Altafullah Mehndi Celebration

Last month we had the great honor of shooting the two-day wedding celebration for Justin Rinaldi and Aliya Altafullah.  It was a beautiful event, and the joy and happiness in the room was so tangible it spread to our team....and before we knew it we were dancing a little as we shot the pictures of this unforgettable event.  

I can't put up a post without thanking my team of Don, Leslie, and Cameron for coming and working so hard.  I also need to mention how much I admire the fortitude of the bride Aliya.  As we speak she is waiting to see the pictures on the blog...and it's nearly 4am in Washington DC!!!  She told me to call her when they were done....so I did.  It was such a wonderful event that words truly don't suffice.  

The pictures and slideshow from the ceremony and reception on Saturday will be posted between now and the end of next week....so keep checking back.  Thanks so much to Justin, Aliya, and their families....it was a pleasure serving all of you.  Click on the link or picture below to view the slideshow.

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDESHOW

Going to the Drive In Movie

Friday night Kara and I took the boys to the Van Buren Drive In Theatre in Riverside, CA.  Kara and I have been going to the drive in since we were dating....and we have some adorable pictures of the boys in the port-a-cribs when we took them as babies.  On Friday we went with Kara's family and it was a blast.  

We watched Madagascar 2 and Beverly Hills Chihuahua.  That's the great thing about a drive-in, two movies for the price of one.  I laid in the back of the truck with Kevin and Michael on an air mattress while Kara laid on another air mattress on the ground with JJ.  It was a wonderful night filled with popcorn, candy, laughs, and fantastic memories.

Election 2008- Changing of the Guard

What a night Tuesday night was.  I always love election nights....it's like the Superbowl of politics.  You never get a better idea of the hearts and minds of your fellow citizens like you do on election night.  Whether you are happy or disappointed with the results of the election you have to admire the fact that 300 million Americans can disagree so sharply, yet when a change of power occurs like it is in two months....there is no revolt, no military coup, no sabotage....it's truly amazing.  Our country is going from conservative to liberal if you believe the election is an indication of the nation's leanings....and yet we all still go and grow together.  

You have Obama giving his joyful acceptance speech in front of 1 million people....and you have McCain giving a very respectful and heartfelt conciliation speech to his former opponent...and he promised to cooperate and continue to work together.  We came within less than 1 million votes of having the first woman run for president, and witnessed the first woman on the Republican side to run for VP...and now we have our first Black President.  To think where our country has come in so short a time....what a site to witness.

I've lived outside of the US for extended periods of time....and I've traveled all over....and I truly believe there are other amazing and beautiful nations across the world....but none like the United States....God Bless America.

Halloween at Disneyland

Last year there were so many scary houses that the boys refused to go down the really gory houses.....so this year we took them to Disneyland for Halloween...and it was a BLAST!!!  We gave them the choice of trick or treating or Disneyland...and they chose D-land.  

The park was completely decorated for Halloween...and it was so nice doing something that didn't freak out the kids.  I love the many shots below but I really love the one of Kara puckering her lips.  That's a candid shot of her...it was at the precise moment when she looked over and saw the available desserts for her to choose from when we had dinner.  I love that shot.  My Mom and Cameron joined us....and Cameron scored some all access passes from a friend that works there....so we got to cut in line at many of the rides.  It was great and something we will do again next year!!

Andy's

While in Texas during our shoot we went to dinner at a place called Andy's.  While there were many choices available, we decided to choose a restaurant we thought would truly exemplify the Texas experience.  Neither Cameron or I are seafood fans...so we thought a great Texas steak would really hit the spot.  We walked into the restaurant and were greeted by a very nice server who told us to sit anywhere.  When she came to take our drink order I asked for a Diet Coke and a Dr. Pepper for Cameron.  She leaned over and with the thickest Texan accent said, "You have to pay $1.99 for each drink....."  I said, "That's fine."  She leaned over even more and said, "Are you sure....the iced tea has free refills....."  While I appreciated her concern for my finances I found this pretty funny.  I told her she was very sweet but that we would have no problem ordering refills if necessary. 

 We then moved on to the food order....we were prepared for a steak when the server insisted on their famous fried chicken steak.  She said it was famous across the US.  After some deliberation we went with her recommendation.  The first picture below is just before Cameron and I dove into the steak...the last picture below is how much we finished of the steak...or didn't finish of the steak.  I believe the steak is famous....but not necessarily because it tastes good...We filled up on the salad bar and decided we would have to get a bite to eat a little bit later to make up for the meal.  I gladly paid the bill because of the kindness of the server and because we ordered the food....we just didn't like it.  The food wasn't worth the money....but the experience sure was.  

