Ablog

NEW BLOG IS HERE!!!!!!!

2009-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

FInally after months of design and consultation, my new blog is designed and launched.
No more eblogger.
No more uploading hassles.
No more being confined to parameters WE don't set.
No more long URLs.
No more theanblog.blogspot.com!!!

Just amazing, juicy goodness found in the new blog. www.anphotoblog.com

Here you'll see ease in navigation, fun new categories, easier ways to comment and search, info about Andre and BIGGER more custom photographs that you want to see! Have fun, tell your friends, and enjoy! Thanks for all your support.

www.anphotoblog.com

One more time...www.anphotoblog.com

Aya and Ben and The Donald

2009-01-13T16:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, the Donald wasn't there. But we were on his property. Two of my great passions in life are Photography and Golf. And shooting on a course this nice, ($375 a round), can be very hard for me not to run onto the tee box and crush a drive in between pics. We shot the other day in Palos Verdes on the adjacent public park at the Trump National Golf Course. The sun was super bright and we were early so we had a few drinks before and chatted it up about Stanford, mutual friends, Hobbees, and life. It was really fun. I love getting to know my clients. The hills were beautiful, and I swear it looks like some of there were taken on the Rolling HIlls of Ireland. I can't wait for their wedding next month!

A little frolicking...

I love her black hair. It makes a beautiful contrast with her outfit and the bright colors. I hope you wear it down on your wedding!

A little laying...

A little chillin...

Ellie's Back! With Christmas Sweater Vengeance

2009-01-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

I think Ellie is my favorite baby to shoot. This is the third installment of Baby Ellie Sullivan. Her parents, Margie and Ryan Sullivan are friends of mine, and also neighbors. I shot their wedding about 4 years ago. And Margie is due with #2 soon! Can't wait to shoot that delivery margie (hint hint).
Aside from being perhaps the cutest baby girl on the west coast, Ellie is super charming and so sweet. And with Rockstar hair like this, how could I not love snappin shots of her!?

This was the last shot of the day, literally right outside the car where we parked. I couldn't resist the raw wood look.

If J Crew made baby clothes, then we'd have the cover model here.

Taking a jog.

Love this one in the brush.

She's done.

Steve and Katie at Stanford

2009-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

I loved this wedding for SO many reasons! Steve Settle is one of my really good friends from Cal Poly. We were roomates for 2 months when we lived over in China. It was amazing to see him settle down (pun intended) and get married. Not only that, but to see him so madly in love with a woman, was awesome. And Katie is a very special girl. Not because she has to put up with Steve and his shenanigans, but because she has such a down to earth personality. She has a great family, and is super cute and funny. Katie looked gorgeous on her wedding day i might add. We had a great time with the eng. pics a few months back, and the just had a blast at the wedding shooting at first, De Anza college, then at Stanford University. Congrats Steve, i love you man!

This was a great shot, one of my favorites in the main courtyard on campus.

It was practically dark, so with the ISO cranked up, this shot has a great vintage, classic feel.

She took my advice from my blog..and got sweet colorful shoes. Love em.

The girls LOVED this shot. I do too.

Steve's Dad's sweet hotrod!

This was the best moment captured during the day. Steve praying with the boys at the church.

Smokin.

The Birth of Lainey Coltman-Slideshow

2008-12-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Here is the video slideshow of Chad and Kelli's birth. Welcome Lainey Coltman!

The Birth of Lainey Coltman

2008-12-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

This was an UNBELIEVABLE experience. Chad and Kelli Coltman had their baby Monday night at Hoag Hospital and i had the opportunity and priveldge to photograph the delivery. I was pretty nervous. I would say unless you have a child, you have never witnessed a live birth, and TV and movies don't do it any justice other than frighten you or distort the drama of a birth. Life truly is a miracle. Kelli and Chad were so calm and collected during the delivery and Lainey came out glowing and beautiful.
Thank you two so much for giving me a chance to do this. I can't wait to do it again.

The Murphy Fam, the Packers, and some Brats.

2008-12-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

I just had a KILLER weekend in Green Bay. My buddy Troy Murphy who i know from RockHarbor moved to Green Bay and became the chaplain for the Packers, my all time favorite football team. It was life-long goal to go to a game. Well not only did i hit up a game, i was in a warm box seat, away from the -3 degree weather. We all hung out at the Tail Gate Party before, where i met the Mayor, Jim Schmitt, and had some Wild Turkey to stay warm at 9:30 in the morning. It was epic.
The day before i hung out with the Murphy's at their home and then snapped some sweet photos of the fam. Troy has a beautiful family with FOUR girls, all super cute. Thanks Troy for a great weekend. I can't wait to come back.

I drove by a breathtaking snow-covered field with the setting sun in the back that I HAD to get the fam in.

Beautiful Fam. Good job Troy! (and Trish!)

THis is a fun shot, even though its a prototypical "run to the camera" shot...

This is a fun one.

The girls.

I love this shot.

Troy being a stud.

Two of my favorite things. America and the Packers.

The Mayor of Green Bay and I enjoying some morning grub.

FULL stadium, ofcourse!

Wylan at DISNEYLAND!!!!!!!

2008-12-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Wylan is one of the cutest babies i have ever seen. He is even dubbed "Fake Baby" because he is always so docile and smiley. (Donna might disagree with this.) We had a great time at Disneyland walking around snapping tons of fun shots. It was Wylans first time on the tea cups, and on Dumbo. We tried to snap a few on Pinocchios Adventure, but it was way to dark. I pretty much sat alone in my own car and and "enjoyed" the ride. (which is pretty dark and scary i might add...) Wylan was great all day! Later we ate clam chowder together and Brian and I had a chance to hit up Space Mountain. We went on a Tuesday afternoon, and the longest we waited was like 3 minutes on each ride!

Givin' the Sword a tug.

The Carousel was fun. Even though people were looking at me like i was a stalker as i snapped away every time they went by me on the sidelines.

This is my favorite set of shots. Brian is a GREAT Father. i hope to be as loving and fun as him to my son one day.

I get sick just looking at this shot. Tea Cups. Boo.

The Quintessential Christmas Tree shot.

Doesn't everyone remember doing this with their parents???

Tiff and Phil

2008-12-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

You might remember from a post a few months back, Tiff and Phil's proposal pics. Here are their long awaited engagement pics. They are getting married on the 28th of March, and i can't wait to shoot the wedding. We were supposed to go to dinner after the shoot, but i got food poisoning the day before so i felt icky. Despite that, we grabbed some killer shots around Balboa.

They used this one for their Save the Dates. Its a killer shot.

Acrade! YES! how awesome is this?!

I love this shot!

and this one...

Teri and Jacob

2008-12-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

I love the Hopper family. I know Tim Hopper from some old friends back in the day. I shot his sisters wedding, Tracy, about 5 years ago, and the her sister in laws wedding shortly after. And a couple of weeks back i had the priveldge of shooting Teri and Jacob's Wedding in Diamond Bar. It was a beautiful day, and bittersweet. The wild fires were literally surrounding us in Fullerton during the reception and we saw flames in each direction. Fortunately they were no threat to us or the surrounding buildings. It will make a great story for years to come! The families of those who lost their homes are in our thoughts and prayers.
We woke up early and shot the bridal photos at downtown Fullerton. We had a great time. The weather was perfect, and the streets were quiet. We found some great buildings and textures to shoot around, one of my favorites being the Fox theater.
Congrats you two! can't wait for the next Hopper affiliated wedding!

