Engaged...

Week 11

Engaged
March 21, 2010

This week I was given the privilege of shooting Engagement photos for Sarah and Stevan, a fun and loving couple that have asked me to shoot their wedding in August. It's a humbling experience to be involved in any way in someone's wedding. This day is arguably the most important day in each of these two peoples' lives, and it's a joyful experience to witness... an honor to be a part of.

One of the things that I enjoy about shooting Engagement photos is the time I get to spend with the couple. If I already know them well, it's a great chance to have some fun and spend some quality time with them. If I don't know them as well, its the perfect opportunity to get to know them a bit! Nothing like a camera to bring out or reveal peoples' personalities :).

Sarah and Stevan had never done a professional photography session before, and I think they had more fun than I did :). Super-easy to work with, and totally open to all my suggestions, they made the day super-fun, and allowed us to capture some great images for them to have, share, and remember this time in their lives together.

Thanks Sarah & Stevan! Can't wait for the wedding....

30 Minutes of Sun

Week 10

30 Minutes of Sun
March 12, 2010

This week I was hired by an old friend to come and shoot a very special celebration in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Though I'd been to Miami several times, I'd not ventured up the short 30 miles to Ft. Lauderdale, and welcomed the chance to go and see this beautiful town. The trip was brief, just 2 days in all, and I found that I'd hit the tail end of a gloomy and cool week.

Fortunately, I was a guest in the home of a friend who lives in a condo just steps away from one of the wide, sandy beaches of South Florida. So when the weather broke for just a few minutes, I took the opportunity to walk out onto the beach, enjoy the sights of clear blue water and palm trees, and take in the invigorating smell of the ocean. The wide, private beach was empty, save a couple beach-walkers off in the distance, a Hobie-Cat catamaran, some chairs and the hammock you see above.

While the break in the clouds only lasted 30 minutes, and the strong winds promised a distant wall of rain was coming my way, I had time to get a few shots, including the one above. I did have to scamper off the beach fairly quickly to avoid getting dumped on, and so had limited images to pick from when I decided I wanted to use a beach shot for Week 10. In fact, besides the event I was hired to shoot, these few shots I got between the rains were the only ones I captured while I was in Ft. Lauderdale....

Definitely on my list of places to return, I found Ft. Lauderdale to have a small-town vibe despite its' size, and felt welcomed everywhere I went by friendly, helpful, and laid-back people. So to any of you that I met while I was there, and may be looking at this now, thank you!

As always, I hope you enjoy the image, and wish you a great week!

Drip

Week 9

Drip
March 8, 2010

Sometimes you don't get the shots you want. Or you don't want the shots you get. Sometimes accidents are the best shots, and sometimes, often even, experimentation gives you images you wouldn't otherwise be fortunate enough to capture. That was the case this week. I'd done several shoots the last 7 days, and while I was happy with all of them in one way or another, I didn't feel like I had the image I wanted for Week 9's installment of 52Photos.

So I carried my camera around the home and looked for what was under my nose... or in this case, under my faucet. I used the pop-up flash on my camera and big 2.8 aperture, and in just a few clicks of the shutter captured this moment.

Sonya Paz

Week 8

Sonya Paz, Artist
February 23, 2010

I cheated this week. The image I took above was actually made last week on February 17th. I justify posting this week because I didn't finish the edits until the 23rd, so I think it's fair game for my image of the week this week. :).

This shoot was a blast. Nationally recognized artist, Sonya Paz is very active in the community of Campbell, CA where I sometimes show my work, and often spend my leisure time (such that it is). I was introduced to her work years back when I ran the inaugural San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon back in 2006, and purchased a signed poster to commemorate the event which she happened to design that year. I actually met Sonya when she was coordinating a community art-walk event that I took part in, and was impressed by her warmth, down to earth personality and passion for the local art community.

