Treasure Photography | Wedding Photography by Josh Gruetzmacher

This blog has moved

2010-04-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

This blog is now located at

http://joshgruetzmacher.com/blog.

A whole new me!

2010-04-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Family and Friends,
I am very excited to announce a big new change in my business: a new name. Actually it is not really a new name, because it is the name I've been using my whole life, Josh Gruetzmacher! This change has been brewing for a while now, and it was a difficult decision to switch everything up. Thanks to everyone who was involved in giving me advice about url's and everything else.

My new website can be found at: www.joshgruetzmacher.com

My new blog will be: www.joshgruetzmacher.com/blog

My new email will be: josh (at) joshgruetzmacher.com

Other than the new branding and site, not much else will change. I am still committed to providing couples with the best possible images from their wedding. A huge thank you to all of my past clients. Your beautiful smiling faces make me look good. I owe you all big time! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your lives :) With the peak wedding season approaching, I am getting very excited for all of the awesome weddings that are in my lineup for this year. 2010 is the best year to be getting married since the dawn of time (I'm a little biased since I'm getting married this year). Thank you all, and stay awesome!

Katherine and Tim

2010-01-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

I had an awesome first wedding of 2010! Katherine and Tim had an intimate weekday wedding in Carmel; I felt like I was just another member of the family. Also, weather was unbelievable for January. It felt like it was summer! You can also see more photos in their SLIDESHOW.

It's been fun playing with my new 100mm macro lens. It pulls details that shouldn't be missed, like the ice on both Katherine and Tim's wedding rings :)

These portraits are at Lover's Point in Pacific Grove.

The ceremony was at the Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel. It is a beautiful old church; the perfect ceremony venue.

Katherine and Tim ringing the bell to let Carmel know that they just got married :)

We had a good time doing some portraits while we filled time before dinner. There are so many spots all over the place if you are looking for them :)

The Church of the Wayfarer at dusk.

I was invited to dinner with the family. I love getting to know my clients... especially over an amazing steak dinner! Katherine and Tim are wonderful to be around, and it was an honor to share their day with them. Thank you!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

2009 was an awesome year for me: I got engaged, graduated college, turned 25, and got to be a part of the best weddings I could ever hope for and call it work. I have been so blessed, and I want to thank all of my clients for sharing their weddings with me. Sometimes I wonder if I'll wake up from the dream that I've been living. I have the most amazing friends and family: thank you for being in my life. I can't wait for 2010! I have a feeling it's going to be a good one... Happy New Year!

Daniel and Laura Nelson

2009-12-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

I had the absolute pleasure of being able to be a part of Daniel and Laura's wedding at Hotel Monaco in San Francisco. It was such a blast! You can also see more photos in their SLIDESHOW.

Laura's dress is awesome!

I love this shot!

Their cake had a cool fondant that had a custom pattern (similar to one used in their invitations) printed onto it.

There was a lot of fun dancing happening :)

I went out for a drink with the couple and some of the other guests after the reception.

It was a perfect day. Thanks so much for letting me be there to document all the good times!

Christmas

2009-12-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

Alexis and I drove down to Santa Barbara to spend Christmas with my family. It was nice to see all of the family and friends, and to share the engagement excitement with everyone.

Crazy flare experimental photos.

Lake Los Caneros at dusk.

The Gruetzmachers 2009. It's crazy to think that next year we will have two new members in our family photo, Alexis and Ashley.

My dad like to assign "photo projects" to himself. This time it was shooting everyone in the Santa hat. This collage came out cool with all of his shots. I was bummed that I didn't get to see of of my other relatives in Southern California, but Alexis and I wanted to make it to dinner with her family in San Jose.
We made the drive back up north on Christmas afternoon.

Alexis' mom, Lin.

Suzy (Adam's girlfriend) is getting her shred on.

Adam (Alexis' brother) got a Wii and was trying to figure out this crazy game that it came with.

Alexis and her dad, Andy.

I like video games, but I don't think that I'm very good at them. Figuring out the Wii controller makes me feel like I'm getting old because it's SO much different from the N64 controller that I spent most of my video game career on. I'm waiting for the day when we can control video games by using our minds...

I hope that you also had an amazing Christmas as well :)

25

2009-12-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

I turned 25 years old today! Here are some photos from my birthday party that were taken by my friend, Mark Kuroda.

I printed the photo from my engagement 20"x30" to hang in my room. It is a very special memory for Alexis and I, and I'm stoked to have such a cool photo to always remember it by. Thank you Olivia for taking this rad photo!

The hooka got fired up :)

Thank you everyone for making 24 such a good year for me! I have a feeling 25 is going to be even better though :)

I got engaged!!!

