A Touch of Purple

Sometimes unexpected patterns turn up during weddings and ceremonies. When first arriving at Gia and Alec's reception I was struck by the purple flowers outside and took this photo:



Inside the reception other purple wildflowers also made an appearance. This girl held one while dancing with her grandfather, here are a full body shot and a closeup.




The flowers were brought inside by the many children in attendance. Although some ended on the floor, one was also given to the bride, Gia, who held onto it for a while, here she is with it while watching her new husband on the dance floor.

Ye Olde Traditional Shoot Out

Today I shot a wedding reception (for a couple who had their wedding on 07-07-07 atop a mountain) with Amoreena Berg. I introduced her to the tradition of photographers shooting each other at events:



She later sent me this one with some cool sepia action going on:



While awaiting the grand entrance of the bride and groom I met this couple who are on their honeymoon. At first I thought they meant that figuratively, but no, literally at 75 this young at heart couple married after finding love the second time around.



The cards on wedding gifts give people a chance to be creative, these two were especially creative with how they portrayed the couple:

An Engagement with Steven Frischling Part One

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet Steven Frischling, a wedding photographer who has worked for several newspapers and magazines. He started photographing news when he was 11 on his bike, and has photographed at the Olympics, major political candidates, etc. I had a great time shooting with him and fun shooting him shooting his couple, Mai and Mark. We met them at the Hyatt Regency on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

It's amazing how while he is getting into and maintaining (what at least appear to be) uncomfortable positions, Mai and Mark forget he is there and get wrapped up in each other.




Steven's fearlessness as a former journalist (and EMT) come out here as he takes this shot in the middle of parked traffic, I wish I knew what this cabbie was thinking, but his facial expression really conveys a lot.



I know what the security guard at the mall was thinking, she came over to us and told us no shooting without a permit. When she first told us there was to be no commercial shooting, quick thinking Steven even asked the couple if they were planning on selling their wedding photos. It was too funny, but we all kept a straight face. Still, we left there quickly.




A little water and hiking doesn't scare Steven, who was wearing boots and cargo pants. You can see him here crouching down on wet pavement to get his shot.



After an intense hour of finding new places and angles, it was time to show the couple his work.



To see some of his favorite shots, visit his blog entry on the couple. Tomorrow I will post some of my favorite shots of Mai and Mark.

All in a Day's work: Gearing up

Whenever the fire departments have reporters come out, one of the first questions they ask us is, do you want us to put you in the gear so you know what it's like. I'd already had this done to me once this year, but decided to put on the gear again when offered.


Here the batallion chief is making sure I can't see with the label still on (to simulate smoke conditions.


Then of course, the department has you crawl around on the ground. Here I'm trying to find "the victim" (Anthony) who is taking the photos in real life, but stopped because he thought I might follow the sounds of the shutter to him.

Finally here are some of the real heroes. I took this one. Their masks are much more realistic, they really can't see whereas I could a little out of the mask I was given.

I love that my job allows me to research and get into the shoes (or in the this case the full gear) of the people I am learning about.

Gregor Family Portrait Session

Last year I shot the wedding of Chauntel and Gerardo. Even though not all their family could make it, they still had a huge number of people in their posed formals.

I got a call last month from Chauntel as she wanted to doing something special for her parents' upcoming birthday party. As they are still on vacation and do not subscribe to this blog, I can safely put on some pics here.

First some outtakes.

For one photo we tried to get everyone in, even the dogs. In this photo, everyone person and dog, looks at the dog who won't come to the photo.

We ended up doing that photo without the errant dog. Chauntel said her grandmother looked kinda like "The Godfather" in the chair with her family all around her.

Next Chauntel wanted a photo with both her siblings. When asked what they should do I told them jokingly to just have fun and "I don't know, punch your brother," and soon they were complying.

Throughout the day dogs refused to stay put, and Henry chased Bijoux all over, including right through this photo.




The majority of the images though, were just beautiful. Everyone kept saying how long it had been since they had had a portrait, so I did lots of groups.

Here are some of my favorites.

Chauntel and her siblings.

Just the kids.
Her sister's family, even the dog looked in the right place.

Finally this is the one that will be the present.

The parents' joint party, which is a surprise even to them, will additionally be featuring a twist so unique I've never heard of it done before. I'll be shooting that also, and will post pics and details after it occurs.

The Giving Tree

Last week, while taking photos for the Dr. Seuss birthday celebrations, many community volunteers read to kids from books not by Dr. Seuss. One such book was "The Giving Tree", writtten by Shel Silverstein who also wrote several books including "Where the Sidewalk Ends" which themselves have great rhyming pages bits (those his are poems) like Dr. Seuss.

This pic (sort of a pre-outtake) from the portrait session, shows some impromptu landscaping that was done, and reminds me of the part in the book where the tree offers its branches to the boy in the story to build his house.


Coming tomorrow, the photos from the portrait session including our impromptu landscaper and his family (and a few portrait session outtakes).

Me and my shadow

Recently I received an email from Megumi, a student at DeAnza College (where I had taken some photography and photojournalism classes), whose teacher (my friend Brad) had recommended she contact me to watch me work for a day.

After getting permission from today's client, I invited her along and had her begin her day by looking at some of my work including a sign in book...


and some work for the newspaper.

She seemed surprised to learn that I write stories also (one a week, in addition to captions). She's still figuring out what she would like to do with photography, but it seems like it's not going to be journalism (sorry, Brad).

While I was setting up groups, she took a moment to discuss photography with Nonny, a grandmother in the group.



She also took a moment to photograph her new friend, Henry.

Henry is one of my favorite dog subjects, also. On the Christmas card I sent out this year, he is on the bottom right.


Coming Monday, photos from the portrait session.