Kelly and Kenny's Wedding - Hollow Brook Golf Club Westchester, NY Photos

When June arrives the grass is finally bright green and the leaves on the trees sway in the early summer breeze. A beautiful golf course like Hollow Brook Golf Club serves as the perfect place to marry your perfect someone. At a quick glance all you have to do is make a list of their friends and family, wish for the beautiful weather, and mark your calendars.

getting your wedding day started - wedding photography tips

Our day started with getting ready. The couple chose a hotel in Katonah, NY at the foot of the Tappen Zee Bridge. My second photographer (photojournalist) on today’s wedding was also my business partner, Trent. We work so well together in capturing the story of a wedding day; from getting ready to the last dance. We both really enjoyed photographing Kelly and Kenny’s wedding day. Wedding Photography is more than just what you see on the internet or social media. There are the little details, which as wedding photographers we tend to geek out over, and the big moments, but we capture it all with importance. All of these moments and details photographed tell the story of you as a couple.

your wedding day is full of details. Have your wedding photographer capture everything. Most importantly have your wedding photographer know you and know what’s important to you.

Kelly and Kenny both grew up in the Hudson Valley area near the Hollow Brook Golf Club and thus it was the perfect location for their wedding reception. Their ceremony was at St. Barnabas Church in Yonkers, NY, which is also the start of New York City’s St. Patrick Day Parade. The significance of St. Barnabas to both Kelly and Kenny is they are both Irish, and Kenny is part of the NYPD. The NYPD has a large number of Irish-American officers in their rank and file.

Post ceremony and mass, we ventured up the Hudson River to the Peekskill Waterfront for bridal party photos, and several family photos. Then, we made our way to the Hollow Brook. Here it was time to photograph Kelly and Kenny. The light and temperature were perfect to capture wedding day moments.

Our schedule throughout the day ran with the precision of a Swiss made watch. Once our photos were done, Kelly and Kenny enjoyed cocktail hour, and the fun began.

Church: St. Barnabas Church (Yonkers, NY)

Venue: Hollow Brook Golf Club

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McAfee's Knob Full Moon - Sunrise Hike

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Hiking McAfee Knob on the Appalachian Trail near Roanoke, Virginia at sunrise is a bucket list item for any hiker or adventure seeker. Hiking “the knob” is an easy accomplishment for any solo hiker or a family with little kids as it’s only 3.5 miles each way and 7 miles round trip along a fire road or trail.

a guide to Hiking mcAfee’s knob at sunrise

For a sunrise hike in May, you’ll have to be at the parking lot no later than 3:45am. So, bring a headlight and a thermos of your favorite coffee. The hike although not strenuous for most takes 4+ hours, so prepare to bring a bottle of water, a small snack, and sturdy hiking boots as the trail can be muddy. Alight top to keep you warm upon summiting (even in the summer) is recommended. The knob with its sweeping views is exposed to the elements and always has a breeze.

is mcafee’s knob a hard hike?

The hike to Mcafee Knob is a slow and steady uphill hike up Catawba Mountain. The trail, is a part of the larger Appalachian Trail, which is wide and well groomed with easy to denote markers. The only exception is when you reach the top.

some of roanoke virginia’s best hikes are 1/2 day hikes

When you reach the top of Catawba Mountain you can easily go past the iconic McAfee Knob rock overlook. The overlook’s sweeping panoramic views of the Catawba valley beneath you are not to be missed. Make sure you look for trail signs and breaks in the brush, which will lead you to McAfee’s knob overlook. It’s very easy to continue on the Appalachian Trail and not walk the extra 50 feet to the overlook.

hiking mcafee’s knob 1-2-3 information

Quick information about hiking McAfee’s Knob in any season:

  • Bring a water bottle

  • The hike takes about 3.5-4 hours of moving time round trip.

  • Total distance is about 7.2 miles

  • Go early! - The parking lot at the top of 311 in Catawba fills up quick and parking signs are strictly enforced.

Joshua & Alyssa FIDI NYC EMS Proposal

“9-1-1, What is your emergency?” I need a NYC Proposal Photographer ASAP!

When two first responders come to New York City for the very first time. Their experience can be described as larger than life. For Josh, knowing he was going to propose to Alyssa and not being sure when put the pressure on. As a first responder he assured me he’d keep cool.

where to propose in nyc?

