Fashion with Friends

This past weekend I was in Old Sac shooting Ree and her friend Carol. Ree has always had an amazing sense of style and I was glad to be able to do another photo session with her - it’s been a while since our last shoot! After grabbing a bite to eat, we were off and shooting.

Our photo session began at Sacramento’s Downtown Commons area, but we made our way to Old Sacramento as I felt that their fashion matched with the Old Sac aesthetics more. The colors they chose to wear fit well with the vibe in Old Sacramento.

We were all over the place in Old Sacramento. One of my favorite stops was the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I’ve been there before, but this was the first time for them. We actually picked up a few chocolate dipped strawberries to enjoy as we took a break from the session.

I had a ton of fun with Ree and Carol shooting both candid and posed shots throughout the day. Hopefully we’ll get to do another photo session soon!

If you’re looking to get any type of photography done, especially portraits or fashion photography, please let me know and we’ll get a date set!

Baby Shower

Danielle and Billy found me via Thumbtack, but as it turns out, we have been connected for a while through our families. My parents actually know their parents, and it was just a coincidence that they found me via the internet. It’s really a small world! I love it when these connections are found with my clients as it really does draw me closer to them.

This will be their first baby, so the first baby shower is a BIG deal. The shower took place at University Covenant Church in Davis. It was a beautifully decorated location with nice open windows to let natural light in. I just had to take advantage of it and get at least one glamour style shot in!

As with all the events I take photos of, it’s important for me to not only capture the people who attend and what they do, but also the little details. In the case of this baby shower, every detail was absolutely gorgeous… all the way down to the perfectly decorated cookies on the sweets table.

What’s a baby shower without games? Billy and Danielle had their event coordinator come up with a number of really fun group games to play. It was a blast to photograph and even more fun to watch. I always take a lot of joy in taking photos of all the action that happens during an event.

This baby shower was a huge success with a large amount of food and fun for everyone who came. I’m sure that Danielle and Billy will be great parents. Even before the baby has arrived they have done a lot of celebrate and make a big deal about her.

We ended the baby shower with a large group photo. It’s always fun shooting really wide and getting these shots. Huge thanks to Billy and Danielle for hiring me for this special occasion. I wish them the best as the due date draws near!

Joe & Bee's Engagement Photos

I’ve known Joe for many years now, but it was truly an honor that he asked me to shoot his engagement and wedding photos. He really could have chosen literally hundreds of other photographers, so I felt really great that he wanted me to be his photog. Joe and Bee used to be in the Sacramento area, but are currently in Jackson, Ca. They made a special trip out this way just to get these engagement photos taken. I hope it was worth the effort!

As usual, we went to the UC Davis Arboretum to shoot the photos. And as always I chose to shoot near the gazebo. Most people I’ve talked to have not been to this section of the arboretum. Joe told me that though he’d been a Davis student for his time at UCD, he had not been to this area before.

Photoshoot are not something that Joe and Bee do often… or at all really. So it was my job to make sure that they felt comfortable and at ease. I definitely felt a little apprehension at first, but once we got going, the shoot was fun and Joe and Bee were at ease. To me, having the people I’m taking photos of feel comfortable is the most important thing. If they are not comfortable, the pictures will definitely show it.

Many couples opt to have a change of clothes for a different look when it comes to their engagement shoot. Because of the many unique areas of the arboretum, we don’t have to go far to get a background that looks totally different than ones we had just previously shot at. And that’s why I like the arboretum so much, there’s just so much there!

We ended up shoot for a little over an hour. Since I shoot pretty quickly, we managed to get nearly a thousand photos! Out of that I delivered over 100 hand edited photographs for them to use however they liked.

It was a ton of fun to shoot with Joe and Bee. I’m really looking forward to photographing their wedding ceremony coming up later this month. It should be a fun and exciting time for this great couple! If you’re looking for engagement or wedding photography, please let me know! I’d love to work with you!

Portraits with Susie

Susie contacted me recently for a portrait shoot. She is a therapist and was looking to update her website with some new images. Though it’s been a bit wet and rainy recently, I’m glad Susie and I were able to find a day that had some sun. We went out on a beautiful afternoon for this photo session at the edge of Woodland, Ca. Susie was awesome to work with and I think we were able to capture some pretty amazing shots.

