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The last time I shipped a taste of California to family out-of-state, was when I bought one of those little glass bottles with the colorful shells corked inside and a "Redondo Beach, CA" P-Touch slapped across the bottom. It was a fun souvenir, but really didn't communicate the California experience unique to me.
When Rich and Lucia told me of their plans to marry back home in the mid-west, we chatted about how to best capture the flavor of their engagement, here in their new home of Southern California. The surf, the sand, the seagulls... all so different from what their families are accustomed to miles away from the Pacific, and exactly the picture we wanted to paint for them to experience and enjoy.
Ever watched the original Planet Of The Apes, the scene with the Statue Of Liberty jutting out of the shoreline? That's Point Dume, Malibu, and the picturesque spot for our late afternoon session. A few rogue waves managed to soak us all early on, but that didn't stop us from having a blast, and we even managed to score the California crown jewel: a blazing sunset.
Have an amazing wedding, Rich and Lucia! And thanks again for letting me bottle up a little bit of California for you to take home.
"Nightcrawler"
That's the nickname a couple of photog friends pegged me with after having shot a few night sessions together around town. There I'd be, crawling belly to the ground, shooting over gum-speckled asphalt or through bike racks, angling for those out-of-the-ordinary vantage points and perspectives. The tactic sort of stuck, and it's made for some pretty interesting points-of-views during portrait sessions and weddings.
But sometimes, pulling back on a style can be just as important as pushing out. When writer/producer, Terri, approached me to schedule a quick session for some casual head shots, I had a hunch splaying myself out on the ground really wasn't going to cut it for the type of images we were looking to capture. Nor was there a need for any of the usual fine art post-processing, macro details, or day-of storytelling. Instead, we needed to score some lean and keen images that communicated "casual corporate" or "book jacket cover", photos that resonated confidence and accomplishment, shot in a clean, unobtrusive environment with primarily natural light.
The session was great fun, and, having not crawled in the dirt, I returned home for once without a soiled shirt. Thanks again for the opportunity, Terri!
Coming up, a sunset-kissed Malibu engagement session and an awesome wedding at the Westin Bonaventure!
He-haw!
What better way to kick start the week than to get a telephone call from my oh-so-awesome canvas vendor, Pixel2Canvas, sending word that my canvas of the charming Thoroughbred, Taplow, has been selected as their October "Canvas Of The Month". Details here!
It's reward enough to receive consistently high quality product and excellent service from these guys, so this announcement is some surprising icing on some already sweet cake. A big thanks to Roxanne and everyone on the Pixel2Canvas team for this recogniztion and the kind praise. And four high fives to Taplow... I've never had this sort of luck at the tracks, I'll tell you that much, friend. Santa Anita, here I come!
To see other images from the shoot, give a clickety-click here.
Stalk down the elusive Kogi truck: check.
Shop 'til you drop along Melrose Ave: oh yeah, smash that Piggy.
Enjoy a personalized photoshoot along the Venice Canals, courtesy of your most fave cousin of all: say what?
Yep. Marlina really wanted to make the most of C & J's trip to L.A., and that meant not only exploring all the swanky spots Southern Cali has to offer, but inviting me along to photograph an hour or so of her 'lil cousins' adventures, sorta a teenage reboot of the reunion she organized back in 2007. See, my running joke with Marlina is that someday I'll have photographed every member of her extended family -- so, this is us keeping that dream alive!
C & J, thanks for the laughs, your boundless energy, and 8GB of "That's What Friends Are For" bliss. It's not always easy going full tilt with a stranger's camera in tow, so a big hats off to being true to you, living footloose, and embracing the awesomeness of the gift you've been given.
You owe Marlina a Pink Berry :)
