Petruzzo Photography

02/06/2026

I live for lines like this: "He was as much a guest at our wedding as our guests were and made everyone feel comfortable."

Among all the vendors at a wedding, being a photographer is tricky in a unique way. We're not caterers, or florists, or even planners. We don't get to look in from the outside and observe our deliverables. In some ways, we *are* the deliverables. Social chemistry is sort of like the chemical reaction that results in photos. The way we interact and how we make people feel are key components in the images we are there to create. So when someone comes back months later and says that they felt like we were guests, it's a sort of validation that runs a lot deeper than just nice photos.

01/28/2026

It's bitter cold outside, but I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Words like Jenn's are profoundly encouraging to a person who tries to throw their entire selves into what they're making. If you worked with a creative person recently, go leave them a review and let them know how much you appreciated what they made for you. ❤️

01/21/2026

Mysteries of the National Portrait Gallery.

canonusa editingdiaries

12/15/2025

This season is kicking my butt, but I woke up this morning to this review, and it basically made my week. Photography, and especially wedding photography, is physically and emotionally taxing. When people take the time to make that effort feel appreciated, it can really breathe a lot of life into the work. ❤️

12/12/2025

Out on the town with Colin & Rachel for their engagement session. Shot at the peak of autumn colors on a day that should have been sunny, but we got clouds. Made the best of it anyway.

12/08/2025

I love these people. ❤️

11/27/2025

I wouldn't say it's exactly common for an expectant mother to be up for a literal hike, but Jacquelyn for sure was. We did the full Cash Lake loop at Patuxent Wildlife Refuge and had a blast! Thanks so much for the next review, Jacquelyn! I can't wait to meet the new arrival!

11/07/2025

JZ & Ben got married at the National Aquarium in Baltimore back in March. The Aquarium is like an obstacle course for a photographer, challenging. High-risk, high reward. I really wanted to write about this one, but wasn't really finding time to do it until now. I don't even know if people still read blogs, but I don't know where else I get to share a bunch of photos I'm proud of with my commentary attached to them. So, to the blog it is!

Gina Greene Events brought a lot of the threads together to help make this a strategic success. Awesome work, team!

If you like a good story, cool pictures, and descriptions of the conditions behind them, grab a cup of coffee and scroll for a while. It's way less brain-rot than whatever is coming up next on TikTok.

It started with an email in early October. A short, direct inquiry. They’d found me through some of my previous work at the National Aquarium, which, if you’ve ever tried to photograph inside that building, you know it is both a compliment and a maybe a little bit of a threat. For a photographer...

11/05/2025

I’ve been shooting with Joe & Missy’s family for like a decade now and we always go someplace new. We checked out Union Station this time. Got my steps in that day. Need to remember to hit record on the insta360. 😅

10/24/2025

Audrey and I started talking about Kaylee's Sweet 16 session a few weeks before her birthday. The first date was wet and didn't work out, so we bumped it to the next day for better light. Good thing too because the first day was a 2, and the next day was a 10.

One of the main things they wanted to do was swap outfits. Three outfit changes sound simple in theory, but when you toss camera-anxiety and three attendants in the mix, the theory usually falls apart. Somewhere between the red formal dress that Kaylee looked stunning in, and the hat that showed off her fun and playful side, we ran out of daylight. If the stars aligned and there were no new wardrobe malfunctions, we might've been able to eke out one more look, but I was already pushing 3200 ISO and Kaylee was clearly exhausted.

The thing is, the one outfit Kaylee had been most excited about, the casual one, never made it in front of the camera. So I offered to come back for a short makeup session a few days later. I didn't have to, and they didn't ask, it just felt wrong to skip the look she cared about most. So we met again before her birthday for a short session, this time with a lot less pressure and pretense. We wrapped up what we missed, and those last shots ended up being some of my favorites. More grounded. Kaylee seemed more comfortable and relaxed, and the images have a texture of authenticity to them that I find compelling.

10/22/2025

This was my first time back at the Portrait Gallery in some time and it was great getting to wander the halls of the NPG with LuTisha!

10/16/2025

This wedding was such a blast — thanks Alexa!