When Photographers Refuse To Capture Same-Sex Weddings, They Miss Out On Love Stories Like These
Earlier this week, San Rafael, California, photography team urloved made headlines after declining to photograph a same-sex couple’s wedding. The would-be clients posted their experience on the company’s Facebook page, massive backlash from the community followed, and urloved decided to go out of business altogether.

In a statement on its website, the husband-and-wife team wrote, in part: “It is not photographing a couple who have different personal beliefs that we have difficulty with. We genuinely felt referring this couple to a photographer who does share their personal beliefs would provide them with the best service for their special day. We wanted to connect them with someone who did share their personal beliefs so that they could give them the service quality they deserve.”

The couple did not return requests for comment from The Huffington Post.

Sounds to us like they’re missing out. So many same-sex couples, after all, have relationships that have weathered the roughest of storms, and their weddings often follow years-long fights for the government to recognize their relationships.

We asked other wedding photographers to share their favorite memories of shooting same-sex marriages. Check out the happy couples and stories, below.

Mary and Diana

“These are my dear friends Mary and Diana at City Hall,” photographer Anna Kuperberg told HuffPost. “They got married on June 28th 2013, the first day it was legal in SF after the Supreme Court decision. They had set the date months before not knowing how the Supreme Court would decide. They simply picked June 28th because it was the six year anniversary of them being together, and they didn’t want to have to remember one more anniversary date. They had a fabulous ceremony and party at a restaurant across the street from my house, and then in the middle of the party it was announced that same-sex weddings opened up at San Francisco City Hall. So we all jumped in cars and rushed down there for their second ceremony. My wife Carla officiated, since she works for the city and had already been ordained to perform ceremonies. The best part was when Carla said, ‘By the power vested in me by the State of California…’ and everyone went crazy cheering and crying. It’s great to be in love and to make history.”

Erik and Dom

“When I started photographing same-sex weddings, I wasn’t sure what to do with two tuxedos,” photographer Tara Arrowood said. “It wasn’t about photographing two men, it was about the two black tuxes together in one photo, how to make that look intimate and not staged … but in the end, I found it much easier than I thought and very endearing. My first couple, Erik & Dom … were so sweet, they invited my assistant and I to sit with them at the head table for dinner.”

Alissa and Jenny

“Love is love is love, and love finds a way,” photographer Suzy Clement said of brides Alissa and Jenny. “This wedding was magical, and it doesn’t stand out in my mind because it was a same-sex wedding. Rather, it stands out because Alissa and Jenny are two very, very strong and uniquely inspirational women. I was privy to their love story and knew that they both came through some very challenging times on the way to finding one another, as so many of us do. To witness them embracing their love, joining together to dive right into life in all of its joy, delight, messiness and imperfection was an incredibly moving experience. This is what is most important about weddings, and what makes them truly beautiful. The question of man-woman vs. same-sex simply doesn’t matter.”

Lisa and Michelle

“Lisa and Michelle met through their sons: Fox, Will and Lucas, who were friends in school,” Kuperberg said. “Their sons are their biggest priority, and there were 27 children in attendance at their wedding. It’s all about love and family.”

Jack and Ryan

“[They were] are so supportive of each other’s dreams and passions and just super fun and awesome to be around,” photographer Dana Hargitay said of grooms Jack and Ryan.

Sarah and Jackie

“When I look at two happy people to me there is absolutely no difference if I see two guys, two girls or a man and a woman,” photographer Joseph Kohn said. “All I see is love and emotions. I see the story. And that’s what I’ve been hired to capture. Sarah and Jackie are one of the most energetic, spontaneous and fun couples I ever worked with. They were surrounded by so much love and admiration, I was afraid it was too much for me to capture. Everywhere I looked I saw smiles, hugs and kisses. It was a true celebration of very close group of friends and family.”

Stacey and Laura

“By far the most emotional ceremony I have ever witnessed,” Hargitay said of shooting brides Stacey and Laura. “So much love in this family and the girls couldn’t have been happier for their moms!”

Ryan and Darren

“This shoot only reaffirmed for me what I already knew to be true, that love is love, and should be celebrated, regardless of sexual orientation,” photographer Larissa Cleveland said of shooting grooms Ryan and Darren. “Photographing them was no different than any other excited and in-love couple I’d worked with in the past. Their obvious chemistry made it easy for me to see their love and capture the spirit of their relationship in a beautiful way.”

Kevin and Tony

“Kevin and Tony’s wedding was our first gay wedding. When we met with them for consultation, we simply viewed them as all of our other clients before them — two people that fell in love and decided to get married,” photographers Tammy and Mark Toung said. “Throughout the wedding day, we witnessed their devotion and love for each other, their families, and their friends, and we were reminded that love sees no boundaries.”

Robert and Alvin

“Alvin Baum, age 83, is a long-time activist and philanthropist in San Francisco. On May 17, 2014 he married his partner, Robert Holgate,” Kuperberg said.

Eva and Lara

“I had been wanting to photograph same-sex weddings for years and was so thrilled when Prop 8 was struck down,” photographer Mary McHenry said of her experience before shooting brides Eva and Lara. “Two people who love each other and want to make a life together should only be celebrated and supported. It’s as simple as that. One moment from the wedding that stood out was when one Lara’s father raised his glass and said how happy he is that we live in a time when his daughter can marry the person who she loves.”

