Here are some new pictures of Kayden, our akita puppy. He is almost as big as Luna now, he weighs 82 lbs, and he is really turning into a beautiful dog. He is also one of the friendliest, most tolerant akitas I have ever met, liking people and dogs of all shapes and sizes. He could become more aloof as he grows, and there is no guarantee with akitas that they wont eventually decide he doesn't like other dogs, especially other males...but for now we are really enjoying his happy-go-lucky attitude at the dog park and everywhere else. Sometimes he will even take on the role of "protector" to a smaller dog at the park.
We also just got him microchipped, as a precaution since we will be boarding him and Luna with a friend of ours when we head to LA for Thanksgiving with my parents. For those who are unfamiliar with it, pet microchipping is very important for dogs and cats because it gives them some way of being identified if they are lost, besides their collar and tags (which can come off or be removed by a determined pet). Basically, a teeny tiny microchip is implanted, using a needle, below the skin between the animals' shoulder blades. When the lost animal is picked up by animal control, local shelters, or vets, they pass a reader over the animal and if the chip is inside, a number will come up on the reader. This number can then be looked up via a database, and the pet owners name, address, and contact info will show up, so the pet can be reunited with the owner.
Not too long ago there were serious issues in the microchip industry, with different companies making different chips that were only readable using their own readers. If the local vets or AC had a reader from a different company, your pets number just would not show up--it would appear like the animal was not chipped at all. There were more than one instance of lost, microchipped pets, whose owners were actively looking for them, being adopted out to new owners or even euthanized because their microchip was not readable by the scanner that the shelter had. In one tragic case a man was able to track his dog down to a specific shelter, only to learn that the dog had been euthanized not 30 mins beforehand, because his chip information did not show up on their incompatible reader.
Thankfully, in 2005 a bill was signed into law ordering the companies to standardize their technology. Now chip manufacturers like ResQ, the company that we used for Kayden's chip, are making universal chips (that can be read by any reader) and universal readers, that can read any chip.
Having up to date tags on your animals, especially dogs, is extremely important too. I put the words "Large Reward" on the top of my pets' tags, with my phone number--to me I feel that is a better use of the space then the dog's name, which will not help him be found anyway. Earlier this year, we were out at the dog park with Kayden while Luna was at home. Somehow she managed to break down part of the wooden gate leading out of our yard, and was found running up and down the side streets near our house by a neighbor out walking her dog. The neighbor captured Luna (it wasn't hard, she's not at all skittish and will do anything for food) and put her in her garage, then immediately called the number on the tag...which was my cel number. Luna was back home in less than 30 mins, and the neighbor got a nice bottle of wine from us for her trouble. When she was younger Luna had this annoying habit of bolting out open front doors, but this was the first time she (or any dog of mine) had escaped without us knowing about it and running right after her...so I'm really glad we were prepared.
Anyway, enjoy the new pics of Kayden. What a cutie huh?
Kayden, 7mos
San Francisco Ferry Building, plus new featured weddings!
I just updated parts of my website with new pictures from this summer and fall's weddings! I added some new images to the main slideshow, and also replaced my old Featured Wedding with three new ones-- Jenny and Roy's wedding from 7/7/07, Stella and Phu's wedding from 7/01/07, and Tammy and Jamey's wedding from 10/6/07. One of my goals in updating the site was to make sure there was more representation of different ethnicities on my website; this year I've had the pleasure to be a part of some fabulous weddings from all parts of the cultural spectrum, and I wanted to make sure my site reflected that. I will be working on putting more new images into the main gallery sections later this winter.
I also want to announce that I will be participating in the Modern Bridal Fair at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco, on Sunday, January 6th. This chic event will showcase some of the best high end wedding vendors in the Bay Area, and I am thrilled to be a part of it! I am working on my booth design right now and should have some cool goodie packages to hand out, so if you are in the area that Sunday and you want to stop in and say hi, I'd love to see you.
Speaking of Tammy and Jamey, their wedding at the San Francisco Ferry Building was definitely one of the most beautiful, upscale events that I did this year, but between editing their pictures and getting ready for the show I realized that I never had a chance to blog about it! Well, better late than never...
