Diamonds on the Inside - Michael Andrews Photography

Hey, what are you doing here??

2008-12-01T00:23:00.000-08:00

You should go to my NEW blog!! It's fresh and tasty :)
Thanks!!

KCRW Volunteer picnic.

2008-08-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

I started volunteering at public radio stations when I was about 16. I now volunteer regularly at KCRW in LA. Their programming is about half music and half public affairs. If you like music, check them out! They have a long history of discovering great artists (Coldplay being just one of many, many examples) and playing music that you will just not hear anywhere else. *ALL* of the DJ's pick what they want to play on air. Really. There are no corporate bean counters telling them what to play. They have put a lot of effort and money into their web site too--lots and lots of uber-groovy content!!

Being a public radio station, they have fund drives twice a year to raise money. As a thank-you to the phone volunteers that came down to the station to answer phones during this months pledge drive, KCRW had a picnic, complete with two giant cakes, KCRW's newest DJ Anthony Valadez spinning tunes, a soft taco buffet, pinatas, and of course CD's and books to give away. Thanks to Connie Alvarez, KCRW's volunteer coordinator (plus she wear's more hats than I can count), and a really cool human being with a great sense of humor :)

Anthony helps people "scratch" to the beats. No vinyl was harmed.

Both of the giant cakes were yummy! :)

First the kids rushed in for the candy..........

Then the adults swarmed in for CD's.....

Then it was time for the second pinata. More candy to come!

Kaitlin and Tyler

2008-08-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

I shot Kaitlin and Tyler's wedding on June 7, 2008 with Nicky from Eight20 Photography. They had their wedding at Kaitlin's Mom's ranch in Ojai. It was very rustic; chickens, goats, and horses. Kaitlin rides when she can--when she's not flying helicopters. Really. They're *both* pilots. That might explain why they were so calm: nerves of steel!
You might notice some smoky haze in a few shots--it's from the barbecue....... and no, I don't recall chicken being on the menu :)

Yes, their wedding cake was chocolate, and it was delicious! The beautiful net was to keep flies out.

GLOW in Santa Monica

2008-07-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

I went to GLOW in Santa Monica over the weekend. It's a bit hard to explain exactly what GLOW is, but basically it was a collection of free art/multimedia installations, from dusk until dawn (literally) held at the Santa Monica Pier and some of the surrounding beach and nearby park areas.

I didn't stay too long as it was incredibly mobbed with wall-to-wall people. The most interesting thing I shot was a really neat installation where 3D forms were projected on to a sphere (not a flat wall) of water.

As a side note, all of these were shot available light around 1:15 AM. No flash was used for any of these images. (In photog geek-speak, around 1/50 @ f2.8, ISO 3200.)

My own fave is of course the one featuring the dude with the awesome Mohawk. :-)

David and Sam's wedding.

2008-07-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

David and Sam had their wedding at their home. They originally booked me for a commitment ceremony, but with the recent California Supreme Court ruling, their commitment ceremony developed into a legal marriage--and they were ecstatic about it :-) Amazing catering by Michael Parise of Canoli Kings.
They've spent about 2 years remodeling their home, and it was beautiful inside and out!
Heres a slideshow with some of my favorite pics :)

Meet Cujo, my incredibly smart sweet little poodle.

2008-07-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

Say "Hi" to Bailey. His real name isn't Cujo, but he acts like Cujo when UPS come to the door--not FedEx or the US Postal Service, *only* UPS. Anyway, he is my fur child, e.g., dog.

I love dogs :-)

Bailey was a about a year old when I got him from a local poodle rescue group. He is an apricot mini-poodle, weighing in at about 21 pounds.

He's a realllllly sweet dog........ but um, he's got issues. But hey, who among us doesn't? He doesn't like kids too much, does not like his behind touched, has separation anxiety problems, is afraid of water, and can be territorial. But OMG is he smart! When he doesn't want to do a given command I ask him, it's *not* that he doesn't know what I'm asking, it's that he's not sure he wants to do it--my trainer calls him a "show-me-the-cookie" dog.
He can also spell. He learned what the letters "W A L K" means. Now I have to spell it backwards: "K L A W."
See. Told he was smart :-) Cute, isn't he?

By the way, the top one was taken pre-doggy beauty parlor.

Surveying his domain. On the lookout for other dogs, small humans, the pool guy for the neighbor, and UPS.

