SARAH + JOE. KOREA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.

Sarah first contacted me over a year ago to inquire about pre-wedding photos. We had a great chat over coffee where she began to tell me a bit about her story with Joe, who was busy fulfilling his Korean military service at the time. They had met and started dating stateside, but when it came time for him to begin his required military service, she decided to move to Korea as a teacher so they could be near. It was the winter of 2011-12 then, and since I didn't offer studio pre-wedding coverage, she ended up hiring someone else, which seemed to be in both our interests.

About six months later, she contacted me again, this time for her wedding photos. She told me that she kept returning to my work because it looked uniquely different than most wedding coverage in Korea. Indeed, weddings in Korea can often be very business-like, most of them in "wedding halls", the whole affair lasting all of one to two hours, buffet included. Show up, hand over a money envelope, partake in said buffet, and be on your way. I've always had a more photojournalistic approach to weddings. Korean-styled weddings just don't fit my narrative style, so I tend to politely pass them off to colleagues.

When I learned that Sarah and Joe would be getting married in the church that his grandfather built, and that they'd have both Western-style and traditional Korean "paebaek" ceremonies, I was hooked. (If you know me at all, you'll know that I also have a well-worn soft-spot for international couples, coming from one myself.) I feel lucky to have been there to witness two incredibly warm and generous families come together. Special thanks to my talented friend Ray Khan, who helped out; several of the images above are his.

SARAH + JOE. SEOUL, KOREA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.

A preview from last weekend's wedding. Sarah and Joe got married in the church that Joe's grandfather founded. A beautiful story I can't wait to share. 

DIANA + DAVID. KOREA LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Diana and David took an autumn morning stroll down Cheongyechon in Seoul and invited me along.  Though they've been happily married for several years, Diana's lovely sister arranged for me to take some photos of them to commemorate their time spent in Seoul before moving back to the states next year.

CIAN'S ADOPTION STORY. KOREA ADOPTION PHOTOGRAPHER.

It was hard not to immediately fall in love with this family.  They've been on a long journey to adopt their son, Cian, from Korea, and I wanted to try something a little different, something that has been nagging at me for a while now.  I worked for a time as an editor and associate producer at a public television station in New York to pay my way through college what seems a lifetime ago.  I was a filmmaker before I ever ventured into photography, and in many ways that has informed my storytelling as a photographer.  I'm constantly thinking of narrative structure as I shoot and edit, not just pretty photos or moments.  While I don't miss the countless hours patchworking video footage together to create a cohesive story, I do think that the combination of audio and visual elements can come together to create something extraordinary, something more than just the sum of its parts.

GOTCHA DAY. KOREA ADOPTION PHOTOGRAPHY.

I've had the unique opportunity to stumble into the world of international adoptions this past year.  As a father of two, it's difficult not to get caught up the in the moment a foster family -- some of whom have raised a child for nearly two years -- has to say goodbye.

The younger of my two sons is turning 2 this month, and many of the adoptive children I see are his age.  The old adage, 'If you love someone, let them go' is suddenly thrown into sharp relief in the face of such sacrifice.  It is truly humbling to bear witness to such unconditional love, from both foster and forever families.

I've compiled a collection of moments from over the summer below.