Hardworking, Reliable, Easy to Work With
I planned my wedding at a time when most of the country believed Covid had finally run it’s near 2 year course - but less than a week before our big day, the insanely contagious “Omicron” variant started spreading everywhere! As a result, when my wedding day approached many things were up in the air which caused major headaches for my bride and I - but there was one thing that was ROCK SOLID & RELIABLE - our talented photographer Alex Senderkis.
I first noticed Alex taking pictures at a large party hosted by a mutual friend. I was outside attempting to take a selfie with a friend of mine using my iPhone camera against a bright sky, but the pictures weren’t coming out well. Then, as if he somehow sensed two people were unhappy with a picture, Alex materialized in front of us and asked if he could try with his digital camera. Alex turned a few dials then took a few shots in the same positions we had attempted. Through the magic of WiFi he transferred the pictures to us and I was blown away. The sky was the most brilliant blue I’ve ever seen, you could see definition down to individual blades of grass, and somehow my friend and I looked way thinner than we actually were!
For the reminder of that party I watched as Alex walked around dutifully taking pictures of the guests and the scenery. Occasionally, he took some re-takes and made adjustments until his shots were as close to perfect as possible. All of the guests seemed as impressed as I was. At one point I asked the host of the party how much he was paying to have professional photos taken. “Nothing.” He said. “I invited Alex as a guest and I think he’s checking out one of his new cameras.” I was speechless. When someone spends their personal time mastering the tools of their craft, you know they are dedicated to what they do!
Not too long afterwards Alex put together an online photo album of the party and sent a link to the host. After looking the album over I knew I wanted to use him for my wedding.
I hired Alex and we made a plan beforehand. He suggested coming to my house and hour and a half before I had to leave for the ceremony so he could get some pictures as I was getting ready. Everything sounded good.
But when the morning of my wedding came I was extremely tense. The new Covid variant was spreading like wildfire and there were last minute plan changes and guest dropouts. I was fielding phone calls all morning (as I was the days before) and I had hit my stress limit. When Alex arrived I was running late, the house was a mess, and I certainly wasn’t ready for pictures - especially against the backdrop of a messy home.
Thankfully Alex arrived with a great attitude and a smile and he could immediately see how worried I was. I was going to suggest we skip the photos at home and meet at the venue instead - but having Alex there helped save the day. From the moment he got there Alex lightened the mood. Alex not only helped me get ready, he kept me on time as his pictures created a sense of structure for the day. What’s more, he picked up on the fact that my house being messy was part of my immediate stress, so he actually cleaned up a bit while I was getting dressed! When I came downstairs I found Alex getting pictures of my 2 dogs with a clean living room in the background. My worries melted away and at that moment Alex was no longer just a photographer - he was now someone I would forever call a friend.
Before my wedding I had told Alex that my favorite types of photos were candid ones. I like seeing honest, raw, genuine moments where ideally the people in the picture don’t even realize they had their picture taken. Alex didn’t disappoint.
During the reception Alex got some brilliant candid shots that I will treasure forever. That’s not easy to do - it takes EFFORT. When people aren’t posing for a photo, a photographer needs to be in the right place at the right time to catch a candid reaction. Throughout the reception I scanned the room and noticed Alex’s seat was almost always empty. I felt bad, I wanted him to at least enjoy his dinner, but he was working HARD the entire night, doing what he does best - blending into the background, looking for opportunities and being in the right place at the right time.
Would I recommend Alex to photograph your special day - 100% YES!
I can tell you for sure is that Alex loves photography with a passion and he will do his absolute best for you on your special day. When you hire a hard worker like Alex, who takes what he does seriously, you’re going to be glad you made the right choice.
My wife & I definitely were!
