Behind the Scenes
In the past two years, over five close relatives and friends in my life have passed away. Overcoming this trauma has helped shape my work and commitment to celebrating love stories. Chapter 1 of “Remarkable Love Stories” reflects on my experience as an engagement, proposal and wedding photographer in New York. I explored the quality of engagement and how it fundamentally strengthens our relationships. In Chapter 2, we met on newlyweds Janet and Chip. Through their friendship we can see how the elements of play and friendship shape engagement story. For Chapter 3, I wanted to dig a bit deeper into my personal connection with New York City, photography and legacy.

About this Film
For this short film, you meet my Grandmother and my mother. Both women are tremendous influences on my appreciation of art and history. Listening to my grandmother describe her earliest experiences of New York helped me to touch that moment in time. I could not imagine Grand Central Station as she described it (windows blackened during World War II to avoid bombing) until we produced this film. Seeing her “revisit” the darkroom where my Great-Grandfather taught himself the craft of photography was also a surprise. These are stories from over 70 years ago. Moments in history that live in her memory and will fade with her passing if they are not documented. I’d never heard these stories about my Grandmother’s childhood until we interviewed her for this film. She simply doesn’t talk about it…

Producers Commentary
When my mother said, “what you capture in a picture has a story behind it, there’s movement, there’s something that goes on that you may or may not necessarily see but it’s just as important as what’s on that image!” I was blown away. The truth is, I rarely talk about the feelings I experience as a wedding photographer with my family. I often share the stories of the couples I’m working with and their adventures together. Sometimes I wonder if they understand me or why I am so passionate about this work. This mother’s clearly articulated words outline my focus as an engagement, proposal and wedding photographer in a single sentence. This experience especially touched me.

Losing a friend or a relative often strikes at our core and makes us question re-examine the world around. In these times of loss, we are presented with the unique opportunity to more clearly appreciate how fortunate we are. My personal regret for the relatives and friends who are no longer with me is that I did not appreciate the power of documenting their stories in life. Chapter 3, allowed me to connect with my family legacy of storytelling and photography. Sadly, my Grandmother suffered a stroke just weeks after this interview and is now recovering. Thankfully, this film will remain in my family as a testament to her story and legacy.

Director: Mathew Charof
Sound Designer: Michael Leary
Producer: Parris Whittingham