I remember it fondly, when Yelp's own Tom Clarke and Meredith Kleiber had a joint art showing at…read moreRembrandts in Fairmount, almost a year ago. I wasnt much of an art fan, but I was a fan of those two talented Yelpers and seeing their work showcased like that, and the fact that I was actually friends with them, was magical. I had mentally noted some favorites, but didnt know if I would ever be able to buy any. At that time, art just wasnt in my budget. Little by little, I was able to put aside some money, to brighten my new home. I purchased a Tom Clarke this fall, and debated which Kleiber photo, to make mine. Also in attendance at that showing last year, was Lulu. She looked radiant as usual and it was very cool to look at the photos with her. She didnt just casually take in the art, like I would. She studied it. She saw the intricacies of the work and each shot moved her. I think this connection to all things was both a blessing and a curse for her, ultimately causing her downfall. At the time, I had made a note of the photographs, that she spent more time with. Fast forward to early 2010. Lulus birthday ws at the end of January, and since I wasnt going to be able to shower her with expensive gifts, like many of her suitors would, I decided to make it personal. With my idea, I was able to honor two of my friends, with one act. I would be able to get a simple, heartfelt gift for one friend, and support the wonderful art of another, Meredith Kleiber. Lulu is an ex-dancer and there was one shot of Meredith's that I felt embodied that principle. Just a simple little shot of a dancer, on her way to...something, in street clothes, doing a plie while waiting for a light to change. I dont know if this is one of the ones that Lulu liked at the show, but I felt it was perfect. After contacting Meredith, and getting a really reasonable price for a small print +frame, I made plans to pick it up, to get it in time for Lulu's Bday. This, was when the fun started. Ill note, that Meredith went above and beyond, to get me the print, but theres just no beating fate and Mother Nature. First, soon after ordering the photo, I had a bout with illness, which put me in the hospital and out of commission for more than a week. Then, when I finally felt good enough to venture out, Snowmeggedon hit Philly, and I was cooped up for another few weeks. Lulu's birthday had come and gone, and I apologized for the belatedness of my gift and promised I would see her and get it to her soon. She understood and was even embarassed that I had even got her anything. Around mid February, the snow had melted (somewhat) and I was feeling good and ready to get this transaction done. Sadly, as many know, and unrelated to this story, Lulu took her own life on Feb 13th. I hadnt got the picture to her yet. It was a few weeks before I was able to think about the picture that I picked out and bought for her. Im not so deluded to think that her getting the pic would have changed anything ( although I wont go on record as saying Meridiths art doesnt save lives) but I really wish she could have seen it and know that there were people who cared about her. I contacted Meredith, who had been so cool and understanding through the whole ordeal, and discussed what I wanted to do about the pic. Even though she had already shelled out her own money for the print and frame, she would have been willing to either cancel the order or even give it to me for free. She offered this not only because she is a good person, but because she is a friend. I wasnt having it though. I decided I still wanted the print, and that I wanted to pay. This goes back to my initial dream, of both owning a piece of her work and supporting her art. One of the things I thought originally was that I was happy to get something for Lulu but was disappointed that I wouldnt have my own Kleiber. I would have had to buy my own eventually anyway. So this past week, I finally got my "Street Ballet". It may be a little girly for me , but I love it. If my daughter ever gets around to cleaning her room, I may give it to her. For now, it hangs below Tom C's "Smiling Buddah" so that I have a wall devoted directly to my talented Yelp friends. I dont know if there is a moral to all of this, besides one where you should go to the website http://kleibography.com/ and get a print of your own. One thing Ive learned , is not to procrastinate and make excuses and when I really want to do something or need to do something, to get up and do it no matter what. There should be no obstacle in my way that I shouldnt just be able to plie right past.

I hired Meredith (very affordable and super timely) to take about 2.5 hours worth of candids for my…read moremom's surprise 70th birthday. Less than 4 days later, I had the disc in hand with over 200 images to choose from/ Great work! Great pricing! Great Photography. Thanks, Meredith!

We are absolutely speechless! The photos that Julie and Dutch took are beyond our wildest dreams!…read moreThey are absolutely stunning, its hard to pick our favorites. They captured the most important moments of our life so beautifully. It was a pleasure working with such an amazing couple. Their expertise and excitement put us at ease. We truly enjoyed every minute shooting with them and we're so lucky to have such a talented and amazing dynamic duo on our wedding day. We are so grateful to have these memories of our special day, that we can look back at for years to come!  We can't recommend them enough! Having Sweetwater Portraits as our photographer was the best decision of our wedding, besides getting married of course ;)

All I can say is wow. Just wow. As many brides can attest, planning a wedding makes you realize…read morethat you have opinions on things that you never thought you'd have an opinion on. For me, that was wedding photos. There are a lot of photographers who produce highly stylized - and to be clear, very beautiful - photos. Some give off a dark, glamorous vibe; and others use a sort of tan/whitewashing filter. While I really like those looks, for my wedding, I wanted a photographer whose photos looked less stylized, and more like really good quality, truer-to-life pictures. When I saw Sweetwater's pics, I knew I'd found my photographer...and that was reaffirmed after I chatted with Dutch, and after he helped my husband and me make decisions about where to take photos, what we wanted to capture, etc. On the day of the wedding, Dutch and his team were AWESOME. They were organized, attentive, and kept everyone on track. They were also so fun to work with, and they more than played along with the very goofy sense of humor that my husband and I have. Everyone in my wedding party was talking about them, saying how great they were, and for good reason. They killed it. As for the photos themselves, I've gotten so many compliments since posting them. As self-conscious as I am, they made me feel so beautiful, and I cannot recommend booking them enough. Dutch and his team at Sweetwater are true professionals who know what they're doing and know how to herd tough wedding parties with a firm, yet warm approach. I'm so, SO glad we hired them for our wedding day.

