Silver and Salt

I cannot say enough things about Ben as a wedding photographer — the man is truly amazing, and definitely has a gift. I could honestly go on and on, but here are just a few reasons why he was absolutely perfect for our big day. First, he met with us several times to talk about how we wanted the day to go, what types of shots we were interested in, and what was most important to us. And, most importantly, unlike some other photographers that we met with, really listened to us. I could tell right away that above all else he wanted us to be happy, and to have things go our way. This flexibility and mutual understanding allowed us to enjoy our day fully, without worrying if he was getting the shots we wanted. I trusted him completely, and since he is such an effective communicator, I knew we were on the same page.
Additionally, this effective communication meant that we didn’t have to pose for ages. When all of our portraits were done, I was shocked — it felt so short! Yet when our album came back, he absolutely nailed everything.
Thirdly, everyone at the wedding could not stop commenting about how great he was! He blended in seamlessly, and was so easy-​going. I honestly don’t know how he got some of the shots he did, because at the time I didn’t even notice him right in front of me. People are still commenting about what a nice guy he is!
And of course… his photos. There are barely words that can do his photos justice. Above all else, we hired Ben for his stunning work, and boy am I glad we did! Ben truly has a gift when it comes to capturing the feel of a wedding, not just the play by play. We told him we wanted a fun, party of a ceremony that was very low on the traditions, and that really comes across in our photos. Instead of focusing on stuffy portraits and weird cheesy poses (though of course we have some stunning formals), he captured us just enjoying the day, naturally. As a result I have so many beautiful photos of everyone just having a blast. He captured my husband and I serenading each other on the dance floor, my friends rapping, my bridesmaids in tears of joy, babies laughing, relatives giggling, my husband’s friend grabbing his bum after the ceremony… all of it. Flipping through our photo album makes me feel as though we are back at our wedding; all of the photos are so genuine, and each is truly something to treasure.
In addition, a small number of his photos don’t look like wedding photos at all, which I love. He got a few shots of the scenery and landscape surrounding our ceremony and reception. These honestly looks like works of art, and will definitely be framed for our walls. I viewed that as a bonus — hire a wedding photographer, and get some custom artwork as a result!
I really could continue on and on, but I will leave it at this: if you want real, genuine, unique, untraditional photos with incredible composition and quality, all of which truly look like works of art, hire Ben! Plus he’s a super nice guy!

Like every couple planning a wedding, my now-​husband and I searched for a photographer that would provide us with perfect wedding pictures that we’ll proudly display for the rest of our lives. In our search, we came across a number of wedding photographs that were banal, sometimes bordering on cheesy, and we knew we didn’t want that.
Ben Schaefer’s artistic sensibility struck us from the beginning. He describes himself as a photo journalist, and we think that’s spot-​on. Rather than projecting his personality into poses and ideas, Ben thought carefully about how we’d planned our day and which aspects were most important. And from the early photos we’ve seen so far, we are pleased with his careful eye and aesthetic sensibility.
And to top it off, Ben is a joy to work with. You spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than perhaps any other person (aside from your new spouse), so it’s important that you get along. Ben is fun, sensitive, and funny. We could not be happier with our experience and highly recommend Ben for your wedding or any occasion.

Ben and Connie were amazing. They got my very shy daughter to smile, jump, sing, dance, etc. It was an incredible experience, and the pictures made me burst into tears! I love every single one of the images!