Services:
Established:	1997
Employees:	2
Accepts:

Capturing The Moment - Candid wedding photography by Pulitzer prize-winning wedding photojournalist Daniel Sheehan. 
Wedding photography with a subtle, unobtrusive, story-telling approach created in an artistic photojournalistic style. My style is straightforward, subtle and unobtrusive. I deliver lyrical, story-telling photographs that are artistic, distinctive, timeless and unique. 

Creating unique, personal and in-depth documentary wedding images has also privileged me to be able be able to work with discerning couples on their wedding days around the the corner and around the world. My ability to be a "fly on the wall" and put those in front of my lens at ease has opened up doors to allow access to international CEOs, pop culture icons and brides & grooms as they experience their wedding day.

I started doing wedding photography by accident in 1997. For 10 years at New York Newsday, I covered the NY Giants & Jets, Yankees & Mets, fashion collections in Paris, Milan and London, and the bombing of the NY World Trade Center in 1993. In 1996, after covering wars in Haiti Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, and winning the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for local news with a team of colleagues, I moved to Seattle and began a quiet business shooting stories for magazines.

One day I got a call from a couple that was desperate to find a photographer. They were getting married on short notice and everyone they called was booked. I never considered shooting weddings while working as a photojournalist. At Newsday, it was not considered cool to shoot weddings. The couple was really nice, so I agreed to shoot their wedding if I could work the same way I would cover a news story, documenting their day with a photo essay. They agreed (I think they were out of options). The resulting photographs proved very satisfying for the wedding couple. For me it was something of a revelation. I actually enjoyed telling a joyful story for a change.

Since that day I have made the transition from covering hard news to weddings, documenting them in the same way as my editorial stories. Now instead of getting shot at in conflict zones, I get to photograph joyful celebrations of love, family and friends. (The food is always better too).

250+ nuptial celebrations later, photographing weddings has become my most gratifying work (highlights include Conan O'Brien's wedding in early 2002). I have won a number of awards from the Association of Wedding Photojournalists and was named an International Award Winning Photographer.

Besides serving clients in the Seattle, Washington area, I am often called upon to travel to national and internationally for destination weddings. Recently I have traveled for weddings in Cincinnati, Ohio, New York City, Washington, DC; Santa Fe, NM; Mendecino, CA , San Francisco, CA;, The Italian Alps, Italy;  Bangalore, India;  Prague, Czech Republic; The Yucatan, Mexico.

See sample photographs including my unique specialty, large group wedding panoramic group portraits at abeautifuldayphotography.com


abeautifuldayphotography.com
daniel@danielsheehan.com
 (206) 633-0656

Annemarie Juhlian, Seattle Wedding Officiant

Daniel does an absolutely amazing job! He exquisitely captures the obvious and hidden moments of a wedding ceremony and celebration and I highly recommend him if you are seeking a wonderful wedding photographer!

 What are your wedding photography rates?

My rates vary depending upon the level of service, the hours of photography coverage and the other specifics of your personal requirements. All wedding photography packages include an unlimited number of images captured, the rights to all of the images for personal use, a website with story telling slideshow with music for family and friends to view and an online image proofing gallery with shopping cart. Some packages also include a DVD of digital negatives as well as a range of custom albums from Leather Craftsman and Aspinal of London. Each package also includes a panoramic wedding portrait of everyone attending your wedding and a 12" x 36" black and white print.

How do we book you as a wedding photographer?

Feel free to give a call at 206-633 0656 or drop me an email to check my availability. We can set up a consultation to discuss your wedding plans and photography needs. Once you have decided to book, I do ask for a retainer to reserve the date. Please note that I book only one wedding for each date, so dates are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

What is the standard length of time for wedding photography coverage?

Your wedding day schedule and photographic needs will dictate the length of time. We usually recommend a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of coverage. Just as the best stories flow from beginning to middle to end, telling the story of your wedding day in a narrative style requires me to be there as the various chapters unfold throughout the day.


How many photographs do you shoot at a wedding? How many do we get to keep?