I had never shot at this location before, but Susie said she comes here to do yoga and meditate. I can see why this place was ideal for that as it is a bit out of the way with very little noise and busy-ness that you would find in the city. All around were different landscapes that acted as unique backdrops for our shoot.

Susie came prepared with a few outfit changes and was able to get in and out of them really fast - I was impressed at her speed! We were trying to take advantage of the golden hour so our window to shoot was predicated on that. I love how Susie was ready to make efficient use of our time together. Efficient use of time means more pics!

The photo session actually felt more like a fashion shoot at times as what Susie brought to the table was very thought out and she looked great. Susie was a natural getting into different poses and in general just being very camera friendly.

To add to the photos connecting to her therapy work Susie brought in a drum that she would use with her clients on occasion. It was important to get a few photos of her playing it since it is one of the vital tools that she uses in her practice.

In the end, I was very satisfied with the photos we got that afternoon. Thanks to Susie for being such a pleasure to work with. If you’re looking for high-quality, professional photos, please contact me asap and we’ll set up a time to shoot!

Law Firm Headshots

The folks over at Kravitz & Chan LLP called me over to take some photos of their staff. They wanted to update their website with some new photos that showed a bit more color and friendliness that many law firms may not express. I met them at their office in Sacramento and we shot in the beautiful atrium area right outside the main building. I think it provided the perfect backdrop for what they were going for.

Typically I would have one of my backdrops on-site to provide a solid background. The solid backdrop is a staple of business headshot photos. It was actually pretty cool to do something a little outside the box today. I think the difference will make Kravitz & Chan stand out from the crowd. Sometimes I do think that lawyers are kind of stuffy people - but the people here definitely weren’t. I loved their friendly attitudes!

For this shoot I brought my Sony 85mm 1.4 G-Master lens. It’s a powerful lens that is extremely sharp. It’s the kind of professional lens that gives professional results. My Sony camera systems with their advanced shooting capabilities allowed me to shoot very quickly and not waste any time, which I think they appreciated since their schedules are so busy.

Hopefully you won’t need their services as defense attorneys, but if you do, check them out at www.kravitzchan.com. If you need any type of professional headshot, please contact me and I’ll get you what you need very quickly!

Vanessa and Adrian's Wedding

I shot Vanessa and Adrian’s engagement photos a couple months back, and now it was already time for their big wedding day! I was excited for the day as I’ve known Vanessa a long time and was so happy for her to tie the knot! The location of their wedding was in Winters, Ca - a town midway between Woodland and Davis. They had a large private area that was ideal for their wedding size.

It had been raining pretty hard for the days right up until the wedding, but the clouds parted for Vanessa and Adrian. There was a gorgeous warm light that enveloped the area. I don’t think I could have asked for better conditions on the day of the wedding. As a photographer, you brace yourself for possibly bad weather, but am always thankful when mother nature works alongside with you.

Some couples do a first look before the ceremony… not Vanessa and Adrian! They did a peek-a-boo activity where Vanessa got to go behind Adrian and put her hands in front of his eyes so he couldn’t see her. She teased him a bit with a kiss and then was off. It was a fun moment and the first time I have seen this! This event made for some playful photographs that came out really well. The video that I shot also contained some fun moments from this.

As the guests arrived Adrian stood waiting for Vanessa to come down the aisle. Since there was no first look, I’m sure that he was really anxious to see his future wife walk towards him. I got a nice shot of him as Vanessa came into view. He looks so happy!

Vanessa and Adrian’s ceremony was short and sweet with a lot of laughs and a few emotional tears. From a photography standpoint, shooting it properly was challenging as they were in a narrow stairway with little room to maneuver for me. I think I was able to find some good angles still.

The reception room was at the same location which made it very easy to have everything set up quickly. We had an area for group photos as well as an area between the tables to grab photos of all the reception events. I think everything went smoothly, and it was a lot of fun capturing all the fun everyone was having that night.

I wish the best to Adrian and Vanessa as they begin this journey together. I hope that the photos and video that I took will let them always remember and revisit the day of their marriage!

I’m currently booking dates for 2019. If you’re getting married or if you know of anyone who is, please refer them my way! I’d love to work with them!

