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Wedding and Portrait Photographer

Robert Charles Photography, One of Greater New England's most prolific and cutting-edge photography studios offering portrait and wedding photography, known for its unique approach to creating custom portraits of babies, toddlers children, families and weddings.

Robert Charles Photography captures "Life in Motion"…natural, emotionally sensitive portraits of newborns, children and family relationships. Their commissioned photographs reflect the fine artistry of custom crafted black and white, Freeform and documentary styles. Father and son, Robert Charles and Robert Francis Zemba, have each earned multiple professional distinctions including the Kodak Gallery, Fuji Masterpiece and PPA Loan Collection Awards. Robert Charles holds an academic Masters in the discipline of physical science. Robert Francis was awarded the PPA Master of Photography in 2001 and was one of the top five photographers to receive the "Album of the Year" title at the PPA Convention. The photographers have spoken throughout the northeast on the topic of Fine Art, Free-form photography and were collaborators on their limited edition book, "Images of Influence", published in 2000.

Robert Charles Photography has been in business since 1984. Clients of Robert Charles Photography, who typically hail from Greater New England area including Cape Cod, Boston, the Berkshires, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, have long recognized the businesses' one-of-a-kind depictions of life in motion, which capture a moment as well as the spirit of that moment. The business specializes in wedding, engagement, portrait, and corporate photography.

Located between the urban centers of Boston and New York, Robert Charles Photography in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts has cultivated a metro market appeal from the heart of the suburbs. Drawing inspiration from photo - journalism's popularity in both the wedding and commercial industries, Robert Charles Zemba and Robert Francis Zemba are leading the photographic movement of intuitive, spontaneous capture in portraiture. Clients for the father and son photographers have loosely coined their interpretative style "Free-form Portraiture."

Free-form Portraiture evolved as a fusion of the duos trademark photographic specialties. They balanced separately their social documentary, candid weddings and relationship-based portraits. Along the way, each artist experienced success by combining the disciplines during client commissioned portrait sessions of families. Today, even when clients request a studio or formal location, authenticity and reality are the central themes. Without interference or direction to their subjects, they photograph portrait sessions that reflect the natural interactions between the family members. Often subjects remain unaware that they are being recorded.

For Robert Charles, the transition to Free-form Portraiture emerged in those frames between the more formal settings during one particular studio session of twin girls and their father. The photographer decided to stop pushing for smiles, and just let them be children. The resulting images were compelling. "I have always had an aversion to artificiality. When you ask people to pretend for the camera, it makes them self-conscious and uncomfortable. I have found that if you can allow people to become comfortable enough with themselves, this naturally brings out ample opportunity for great images."

Now, the majority of their sessions take place on location. In order to maintain a fresh perspective, the photographers rarely schedule more than a single portrait session in any given day. There is no limit on the amount of time spent or the number of images captured, and, as such, clients are encouraged to view their session as quality family time. The natural ease of this approach results in an enjoyable experience which is reflected in their portraits. A father, who arrives at his session dressed in a suit and tie, quickly sheds all formality to play with his children. A tired, newborn baby is photographed while her grandmother's lullaby comforts her to sleep. A large family's older children are photographed as independent-minded individuals, as well as loving siblings.

Robert Francis believes that documenting realism has the potential to revolutionize the way he and other photographers view their work. "The power of simplicity and authenticity has inspired us to maintain 100% invested in photography as our primary source of creative expression. Whether we choose to work with my Canon 35mm and countless rolls of T-Max 3200 or our Hasselblad loaded with a roll of Portra BW 400 or a Nikon D1X, we are constantly striving to push the limits of our skills as artists. I prefer to think of Free-form Portraiture in terms of its holistic value. We no longer divide our photographic portrayals into separate categories of client work verses personal, fine art work. It is one and the same."

As part of defining the Free-form photographic movement, both artists are also investigating the sociological and psychological factors influencing the style's popularity. Since the majority of their work is black and white, they theorize that honest, emotional intensity is the key component. "It is ironic that our clients seem to gravitate toward black and white, candid images. Some have stated that these compositions are more real to them, when in actuality they lack one major component of reality…color," states Robert Charles. The studio believes that the reality their clients gravitate toward is based upon the uncontrived, honest compositions of their family relationships, and that these emerge at a higher level of integrity due to Free-form capture.

The studio attributes much of their ever-growing popularity to both a contemporary backlash to earlier arts movements and a more visually savvy client. Several years ago, the studio began experiencing an overwhelming increased demand for their Free-form Portrait style. Since then, they have generated an extensive client roster including prominent families, influential community leaders, and notable celebrities. By effectively developing their niche, they now service a select number of clients and provide a higher quality product. The studio merits the latitude of Free-form with the limitless photographic options they are able to offer their clients.

