Big Sur/Santa Cruz Highlights

I've been out of LA and up in NorCal for the past five days or so, and I've been spending lots of time taking pictures. There are too many to post all of them, but here are some highlights.

Redwoods are TALL! (Fernwood Camp, Big Sur)

This was at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur. There was something very "Romantic American Explorer" about this guy with his dogs.

The moon after the fire (in Big Sur).

Dawn from Cafe Kevah (Big Sur). I love how watercolor-y this one looks.




Flying this kite made me feel like I could fly (Pfeiffer Beach).




Boogie boarder at Natural Bridges Beach, Santa Cruz.




You'd think these guys were an ad! (Santa Cruz)




This just reminded me of a zen circle. I loved that it was jut there in the sand at Natural Bridges.

Oh, Gabriella!

Tonight, I had dinner at the incredible Gabriella Cafe in Santa Cruz, featuring chef Sean Baker. Let me tell you, the last time I had a meal that overwhelmingly exquisite was when I ate at Batali's place in Vegas. Baker is a genius!!! His combinations and balance of flavors totally destroyed us! I was there with my good friend, Tanya, and her man, Allen. All three of us were dying of deliciousness! Throughout the course of the evening, I snapped these. Aren't they adorable?

Awww.... that last one is so sweet!

Another Happy Couple!

Yesterday, I had the privilege of shooting a wedding at a Livermore winery with my friend and mentor, Craig Smith. It was an unusual situation for me because it was a very lengthy wedding ceremony, but we (the photographers) were contracted for a very limited amount of time. So, there was some scurrying to get through the usual things -- first dances, bouquet toss, garter toss, etc. However, I had fun and learned a lot.

For example, I learned again how much I love prime lenses. My 50mm f/1.4 is just awesome! I'm thinking of investing in the 24mm f/1.4... although that's a BIG investment to consider!

In any case, here are some of my favorite images of the day.

I loved the juxtaposition of that tattoo with this bridesmaid's elegance in this shot.




Isn't she adorable???




The newlyweds recessing with their darling flower girl.




This is, hands down, my favorite shot of the night. What a wonderful capture! I'm so glad I got it!

Fun with Wadsworth

I had the pleasure of shooting Wadsworth again at St. Luke's church this evening. It was an absolutely fun-filled shoot. Those guys are up for just about anything, and they have great repartee. We spent about 1.5 hours shooting around sunset, and then we headed back to my office to look at proofs. These were some of our favorites.


This is just an unbelievably gorgeous shot of the front man. It's so classic looking.



Here are the guys having a little fun with their hands.



This is like the Wadsworth flower getting ready to bloom. Look at those tight buds!



Reminiscent of the dryer doors shot from our first shoot together, this is the band peering through a tire swing.



Oh My God! -- They're slipping! Good thing Marcus is there to catch them!



The color and composition on this one is all kinds of weird, but we all liked it.



A much more standard shot with that lovely St. Lukes masonry!



I really do love working with these guys. It was fun to shoot them, and it was fun to spend the time looking over proofs together. We had several moments of uncontrollable laughter together. Yay!

Spider Bite

Check out this beauty. So... remember that day I was photographing at the church. Some arachnid caught me in the leg upon arrival. At the time, I thought the pain was a muscle complaining because of the way I squatted for a shot or something. However, the pain didn't subside for a long time. I could feel it half way down my calf and up into my quad. Finally, I pulled up my pant leg to see what was going on, and I found this:




Now, I'm not arachnophobic, and I don't think this bite is going to change that; but it has given me newfound respect for our eight-legged friends in the world.

The Day Wasn't Over

Most of it is out of focus, but damn! -- That eye is unbelievable!

Websites are FUN!

Sadly, no new pictures to post today. I generally try to do at least a little bit of shooting each day, but alas! -- I have spent the better part of the day working on my forthcoming official website. You should be seeing it online soon!

Ciao for now!

First Foray, and then some

Today, I had my second-ever photography date. My friend, Karen, came over and we set upon the town looking for interesting things to shoot. Our first stop was a local church that has incredible masonry. I've loved it and wanted to shoot it for a while but finally got around to it today. As it turns out, we weren't technically allowed to do it (good to know for the upcoming Wadsworth shoot), but we managed to get a few shots in before the pastor caught us!

In any case, I decided to take one of the shots from the day and digitally alter it. I've never combined images before, so this is my first foray into the "digital alterations" world. As such, it's okay, I guess. More than anything, it was an experience to learn from!

This is probably my favorite shot from the church. I like the tones and the lines of the architecture.

After the church, we headed towards a classic motel (featured on film, I'm told) on Foothill. The shots of the motel were so-so, but I loved these. Can you believe these two places are right next door to each other?

Ain't it nice to know you can waltz in and get a little perfection?!

As for this joint, I fully expect to see lego people gathering for trim. The place looked totally unreal, but cute and quaint.

That's all for now!

IM Radio Opening

Last night, the front man of Wadsworth (a band I've photographed in the past [you can check them out here]) called to invite me to the launch party for IM Radio downtown. The band was going to be playing in a small, red-lit space and broadcasting live. How could I resist?! It was a good time, and I've decided that shooting a band broadcasting over the internet has to be one of the best ways to shoot them because you can get right up in their face without bothering any audience. I loved it!

What a lovely moody shot.



Go Jojo!



Jojo on keyboards for Wadsworth, and their new synth guy (whose name I forget) in the background. The synth added so much to the band's sound. It was great to listen to.



Wadsworth, himself, meditating behind his cymbals.



This has to be my fave of the night. I love the angle and curves.

Experiments in High Key

I've been increasingly interested in High Key photography technique, and I finally decided to try my hand at it last week. I don't have a studio... yet, so I was working in my bathroom (which has a lovely cream colored wall), and using the available light from a skylight and a 580EXII flash. All things considered, I'm very proud of these images.


I love the eyes in this one...



That's me... I was the only model available at the time. Look out, ANTM!!! ;-)



My lovely Axo holding up the wall.

Inauguration

Welcome! It was time that I created a separate space for just my photography! I'm excited about this -- as I am about my website, which is forthcoming. In the meantime, this will be my home.

Without further ado. Enjoy some celebratory images taken on the Fourth!