I thought I'd start with this. I think this is my favorite shot of the day.

The boys. I love the little guy in the front.

This was a little nook by the Irish pub. A Black and Tan would have been great if it weren't 9 a.m.

Love the wind in the veil here.

Thats right. wedding specials for $99 bucks! can't beat that with a stick

The Fox theater.

The boys wanted to stop at Inn-n-out. Jacob, being from Denver, LOVES this place.

Sara and Matt in the Desert

2008-11-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

I had a love/hate relationship with this wedding. It was gorgeous! It had great people. It had wonderful food. The bride and groom were glowing. But it was on a golf course. A Beautiful golf course...that i couldn't play! Ok, other than that fact, i loved shooting this wedding. Sara and Matt were awesome, and we had a great time in Palm Desert. They got married at the Indian Wells Country Club, one of the oldest and most prestigious golf courses in California.
This hills were brilliant against the setting sun and the grass was green and flawless. There were some really fun nooks to shoot in by the eighteenth green with the mountains in the back. Sara has a bubbling personality and was the sweetest thing. Thanks for letting me capture your wedding!

Very elegant and classic here.

Some great deets.

A moment in the presidents room.

I LOVE this shot.

The boys looking tough.

This could be my favorite shot of the day. They both look so real in the photo.

...and a great kiss.

A Meathead wedding...(black tie, at the nicest hotel in San Diego with a beautiful couple)

2008-11-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

Where should i start with this...so many stories and anecdotes...
This is Aaron and Erin..yes, the same name. I met Erin (the bride) through a good friend and client Robin Christensen. Erin was her maid of honor a few years back and it was a joy to finally shoot her wedding. Erin is just a gem! So cute, and so fun, one of the nicest sweetest girls i have ever met. She smiles and laughs at EVERYTHING!! Then there is Aaron (the groom). Also one of the nicest most caring guys i have ever shot. You wouldn't know it, but he is an undefeated WEC fighting champion. Thats like UFC. (i think) Now he owns and operates a VERY successful moving business called Meathead movers, employing students from Cal Poly.
Well their wedding was utterly spectacular and very classic and elegant. Black tie, at the US Grant, a historic and beautiful hotel in downtown San Diego. I feel words will only detract from how special these pics are...so enjoy!!

She had the most amazing presidential suite i have ever seen...

Gorgeous!

Jameson. These boys know how to do it right. No Bud Light at this party.

I caught the best man pacing while practicing his speech, which was AMAZINGLY funny and touching.

Love the floor pattern.

I saw this stairwell near the shopping district at Gas Lamp, and HAD to get them up here...I rode an escalator up as i shot these pics. We all felt like rockstars.

This texture and color really jumped out at me.

I think this texture really jumped out at the bride...and bridesmaids!

This was their balcony from their suite on the top floor. Killer view from up there, (and down here.)

The party.

Here is an elusive shot that Aaron's cousin snapped at me. nice work man.

Cecill, Brian and Toby the Tortoise!

2008-11-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

Cecille and Brian were married a couple of weeks ago. It was a chill wedding, with a fun group of people and yes, for real, a Turtle as the wedding mascot. Not just any turtle, but an African Desert Tortoise! It reminded me of my dad, he had a turtle, Myrtle the turtle, growing up, and i want to know where i can buy him one!
Brian was full of emotion that day, Cecille looked gorgeous and it was a killer ceremony and reception.

TOBY!!!!!!!

This was a great moment. Brain welled up and lost it as Cecille walked down the aisle.

Isn't she darling?

I am gonna guess they were cheerleaders...

Golf, Sushi, Shaun White and Engagement Photos

2008-10-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

Now this Engagement Photo Session is every photographers dream. (Atleast photographers who love to golf and eat sushi.)
Mike and Jen are a super awesome couple. I met Mike early in the morning and played golf at the beloved Torrey Pines golf course...I was +1 after 8 holes, and then blew up after that as i boarded the bogey train. I could talk about golf all day, but this is a photo blog. Mike and i had a great time. He is a doctor, so we chatted about the ailments that I ever had questions about. After, we grabbed sushi at Sushi on the Rock in La Jolla and sat next to Shaun White. The owner came by and gave him free dessert. i guess the owner didn't recognize me as the world famous photographer. I had to pay.
We shot the pics down in La Jolla in the city and found some cool nooks and crannies to shoot in. The sun was perfect, we had raw fish in our bellies, and were still glowing from the round at Torrey!

Jen is super sweet, and this photo really shows her personality.

This was a cool little restaurant. I wish i could remember the name, but it looked very European.

This is my attempt at aerial photography. I love this shot.

This is a great shot. i love the texture of the street and old buildings in the back. (kinda looks like Mike is coppin a feel here...)

No i did NOT ask them to run, but i thought this was a great shot to put up!

Hole 12, Par 3. don't remember what i shot here...although my strut indicates i may have missed the green...

Steve (Shi-di-fu) and Katie in Palo Alto

2008-10-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is Steve Settle. One of my really good friends from Cal Poly, and his super fun and super cute fiance Katie. Steve and i were travellin buddies back in school. We went to Vail, Tahoe, and lived in China together for 2 months. (shi-di-fu is his Chinese name) I am SOOO happy for him when he found Katie, and now I am ecstatic that he is getting married next month. He is one of the nicest, funnest guys i have ever met. That day we met in the city and grabbed lunch, and had Irish Coffees and Guiness' at my favorite bar in San Francisco, Buena Vista.
We started taking photos over by Stanford in the rolling hills, and then finished up at down-town Palo Alto. It was a killer time, (partly cause of the Patron we had to loosen up for the photographs!)
Down town Palo Alto is one of my favorite places in California, and the buildings, colors and textures were awesome. It was my first time shooting there, but being a regular patron to the restaurants and pubs there made a really fun time!
Congrats you too! can't wait for the wedding. Thanks for the tequila Steve!

I love this shot. Kudos katie on the green scarf. You all know how much of a fan i am of splashes of color.

Red wall. Awesome

Look at those eyes. Your kids are gonna be so cute. (yes steve! thats right!)

This was the beginning of our shoot with tons of people walking by, some actually whistling and hollarin at katie! (ask her about it)

YUM

Love this old theater.

This is one of my favorite shots. i love how festive it is!!

Halloween. The Joker and Obama I think...(insert whichever partisan political comment here.)

Steve being the goofball he is!

The Green Machines - JUST MARRIED!!

2008-10-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Caren and David got married last weekend at the Hilton in Huntington Beach. It was a super fun wedding. The had like 20 people in the wedding party, AND were able to keep their composure and have a great time! We went down to the peninsula in a vintage trolley that we rented, ask the bride and groom about the ride, it was quite an adventure!
We tried to go onto the beach, the wind was brutal, so we stayed mostly down town in the buildings. Caren was a great bride, really fun with just about a million different faces to photograph, as you can see from below.
They got my name from Kara and Rob, whose baby i posted about 4 or 5 posts ago. It was great to see them and catch up. Congrats on the baby again you two! The reception was tons of fun. The live band they had was spectacular, (the same one from Kara's wedding,) and with the delicious appetizer platter that Caren snuck my and my assistant was DEE-LISH!

