Help to San Diego

We got an email yesterday from an old friend about helping the fire victims in San Diego. Lyndsay was planning on driving down this morning with supplies to donate to one of the church shelters: The Rock.
We got the word out via email to families we know through the kids as well as a lot of my friends and business contacts.
We ended up filling the Volvo with stuff we got and stuff other's donated. We also raised $300!
Lyndsay emailed this afternoon:

First I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you for your overwhelming generosity! You guys did an amazing job! This morning we packed my father-in-laws 14 foot trailer with items you donated! We spent $2000 on blankets, pillows, toiletries, food, crayons, and coloring books, paper goods, and lots of water. Richie & Selina Garcia, my mom, and I hopped into the truck and traveled down to San Diego to The Rock church. They were so thankful for our generosity. They have become a distribution center for smaller shelters, and were preparing to receive elderly evacuees this afternoon. I gave the church my contact info and they said they would call if they needed anything else!

The fire you see in the pictures were burning on the side of the 5 fwy. Pretty intense.

Thank you all!

So cool!! check out her photos: HERE.

To help local victims go to the Red Cross.

All my best to anyone affected by this catastrophe!! I can't imagine what it must feel like to have to flee your home!!

Need help, please don't hesitate to call us!- 714-448-3173.

The perfect setting

A week ago Saturday I shot one of my most favorite weddings ever! It was at the Bride's Parents' house in South Pasadena- a couple blocks from the Ritz. The house was built in 1912 so, of course, I loved it. The cool thing was that so much of it was original- As I walked up and into the house I had this very comfortable feeling come over me- it's like you're in a Leave it to Beaver episode- a time when things were simpler and easier- at least they seemed it!

Virginia and Brian and their great families made the day even better- they were great to shoot and were very respectful and hospitable.

The day was also fabulous because the decor was beautiful which always makes a wedding day more fun to shoot!! The design and coordination was done by Joie de Vivre in Glendale. Jennifer was great to work with- another plus!

More vendors:
El Portal Restaurant did the catering- yummy hand made tortillas for the the carnitas!
Rental Co: Town & Country, Van Nuys
Florist: Tommy Farmer, Pasadena

All in all a fun day to experience and an even more fun day to shoot!!

SLIDESHOW- click on Brian and Virginia (there are some shots of the rehearsal dinner too).

Love- in the first person

I think I have posted about Media Storm in the past- well, I just watched their latest show: Love- In the First Person.
This story is just a small slice of the lives of two college kids falling in love and experiences big changes in their lives- pregnancy, marriage, moving across country, starting a new job... all in about a year- crazy!
Great photography, cool story- very moving at times.
Check out the show HERE.

Jean and Robert's wedding

As always the Hyatt in Huntington was great fun to shoot... especially with cool people as my subjects! Rob and Jean are long time pros now, after doing two engagement shoots! (not a reshoot!!)
It was also a pleasure working with Carrie Goff and her crew!

Through the crack in the door... the hinge side!:
Sweet!
I love Jean's laugh!!!!
Aerial view on their exit- my first attempt:
Rob is hilarious!!

Down at the beach:
Amazing set up by Jean and Carrie!! Lighting makes all the difference!
Check out more images HERE!

My Lightroom Preset in the Paper!

I just got an email from my brother, the journalist/photojournalist in Portland:

check the photo on the Oregonian front page..

http://www.oregonlive.com/

if it's gone when you read this.. check here.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/10/a_ghost_bike_a.html

they're using my photo and I used one of your presets in lightroom (old b/w) .

sad circumstances though.

--Jonathan

What a terrible story... but it's awesome that Jonathan is there to bring the topic of bicycle safety to so many people. Check out his site for more bike related news: www.bikeportland.org

I sent him my LR presets when I got him setup with it- he is now a thankful convert!!

Nice work, Jon.

Bailey's Team

I have missed a few of Bailey's games due to weddings on Saturdays and the fact that her games are usually later than Caysen's... I do go to every practice to show my support.
Last week we did some photos so families could have some cooler shots as compared to the assembly line images that the league offers.

Check out more photos HERE.

Caysen's Soccer!

I have had such an awesome time this season helping coach my son's team. They are so fun! ...I often get them too riled up!!! But I love to make them laugh and scream!

They had a game last Saturday and Jeni (my wife) got a few shots since I'm kinda busy running up and down the field coralling the kids in to go in the right direction.

A little pre-game warm up:
Cayse on his way to a goal!!
Gimme 10 Bud!
Another one!!
After the game:
I was so proud of my guy this weekend: He had score a few goals during the game and has about 10 under his belt for the season. During the game he got a break-away with a little guy on his team- Justin- who had never scored a goal. I yelled to Cayse to pass it to him and without hesitation he did just that. Justin scored and had the hugest smile on his face. Caysen was so proud and so was I. I love that guy!!

Another San Fran Engagement Shoot

While in SF for Nikki and Matt, I also did another engagement shoot with Cathy and Daniel- so cool. We shot at the Palace of Fine Arts. If you haven't been there it is sooo cool!- Huge columns... I mean HUGE columns all over the place. There were photo shoots happening around every corner, a couple wedding shoots, some ameteur portraits, and some school projects.

The columns made for a great backgound, have a look:

San Fran with Nikki and Matt

I know, I know I have been a terrible blogger lately- it is so hard to find time these days! If you want to see how busy we've been have a look at the gallery site HERE.

I wanted to share a couple engagement shoots I has last weekend in San Francisco. Nikki and Matt are getting married in Laguna the Ritz Carlton next June because their families are all down here. They live in Alameda near Oakland and love their new town so they wanted to shoot up there... "Cool!" I said and this is what we got:

This is a forest where they jog all the time- soooo cool!!
Matt's idea to use the frame-
And accross the road in a little field-
Then over the Bay Bridge to San Fran:
A cool building we spotted while driving-

We had a blast- can't wait for the wedding! They were the coolest too- they followed me to drop off my rental car to shoot me over to the airport... I got there just in time... then we didn't board for a half hour or so- of course!

Thanks guys- cool trip!