What does getting the moment mean?

2008-06-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

Just as with our culture as a whole, the issue about what's "real" and what isn't often comes up in the context of Wedding Photojournalism. There is a great article about Capturing the moment at a wedding on WedPix, the online publication of the Wedding Photojournalism Association (yes I'm a member).
If you want to understand what *authentic* Wedding Photojournalism is, this is a great article! I am a self-admitted purist :-) It is extremely important to understand that if you want real wedding photojournalism, you need to get a real wedding photojournalist! There is a huge difference between shooting with a "photo journalistic style" (what is that, exactly??) and making images that capture a genuine moment. It takes hard work, timing, creativity, practice, patience, knowledge, and skill (plus a bunch of other adjectives) just like any craft ;-)
You may not even really want a wedding photojournalist to shoot your wedding, and that's ok! It is *not* for everyone. That's why it is important to understand what real Wedding Photojournalism is all about.
If you decide "Yeah, way cool! That's what I want!" Then ask yourself, "Does my photographer keep it real?"
Michael

Three two-bride weddings :-)

2008-06-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

Unless you have been living in a cave (hiding with bin Laden?), you probably heard that same gender weddings are now legal in California. There will no doubt be continued legal wrangling on both sides of the issue, especially with a divisive proposition on November's ballot.

Some people are uncomfortable with the issue. I'm not. I want to shoot weddings of people in love, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, or religion. In a world full of so much pain and sadness, love in all colors, shapes, and forms deserves to be celebrated :-)

So on Tuesday June 17, I shot 2 wedding ceremonies in West Hollywood Park, both with 2 brides. The city of We Ho had set up shop in the park and an auditorium for the express purpose of issuing marriage licenses and performing civil ceremonies because the demand was so high. The LA Times has some great coverage of events around the State.

I went back Saturday to shoot Sandy and Nancy's wedding. It was awesome! I have great pictures to prove it! I'll post more throughout the week :-)

Enjoy,

Michael

April and Steve 2.0

2008-05-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

I finished editing April and Steve's wedding. April was overwhelmed by the pictures I made. This is *part* of what she had to say: "Wow!!! I shouldn't be looking at these now. Because I'm crying. Holy s*&#! They're beautiful. I love them. Really. Truly. They're amazing. It takes me back - - a lot of emotion. You're an amazing photographer."

I'm so happy she loves her pictures I can hardly speak :-)

The "non-wedding" images are from the rehearsal.

Michael

We interupt our regularly scheduled broadcast.........

2008-05-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I check out regularly belongs to Jules Bianchi (you'll see her on my blog roll). Jules is a realllllllllllllly cool human being and a great photographer :-)

She had this contest about sharing photography tips, and I won a really cool DVD by Kevin Kubota! Kevin is a photographer and software master/author.

Here's what I wrote about. It may or may not make much sense--it depends how much (if anything) you know about photography.

I'm so stoked!! I'm currently using a PC (long story) and I can't wait to switch (back) to a Mac. The DVD will be very helpful when I make the transition and start using Lightroom regularly.

Thanks, Jules!

Michael

Edit: just want to say that there was no conspiracy here! Jules did not have the names of anyone who submitted an entry (her sister, Joy had all of the info), so she was happily surprised when she found out the entry was mine :-)

Shooting with Robert & Curt: so much fun it should be illegal.

2008-05-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I shot Queenie and Brian's wedding last weekend (5/10) with Robert Evans and Curt Apanovich. They are so incredibly relaxed when they shoot and have so much fun it might just be illegal or something :-)

I want to thank Robert for generously allowing me to use some of my favorite images from the day :-)

We started out at Cal Tech in Pasadena doing formals before the ceremony.

Yes, you read that correctly: Robert does his formal shots of the couple and bridal party FIRST. While this trend is becoming more common, it is still the exception rather than the norm. So why do formals first? Briefly:

It takes away virtually all of the stress and anxiety of seeing your fiance for the first time at the alter. The relief is tremendous for a couple, and it creates a time and space for a couple to share some of the most intimate moments of their lives together. Do I/we shoot all of that? Yes and no; we are there to shoot, but allowing a couple some space is a good thing, and using appropriate lenses is important, especially for the most tender first moments. In other words, yes of course I shoot all of that, but never in an aggressive "in your face" kind of way. I'm not a paparazzi!! ;-)
The couple and everyone else can go straight to the reception together and enjoy the celebration with their guests. You do want to party with your peeps at your wedding, don't you??