The many faces of Caren...

A gemstone C and D on the bottom of her shoes...awesome!

Love this moment on the bus. (right after i popped some more champagne for the lucky couple!

Tiff and Phil ENGAGED!!!

2008-10-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

This was my first proposal shoot. And i had a blast, mostly cause i felt like James Bond sneaking around town capturing moments. Tiff is one of my best friends and it was truly touching to see her get engaged to a great guy, who i am still getting to know, Phil. They had dinner at Villa Nova the other night and then took a Gondola right right after. I was sneaking around the docks, behind fences and parked cars snapping shots of them. About halfway through Phil proposed! We all met for drinks afterwards in the bar at Villa Nova and were serenaded to by some amazing old-timers who sing at night.
It was pitch black so i cranked my AV to 1.2 and shot at 3200 all night, and it gave some killer old school grain.
Congrats you too!!!!

NAG, aka Nick Grindy

2008-10-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Rob and Katy had a baby!!! I had the pleasure of shooting Rob and Katy Grindy's wedding almost 5 years ago in San Luis Obispo, and they just had their first baby, (first of many Rob informs me!). They live in Buellton, CA so i stopped by on the way back from a little personal two day road trip to SLO. It was great to see them at home, with their new child. Rob just got a job as a California Highway Patrol. If you don't know me, i am fascinated with law enforcement. So in between shoots, during feedings Rob and I talked all about his work, gun control, traffic laws, and even celebrities he has pulled over on the road.
It was a beautiful fall day and we used the natrual light and even some great outside light to shoot some killer shots of the Grindy's at home. Congrats you two! Can't wait to do the future Grindys!

Nicks poppin blue eyes.

I love this close up shot.

The blue room, or NAG nest as i like to call it.

chillin on the bench outside.

Giant police officer hands, and tiny baby. love it.

Ridin the trolley in Santa Barbara

2008-10-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

Anytime i get to go to Santa Barbara, is a good time. You add a gorgeous bride, a penthouse suite at the Canary hotel, photos at the beautiful historic courthouse and a ride on a trolley...then Andre is happy! Drew and Kerry's wedding last weekend was such a great time. The ceremony was at a sweet church right by the couthouse. Very formal, but very fun indeed. Right after we took a trolley around town that dropped us off at various locations for pics. Needless to say we made a beer and chip run and Vons...absolutely necessary before photos!
Drew and Kerry truly were a gorgeous couple, picture perfect! From San diego, they decided to get married in Santa Barbara where they actually got engaged. It was raining literally up until we had to leave for photos. The air was fresh, the city clean and quiet. it was amazing!

The first great photo of the day was taken right in the lobbey of the newly redesigned and renamed Canary Hotel. I love this wall.

I have been shooting brides sitting down a lot lately. Its my new thing, and i think its workin'.

Drew and the Father of the Bride just minutes before the ceremony.

THis could be my favorite shot and moment of the day. Imagine taking photos in front of like 85 people just watching by the church. Hey, when you're as beautiful as this couple, how could you NOT look?!

Soraya and Roger at the Ranch in Chicago. Ole!

2008-10-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

I was SOOO excited to shoot Soraya's wedding for many reasons. One, Soraya is a great friend from Rock Harbor who moved to Tenessesee a couple of years ago. Two, it was great to see a few friends at the wedding. Three, it was in CHICAGO, my FAVORITE city! Take a look at the shots at the bottom. i LOVE this city...the air, the people, the restaurants, the architecture.
I was so stoked to see Soraya happy. Roger is a total stud. i just met that day, but i could tell from our conversation and the way he looked at Soraya that he loves her VERY much. He is a great guy. They have a sweet fairty-tale story of how they got together, ask them about it.
And the location of the wedding, Forget about it!!! it was ridiculous. Her brother Freddie has a horse ranch that was breathtaking. What a great day, a firey Puerto Rican family, amazing food, a beautiful horse ranch, mimosas...need i say more?

Soraya getting ready with Rogers daughter. Precious.

Bouquet and riding boots. awesome.

Yes, thats a horse. He creeped up on us during our shoot.

The food and wine was AMAZING, some of the best i have ever had...(OF COURSE in chicago)...And being a wine lover, there were some killer bottles there. Dariush, which i had for the first time...phenomenal.

The view of the city from the John Hancock tower.

This could be one of my favorite shots i have ever taken. I LOVE millennium park. The bean is rad.

Julie and Darrin

2008-10-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Julie and Darrin were married in Temecula at Falkner winery, one of my favorites with one of the most beautiful views in the valley. Let me tell you, this couple was awesome. Darrin is one of the nicest, coolest guys i have ever met. He looks like the long lost twin of Lamont Hiebert, the singer of a great band Ten Shekel Shirt.
Any wedding in Temcula is fun, but this last Saturday we found a lot of fun textures and colors popping out at the wedding right before sunset. The ceremony was also a joy to be apart of. Darrin actually washed Julie's feet during the ceremony, a very powerful and symbolic gesture found in the Bible of lifelong servitude and humility. It was beautiful!

I LOVE fun colors that pop and contrast with a white wedding dress. Ladies, you heard me say it, get colorful shoes for me to photograph!

This wooden wall was a great backdrop.

The boys praying before the ceremony

Even though we lost some sun for photos after the ceremony, it was peeking through the hills to give an amazing backlight with super rich and warm colors

The feet washing. I wish i would have done this at MY wedding ceremony.

The happy couple light on their feet. What a super fun reception with mariachi and all!

Jake and the Puppy Greer

2008-10-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Kara and Rob Greer! I shot their wedding a while back, and they have just been blessed with a beautiful baby boy!!! Did i mention that I LOVE doing baby shoots! New parents are just glowing when they have a newborn in the house, and its great to be in the midst of all that joy! LIttle Jake had the sweetest little nursery...full of monkeys!! I also learned a lot about newborns...like the Peepee Teepee.
Jake was incredibly calm for a newborn, until the very end, when he wanted less attention and more nap time i think. He has beautiful blue eyes which really pop in some of these pics.

They had the cutest nursery. I wish you could see all the monkey gear!

I thought about photoshopping a CB radio in his hand on this one...

The pup and baby.

Rob had to get a shot of Jake is this Guns N Roses tshirt. I would too! this thing rocks!

Hendo and Ellen - Absotively Stunning!!!

2008-09-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Two things i love most about my job, are:
1. When a couple is truly in love and their true beauty shows on their wedding day.
2. When i get the privilege to photograph a really good friend's wedding.
Well, both things happened on Sunday when i shot Ellen Cunningham's and Mike "Hendo" Henderson's Wedding. I have known Ellen for a few years through Rock harbor, and i see her every Wednesday at our Life Group. She is truly a gem. And Hendo is one of the most genuine, generous, and just plain hilarious guys i have ever met. The wedding was a blast. We did the majority of the photos near the Balboa Pavilion. The alley gave the best light and textures, and we had a great time in the afternoon.
With Fall around the corner, the colors popped in the trees and at the old barn setting of their wedding, we got amazing shots!
Thanks you too, and God Bless. See you when you get back,

Ellen's house, where she got ready, which is amazing by the way, had some killer nooks and crannies to take a couple of classic shots. She had a very classic look, and with her mom's actual veil, we had to get as vintage as possible!

