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After 80 Years, At all times Smiling at Work

Fred Marcus, who has all the time been a marriage photographer in New York, usually stated, “When the wedding is over, the images will final eternally. So would be the relationships we had at that occasion.”

Many years later the 2 statements nonetheless sound true.

In January, Fred Marcus Studio marked 80 years in operation. The studio, which nonetheless focuses on weddings, is likely one of the few multigenerational property and administration pictures companies nonetheless thriving in New York.

After greater than seven a long time on West 72nd Road, the corporate moved to its present 58th Road location in Columbus Circle in 2019. In doing so, they packed hundreds of pictures, volumes of digital archives and evoked recollections created with the years.

They went from a 4,000-square-foot house that operated from three completely different flooring to 2,500 ft, which was all on one stage, which made it extra cohesive for everybody to work with. For greater than a month, they’ve packed 300 plus containers, containing 30 years of price of negatives and digital materials, most of which have been positioned in a storage unit. They moved into the brand new house with greater than a dozen cameras, lighting, giant printers, photograph wallpapers, and greater than 50 albums stuffed with archival pictures. The situation of their earlier location was exorbitant, they are saying, they usually wanted a inexpensive location.

In 1939, Fred Marcus was a 29-year-old escaped Holocaust survivor residing in Cuba. He made cash taking photos of households on the seashore.

“All he knew was taking photos and connecting with folks,” stated his son, Andy Marcus, 71, who lives on the Higher West Aspect with Judi Marcus, his spouse and director. of the examine. “Once I was little, I requested him why I bought married. He took the Yellow Pages and went to industrial trend photographers. There have been pages of them. Then he went to the marriage photographers. Solely three or 4 had been listed. He needed to excel in one thing that others didn’t. ”

Fred Marcus was 31 in 1941 when he opened his studio within the basement ground of a constructing on West 72nd Road. At the moment his son was one. Twelve years later, in an effort to maintain Andy out of bother, he made him a lighting assistant at weddings he drew.

“Then we exchanged the used movie for a brand new movie at 2 o’clock within the morning. We put a towel on the ground to forestall gentle from coming into,” stated Andy Marcus. “We’ll speak about marriage.” It was an effective way to get to know him. ”

Andy Marcus by no means left the enterprise. After graduating from college, he started working within the studio full time. When his father was injured in a automotive accident in 1975, Andy Marcus stepped up.

“I used to be left alone to run the enterprise,” he stated. “I had no thought how you can do it. I simply knew I used to be going to get the job performed. I needed him to be pleased with me.”

Whereas Fred Marcus spent seven months within the hospital, Andy Marcus was thriving. The primary torch was handed.

“Once I began, each photograph wanted a lightweight bulb. Then you definately needed to change the movie, ”he stated.“ Many of the pictures you took at a marriage had been from 80 to 100. When digital got here within the early 2000s, it modified every little thing. Now you may take 100 photos of the bride’s sneakers. ”

What hasn’t modified are the shopper’s needs so far as capturing is anxious.

“We’re identified for expressive and well-lit household portraits. Preserve our legacy going, ”Andy Marcus stated.

In 2001, Fred Marcus, then 91, died. Through the years Andy Marcus has developed the enterprise, introduced new vitality, recent concepts, elevated costs and elevated buyer base. The 80s and early 90s introduced opulence and extreme occasions. “The weddings had been greater, there have been extra flowers, greater bands, it was all about steroids,” Andy Marcus stated.

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The marriage business is rising. Celebrities have change into prospects. Right now common packages begin at round $ 9,000 to $ 20,000, though some prospects have spent greater than $ 150,000.

Then, Andy’s son, Brian Marcus, who discovered the enterprise the identical manner his father did, joined the enterprise in 2003, returning to the East Coast after school and a quick job. working as a manufacturing assistant at a movie firm in Los Angeles.

“It is a job my household has been enthusiastic about eternally,” stated Brian Marcus, 42, who lives in Tenafly, NJ Brian Marcus, who’s now the corporate’s president, took over the enterprise two years in the past when his father started to decelerate. Her father all the time shoots weddings, reunites with shoppers, helps with photograph choice and designs the album.

“Born into this, I had a stage as a result of prospects trusted me,” Brian Marcus stated. They knew he had the information and skill. Then I needed to maintain trusting him and check out myself. Day-after-day I work to earn the respect that father and grandfather have performed. “

Right now, with out Andy or Brian, they’ve six full-time staff. This contains the 2 photographers working within the studio, masking the weddings and managing the manufacturing. Fifteen part-time employees assist with pictures, video and lighting.

They’ve photographed greater than 30,000 weddings, touring world wide to seize {couples} in motion pictures and movies. Among the many celebrities they’ve seen say “I do” are: Mary Tyler Moore and Dr. Robert Levine, Billy Baldwin and Chynna Phillips, Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell, the daughter and granddaughter of Mario and Matilda Cuomo, and the senator Chuck is the daughter of Iris Schumer. Additionally they photographed the weddings of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, and of Ivanka and Jared Kushner.

“My father was in a position to take {a photograph}. Then you definately couldn’t watch what you had been going to see should you caught the couple or cake or folks dancing. You had the arrogance that you simply bought the shot, ”stated Andy Marcus, who added that the marriage and occasion enterprise may very well be a job that consumes each seven days every week.“ It’s arduous for the your private life.You might miss many weekends and holidays with your loved ones since you doc different folks celebrating them. ”

Nevertheless it was at these celebrations that the Marcus household spent a lifetime capturing and making a generational imprint.

“Seventy years in the past, Fred Marcus killed my mother and father’ wedding ceremony, and 46 years in the past he killed mine, ”stated Judy Kaufthal, 67, of the Bronx. “It was a long-term relationship. I do know all of them. They made the marriages of my three kids. Fred, who was not working, got here to my eldest son’s wedding ceremony to present him a hug. It is a particular factor. “

Within the wedding ceremony business, nostalgia is every little thing.

“My father bought alongside effectively with folks. He advised me to by no means say “smile” to anybody. Speak to them as a substitute, “Andy Marcus stated.” He constructed relationships. Then he held them. I did too. So does Brian. That is how we comply with this. That is why we’re all the time right here. “

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