Kick-ass photography for tough-to-please couples
I've been doing a lot of "mini" engagement sessions lately with my clients – essentially 15-20 minute crash courses for directed posing with my brides and grooms. I *should* hand out a certificate-of-completion at the end of these sessions as they're super productive and we all learn a lot in a short amount of time. This leads to much more efficient/productive time with couples on the actual wedding day.
Violeta and Mario lucked out with an absolutely gorgeous Monterey Bay day amidst a record-setting rainy winter in Northern California. Early March outdoor weddings can be risky, but sunshine, smiles and laughter dominated their wedding day. Violeta and Mario's parents on both sides acted as the four officiants at the ceremony, something that was new to me and WOW how special! It was all in Spanish, so I definitely was on my toes and focused, ready to capture all the big and little moments. We did the first look and all formal photos before the ceremony, so after they tied the knot I was basically a fly on the wall, capturing tons of candids throughout the evening. The Perry House is a great wedding venue, and the results from Violeta and Mario's wedding show it. Enjoy some of my favorite photos from the day below.
It's always a little nerve-wracking when you're about to shoot a destination wedding for a couple you've never met, and even more worrisome when the weather report for the day says it's going to rain almost 3" - but as soon as I met Paige, her face was lit up with excitement and I could tell that rain or shine, this was the best day of her life. A big part of me relaxed too, knowing that I could handle whatever the day would throw at me, capturing everything that mattered and then some. It ended up not raining at all, but one of the most memorable moments was about 30 seconds into the bride and groom romantics – we'd just stepped outside and a strong gust of wind whipped the veil up, up and away!
Annie and George love the rolling green hills and isolated oak trees found at this location in Los Altos Hills – near Westwind Barn. The hills are publicly accessible to both pedestrians and horses, and it's simply a beautiful location that I plan on visiting more often. With all the rain we've been having, we were super lucky to have lovely weather for their mini engagement session. We had fun together, and I'm pretty sure George didn't hate the experience as much as he thought he would! Here's a few of my faves, enjoy!
Kristela and Casey are Santa Cruz locals, but they didn't really know all that Natural Bridges has to offer. Let's just say it's more than a beach! If you enter from Delaware Ave., not only is the parking free, but you have trails that meander through fields and small forested areas of a variety of trees. So basically you can get many different environments, all at one location. Of course, the beach is where you end up – and I try to time it around sunset (if the marine fog allows!). These two were very easy to work with, having a natural chemistry and ease in front of the camera. I was honestly surprised they haven't done this before! Even though I was directing them the whole time, the collection of photos we ended up with are very natural, spontaneous and fun – markers of a good session for all of us. Here's a few of my favorites from the shoot, enjoy!