Tammy and Jamey currently live in New York, but most of their family is in the Bay Area. Tammy and I exchanged emails for months leading up to the wedding, to make sure everything was in place--Tammy was a meticulous planner, yet I appreciated how she kept her easygoing attitude the whole time. This was a technically challenging wedding because of the lateness of the year: in October, the sun sets at around 6PM, and their ceremony was scheduled to start at 5:30. I knew we would have to rush out after the ceremony to shoot pictures of the bride and groom in the last bit of remaining light. Not being from the area, it was very important to Tammy to have a lot of iconic San Francisco pictures, and given the location of the Ferry Building, I knew we would not have to look far to find them. I have been perfecting my lighting techiques this year, so I was looking forward to finding creative ways to solve the problems that this wedding would present.
To light the outdoor, post-sunset images, I used a combination of natural light for some and judicious amounts of softened, bounced flash...I was able to utilize the environment to this end, bouncing my flash off of nearby white walls and the sides of trucks to create an impromtu softbox and a fashion lighting-type effect. Back in the reception, I used a couple off camera flashes and my Pocket Wizard radio slaves to illuminate people on the dance floor and at the head tables, while still retaining the atmospheric lighting and natural ambience in the background. This is a technique I find myself using more and more, as it allows a greater amount of flexibility in lighting and the results are much more dramatic and interesting than the standard bounced on-camera flash.
Tammy and Jamey were so cute together: in addition to being a naturally attractive couple, they just sparkled when they got around each other. We had done a short engagement session the night before, just prior to the rehearsal dinner; which helped them to understand what I wanted from them during the our time alone. By the time the actual wedding rolled around, they were well versed in letting themselves be caught up in the moment of being with each other...although I can't take all the credit for that, as I think they were just naturally susceptible to becoming lost in each other.
One of the highlights of the evening was a speech by best man Ladell Robbins, whose deadpan humor and sense of timing had everyone rolling. Another highlight involved the bride's grandmother, whose was celebrating her 95th birthday that weekend--the couple surprised her at the wedding by bringing out a cake and candles for her, and singing.
The wedding was catered and coordinated by Paula Le Duc--it was a real pleasure working with June and Tim, the onsite coordinators, who ran a very tight ship, and made themselves completely available to help us get the best shots we could (including Tim escorting myself and my second shooter up to the overhead balcony every single time we needed to get a shot from above). The food was amazing, and very artful--desserts included two "strawberry trees" (see below: these are fresh strawberries mounted on toothpicks around a palm leaf sphere, set atop a wooden branch planted in brown sugar "dirt", and with bowls of cream and sugar below for dipping), and miniature ice cream cones. The strawberries and cream were so good, when I got around to editing the images of them I actually couldn't resist taking a break from working to go to the store and buy myself the same ingredients for snacking.
There was a candy bar, and late night munchies in the form of miniature hamburgers. Flower decor was by Laurel Winzler--my first time working with her, she completely transformed the stark upper floor of the building into a warm, colorful atmosphere,. and was able to work with the lighting scheme so that the flowers and lights never competed, but rather complemented each other perfectly.
Tammy's hair was done by Arelis Pena, and makeup by Melissa Bugarin kept her looking flawless all night. The wedding was officiated by the Reverend Dr. Dorsey Blake, ceremony string music was provided by players from the SF Conservatory of Music , while the cocktail hour duo and dinner music band was led by Bob Marshall. After dinner was over, DJ David Carvahlo kept everyone dancing.
Here are some highlights:
strawberry trees
You can see more of Tammy and Jamey's pictures in the Featured Weddings section of my site, or their slideshow here.
Their full set of images from both the rehearsal dinner and wedding, will be available here in about a week.
Special thanks to Vic Valbuena, my second shooter at this wedding.
Photographing the "Yes"
Since we are getting close to this years' peak proposal season (12/25 - 2/14), I thought it would be a good time to talk a little bit about photographing proposals. A lot of men (and some women!) put a great deal of thought into their proposals, be they large and extravagant or small and private...but it doesn't often occur to them to bring along a photographer to capture the event. Most people have no idea that this is even something that pro photographers do.
