Ryan Zook Photography

A Zook Wedding – Virginia Wedding Photographer

ryanzook — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:29:00 +0000

My cousin, Heather, married her best friend, Troy, this weekend in VA Beach. Though I was attending the wedding as a guest (not the photographer), I was able to get a few shots of the ceremony from my seat. We had a blast spending time with family and thank Heather for planning such a wonderful event. Congrats Heather and Troy!

The ceremony was held at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens and they could not have had better weather.

The bridesmaid dresses…

A few pictures of the kiddos.

My wife’s favorite part of the wedding… the cake! I will have to admit, it was delicious. There was also a sweets table which was definitely a hit!

Here are a few detail shots including the candle center pieces, the fans for the outdoor ceremony, and the ice luge sculpture (a surprise from the father of the bride!).

Murphy’s Mini Newborn Session – Northern Virginia Newborn Photographer

ryanzook — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:08:00 +0000

Murphy was 12 days old when I met him for a mini newborn session. Mini sessions are great for parents who want a professional photo for an announcement. He looked so peaceful sleeping. Meanwhile, we were praying that he didn’t use the designer ottoman as a restroom. Here are a few pictures of Murphy and his big brothers. Enjoy!

Ali’s Senior Portraits – Northern Virginia High School Seniors Photographer

ryanzook — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Today we drove around Fairfax looking for interesting locations to take senior portraits. Ali is super photogenic and could make any backdrop work… we found a parking lot of school buses, a gravel driveway, a loading dock surrounded by dumpsters, and more! We had a great day of shooting and beat the thunderstorms by only a few minutes. Ali, I hope you enjoy your senior portraits (I had a tough time narrowing it down for your sneak peek) and wish you luck next year in college!

From the football field to the yellow school bus…

This is one of my favorites of Ali’s serious face.

We found a 7-11 convenience store that had an ivy-covered wall on one side and a great brick wall on the other. Here are a few shots!

After the 7-11 adventure, we stepped it up a notch by taking pictures next to a loading dock behind the dumpsters. Who said there isn’t art in smelly places?

One of my all-time favorite pictures… Ali’s eyes are gorgeous and this picture shows true innocence.

Here are some more great pictures of Ali in her colorful shirt outfit in the gardens and sitting on gravel.

An artsy shot…

Baby Mav – Northern Virginia Newborn Photographer

ryanzook — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:35:00 +0000

Yesterday, I got a chance to meet my friends’ new baby boy, Maverick. Mav was fifteen days old and with his bright blue eyes is as cute as can be. We had quite an interesting photo session that involved 2 poops, 2 pees, and a spit up… Despite a few messy spots on the blankets, we had a great time together. Marissa & Jeff, I look forward to watching your son grow up… And, I hope you get some sleep soon. Here’s your sneak peek!

Mav is getting ready for football season. Go Chargers!

He did not want to keep the hat on his head. He has quite a strong grip already!

Just like his parents, Mav was dressed in a preppy outfit. I’ve gotta admit, I was a fan of Mav’s onesie.

A few family shots with the parents, grandma, and pup, Bella.

Jennifer & Chris Engagement Photos – Northern Virginia Engagement Photographer

ryanzook — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:03:00 +0000

I met with the future newlyweds at the Ice House Cafe & Oyster Bar where they were grabbing a drink to “loosen up.” It also was where they had dinner the night Chris proposed! After dinner, Chris took Jennifer to a softball field (they’re both avid softball players, coaches, etc.) where he had written “Marry Me” on the infield dirt. We took pictures around downtown Herndon and finished at the park where the softball field was located. Despite being 100 degrees+ outside, I had a great time taking pictures with them. Congrats Jennifer & Chris!

Some pictures at a nearby runaway train!

Here are some shots around the park lake.

A photo of the ring hanging on the dugout fence and resting on a softball. It was fun using my macro lens!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jennifer… I told her it’d be a great photo for a NIKE advertisement!

The field where Chris proposed!

Brayden @ Myrtle Beach

ryanzook — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:38:00 +0000

Here are a few pictures of Brayden’s first visit to Myrtle Beach… Enjoy!

Albums – Northern Virginia Photographer

ryanzook — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Here are a few photos of a sample 12×12 press printed flush mount album wrapped in premium black leather. Available in a variety of different sizes, paper finishes, and more, this is an affordable option for a portrait session album.

