jug handle state reserve, california

Headed up the coast to the Mendocino area this past weekend with our friend Allen and his daughter (who is the cutest ever – her and Gromit were like two peas in a pod) and took the opportunity to get some r&r, while at the same time playing with my newest cameras (Fuji X100 & Contax G2). I’m still going to need to wait for the Contax film to develop, but I played around with the images from the Fuji, and I feel like I’m finally getting the hang of how the camera reacts (it’s different than my Canon 5D mk3, which basically feels like an extension to my body)!

winters, california

Thanks to the constant barrage of rain that we’re getting in Northern California lately, I’ve had to postpone so many shoots around here, which is such a bummer! I do love rain, but it’s making me yearn for some sun drenched summer days (minus the 100 degree heat of course), like this one I shoot for my friend Ashley of Hither & Thither. Ashley, her husband, Aaron and I met up about an hour outside of Sacramento in Winters, next to the charming little Putah Creek. They grabbed some canoes & treats (and we stumbled on that magical hammock) while I captured them enjoying the water and sun for a piece for Ashley’s blog (link to her original post here).

After shooting this, I was on such a HIGH! I felt like I had shot for a magazine, and I dream of a couple would also do something like this for their engagement session! So any recently engaged couples interested? Let’s do this, I’m game!!

alameda & emeryville, california

Rhinestone covered heels, pink details, with a nod to the movie “UP” (check out the groom’s boutonniere), and a sunset to die for,Cecilia and Anthony’s wedding was one of the sweetest!

san francisco, california

One of the things I love best about being a photographer are not only the images I create, but the amazing people I meet along the way. Just last year, I had the joy of photographing Chef Melissa King from Top Chef season 12, where we bonded over talk about music, and enjoyed the magic of the fog while photographing her for some updated headshots for Whole Foods. What was even more exciting for me was to see my photo of her up in Whole Foods all over Northern California (you can see a photo of it in the store at the bottom of the post)! We got some really great images that didn’t make the cut for the store, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorites!

mono lake, california

When clients fully trust me and my vision, magical things can happen. <3

Usually when couples approach me to do a shoot with them, they have a general idea of where they’d want to shoot. We will talk about a few potential locations, and brainstorm something that works for them. Rarely do I ever get a “do whatever you want to do creatively,” but that’s exactly what Tommy & Rosemary said to me, in regards to this shoot. Um… *anything??* That’s a bit overwhelming. There were so many places in the world I’d love to shoot, but what was something we could do in a day, that really sparked my curiosity and interest? After a bit of pondering, one thought immediately came to me: Mono Lake & the Eastern Sierras. Looking at things logistically, I said, no…. that’s way too far away! It was an 8 hour drive round trip to & from Sacramento! After that realization, I thought: we’ll just do Lake Tahoe. It’s still pretty, has a lake, and it’s a much closer drive. But my heart kept tugging at Mono Lake. Finally, after thinking about it (and listening to a podcast with Elizabeth Gilbert, talking about how creativity “isn’t going to make sense,”) I decided to just go with my gut desire and curiosity and follow it to Mono Lake, even if logistically, it was a bit crazy. These two were totally on board, as they explain that they wanted me to be as creative as I could. So off we went! In the end, I was SO glad we decided to go for it. What sparks your curiosity creatively will lead you to interesting places! Lake Tahoe felt like settling for me in this shoot (which I know sounds crazy, but my heart just kept wanting to go here!), and I was SO JAZZED about this location and working with them – I felt my creative juices just flowing everywhere. That’s the feeling that I love to feel when I’m in creation. That flow that allows me to be present, collaborate with the people in front of me and make some amazing images. :) So enjoy the images from this magical day!

apple hill, california

Love this family, love this session. <3 Can’t wait to meet baby Everly!