David and Erin

Congratulations to David and Erin Cobb on their wedding in September!  I had the awesome opportunity to shoot their wedding and I have to thank Kricia Morris for coming to the wedding to help me.  The wedding was beautiful and a huge blast.  We did some shooting before the ceremony and we were so fortunate to get this shot of the flowergirl kissing the ringbearer...the timing was perfect.  

If there is one thing I can really, passionately recommend to all future wedding couples, please make sure to save time for the pictures at your wedding!!!  I had the chance to take David and Erin down to the shoreline where we got the water and train shoots which turned out great.  I always tell all my clients you leave your wedding with two things.....your spouse and your pictures.  Make sure you get the most out of your wedding day photography.  Thanks to David and Erin for the great time and the opportunity to share your wonderful day with you!!! 

Remember the Alamo

I was in Texas this last weekend shooting a race for Ragnar Relay.  The race was from San Antonio to Austin and had some terrific scenery.  After the race I had the opportunity to visit the Alamo with Cameron which was amazing.  I decided to shoot the entire location with my infrared camera which gives it the very sharp contrast and highlights that you see in the pictures below.  

Out of all the places I visited in Texas, San Antonio was by far my favorite and the Alamo was the best in San Antonio.  If you have the chance go and see it....it's amazing to see and very educational to learn about.  And if you have the chance to shoot with an infrared camera.....do it!!!! 

Cassandra

Below are shots taken from a bridal portrait session I did with a beautiful bride named Cassandra.  I will be shooting Steve and Cassandra's wedding next weekend....and it's my last wedding of the year!  I met Cassandra for the shoot in Valencia, CA near Magic Mountain.  We found a great location and Cassandra did the rest.  

I feel so lucky to have worked with so many beautiful brides over the span of my career.  All the shots taken were without a tripod using a video light...and I also can't write this without thanking Cassandra's friend Jasmine for becoming a junior photographer and holding the light for me as the shoot went on.  It was a great shoot and I can't wait for the wedding!!

Adoption

There are only two things I love more than photography, my family and God.  I had the great opportunity to go to the baseball practice for my sons.  It is so much fun to watch them grow...and even funner to just watch them exude the thrill of life that they should feel at this age.  

I'm grateful every day for my sons and my wife.  Kara and I weren't able to conceive children on our own and I feel that is THE greatest blessing of my life.  I don't think we could love anyone more than we love our sons.  

The funny thing is that there isn't a medical reason for us to not conceive.....we were just meant to have these boys.  If you have any room in your heart to adopt...please do so...it is one of the greatest blessings in life.

Scott and Noemi

These are pictures taken at a beautiful wedding for Scott and Noemi Yi in September in Malibu, CA.  The ceremony took place at the chapel at Pepperdine University, and the reception followed at a country club in Camarillo, CA.  It was a beautiful wedding, and Scott and Noemi were so much fun!  I just fell in love with the huge tree at the country club when I saw it....it looked straight out of a landscape scene from Georgia or South Carolina...which you all know I love.  

It was a wonderful wedding and I can't thank Scott and Noemi enough for the opportunity to capture the wonderful day.  A big thanks as well to my team with me for the shoot....Don, Michael, and Brady.  Thanks for everything!

Backyard Camping

Being as busy as I have been recently I had to do something special with my kids.  I've been promising to go camping for awhile with the boys but getting to the campground is just such an ordeal.  I came home one night and said, "Let's camp in the backyard!"  

Kara went to the store and bought goodies and snacks and the boys and I started setting up the tent.  By the time Kara got back she grabbed my camera and snapped these shots of us.  I set the tent up last Friday and we have slept in there 4 nights since then.  It has been a ton of fun and the kind of thing I will remember when I'm 80 years old....and I tell my grandkids about the time we went camping in the backyard......

Washington DC Wedding

I'm headed back to Washington DC today with my team to shoot a big 2-day wedding celebration for Justin and Aliya.  You might remember their engagement pictures I took months ago...the ones where I fell down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial due to ice.  I have Leslie flying in from Florida, and Don, Cameron, and I are flying in from California.  It's a beautiful couple with a beautiful wedding and should be an absolute blast!!

Javier and Liz

Below are pictures from Javier and Liz Cabazuela's wedding we shot a little while back. We had such a great time. The ceremony and reception were awesome....but I just had to include the pictures from the beach shoot we did.

