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Heather Schelling 📸🎥

@heather.schelling

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✨Hello, 40 ☺️✨ “The older I get the less I know” has never felt more true for me. It’s taken heartbreak, courage, surprising myself, disappointing myself, taking big risks and putting myself out there to get here.

I’ve realized on a deeper level that no one thing or person can make me feel ok or whole or worthy in this life—in the end, that’s up to moi! I mean this in the most joyful, freeing way. The difference from the past where I’ve resisted this is that now I embrace this concept wholeheartedly.

I don’t want to cling to the things that make me an “expert,” the things that I “know”… I want to just embrace being a student of this completely wild experience called life. I want to stay open and limber—feeling sure, feeling certain about things is actually the opposite of what I want to do, even though that brings a sense of comfort, of safety.

And there are certainly times I’ll lean on that and need that - but I want to get lost in the pull of life more, not fight it so much.

Stop being so afraid of everything. Being afraid is exhausting. Afraid of taking up too much space, of saying the wrong thing, of doing the wrong thing, of people not liking me, of failing, or not being this or that, of getting older, of looking older, of not having anything to cling on to that defines who I am… I don’t have much control over other peoples’ actions or their perception of me. I do have control of how I give myself grace, how I take care of myself. How I show up for myself, stand up for myself.

Our western culture and society treats “not knowing” as a failure, a bad sign, a weakness. So we have to remind ourselves constantly: feeling lost, feeling uncertain or unsure isn’t a weakness, it’s not only an unavoidable part of the human experience—it’s often a sign of growth 😻

I’ve always felt that my 40s were going to be an especially good decade for me—more freedom and confidence than before, more comfort in my own skin—I’m putting it out there! 😉 🪩💃🏼

So here’s to a little less fear, a little more curiosity… and trusting that not knowing isn’t something to overcome—it’s part of what makes this life so beautiful 💫 by @heather.schelling

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3 months ago

When you find the right wedding photographer, it’s a huge relief.

Like, Okay, these are people we can trust.

That feeling matters.

Because on the wedding day, you shouldn’t be wondering if your photographer understands your priorities or if your videographer is on the same page.

You should be free to be fully in it.

That’s what we’re hoping to create for every couple we work with: beautiful photographs and films, yes, but also a sense of ease from the moment we start working together.

Wedding Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Wedding Planner: @laurenzizzaevents
Venue: thechatwallodge
Florals: @apetaltopeddle
Makeup: @melissaformicabeauty
Band: @atomicfunkproject
Cake: @cuppiecakedesserts taken in The Chatwal Lodge - The Catskills by @heather.schelling

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4 months ago

The best wedding moments are often the ones nobody could have planned.

A laugh that breaks the nerves.
Tears you didn’t expect.
Dance floor moments that feel wild and free in the best possible way.

We’ll always help you plan with intention. A good timeline matters. Beautiful light matters. Thoughtful guidance matters.

But once the day begins, there’s so much freedom in going with the flow.

That’s usually where the most meaningful photographs come from.

Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Hotel: @1hotel.centralpark
Venue: @centralparkboathouse
Wedding planner: @laurenzizzaevents
Vintage NYC Cab: @thecheckercab
Flowers: @cressfloral
Bride’s Dress: @alexandragrecco
Bride’s Shoes: @manoloblahnik
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: @fameandpartners
Hair & Makeup: @melissaformicabeauty
Calligraphy: @mfalconcalligraphy
Cake: @milkbarstore
Band: @bigricrising_bvtlive
Groom’s Suit: @victortalbots taken in The Loeb Boathouse at Central Park by @heather.schelling

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4 months ago

The most meaningful parts of a wedding day are usually the unplanned ones.

The tears you didn’t expect.
The deep breath before the ceremony.
The indescribable joy of being surrounded by everyone you love.

That’s why Heather and I care so much that the day feels intentional, but not overly controlled.

We’ll guide you when needed, help create room to breathe and gently remind you to stay present through it all.

Because the beautifully imperfect, in-between moments are almost always the ones that matter most.

Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Wedding Venue: @peconicbayyachtclub
Wedding Flowers: @bloomsbydesign
Bride’s Dress: @jennyyoonyc
Hair & Makeup: @special_effects_salon_spa
Men’s Suits: @theblacktux taken in Peconic Bay Yacht Club by @heather.schelling

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4 months ago

If you want your wedding photographs to feel timeless, this is for you…

Photos don’t feel timeless because of *how* they look.

They feel timeless because of *what* they honor.

When the intention is to capture the human experience, the photographs l a s t.

A moment with your mom before you walk down the aisle.