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/21/urloved-photography-gay-couple-weddings_n_6195068.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

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12 More Mind-Blowing Documentaries You Can Stream On Netflix
In light of World Television Day and the upcoming holiday weekend, it seemed like a good time to review another set of Netflix documentaries. If you’ve already powered through the first three collections, here are 12 more:

“How to Survive a Plague”
“How to Survive a Plague” captures the turmoil witnessed in Larry Kramer’s semi-autobiographical “The Normal Heart” with depictions of actual events at the onset of HIV/AIDS activism. Telling the story of organizations AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) and Treatment Action Group (TAG), the film depicts the challenges to change perceptions that AIDS is a death sentence. Director David France tackles an infuriating obstacle to highlight the compelling power of grass-roots movements.

“The Waiting Room”
An intimate look at the health-care crisis, “The Waiting Room” functions as a much-needed indictment of the system, but also manages to cast an uplifting and even empowering look at the employees who care for the sick in the bleakest of circumstances. Director Peter Nicks is granted an impressive level access into a day of life in the ER. Acting as his own cinematographer, he is able to scrutinize the struggle of bureaucracy for a look at the hopeful optimism of compassion.

“Cropsey”
The personal connection that directors Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman have to the story at the center of “Cropsey” makes the 2009 documentary haunting in a way that fictionalized scary movies could never compete with. Growing up in Staten Island, the two spent childhood terrified of an urban legend known only as Cropsey (from the local slang for “maniac”). When the story was tied to the very real cases of missing children, the nightmarish figure was lost in an intersection of myth and genuine danger that only grows more horrifying as they are parsed.

“Smash His Camera”
Andy Warhol once said, “My favorite photograph is one that’s in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous. That’s why my favorite photographer is Ron Galella.” “Steal His Camera” is the story not just of that man, but the paparazzi movement he started with his urge to reveal humanity within even the most glamorous celebrities. Featuring colleagues, critics and Galella himself, Leon Gast’s documentary makes for a compelling look at the clash of the right to privacy and freedom of the press.

“How to Die in Oregon”
As humanely as “How to Die in Oregon” handles its subjects, the documentary remains quite difficult to watch. In 1994, the titular state became the first to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The film depicts the stories of those who have opted to take advantage of the “Death With Dignity” act. “How to Die in Oregon” brings together journalists, lawyers and physicians in an attempt to investigate the practical and philosophical implications of making this choice, the reality of which can only truly be comprehended by the families of the patients and, of course, the patients themselves.

“Bound by Flesh”
When conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton were born, their mother thought they were a curse from God for sexual activity out of wedlock. Disgusted with the children, she sold her daughters to Mary Hilton, who abused and exploited them from infancy (displaying the girls in the back room of a pub for a fee, when they were just one month old). At once heartbreaking and fascinating, “Bound by Flesh” walks through the Hilton sisters’ story, in conjunction with a twisted history of the side-show culture that flourished as early American entertainment.

“Crazy Love”
Dan Klores doesn’t do anything especially innovative with his 2007 documentary. The talking heads format he employs was one of the biggest criticisms upon release. Although, anything else might have distracted from the already overwhelming subjects of “Crazy Love.” Before and (somehow) after he threw acid in her face, Burt Pugach and Linda Riss participated in what is easily one of the most absurd love stories of the 20th century. If their relationship wasn’t documented across various newspapers and court documents, it would seem too over-the-top for even a daytime soap.

“Leviathan”
Indeed, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s portrait of a fishing boat is not something meant to be taken lightly, but rather felt with the clashing drama of the same high seas in which Melville’s Pequod sought Moby Dick. Certain ham-fisted elements of “Leviathan” detract from the film — the Bible verse in a gothic font which proceeds the title sequence, for example — but, past the swirls of experimental filmmaking, an experience unfolds that is meant to rock audiences with the visceral intensity of the ancient (and incomprehensibly dangerous) profession of deep sea fishing.

“Room 237”
“Room 237” marks the intersection between conspiracy theorists and extreme movie fandom that has found a home in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” Narrated by scholars and obsessive cinephiles, it gives life to a series of sometimes outlandish, sometimes plausible and always compelling theories that shine light not so much on hidden meanings planted by Kubrick, but our extensive capacity for imagination.

“Good Ol’ Freda”
“Good Ol’ Freda” covers a lot of tired lore that any serious Beatles fan would be well acquainted with. The beauty, however, comes from the subject herself: Freda Kelly, with her insight and genuine loyalty, worked with the band for 11 years (despite the fact that they were only together for 10). Never once did she attempt to convert her proximity to greatness into personal gain. Hers is a story of the faithfulness of fandom, which just so happens to run parallel to the men that forever changed the music industry.

“The Vanishing of the Bees”
The dwindling honey bee population seems like it would be a problem for apiarists and maybe insect lovers. Though, paired with major economic, political and economic consequences associated with the dropping numbers, “The Vanishing of the Bees” warrants widespread concern. The film lays bare the daunting realities of Colony Collapse Disorder. While the format leaves a bit to be desired — slow-mo bees are hardly praise-worthy filmmaking — the information contained in Maryam Henein and George Langworthy’s documentary is powerful enough to sustain it.

“The Art of the Steal”
“The Art of the Steal” tracks the fight for control of the Barnes Foundation’s post-impressionist collection. Director Don Argott employs a blunt lack of objectivity, framing his story with an unnerving shamelessness, though perhaps it’s refreshing in comparison to more subversive tactics that pervade the genre. Particularly intriguing, the impact of government control at the core of the narrative defies polarization.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/19/netflix-documentaries-2014_n_6062176.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

It Gets Worse: Russia's Kremlin Targets LGBT Youth Support

Youth face losing their last online refuge to express what it’s like to be LGBT in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

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