Leyburn and Mike's Wedding 09/08/2007

This wedding was just so natural from start to finish. Both Leyburn and Mike were just wonderful to work with. Both of them didn't sweat the small stuff because they were swept up in their day. It is just so great to capture a couple in their element. It really felt like I was a fly on the fall just capturing their day as I see it. I gave some direction here and there but really I just let the day take me where it was meant to go. Just a perfect day of shooting.

I find myself shooting more and more in black and white. As you can see in my last photo shoot with Leyburn and Mike for their engagement session. Why do I feel so drawn to shoot black and white, well to answer my own question I feel that it gives this elegant and oh so classy look to it, it really is just timeless. So have I decided I like black and white better, no I still love to shoot in color as well. There are strong points about both, but I find myself wanting to shoot the girls getting ready in black and white because it gives the feel of the journalistic approach of just documenting the event.

I did realize that shooting in a huge group setting, when it comes to formals you need direction, direction, direction. In addition, you need to get them in and out. The bigger the group the more difficult it becomes. Short and sweet is really the key, very important when shooting the guys the last thing the want to do is stop and take pictures. But when you capture them in their element with drinks in hands, cigars and/or just hanging out that is when you need to snap away.

Not only was this wedding just natural but it was a lot of fun! All the guest, wedding party and family just enjoyed every moment of the day and it shows in the images. I really enjoyed shooting this wedding. Thanks Leyburn and Mike you guys totally rock!

Leyburn and Mike's Engagement Pictures

On Sunday August 19th I took Leyburn and Mike's Engagement Pictures at St. Francis Winery in Santa Rosa. It was such an awesome day; the weather was just perfect and the winery was so amazing.

During the engagement pictures we went around the winery and took pictures at various locations. At all the locations I shot both black and white and color so I can compare the difference between the two and so they can a variety of the pictures. After review the pictures I felt that black and white was my favorite that day it really just captured the moment better, through the black and white pictures it really just felt like I was a fly on the wall while Leyburn and Mike enjoyed a day at the winery. But I do after say that in some case I preferred the color pictures because of the beautiful lighting which is referred to the "magic hour." The magic hour doesn't last too long, but the shots that you can get from it are just breathtaking.

I really felt so comfortable during this session. Why, because of course I know Leyburn and Mike, although that could make one even more uncomfortable and stressed. But really I felt so comfortable because I felt like I had so much control over my camera, that I could make quick adjustments to create a different mood or effect with each moment. I am very happy with all images that came out, there are just so many favorites. During the session I kept showing Leyburn and Mike a great image here and there because it was so exciting for me, I wanted them to included in that excitement.

After our session, Leyburn, Mike and I did some wine tasting at St. Francis Winery which was just so delicious. I had such a great time with them both. They are just so wonderful! Thanks guys for everything.

I have gotten so much experience this summer which was really impacted my images greatly. I can see my images improving and its just so exciting. It makes me want to do more and more and so I can just keep improving.

Sending All My Thanks

I just want to say Thanks to everyone who has given me an opportunity this summer to follow my dream, without you I wouldn't have these amazing pictures and moments. So Thank You!

I just want to say Thanks to everyone who has given me constant love and support. Your love is my foundation and your support fuels my fire, I am so grateful for you all.

Most of all I want to Thank everyone who believes in me and my dream. The people who don't doubt and don't blink an eye, the people who live my dream with me. Thank you for coming along this journey with me, it means everything to me.

Steven and Rachel August 11th, 2007

I am just so grateful at all the wonderful opportunities that Lindsay and I have had this summer. All of these opportunities have just allowed us to gain so much more experience in the world of photography. Each of these experiences has given us the ability to be get more creative in developing our own style and technique. With every door that opens, I feel that I am getting closer to my dream. I know that I have a long road ahead of me but knowing how far I have come is my drive to push even further.

Another wonderful opportunity came along with Steven and Rachel. Since I knew them both, they were gracious enough to let me and Lindsay accompany their professional photographer so we could be apart of their big day behind the lens. During this wedding Lindsay and I acted as a second photographer and assisted the professional photography. Of course assisting another can be a struggle because you want to capture certain moments but you don't want to get in the way of another photographer's vision. Overall, I feel that every experience is a learning experience and I am grateful that I get the experience of working with another professional photographer. It is always interesting to watch a photographer plan the day, give directions, and create or capture images. Observing another photographer allows oneself to create their own vision, their own path.

I realized that I love to be the quiet one. Believe it or not, although I still enjoy taking the social role to connect with the people. But to pretend that I am not there while still being there. This so called "quiet" approach allows you to get close enough, so close that not only do you capture the image but you capture the emotion. Although, of course I am still learning, I realize I need to be quicker in taking that shot. If you wait too long that moment is gone, but once you got it.... hell it is just magical.

This wedding was just filled with moments. From the mother and daughter moments in the dressing room, to the touching vows, to the constant inside smiles that the bride and groom shared all day with each other. It was a day of love and family, a great celebration. Thanks a million to Steven and Rachel!

Steve and Lynn

Another wonderful wedding. Which is another great opportunity for Lindsay and I to get more and more experience. At this wedding I did black and white shooting for the first half and then went back to color. Shooting and black and white just adds another dimension and feeling to the pictures. Although, I like shooting in color better because I love to capture the color contrast, I still enjoy shooting black and white as well.

One might think shooting weddings may get boring, you know shooting the same things over and over. I feel that could not be further from the truth. With every wedding there are different emotions and personalities. With that I am just there to document everything as it happens throughout the day. I love just being able to capture these oh so important moments for the bride and groom so they can look back on it and remember it together.

With all that said, Lynn and Steve's wedding was just that, capturing not just a wedding but the details, family, friends and just all the love that was going around that day. Thanks for letting us be there to document these moments for you both!

Diana and Thaddeus

What a fun wedding! The wedding was so simple and personal, just so much emotion and love. Lindsay and I felt a connection with the couple and the guest right away. The couple Diana and Thadius were just so in the moment, which made the pictures just awesome. Really they needed very little direction, which we were able to get a lot of candid pictures. I couldn't of picked a more perfect wedding to do our first shoot together as a company.

Lindsay shot the wedding in black and white and I shot it in color. It was great to look over all the pictures and see the differences with the color but also the style that we both have. It is such a great advantage to have two photographers at a wedding because you get shots from every angle and together we didn't miss a beat.

After all said and done we took about 1500 images. As I was going through them all to pick some to put up on my blog, I was having such a difficult time narrowing them down. I just have so many favorites but I did finally make a decision. I just want to say many thanks to the happy couple Diana and Thadius for letting us capture your day! Much Love to you both!