Laughing teary-eyed at your loved one’s moving speech.

Dancing with friends who traveled across the world just to be there.

Stealing moments together just the two of you during the sunset, soaking it all in…

We’ll be there to document it all. To capture the energy of the day.

These moments transcend trends.

They aren’t always the most “Instagram-friendly.”

They might not stop a scroll.

But they will matter more to *you*.

Looking through your photos years later, the emotional truth hits different as you remember the moments of the day years later.

It’s what makes a photo so deeply beautiful and resonant.

And as the world continues to change, that emotional connection that we all share is the one thing we all still recognize ourselves in.

Photography: @tomschellingphoto
Wedding Planner: @laurenzizzaevents
Hair & Makeup: @melissaformicabeauty taken in Shenorock Shore Club by @heather.schelling

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7 months ago

What makes a wedding day truly amazing? The answer might surprise you.

When you imagine your wedding day, it’s easy to get really attached to certain outcomes:
perfect weather, flawless timing, everyone having the best time, nothing going wrong.

But after being at well over 200 weddings, I can tell you this with certainty:
Something always happens that wasn’t planned.

The most successful weddings aren’t the ones where nothing goes wrong.
They’re the ones where we can manage our expectations vs. reality.

I’ve seen weddings where it rained inches all day and everything was supposed to be outside.
Weddings where floral arches wouldn’t stay upright before the ceremony.
Weddings where the rings were accidentally left behind.

And every time, there’s a choice:
You can fight the moment, or you can meet it.

The couples who are able to roll with it, laugh a little and stay present change the entire energy of the day. They surf the wave instead of trying to stop it.
That doesn’t mean details don’t matter.

Of course they do. You’ve put time, care and money into creating something beautiful.

What it does mean is this:

You set yourself up for success by hiring people you trust so they can do their thing and your to-do list is really short: to get lost in the energy of your wedding day. To just be!
So, a planner.
A coordinator.

A team whose role is to handle problems so you don’t have to.

You’re not meant to be the one solving things on your wedding day.
When you give yourself permission to step back and trust, something powerful happens.

Your nervous system settles.
Your guests feel it.
And you can see it in the photos: in your expressions, your laughter, your ease.

One wedding I’ll never forget forgot the rings at the ceremony.
It could have derailed everything.

Instead, they laughed, shrugged it off and focused on what they did have in that moment: each other, surrounded by their loved ones.
And because of that, their memory of the day wasn’t stress—it was connection.

Sometimes, being able to laugh it off is the secret.
Embracing the fact that things will be beautifully imperfect… that’s how you have the most amazing wedding. taken in Soundview Inn Greenport by @heather.schelling

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8 months ago

When was the last time you printed out a photo?

We live in a world where photographs are more abundant than ever.

We have entire camera rolls filled with thousands of moments from our lives.

We take selfies. We post online. We scroll past images we barely remember taking.

So what actually gives a photograph value anymore?

And why would you ever print photos when you can access them instantly on your phone?

What I’ve learned over time is that the more I disconnect from the digital world in my own life, the more grounded I feel.

That’s not to say the digital world isn’t an incredible tool. It is.

But we often look for it to fulfill something deeply human, and that’s where it falls short.
I think about this a lot with music.

I love vinyl records.

Digital music is amazing: You can access almost every song ever made in seconds. But when everything is available all the time, music becomes a commodity. Something we consume without giving our full attention to.

Photos work the same way.

The irony is that in an age of radical media abundance, our attention has become our most valuable asset—and it’s constantly being pulled in a hundred directions.

That’s where albums come in.

A physical album is a quieter, more immersive way to absorb your memories.

You hold it in your hands.

You move through the story slowly.

You experience the images the way they were meant to be seen: with consistent color, intention and flow.

One narrative. (Without the distraction of alerts and notifications.)

It sounds almost quaint now, but this was completely normal not that long ago. And in many ways, our generation missed out on that experience.

That doesn’t mean we have to keep missing it.

Digital photos are wonderful to have, and essential.

But most people don’t actually spend much time revisiting them.

An album sitting on a table is different.

It subtly grabs your attention.

You open it carefully.

You end up sitting with it longer than you expected.

And the emotional weight of that experience far outweighs the convenience of having everything instantly accessible.

It’s where your story lives on for generations to come: in your wedding album. taken in Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa by @heather.schelling

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8 months ago

The other night, Heather and I finally sat down to design our own wedding album.

I know, I know.

Coming from a photographer, the delay is pretty funny 😆

But honestly, picking your *own* photos is harder than you’d expect.

There’s so much emotional attachment to every moment.