Fashion Shoot at Night

Anete is getting her website up soon so we went out to get some more photos. Our last photoshoot was during the day at the Golden 1 Center area, but tonight we totally changed it up. Night shooting can be difficult because of the lack of light. We had to rely on the flashes that I brought as well as the lights used to illuminate the streets. Though a challenge, it’s one that I enjoy taking on as night time photography has a special look to it… if you get it right!

The trick is to balance and use the outdoor lighting alongside the off-camera flash system. That way, the subject is lit properly with the background having a natural look to it. Often times inexperienced flash users will completely blow out the subject of the photograph and make the background completely useless. It took a few tweaks to get the exposures just the way I wanted them. As you can see in the photo above, Anete is lit nicely and the background behind her is as you would see it if you were there.

It was really fun poking around the downtown area at night and seeing the difference from the day. This was the first time I had shot in this part of the city at night and things definitely were different. Here’s a shot of Anete using my ultra-wide Sony lens. It really had to be at the widest focal length in order to get this image.

Just like last time, Anete came prepared and ready to shoot. She had her outfits selected with changes that took a very minimal amount of time. She’s a total pro and I appreciate that greatly about the way she operates. Each outfit she had looked amazing!

I can’t wait until Anete publishes her blog for everyone to see - I’m especially interested in seeing it! If you’re looking to get photos done at any time of the day, please let me know! I’d be happy to work with you to create some stunning images!

It's Been a Year Already!

It’s been awesome shooting with Stacy and Tyler these past few years. They first hired me for their engagements photos… then wedding… then maternity… then newborn… then first birthday… and now this family portrait session. They are an awesome family, and I’m so privileged to be able to capture them in the photos I get to take of them. For this session we met on a cold, but sunny Saturday morning. The lighting was absolutely perfect and I found some really nice moments for them.

One thing I love about Stacy and Tyler is their ability to have lots of fun and candid moments during our shoots. There really isn’t ever a boring moment. Thankfully, their son Jacob, is very cooperative and did great during our time together. Of course it helps when mom and dad help bring the smiles out!

During family sessions I like to give simple directions and suggestions on what I’d like to capture. The more natural and free, the better. A relaxed atmosphere is the best way to get the best shots. I always try my best to keep things light and easy going.

Outtakes are usually delivered in black and white to signify a photo’s ‘outtake’ status, but they can also be requested in color, if desired. I do like how black and white evokes a certain feeling that is different than the rest of the shoot though. To me it signifies a different aspect of the photo session.

It was awesome hanging out with Stacy, Tyler, and Jacob again… and I’m sure we’ll all get together again as we hit 2019! If you’re looking for family photography, please don’t hesitate and let me know. I’d love to book a session with you soon!

All photos from this session were taken on Sony camera bodies. My primary lens for this shoot was the 85mm G Master with a shots from the 55mm 1.8 Zeiss. Photos were all hand processed in Adobe Lightroom.

Real Estate Photography

Real estate photography is not something I usually do, but given the opportunity, I am certainly open to it. A friend of mine put together a phenomenal Air BnB living space and asked me to take photos of it for him. Of course I gladly obliged! I’ve used Air BnB to find a place to stay - and it really has been a bit hit and miss - but anyone staying at his place would certainly enjoy it. It’s furnished magnificently, is new, and very clean!

Not only does it have a nice bedroom, there is a great living room area complete with television, refrigerator, microwave, and other nice amenities. There was a lot to fit into the frame when it came to photographing the area so I had to go with the widest lens I had. I chose my new Sony 12-24 mm ultra-wide zoom for this job. Often times you’ll need a wide lens in order to capture everything in an indoor area. I’m glad I had the right tool for the task.

If you’re in need of real estate photography, I’d be happy to come and help you out! If you’re interested in staying at a very nice place in Woodland (the greater Sacramento area), check out my friend’s Air BnB listing HERE.

Christmas Cosplay

I’ve had the distinct pleasure of doing a Christmas themed cosplay shoot with Cammie, Veronica, and Ashton for the past three years now (wow, has it really been that long already???). Veronica sets everything up and is the main organizer of the shoot. In fact, she organizes many cosplay shoots throughout the year and has a pretty robust following on Instagram. Her themed shoots are always of the highest quality as she puts in a lot of time not only with her cosplay, but with the shoot location as well. It’s just up to me to capture it as beautifully as I can.