Scarlet, who was bummed she couldn't make the wedding. One of the sweetest dogs you will ever meet.

Oh, i LOVE this one. The bling on her finger just pops out of this one.

This is a great detail, and of my favorite cakes i have photographed. Look at all these textures and nuisances.

This is Hendo's grandma, who he just adores. She sang Ave Maria at the reception and it moved every one at the wedding.

No, i did NOT paint that heart there.

Love this one. Girls lookin bad-azz.

This was a killer moment when Andrea gave her very heart warming speech.

Love the fall mood of this shot.

...and this one too.

Lisa and Todd Puttin on the Ritz

2008-09-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

I first met Lisa and Todd through my really good friend of 7 years, Lisa Ahlgren, whose wedding I had the pleasure of shooting a few years ago. Lisa and her mom took me to Cheesecake Factory for our initial consultation, where we all ordered the exact same thing. Todd, her fiance is just about the nicest guy anyone can meet. His reaction to Lisa walking down the aisle too showed me that he will cherish her forever.
We had a crazy day at the Ritz, there were 3 weddings going on that day, so it was like a zoo. But, secluded in our garden area, and walking the grounds we snapped some awesome shots. My favorite, the one in the elevator. Lisa knows how to work the camera too, once she got warmed up.

My favorite shot of the day!

This is Bella. The "Dawg of Honor"

One of the cutest and studliest ring bearers ever.

Here is Lisa and Kyle. I photographed their wedding a few years ago. I am starting a trend to shoot couples that i have shot before in the most random poses ever.

I love this shot. The lighting is a bit off, but the details in her dress give some dramatic texture and amazing details.

Just loungin'

Alethea and Shawn in Redondo Beach

2008-09-10T09:00:00.001-07:00

Audrey Hepburn seen in Redondo!!!! Strikingly beautiful and timeless. There isn't much else to say to describe Alethea and Shawn on their wedding day last Friday. I feel like i am doing slight injustice to compare Alethea to Hepburn. Although Audrey Hepburn was considered the most beautiful woman in the world, comparing the two doesn't shine a light on Alethea for who she is. Super fun, sweet, and gorgeous! And Shawn, what a rock star!
This couple both work in the film industry as set designers, cinematographers, etc. (I looked them up on IMDB!) I knew their wedding was going to be both special and interesting. And it was! The car, the dress, the feathers, the flat irons, the sparklers, the socks...EVERYTHING had their fingerprint on it!
We had a great time shooting, and the wedding party were so cool and cooperative, i couldn't stop taking shots of them during the day! The got married at the Wayfarers Chapel...GO CHECK IT OUT if you have never seen it.

This could be my favorite shot of the day. I love the colors, and mood of this shot.

Thats right. Scotch. Bride+Scotch=fun photo shoot.

Those Eyes. If you haven't seen their engagement photos on here, check em a few posts back!

This is the chapel. The light, which was a bit splotchy made for some really dramatic tones and contrast.

Oh man, i love this one! the car, and the retro beach. AMAZING! This was actually Shawn's first car!

Unbeknownst to me at the time, i think this is the actual street they are going to live on. How deliciously vintage is this shot?!

I love Coca-Cola. I love photos. This is one of my favorite shots i have ever taken.

Wait, maybe this is my favorite shot of the day...I LOVE IT!

Or maybe this one....

This is the first take!!! Ok, maybe not, maybe life 4th, but thats cool, we had fun doing it! I know, its MAJORLY cheesy, but you know you'd do it if you had sparklers!

Erin and Seth in Sonoma, at B.R. Cohn Winery.

2008-09-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying the was in an INCREDIBLE weekend. We arrived in Sonoma on Friday to meet up with the whole wedding party and family for a day of wine tasting. It was amazing. There was a limo bus and gold star treatment from all the wineries. Needless to say, i bought quite a few wines. Kenwood Jack London Zinfandel is superb if you have a chance to pick it up. Then later than night, Erin and Seth had a party for all their guest at this killer retro resort, the Flamingo. There were two open bars and some incredible appetizers. It was pretty much the BEST pre-wedding day we have ever done.
The day of the wedding was awesome. Erin was so chill and not in the least high maintenance. She was pretty much the perfect bride. Easy going, but yet very stylish and intentional about planning her beautiful wedding. Seth was also fun to work with. Tell me you don't think he looks like John Stewart...The whole thing took place at B.R. Cohn winery, actually owned and operated by the manager of the Doobie Brothers! The colors were amazing. Bright vibrant yellows and greens really accented the fall colors that were just stating to pop out in late August.
Oh, and Erin was GORGEOUS in her classic dress. She had a very timeless and vintage beauty about her.
Thanks so much for the super fun Friday, and a great wedding.
P.S. the port and chocolate bar was amazing!

By late august the grapes were a beautiful purple-blue color. (and they tasted amazing!)

This was a great backdrop for her dress.

Like i said, timeless beauty!

This is one of my favorite shots of the day. The bouquet looked great for photos alone, but matched with the vineyard and the dress, they really popped!

This was the ceremony on Fox Hill at the winery. Apparently they just started doing ceremonies here. Absolutely breath taking., surrounded by vineyards under the trees.

This was great among the olive trees.

Erin and Jason, ready to POP!

2008-08-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

I met Erin and Jason through Kiley and Brandon Riggs, a long time friends who I have photographed, hung out with, and golfed with. (Thats a killer combo.) We met on the beach last night, and it was CROWDED! We ended making fun of some wild teenagers that reminded us of some characters on The OC. I swear, my wife has me hooked on that show now...anyways, back to Erin. Jason wasn't super excited about the camera, but once we got started,he warmed up and we had a blast. They are going to have a baby girl in about 6 weeks, and I am SOOO excited to photograph their newborn...if not their delivery photos...hint hint! Erin will be a beautiful new mom, and Jason will be a great Father. I can feel it in my bones.
Enjoy these pics guys, and i can't wait to meet the little one!

This is my favorite one. Its so still, yet there is a lot of energy in this shot.

Great colors popping here.

This one, not so much with colors, but definitely not lacking on pop.

Great tummy profile here.

She might kill me for saying this, but Erin looks so much like Christina Applegate...look hard, i know you can see it. (Post-Married with Children of course...think Anchorman.)

I love this little mini-cave.

Caren and David, the green machines.

2008-08-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

I met David and Caren the day that we did our engagement shoot. They booked me from out of state, without meeting me based on my work of a friends wedding, Kara Greer. Thats the kinda booking i like! The first thing i noticed: the GREEN! i loved it. i usually tell couples not to match, but i liked what they had going on here. So they were timid at first, but after a couple minutes and after a few fun comments, they really loosened up and we had a great time. I am excited for their wedding in October! Thanks guys!

Love this moment. I think i was making fun of David and his chewing...yes, ask him about it!

The green and reddish brown make a nice color combo. Wedding colors maybe????

