Jeanine + Tommy | Downtown Oakland | Photo Safari | Engagement

This is my second adventure into the heart of Oakland, my hood.  Oakland doesn't get much love for picture locations, because compared to San Francisco, it's considered ghetto.  Well, I've always been about finding contrast in pictures.  I think that a beautiful subject comes off the page when it's surrounded by something that's not inherently beautiful.  Like, for say a freeway underpass versus a tree.  I think that's why we see so many fashion adds with models in a dingy alleyway.  

It's also important for my creative juices to get recharged in an environment where it forces me to find the right spot to shoot in.  Jeanine and Tommy are from Oakland, so they fit right into the mix.  I love these guys for so many reasons.  They've got the heart of lions in the midst of some of the hardest times that they are facing.  Some highlights of us galavanting around town.  

Rosemarie + Lawrence | Church of the Presentation | Wine and Roses | Stockton | Wedding

Every wedding has a funny story.  Well there's two for us in here.  We traveled up to Stockton for this wedding and were happily shooting, when lo and behold Ingrid's brother materializes out of the crowd to say hi to me.  His wife was there too and I was so confused for thirty seconds.  When I'm shooting my brain is in the zone and anything that gets me out of that throws a complete wrench into my highly excited mind.  It was definitely a pleasant surprise, because we both didn't know that we were going to be there.  I quickly ran over to Ingrid and told her that someone special is here for her.  I think they had fun watching Ingrid and I work the whole day.  They said that they can now report back to Ingrid's mom and tell her that we really do own a photography business and that I'm legitimately earning an income.  Now we can get married.  (no, we're not engaged yet!)

The bouquet toss is always a fun ritual that we like to shoot.  It's one of those moments where we don't know what is going to happen, but just hope that we get some good reactions to capture.  Well this time the girls were hungry.  So hungry that when the bouquet came flying towards them, they just tore it apart completely.  I thought it was one of the funniest and most desperate moments captured.  Gotta love all the action!  Thanks Rosemarie and Lawrence for the memories, you guys rock!