“Shelby Phillips impressed me from the start. Before reaching out to her via email in the summer of 2018, I took some time to learn about her. From her personal blog, I learned that she is a graduate of NYU, that she loves photographing horses, that she is also an actor and a writer, and that she has a passion for bringing moments to life through photography. From looking at her curated selection of photographs on her website, I quickly learned that she cares about the minor gestures, the subtleties of a moment, and the play of light. At the time I found her (in 2018), I believe wedding photography was not her main focus; it seemed that she photographed more four-legged animals than did two-legged ones. I personally did not mind this one bit; rather, I found her versatility as a photographer to be a source of strength. If she could capture emotion and beauty without outward displays of emotions and beauty, then that speaks to her craft as an artist. I found her gentle and personal touch to photography to resonate deeply with me, and I also appreciated how she wrote about her life experiences in her blog. Here was a passionate young woman who not only observes the world with her eyes, but also attunes to it with her heart fully open. There was so much feeling evoked in both her writing and her photographs. There was so much vibrancy in her black-and-white captures. I was immediately hooked. I dedicate a whole blog post to Shelby here: https://www.booksmartstreetsmart.com/blog/2019/an-intimate-wedding-my-search-for-a-local-new-york-city-wedding-photographer Here's another snipped from my experience working with Shelby: The 5-minute walk to the wedding venue felt like eternity (in a good way!). I opted for an impractically long train for my wedding dress (I’m old-fashioned at heart!) so my younger sister dedicatedly carried it as I walked ahead of her. There were many stares from strangers along the way, but honestly, I did not pay attention because I was so focused on taking small steps so that I would not trip, or worse, get my heels stuck between the cracks in the sidewalk. It was past 5pm and the sun was blazing hot, but because we were situated right by the water, there was an occasional gentle breeze. Shelby was particularly excited about the wind, because it paved the way for some truly magnificent “action shots.” As I slowly made my way to the venue with my sister directly behind me, and my mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law next to us, Shelby was quick on her feet, capturing the magic in the small moments, while playing with the light. As I look back on the photographs that she took of that day, I am amazed by how she chased the light throughout the day and into the evening, how she beautifully brought life into still photographs, and how she managed to capture all our family and friends in a way that reflects each person’s personality. Today, when I visit Shelby’s website, I immediately notice that it has grown substantially. Since I signed my wedding photography contract, Shelby has taken on many other weddings, bringing life to a blank canvas by means of her camera lens, coupled with her eye for precious moments. I am so pleased to know that she is doing well, and that her dedication to her craft has paid off. PS. It is now 2021 and Shelby and I are still in touch! :) Thank you Shelby <3”
