Wedding Ceremony: St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church

Wedding Reception: Riverside Art Museum (RAM)

Photo Locations: California Baptist University and Life Arts Center

Jack and Zac rollin’ the sound for each take…. Zac loved yelling “SPEED!” before each take.

My dad is the 1st Assistant Director. He was getting everyone organized before each take.

Executive Producer, Jonathan Wilson even got dressed up for a few scenes.

Eric Drazin, director, Jim Riley, writer and creator of “Courage, New Hampshire,” and Drew Ganyer, director of photography, checking to make sure that film looks great!

Brendan, grip, waiting for the next scene to take.

Jack and Zac were extras for Saturday’s scene and got to dress in their “colonials.”

You can tell that “Courage, New Hampshire” is well-supported by all of the extras that showed up for the big exterior shot.

Jonathon Henry and his puppy rest between takes.

Wig stands, with wigs labeled for the different actors.

Smiles all around.

Monique interviewing one of the actors, “Bill Krepps.”

Drew, Eric, and Jim looking at the script.

“through the looking glass….”

Ready, aim, FIRE!

Logan Creighton, left, takes aim, for the shot.

The end of the day.

It may sound obvious, but it was cool going into the shoot thinking of ways to convey this theme in the pictures.  Shooting in LA was like painting with a new canvas. The possibilities were endless. Which is why I’m really looking forward to the wedding next week in San Francisco – it’s going to be awesome :)

Music by Drew Holcomb “I like to be with me when I’m with You”

Be sure to check out the last photo, as it’s my favorite of the day! And, as always, enjoy :)

Want more? Check out the slideshow!

Thanks to Summer for being so patient with all of us!

This is one of my favorites shots Daniel got of the day. Love the look!

Here’s one of my first try’s for children’s photography. Very different from weddings, but still pretty fun!

Happy New Year!!!

mike

Aaron caught this fantastic shot!

Another great shot by Aaron on the left :)

Here’s a few shots from our wondering. Pike’s Place Market was cool to see. Very crowded though on a Friday. I couldn’t believe how many people we walking around with camera’s and taking pictures. It kinda seemed like most people were there being a tourist. We also saw the first Starbucks, which didn’t look like a Starbucks at all. It was rather bland inside with tons of product boxed lining the walls. And finally, a shot of the Space Needle. We were too cheap to pay the $40 to go up, so I just grabbed a free pictures instead :)

I’m getting better at this HDR stuff. Little by little :) Enjoy

Here’s Deception Pass in the background. If you look carefuly, you can make out some cars on the bridge to get a sense of scale.

Zac got to sit in the fire truck. Needless to say he had a great time :)

This was just one of the many jems driving on Hwy 20 over the North Cascades. And no, it’s not photoshop that gives it the greenest-blue color. Its the silt from the glacier runoff.

Here’s the view from the top. I was too scared to lean over any more to get a better angle ;)

The Trees above the fall we beautiful. It seemed like another world.

Again a stream above the falls – A whole new world :)

This is the worlds smallest park – really! Mill Ends Park

Here’s my first lousy attempt at an HDR image. As with many things, practice will make perfect.

It’s nice to have a good photo with Zac and I. Normally I’m the one always behind the camera :)

I have no idea what he’s thinking, but I don’t think it’s good.

After 42 hours on instruction over three days, it’s finally time to head home.  I don’t really mind the four hour drive home, as it gives me time to reflect on the many concepts and revelations over the past few days. There are so many changes I need to make in order reach a level that I’m satisfied with. There is always a higher mountain peak above the one you have just climbed – always another obstacle between me and the perfection I so desperately seek.

Photography is an extremely competitive market. It seems like anyone can pick up a camera and show up to a wedding. Some may even be able to take good photos. But the reality is that wedding photography is so much more than taking pictures.  My job is to capture the priceless memories of a couple’s most important day. Not just any memories mind you, but the warmth of the embrace, the flutter of butterflies as she walks down the aisle, and the skipping heart beat when the groom see’s his bride for the first time. Wedding photography is about capturing these feelings for all time, immortalized in an image for all to see and celebrate. It’s about life.

I just spent the last three days in Las Vegas for a photographer’s convention with some of the most impressive leaders in the industry. I’ve listened, learned, networked and communicated ideas with other photographers, united in our common goal and reaching into a new level. I’ve learned so much about photography, weddings and ultimately people. In the end, I love what I do, and I happily thrive on helping my clients remember the most important day of their lives though this medium called photography.

I hope I am living up to this incredible standard with all my past couples. If you are a past client, I cannot think of anything more precious than what you have entrusted to me. For that, I humbly thank you.

It is with your gratitude that I press forward. It is your honest thanks that gives me the courage to call myself a Wedding Photographer.

Danny an I felt so honored to be apart of such an important event that so few had the privilege of witnessing. Danny and Jeri, it really was an honor. You guys are such a cute couple! After so many years of being together, I was honored to hold such an important part of your beautiful day.

See the Slideshow!