Lauren Clark has a brilliant post about this on her blog. She has seen such a tremendous difference --as has Robert-- that she will now *only* work with couples that want a photographer that uses this approach.

Bottom line: consider this when planning your wedding. As Robert says to couples, he's done hundreds of weddings, and without question the pictures and your wedding day experience will be better if you do the formal shots before the ceremony.

I am still very much a Photojournalism purist in the way I cover a wedding or event, but I have also witnessed such an incredible difference that I highly recommend couples do formals first.

Queenie and Brian had their ceremony at the Pasadena Christian Church. Some of the service was in Chinese and some was in English. It was very spiritual and moving. The reception was held at the LA/San Gabriel Hilton.

At the ceremony I was in the "sniper position:" upstairs from the balcony pews with a long lens. Robert started at the from on the right side and they both moved around during the ceremony. Don't tell my mom, but I was not shooting from a totally fixed position as one would expect: I crawled around the balcony ledge on my belly for a variety of perspectives and candids. Awkward, but there were few people upstairs (Pro and family video people), and no one really cared or noticed........ It was when I dropped my 5lb. camera/lens combo in the lap of an unsuspecting guest that it became an issue........ Just kidding!

The shot with Queenie giving a thumbs up at a table was from correctly identifying a variety of things including: different herbs and spices; different kinds of candy bars (I think she missed on a 3Muscuteers bar); and soft drinks. I'm not sure if this was a variation on a traditional ceremony or their own invention, but it was cute :-)

Oh, I almost forgot: an additional thank you to Curt for being so nice and ensuring that I was not run over and squished like a bug when I was on the ground shooting the Lexus in the parking lot!

Michael

Edit: *blush* I uploaded some photos in the wrong sequence, but that's probably ok, huh? ;-)

April and Steve

2008-05-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

Wow.

Where to begin?

I've known April and 2 of her bridesmaids --Shawna and Colette -- for more than 20 years , and I cannot think of anyone whose wedding I would be more honored to shoot. It has been more difficult to edit this wedding for 2 reasons: 1, I'm a sensitive and emotional dude and it's ummm...... well, let's just say I've needed lots of Kleenex tissues and leave it at that, ok? 2, It was a 2 day shoot: day one was a rehearsal and BBQ at April's Cabana, a jaw-dropping piece of heaven where you would least expect it. I'll be writing and posting more, I promise :-)

A note about the garbage: there is a lonnng story and much history to it! Among other things, it's where they had their first kiss....... It is not just a dumpster; to April and Steve, it is The Dumpster of Love.

For now, please enjoy a handful of my favorites :-)

Michael

Shaina and Ben

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

I shot Shaina and Ben's wedding in late March with Nicky from Eight20 Photography. You can see the cool slide show she did here. I just forgot to share (Doh!).

I <3 ben

2008-04-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

I <3 Ben.

Not that he needs the blog love or anything (he is well loved), but say hi to ben chrisman. Before you click the link, a warning: his blog is highly addictive!

It is very hard for me to put into words what I feel when I look at his work, but I’m going to try. These are just a few thoughts about how I would describe ben chrisman’s work.

Dramatic, elegant, romantic, even haunting at times. Jaw-dropping, OMG how-did-he-do-that?!?!?!?! Achingly beautiful, poetic images that make your heart swoon and your tear ducts overflow with love…… almost like a transcendental experience.

And yet, to say all that would be an understatement at best.

Oh, did I mention that he was recently named WPJA Photographer of The Year and one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world by American Photo Magazine? Yeah, that too :-)

Look at ben’s work and you will see a true visual artist pushing the boundaries of excellence in our craft. It is Wedding Photojournalism at its finest. Enjoy!

Shandra and Mike's wedding at La Jolla Woman's Club

2008-04-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Shandra and Mike were married at La Jolla Woman's Club on March 15, 2008. I shot this wedding with John. You can also read more about this wedding on John's blog!

