Archive for May, 2009
Engagement Photos - Meg and Andy
I shot these engagement photos for a lovely couple, Meg and Andy back in February (also their dog Lucy is in some shots). I’m shooting their wedding this Sunday, the 24th. Something tells me these will be some slightly unusual wedding photos. I won’t say any more, but I’ll hopefully have some photos from the wedding up next week.
Graduation Photo Do-Over
My friend Randy just graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in something to do with rocks (I think it’s genealogy or geography or something). Congratulations Randy! Anyway apparently the 20 grand a year (or whatever it is) tuition fee does not include a graduation photo, and they expect graduates to throw down several hundred more dollars if they want pictures of themselves in their cap and gown (cap and gown also not included in tuition). So we decided to see if we could recreate some of that “graduation photo” magic ourselves. What do you think? Is it cheesy enough?
Good work Randy, you’re the handsomest rock-tologist I’ve ever met.
Berkeley Community Chorus
My mom is a soprano in the Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra. Last weekend Briana and I went to see their performance of Antonín Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, and I (quietly) took a few pictures. BCCO is a non-profit which allows anyone to join and sing. They put on six of these free concerts every year. Their next will be Schubert - Mass in E Flat Major in December.
Ultimate Lighting Champion
I just shot these portraits for an actor and MMA fighter named Eddie Lopes. Most people want portraits that make them look beautiful, so it’s refreshing when someone just wants their photos to make them look badass. This guy had a wonderfully expressive face, and was able to go from looking like the nicest guy you’ll ever meet (which he was) to looking like he’s about to beat you to a pulp (which he can) in the blink of an eye.
Wedding Photos - Matt and Dharshani Pearson - Orinda, CA
Matt and Dharshani Pearson were married on May 2nd, 2009 at the Santa Maria Church in Orinda, CA. These are some of my favorite wedding photos that I’ve taken to date. It rained off and on throughout the day, but the ceremony and reception were both indoors, so everything went off without (too much of) a hitch. I take a photojournalistic approach to wedding photography which is all about telling the story of the day in pictures. When something happens like rain or there’s a mixup with the vows (which also happened), it makes the story more interesting. Matt and Dharshani are two of the nicest folks I’ve ever worked with, and I’m glad their wedding was such a wonderful success. It couldn’t have happened to a sweeter or more photogenic couple!
Engagement Photos - Matt and Dharshani
I shot these engagement photos back in late March at Shell Ridge park in Walnut Creek for Matt and Dharshani. They were just married on May 2nd (wedding photos coming soon). We really lucked out with the weather, in fact, I don’t think we could have picked a better day for an engagement photography session. It was warm and sunny, but the everything is still so GREEN! Most of the year this place would be more of a golden brown, which can be beautiful in it’s own way, but green grass AND sunshine is such a rare combination in this area, I was glad we were out there to capture it.
I wish I could take credit for the idea but Matt and Dharshani picked this spot themselves. I’m usually dubious when people want to pick the location for their portrait shoots, but I have to hand it to them, this was a great choice. In fact I plan on coming back to this park some time just to walk around.
I couldn’t really ask for better photography subjects either, they were really easy to work with and a great looking couple to boot. My favorite shot is the one of them sitting on a bench, totally unaware that they are being photographed.
Event Photography - Pig Party
I went to Meat Paper’s launch party for “The Pig Issue” at Camino restaurant in Oakland recently and took some photos. Despite the unfortunate timing of happening during the height of swine flu hysteria, the event was completely sold out.
The evening was centered around the butchering of an entire pig, which was performed on a large counter near the back of the restaurant where everyone could watch.
Parts of this pig were used to make pork sausages, bacon flavored marshmallows, corn-dogs, and even graham crackers (made with pig fat instead of butter). There were also pork-free cocktails, beer, and wine.
