About
| David Burke has been photographing weddings, documentary style, for six years. "The first time I was asked to photograph a wedding, I told the couple they were taking a huge risk, but they insisted. So I did it and loved it! Observing a wedding with a camera in hand is magical. I knew at that moment that I was going to focus on wedding photography." After that first wedding, David spent priceless time working alongside a few fellow photographers in order to learn as much as he could. " One Saturday after a long day of shooting alongside another photographer, I came home and said to my wife, 'There is so much going on at a wedding that I want to photograph. So many moments, scenes and relationships happening all around me that should be documented.' She looked at me and said, 'Then let's do it on our own. Why wait any longer? You can do this and I will help you.' " The next day, David Burke Studio was born. " Weddings and photography are a perfect fit for me. I am a softy at heart, so all of the joy and emotion of the day is a treat to witness. I really enjoy getting to know our clients and becoming friends with them from the time we first meet until long after the wedding. Having that personal connection makes such a difference when I show up to document the day. They say 'David's here!' instead of 'Oh, the photographer is here...' It has been so incredibly rewarding on many different levels. I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, make great friends and provide a service that preserves memories. "The goal I have in mind when capturing the day is a timeless wedding album. My wife and I do not have our own wedding album and that is such a disappointment. I use that as fuel to do an outstanding job for my clients. The wedding album is really their first family heirloom and I believe every couple deserves this treasure." David acts as an historian, there to record the event naturally and react to moments rather than create moments. "Weddings happen themselves. Every wedding I document is unique, which enables me to observe and react to the people and moments in front of my lens. I do not want to turn the day into a photo shoot. I want to be as unobtrusive as I can. I feel that if I inject myself into a situation or stop the action, I would be creating what I think things should be like rather than what it really is. I am in the business of storytelling, with the goal of capturing my clients' stories as honestly and thoughtfully as I can." Although the majority of David's weddings take place in Pittsburgh, he enjoys a select few destination weddings per year. "I love to travel, but I am a husband and father first, so traveling without my family can be tough. This encourages me to be selective on the destination weddings I accept. I have had the opportunity to document weddings throughout the United States and Mexico. I am always humbled when couples are willing to cover my travel expenses in order to have me at their wedding." David's work has been published in various magazines including Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine, WHIRL and JEZEBEL. David lives with his wife and children in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo courtesy of Vincent Pugliese of Elizabeth Vincent Photography) |
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