I told Joshua about all of the typical spots (Central Park, Grand Central, Battery Park), but he assured me those proposal locations were not true to him. After learning about Joshua and Alyssa’s career as first responders Josh asked about Downtown Manhattan.

The Perfect Place to Propose in New York - Ladies Pavilion Central Park, NYC

New York’s Central Park, A beautiful location to propose in any season: Part II

This past February, I wrote about photographing a secret proposal in Central Park at Cleopatra’s Needle in the dead of NYC winter. A few days ago as I photographed another marriage proposal at Ladies Pavillon with peak spring bloom all around, I couldn’t help but think about how great of a location Central Park is for a secret proposal photo session.

A Photographers Playground: Proposal Photos Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

No matter the time of day, month, or year, Central Park offers a timeless backdrop for proposal or engagement photography. During Winter, a couple may stand in the middle of a quiet Bow Bridge looking over an elegant sheet of ice covering The Lake, small snow flakes fall around them.

In Spring, they’ll walk through Cherry Hill surrounded with pink and white pastel tones of the Cherry Trees in bloom. On a Summer Eve, They’ll sit in Denne Summerhouse watching the sunset while listening to the Crickets start to signal dusk. Fall, they’ll perch atop of Cat Rock looking over the autumn foliage that fills the park, NYC Skyline peaking through in the distance.


Central Park has hundred of iconic spots like this, each with its own hidden beauty and special meaning for couples that may choose it as the place to signify starting a new life together.

Having an NYC secret proposal photographer hidden nearby to discretely capture this special moment is nearly priceless.

Central Park in Spring = A Sign of Life and New Beginnings

A few days ago I watched Rohan and his fiancée-to-be Nikita enter Ladies Pavilion and Rohan drop to one knee with the cheery blossoms behind them I was reminded why Central Park really is the perfect place to propose and how grateful I am to be a proposal photographer in NYC.

Nikita of course said yes!

It felt only fitting that the two of them start their next cycle of life together as nature starts its own.

Congratulations Nikita and Rohan here is too many more cycles and Springs together.


Make sure photos are captured of your Special Moment

Whether you need a secret proposal photographer in NYC, an engagement session photographer on Long Island, or anything in between, Jonathan Heisler Photography can help plan your moment.

Photographer: Trent Campbell

learn more about hiring a proposal photographer

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Escatawba Farms Fly Fishing

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A great day trip fly fishing has to be at Virginia's best fly fishing stream, Escatawba Farms located just outside of Roanoke, Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Escatawba has streams stocked with trout and other fish species, which will test anglers of all skill levels.

Virginia’s Best Fly Fishing is in Roanoke, VA

Whether you’re a beginner going out with a guide or a skilled fishermen with many lores under your belt, Escatawba has something to offer everyone.

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Leah's Long Island Bat Mitzvah

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A Pandemic Won’t Stop this Bat Mitzvah!

Last week I photographed Leah’s Bat Mitzvah in Bethpage, NY. Her Long Island Bat Mitzvah was different than her cousins, friends, and what she had envisioned thanks to the pandemic. So, Leah and her parents did everything they could to still recognize the important moment and meaning of the day..
While the synagogue was not packed, Leah still had family and a few friends in attendance to celebrate her becoming a bat mitzvah woman, and even some attendees made the event via Zoom!

Capturing a New York Bat Mitzvah

Spring on Long Island, NY, means unpredictable rain, and while the days leading up to Leah’s Bat Mitzvah were looking good, the day of her Bat Mitzvah was a different story. While torrential rain outside meant we couldn’t do family photos in Bethpage Park before the ceremony as planned, I was able to pivot and set up a nice spot in the synagogue. Inside the synagogue, I set up a mini studio with my lights for family photos and photos of Leah.

A Professional Bat Mitzvah Photographer knows what to do

For Bar and Bat Mitzvahs to-be, the ceremony itself can be a little nerve-racking, and the last distraction you need while reading Torah is a loud photographer. Knowing this, I set my camera to “silent shutter” mode and quietly photographed from the back of the synagogue, while still capturing all the important moments! I was conscious not to block the view of guests both physically attending and virtually attending.

After the ceremony was Leah was officially a Bat Mitzvah! And as if to celebrate the occasion, the skies briefly opened up long enough for me to take some nice portraits of her outside with a green nature backdrop.

Afterward, Leah and her family and friends were off to celebrate this great accomplishment!

Congrats Leah!

Photographer: Trent Campbell

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