Kerry and Drew

2008-08-14T11:03:00.001-07:00

Here we have Kerry and Drew who are getting married in October. Not a particularly hard couple to photograph....they are gorgeous! They are more than just pretty faces, they have such great personalities too! They are both easy to talk too, and are super fun to photograph.Drew practically wanted to jump in the water right away. We have some mutual friends, couples who's wedding I have shot, so it was great to talk about them. We were supposed to meet for a drink at the Crow Bar before, but they were running late with traffic, so i guess we'll have to have a round at their wedding!

LOVE this shot. Beautiful profile.

I think he was ready to jump in. I had to intervene or Kerry would have been wet and unhappy!!! This was the BEGINNING of the shoot too!

Great color on this one. The sun disappeared for a while, then decided to pop back out.

Ethan Wayman

2008-08-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

I have to say this first, and Eric will kill me, but the Father of this baby pictured below is NOT Luke from The OC. Its a good thing Eric and I are great friends for me to able to say stuff like that!!!
Our great friends Eric and Cathy Wayman, just had little Ethan last July 15th. My wife and I asked Eric, a pastor at our church Rock Harbor, to marry us at our wedding. We love hangin' with the Waymans. They are super fun to play Catch Phrase with, or any game for that matter. I have never met a more competitive couple! We were so excited to see them have a baby, and Ethan is the man! (especially for the multiple projectile episodes we experienced this morning!)
We shot these around their home, in the bedroom and nursery, and there were great textures and patterns for some good backgrounds. In between shots we were rooting for Phelps, Hoff, and Coughlin during the Olympics, it was great. GO U.S.A!!!!

Love the colors and patterns of this duvee. I had to use it.

Daddy Wayman, looking studly! Cathy made him change his shorts and shirt like 5 times, like it was HIS photo shoot. (more so because of the projectiling though!!)

Look at the belly poppin out!

I think this is my favorite shot. Not only because of shirtless Eric, its just a great, 'real-moment-at-home' photo.

This is one of my favorites!

Again, great textures and patterns here. This is actually the "hooter-hider" feeding blanket.

Shawn and Alethea, a REAL beach photo shoot

2008-08-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

I was super excited to shoot Shawn and Alethea's engagement photos on the beach! They are a really fun couple with a great, unique rocker look. Alethea just had her hair and makeup test for the wedding, so she showed up gorgeous, Shawn you looked great too buddy. They have so many fun expressions, and i really enjoyed capturing all of them, namely the From Here to Eternity shot below.
I am also excited for the upcoming wedding at the Wayfarers Chapel in Palos Verdes. If you haven't seen it on The OC, or many other television shows, its pretty phenomenal!

Shot of the day right here, and pretty much one of the best beach shots ever. Way to take a chance and get COMPLETELY wet for the shoot! That's dedication.

Alethea's eyes are just STUNNING.

Not sure what to make of this one. But we had a lot of fun with this!

See, what did i say? GREAT expressions!

Again, those eyes just POP!

TnT (Tessa 'n Tim) at Shutters on the Beach

2008-07-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day in Santa Monica at Shutters on the Beach. I had the privilege of shooting Tessa and Tim's Wedding last weekend, and it was an amazing day. Tessa looked absolutely gorgeous, if you can see, check out the dark ring around the browns of her eyes..very unique!! And Tim is just a stud, and i must say and TERRIFIC dancer. There were tons of great details, like the vintage fashion, rings, and jewelry, and the parasols, AND my favorite part, Tim's cufflinks which were a special gift from Tessa. (read more below)
I had the pleasure of working with Tessa as I designed her CD wedding invitations. They turned out awesome, and we had great feedback. All in all, she was stunning and the family and friends were rockin' (shout out to Kimberly and Nathan whose wedding i shot last year)!!

Parasols..didn't even need them for the cloudy day, but they were still awesome!

One of my favorite dress detail shots.

So here is the story: Tessa wanted to give Tim a very special present...Being from Chicago and a huge Cubies fan, these cufflinks are made from the ACTUAL green benches from Wrigley field. What a PERFECT present for a guy!!!!

A sneak peek shot i grabbed as the boys got out of the elevator.

This is one the best shots from the day. Tessa's grandma was VERY special to her, and i had to catch a moment that showed the real emotions behind their relationship. This shot say it all.

I don't think i had a chance to tell them, but their vows were the BEST i have ever heard. (Besides the ones my wife and I read to eachother ofcourse) They were so honest and beautifully written, i almost shed a tear behind my lens. My favorite part: Tim says, "When it comes to giving what you always want, i might not be able to deliver, but i promise to always give you everything you need." What a stud.

We waited an hour for the perfect light. There was acutally a ginormous all nighter city festival going on call GLOW, which made the pier looking even more illuminated that is usually does.

This reminds me of the movie poster for Joe vs. the Volcano...

Yup, thats right, thats Tim showin' his moves.

And again...

Until June Backstage/Onstage at Hotel Cafe

2008-07-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever posted pics of Until June on this blog...and that is a crime! They are one of my favorite bands. (Granted Josh and Dan Ballard are two of my best friends, both were in my wedding last year.)
Well they are HUGE now in Asia and Greece, last month they were the number one band in Greece. They played live at the VMAs in Greece. Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC_MAaoeDdU
They played at Hotel Cafe last week with Tyrone Wells, and I had the privilege to snap some shots back stage, and during the show. (When i wasn't rockin out of course.)
If you haven't checked out their music, DO IT!. You may have heard it from me, or on itunes, or even on Grey's Anatomy.

The Hotel Cafe is a great little bar/club to check out some pretty rad shows.

Josh with their producer Brian Garcia. He has some GREAT stories if you ever have a chance to hang out with him.

Daniel Dempsey, the rhythm master.

This was from one of the mirrors high on the side wall. Kinda fun.

A little Josh montage. What a stud.

Dan wailing.

That hat is hiding pretty much the coolest hair ever.

And a little splash of color.

Ben and Jacquelyn in San Juan

2008-07-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

I met Ben through the mother of Chris Hann, who married my good friend Megan Willis from college. Ben is one of the nicest guys i have ever met, and not only was he a great guy, a fun subject on his wedding day, and just an all around gentlemen, but he works with Apple computers!
We started our day at the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. Actually, I started MY day at Pedros tacos across the street. If you still haven't had their Carne Asada tacos, drop everything and go NOW! It was a perfect day for photos, the sun was just peeking out of the clouds for some great diffused light. The old mission gave us some killer back drops for photos, with fun colors, interesting textures, and ALSO some hopscotch, that Ben and Jacquelyn had to partake in, (without even being encouraged by me to do it!) Thats how fun they are.

Ben is a competitive cyclist...and if you ever get a chance ask him to show you his shorts tan line...I've never seen anything like it.

I LOVE this doorway, with those spiky palm trees in the back. What a GREAT frame.

I shot against this wall because it was bright orange, but i thought giving it this vintage look made it even cooler.

This door across the street was awesome, and Ben and Jacquelyn were stoked to take a few shots here.

Oh yes they did!!!

The best part about my job...chocolate fountain. Whoever invented these should get a Nobel Prize.

