I don’t get to do maternity sessions very often, so when I do it is a lot of fun.  One of the greatest honors is capturing the life events of people in the form of pictures.  I shot Chris and Marie’s wedding last year and now I get to capture them weeks before their family grows.  They are still a blast to be around and I know they will be amazing parents.

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One of the best things about being a photographer is actually being a part of the lives of the people I photograph.  I first met Ryan and Alexa before I did their engagement pictures in Huntington Beach.  They had a beautiful wedding at Wente Vineyards.  I’ve done their family photos and I’m shooting Alexa’s brother’s wedding this fall.  I had the honor of taking their first family portraits with their new addition, Owen.  It is so awesome to be invited into their lives and I think got some great images to boot…

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I met Annmarie when I shot her sister’s senior photos last year.  She comes from an amazing family that I am glad to have become friends with.  Thomas is in the Coast Guard and I am definitely thankful for his service.  Together they are a whole lot of good times.  We were together for an afternoon in Half Moon Bay for the session and had so much fun.  They laugh together, share together and it’s obvious they are in love.  I can’t wait for the wedding this fall…

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oh and for the gear heads-Canon 5d mk2, 135 2.0L, 24 1.4L and a 580ex2 off camera, pocketwizard triggers.

If there was any photo that would be perfect on a canvas, this is it…

A camera can be a conversation starter…Whether it’s with another photographer talking the latest gear or showing people how to use the one they just bought.  Everyone has a favorite photographic image, so it’s an easy way to strike up a conversation.

Creating images with my cameras is always enjoyable.  Sometimes it is fun to take a step outside of the normal “box” I normally shoot in.  This serves a few purposes…first it freshens up my creativity.  Next, it allows me to work with different gears that I normally may not work with.  Lastly, it allows me to meet and work with new people.  Recently, I was in Vegas to shoot an amazing wedding.  I spent a couple of extra days working with some local dancer/models creating some beautiful images outside Las Vegas.  Working with performing artists is one of my favorite things to do.  It gave me the opportunity to make new friends, and that is one thing I love about my camera…

For you gear-heads I used a Canon 5d Mk2, 580ex2 off camera and either a 50mm 1.2L, 135 2.0L or a 70-200 2.8L and sometimes an Alien Bee AB800.

First up is Emilie…

James is a member of the Lowry Family and I happen to love the Lowry family…La Tonnya and James are totally in love and made this session a whole lot of fun.  I can’t wait for the wedding in September.  You haven’t seen a fun wedding until you’ve been to one of the Lowry’s.  We were able to catch the small window of almond blossoms in bloom during our engagement session and we couldn’t have asked for a better locale.

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I told you we had fun…

I met Kimberly and Jake at a photo shoot organized at WPPI a few years back.  They are an amazing couple and a whole lot of fun to be around.  This is the smallest wedding I’ve ever shot and I was honored to be a part of the intimate ceremony north of Las Vegas.  I know their wedding was blessed because we avoided some serious rain to get these shots and stayed dry for the afternoon.  It is so obvious how much these two love each other and wish nothing but the best to these two in their travels.  I have already set aside the date for their super sized reception and can’t wait to get together with them again…

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When you have rain and sunshine at the same time, this is the effect you get…

I work with Chris at the Fire Department and besides having the largest arms in the City, he happens to be a nice guy too.  Elizabeth is a sweetheart and I still don’t know how they connected But it is great that they have and now with Baby Wyatt, the Jones’ are an even cooler family…

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I always enjoy family sessions. It’s also fun to get to know people outside of work. I’ve worked with Carrie in the past and meeting the whole family was a treat. The boys are hilarious and they all have a great bond with each other. I smiled through this whole session

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I really enjoy shooting weddings.  Now that I have daughters, though, my perspective has changed.  I look through the eyes of a father at a beautiful daughter on the biggest day ever.  The emotion is overwhelming and I can’t imagine how I’ll feel on that day I give my girls away.  Chyna and Justin’s wedding was an amazing affair and the close relationship she has with her father is something I want with my daughters.  He was with Chyna the whole day, from the getting ready to the procession to the dancing to the exit.  He wasn’t in the way or looking over any shoulders.  He was there.  By Chyna’s side, supporting and loving.  Needless to say, we enjoyed every minute of the day.

They were married at the beautiful Wine and Roses in Lodi, CA.

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I have taken thousands of wedding images.  This is one of my favorites.  It was before the ceremony and the two of them were waiting for the coordinator to bring them to the ceremony.  He was so proud of her.  She was nervous.  So much emotion in this image…

Jaqi is a senior at Manteca High…home of the Buffaloes…my alma mater. That makes her pretty cool And she happens to be a cousin.  That makes her really cool…Anyway, we spent some time in the City and had a lot of fun, including some dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.  Good stuff…

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I caught her laughing