Dreamy Boy
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Category Archives: Find Beauty
The Sweetest Boy in the History of Boys
Here he is. He just turned six and could not be better at loving, and being loved. Thank you, Lenny Gonzalez, for these photographs that melt my heart.
Candid Photography | Let Yourself Be In The Moment
One of our philosophies we hold true to our projects is that we want our clients to find beauty in their moment on camera. Some of our favorite work and signature photographs are those that capture a true moment for a person. It is always our recommendation that you enjoy every minute of your event and let us make the magic with the lens happen for you.
Part of the key to having photographs that you will love forever is to forget that we are there with you. Try to ignore the camera and pretend we don’t exist. These add up to the moments that you will cherish forever and have printed for your home walls forever.
It can be hard to forget that the lens or the photographer is in the room with you. Hence why we recommend that you have an engagement session previous to your wedding so you are comfortable with your photographer once the big day arrives. This allows you time to get to know your photographer, develop a bond with them further, and get to know their working style so that on the day of your wedding you already have a pre-existing bond with them to allow you to feel at ease in front of the lens.
Beautiful, timeless photographs embrace a candid quality so just remember to be free, relax, and enjoy each moment of your special day. After all, this is your special moment and it’s imperative that you live for that day and not the camera lens.
Love is a Boy
If ever pure, sweet love was somehow manifested in the form of a boy, this is that boy.
Love shoots off of this boy like beams of light. Anyone that spends time with him can feel it. It is a gift.
Seriously. Those eyes.
Happy fifth birthday to my incredibly special boy. Thank you for blessing us with your love.
Valentine Squeeze
Here are the ones I’ll be squeezing tomorrow (and everyday). Love!
Figure Study
When I began with photography, I shot a lot of figure studies. I love to bring that sensibility to my wedding work. These are always shot with available light, metering for the shadows to allow the light to wrap around the subject and create a subtle, beautiful glow.
These images were all captured very organically, by being attentive and noticing the beautiful moments as they unfold.
Find Beauty, continued.
I spent some time in Tahoe over the holidays, and while we were initially disappointed at the utter lack of snow, we had a fantastic time. We were able to explore the area much more than we ever have before, and discovered some lovely parks and trails. We also discovered that my four-year-old can hike much, much farther than we ever suspected… so, after a hiatus of some years, whole new worlds are opening up to us once again.
Few things make me happier than getting away to a new place and spending time simply exploring with my camera. This foray was mostly about getting close in on nature. But it almost doesn’t matter what the photos look like, or if I ever do anything with them; it’s about the journey, the experience, and the seeking of beauty in expected and unexpected places. As it turns out, though, there are a handful of images from this most recent haul that I like very much.
Find Beauty
I was speaking recently with one of my 2012 grooms about his decision to hire me. He said that he was drawn to my work because it didn’t seem contrived or self-consciously “arty”. To him, it simply captured the fullness of the experience of the day. He likened the effect to that of Connie’s wedding scene in the movie “The Godfather”… the way the seemingly casual movement of the camera pulls in the entire scene, encompassing everyone in its gaze and in the process capturing all sorts of moments, large and small, that simply speak about life.
Well, this conversation put a big smile on my face because, of course, that is precisely what I aim to do when I photograph a wedding. I’ve been thinking about this sort of thing endlessly lately, ever since writing my book, Weddings: From Snapshots to Greatshots (see link to the left for more information on that).
The process of writing about my process made me realize just how much this idea of capturing the real joy and fullness of the experience in an organic way informs every single decision I make about how to handle the day. The gear I use, the manner in which I use it, the input that I have regarding timing, the way that I interact with clients and guests, the way I direct my assistant to second-shoot… all of these things are small pieces of this larger strategy to find the beauty and capture it, without actually disrupting said beauty in the process. And I’m realizing that THAT is the single thing I love the absolute most about photographing weddings, and the reason that I’ve never been interested in shooting Gap ads and the like. It’s the pursuit of truth and beauty that lights my fire.
A little sun for a gray morning
Sometimes, you’ve got to make your own sunshine on a Monday. Enjoy!
Leftovers
I got to bring these home after Saturday’s beautiful wedding at the Olympic Club Lakeside in San Francisco. They still look great, and they made a certain 9-year-old very happy!