Marlisa and Matt Mayberry at Montalvo Mansion

2008-07-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Now THAT was alliteration! Marlisa is the sister of Marcela, married to Jamie Fox, (not Foxx), who's wedding I shot back in the day. They are also great friends with the Cole's, Julianne and Will, whose wedding I shot last November. The pic below is of all 8 of us. I love this family. They are so chill and easy to photograph. The venue, the Villa Montalvo in Saratoga was breath taking! It was apparently the summer home of a U.S. senator built in 1912.
It was fun to add a vintage feel to the photos.
Jessica and I first met the wedding party at the Hotel Valencia in Santana Row in San Jose. Go there if you haven't. We had some amazing dim sum for lunch. The wedding was ON the fourth of july, and all though i didn't get to see a rad fireworks show, i had the opportunity to shoot this very elegant, and very charming wedding. So now that all of the Villalobos girls are married, i will have no more weddings to shoot in that immediate family...I guess i have to wait til they all start makin babies!

Here are the eight of us. We had a such a great time catching up at the wedding. The Fox's, the Cole's, the Niesing's and now the Mayberry's!

I Had to get this old piano in one of the shots. This is a 1898 Vintage Steinway. AWESOME!

Here is my favorite shot of the day.

They had a sweet first dance, down on the first landing of the mansion in the sunlight so all the guests could watch.

Now thats what I'm talkin' bout. He'll be cleaning out his nostrils for weeks.

Cade on the 4th of July

2008-07-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, technically this was the 5th of July. We shot a wedding on the 4th, (blog post to come soon!)
For the faux 4th, we had a sweet barbeque at Jessica's parents house, and Reese, our friend brought over her little boy Cade. Natch, i had to take some pics when he was running around.

Ok, this shot took Rebecca and I about 9 tries, but we finally got it, two boxes of sparklers later. All you need is...

Hendo and Ellen

2008-07-10T09:13:00.001-07:00

This is Hendo, Mike Henderson, and his fiance Ellen. They are great friends of mine, Ellen has been in my small group at church for over 2 years, and it was awesome to meet and get to know her boyfriend, now fiance, Hendo. I first met him at an Angel game about a year ago, and when i first saw him, i KNEW he would be fun. He is a great guy, and when we hang and have lunch together, the way that he talks about Ellen, i know he is truly in love with her! I am, however, bummed that when they get married, they are moving to Carlsbad..(whats that all about!?) ...that will give Jessica and I reasons to go South i suppose.
This shoot was a lot of fun, and STRESS. We were a bit late, AND there was a lot of haze on the beach, AND the tide almost swept us away a few times. But once we got in the groove, we got some great shots!!!
Congrats you two, can't wait for the wedding in September!

Carie and Steve's Wedding, the awesomest Angel-fan couple EVER!

2008-07-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

If you remember from a previous blog, Steve, Carie and I, with special hook-ups cause they are rockstars, got to take their engagement photos in the Angel Stadium on the field. (check out the included pic at the bottom)
I love this couple! Usually I speak with couples before the wedding on the phone about details, but Steve and Carie came over to my studio, and we chatted, drank some Chimay, ate some cheese, and had a great time. I can't wait for them to come back from their honeymoon so we can hit up an Angel Game! (Steve is a die-hard fan...Carie, well, lets just say she prefers another team of the same colors back East...)
The wedding was SUPER fun. There was a giant tour surfer bus that drove us all around San Juan and Dana Point. We had a three hour break between the ceremony and reception, so i encouraged them to stop and Pedro's for the best Carne Asada tacos this side of the border. We got some fun pics there, and then finished up at this killer old school mansion in Fountain Valley. The best part of the day, was when we recreated a VERY sentimental shot of Carie's grandparents wedding. I let Steve borrow my hat, and took this awesome neo-retro shot. Carie cried her eyes out when she saw it, and it was truly moving to see her so happy!
Thanks you two for a sweet wedding!

Just plain striking in a Catherine Zeta-Jones Classic kinda way...

Ah Pedro's! Ole!

Mmm...

This could be my favorite shot of the day. I loved this old house. It was shaded perfectly and made a great backdrop with her vintage dress.

This is my favorite moment of the day, as we were walking through the Orange Grove.

Steve looks like a stud with the hat!

Here is the picture Carie gave me a few weeks back of her grandparents. She said she wanted a shot exactly like this.

And the new version...

The had one of the best Barry White Choreographed first dances i have ever seen! The guests loved it and it made for some truly awesome photos!

Us at the Stadium back in October.

Ellie Continued!

2008-06-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Look! Ellie is all grown up! Ok, not really, but she DID just have her first birthday, well, i guess second birthday...wait, i am not sure. SHE'S ONE. I got the pleasure of shooting little Ellie back in November. Check out the blog post...Look for the baby in the copper bucket...Her parents are Margie and Ryan Sullivan. Two really great friends whose wedding i shot in Arizona back in the day. These pics turned out RAD! It helps that Ellie is one of the cutest babies i have ever seen, and I am not just saying that cause they pay me. I mean, look at her hair! She's gonna be a rockstar! I applied some fun new post processing tricks i learned to make these pics really pop. Some of them look like they were shot back in the 30's.

The pre-shot make up and wardrobe...

This shot was great, until she fell through the chair cushion!!! Margie's cat like reflexes pulled her up just in time. I think it was worth it for this shot.

Riding her elephant. One of my personal favorite past times.

Look at that hair! DANG! How hip and trendy is this. I love it. LIke i said...rockstar.

This is my favorite moment shot.

This chair had some great patterns and texture. I had to use it.

Matt and Shelly at the Fess Parker Winery

2008-06-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is Matt Taylor, one of my really good friends from Cal Poly. Matt and i have known each other for almost 8 years, and lived in East Asia one summer together doing some ministry work for Campus Crusade. I was SOOOO excited so see him find the girl of his dreams, Shelly Watts. My wife and I have taken some road trips with the two of them, and hung out in SLO a few times, and they are awesome together. We got to take some pictures in Solvang, the tiny Dutch town just north of Santa Barbara. It is a super fun little town. (Stay at the Hadsten Inn if you go, its RAD!!)
The wedding was at Fess Parker, a secluded winery in Los Olivos. The weather was beautiful, the vines were green and everyone was just glowing. What a great wedding, and reunion with all my college buddies! Thanks Matt and Shelly!

I loved this fun wall with the exposed structure. Shelly just POPS out of this photo!!!

We snuck into the barrel room for a quick pic here.

Probably my favorite moment from the wedding, when we snuck away at dinner to the vineyard to snap some sunset shots.

Viansa Winery in Sonoma with Fred and Clare

2008-06-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

I love wine country. The air, the scenery, the smell of crushed grapes, and yes the wine. Shooting in wine country is always a pleasure for my wife and I. This time we didn't get to do much tasting, if at all, but we DID have a great time at Fred and Clare's Wedding. I know Fred and Clare from the Christensens, Robin and Kyle whose wedding i shot in Sonoma back in August 06, and also the the Crays, Nathan and Kimberly, also married in Sonoma July 07. It was great to be at a table with them enjoying food and wine, chatting about wedding horror stories! I can't wait to see them again at Tessa and Tims wedding next month!
Fred and Clare were just so chill yet focused on their wedding day. It was great to see Fred, a big, tough and very intellectual guy well up when he saw Clare in her dress. Thanks you two for a great trip up to wine country!