This year’s cosplay theme was My Hero Academia. It’s not a property that I’m too familiar with, but it’s my job to get great photos, and that’s what I set out to do. Being a Christmas shoot, it was important to me to make sure the photos had a warm feeling to them. Much of my processing for these photos involved adding warm tones to the colors.

Ashton always looks amazing in any cosplay that she dons, and this year was no different. I loved all the colors that she included as they matched very well with the Christmas environment we had. As with all photoshoots, it’s important to go for a variety of close, medium, and wide shots in order to really capture everything the cosplayers were doing.

Cammie is always ready with some fun props to add to the shot. Props are small things, but add a huge amount to photographs. For this session Cammie was a bit on the naughty side with both a whip and a pair of handcuffs. You certainly don’t want to get on her bad side!

And what good are props if they are not put to good use? Cammie the idea of a series of photographs showing her trick Ashton into the cuffs. You can see here at the end that Ashton wasn’t too happy about being locked up against her will. Doesn’t look like Cammie cares too much though!

Cammie and Ashton had one cosplay to shoot each, but Veronica had two. This second cosplay is bovine inspired. For some reason I’m suddenly thirsty.

It was a ton of fun to shoot with Ashton, Veronica, and Cammie. If you’d like to check them out on Instagram, please do at @ashton.taylor.cosplay, @feisty_vee, and @camislyce! They have amazing cosplay pages that are worth checking out.

Red Egg Ceremony

A red egg ceremony is a tradition that Chinese families celebrate when a newborn baby reaches a certain age. Often times it occurs when the baby is 1-month old, but couples can elect to change the date depending on their schedule. Helen reached out to me via Thumbtack to capture the moments that happened at her daughters ceremony. I had not done a red egg ceremony before, but in my estimation it would be very similar to a banquet at a Chinese wedding - and it was!

The most important photographs to take during the event were the pictures of the guests. It was important to Helen to get really nice images of their friends. This involved many group shots and the ability to create good lighting in a difficult environment. Chinese banquet halls aren’t known for being bathed in great lighting, so I had to bring my trusty flash system to get the high-quality, crisp images that Helen wanted. Lighting makes a world of difference and is a must-have in any professionals tool kit.

Besides the formal group photos, Helen requested that I look for all the nice candid moments that I could. It was a ton of fun to take photos of all the guests gushing over Helen’s cute daughter. Speaking of her, she did an amazing job. She’s hands down one of the least fussy babies I have ever met! If only my own kid was this good!

The head folks at Hong Kong Islander, the venue of this red egg ceremony, presented the baby with a golden bowl. She got this swaggy golden bowl with gold chopsticks. It was quite a gift for this little one!

As I mentioned earlier, lighting is key to capturing great images. Without using a nice flash, all of the photos would have an orange/yellow hue to them so that the true colors wouldn’t come through in the images. Many people were taking pictures with their cell phones, but sadly cell phones don’t have the ability to really give you the quality of color most people want.

Here’s an example of a cute moment I caught on my second camera that didn’t utilize the off-camera flashes. I think the photo looks fine, but you can tell that the colors and image just isn’t as sharp as the previous ones. Still… I do like this image as this cute little one is eating her sesame ball.

If you’re looking for professional photography coverage for any event, please let me know! I’d love to be there to catch all the big moments that happen!

Alysha & Jonathan Wedding

I was contacted by Alysha a couple days before their wedding to shoot video of their ceremony. Alysha told me that she wasn’t going to have a videographer, but decided last minute to hire one. Thankfully, I had the date open and was running a special for some open dates that I had so I was able to do it. This was definitely meant to be!

Though I mostly did video that day, I still took a few still images whenever I could. Alysha told me that their photographer wouldn’t arrive until later in the day, so I took it upon myself to get some photos of both her and Jonathan getting ready.

The guys sure know how to party! They were living it up in their room as they got dressed and ready for the ceremony.

When it was time to get serious the boys did just that - they cleaned up real good! You could tell that there was a nervous energy as the time for the ceremony crept up.

Alysha looked stunning in her wedding dress and head decoration. I’m glad I got a photo of her in some good light.

The ceremony took place indoors with some serious backlighting going on. It was tricky for the video side of things, but using the latest Sony technology, the photos were able to bring out all the detail.

When the ceremony concluded the sunlight was absolutely perfect for group photos. I had the opportunity to take photographs of the bridesmaids bathed in gorgeous sunlight.

