
What a great idea, Joe!
Especially because a lot of people get married at City Hall because they can’t afford a big wedding with a photographer and all.
What an incredible gift you’re giving them.
Wish I could be in NYC to see all the fun
Can’t wait to see your blog post about the festivities!
What a cool idea! Looking forward to seeing the pics here.
Hey, you said you’d be coming to Brazil – when? I need to plan my days off!!
After the gig with the newlyweds is done, what about parking in front of an hospital and taking pictures of mom and dad as they leave with their newborns? Kinda makes sense as a next steps 🙂
Again Joe, you have done it again, way to go! Say hello to Anne from Scott. Moved to Savannah GA.
Knew one of your crew Drew,
love your work!
Scott
A truck? You are crazy! Hope you patent the idea, I can see as a new business model.
Hey Joe,
we build a retro 70s/80s Phototruck too 🙂 It´s called Cliff McLane. We put heavy work inside, and some features like, e-guitar, Super Mario gaming, fine wallpapers etc.
We have a sponsored space on a photographic fair next month in Germany, next to Nikons Booth… Maybe they will notice our work, finally 🙂
Best regards
Sarah & Christoph
http://www.cliffmclane.com
http://www.facebook.com/cliff.mclane.fotobus
Joe,
This is such a great concept. Your flow of ideas is both brilliant and off of the hook.
How many thousands of people are thinking of showing up since you posted this article? 🙂
This is a fantastic idea. Looking forward to seeing some of the photos posted here if possible. Also…you own a photo vest?
Joe, you continue to impress and prove that not only are you uber talented, ,one hell of a teacher, and a continual source of artistic inspiration to so many of us, but you are a real class act and set an example of how to just be a good human. Thank you, for being, well, YOU…………
Wow! What a great idea and with Nikon on board!
I’d be willing to go and get married or remarried just to have an opportunity to be on a mobile shoot with the incomparable JM!
What an honor for everyone involved to capture those unforgettable and cherished memories!
How exciting!
I do! Used to own a bunch. Not so much anymore with the dawn of backpacks….:-))
thank you very much
Great idea Joe, should be fun. Looking forward to seeing some images, Good Luck.
Darragh
What a wonderful idea! I wish I could be there to watch you work. Looking forward to seeing your images.
Great shots! Who says romance is dead eh Joe!
This is so nice and cool. Really great ideas of yours. Thanks for sharing this valuable inspiration.
Really , This is fantastic idea make your wedding unforgettable
gREAT IDEA…. HOPEONE I WILL GET TO SEE YOU WORKING. WHAT AN INSPIRATION.
Hi Joe
I have never heard of or seen anything like this in the UK – it’s inspired! Great work.
Adam
Nice shots and this was a great idea. its magical once in a while to come up with out of the box ideas especially as a photographer.
great photos and a very noble idea. thanks for sharing
thanks for the photos
I love them too.
Great photos and a very noble idea. thanks for sharing
Thanks for the post…
Nice Comment….This is so nice and cool. Really great ideas of yours. Thanks for sharing this valuable inspiration.
Oh yes
Really , This is fantastic idea make your wedding unforgettable
Interesting photos!
That is super creative!!! Absolutely love the capture of joyous moments in such a superb way. Keep them coming!
This made me want to do it all over again, Great pictures
Thinking of getting married now, sigh!
I couldn’t stop gazing at these wonderful pieces of photography
very good
nice
The wedding truck is the most fabulous thing which I have ever seen and people are really amazed to see this thing.
Hi Joe
That is so fantastic of you and I really love the photos.
I can”t wait to see the photos of the wedding trucks.
Wonderful pictures, I always appreciate fantastic photography that really captures the moment.
very good, so recommendation for wedding
Wow! Wonderful ! I can”t wait to see the photos of the wedding trucks.