This was a great shot i snuck from a moment outside when Clare gave her dad some cuff-links from Tiffany and Co.

Flower girl + arms all the way in the fountain = AWESOMENESS!

This is my kind of wedding: cake AND cupcakes with desert wine...Fred said these were pretty good cupcakes, and they were delicious...Sprinkles look out!

Kyle, Robin, Me, Jessica, Kim and Nathan. Pretty much the funnest table at the wedding!

Carli and Scott on Nob Hill

2008-06-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

I swear this could have been a Kennedy Wedding. This was Carli Folan and Scott Hamilton's wedding I shot last weekend in San Francisco, on the top of Nob Hill. It was perhaps the most elegant, rock-star wedding I have ever shot. And the best part was that the couple and their family and freinds were SOOO down to earth. You might remember their engagement photos a few blog posts back, "The Streets of San Francisco." Carli and Scott were so chill, and so in love. Scott gave one of the sweetest groom speeches I have ever heard. He said he was so used to living his life for himself, and by himself, and the thought of being one with another person and thinking and acting as a couple for the rest of his life warmed his heart. What a stud! Reminds me of how i felt right before I proposed to my wife.
Oh, and this cathedral...forget about it! Built over 150 years ago, and rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake, this French-gothic chapel finished in 1964, is the third largest chapel in the nation. (Yeah, i did some research.) It was a great day, a beautiful wedding, and a super fun night.

A little peek out the window

I love this hallway, this looks like a shot out of W magazine!

Breathtaking. The ceilings were like 150 feet high.

It wouldn't be an A.Niesingphotographer moment without being in the middle of the street.

Leah Rumble

2008-06-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

This was a momentous occasion for my wife and I. This is Charlie and Rebecca Rumble, and their new baby Leah. Charlie has been one of my best friends for almost 10 years, we were roommates in college, and his wife Rebecca was a maid of honor in our wedding. This is totally the closest friend i have that has had a baby, and it was long anticipated. It was a grueling delivery, and after i think close to 25 hours, little Leah was introduced to the world. If you want, go back a few posts and you can see her in Rebecca's tummy. Congrats you two, and thanks for letting us visit! More pics to come!!!!

Charlie, the proud Father

HUGE feet, did i mention that the baby was almost NINE pounds at delivery!?

Gotta have the fashion and gossip mags in the patient room...

Jessica and Rebecca

Melanie and Joe

2008-05-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it was about 103 degrees and we were roasting in the sun near Oakdale, CA for this wedding...but that didn't stop us from having a great time in this awesome farm location for Melanie and Joe's Wedding last weekend. Melanie has this cute little smile with popping green eyes. They had great contrast with the red boards in the barns and with her violets and purples in her bouquet. This was a great outdoor location, and they had Steve Grgich, the culinary genius, who we had as the caterer for my wedding last July. I don't know the model year, but their uncle let them use a sweet Hot Rob to cruise in before the reception.

The Streets of San Francisco

2008-05-21T22:55:00.001-07:00

Ghiradelli square!!! Get the "Foghorn Sundae" next time you go...
PINK!!!

This is in the lobby of the Argonaut Hotel, one of my favorite hotels in the country.

Random boat on the beach...I had to ask a little boy to get out for this pic...sad.

I LOVE shooting engagement photos, and really any portrait sesh for that matter, in fun and different places. San Francisco is probably one of the most fun, most colorful, exciting places to shoot. Here is Carli and Scott. They were SO great and just plain hospitable to my wife and I on our trip up there. The Bay to Breakers run was going on, and traffic was INSANE so they let me park in their garage right down the street from our favorite pub, Buena Vista. We walked to the bar, and all around the wharf, and Ghiradelli square, and just had a great time talking and shooting. I have the pleasure of shooting their wedding back up in the city in two weeks and I CAN'T wait!!! Thanks you two!

Meet the Twins.

2008-05-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here are the Ammons twins, Charlie and Reese. Born a few minutes apart, these two cuties are the children of some friends of mine, Todd and Courtney. I photographed Todd's sisters wedding, Stacey, a couple years back. AND i have the privilege of covering Courtney's sister, Carli's wedding back up in San Francisco in two weeks.
We shot these at Courtney's parents house, a HUGE house up in the hills of HIllsborough. There were so many great nooks and crannies to shoot in, and the natural light that day was perfect. Little Charlie didn't really like the camera much...but Reese was a natural born model. Its hard not to get mesmerized by both of their beautiful bright blue eyes! Oh, and how rad was the family dog Penny???

Harley Run for RF MacDonald

2008-05-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Line up...

Gotta have a t-shirt

I learned this was the ACTUAL bike used in the movie Fantasic 4, riden by Johnny, you know, the flame guy? (Even though there is a Punisher emblem on there.)

And here he is, the master behind it all, Mike MacDonald. Good lookin, AND a Harley bad-ass.

We were discussing, "What's with Bikers and their skulls...?

I had the privilege of waking up early in the 100+ degree heat to shoot the 5th annual Customer Appreciation Motorcycle Run this Saturday in Modesto, CA. My father in law's company, RF MacDonald, a company that sells boilers and pumps to major industrial businesses, has hosted this fun motorcyle rally for 5 years now. About 150 employees, customers, and people in the industry showed up on their hogs. They rode from the company's headquarters in Modesto, to the Hayward office, all the way to Sugar Barge Restaurant at Bethel Island in the Sacramento River Delta, where all the rivers of northern california go out to the san Francisco bay.

Discussion Forum with Dane Sanders

2008-05-10T18:49:00.001-07:00

So i ventured out and joined a Forum of Photographers called the Founders with Dane Sanders, one of the local Orange County's greats. Dane has been such a blessing to me, sharing with me his heart for the business and also his way of coping with the inevitable heartaches and problems that come with this job. We gathered at Gypsy Den where i met some other photogs where we shared our hearts and passions as well as our fears and shortcomings as a photographer/business person. And here, i successfully, in frame-by-frame picture MAGIC with my iphone, captured Dane as he imparted his great wisdom upon us!!! Don't look too closely...it could change your life forever!

Alison, The OG photographer

2008-05-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here is Alison and Barak, (not like Obama, like "Bay-rack"). Now Alison and I go WAYYYYY back. She was one of the first people to inspire me to start my business back in 2001. It was back at the Cal Poly U.U. where we met and chatted about photography, film vs digital, the business, marketing, etc. She was working for another photographer and she gave me some great advice. Soon after, Alison and her room-mates were my first ever PAID shoot. i think i made about $60 bucks. Hey, in college that will buy a two-week supply of quesadillas and root beer.
Well, here she is just GLOWING on her wedding day. What a fun wedding to shoot, and what a chill bride. I hope as a thanks for your wisdom back in the day, you can accept these rad images that I shot of you. Even though i didn't do much, you two looked ravishing on your wedding day, i just pushed a button!

Little Emily Ruth. And Clark!

2008-05-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here is baby Emily Clements. This is the beautiful daughter of two of my friends Caleb and Heather. She is about 2 weeks old, and just the cutest, wrinkliest little thing. Her gorgeous crystal blue eyes and trembling lip were adorable. And you gotta love that huge oversize bow that dwarfs her little dome. Oh and then there is Clark, (if you know Caleb, you know who the dog is named after.) who kept barking behind me through the glass patio door. I couldn't resist taking a quick pic. I can't wait to shoot little Emily when she is a little older and those eyes are wide open for the camera!