Robert Charles Photography maintains that series photography is a common framework for many of their portraits. Rather than selecting a single, representative portrait, families are able to build upon Free-form's heightening emotional value by choosing several. In essence, these multiple images mirror life in motion. The potential for displaying the finished series photographs may include either custom panels or as miniature, individually framed images to be installed as a group. Fine art portrait albums provide an added alternative. "Albums allow clients to display more images from each series. This provides parents with a broader portrayal of who their child really is, and how the family relates to one another," says studio Manager of Customer Relations Susanna Zemba. Robert Charles Photography has integrated custom framing as a subsidiary division of their studio business and is introducing the potential digital capture lends to Free-form Portraiture.

We approach each wedding differently. That's because each bride and groom are different. It's your day and it should be photographed the way you want it to be.

• Color
• Black and White
• Sepia Tone
• Traditional wedding portraits
• Classic wedding images
• Nontraditional wedding portraits
• Candids
  
• Photojournalism

We are proud to offer our wedding photography services in Massachusetts (MA), Connecticut (CT), Vermont (VT), Maine (ME), New Hampshire (NH), New York (NY), and Rhode Island (RI). We serve the following towns, cities, and regions: New England, Tri State, Western Massachusetts, The Commonwealth, The Bay State, The Constitution State, Gold Coast, Martha's Vineyard, Pioneer Valley, Northampton, Great Barrington, Pittsfield, Amherst, Holyoke, Easthampton, The Berkshires, Hartford, Canaan, Salisbury, Lakeville, Litchfield, Woodstock, Albany, Columbia, Poughkeepsie, Hudson, Paltz, Columbia, Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, Yarmouth, Adams, Alford, Becket, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Dalton, Egremont, Florida, Great Barrington, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Ashford, Marlborough, North Adams, Otis, Peru, Richmond, Sandisfield, Savoy, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Tyringham, Washington, West Stockbridge, Williamstown, Windsor, Acushnet, Attleboro, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Mansfield, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Westport, Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury, Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, Whately, Agawam, Blandford, Brimfield, Chester, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Granville, Hampden, Amherst, Belchertown, Chesterfield, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Middlefield, Northampton, Pelham, Plainfield, South Hadley, Southampton, Ware, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington, Holland, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Monson, Montgomery, Newport, Providence, Palmer, Russell, Southwick, Springfield, Tolland, Wales, West Springfield, Westfield, Wilbraham, Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Sherborn, Shirley, Somerville, Stoneham, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn, Nantucket, Avon, Bellingham, Braintree, Brookline, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Dover, Foxborough, Franklin, Holbrook, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Quincy, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Wellesley, Westwood, Weymouth, Wrentham, Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, Whitman, Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, Ashburnham, Athol, Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Fitchburg, Gardner, Grafton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northborough, Northbridge, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westborough, Westminster, Winchendon, Worcester, Alon, Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Berlin, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bozrah, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canterbury, Canton, Central Village, Chaplin, Cheshire, Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Collinsville, Columbia, Cornwall, Cos Cob, Coventry, Crescent Beach, Cromwell, Danbury, Danielson, Darien, Dayville, Deep River, Derby, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Lyme, East Windsor, Easton, Ellington, Enfield, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Goshen, Granby, Greenwich, Griswold, Groton, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Harwinton, Higganum, Ivoryton, Kent, Killingworth, Lakeville, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Litchfield, Lyme, Madison, Manchester, Mansfield Center, Marlborough, Mashantucket, Meriden, Middlebury, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Milldale, Monroe, Montville, Moodus, Mystic, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, New London, New Milford, Preston, Newington, Niantic, Noank, Norfolk, North Haven, North Stonington, Norwalk, Norwich, Old Greenwich, Old Lyme, Old Mystic, Old Saybrook, Oneco, Orange, Oxford, Pawcatuck, Plainfield, Plainville, Pleasant Valley, Pomfret Center, Portland, Preston, Putnam, Redding, Ridgefield, Riverside, Riverton, Rocky Hill, Rowayton, Salem, Salisbury, Scotland, Seymour, Sharon, Shelton, Sherman, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, South Woodstock, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stafford Springs, Stamford, Stonington, Stony Creek, Storrs, Stratford, Suffield, Terryville, Thomaston, Thompson, Tolland, Torrington, Trumbull, Uncasville, Union, Unionville, Vernon, Voluntown, Wallingford, Warehouse Point, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, West Cornwall, West Haven, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, West Point, Wethersfield, Willimantic, Willington, Wilton, Windsor, Winsted, and more.