Colleen and Peter are about the nicest people you could ever hope to meet – genuine to the bone. We had a great time a few months back in San Diego shooting their engagement session, so I knew their wedding was going to be a good one. They didn’t disappoint. It turned out to be a very special time, one that will be remembered for long to come. Thanks for sharing your day with me and for spoiling me with all that good Mexican food!

See the SLIDESHOW!

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So needless to say, I had a great time shooting Jasmine and Jeremy at all these really cool places. Some of the stuff by the Smiley Library and the Lincoln Shrine were among the best, but the bamboo forest at Prospect Park was pretty cool too.

I wish you guys the best in life as you journey together as husband and wife and thanks for choosing me as you wedding photographer.

By the way, very nice cake photos, looks like you guys were having fun there ;)

Ammie & Trevor, it was truly an honor to be your photographer and capture all you special memories – even the ones dodging cars on Victoria Avenue ;)  I wish you the best!

Special thanks to Emily, and Daniel for their help shooting. Although I think I got a little spoiled shooting with two other fabulous photographers ;)

See Daniel’s photos here: www.balboaphotography.com/blog

You can read more about the Potato Psyllid at the Center for Invasive Species Research website which I also manage.

Potato Psyllid Adults

Potato Psyllid Nymphs

Potato Psyllid Eggs

Victoria’s from Russia, Ahmet’s from Turkey. How did they meet? The University Wisconsin of course! Needless to say there was a lot of family flying in from all over the place to see the wedding, but that didn’t stop anyone from having a good time. It really amazes me how two families from totally different backgrounds can come together for a bride and groom, all in the name of love. Both sides blended extremely well. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought everyone were already great friends! For the photos, we started out day at the UC Botanic gardens, downtown Riverside, and finally the Riverside Art Museum for the ceremony and reception. It was a perfect balance of landscape and the city feel of downtown. Thanks for the memories guys, they’re mine just as much as they are yours :) Wish you both the best!

I love it when a couple trusts me to do my thing. It frees me to just do what I know best and produce great results. I had yet to shoot at Balboa beach, but that didn’t stop Jasmine and Jeremy from trying something new and shoot their engagement session here. This place was awesome! I really love how you have the beach, the pier, the boardwalks and the fun zone. Everywhere we went we had a different atmosphere to create cool images. It was so cool tramping around Balboa and spending some time with Jasmine and Jeremy before the wedding. Thanks guys for letting me test out this cool spot on you. Can’t wait for the wedding in May!

More info on the Beetle here: http://cisr.ucr.edu/eucalyptus_longhorned_borer.html

Thirty one degrees is COLD, but it was all worth it. We went up to Stetson Ranch in the San Grogonio mountains with my family and a few old friends to pick some of (in my humble opinion) the best apples in the world. Stetson was an old Boy Scout ranch back in the 40′s and 50′s that was abandon for about 50 years. Somehow the apple trees survived pretty well without any human intervention. Recently a family bought the land and have turned the orchards it into a U-pick experience for mountain travelers. The apples may not be very big, but they are taste superb and are 100% organic – something you just can’t buy in any store. Can’t wait to make some killer apple crisp tonight. Zac had a blast picking apples. He didn’t really know what to do with it after it was picked, but he had fun ;) I think he enjoyed playing with all the random sticks lying around and slashing through the bushes even more though.

Because a baptism is like an announcement. Here’s a few photos from Sandals Church 2^nd Annual Beach Baptism.  This was really special for me since I was baptized here last year. It’s really quite a unique location – the Cove at Corona Del Mar. The calm waters below lead into the Newport bay, providing a perfect place for the baptizing. The high cliffs above is where most people watch, giving them an excellent overview. It’s simply a great place. It was extra cool this year because Monique, my Aunt and Amber from our small group were all baptized together.

Summer is my favorite time of year for many reasons.  Just thinking about all the stuff I can do makes me smile.  The beach , scuba diving,  vacations are all great, but I think one of my most favorite things to do in the summer is to buy all the fresh fruit I can get my hands on. Peaches, nectarines, honeydew and watermelon are the best on a warm summer day. It is especially cool to see Zac experience this all for the first time too.

We’re always trying to get him to eat new foods, because, let’s face it – kids are picky. I had given him a few bites of watermelon before, but he didn’t really know what to do with it. This time I left the rhine on and just gave him a piece. Not only did he eat it all, he loved it. Piece after piece, he let all the juice dribble down his tummy. We both sat on the balcony and watched the cars and people go by as we enjoyed one of the many pleasures of summer.

They had this really cool grill right by the beach. Just go up and order what ever you want, anytime. It was so awesome.

Would have loved to go visit one of their churches, but we just didn’t have time nor were we there on a Sunday.

All the school kids where uniforms. As one of the locals said, “Its just easier that way.”

Yes! I found my fruit stand! My pineapple was very good, btw. It servered as an awesome breakfast the next morning. I wanted to try some other stuff, namely a local fruit called “akeey,” but it required a little bit of cooking.

A typical strip mall. This was about a nice as they come in Negril.

Wow, “Rush Hour 3″ made it to Jamaica!

These guys played so fast! When they made their move, they slammed down the peices too. It was very fun to watch as they take it very seriously.