A thank you to Kevin York: "Hi Kevin! Been meaning to thank…read moreyou for all of your hard work on our son's wedding day. I have only been privileged to see a few pics and each one is more amazing than the next. But, the one that gets the gasps every time I do show it, is the kiss in the Italian Market! WOW!!! Should really be on a magazine cover! I also want to thank you for making the whole experience feel so at ease. One of my memories from that evening was sharing our couple of moments to catch our breath outside of the ballroom and sharing our thoughts on the bridal couple (and my shoes)! Your kindness, warmth and professionalism are very special and I am grateful you were there to record our precious event!" I rarely take the time to write a review, but feel like shouting from the mountaintops how completely happy Kevin York Weddings made us on our big day! If you are looking for a talented photographer with an exceptional eye, compassionate heart and a comforting smile call Kevin York! You don't get a second chance to save those precious moments!!!

Kevin took the most amazing pictures of our wedding! He did an engagement session with us as well…read moreand the photos are breathtaking. We felt so comfortable working with him and his assistant and they captures so many amazing moments of our day!

We hired Olivia to take some family photos and we gave her a real challenge. My wife and I have a…read moretwo very young daughters and we even brought our 2 dogs. Still, Olivia captured some amazing photos. We asked Olivia if she had any recommended park-like locations and she gave us the perfect place right off the bat. The images are high definition and Olivia even edited out a stain on our daughter's dress perfectly. We had several images printed on photo paper and a few on canvases as well. We definitely recommend Olivia and we expect to use her again in the future.

Sam exceeded our expectations! Sam took photos for our corporate website. We were in a time crunch,…read moreand Sam was responded to our inquiry same day with a quote, and was able to book us as soon as the next week. That same afternoon after the photoshoot, he sent us "raw" photos, which to me, looked edited- SO GOOD! I was not disappointed with any photo. He is worth flying out to any state to take photos- WORTH IT! I am so lucky we found Sam, and I am 100% confident in partnering with him for future photos. He has a confidence and humbleness to him, which made him a pleasure to work with. He has a wide range of photography skills, from headshots to operations, to B Roll. He has an artistic approach to capturing the true essence from our first creative meeting. Thank you Sam! You rock!!!!

Sam is an amazing photographer! I booked him for an all day conference hosted by my company, and…read morefrom talking through specifics about a shot list and the general flow of the day before the event all the way through to delivery of the photos it was a great experience. He got some fantastic photos, and even sent a highlight selection of pictures the next day for no extra charge. We will definitely be booking him in the future.

Sarah's creativity is second to none. We have worked with her for children's shoots as well as the…read moreentire family. Her photos are amazing. Thank you!!!

Sarah did a wonderful job on our maternity and newborn photos! Everyone I share my daughter's…read morenewborn photos with is delighted and amazed at how wonderful they are. I spent several hours researching photographers to find someone who takes excellent photos but wouldn't break the bank. Sarah more than exceeded my expectations and I look forward to her being my family's photographer for many years.

What can I say about Ray Fearon Photography? Well I can say without any doubt that he is the best!…read moreNo question! Ray and his assistant Amanda did our wedding luncheon over the weekend and they both are professionals, not only in the photography area, but in terms of courtesy, kindness, etc. The photos itself were fantastic and that was the icing on the top! They came a little bit early and stayed a bit late for us! Absolute utmost professionalism! They were very patient and receptive to our requests in dealing with a big crowd. We have contact info for Ray, and can't wait to use him again! Will be recommending him to all our friends and family. Everyone said nothing but great things about him. The services he provides and the communication is worthy of a perfect rating! Thanks Ray!

I needed new headshots and didn't really know where to go. I thought about taking my own, but…read morethere comes a time when you need to get the right shot to really show who you are and what you can give to the world. I reached out to ivory tree-the experience was easy and enjoyable from start to finish. First, scheduling was really easy. Second, the photographer made me feel really comfortable and took the time to make sure that each shot was perfect, knew what to do to help me get the perfect shot and made me feel really good about myself. It was quick too! I expected to be there for a long time (thinking of a "photography shoot" but honestly I was there for no more than 20 minutes) Finally, I received proofs really quickly, choosing them was easy and there was NO pressure. No upsell, no additional charges. The price point was fantastic and worth every penny. I will be sure to treat myself to new headshots every few years-we deserve it.

I had a very pleasant experience with Ivory Tree Portraits. Laura was very responsive in scheduling…read moreand coordinating the appointment over the phone and via e-mail, and Michelle did a great job with the photography. Michelle's calm, pleasant demeanor brought out our Caia's best and the entire process was smooth and quick, which is our preference for all things. Prices are reasonable too. Highly recommend!