All the photographs were taken in natural light. Because I was doing video, I didn’t rig up any lighting. The natural light looked awesome though!

I’m so glad Alysha contacted me for her wedding. I wish her and Jonathan all the best as they continue in their life together!

Hippity Hop to the Barber Shop

I always love shooting with Tarus as he has a ton of great photo ideas in his head already. It’s my job to bring them to life through the camera. We met up at J’s Barber Shop in Suisun City after closing to get some shots in the shop and out. Tarus is meticulous about how he wants things to look, which is awesome as that is a sign of someone who is serious about getting good results.

J’s Barber Shop isn’t the best looking place to shoot. The space is a bit older looking… but not in the way that you want. Tarus didn’t want too much of the actual shop in the photos as it would have been distracting to the vibe he wanted. Using flash photography was the way to go tonight and we got shooting right away since my flash set up is pretty simple.

Being at the shop, we definitely wanted to highlight some of the tools of the trade. Tonight we were able to get some sweet shots of both Tarus and the equipment that he uses to do his cuts.

For these photos I used a variety of different tonal pallets to give the shots a bit of style. Having a distinct look is important for lifestyle photography. I personally love trying out different color tones in the photos that i take.

The second part of our photo session took place just outside the barber shop. It took a few tries, but we finally found this really nice wall lit up with a street light. It was perfect to get some portraits in.

Though it was dark, I was equipped with my trusty new Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4 lens. Using this lens we could virtually take photos in the dark! It was an awesome experience to shoot with the lens. I’ll definitely be using it on future shoots.

Thanks to Tarus for having me come out and do another shoot with him. He has big plans in the barbering industry and I know he’ll go far! Let me know if you’d like to shoot, go to my contact page and message me!

UpCyclePop!

On Sunday I had the chance to attend UpCycle Pop in Sacramento. I was asked to be on a costuming panel because of my photographic work within the cosplay community. My schedule was pretty tight that day, but I was glad to be able to come and see what UpCycle was all about. I arrived about an hour early so that I could walk around and get a sense of UpCycle’s vibe and to see all the various vendors around the event.

UpCycle Pop takes place within an unoccupied business building. Within the building are all sorts of arts, food, and items that can be purchased. And that’s what is unique about UpCycle. The items available to buy are all constructed of previously used items. With some work, these old pieces of ‘junk’ are transformed into creative art pieces and items that can be used in everyday life.

What I loved about being at UpCycle was the opportunity to interact and participate in many activities. Creating art and expressing yourself is highly encouraged here - those who came had the chance to create pottery, paint, sing, and craft! Just about everywhere you looked there was something to do; it was a real playground for both kids and adults!

Throughout the day different bands and musicians performed in the main space. Fans of music could certainly just sit and chill to the sweet sounds of instruments and voices all day long. As a music lover myself, this aspect of UpCycle was especially appealing to me. I can never get enough music in my life!

Now here’s something interesting… it’s Trump Vader! On display at UpCycle Pop this day were many pieces of provocative art. The artist combined many of the politicians today with characters from Star Wars. The message of the art was very clear, and peaked the attention of everyone who came to see this work.

I wish I could have gotten a photo of the panel that I was on. Of course, being a part of a panel makes it pretty difficult to take photos at the same time. I’ll just say that I enjoyed my time on the panel and that it was fun to be able to talk about photography and costuming that afternoon! If you’d like to learn more about UpCycle Pop, CLICK HERE to see their main web page.

Kesha for IG

Kesha hired me to shoot some fashion photos for her. She needed photography done because she was asked to model clothing for an Instagram channel. It was a cold and rainy day on the day we were to shoot so Kesha asked if I could come over to her place to get the shoot done. Well… of course! I packed up my portable backdrop and got it set up very quickly in her living room. Since I don’t currently have a studio, the portable backdrop has worked out perfectly for shoots that need that studio look.

Kesha’s living room was pretty small, but the backdrop fit nicely in the space. Because of the limited size of the room, I had to utilize a wider angle lens for this shoot. Combined with my Flashpoint flash system, we started shooting very quickly and got right to work.