Below are a few sample “spreads”… A brief slideshow of the 20 spreads (40 pages) can be found here.

Sightseeing in Chicago – REALTOR® Magazine Photo Shoot

ryanzook — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:47:00 +0000

In 2007, the Cook and Zook Team and I were recognized by REALTOR® Magazine as “30 Under 30,” a prestigious award given to the top young real estate professionals under 30 years old. This year marked the 10th Anniversary of the award and the National Association of REALTORS® invited all the past recipients to Chicago for a reunion, networking event and photo shoot. It was a great opportunity to meet and learn from some of the brightest young minds in real estate, as well as watch the set up for a professional photo shoot for approximately 100 people. Set in Grand Central Station, here is the 10th Anniversary Photo showcased in the June Issue of REALTOR® Magazine (I’m in the middle front). Click here for the interactive photo.

Never having visited Chicago, I flew in the day before to tour the city, watch the Cubs play, and take some photos. I used my 50mm prime (non-zoom) lens for the entire afternoon. The 24-70mm lens is a better “walk-around” lens, but the 50mm is more compact, lightweight, and one of my favorites.

“Cloud Gate” at AT&T Plaza nearby downtown Chicago’s Millennium Park.

My ‘L’ ride (Chicago subway) to Wrigley Field.

Wrigley Field… A must-see for baseball fans. What a treat!

A view of one of Chicago’s bridges from the water.

Random, but one of my favorite shots of the afternoon.

Carissa & Kevin’s Wedding – Virginia Wedding Photographer

ryanzook — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:01:00 +0000

Doesn’t Carissa looks amazing? This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Cornell University in Ithaca, NY to help assist in photographing Carissa and Kevin’s wedding. Carissa went to high school with me and traveled to Cornell on a college field hockey scholarship where she met Kevin, a college lacrosse player! They decided to tie the knot on the campus where they first met. I enjoyed the beautiful architecture that Cornell had to offer and had a great time sharing such a special moment in Carissa and Kevin’s life. Below is Sage Hall, one of the staples of Cornell University.

On the day of, I assisted Liesl Henrichsen of “Photo Pink” Photography to capture Carissa and Kevin’s special day. Liesl was a pleasure to work with and I hope to one day shoot another wedding together. Here’s a candid shot of Liesl (photographers never get their picture taken!).

Here are some shots of gorgeous and historic Sage Chapel, located on the campus of Cornell University. What a beautiful and meaningful place to hold a ceremony.

The posse on the way to the chapel.

Ceremony picture.

Artistic photos…

A few shots of the bride and groom!

The stunning bride.

In case they didn’t know where to sit… It was a great photo opportunity!

The wedding cake.

Carissa did such a wonderful job planning the wedding. Here is a collage of fun detail shots including the cake, bread and wine, head table, drinks, guest book, gift table, table cards, signage, programs, cufflinks, and more!

The first dance.

Carissa’s super cute niece was one of the flower girls… she had fun on the dance floor, too!

“Don’t Stop Believing” performed by Carissa. Oh, and yes the beer bottle was being used as the microphone. This was definitely one of my favorites!

Tiffany & Jean-Paul’s Wedding (Day 2) – Northern Virginia Wedding Photographer

ryanzook — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:05:00 +0000

Here’s a “sneak peek” of some of the wedding reception pictures. Doesn’t Tiffany look absolutely gorgeous? I told Jean-Paul he looked like James Bond… he said he was watching “Casino Royale” (a James Bond movie) a few weeks ago and realized he could look sharp in a bow tie. I agree. I had a great time partying with you and all 570 guests!

Tiffany’s gorgeous bouquet.

Jean-Paul, the groom and the bartender.

The wedding party… It was great meeting all of you!

Heading from the hotel to the reception site (China Garden in Rosslyn)… You’ll notice the light turning yellow!

The rings.

The wedding cake and cake topper. I love fruity cake and really enjoyed my slice.

The beer of choice.

The first dance. I love this picture because it looks like a “moment.”

A few artistic photos playing with the light and dark.

The lion/dragon dance compliments of Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. Great drumming. Great dancing. Great show!

Partying. I think this one of my all-time favorites!

Like mother like daughter!

A perfectly candid picture of true happiness.

Nancy Zook, another professional photographer and my aunt, helped me take pictures at the wedding. You can visit her photoblog at http://photographybyzook.com. Here are a few of my favorite moments she captured…