While it’s true that photography is, in its simplest form, one person taking photos, The Camera’s Eye wouldn’t be much without other collaborators! One of my favorite Owego businesses to collaborate with is Tioga Gardens. They change things up at their site every year, which I love – trellises, water fountains, you name it!

Tioga Gardens in Owego, NY

There’s a lot to love about Tioga Gardens, including the fact that they’ve been in business for over 50 years. Currently, Chris and his brother Ed run the operation, along with their brother Steve. However, it was Chris’s dad who came home one day in 1966 and told his wife: “Guess what! You own a floral shop now!” She learned the floral business, and his dad ran the greenhouses across the street. Chris even grew up selling produce at the business. Today, they create incredible floral arrangements, and their grounds are ideal for weddings, like the one that I shot just last weekend!

The whole team – Chris, Scott, Halga, and others – is incredibly friendly and hard-working. Following a different wedding I photographed at Tioga Gardens a while back, I realized that I lost a very small and crucial piece of equipment somewhere on the grounds. Who comes to the rescue but Scott, who drives up in a 4-wheeler and says “Hop on, kid! We’re doing this the right way!” After an escorted trip around the premises, we found my equipment and I could breathe a huge sigh of relief. Looking at these photos, I’d like to imagine that the beautiful grounds were part of what helped me keep my cool 🙂