I think it's a great idea to have a pro there to capture the look on your fiance's face when you pop the question, especially if you are going to the trouble to plan something REALLY special...but how can you make sure your proposal is photographed, without tipping off the bride-to-be? In my experience, there are two main ways this can be done without spoiling the surprise:
1. The photographer can remain hidden, shooting from afar with a long lens. This kind of thing will have to be closely coordinated with the groom, including a visit to the planned proposal site to make sure that a) you keep an open line of sight with the photographer, so that he or she can shoot what is going on while staying hidden, making sure to pick a spot where the photographer's angle isn't at risk of being suddenly blocked by a car pulling up, by people getting in the way, etc...remember the photographer will not be able to communicate with you on the day of the proposal without giving herself away, so you need to figure out some way to confirm that you are in position and that the photographer is able to see you and ready to shoot. Text messaging could work. At some point after she has said yes, the photographer can come out of hiding, and the couple can spend a few minutes with her taking some fun, romantic couple shots to commemorate their engagement.
2. The photographer and the groom can make up a plausible reason why the couple is being photographed--for example the groom could tell the bride-to-be that he won a free couple's portrait shoot, and the photographer can act in the beginning just like she would during any normal portrait session...or if the couple is very attractive, the groom can tell the bride that he volunteered the two of them for a modeling gig, maybe even promising her pay or the opportunity to be published. The number of scenarios you could make up are endless--you just have to come up with something your bride will believe. The groom and photographer should have pre-arranged a location/time when he will pop the question and the photographer will just stand back and shoot as it happens.
If you can't afford a pro, you might be able to recruit a friend or family member to stand in as the photographer...keep in mind that the very presence of someone she knows with a camera might tip the bride off. If you are using a non-pro, it's very important that they use a camera with a high FPS (frames per second) rate, and a good optical zoom lens. Most consumer point and shoot cameras have a long lag time between when you press the shutter and when the image is actually taken; for this kind of shoot you need a camera that is very responsive, so you don't miss those split second moments. A pro-sumer digital SLR like the Canon 40D or Rebel XTI are good choices for a moderate price. Make sure your zoom lens is capable of covering both wide and tight shots from where you will be standing--in order to show the emotion of the couple, you will need a lens that can zoom in far enough to fill the frame with their heads and shoulders. At the same time your lens should also zoom out far enough to allow both of their bodies to fit in the frame, in order to capture the groom kneeling and the bride standing before him. The 70-200L f2.8 by Canon is a great lens for this purpose. All of the above equipment can be rented from reputable pro shops like Lens Pro to Go.
If possible, you should plan the proposal to take place outdoors, during the last hour before sunset. This time of day provides the most flattering natural light. Second choice would be outside, in open shade, during the morning or middle of the day. Shoots done in direct midday sunlight will have a harsher look to them, and the amateur photographer will have a harder time getting good exposures and flattering pictures from these conditions. If you plan to propose indoors, your photographer will need a flash, perferably on that can swivel and bounce light off of walls or the ceiling like the Canon 430EX , which gives a softer quality of light than direct on camera flash. Of course, having a flash going off every other second will make it hard for your photographer to stay anonymous.
As with the wedding itself, the proposal is a once in a lifetime event, one that cannot be repeated or restaged with any sincerity. It pays to have a photographer who knows how to capture moments beautifully, who isn't going to be limited by cheap equipment (good zoom lenses like those mentioned above can cost from $1600-$5000 to own, or $300-$500 a day to rent), and who has experience moving stealthily, being quiet, and waiting patiently for what photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson called "the decisive moment".
Here's a New York Time's article about it.
For more information on setting up a proposal shoot, you can email me or call me at 510 882 1980.
I got tagged...
it's like a game you play with blogs, apparently. Jennifer Longaway tagged me so now I have to write 8 interesting things you may not know about me and see if I can get 8 other people to do it too...reminds me of chain letters (the pre-email version of spam).
So here goes:
1. In elementary school I was addicted to Sweet Valley High books. So much so that, when we were given an assignment to write a novel in 4th grade, I basically totally copied the plot of one of them (the one where Jessica gets kidnapped) almost verbatim, changing the names and details around a little bit. The teacher had no idea but all the girls in the class called me out on it. I didn't really get why they were so upset...Since then I've become slightly more respective of copyright.