On the way to the beach for pictures, I was kneeling down in the giant limo to shoot..... the limo went one way, I went the other..... Not a fall, it was more of a slow roll...... So I was given the nickname "Weeble," as in "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down." It actually reminded of that scene in Animal House where John Belushi, as Bluto, is assigning names to the fraternity pledges, including one he named "Flounder." I digress...
So we're on this overlook by the beach, and the guys are really getting into it, just having a great time....... we're almost done, and as I look through my viewfinder, I see the guys suddenly going absolutely nuts, and I have no idea what is going on, because the action is happening behind me. So after I've nailed their reaction shots, I get them to explain what happened: they (well, we, I guess), had been flashed by a very attractive young lady on the 3rd floor balcony of a condo overlooking the beach.

Then it was on to the Hard Rock Cafe for a few drinks/rendezvous with some guests before heading over to the ceremony and reception site.

It was windy at the venue, and as Shandra's veil was fluttering around, I was able to get it gracefully shaping her tattoo, which she loves, btw. In fact, if I remember correctly, the owner of the shop where she had it done was a guest.

I'll be adding some more.

This was a super-fun wedding :-) I love my job :-)

Me and the guys at Shandra and Mike's wedding

2008-04-01T23:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to get a pic of myself working at a wedding, so I ducked down in a window reflection and shot this with Mike and his groomsmen. I'll have a few more posted from that shoot in another entry. They were TONS of fun!!The funny thing is I didn't pose this--it happened totally organically: we were on the way to the ceremony site, and as we walked across these mirrored panels on a building in La Jolla, they were like "Hey, check us out! We look really good together." They sure did. I was in the right place at the right time. That's my job. My name is Joe Friday. I'm a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Department. (You know, as I look back at that show, it comes off as total propaganda, but that's just way off topic......)
BTW, this is the first post where I have finally figured out how to post an image BIG on Blogger. Congratulate me :-) Bigger on Blogger is Better!

More pics and info on Salton Sea Trash The Dress

2008-01-17T14:42:00.000-08:00

Chris Austin was the organizer of this whole Trash The Dress Session at the Salton Sea (yes, he's the guilty instigator of all of this!). He's put up a separate page here for the project. On it you can find links to lots links to galleries from more than a dozen talented photographers! If you want to see some good TTD pics, check this out.

There is also the Trash The Dress Blog, and some of our work is showing up on there as well. As Mark Eric says on the TTD blog, it's about creation, not destruction. There is also this vid by Matt Adcock and Sol Tamargo (now husband and wife:-)) of a TTD session in the Mayan Riviera. It's awesome. The bride looks like a mermaid, just beautiful.

I think people do it for different reasons. You'll notice in many of my pics (and some of the other photographers as well), the husbands were involved, which I think is fantastic.

You can see I was into lens flares and lots of backlight for this shoot :-)

Trash The Dress session at Salton Sea, round 2

2008-01-15T23:33:00.000-08:00

I'm still trying to describe what this project is about. I guess the meaning is different for different people. I think it's a fun way to make unique photographs of something special to you. In thie mean time, these pics are from the latest batch that I have edited.

Trash The Dress session at Salton Sea

2008-01-14T01:11:00.000-08:00

These are the first images I've edited from a group Trash The Dress shoot at The Salton Sea. I'll be adding more, with more info and explanations of "You did WHAT with your wedding dress?!?!?!?!" Click on an image for a larger size view.

Family portraits in Elfin Forest near Morrow Bay

2008-01-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of my niece, Michaela, and nephew, Ian from Christmas. We celebrate Hanuka and Christmas. And that's my mini-poodle Bailey in the pic with Ian and the robot :-)

The Wire is coming ....... back to HBO, but still under the radar.

2008-01-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

So now that we're getting back into TV season -- with no end to writers strike in sight -- there is a show that has gone largely unnoticed on HBO called The Wire. It is better than anything else I have seen on TV in the last 10-15 years, including The Sopranos. It has really slipped under the radar. To describe this show is actually really hard; it's a cop show, but it is SO MUCH MORE. One of the head writers, David Simon, has been a driving force of the creative team behind the series, which includes many of the same folks from the excellent series Homicide on NBC in the 90s, which was based on Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. The writing, characters, story lines, plot development, acting, directing, production value, editing, is all outstanding. It has really great depth, and you cannot not watch it passively; you have pay attention. You have to have some willingness to get involved in it. Each season has also explored different topics as a background and subtext to the plot lines and characters. Last season it was the failure of public education, in Baltimore specifically, but also in the much broader context of the failure of public education in general. The season before that explored drug reform in an urban environment, approached from a variety of perspectives.
Really great stuff.
Starts Jan. 6th.
This message has been brought to you by no one but me :-)

Christmas lights

2007-12-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

I live near a neighborhood called "Candy Cane Lane" that decorates their houses with lots of Christmas lights. Maybe Grand Ma got run over by a reindeer (a cheesy song) because Santa was driving a truck with Mrs. Claus.