Sonya was kind enough to allow me to shoot her portrait last week, and we had a blast! We staged the shoot in the shop of a local merchant, Radio Daze, which has countless toys and vintage items, a virtual playground of creativity for our shoot! Upon seeing the three wise monkeys in the store, I immediately thought how fun it would be to use them. Sonya's wardrobe choice made it a perfect fit, and so we went with it! More shots from the session can be found on my website, but I found this image to be among my favorites. Maybe you will too!

Do Not Try This At Home

Week 7

Malaka

February 21, 2010

Today I watched up close as guys took 400lb motorcycles and threw them around like they were the old BMX style bicycle I had growing up. A buddy of mine stunt rides, and we connected, hoping to get some good pics of he and his fellow riders doing their thing. We did....

They scoped out an empty lot where they'd be able to ride and me shoot them without any trouble. One of the first images I got, the above photo let me know I was in for a show. It was both powerful and graceful, and a testament to the amount of skill it takes to stunt. I shot with my 24-70 2.8 pretty much the whole time. I was close enough to the action I didn't really need a longer lens, though I may try to have a longer one with me next time to give me a little more range.

I can't wait to go shoot them again. Today's weather was off and on rainy, leaving the guys doing "safe" stunts. Totally looking forward to seeing what happens when they have dry pavement and the confidence that comes along with it.

Until next time....

Mavericks

Week 6

Mavericks
February 13, 2010

Chased by a monster. Surfing insanity. Cheating death. These were some of the captions I thought of when I was looking through the images I took at the Mavericks Surf Competition this weekend at Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay. I'll start by saying that I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of images I got from the shoot. They are not the best quality technically, but I liked the way they give perspective to how massive and formidable the ocean is for these surfers. There are plenty of shots, the above included that give a pretty stark and humbling picture of what these 24 big wave surfers were up against that day. Dropping in on wave at Mavericks is like jumping off of a 3, even 4 story building. A moving building. One that's trying to eat you.

Now, I'm no surfer, but that seems pretty insane to do willingly. I'm glad they do, though, as we get quite the spectacle and inspiration as onlookers from the courage and skill that's required to even paddle out into such conditions, much less to attempt riding waves of this magnitude.

Big wave surfer Chris Bertish from South Africa won the contest admitting he was terrified, that he even considered not going back out at one point. The waves were HUGE. Even from a half mile away, you could get a sense of their scale by watching the water fall as the waves crested, and witnessing the explosion of energy as they crashed back into the sea.

From a photography stand-point, I learned a few things. Use some filters to cut through the haze of the morning fog and sea-spray perpetually in the air surrounding the waves. Get a bigger lens. Even with the 400mm rented Canon lens and 1.4x teleconverter to increase my reach, being 1/2 mile away didn't allow anything resembling a close up. Get on a boat. There are numerous operations that take boats out for spectators and photographers to be much closer to the action... although they cost you $350+ just to get on the vessel.

Even with all the challenges, I am glad I went to the event. Looking forward to the next 48-hour text message notice that Mavericks is on... hopefully again next year.

Saratoga Yellow

Week 5

Saratoga Yellow
February 6, 2010

Driving back from a client meeting, I was passing this field beside the Saratoga public library. It was almost sunset, and the color radiating off of these flowers was too tempting to pass up. I stopped my truck, parked and started shooting, wondering how long before I would be chased off of what appeared to be an orchard of some sort.... Luckily, I was able to shoot freely and without interruption as I walked along the perimeter of the orchard where these yellow flowers, (mustard flowers I believe) were in bloom and catching the most amazing light.

The potential clients I was meeting with are a friendly couple that are holding their wedding in a county park nestled in the mountains that overlook the small town of Saratoga. The redwood forest is beautiful here, and I was reminded again today that it has been way too long since I've strapped on a pack and walked into the woods for couple days of rest and solitude. I love being out in nature, and find the beauty I'm surrounded by soothing and cleansing. I find myself wanting to capture everything I see, and so frequently take a ridiculous number of pictures when I'm out hiking or camping.

What was nice about today was the reminder that I don't have to be a couple miles away from the nearest road and out of cel-phone coverage in order to witness and capture simple, but striking beauty that we can enjoy and is abundantly available to us, but that we frequently take for granted.