The grey backdrop was excellent for the color tones that Kesha had on. In total Kesha had three outfit changes - which were a breeze to get into since she was at her home! Often clothing changes are a challenge when we shoot outdoors. Public bathrooms can be hard to find or dirty, and often times models just elect to change in their car. In this case it was really convenient as there is no place more comfortable than home!

Kesha did want to shoot a few shots in front of her white wall. I liked how the shots in front of her wall turned out. The texture of the wall was very nice and gave some character to the photo - it’s certainly a different look than the seamless paper that I brought. I especially like that the wall doesn’t look like a typical drywall you find in many homes. This wall could have been easily found in an older hotel or motel area in some far off place.

Shooting with Kesha was a pleasure and I’m sure we’ll be collaborating again for more shoots! If you’re looking for any type of personal or business photography, please get in contact with me! I’d love to work with you to create some amazing images!

So there's Smoke

Austin and Hannah had their wedding on a smokey November Saturday. I met this lovely, fun-loving couple a few months back when I did their engagement session at the UC Davis Arboretum. Despite the smokey conditions, the wedding continued on as planned at the elementary school that Hannah teaches at. It was definitely a unique location! I was primarily shooting video for this wedding, so all the photos you see in this post are from my second shooter Michael. His style and tone is definitely different than mine, so I wanted to show off some of his stuff! At the end of this post, you can see the short video highlight that I cut from the footage I captured.

Austin was having a ton of fun before the ceremony with some high-powered Nerf guns. When Michael and I walked into the grooms room, there were Nerf darts flying all over the place! I thought it was a great way to cut the stress of a wedding by engaging in this fun activity. I like this shot that Michael got of Austin. Austin’s looking very Bond like here.

The bride and bridesmaid room definitely had a different feel than the boys’ room. Here there was much more excitement and anticipation. Hannah and Austin had a very large bridal party so all the girls were helping Hannah get prepped for the ceremony.

I’m so glad that Michael was able to catch these little moments during the wedding. These are the same types of moments that I love being able to find whenever I do photography. Michael’s processing in his photos are more muted, which lends to an elegant look for wedding imagery.

Here’s a shot of the bridesmaids during the wedding. There’s just something about the color tones that really draws me to this image. I also like the fact that each bridesmaid seems to be feeling something entirely different from the others.

Here’s a classic shot of the bride and groom at the alter. It’s very simple, but this is a shot that is a necessity whenever wedding photos are taken. Michael uses a Nikon to capture all his images. I can definitely tell that the color rendering from his camera is different than what I typically use. It’s not a bad thing at all, I love that it is different!

Michael’s work is really nice and I love the images that he was able to get. He also processed his images very quickly. If you’d like to have him join me as a second shooter, please inquire about him when discussing your wedding package.

And here’s my highlight video from the day! If you’re looking for wedding video or photos, please let me know via the contact page. I’d love to hear from you!

We Had to Shoot Quick for this Engagement!

It has been quite a difficult time for us here in Northern California. Recently there has been a number of horrific fires that have decimated towns and caused terrible air quality conditions across the region. Thankfully the town that I live in did not have a fire issue, but the air quality has made it difficult for everyone. For me, a number of photoshoots that I had scheduled had to be moved due to the air being full of smoke.

The engagement session that I had for Adrian and Vanessa had already been moved back due to the air quality, but their wedding being just a month away, we had to get the photos done - bad weather or not! We decided to just get out there and shoot for 30 minutes and bang out this session. Our first shoot location was at this bridge. It looks like a cloudy day… but yes… that is the smoke filled air behind them.

We headed to a different location that worked a bit better. This area was filled with redwood trees. The smoke is still there, but it doesn’t look too bad in the photos that we took here. 30 minutes is really not enough time to get the amount of photos I usually like to take, but in these conditions it was what we had to be satisfied with.

We got in and out of our session in just over half an hour. I was glad to get back indoors and away from the smokey air. I’ll be photographing Adrian and Vanessa’s wedding in a few weeks. I hope our fire situation is finished by then - not just for me, but for everyone affected!

Photoshoot for a Cause

This past Saturday I was asked to do a very special photoshoot. This shoot took place at the Sacramento animal shelter on Bradshaw Road and had the purpose of helping their animals get adopted. The shelter has a lot of animals on site for adoption - and all these animals need good homes, so hopefully some of the photographs we took this past weekend would be able to bring some awareness to the shelter in a fun way.

