The Expressive Blog

Kathy and Ed did a lot of laughing and smiling, during their Santa Cruz engagement portraits... Not because I asked them to smile... I don't ask people to smile when photographing them, because it usually results in those "fake" smiles that nobody likes to see. Actually, we just had such a playful photo-session, that we spent much of the time laughing. But we created so many cool images, that it's not even funny!

Here are a few of them...

We concluded the photo-session on the West jetty of the Santa Cruz Harbor. This happened to be the night of the full moon, and we captured several very romantic portraits of Ed and Kathy in the moonlight.

I have a lot to be grateful for... and one of those things, is the great people I get to work with - like Wesley and Sarah. It turns out I have more ambassadors out there, talking up Expressive Photographics, than I realize, and that's how Sarah and Wesley learned about me - from the mother of one of my happy brides! Remember folks, I am available for assignments anywhere in the USA - not just the Bay Area. If you know someone planning their wedding in another area, who is looking for a photographer, I hope you will let them know about Expressive Photographics... But I'm getting off the real subject of this post, which is Wesley and Sarah's wedding.

Their wedding was held at the Saint Joseph Basilica, in Alameda, where generations of their family members have also been married. The reception was at the Claremont Resort, in Berkeley. It was a beautiful day, and here are the pics to prove it...

Above, Wes awaits the start of his wedding ceremony. Below, he escorts mother and grandmother to their seats.

Sarah was escorted by her grandfather. I love these next captured moments.

With some weddings, the timing is planned to allow a break of several hours, between the ceremony and reception. Such was the case with Wes and Sarah's. After the ceremony, they planned almost three hours of photo-taking, in various locations. About twenty minutes was dedicated to doing some traditional family group shots, and the rest was dedicated to many cool photo-ops with the couple and their attendants. A special note to other brides-to-be... I am often given 60 minutes or less, to complete all requested photos of the family, plus the wedding party, plus the bride and groom together, and I can get great results with less time when necessary. However, if you want the most from your photographer on your wedding day, be sure to allow them plenty of time to work creatively with you. Why would anyone invest thousands of dollars in photography for their wedding, and then short-change themselves, by not giving the photographer time to create something very beautiful for them? You might be surprised to see, how I often must do a great deal of photography in a very short time! Of course, as a pro, you must learn how to perform with the time-constraints of real-world weddings! Playing "Hurry up, but make it pretty" was not the case, with Sarah and Wes though. We actually had PLENTY... more than plenty of photo-time, which was a good thing, as it turned out. That "extra" time came in very handy, as an opportunity for Sarah and Wes to slip upstairs... just to check in to their bridal suite, at The Claremont, that is.

No matter who your photographer is, it can be very beneficial to carve out as much time as possible, to allow them to create the images that will preserve your memories of one of the most joyful and important days in your lives. Even much of what is today called "wedding photojournalism" is often more about "creating (and then capturing) the moment", than about just capturing the moment. Many moments are best captured with zero input/interference from a photographer - such as the wedding ceremony, first dance, toasts etc. I believe the best approach to capturing a wedding, is to direct or choreograph less, rather than more, but a good photographer also needs to know when and how to interact with the people in front of the camera, to bring out the best in any moment. Oh yeah... and it helps if you can make the experience fun!

Okay, I'll stop ranting. Here are the rest of my favorite shots from Wes and Sarah's wedding.

With this image, I wanted to produce a grainy, vintage look.

I recently did a photo-session with Noga Vilozny, visionary artiste, singer and dancer. This was a test-shoot, where we were free to be spontaneous, and I had the perfect opportunity to experiment with some new ideas and techniques for creating interesting nighttime images. We also made some more "conventional" portrait images, that are very much like what I do for my clients. I have posted several images from that session here. I hope you enjoy them!

BTW - Noga Vilozny, is a wonderful and talented performing-artist! She truly loves what she does, and that quality infuses what she does. She creates performances in flamenco dance, and is also gifted with a beautiful voice. If you ever want a special performance for an event you're planning, I recommend contacting Noga.

This final image was the primary new technique I wanted to test with Noga. I am currently refining my skills for creating images that combine well-illuminated subjects, such as Noga here, with starry skies. For a first try, I was very happy with the result here! What do you think of it?

I would also like to give thanks to my team of excellent assistants, who braved the cold, damp and windy conditions on this photography session. It was their help, which made the session so easy and even more fun! They were John Christiansen, Reija Bolwell and Leila Cara.

Noelle and Chris actually got married a while back, and this was their event to celebrate with all their family and friends. No ceremony required! Been there, done that! What did they do at the historic Sainte Claire Hotel on 4/18/2009 you ask? "P". "P" stands for PARTAY.. and also PICTURES!

I really enjoyed working with them because we had more time than I usually get to work creatively with everybody, and capture some very fun and cool images. Here are a few of my personal favorites. I hope you enjoy them!

Who would have known that this synchronicity would happen in the crosswalk, as we went about our downtown photo-shoot? One bride heads East, as another goes West, meeting in the middle of South Market Street!

Below, we have two versions of the same image. I could not decide which way I liked it best. What do you think? Feel free to leave comments.

Afternoon temps were in the eighties, which feels plenty warm to a guy like me, who lives next to the ocean. Many people, including our fun-loving bride, were enjoying the cool fountain. The next two were taken at San Jose City Hall, just a few minutes away from the Sainte Claire Hotel.

Kelli and Philip's e-session was a blast to do. I really enjoyed working with them, and capturing a little of the essence of their relationship. You know, there is a special way two people look at each other, when they are in love. Well, these two are a beautiful example of that! I have selected just a few of my favorite shots from this session. Here they are...

Corinna Bellizzi. Well, she's at it again... or does she ever even stop? I first met Corinna, when she and her then-fiance, Matt Bellizzi, were seeking a wedding photographer. Lucky me, I got to be their wedding photographer, and we still keep in contact, mostly on Facebook. Corinna has become a marathon runner, with Team In Training, and is dedicating untold hours and energy in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My contribution of a creative photo-session and 16x20 portrait is so little, compared to what Corinna is dedicating to this important work, but every little bit helps, and it's a way I can be part of something bigger than my usual day-to-day world.

If you are looking for an opportunity to get a creative photo-session with Expressive Photographics, the March 14th Crab Feed and silent auction could be a great way to do it. Bidding starts way below the retail value, and all proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Location will be at Gigi's 550 River Street, #A, Santa Cruz. See more info below:

Many thanks to Phuong and Jeff, for allowing me to do an extended engagement session with them. We photographed in Capitola and Santa Cruz, for almost four hours! At first, this post will only have four photos, but over the next several days I will add more. I hope you enjoy them!