The bride and bridesmaids totally made the shoot by taking off their shoes and running through the water. They had so much fun...and the greatest part was watching all of the beach goers get a kick out of them. This was in August in San Diego during a warm San Diego day....so the beach was packed. It was a wonderful shoot and I can't thank their families enough for allowing us the opportunity to shoot their day for them.

Orfila Vineyard Wedding Slideshow

Click on the link or the picture below to view the wedding slideshow of Jeff and Chelsee at the Orfila Vineyard!!

Jeff and Chelsee

These shots are from a wedding shot last month at the Orfila Vineyard near San Diego, CA. The wedding was for Jeff and Chelsee, and it was a beautiful wedding. After the ceremony and before the reception we had the opportunity to do a shoot in the winery and the couple did such a great job that the shots turned out great. We were very fortunate to have a full moon to add light to the shoot. It is so neat to see two people in love.

That's the greatest thing about this job...being able to see people in love and to be able to capture that moment for them is awesome. Jeff and Chelsee are in love and it shows. If you recall in an earlier blog post I did a bridal shoot with Chelsee that was also a ton of fun. Thanks for everything guys!

Myomed Ragnar Washington DC

These are the shots from the great race we shot last weekend in Washington DC for Ragnar Relay. The race runs from Cumberland, Maryland down into Washington, DC right along the Potomac River. It was a really fun race and the first time we've shot one in a lot of rain. As you can see by the pictures the race route is just beautiful....a perfect place for a race. We had a great time and can't wait until the race in three weeks in Austin, Texas!

Trash the Dress....Pensacola Style

These are shots from a trash the dress shoot Leslie Roark and I did last week. I was in Pensacola for a wedding and Leslie wanted to trash her dress..I can't say that I was opposed to the idea...We had to do the shoot in two locations (the first shot with her standing on a tree was the first location) because the first location had some really strange activity....several guys kept coming around and when I would say, "Hello," or go to talk to them they would run away....and then a few minutes later we'd see them peering through the bushes....it was very weird, so we left.

We drove down the Scenic Highway in Pensacola about 3 miles and found this slab of a former house that Hurricane Ivan washed away. All the pictures below except for the first one are in the water in front of the washed away home...and the wood you see is from a former deck or pier that the owners had that was also destroyed by the hurricane.

It was a tremendous shoot and I can't thank Leslie enough for being such a willing model. I always tell my clients that when the pictures turn out great...so much credit goes to the model. You can have the best photographer in the world shooting you but the person being shot makes such a huge difference in the quality of the shoot. It's all about a great working synergy between the photographer and the subject. I hope you like them!!!

Washington Monument in the rain

Below are pictures from the Washington Monument taken during a fantastic rain storm in DC on Friday night of last week. Life has been crazy right now traveling through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and DC last week...then I flew down to Pensacola, Florida for a wedding Saturday morning from DC. I'm now doing a one-day 700-mile drive from Pensacola to Miami for meetings there tomorrow!

But back to these pictures......these were taken no tripod during an absolute down pour in DC at about 11pm at night. I shot them at about 6500 ISO (you have to love the D3). I took a foil wrapper from a Wendy's hamburger I had eaten, cleaned it off with a napkin, wrapped my camera as best I could, and then ran out into the rain leaving my car with hazards on in the middle of the road....there's no parking directly around the monument due to security concerns. I'm excited in how they turned out. I circled the monument to get some different angles of it. I was also crazy (stupid) enough to use my video light as well just trying to cover it with my shirt to splash some light on the sidewalk shots.

I want to dedicate these shots to my family who I miss terribly. To Kevin for the way you say, "Daddy," to Michael for the way you make me laugh, and to Jason for the courage you inspire inside of me. And lastly to Kara for the way you love me. I will always love you every day as much as I love you today...

True Companion

Below is a link to the slideshow for Bill and Molly Bracken as promised. Click on the picture or link to view. I hope you enjoy!

VIEW SLIDESHOW

Bill and Molly Bracken

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Molly Bracken on their marriage!!! Below are pictures posted from their wedding three weeks ago. Molly is a personal friend and I had such a great time shooting both her and Bill...and their families are fantastic! It was a wonderful and beautiful wedding where the entire evening felt magical. I have to thank Mollie Salazar for shooting with me as well as Cameron my videographer. We have weddings pretty much every weekend until the end of November so no rest for us now. I will be posting a slideshow of Bill and Molly's wedding tomorrow once it's posted on the web. Thanks Bill and Molly!!!!