"We Love These Pictures!!!"

"We just cried all over again. How did you do it?!?! You captured the spirit; the love; the joy; the laughter; the excitement; I mean just everything. How can we ever thank you?!"  

 ....Megan and Jeremy 

"Congratulations! You represent the top 5% of wedding photographers on Wedding Wire and The Knot. The Couples' Choice Award honors the exemplary work you've done over the past year and the highly regarded reputation you've established with your clients"

As seen in "Entertain and Celebrate" fall 2023 issue and "Wedding Wire" January 2024, real weddings.

Sally Carpenter Photography

P.O. Box 244

Woodstock, VT 05091

518 577 4147

sally@sallycarpenterphotography.com

There are so many different wedding photography styles and even though my own personal style is best described as editorial/documentary I am experienced in all styles and always cater my wedding photography to my couple's preference and usually incorporate several styles throughout the wedding day. To learn more about the different wedding photography styles, please click here.

Vermont and New England, Wedding and Portrait Photographer

Sally Carpenter is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer based in Woodstock, Vermont  and also serving all of Upstate New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire with photo-journalistic, candid, editorial, classical and fine art wedding and portrait photography.

 "Although I am accomplished and well known as a fine art portrait photographer, the emphasis of my photography is on the candid and journalistic style. I want to deliver wedding and portrait photos that are natural and “real” and show emotion, love and warmth in a genuine way. I want to capture those decisive moments throughout the day or session and my goal is to preset my clients with photographs they will cherish for a lifetime."

Documentary, Journalistic Wedding Photography in Vermont and Upstate New York

Luckily, traditional wedding photography has gone by the wayside and we live in an age of fast paced digital photography that allows the photographer to capture so many emotional moments throughout your wedding day. Obviously we will want to photograph those must have formals, family photos, some traditional bridal portraits and I always include a few "wow!" editorial, magazine worthy photos, but for the most part I photograph your wedding in a documentary style as your wedding enfolds throughout the day. The laughter, tears, love and blackmail worthy dance photographs all make up your wedding day story.  

Woodstock, Vermont  Portrait Photographer

Woodstock is my home town  If you are looking to hire a portrait photographer I would be so happy to talk with you about your family, high school senior or children’s portraits. I was actually awarded a distinction by The Royal Photographic Society for my children’s portraits and I usually incorporate both fine art and lifestyle portraits in all my sessions. There are so many beautiful photo locations in the Woodstock, Vermont  area and we usually take advantage of most of them. 

My studio style portraits have the look and feel of an Old Master’s painting while my lifestyle, outdoor photographs are candid, fun, full of emotion and capture those special moments that are so very precious. 

Wedding Photography Serving Albany, Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls

Although I am based in Woodstock, Vermont, Upstate New York is very close to me and there are never any travel expenses charged for wedding photography in the following locations and surrounding areas: Albany, Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, Lake George, Ticonderoga, Selkirk, and most all of the Upstate New York area.

Lifestyle Natural Light Portrait Photography in Vermont

When I am not busy photographing weddings my time is spent with engagement and portrait photography. Most sessions include natural light portraits, candid and unposed as well as some studio style fine art portraits, so my couples and families usually get a mix of both. Natural light is the absolute best to work in and the optimal time for natural light portrait photography is about 2 hours before the sun sets. I try and schedule all my sessions at that time, but if that is not possible I have brilliant reflectors, off camera lighting and scrim boards to handle the most difficult natural lighting situation, whether it be full sun at high noon or heavy clouds, there is always a work around as long as the photographer is prepared. 

Fine Art Portrait Photography in Vermont

Fine art portrait photography differs from editorial portrait photography in that the finished portraits have the feel of an Old Master’s Painting. I studied in London with one of the most celebrated fine art portrait photographers in the UK, Paulina Duzcman.

Sometimes I incorporate these fine art portrait techniques in my bridal photos, but other than that the rest of the wedding day is photographed in the photo journalistic style as much as possible.

Editorial and Fashion Photography in Vermont

My original training was in fashion photography and editorial/fashion photography is another style I thoroughly love! I have done fashion campaigns for Cockpit USA, Revolution Clothing, Deirdre Donnely, Re-Wind Clothing Co and Charisma UK to name a few. Sometimes during the romance session or bridal party photos, I will switch from documentary or classical style to editorial and have the bridal party pose in such a way that the photos look like they belong on the pages of Vogue or Vanity Fair. As much as we all love the photo journalistic style of wedding photography, to be able to pose people when you need to is very important and I was taught by one of the best. Jerry Ghionis is considered one of the top 10 wedding photographer in the world as well as one of the best at posing nervous couples. Not every bride and groom are comfortable in front of the camera, in fact most grooms would rather do anything but have their photo taken, so it is important to know how to relax the couple and give them a few pointers and posing techniques to make the wedding day photos flow easier. Sometimes it might be as easy as saying…”Hold her waist and tell her a funny joke”. Some wedding couples want posing guidance and others are just naturals which is why an engagement session is so important.

Engagement and Couples Photography in Vermont 

I really, really want all my wedding couples to have an engagement session. It not only helps you get comfortable in front of the camera, it helps me understand your “camera personalities”, which by the way is seldom the same as your normal one. Have you ever been with someone and then went to take a photo of them and their entire posture, face, personality changed? There is something about facing or even being aware of a camera that really does change some people, so an engagement session helps me to understand each couple’s “photo personality” and offer some guidance, if need be before their wedding day. 

Engagement photography sessions are so much fun and in Upstate New York and Vermont there are so many outstanding locations to shoot in, from my property in Woodstock: Featherstone to covered bridges, waterfalls, parks and cities. Some couple's photo sessions last only one hour and others last all day with a break for lunch at a Vermont brewery. 

High School Senior Portrait Photography in Vermont

High school senior portrait photography is great fun and my students end up with a portrait collection that includes natural light photos with candid, editorial and fine art portraits as well. Sessions last about two to three hours and include so many perks, from props and wardrobe to smoke grenades, if requested, please check out my High School Senior page to learn more.  Vermont and The Upper Valley area is where I do most of my high school senior photos, but happy to travel anywhere in New England

Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and World Wide wedding and portrait photography. 

Sally Carpenter Photogrpahy

P.O. Box 244, Woodstock, Vermont 05091     l  

  sally@sallycarpenterphotography.com   

 518 577 4147

Vermont, New England, Boca Grande, FL, Worldwide