From the Garden State to the Golden State

San Francisco at Sunset

Thank you San Francisco for your hospitality.
We look forward to our next rendez-vous :).

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Northern NJ, NYC documentary Wedding Photographer, Educator & All-Around Nice Guy

#benlauphoto #momentsovermountains #loveislove

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YouTube taught me how to tie over a dozen different knots - not for boating, not for camping - but so I could safely tie myself to a tree for the sole purpose of photographing Estella and Alan during their sunset engagement session at Lake Minnewaska.

I imagine they were probably confused (perhaps slightly alarmed?) when I said, “Just give me a few moments,” and proceeded to take WAY too much time strapping myself into a series of clips, harnesses and doodads. #safetyfirst

About halfway through, a park ranger’s voice echoed from 500ft below:

“NO CLIMBING ON THE CLIFF FACE!”

Technically I wasn’t climbing, as much as I was trying NOT TO DIE.

And let me tell you:
✅ Nobody got hurt
✅ I got the shot (I better have)
✅ Their dog @remiboy619 had the time of his life
✅ We wrapped up the session at the base of Awosting Falls
✅ Yes, we did that “Notebook” pose. Because who doesn’t want to be Ryan Gosling, if only for a few minutes?

DISCLAIMER: Do not try this at home. Or at Lake Minnewaska. Or anywhere, really.

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We recently celebrated Kate & Nate’s wedding at @thelakehouseitc, right in the middle of our rainy season.

The TLDR version? Everyone stayed dry, ate some yummy food, and danced their butts off :). Congrats again to the both of you and wishing you both a lifetime of love and laughter :).

#indiantrailclub #njweddingphotographer #njweddingvenue #njweddingplanner #njweddingflowers

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Lost internet and power this weekend, but nothing could’ve prevented me from celebrating with these two marvelous humans on their wedding day at @maritimeparc . Many congrats to the both of you @colleenbianchi_ & @dbbbb2 and wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness!

#maritimeparc #njweddingphotographer #njweddingvenue #njweddingplanner

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A few weeks ago, I had the incredible honor of hosting a two-day workshop focused on sales, marketing, and the creative side of what we do as photographers.

Life has been a bit of a whirlwind since then:

- I’ve had shoots and meetings almost every single day right after the workshop.
- Our sewer line broke, flooding our basement and home office.
- A freak hailstorm knocked out power to our home for several days.

Soooooo....it’s taken me a minute to finally process everything. But through all the chaos, one thing has been sitting heavy on my heart: gratitude.

To everyone who trusted me to share the lessons I’ve collected over the past 16 years - thank you.

To those who are just starting out, I hope the tools and ideas we explored together help pave the way for a long, meaningful, and successful career.

To the seasoned veterans whose work and reputation I admire - thank you for showing up, for sharing your wisdom, and for pushing me to keep striving to be the best version of myself.

And to everyone in between - thank you for allowing me to be part of your story. I know those two days were blazing hot, but I hope the friendships you made and the knowledge you gained made it all worthwhile.

Huge thanks to the incredible folks who helped make this workshop possible:

@maritimeparc
@geekoto
@cheetahstand
@pictime_us
@imagen.ai
@about_designs
@jamesliufilms

Thank you for your unwavering support - not just for me, but for the entire photography community.

And lastly, to my amazing wife @heykaris - thank you for being my rock, my partner, and my greatest cheerleader. I couldn’t do any of this without you.

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Moriah & Joe are college sweethearts who’ve been rowing through life together for seven years now—literally. They met on the crew team at TCNJ: he was the super cool senior, she was the giggly junior calling the shots as the coxswain.⁠
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Since then, they’ve called Brooklyn home, and now they’re building their life in Philly with their adorable pups, Lila & Birdie (who sadly couldn’t make it to the session, but were definitely there in spirit 🐾).⁠
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We hiked through the Jersey Botanical Gardens, chased beautiful light, and honestly? I don’t think they stopped giggling the entire time. Moriah’s flowery dress, Joe’s mint green sports coat - absolute perfection.⁠
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#njwedding #njengagementsession #njweddingphotographer #njbotanicalgardens

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Talia & Daniel aren’t your typical couple - and honestly, that’s what makes their story sooo good. ⁠
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They’re an interfaith pair, skipping the wedding party, and fully leaning into what feels right for them. What they do love? Dancing photos, belly laughs (Talia couldn’t stop giggling throughout the entire session), and meaningful spaces that feel like home - like their Brooklyn neighborhood, Prospect Park Boat House, and their own front stoop with their sweet pup.⁠
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(We even got a backstage pass to Grand Army Terminal, thanks to a friendly construction worker with impeccable timing!)
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Their love is joyful, intentional, and beautifully their own. I can’t wait to celebrate these two at one of my favorite venues, @maritimeparc.

#brooklyn #brooklynengagement #brooklynweddingphotographer #maritimeparc

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Some stories just have a rhythm of their own.
Jillian & Jeff first crossed paths in the world of music - two artists, two DJs, finding each other somewhere between the beats.⁠
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We wandered through Boston Commons, explored the charm of Beacon Hill, and when the rain found us, we simply embraced it- taking shelter in a cozy used record shop that felt like it was waiting just for them.⁠
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They understood the beauty of spontaneity, the magic of imperfect moments, and the art of going wherever the music - and life - takes you.⁠
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A little rain, a little music, and a whole lot of heart. ♥️ ♥️

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Boy meets girl at local dive bar. Boy becomes suspiciously loyal customer. Boy eventually scores the bartender’s number.⁠
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Ashley & Steven’s love story started with beers and bar tabs, and now here we are - dancing in the rain at Bear Mountain, dodging roadblocks, and chasing views at a place called Anthony’s Nose (real place, I swear).⁠
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Rain? No biggie. Closed roads? Adventure time. These two are pros at going with the flow—because life (and apparently engagement sessions) never go exactly as planned.⁠
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But honestly, that’s what makes it fun. 🍻🌧️

#hudsonvalleyweddings #hudsonvalleyweddingvenue #hudsonvalleyengagement #hudsonvalleyengagementsession #bearmountain #bearmountainengagement

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“Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.”

Loved spending the morning in my old stomping grounds with these two lovebirds. Congrats and looking forward to seeing you both on your big day!

#brooklyn #brooklynweddingphotographer #brooklynengagement

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NYC ➡️ Montreal
My fave tradition is our annual family adventures after the kids’ school year wraps up. With work and school from Sep-Jun, we don’t have too many opportunities to spend quality time together. Gotta get those in before they get too big :).

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