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Rangefinder
Magazine Profile: Steven Gross: Real Life Weddings by Linda L. May
Steven Gross, owner of Real Life Weddings and Steven E. Gross & Associates Photography in Chicago, Illinois, has established a strong reputation for quality imagery during more than 20 years in business. His passionate approach to black-and-white wedding photography has been featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” FOX TV, NBC, a PBS Documentary, and in Esquire magazine. Steven’s photographs also illustrated the intro for NBC’s sitcom “Three Sisters.” Steven has also published two books: Zhou Brothers In The Studio and, in 2002, Black and White: Defining Moments of Weddings and Marriage. When he dropped color wedding coverage in 1984, he further limited his market, but in the long run, the risk has paid off.
Even though crowds rush past Steven’s
1200-square-foot studio daily, no one comes inside without an appointment.
In fact, from the outside,
the building does not resemble a portrait and wedding studio at all,
according to Steven. There are no window displays and no huge signs.
He does not aggressively advertise and promote either. The majority of
his clients come from referrals and word of mouth. The studio does direct
mailings to keep in touch with regular “ One reason I don’t advertise much is because it’s best to have been referred by clients I have pleased or someone who knows my work,” Steven explains. “I don’t want clients who found my name in the Yellow Pages. Referrals are more likely to book than Yellow Pages’ shoppers. Many people don’t know the difference between good quality and poor quality photography, so customer education is also important in the process.”
Due to a leg injury in 1998, Steven began hiring associate photographers to help him in the studio. “Before then, I shot everything myself. Then, I tore my calf muscle at the end of the wedding season that year, and I couldn’t walk. As my wife drove me to the hospital, it hit me that I had to find another source of income, because if I was ever badly hurt, my business would dry up. I was the business! If I couldn’t perform for any reason, my income would vanish. So, I started Real Life Weddings and hired photographers to work with me. Now, if I can’t photograph a wedding for some reason, one of my associates can do it, and the studio still generates revenue,” he says.
What is so distinctive about Steven Gross, and his approach to wedding photography? A Chicago Tribune column, written by Dale Dauten, describes him this way: “The first thing you notice is that his pictures are exclusively black and white. Artsy black and whites. The whole Brassai, Cartier-Bresson feel… Lots of shadows, lots of detail, close-ups of gifts and hats and veils and, most of all, emotions. With the exception of a few group for-the-record shots, all are unposed.” Although one of his associates shoots digital weddings, so the studio can offer that service, Steven himself still believes in traditional black-and-white film, Kodak Tri-X 400 ISO. As for cameras, he uses Leica, Hasselblad, Mamiya, a Diana, Widelux and an old 4x5 Speed Graphic. Vivitar 283 flash units are used on location and Speedotron and Elinchrome strobes and softboxes in the studio.
Wedding proofs are delivered in large sheets, enlarged and numbered, in a fancy box for easy ordering. Steven shoots anywhere from 1500 to 2000 exposures at his weddings, so the clients have many images from which to choose. “ Staying in business works if you treat everyone fairly. Bad news travels faster than good news, it seems. Make every client feel special and important. And, don’t overload yourself so you’re overwhelmed because the will business suffer!” Steven advises. Readers may contact Steven at Real life Weddings via email: steven@reallifeweddings.com, or view his web site: www.reallifeweddings.com. Linda L. May is a freelance writer based in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
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“If it’s black and white, I know it’s
right,” says Steven Gross, who photographs only black-and-white
weddings these days. “Black and white adds a totally different
dimension to weddings. It’s timeless and nostalgic!”
Although Steven was introduced to
photography as a child on family vacations and scenic jaunts in the car,
he waited until adulthood to seriously
pursue imagemaking as a career. In 1973 Steven joined the U.S. Air Force
and spent much of his five-year hitch in Germany with a camera in his
hands instead of a gun. He honed his darkroom skills while in the military
as well. In 1980 he moved to Chicago and attended Columbia College, where
he studied photography. In 1982, right out of school, he opened his own
studio and has never looked back.
clients. Steven belongs to the
Chicago Chamber of Commerce, and is very active in the community. One
of the best ways this Illinois imagemaker keeps his name before the public
is his monthly column in Chicago Magazine, called “Mr. Walker.” He
and the writer, Ted Allen, cover black-tie or charity events around the
city. Steven gets a full page of black-and-white images highlighting
the event published in the magazine.
These days, Steven specializes in black-and-white
weddings, personally photographing around 20 annually, for which he charges
$10,000 each.
However, a staff of photographers shoots another 80 weddings a year,
plus many family groups, children, corporate events and portraits. Marc
Hauser, Chris Guillen and Drew Reynolds, who prints the custom black
and white, are well known for their talents and skills, and are assets
to the operation. 