On average, I capture between 1800 and 2800 digital images over the course of a 6- to 7- hour wedding. Once we edit out the blinking eyes, duplicate photos, and other undesirable images, we end up delivering between 900 and1200 photos, depending upon how long the day was and what occurred. Rest assured, your event will be well documented. You’ll have lots of images to choose for your album and all those frames you’ll want to fill.

Do you use film or digital cameras? Color or black and white wedding photography?

I bring 3 or 4 cameras and use a combination of film and digital capture. About 90% of my weddings are shot with Canon EOS 1D Mark II and 1DsMark II digital cameras. For clients who prefer the classic look of black and white 35mm photojournalism, I shoot with a pair of Leica rangefinders. At all weddings I also use a larger-format Fuji 6x17 panorama camera with black and white film to make a group panoramic photo of the wedding. Of course, color images from digital cameras can later be processed as black and white photos in postproduction.

Do you offer wedding albums?

Yes. I offer leather-covered albums handmade by Aspinal of London or Leather Craftsman, or the latest digital coffee table style book Custom designed albums.

Do you travel to photograph a wedding?

Absolutely. I am based in Seattle but frequently travel across the country. I also keep a current passport for international travel.
For travel packages only minimum travel expenses, detailed in the contract are charged. These typically include airfare, hotel, meals and car rental if needed. There are no hidden charges or surprises in the bill. Usually these costs are partly offset by not having to pay sales tax on wedding albums shipped out of state.
Over the past few years I have traveled to photograph weddings in California, New York, New Jersey, Texas, New Mexico, Idaho, Mexico, Europe, and India..

How are you on the wedding day?

You’re the ones everyone should be paying attention to, not me, so the answer is ubiquitous and unobtrusive. I'm always around, observing and shooting, but never directing the action or adding anything to the scene that wasn't there. I believe the best images come from natural, unscripted moments that are honest and real. The same goes for our post-production style—your personal preferences will take center stage.


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Should we give you a list of shots we’d like? Will you take some posed photographs?

My focus is on capturing the candid moments of your day, but I also understand the value of having portraits of you and the most important people in your life. Some couples are happy to just do one large group panorama shot of family and guests; for others it’s a few combinations of small groups. A long shot list does change my game plan from capturing the day as it happens to making sure I get all the requests, and makes it likely that I’ll miss some great shots of genuine, natural moments. The best plan is for us to work together to create the images that will be most important to you.

Do your packages include a second photographer?

Most packages beyond the basic include a second photographer. I often work with my wife Jana and when she is unavailable I work with Paul Joseph Brown, a noted photojournalist who has been photographing weddings for some time now.

Do you work with an assistant?

After years of working for newspapers, I’m accustomed to carrying my own gear and taking photographs intuitively and reflexively. I like to minimize distractions in order to blend into the scene and focus on anticipating moments that will make for great photos. For weddings that require a lot of additional lighting, I will hire an assistant to help arrange the equipment so I can always be shooting. We can determine if this is necessary for your wedding when we discuss your plans.

Do you process the wedding photos yourself?

When it comes to postproduction, I work with my wife and partner, designer Jana Sheehan, to edit, process, and optimize the Camera RAW files. We make the prints ourselves, as well as designing the albums.

Where should we put you during the meal and reception?

It works best if I can be seated with and served the same meal as your guests, building rapport with your friends and family so they’ll be more at ease in the photos. It’s best for me to sit and eat when you do, and an ideal seat would be within eyesight of your table so I can keep an eye on you. If you decide to get up between courses, I can get up and follow you for some great candid shots. I’ve never had a client ask me where the photos of them munching their dinner are.

Can we make prints from the dvd we receive?

Yes, you may make prints from the DVD and display the photos for your personal use. If friends and family are interested in prints, they are welcome to order them directly from my online proofing site. The prints will be wrapped and shipped directly to them, saving you some hassle.

How long will it take to get our wedding photos?

During the off season, the web gallery, slideshow, panorama print and DVD can be ready in 4-5 weeks after the wedding, during the high season (June thru October) it can take up to 8-10 weeks depending upon how many weddings we must process. (For every day of photography it can take 5-8 days of processing and editing and website building).

Do you photograph other kinds of events?

Yes, I also photograph bar/bat mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and large parties.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes, I accept Visa and MasterCard.