I'm a firm believer in asking for forgiveness instead of permission.  Don't tell the hard-core-anti-photography security guards at Qualcomm...  those guys were just doing their job... and I was just doing mine;  being a third wheel that is.  Somehow, last Saturday evening pretty much turned into a dream:  hanging out with a couple on their date.  It definitely wasn't an engagement shoot!  The night was Stephen and Arleen's and I happened to be there to document it.  Awesome.  I think I'm pretty much done with ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS.  I'm going to call them "Third-Wheel-Date-Sessions" from now on.  That will probably scare a few of you away, but for those whose eyes just lit up, I'm your photog.  And now... drum roll please... the ring shot!

Choosing images to put on this blog is always a challenge.  I have realized, the image set I choose truly establishes my photographic style; two posts from the same wedding could look completely different.  Should I polish the bajeezez out of the perfect shots, crop, balance, tweak and magazine them out?  These are the shots you want to see right?  On the other hand, maybe I should post my personal favs;  the imperfect raw moments that move me... but will they move you?  What if you don't know Ashley and Alec?  Well, now is your chance to weigh in.  No more lurking.  Below are two posts, the first set of images are magazine-ish, cropped out and tweaked.  The second... we'll tell me what you think.  What would you rather see?  Please, no sugar coating.

NOW FOR THE RAW

This is by far one of my favorite shots.  No, not perfect.  Could have been better without the flowers in front of Alec's face, surely not magazine content, however... what this image does show is the truth in Ashley's eyes, you know exactly what she is feeling and thinking: ... you know me ... all our time together and here I am ... that girl you fell in love with... in a wedding dress!... about to leap off that cliff and trust each other with everything ... it's as sincere as it gets and this is why I love to photograph weddings.

Thank you again for taking a moment to tell me what you think.  Also, be sure to check out the crew who made this event possible:  Wedding Coordinated by Rachel + Jennifer2 with Bliss Events * Ceremony Venue: San Diego Botanic Gardens * Flowers: Rae Florae * Hair and Makeup: Alison with The Bustle * Catering: Culinary Concepts * Cake: Sweet Cakes Baking

When I met Gina and JR for the first time, I knew right away I wanted to photograph their wedding.  They had applied for a spot on my "Big Heart" program and after seeing these two together and hearing the details about their life, I was already looking foreword to capturing their day.  Gina spends her free time as a volunteer mentoring youth with disabilities.  Her passion for her work in this community and her insatiable smile was only eclipsed by the connection she had with JR.  As she spoke about her plans, I could see the patience and support in JR's eyes.  I knew, their wedding day was going to be full of these moments and I couldn't wait to capture them on film.

As always, a big thanks to all of the wonderful vendors to helped realize Gina and JR's vision for their wedding.  Venue: Ayers Hotel Hawthorne * Wedding Coordinator: Miriam of Glam Candies * Flowers: Tigerlilly Floral Designs * Hair and Makeup: Gilbert Gonzalez * DJ: Christian Rasmussen * Cake by Mayer's Bakery

Anjali and Ryan met while traveling the globe.  The entire story was re-told by Ryan's best man during his toast.  He pretty much had everyone, including me, in tears when he presented Ryan with the very guitar used to serenade Anjali.  Ryan apparently plays the guitar very well, as this sparked the beginning of their inspiring courtship together.  Here are a few of my favorites from the few hours I had with them including a few shots of that guitar.

Special thanks goes out to all the wonderful vendors who's work is the reason why my photos look so great:  Wedding and Reception Venue: Paradise Point Resort and Spa * Wedding Coordinator: Brenda Davis Landini * Wedding Cake:  The French Gourmet San Diego *  Wedding Dress: Pronovias * Hula Dancers: Na Pua Llima * DJ: Primo * Officiant Craig Knudsen

It has been way too long since my last post!  Time to catch up on all the fun news but first... a few shots from last weekend's wedding with Brittany and Russell.  I was afraid it was going to be a hot day, but the venue sits right on the cliffs of Torrey Pines and provided some a great breeze along with that soft golden evening light.  We had a fabulous time and the wedding was filled with plenty of genuine moments;  my camera and I were very happy about that.

 A big thanks to all the vendors that put together such a fabulous wedding:

Venue: Lodge at Torrey Pines * Wedding Coordinator: Merilee with EverAfter Events * Flowers by Flowers on 56 * Orchids by South Coast Orchids * Hair: Kathleen Connolley * Makeup: Vivian Kuriakos * Officiant: Pastor David Plank * String Quartet: Angelica Strings *

With hundreds of entrants from all over the world, it is alway an honor to be recognized in the WPJA competitions.  Here are three shots that placed for the Q4'09 competition:

Good question.  Honestly, the value this shoot offers has really very little to do with photography and making photos.  It's all about getting to know my clients as a couple and getting a chance to just hang out and have some fun.  When July 17th roles around, I'm going to wake up in the morning thrilled that I get to shoot Brittany and Russell's wedding.  Here are a few fun shots we put together with a few hours in La Jolla.

