About Ralph Deal Photography
Ralph Deal
If someone had told me 40 years ago that I would become one of Philadelphia's top wedding photographers, working in the most beautiful venues that every bride and groom dream of, I would have thought they were crazy. As a kid, my dreams revolved around music, not photography.
Fortunately, I was blessed to have a successful career as a musician, composing hundreds of TV and commercial soundtracks that you've probably heard over the past two decades.
As the industry changed over the years, I continued to morph and change (as we all do) and found another love, which was photography! It’s amazing when I think about what I’ve accomplished with my photography business, as it’s not even where I thought I would be. But what I’ve found is that creating experiences, capturing moments, and making memories is a logical extension of what is important in my life.
I’ve been with my wife Renee since I was 16 years old, and we’ve been married for over 30 years. We have three children and five grandchildren. We are ALL about making and capturing memories of our family. And that was something that I wanted to be able to give to others—the gift of capturing their story through images that will last a lifetime.
I became obsessed with learning the art of photographic storytelling, light, and composition. While I was still working as a musician, I was working on the weekends,learning the wedding photography business by second shooting with several photographers. It wasn’t until I photographed around 100 weddings that I felt ready to start my own business.
I started Ralph Deal Photography in 2015 and have served hundreds of clients in the PA/NJ/NY and Delaware markets, as well as in New Mexico, California, and internationally in Mexico, Peru, and Europe.
And what started out as a purely solo venture with me wearing every hat in my business has now grown to a mighty team of amazing photographers, post-production staff, and behind-the-scenes staff that are as passionate about
delivering an amazing client experience as I am!
Cecilia Grace
Hello, friends! I am happy you’re here. My name is Cecilia Grace and I’ve been passionate about photography way before I even met my husband, John. I’ve been married for 16 years and we adore our two girls named Ella and Nora.
My photography journey started when I purchased my first film camera many years ago. I photographed anything and everything. I photographed my friends, my neighbors, their kids, my co-workers.
Fast forward to now (and better equipment too!), the fire for capturing moments for my clients hasn’t subsided. Wedding photography is the avenue I absolutely love and enjoy. I get to be invited into your lives to help save these memories. The joy of reliving these fleeting moments through your photographs is what I love most.
Congratulations on your journey! We can’t wait to be part of this event in your lives. Thank you for stopping by!
“The noblest art is that of making others happy.” ~P.T. Barnum
Kristen Catoe
My name is Kristen Catoe and I am utterly drawn to joy. Smiles, laughter, the giggles... of course! But honestly, I'm chiefly attracted to the mundane, hard work, daringly romantic, consciously chosen, diving in with both feet kind of sacrificial happy. The kind of joy you're striving for as you plan your wedding day. See, you and I both know that life is hard work and love doesn't always come easily. But there is such beauty and jovial-sing-song-magic when we pause life's chaos to gather each other up and savor the scope of all there is to be grateful for.
Gina Deal
Gina is an exceptional photography assistant who has passion, an eye for detail, and a talent for anticipating the needs of our couples. She is a huge asset to our team. She truly improves the experience that our brides, grooms, and their families have with us. She's responsible for everything from arranging photos to assisting with photography-related tasks.
Gina is also skilled at creating interesting content for our social media platforms. She takes the time to create a one-of-a-kind preview post for each of our client's weddings, highlighting their big day in a way that they just love!
Having Gina as a member of our staff, our clients have peace of mind knowing that the memories they entrust to us are in capable hands.