Sarah and Ben in Golden Gate Park

So funny! I've had a couple people tell me they can't access my blog from work because my previous post from Nettie and Leon's engagement photo shoot includes the word "wicked." I guess the work filter blocks it in case it's a cult website! How funny is that?

It was an engagement photo session marathon the other weekend in San Francisco! Somewhere in the middle I had a mountain bike race too (I did well, 3rd place in Cat. 2) so it was a very exhausting weekend! Stephanie was along helping out so it made it so much easier, thanks Steph! We met with Ben and Sarah in Golden Gate Park and while I grew up in the Bay Area and drive through the Park all the time, I haven't actually been in the park since probably the early 1980's! I vaguely remember a museum and something about King Tut then going to the SF Zoo and riding a camel. I was probably 4 years old at the time. Funny thing, when we met with Sarah and Ben the King Tut exhibit was back at the de Young Museum! That's gotta be a good sign!

We explored the park and found some locations that made it look like we ventured far into the outback (Ben in from Australia so I had to throw in an Aussie reference somewhere!) though we were actually right in the middle of things. Ben is a fellow bike rider so we had a great time laughing at all the $7K bikes being cruised around the park as if they are made for such a lowly existence!

Sarah and Ben have a great connection and had a great time just doing their thing. Plus they are both super mellow and wonderfully warm people so it was a very pleasant afternoon. It made me really excited to shoot their wedding, fortunately, I don't have to wait long as it's about 2 weeks away!

A Wicked Engagement Session!

I love musical theatre, I really do. Some people think it's funny but it's actually in my blood as my grandparents were opera singers. When I did a study abroad in London I must have seen 15 plays, it was awesome! Being in San Francisco has the advantage of getting to see lots of show being tested for potential runs on Broadway so we try to get to a couple shows a year. But I have to admit, I pale in comparison to Nettie and Leon! My first clue was the meeting place: the classic Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. The next was that they brought their own playbills as props. Then I found out they have seen Wicked 17 times! Okay, they win!
It was a really fun day and Leon and Nettie are a gorgeous couple and a ton of fun. Leon I hardly recognized as he's gotten himself super fit over the past few month, nice work! And Nettie just can't take a bad picture, she's just so elegant! They have been together for years and have a maturity in their relationship thats really great to see, I'm very much looking forward to what is sure to be an awesome wedding!











Yes, the hill really is that steep! Nettie is showing off her heel skills here!












Day wouldn't have been complete without this shot!

Mike and Kristina's New York Wedding

Last month I was invited to come shoot Mike and Kristina's New York wedding with my friend (and awesome photographer) Angelica Glass. Angelica is way too much fun so there was no way I wasn't going to make it! I arrived late Friday night in time to have a bit of fun before heading over to the wedding in Long Island City around noon. I show up and was very pleasantly welcomed by Mike and Kristina and all their family members. I didn't start shooting until the ceremony as the festivities were scheduled to last far into the night so it was interesting to shoot a wedding without doing the getting ready part. Of course Angelica shot the getting ready which meant only she had to work the 14 hour day...I guess that's the privilege of being the guest photographer!
After the ceremony we headed over to a hotel rooftop lounge overlooking the East River and the Manhattan skyline, it was stunning! Mike and Kristina were a ton of fun, as were their friends and family so we got some amazing images. Angelica rocked, as she always does and her clients just adore her!
The reception was held out in, well, I'm not exactly sure what they call the area! lol I heard some people call it Long Island, other said Queens and yet I saw signs that said something about Jericho! For those not familiar with that area, apparently though Queens is on Long Island it is still considered part of New York City as one of the five boroughs. Even after several weddings there and having stayed there, I'm still not sure where Queens stops and Long Island starts!
Anyways, the reception was beautiful and everyone had a great time. Thanks so much to Angelica for bringing me out, Mike and Kristina for being such gracious and wonderful hosts and to that cab driver who took me back to the city who informed me of everything that is wrong with every professional New York sporting team LOL!

Lisa and Rob's Berkeley Wedding

Rob and Lisa's wedding was just as much fun as I thought it would be after their engagement session, there is just nothing like getting to work with people who are passionately in love! We started out at the Claremont Resort for all the getting ready. The Claremont is always a wonderful place to shoot and we were blessed to get some gorgeous weather! Lisa and Rob did their "First Look" at the Claremont then we headed up to Tilden Park for the wedding and reception.
I had a great time getting to know both of their families before the ceremony and have to say that the Rabbi was pretty funny! He definitely kept everyone laughing. It was a beautiful ceremony overlooking the mountains and the reception was wonderful. After all the festivities winded down we headed back to the Claremont for some night images that I think came out really well.
Thanks again to Rob and Lisa for having me!