It’s one of the reasons I always design a first draft for the couples I work with: Sometimes you need a starting point when the feelings are that close.

We’ve been married a little over three years now.

We didn’t even make it through the first 20 images before we were both tearing up.

With a little distance from our wedding day, something became really clear to me:

Wedding photos are like fine wine.

They get better with age.

They become more valuable, more precious to you.

They get more meaningful as *you* change.

As life moves forward, the memory of the day softens.

Details fade. The intensity dulls just a bit. And the photos become a way to step back into what it actually felt like to be there.

Especially now, in a world where it’s easier than ever to make things look perfect, capturing the nuances of what it felt like matters more than ever.

When I look at our photos, I don’t see something polished or artificial.

I see our humanness, our giddiness, our love.

We had an incredible photographer whose entire philosophy centered on presence and honesty, and we really leaned into that. We let go of the idea that everything needed to unfold in some perfectly controlled way.

And because of that, we get to *re-experience* the freedom of those emotions now.

Not just see them, truly feel them again.

Wedding photos aren’t just about documenting a day.

They’re about preserving the emotional essence of a moment in time.

They remind you of the winding path that brought you together and who you were in that chapter of your life.

And who you are now.

That’s the responsibility I take most seriously. taken in Troutbeck by @heather.schelling

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8 months ago

Here’s why it matters how your wedding feels, not just how it photographs…

When I first picked up a camera (honestly, when I learned any art form) I cared a lot about the technical side of things.

Lenses. Color. Light. Composition.

The stuff most people would probably find pretty boring.

And I still love that side of it.

But at some point, a deeper question started to matter more:
What is the purpose of a photograph?
What is the purpose of art?
Of music? Of any creative work?

Because without human emotion, without our ability to feel and experience, none of it really means anything.

That realization changed the way I see weddings.

Years from now, many of the details of the day will fade away in your memory.

When you look at the photographs though, so much will come flooding back.

You’ll remember how it felt to be there.

You might have a technically perfect photograph—beautiful light, just the right angles, an incredible setting—but what stays with you is the emotion tied to that moment.

The nervousness. The relief. The pure joy.

A good photograph takes you below the surface of a moment: you can feel the weight, the emotions and meaning it carries for the people inside it.

To me, that depth is what separates art from content.

Art asks something of you.

Content just passes by.

Heather and I want to photograph you.

Not a polished version.

Not a performance.

The real you… even when it’s messy, emotional, imperfect.

Because that messiness is the human journey. And so much of modern life is trying to smooth that out, erase it or replace it with something curated and controlled.

With AI especially, things are only going to look and feel more artificial.

So for me, authenticity will always matter more than perfection.

That’s why I care so deeply about how a wedding feels.

Because that’s what lasts—and what transports you back to the noise, revelry and romance of that day. taken in The Mount by @heather.schelling

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9 months ago

From the rush of the dance floor… to stepping away from it all as the sunset filtered through the trees… to joyful moments with their sweet pup, Parker… every moment of Dan & Jean's wedding hummed with love 💓

Wedding Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Wedding Planner: @laurenzizzaevents
Venue: @thechatwallodge
Florals: @apetaltopeddle
Makeup: @melissaformicabeauty

#ChatwalLodgeWedding #CatskillsWedding #UpstateNYWedding #NewYorkWedding #WoodlandWedding taken in The Chatwal Lodge - The Catskills by @heather.schelling

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9 months ago

So much of your wedding day lives in the details—the moments and perspectives that tell the story of your day and what makes it uniquely yours.

Like the towering pines, glowy candlelight, forest moss, delicate florals and cozy rustic elegance of Dan & Jean’s day.

Wedding Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Wedding Planner: @laurenzizzaevents
Venue: @thechatwallodge
Florals: @apetaltopeddle
Makeup: @melissaformicabeauty

#ChatwalLodgeWedding #CatskillsWedding #UpstateNYWedding #NewYorkWedding #WoodlandWedding taken in The Chatwal Lodge - The Catskills by @heather.schelling

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10 months ago

Your wedding should be just as unique as you and your partner.

And that’s how we approach capturing it all—the throw-your-head-back kind of laughter, the quiet glances that say everything, the bond you have with your dad.

Even that perfect swing on the golf greens, because that’s so you.

We loved every part of Katie & TJ’s day—from their big-hearted family to the way they lift each other up 🤍

Photography & Videography: @tomschellingphoto
Band: @atomicfunkproject
Catering: @epicureandelightcatering
Hair: @marip_hair
Bride’s Dress: @sarehnouri by @heather.schelling

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a year ago