I'm stoked to announce, this year will be the first year we are offering the hand-made Cypress albums.  After receiving rave reviews for their 4x6 proof boxes, we decided to include more of their fabulous products.  These guys are at the top of the wedding industry and each product they make is created with patience and care.  They are the perfect match for my photography and I just love how it really showcases each image.  I just received a proof box and a hand crafted Juniper album today so I couldn't wait to share them on the blog.  The proof box pictured below is made for a set of 500 prints and is covered with the Hazel silk and accented with the Sage colored ribbon.  The Juniper album features 200 year archival prints mounted between sheets of Italian parchment.  The album nests perfectly in a matching box featuring  the same color combination of Ice Blue silk with a Chocolate ribbon... yum!

I just received an invitation to join an incredible group of photographers!  Only 350 were selected from a pool of 5,000 wedding photographers from around the world.  Each photog was hand picked by a review board consisting of David Beckstead, Ben Chrisman, Del Sol Photography (Matt Adcock and Sol Tamargo), Glen Johnson, Anna Kuperberg, Crash Taylor, and David Ziser. This is a new association and I will be sure to post a link as soon at it is live around the middle of January.  I'm so humbled to be a part of the amazing group of photographers.

 Of course, blog posts are boring without a photo!  Here's one of my favs from Sheyanne and Dan's wedding a few weeks ago (more to come).  Be sure to check out their SHOW SHOW SHOW!

We actually got away with doing our little photo shoot at Seaport Village.  Security finally caught up with us at the end of the night and kicked us out.  Melanie and Matt were up for just hanging out and we ended having a great time. 

My flight arrived at 5:00pm so we only had a quick hour of light left for photos.  Chicago's old brick buildings and graffiti covered walls were no match for the inspiration I found in KC and Louie.

I busted out all the big guns for my friend's killer little mid-West wedding.  I couldn't get over those corn fields!  I don't even want to mention my drool when they both jumped in Josh's Harley + side-car.  Of course, I was thriled to hear we were going to skip the traditional downtown Madison photos for some toasts at the local dive bar.  Above all, I still  can't get enough of the genuine moments shared between these two.

From the moment I met Kristina and Logan when they picked me up at SFO, I knew we were going to have a great weekend.  The three hour drive to Cambria, California zipped by even with a stop at the In-N-Out burger YUM!  The Cambria Pines Lodge has a maze of gorgeous gardens, however, we couldn't help but take a few moments away from the reception to enjoy an ocean sunset.  I have to say, my heart was racing as I peered through my camera with those fleeting moments of light.  It was all coming together, despite that howling cold wind.  Here are a few of my favs.  Be sure to check out their wedding slide show.  For those of you at work, be sure to put on those headphones for some rockin' audio captures.  For more samples of my work, be sure to check out my portfolio of rockin' San Diego Wedding Photography.

GETTING CREATIVE WITH THAT WEDDING PARTY:  Wedding party photos have always been a little tricky for me.  In most weddings, the cocktail hour is already raging, everyone in the wedding party has a beer or cocktail in their hands and it's my responsibility to pull a creative rabbit out of my camea, oh yea and we were supposed to be done 10 minutes ago!  Hmmm.  Not to mention, the bride and groom are distracted with having a good time and everyone is looking at me like, "what is this silly photographer guy going to make me do, stand on my head?"  I was definitely swimming upstream and these photos were quickly becoming my least favorite to shoot.  So, I decided to begin planning these photos a little bit more by getting the bride and groom involved before the wedding day by asking them how they envision these shots coming together.  I began to bring sample photos with me on the wedding day to illustrate the concept to everyone.  Wow, MUCH easier.  So in this wedding, Rachelle and Daniel ended up wrangling their own wedding party into place, got some  exciting and memorable wedding party photos and I ended up enjoying the creative process.  On a general note, I want to give a big shout-out to Rachel with Bliss Events for pulling off an amazing day for everyone.

I'm always getting my inspiration from the work of other artists. and industry leaders. 

As Albert Einstein famously said:

None-the-less, I want to give a big shout-out to Jesh de Rox for inspiring this specific slow shutter shot.  Here is his version... and mine.

