As a kid, I went on more than one field trip to the Exploratorium. I couldn’t put my finger on it then, but something about the place was obviously psychedelic. When Alla and Pavel requested a photo shoot in and around the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, I was eager to revisit the surreal atmosphere of the ‘science museum’. To the casual observer (and perhaps to my awesome couple) the spaces in and around the Academy of Sciences may look ordinary, but for me, well…there seemed to be a lot going on just beneath the surface. Looks can certainly be deceiving, and, in this case, the ‘eyes’ certainly have it.
Archive for August, 2011
Academy of Sciences Engagement Session | Alla + Pavel
August 31, 2011Gilbert + Rudy | Engagement Session
August 25, 20119/10/11 is one of those numerically perfect wedding dates, and couples know that on such dates, vendors’ calendars fill up quickly. Gilbert and Rudy walked into my studio back in February of this year and crossed it off my calendar, so I’ve had a long time to think about the kind of engagement shoot we’d do together. Rudy considers himself a night owl, and he proposed to Gilbert at the end of a long, intimate, meticulously planned evening. These guys have serious style (they even have their own wedding logo, which I’ve happily added to the photographs!) so I wanted to create an elegant, moody, intimate feel, to perhaps capture the essence of the night of the proposal, and show the intense connection between them. Although they already wear their rings, the wedding day is finally right around the corner at the Marriott in Union Square. Can’t wait!
Wedding at Campovida | Janet + Jason
August 11, 2011I proudly present the story of Janet and Jason’s wedding at Campovida in Hopland. Of course, you could get the full story by looking through several hundred images. But you could also look at any one of the pictures below and I believe you’ll sense the warmth, ease, and friendship which defined that summer day. As I looked back through the chronicle of this wedding, I had a couple of realizations…or perhaps they were reaffirmations…The first is just how fortunate I am to be present, camera in hand, at wonderful weddings like this one…how lucky I am to earn the trust of my clients and to be among them and their closest people on such a day. At Janet and Jason’s wedding, I truly felt welcomed by their community, and I am so grateful for this. The second reaffirmation I had was that a wedding day is a living, breathing thing in itself. It’s not enough to show up and just capture “the one” picture, the “hero shot”, as it’s sometimes called. A wedding day is comprised of millions of moments, some of them perhaps anticipated, such as the walk down the aisle, or the exchange of rings; but others completely unexpected…the gust of wind, the ray of sunlight, uncontrollable laughter, or perhaps tears. It takes hyper-awareness to be present on this day of days, and to freeze in digital amber just a few hundred moments out of the millions of possibilities. Back to Campovida. What an incredible venue. Beautiful greens and yellows abound. Gorgeous trees and expansive fields and hidden trails make every inch a joy to explore. It’s no surprise that this very venue was chosen for this very wedding. Jason, Janet, her son Gabe, their handsome pup Oliver, and a bevy of close family, dear friends, and terrrrrific dogs were all in attendance and it felt like everyone just belonged there. Dina conducted a beautiful ceremony, and the music of the phenomenal Daniel Berkman, a wildly talented musician, was ubiquitous. Daniel played a rare African harp, the Kora, to accompany the ceremony, and his DJ-ing skills packed the dance floor for hours. Jason and Janet were so at ease with one another, so connected…A feeling of peace and tranquility settled over the day from the very start, and followed me all the way home.
Destination Wedding: Cruise to Mexico | Diana + Eugene
August 9, 2011I have to admit that I was pretty excited when Diana and Eugene chose me to document their wedding on the Mexico cruise. I imagined a week of fun in the sun with close friends, pastel hues, gorgeous sunsets, wind and surf…and you know what? I was spot on. Moreover, I was fortunate to be amidst a vibrant and dapper group of family and amigos who were all eager to make the most of their photogenic sailing adventure. There were many fun photoshoots throughout the week: some on land in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, others at sea on the windswept decks beneath dramatic sunsets. Through it all, it was clear that Diana and Eugene were ecstatic about having their closest people with them for a week of celebration, and about the fact that they could share such a beautiful memory with family, friends, and of course, with one another as husband and wife!
Byington Winery Wedding | Tammy + Brian
August 8, 2011Hey! It’s 8/8! Not a bad day for a blog post! Planning a wedding from across the country is no easy task. Fortunately, Tammy and Brian had a support crew back home in California, and an lovely, welcoming venue in Byington Winery to help make it happen. It’s crazy how time flew since Tammy was a bridesmaid at Fontaine and Sam’s wedding back in October. Now, a few months later, I was fortunate to be reunited with Tammy, Brian and many of their awesome California crew. Although the day started out a bit overcast, by the time Tammy and Brian got around to reading their vows, the wedding was bathed in ample sunlight. Byington wine flowed freely, wonderful words were spoken by true friends, and the dance floor was instantly packed. When all was said and done, Tammy and Brian headed back to New York City, and I headed back to foggy San Francisco. Thanks guys! Enjoy the photos! I hope you had a wonderful time in California!
Martinelli Event Center Garre Winery Wedding | Chez + Craig
August 4, 2011I always knew that Chez and Craig’s wedding would be fabulous. From the moment they sat down on the couch in my studio, it was apparent that they had an incredible connection and boundless energy. Then I found myself shooting their engagement session at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Turned out that the sun-drenched day on the pier was a perfect preview of how their wedding would unfold. Chez was so fabulous on her wedding day that I literally had to go and look up the word “fabulous” in a thesaurus because I didn’t want to overuse it in this post, but alas, I couldn’t find any good synonyms. The decor was big on peacock feathers, which looked awesome no matter where they were applied. The boys brought the heavy artillery in what appeared to be 64oz. stainless steel flasks. Available on Amazon, said Craig. Anyways, Martinelli Event Center is a lovely venue, perfectly secluded with an intimate courtyard, a lovely gazebo for the ceremony, and a spacious building for the reception. In the late afternoon the courtyard was flooded with sunlight, which bounced off the walls and created some awesome photographic moments. Guests successfully dealt with the heat by downing delicious, ice-cold beers. Before I knew it, the reception was in full swing…and, no surprise, it was a fabulous party. Btw, Chez and Craig also asked me to create a video for their wedding, which will be appearing here soon! It’s been a crazy busy couple of months, so bear with me, blog readers. Thank you, Chez and Craig!