Red Stripe was the staple beer in Jamaica. Every one drank it. I’m not into beer, but I did like this one. It was a bit sweeter than the beer back home.

A view from the taxi back home.

Cuban cigars are legal in Jamaica! So we bought a few. I’ve have never tried or ever had an interest in smoking, but I figure their Cuban right? Why not try the best?

Then in the early afternoon, we hitched a taxi ride with Bryan and Cindy (Bryan was an old co-worker from UCR) and headed off to the Royal Palm Reserve. The ride over there was pretty scary. The cab driver assured us he knew exactly where it was. So we all climbed into the cab and enjoyed the ride. But the further we got from the cities and the deeper we went into the island we began to worry. He took us on this long dirt road with lots of grassy fields and away from any kind of population. I remember all the late night shows where so called taxi driver would drive unsuspecting tourist out into the middle of nowhere and rob them of all they got. But before I had a chance to worry too much, we arrived. It was truly an amazing place. I’ve never seen anything like in back home. Tons of green everywhere. There was so much water it felt like a swamp. The pictures pretty much speak for itself. Just walking around you could tell that there was so much life in this reserve. There were tons of birds flying around, lots of insects and fish many in the ponds. The wooden boardwalk weaved in and out of the grassy meadows lined with the royal palm trees. The lookout tower was truly amazing. As far as you could see was green. Not a single sign of human life was nearby.

Dexter, our awesome tour guide!

This leaf was like five feet long!

The lookout tower in the distance. The boardwalk extended through the reserver, weaving in and out of the wetland.

A view from the top.

We all got out of the bus as what seemed like a mob rushed over to our bus, each person trying their best to get our attention to come to their shack.  It was really quite terrifying.  We all looked at the other passengers, not really knowing what to do, while they looked right back at us.  Somebody made the first move away from the bus, as the rest of us followed their lead.  Monique and I began to follow some man who was trying everything under the sun to get us to following to his “store.” Not really sure what else to do we followed. He led us through a small maze of narrow alleys lined with more and more shacks. Each one’s owner assuring us they had the best deals. The closer we got, the more and more it began to smell like the famous Jamaican mary jane.  I had my camera with me, but frankly, I was too scared to take any pictures. Someone could have easily hit us over the head and taken us for all we had. We just pushed through as fast as we could. We tried our best to look interested in everyone’s stuff, but it was clearly impossible.  Then they began to bad mouth us as we walked past their “store.” “Respect, man, respect.”  It was all about respect. I remember we went into one guys store and the woman next to his got mad and started yelling at us for not showing her respect and looking at her stuff! The guy we were talking to just hurried up and tried to make his sale as quick as possible.  Looking back it was pretty scary. I don’t really know why the bus driver took us there. Maybe it’s just normal to them.  I’m glad we went though. We learned a lot.

The bus moved on and we ended up at Rick’s Café, an American style restaurant on the edge of some cliffs overlooking the western ocean.  There really wasn’t any special about Rick’s, I mean, it would tottaly blend into any mall back in the states. We were not too impressed. I guess there were two really good things about Rick’s. One, they had an awesome view of the ocean, and two: the cliff jumpers. There was a bunch of local guys who whoud stand on the cliff’s and yell at the gawking tourist, “Two dollars!” Once someone assured them of their money, they jumped.  It was really kinda cool.

Since the bus left us at Rick’s for a few hours, we became a little board and decided to check out a lighthouse about a mile away. The guards at Rick’s assured us it was a safe adventure and that we should have no problems getting there and back. Short from a few locals begging for money and  commerce, we had no issues. The lighthouse was pretty cool and gave us another awesome view of the sunset.

Rick’s Cafe cliff jumpers can jump from all sides, each having different heights.

From the top: this is where most of the tourist jumped. It looks much higher in person!

The one guy would climb to the very highest point anyone could possible get to jump into the water below. He carried around a red bucket for donations. Once he reached his goal of $20, he would put on his show.

I didn’t really want to investigate, but I’m not sure if this was the house for sale or if it was just the land and the tiny building just happened to be on it.  I really hate to think this was someone’s house.

It was the strangest thing. While we were still swimming, I heard my name being called. We turn around and see Betsy and Justin swimming over to us. It really hit me how strange it was. Not that met them, but we traveled all this way, many hours on a plane, and then a few more hours driving on the crazy streets of Jamaica and then to this resort on the side of the main road, and then in the ocean to top it all off, we see them! Very cool.

We eventually got back to our nice air conditioned room and took a very long nap. Then we grabbed some dinner with Betsy and Justin and went back to bed. We have the rest of the week to enjoy.

It was raining just enough to make everything look really cool as we drove to the Resort. Jamaican roads are pretty crazy. Their really small and have lots of sharp turns. There are no sidewalks, so everyone just walks on the side of the roads.  We about jumped out of our skins the first time the bus driver passed someone walking on the road. Could have sworn a few inches over and he would have nick’d him. I guess its just the way they drive.

We saw lots of American things there, including Mario! (We’ll I guess its an Asian thing)

One of the many relaxing  places at the Resort. Monique was getting a massage in there.

Our room. It’s pretty awesome. Mini bar, ac and an awesome balcony with a view of the ocean.