2. Also in elementary school (kindergarten), most of my friends had allergies to something, asthma, lactose intolerance, etc...but I was perfectly healthy and terribly jealous of them. So I made up that I was allergic to wax.
3. My favorite food right now is Palapa Azul coconut sorbet pops.
4. My childhood pet cat's name was Paul. He was named after my best friend's dad. He lived to be 17 and I took a trip out to Long Island, New York to scatter his ashes after he died at our old house there.
5. I was terrified of the little finger stick blood test machine at the doctor's when I was a kid, so my mom used to bribe me with promises of a hot fudge sundae at this gourmet ice cream place after the Dr.'s appointment.
6. When I was 17 I shaved my head, except for two long thin pieces in the front that were kind of like bangs. Those I dyed various colors. They hung in my face and people constantly used to ask me if I could see properly (they weren't THAT big).
7. When I was 5, my favorite movie was Annie. My favorite record was the Annie soundtrack. I used to play it and sign along, and my favorite song on it was "Maybe"...but I couldn't get through the song without crying (it's a sad song).
8. My first paid job was as a waitress in a restaurant two blocks from my house. I got $2/hr plus tips. My first paid photo gig was photographing a painting student's canvases with slide film, for her art school portfolio. I got $50.
Okay, your turn to embarass yourselves. I'm tagging James Sanders, Angela Banchi, Nathan Smith, Juliet Nicole,
Tiffany Fosnight, Rose Hyc, Millie Holloman, and Jen Manuele.
PS Nice work Jen and thanks for the shout out! Now can I make you come over to my home office and do all the work I should have been doing while I was doing this? :)
Tenaya Lodge, Yosemite CA
Elizabeth and Robert
September 22, 2007
This was the first time I'd ever been to Yosemite, although if I'd had any idea what I was missing I would have gone ages ago. The cool mountain air, the enormous Sequoias (some people think Redwood trees have a special kind of energy, since they are so ancient), the quiet and peace...it was uplifting and incredible just being there.
Elizabeth was a destination bride, coming from Texas, and since I live more than 3 hours from Yosemite we didn't actually get to meet until the day before the wedding--but we talked over email a lot in the months before the wedding and we read each others blogs to get to know each other. Elizabeth's blog is called Clutching Boxes. She is a great writer, with a sharp wit and a masterful way of putting words together--I love her blog. She is also a photographer, and one of her recurring themes is to create composite photographs of herself playing different characters in the same image, like this:
image (c) Elizabeth Stewart
Her work reminds me a lot of Cindy Sherman's. It has the same pseudo-serious feel, like it has something important to say but at the same time is making fun of itself. She also has some beautiful landscape and texture shots on her blog.
I love working with other photographers, not only because it is flattering to be appreciated by someone who knows photography but also because most photographers are really familiar with both the strengths and limitations of photography. They know that the more they put into their pictures, the more they will get out of them, and this was definitely the case with Elizabeth and Robert--I barely had to give them any direction during our E session, and they had a lot of fun with both that shoot and the portrait part of the wedding shoot the next day. They had great ideas and it was really fun collaborating with them. And during the documentary parts of the wedding day Elizabeth gave me the kind of physical and emotional access that makes it possible to get to the heart of what the wedding is about. It was a bit of a crazy day, with rain, wind, and eventually hail forcing us to move the ceremony into the large lobby of the Tenaya Lodge (moose antler lamps and all), and a mixup with the officiant that I'm sure will seem funny to the couple in...oh... about 10 years or so. ;)
When all is said and done, though, Elizabeth and Robert really made this day their own. It was one of the most laid back weddings I've shot, and by the end of the day I felt more like I was hanging out with friends than working. I plan to bring the dogs and Brian up to Yosemite this winter (since I found out it snows there) and let all of us enjoy the slow pace and relaxing atmosphere of the place.
Local vendor shout outs: Flowers were done by Sweet Pickin's Floral, who did a gorgeous job on the bride's bouquet, melding little curly twigs, miniature pinecones, and white and green flowers into something that reflected the natural colors of the park around us. The yummy little 10-person cake was by Sweet Dreams Bakery. Elizabeth's makeup and hair was done by the awesome owner of Revive Day Spa & Salon. Finally, the event staff at the Tenaya Lodge were great to work with and very accomodating. It's a great place to stay in the Yosemite area--I just wish I would have had time to take advantage of their spa while I was there!