The photoshoot involved having the animals pose with Star Wars cosplayers. I have actually done this for a few years now, and it’s always a blast. We’ve done comic heroes and other themes before, but this year was Star Wars. The cosplayers looked great, and the photos with them and the animals would be a sweet combination.

The Gamorrean Guard from Jabba’s Palace was probably my favorite looking cosplay of the entire day. He looked finely detailed - as if he just walked right out of the movie screen! I shot a many photos with him and different animals, but this shot was my favorite of them all. It really looks like the Gamorrean Guard has a soft spot for this little feline!

The most unique animal of the day was this large chicken. He was quite a site to see when they brought him in to be photographed. This big guy was a big scared and did a big poop on this Imperial commander as he held him. I guess that’s better than having to face Darth Vader for making a mistake!

Most of the photographs were in full color with some editing to make the background pure black. Some shots wouldn’t work in that fashion so I decided to do some selective color for those particular images. I’m not the biggest fan of selective color, but I think it works well in this case to highlight the animal.

When we were all done with the shoot, the cosplayers got to walk around the shelter and take photos with the kids and families that were there that day checking out animals. We got to have a little fun as well and put our big Gamorrean in his own cage. I’m sure someone will adopt him real quick.

I had a wonderful time photographing the animals and the cosplayers. If you’re at all interested in adopting an animal, please consider going to the Bradshaw Animal Shelter. It’s a great facility, and I’m sure there will be a special animal just for you when you go! If you’d like to see all the photos from this event, CLICK HERE to go to my dedicated cosplay site.

Anete's Fashion Shoot

Anete contacted me for some fashion photos taken in downtown Sacramento. I totally jumped at the chance as I love this type of photography. We decided on going to DOCO, the new downtown commons center for our shoot. Anete had scouted the location the night before and found some places that could be good for a photoshoot - and she was right! DOCO had a ton of great backdrops for a fashion photo session.

It’s really important to come prepared as a photographer, and that means bringing the right lenses (and knowing how to use them.). Many people use an 85mm lens for portraiture. And in the example above, I was no different. The 85mm with a super fast 1.4 aperture provided some stellar classic looks and beautiful bokeh in the background. However, in the first photo, I needed to use an ultra-wide lens because the space we had to shoot was extremely small, and only that type of lens could fit everything in. Without out it, I don’t think that location would have been workable for what we wanted.

Besides simple statically posing, I love capturing movement in my photographs. In this shot I had Anete walk vigorously towards me so that I could capture some of her hair bouncing a bit. I love the look of hair showing more volume and life. Anete was a great sport and followed my suggestions very well. I love it when the model and photographer jive well together - that was definitely the two of us!

Finding different perspectives to shoot at is totally fun for me. Sometimes shooting upwards is the best way to go. It’s an angle that you don’t see too much, and it gives Anete a bit more of a strong presence in the photo. Since the film days are over, photographers are free to really experiment with the way they take photos without the fear of wasting precious film.

Anete was so much fun to work with! I think we had a blast going around the DOCO area and finding the perfect place to get some photos done.

If you’re looking for some portrait photography for yourself, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to be your photographer!

Fun Family Shoot!

We’ve been having some really amazing early evening weather recently, and it’s made for some awesome family photography! The Jones’ asked me to capture their fun family dynamic in Vacaville so we scouted a great location and got shooting! I love family photoshoots because I believe families are the most important of all. And getting moments captured of these precious times will be cherished for years and years to come.

We walked around our location looking for beautiful places to take photographs. I like to shoot in a relaxed style so that there isn’t any sort of stress. I know a lot of people don’t like taking photos, so it’s always a goal of mine to make the entire process as easy as possible. As we walked we found this nice little outdoor table to sit on for a quick pic!

As the shoot went on the family definitely loosened up quite a bit! Turns out dad is quite the joker of the family and he decided to make sure some of the photos were especially unique. I love this moment of him putting his feet up as his family supports him. Thankfully I was able to get this moment in a flash as my truly Sony a9 shoots lighting quick. I would have hated to miss this!

Mom and dad got a little alone time for a few photos and I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous sunset going on. It’s obvious there is tremendous love in this family.

We ended up shooting many photos that day with quite a few of them being stand-outs. If you’re ever looking for family photography, please contact me so we can set up a session soon!