this thing called Love.

reception details

Earlier this year, I was commissioned by one of my most favorite photographers, Meg Smith, to second shoot a gorgeous San Francisco wedding with her. She suggested that I bring my hasselblad to photograph the event, so I just wanted to share some details from their surprise wedding reception. yes. the couple married at home, and then surprised their guests with an announcement during a dinner party they had arranged at the very lovely Boulets Larder (what a fantastic place for an intimiate dinner party btw) at the Ferry Building, in San Francisco. Enjoy!

little mysteries

This image snuck on the tail end of a roll and its slightly underexposed, and super grainy...but love the look of it, as the bride steps down from the bridge, in this sort of timeless fashion. I love being able to shoot film during weddings. Its give me a chance to shoot some thing very unique to the standard digital images i usually create. Don't get me wrong! There's lots of beauties in shooting digital. But sometimes a grainy piece of photograph can have more character then a sharpened digital file. It brings texture.

Thailand

Late last year, I was so fortunate to photograph this truly international wedding in Krabi, Thailand. I was working in Aceh, Indonesia on a story when I received a call from a colleague who fell really ill and could not photograph this wedding. If you look on a map, you can see the distance from Aceh, Indonesia to Krabi, Thailand just across the channel there. But because I was in a very remote region, it took me nearly a day to get to Thailand. Regardless, in that same day, I packed my overnight bag and booked my tickets and soon enough was on a flight to Thailand via Malaysia to photograph a very unique wedding.

Folks flew in from all over the world for Nate and Amanda's wedding: New Zealand, New Hampshire, Switzerland, South Africa and I think because of the international setting, I never felt so much at home with a group of strangers. I didn't want to leave! I had spent 2 full days photographing their friends and family: an outing to an island, a very lovely reception with monkeys hanging above us, and of course the wedding itself which required transport by long boat to an uninhabited island, with no shoes (a very cool special request per the B & G), and survived a rainstorm as the bride sailed to the ceremony. Yeah, thats right. Her aisle was the gorgeous tropical waters of Ao Nang Bay, with her final steps of walking on orchid petals to her hubbie-to-be.

The majority of weddings I photograph are un-traditional. But each are so unique. There may not be expensive floral arrangements or colorful details, but when you are in the best company of your closest families and friends, the best pictures are those of the warm, glowy expressions when you are living in a truly magical moment.

 

timeless

Postcard: A winter wedding with a touch of color

I figured it would be a good time to post a little postcard I made of Wan & Sean, whose wedding I recently photographed in NYC. Yes. recently. A snowy, chilly winter that had NY already in several feet of snow. And since SF is supposedly expecting a little flurry action sometime this week with this arctic storm approaching, I thought why not post their wedding postcard to show that a winter wedding can be done. I love the elegance a simple fur shawl, a touch of yellow color, an overcast day for even light, and snow on leaveless branches. And most of all, a very willing bride and groom to be outside in 20 degree weather during our portrait session.

Between the moments

"This was love at first sight, love everlasting:

a feeling unknown, unhoped for, unexpected --

in so far as it could be a matter of conscious awareness;

it took entire possession of him, and he understood, with joyous amazement,

that this was for life."

-Thomas Mann-

 
This image was photographed during the bride & groom's reception, a wedding commissioned by friend and fabulous photographer, Meg Smith, in Sonoma, off the windy and picturesque Dry Creek Rd. The light was falling, and I just had to have them out in the vineyard for a couple quick pictures, so they wouldn't miss their dinner and I wouldn't miss the moment!

Charlotte + Radesh - San Francisco

Charlotte & Radesh's wedding was a three-day event, typical of Indian weddings with a twist. Their celebration intertwined both traditions over the course of a few days...it certainly gives their families and friends a chance to get to know each other, since many flew in from all over the world. And despite traditions, Charlotte and Radesh's festivities were still yet very contemporary (can i say that i was so very "san francisco"?). No formalities, just families and friends coming to together to celebrate the union of this adorable couple! The initmate ceremony was held at the Swedenborgian Church, the mehndi luncheon was held at the Kirkwood Depot, and the gorgeous wedding reception was held at the delicious Brix restaurant in Yountville with DJ Dojah spinning an eclectic taste of Indian and 80s music! I tried to edit down this layout, but as you can tell, i had a hard time, so with that, enjoy!

approaching spring

The winter weather in Northern California has faded as we welcome the approaching spring. This young couple was the dj and his gorgeous girlfriend of a wedding reception in the Napa Valley (photographed in the fall, but who would have known!)...just after sunset over the Mayacama hills. i love movements, textures, soft light, and dusk.

Katy + Mark - Meadowood, St. Helena

A dear friend and exceptionally talented wedding & lifestyle photographer, Meg Smith, recently hired me to photograph a very adorable & intimate wedding at the exclusive Meadowood, in St. Helena, California. And being a photojournalist, it was not unusual (for me) to meet the family for the first time on the day of the wedding. Like an assignment I would receive from the New York Times, whom I often shoot for, I recieve a little packet that contains all the detailed information I need to know to antipate the day. And I arrive a little early to scout the location for portraits. In this case, being that it is Meadowood, they have a wonderful event planner who takes care of not just the wedding, guests, and bride, but also the photographer. love!

Susan + Roberto, Georgetown (Seattle), Washington

This is Susan & Roberto's "northwest" themed wedding at this very cool historical building, in the engine room of Rainier Brewing Company. their artist friends created a birchwood forest installation and it smelled amazing inside. best of all, they had an ice cream truck for dessert (darn i just gave the surprise away!). they definitely won my heart over that one, besides the fact that they were really, truly, very sweet at heart...

(music: sigur ros/iceland. to view slideshow large, click on 4-arrows bottom right)