Here's some faves...
Engagement session:
Wedding:
Slideshow
Proofs
PS: on the way up to my hotel room after the E session, I noticed something fluffy waddling around behind the front desk. I leaned over to have a better look, and saw what may be the cutest, fattest, pomeranien in the Sierra Nevadas. While petting her I had to take a few pics, although she was a bit afraid of the camera at first (I don't blame her, it was bigger than her).
Hiddenbrook Golf Club, Vallejo CA
Caitlin and Kevin
September 15, 2007
It took until about halfway through the first dance for me to realize how much I identified with Caitlin and Kevin. We spent more time than usual together shooting their E session at the Vacaville Fair, which meant more time to get to know them. And some aspects of their relationship do mirror mine; like how long they've been together and the sometimes rocky road they've traveled to get to a place of stability. Also many of the details of their wedding were how I would want mine to be--the personal vows, the music, the candy bar... (who needs dinner anyway when you've got a vase full of grape taffy and tootsie rolls?) ;)
As a result of this I found myself imagining my own wedding in some parts of theirs; such as when I stood, trying to hide my tears behind the camera, while the couple danced their first dance together (it didn't help either that the song was Five for Fighting's super sentimental "100 Years"). Or again near the end of the night, when Kevin surprised Caitlin by pulling out his guitar and serenading her with the "I Want to Grow Old With You" song from The Wedding Singer movie. Just two of many perfect moments that had a great impact on me.
I turn 30 in December, and I'm in that transitional period...still nostalgic about the excitement of my early twenties, an intensity born of naivete that can't be recaptured. Everything seemed much easier then. Values are changing too: where I once wanted to change the world, it can be hard not to feel somewhat pathetic now for being more interested in a nice comfy couch to sit on and a healthy savings account.
Yet what I saw at Caitlin and Kevin's wedding touched me deeply, reminding me that love and contentment are valid, and have their own purpose. As I drove home at the end of the night I felt happy to be alive, and grateful for the comfort and love that awaited me there.
A few shout outs: The incredibly gorgeous flowers were by Atalanta Jackson, Flowers by Atalanta. Seriously guys, I see a lot of flowers, and I was REALLY impressed by hers. Ceremony music was played beautifully on classical guitar by Jay Alvarez who, ironically, also played the ceremony music at Gabriela and Ron's wedding at the Martinelli center in Livermore last fall, although I didn't have a chance to say hi to him this time. And Caitlin's dress was from Gesinee's Bridal in Walnut Creek. Finally, Shannon, the event manager at Hiddenbrooke, was lovely to work with and very helpful to me throughout the day.
Some highlights:
Slideshow
Proofs
Carneros Inn, Napa
Molly and Gary
August 25 2007
Molly and Gary were married at the Carneros Inn, which is definitely on my list for great vacation spots--the inn is vast and beautiful, with views of the surrounding vineyards and an apple orchard for the ceremony to take place in, as well as ballrooms for events, a restaurant, and a gourmet grocery. The decor of the orchard and the ballrom was enhanced by Laura of Laura Miller Design--lots of bamboo and deep purple lilies in wooden boxes with light pink and white accents made the table settings beautiful and unique, and in the apple orchard larger pieces of bamboo and white orchids framed the spot where the couple said their vows.
Highlights of the wedding included a suprise tea ceremony to honor Molly's parents, and the speech made by her dad during dinner. Mr. Shen talked about how it is a tradition in his culture to buy a bottle of good rice wine on the day of a daughter's birth, which is then kept in storage until the daughter becomes old enough to marry, and then finally presented to the groom to welcome him into the family. He then proceeded to give Gary the bottle that was bought when Molly was born.
This wedding was a team effort for me--Molly and Gary wanted pictures taken of the guests, to be printed and framed onsite and then given as favors at the end of the night. I enlisted the help of Juliet Nicole as second shooter to take the guest portraits, and Janki Thakkar as printer/framer/assistant. Thanks to their hard work everything went off without a hitch, and everyone was really happy to take home a picture of themselves at the end of the night.