Chanuka pictures.

2007-12-21T00:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it is almost Christmas (or Kwanzaa, or whatever you may celebrate), but I was putting together some family pictures and thought I would share.

Graduation from UMass Boston!

2007-12-20T02:23:00.000-08:00

I'm finally done finishing up my BA at UMass Boston.
It's finally starting to sink in.
I will not get my diploma until February, and I want to perma plaque it, which takes (another) 8-10 weeks.
When it gets here, I'll make a nice color copy of it and put it in a frame while I'm waiting for the perma plaque to get back.
But that means I still don't have anything for now.
Hmm.
So this is what I did. I went out and bought a mat for a frame that I already have.
Then I printed a B+W laser copy of a photo a classmate sent me when she finished in August. I've kept the photo on my desk top as a reminder and motivation when I was pulling my hair out writing a paper. (I swear I had a lot more hair 16 months ago when I started school again to finish at UMass.) I cut out the diploma portion of the photo, and scotch taped it to the mat.
Totally silly, I know.

Jumping with joy

2007-12-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving my family gathered at my cousin's house. My cousin Asley, 9, (with the pony tail) is a gymnast. Jumping around with her are my nephew, Ian, and my niece, Michaela. I don't mean Ashley takes a gymnastics class. I mean she is a gymnast. She trains 6 days a week and is home schooled by her mom, Michelle. Ashley declared to her pediatrician at age 5 that she was going to be a gymnast. Really. I couldn't make that up. What's even more astonishing is that she is completely self motivated--this is NOT coming from her parents. Her drive at such a young age is remarkable. She called up her dad (cousin Arnie) at work one day (unusual by itself) and asked if he would get her a trampoline for their backyard so she could train more. Wow. With the high cost of education, we're all hoping she lands a college scholarship, too :-)

Art glass and wedding favors..... sort of.

2007-11-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

I discovered art glass many years ago, but at the time it never occurred to me that I could learn to do it myself. So about 3 years ago I took a glass blowing class at Santa Monica College, one of the very few public institutions left that still offer it. I have not blown much in the past year as I have been to busy shooting or working on my classes at UMass to devote the time and energy to it that is really necessary to get good at it.
It's incredibly demanding, and also very expensive and time consuming--kind of like photography, but more dangerous :-). The glass is over 2,000 degrees, and when you work with it, sometimes the only thing between you and a large glob of molten glass is some wet newspaper. Cuts, nicks, dehydration, and of course burns, are quite common. Glass can also explode (literally) if it cools too fast, so when you are in a hot shop, frequently one can hear cracks and pops above the roar of the furnace. I've been cut by flying glass on at least two occasions that I can remember.
I made one pic as a self portrait--look carefully and you will see my reflection. The deep red is because thats just what this glass looks like when it gets "thin" at the bottom of a piece.
The other pic is of the same glass bowl with no added light or photoshop tricks. The patterns and colors are from the metals (gold in this case) in some of the glass I used. It is a process called reduction. It is called reducing because you bring out the metals to the surface by reducing the amount of oxygen in the gas/oxygen mix when you re-heat the glass.
Anyway..... so, um, Dude, what's the wedding connection, huh? I'm so glad you asked! At Rob and Amy's wedding, they gave away succulents as wedding favors. My mom hauled some of them home. The TSA cops at the airport looked at her funny, but let her through with them. I just transplanted them in a larger terra cotta pot, and I put some colored bits of purple/blue and yellow glass shards in the pot also. I think it looks really cool! Do you do any crafty kinds of things, dangerous or otherwise?

Day of The Dead pictures

2007-11-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

I had the afternoon free yesterday, so I went to shoot a local Dia de los Meurtos festival (Day of The Dead festival in English for us gringos). And that tiny bride and groom in the foreground of the vertical shot? Yes, that is indeed a cake topper! That dude in the car--yeah, I'd be worried too if I saw him at the wheel :-)

Why photojournalists kick butt

2007-11-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

Unless you have been on another planet (have you??), you have seen coverage of the wildfires in Southern California. There have been a LOT of amazing pictures, but sometimes there is one picture that rises to the level of an icon. NPR did a great piece on this photograph, taken by Karen Tapia-Anderson of the Los Angeles Times. Click on the link to see the picture and hear the story behind it. Photojournalists do whatever it takes to make great storytelling pictures that matter--that's why you should hire one to shoot your wedding :-)

Grand Tradition in Fallbrook: jumping in and getting my feet wet!