Many couples make a grand wedding fit into a tiny budget by doing everything themselves.  Azur and Erin simply summoned the help of their friends and family and what an incredible wedding day they put together for them.  From full-on choreographed Bollywood group dances, and finger-licking good food, to master DJ's spinning until the wee hours of the morning, this wedding was truly an epic effort of love and devotion.  I have been good friends with Azur since grade school and it was instinctive for me to capture a few special moments for them.  I had the honor of shooting alongside several other photogs, including the battle tested photojournalist Mr. Aaron Huey.  Naturally, we gravitated towards the dance floor by 2am and it didn't make much sense to go bed anyway as my flight was leaving at 7am out of Seattle... a paltry 3 hour drive away.  Just enough time to reflect on the day and process some of that wonderful energy.  As always, my goal as a wedding photographer is to capture the essence of a blooming relationship.  Here area few of my favorite shots along with a fun slide show.

It might be difficult, but being honest with your photographer about your engagement photos is probably the best thing you can do for your wedding coverage.  This is especially true if you aren't completely happy with the images you got from the engagement shoot.  The engagements are a test drive, first-take, ice-cream-mini-spoon taste-test of what is to come.  This is your chance to give feedback and align on what your expectations are for the kind of images you hope to capture at your wedding.  If you don't really like what you see, you had better pipe-up-pipsqueak.  Luckily, that is exactly what Rachelle and Daniel did after they received the proofs after their engagement session.  Overall, they were very happy, however, they wanted more close-up, look-at-the-camera, standard-issue-print-for-my-mom's-wall shots.  So, we went back out together and got exactly what they were looking for.  So, when the wedding rolled around (posting soon), we were sure to get plenty of the shots they wanted.  The lesson here?  I suppose for me, to ask my clients to be completely honest with me on their feelings about their engagement photos.  So, the first image is that all-important standard photo they wanted.... KEY!  (along with a few extra fun photos too).

One of my goals as a photographer is to be accessible to anyone. Yes, the income supports my family, however, photographing people is my passion.  In some cases this means pushing my rate card aside and tailoring the wedding coverage around a very tight budget.  In these cases the currency of gratitude and appreciation for my work is all the value I need as an artist. Last month, I put this policy into words on my website and called it my "Big Heart Discount". This program is geared towards teachers, public servants, nurses or any other profession where you've chosen to serve rather than earn as a first priority.  So, what are those two fuzzy sonograms you see below?  Well, they are the hearts of my new clients Sara and Zareth.  They both work in the medical field and took the time to capture for me... images of their own big hearts.  Any thoughts?

I received an email inquiry a few days ago with some very kinds words.  The bride-to-be described my photos as "heartfelt".  I had never really thought of my work in this way;  at least, I never used those words.  But that was truly a wonderful thing to hear.  As mechanical as taking a photo might be with all the technology and the science, somewhere between the shutter and optics, there is a part of me, it seems, that shows through.  I suppose this is what I had in the back of my mind when I met up with Sheyanne and Dan last Saturday evening.  Here are a few of my favorite shots...  I'm hoping there is a little extra heart in these... (and some cheesy-cheese mixed in) or they came from simply having a good time at the beach with some new friends.  All I know is I'm going to keep looking for more of that elusive hearfeltness.

The final and most fitting stop to a month long journey.  It happens to be my place of birth and home to some of the most dramatic landscape I know... along with all the wonderful people it attracts.  There is something truly magical about Jackson and I always leave with an incredible sense of life and personal direction.  It must be that crisp air, long days, deep shadows and those ever looming Grand Tetons.  Everyone seems to be on an amazing adventure, unplugged and twinkle-eyed... the genuine article.  With this as a backdrop my cousin Bailey and Alfred spoke their vows of marriage.  We had an army of photogs with Micah and Christie, the hired guns from LA (incedible shootin' Tex).  The pressure was off to have a little fun with along with fellow Nikon toting Kat.  So great to witness skilled photogs!  Here are a few of my favs:

The story of Armando and Kristine began in the Dominican Republic.  Last weekend, another chapter was written on a small beach in Puerto Plata, surrounded by close relatives and friends, under the warm, well, blazing Caribbean sun!  Despite the language barrier, Armando's family, mostly from the Dominican Republic, welcomed Kristine's family with open arms.  The love shared between these families was thrilling to photograph and a real treat to be a part of.  One of my favs is the group shot we put together.  I've decided to plan out the wedding party shots a little more now and I believe they are coming out better and better.  Any favorites?  I also want to be sure to thank the whole staff at Sun Village Resort for keeping all the details together, they did a fabulous job.  Of course, don't forget to check out their killer slide show.