Raina and Carlos threw the ultimate Kick A** bash for their wedding Saturday night at Los Coyotes Country Club.  The fantastic reception design, decor and lighting courtesy of Anna Nguyen of Parasol of Design.  Hair and Makeup by Pricilla de Guzman Here’s a sneak peak of a few favorites images.  You also might want to check out the the images from The best Father-Daughter dance EVER,  I have posted on Facebook.  Their proofs should be up in a week.  check with Raina for the password.   Until then, Enjoy!

Hey it’s 2010, and a new wedding season is fast approaching.    We had lots of fantastic weddings in 2009 and now that the albums are all complete I thought I’d upload some of my favorite highlights from recent designs. 

 Enjoy! 

I love windows,  One of my favorite shots of the day is the bride looking out the window at her ceremony.  A quiet moment in anticipation of your ceremony is a memory you will always appreciate in your album.  Twenty years from now when you look at this image, you will remember exactly what you were feeling and thinking at this moment in time. 

  * * *  Click the link below to see more images and read the rest of the post * * *

Taken with my favorite portrait lens.  Notice the shallow focus on the eyes and the creamy out of focus background.  This is one of my favorite poses!   Looking up into the perfect light of late afternoon will make every bride look fantastic. 

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The Men!  We all know the bride is the star of the wedding day, and sometimes the groom and groomsmen take a back seat. I always try and get a stylish portrait of the men.  I usually take my que from their personalities.  In this case all were dressed, black on black, and obviously had a strong sense of style.  I decided to have a little fun with drama and attitude.  One of my favorite images of the year!  

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Detail shots are always a lot of fun.  Shoes are always interesting, and visually can tell the viewer a lot about the couple, their taste and style, as well as the fashion trends and attitudes of the day.  Here we have a juxtaposition of fashion sense with the bride and ecco awareness with the groom.    Twenty years from now when their kids are looking at this image,  just think of what insights they will glean from the style, and attitude of their parents from this shot.  This is why I always include a DVD with all the files from a wedding in every package.  Can you imagine having a 1000 shots of your parents wedding in documentary form?  To be able to look back in time and get a glimpse of someone at the start of their lives together.  Their friends, family, attitudes, fashion and style of the day.  Just looking at the expressions and body language would give you hours and hours of enjoyment and insight into a time long past. 

Getting ready!  I know schedules are always tight, and some couples try to cut back on these shots, but I get some of my best images while the bride is getting ready.  The anticipation and adrenaline just make for great moments and emotion.   I cant tell you how many times during a consultation the mother of the bride gets more excited about the planing and details than her daughter.  That’s because she’s been planning this day in her mind since your kindergarten days.  Here is one of my favorite images of the year, mom helping her daughter get ready. 

The Bridesmaids and the Groomsmen.  These are your best friends on the most important day of your life.  Again I take my cue from the personalities and try to create images that will capture their personalities and attitude. 

The first dance.  Here I’ve chosen three images.  I like my first dance images to be moody and dramatic.  the world should disappear, you should feel as if your dancing alone without a care in the world.  Again I like to photograph this with my favorite portrait lens to give the background a dreamy look.  I also tend to turn off the flash and shoot this important moment available light to add to the dramatic look and feel I want for the final image.  I couldn’t choose a single image, so here’s three.  I’ll let you pick your favorite. 

While everyone is looking a the bride and groom, you would be surprised at what is happening in the pews.  Here the mother of the groom is looking at the father of the bride as he wipes tears from his eyes.  One of my favorite moments of the year. 

The ending page is also very important to complete the visual story of your album.  They wanted a simple shot waving good-bye as the left the reception, so I was up on the balcony waiting.  As they walked to the exit the groom took his bride in arm and started to twirl her around and carried her to the waiting car.  Unscripted, but definitely a perfect ending page for their album. 

And finally the opening page of an album is probably the most important image of your album.  After all it sets the tome and style for the whole storybook.   This one is an opening page for an engagement party album.  They wanted  to have a little fun with a fashion style look and feel.  

Here’s just a few favorites from last year.  I’m sure there are many more and I’ll add to this post as I work thorough more albums designs.  As you can see your album can be anything your vision of your wedding desires.  Traditional to documentary, fashiony to funky, or a combination of everything.    Photography is visual storytelling.  How you you envision your wedding and your album?

*** Click on the link for more images ***

Ah!!!!! The shoes.  Always a hot topic when planing a wedding.  Jaime and the ladies went for the glamor, while Chris and the men took the low impact environmental route.  Although comfort might have played a role also.  Great look, and the contrast should make for a cool image in the album.

Southern California is a center for Ethnic weddings.  Although many of my clients have lived here most of their lives, parents and grandparents have their roots elsewhere.  Weddings, first and foremost represent families coming together to become one.  Mixing old and new traditions is very popular among many couples, both for the experience, and to pay tribute to family customs and past generations.   Often clients choose to have the best of both worlds and combine two ceremonies.  This is where the photography becomes fun.  It’s a long day, but, very interesting to see and photograph.  Edward and Nora had their reception for 400+ of family and friends at Renaissance in Glendale.  Armenian, Greek, Turkish, Middle Eastern, or Indian.  If your planing a large ethnic wedding, Renaissance is worth a look, and the food is fantastic!

Click the link and check out more of the wedding images

We just returned from a fantastic weekend in Carmel, CA.  Took the long leisurely drive up the coast highway for a Saturday wedding at the Mission Ranch.  I’m sure Steve and Alison are on their honeymoon, but for all those eager to take a look, here are a few of the images from their day.  Carmel is an idyllic seaside town, just south of Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula, for all you golf nuts.  If you’ve never taken the coast highway before, make the time.  Beautiful scenery, lots of art galleries and small towns along the route.  When you get to Big Sur, plan to stop at Napenthe for a sunset Dinner.  It’ll be the most incredible view of the coast while you dine, and worth the trip.  Tell them Hal sent you. 

Check back in a couple of weeks,  we’ll have the proofs online.  Steve and Alison will have the password.  ’til then, Enjoy!!!

Mission Ranch, Carmel by the sea, CA

 *** Click the link below for more images ***

Just the bride

The perfect ending

A new wedding season is about to begin.  Here in California the holiday season is album design season for most photographers.  When we finish a design, the album production process begins.  All the files are forwarded to the lab for printing and then to the bookbinder for assembly.

Wedding albums are special, and they do take some time to complete.  They are the one tangible keepsake left from your wedding to help relive all or your memories.  Anticipation makes time just drag, and Valentines Day is just around the corner.  So from now til the 14th, as I finish each design and send the files off  I thought I’d upload a few pages for everyone to enjoy.

Here are a few pages from Christina and AJ’s album.  There ceremony took place at Our Lady of the Angeles Cathedral in Los Angeles.

And here’s a Link to few more Design Samples.  Enjoy!

***  Click on the link to see the rest of the album ***

First Dance at a wedding in Los Angeles at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral

Photobooth album page sample

I had a fantastic time in San Francisco photographing a double wedding at the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Cathedral.  This has to be one of the most interesting weddings I’ve ever photographed. 

*** More pictures and a link to the proofs after the break ***

Two brides, the father of the brides performed the ceremony, and no pews in the church.  Everyone gathered around the center for a very intimate wedding.  All this and a very unique Cathedral created a very personal ceremony and an unforgetable experience for all who were lucky enough to attend.  Liza and Tim should be returning from their honeymoon in Italy.  The proofs are online { Click Here } for all to enjoy. I’ve added a few here on the blog to pique your interest. Call up Tim and Liza, congratulate them on their return and ask them for the password.  Enjoy!!!!!