2007-10-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I shot an absolutely gorgeous wedding at Grand Tradition in Fallbrook, CA, with Silvia of Cara Mia Studio. The couple, Michelle and Simon, wanted a group shot of the entire wedding party. A staff member was kind enough to tip me off that I could get to the top of the waterfall. "Make a left at that palm tree and go behind those bushes," he tells me while pointing. So I climb up there, and as I look down I see that there is no way to get a clean shot--unless I get INTO the waterfall. I start taking off my shoes and socks to get in, yelling down to Silvia and everyone else that I'm going in. Apparently, everyone thought I was nuts. I got in and everyone was cheering me!! How cool is that?!? Getting cheered on by 100 plus people at a wedding? It was awesome!! Silvia nailed a shot of me before crouching down behind some guests so that she wouldn't get in the shot. At right is Barbara, a photog that Silvia is training. I'll do almost anything to get the shot for a client :-)

Lebowski Fest!

2007-10-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

I shoot mostly weddings, but being a photographer, sometimes I shoot unique events. Lebowski Fest is definitely unique. For those who are not Achievers (this is how Lebowski fans refer to each other), Lebowski Fest is based on the Coen Brothers movie, The Big Lebowski. It has become a bona fide cult classic. It has even inspired a philosophy and a book. Jeff Bridges plays the main character, The Dude, and John Goodman plays his mentally unstable sidekick, Walter. It is really impossible to describe the film, but it has to do with a slacker who loves bowling, a stolen rug (it really ties the movie together), a case of mistaken identity, fraud, kidnapping, and some nihilists. The Coen Brothers (who have NO association with the Fest) have said that the film is not really supposed to make much sense, and frankly it doesn't, but that's not important. What's important is that the movie is hysterical, and the fans of it have a very high commitment to the film. Very high. You can see more of my pics on the Lebowski Fest web site.
What cult films are you into??
(NOTE: Most of my work is candid photography, NOT camera aware or posed. Lebowski Fest is an exception.)

Wedding in Ramona, CA

2007-10-06T22:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to get Jennie and Nick's wedding up on my web site yet, but I wanted to share a few pics of their beautiful wedding. I shot this as a second photographer for John Schnack again. It wasn't hot like our last shoot in Temecula when it was 110. However it had been raining really hard the day before. They were unable to get a tent at the last minute, but luckily there were only a few drizzles. They had their wedding and reception at Jennie's parents house in Ramona. Primal Alchemy catering (great food!) transformed the barn into an amazing full service kitchen. Wedding planner Catherine Smiley Jones did an awesome job of running things and making sure every thing was gorgeous. The last shot is of everyone dancing under the moonlight--it had finally cleared up!

Big Springs Gardens Wedding

2007-09-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was just going back and looking at some of the pictures from Amy and Roberts wedding in August, held at Big Springs Gardens in Northern California. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. It is on about 30 acres of land surrounded by a National Forest. There are lots of hand groomed trails to explore too. If you are looking for a venue in this area, check it out! The owner only has about 5 weddings their per year. The staff is very friendly, the on-site coordinator was great, and the catering was yummy. Robert is a wildlife biologist and has been collecting cacti and succulents for many years, so when they were thinking about wedding favors, they decided to give guests succulents. They did each and every tiny pot themselves. I thought it was really creative.

Temecula winery wedding

2007-09-21T00:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my first blog entry. I've done some blogging before, but that was for a class at UMass Boston. (I'm in the process of completing my BA--only 2 more classes!).
This blog will revolve around wedding photography.

So the last wedding I shot was as a second photographer with John Schnack at a winery estate in Temecula. It was hot.... very hot. Did I say it was hot? 110, and humid. Icky. Malik, the groom, in a very sharp 3 piece suit, was having to continuously mop his head down. His lovely bride, Babette, later took up the task as well. Malik had severely fractured his hand shortly before the wedding. I was so bad that he needed surgery and required several pins to keep everything in place. Note the cast on his right hand where his best man is tying Malik's shoes.