Yee-Haw!!! A Texas Weddin'

2008-05-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well, i just have to start out by saying, I LOVE Texas. I had a great opportunity to shoot a wedding in Lubbock, a charming little town in North East Texas. Jill lived up to ALL the expectations i had for a Charmin Texas Gal. She was super sweet, and so easy to shoot on her alma mater campus, Texas Tech. (Her accent made it that much more fun...)
After Lubbock, my wife and i had a chance to go to San Antonio to stay and enjoy the famous Riverwalk, and tour the Alamo. (VERY cool if you dig American History). Then we went to Austin, my favorite, for a night during SXSW. I had amazing crablegs at Truluck's, and got to visit Richard's (my friend Alisha's Dad) cigar lounge, Heroes and Legacies, where we smoked and played none other than Texas Hold 'em.

My Babe in the blossoms.

2008-03-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Modesto California. Call me crazy, but that one week out of the year when the Almond Orchard are in blossom is just a sensory overload. The weather is crisp, the smells are aromatically sensational, and the sights...breathtaking. Back to back acres of almond trees dawn gorgeous white and pink blossoms. It looks like it snowed for days. So naturally, i had to put my wife amongst these trees for a quick photo sesh. Oh, and how could i ignore the beat up Trans Am in the dirt...

Pregnant in the Orchard

2008-03-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

Meet Rebecca Rumble. What a fun name to say. Rebecca is one my favorite people because she introduced me to my wife!!! And her husband Charlie has been one of my best friends for almost ten years. I am SO excited to see them have a baby this coming May. With the Almond orchards in bloom this month, there was no better place to take some maternity photos of Rebecca at 7 months pregnant.

TnT on the Telephoto.

2008-02-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

Meet Tessa and Tim or TnT as they like to be called. They, (or she as I should say), were DETERMINED to get this shoot done yesterday, rain or shine. Luckily, we had a two hour break from the rain, and were able to squeeze in a quick session before they had to fly back to San Francisco. I have been working with Tessa on her Save the Date card which I designed, and will soon start on her invitation. She has great style, as you can see by her truly ANTIQUE engagement ring that dates back to the mid 1800's, mounting AND stones. They are a super fun couple and I can't wait to shoot their wedding in Santa Monica!

ISSUE #3 IS OUT!

2008-02-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

Well, here is the third installment of my magazine. I guess, its not really a monthly issue, since the last one was a few months back...But i am gonna try to pump em out faster! Who will be the next cover...?

Basque in this Bride's beauty

2008-02-17T09:21:00.001-08:00

This Bride was a rare and exotic beauty. A great friend of a few other brides i have shot, Renee was a peach. She had STRIKING features and a great smile. She was just flat-out EXCITED to marry her man, Frankie. They were both Basque and I got a taste of how rich and colorful their culture is. In between photos we practically had a history/cultural lesson of the Basque people. I asked so may questions, it was ridiculous!!! (Look them up, and try their food...phenomenal). I am proud to say I had some Paella the following week and LOVED it. (look that up too!!!)

ROUND and ROUND we GO!

2008-02-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I have taken wedding photos on Merry-Go-Rounds, but never and engagement session on a Ferris Wheel. What's next? The Tea Cups at Disneyland? Montezuma's Revenge at Knotts?That would awesome! Erin and Keith were super fun, and just plain sweet. So easy to cover, and cooperative. There was true love there, and when that is present, amazing photos just come naturally.

2007-11-18T10:26:00.001-08:00

Now the Sato/Sullivan family, aside from being good friends, and an awesome couple to photograph have booked me SOOO many weddings i have lost count...so naturally it was a great joy and honor for me to photograph little Ellie, their 5 month old daughter. Did i mention she's just cute as a button. Now Anne Geddes and i have very different styles, but when i saw this copper pot...i thought: "Why not???" And how festive is this little Polo dress with the pumpkins. I LOVE it...

Go BIg A!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

I was super excited about this Engagement Session! A really cool, chill couple, and yes, what else, but the Big A. We got "priority clearance" to shoot at Edison Field, Home of the "California" Angels. We went everywhere: on the field, of course, in the stands, in the dugout, on the pitchers mound. It was spectacular. Just ignore the Cardinals Jersey that Carie has on...(sorry Carie!) The only other thing we needed was Vlady, and we would have been set!

Issue #2

2007-10-25T17:57:00.001-07:00

Here is Issue #2 from one of the funnest weddings i have ever been to, in the heart of San Francisco. We shot at Coit Tower and the Palace of Fine Arts. Julianne and Will were so easy to shoot and their bridal party was amazing. You gotta love the 'street performers' that they had to take a photo with.

Eucalyptus Trees

2007-10-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

I drove up to San Luis Obispo for this Engagement Session with Derek and Liz...perhaps the funnest couple on the planet! they were so easy to shoot, and we had a great time playin in the trees! I love the contrast of her striped shirt against the forest. Way to go Liz.

San Dee-AH-Go...

2007-10-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

Joe and Dee's Wedding in San Diego was just off-the-hook fun. I got some great detail shots of her sexy leopard skin shoes. And that city scape in the background of Downtown San Diego at night...AWESOME! we almost missed this shot (if i hadn't coerced them to step out of the limo for just 2 min...)

My new Magazine

2007-10-23T22:12:00.001-07:00

So here is my magazine, A.N Bride...if i ever get publishing rights...
Look for a new issue soon!

Shooting in IDAHO

2007-09-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is a REAL rainbow. I love my job, and how photo shoots can take me to new and exciting places. Well, Boise, Idaho was that most recent new and exciting place. Here Justin and Siska got married in the vineyards at a winery in Nampa, Idaho just outside of Boise. Boise is a fun town, my wife and I stayed at the Grove hotel, and took in some local culture. Great beer and GREAT chicken wings at a local pub we visited.

Hayden Ficht

2007-09-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

How are THESE for sparkling blue eyes??? Hayden was a GREAT subject, the son of two of my college-mates Amber and Jason. At two months old, what baby doesn't look as precious as this guy?

Chad and Kelli: Rodeo Drive, Ice Cream and Photos

2007-09-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

This was a GREAT time shooting an engagement session. Chad and Kelli, two good friends of mine, wanted to have the "L.A." feel for some photos, and who am I to pass up Urth Caffe and Beverly Hills? We had a great time shooting up there, and after their photos we enjoyed a great dinner at Maggianos at The Grove. I am SOOOO L.A.

Who takes MY photos?!!!

2007-09-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

If i had a nickle for everytime someone asked me "Well, who is going to shoot YOUR wedding...?" I could retire. I recently tied the knot about 6 weeks ago to the most beautiful bride i have EVER seen, Jessica. And ofcourse, i INSISTED that i photograph her on the day of our wedding. Its a good thing my friend Tom, who shot our wedding, allowed me to so!! Jessica has NEVER looked so drop-dead gorgeous. I have seen my fair share of beautiful, glowing brides, but my sweetie just made my heart jump.
We got married in a breath-taking location, on the Stanilaus River, in an almond orchard at her parents house in Modesto, California.