2009-12-19T18:10:00.000-08:00

On December 19th, 2009, I asked Alexis to marry me, and she said yes! It was an epic event! We are so happy!!! I will post again soon with our full story :)

Jason Roque

2009-12-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of portraits that I took for my roommate/fellow photographer, Jason Roque.

Brandon and Nicole

2009-11-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

While I was down in Santa Barbara, my best friend, Brandon and Nicole got engaged!!! I am so happy for them. Brandon and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, and it make me happy to see him with someone who compliments him so well. Nicole is very cool, and I have gotten to know her well since they started dating a few years ago. I love getting to hang out with these guys! I also have the honor of being able to be Brandon's best man for the wedding. 2010 is going to be a huge wedding year for me with so many friends and even family getting married. We took some engagement photos on the beach, and some under the pier (where they got engaged). You can see more photos in the SLIDESHOW too.

Even though I have done photos in so many spots in Santa Barbara, I had never used any of these spots before. I love the photo above, and the others from under the pier.

I saw these cool arches when I was driving down Chapala before. This building and these arches in particular build upon the Spanish architecture that defines Santa Barbara in a cool way. It was a cool spot to see and shoot at.

Congratulations!!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T21:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!! I went down to Goleta with Alexis to spend time with the family. Lots of good food and good times :) I am very thankful for all of my family, my friends, and the wonderful people that I get to work for. You guys rock!

The Jorgensen/Myers/Spangler posse.

Madelyn is so cute!

Rylee and Francy. It's cool as the babies get bigger, you get to see parts of their personality forming. Francy thought it was the funniest thing in the world when someone said "Paul Blart Mall Cop," the name of a movie that we were watching.

My mom, Alexis and I went on one of those red double-decker tourist buses. They drive you around Santa Barbara pointing out all of the historical spots. Sometimes it's fun to be a tourist in your own town :)

A classic shot of the SB Mission from the fountain. Seeing the Mission made me excited about Natalie and Dan's wedding that will be there next year.

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!!

Zack and Chelsea

2009-11-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

I got to meet Chelsea and Zack earlier this year when I was shooting Chelsea's brother's wedding (Charlie and Chrissy). I'm stoked that I get to be their photographer too! For their engagement photos, they came up to San Francisco, and we cruised around the city finding spots to shoot at. You can also see more photos in the SLIDESHOW. Good times :)

Ryan and Michelle Buckner

2009-11-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of being able to photograph Ryan and Michelle's wedding at the Ceres Mansion. It was a beautiful day! You can see more images from the day in the SLIDESHOW too.

The flower girl was peeking out the window, when she saw Ryan and the groomsmen below. She had to pull the blind shut really quick so that Michelle didn't see him before the ceremony. It was very cute!

I was very moved by this part of the ceremony. Michelle's father and Ryan's Uncle took a moment to speak encouragement and blessings into their lives. I got a little misty eyed myself. I think that there is something uniquely empowering about parents speaking into their children's lives. Ryan's uncle spoke for his father who passed away, that he would have been so proud of everything that he was doing.

So cute!

What a perfect day! Thank you so much for letting me be there to witness it. Congratulations!!!

Matt and Allison

2009-11-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

I took some portraits for my roommate and longtime friend from Santa Barbara, Matt and his girlfriend, Allison. They are super cute together! Here are some of the shots:

International Justice Mission

2009-11-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

Alexis and I went to a benefit dinner for International Justice Mission at the Fairmont hotel tonight. We were both moved by the work they they do in trying to end human slavery worldwide. As the holidays are approaching, I can't help but feel lucky that I have been blessed in so many ways. Luke 12:48 says "To whom much is given, much will be required." I have been given much, and I want to make a point to always give out of my money, time, or talents, in order to help others. Slavery is a growing issue, and although there has been more effort in recent years to create awareness, I think that it will require a whole society to reject and work against it before we will see it disappear. You can find more information about what IJM does at their website: www.ijm.org.

Another organization that I have worked with that is also concerned about ending human trafficking is The Blind Project: www.theblindproject.com. Please take time out of your day to learn about the worldwide slavery problems and partner with these organizations in trying to eradicate it. Thanks.

Jonathan and Sarah

2009-11-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

Jonathan and Sarah and an awesome couple! I had a good time getting to know them while we wandered around downtown SF looking for cool photo spots. Some of the shots we got are below, or you can see more in the SLIDESHOW.

Pumpkins and Halloween

2009-10-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of our house pumpkin carving:

Anthony is such a character

Jason found this creepy kids portrait somewhere, and it seemed fitting for the Halloween vibe.

Our family of pumpkins.

Alexis and I were Wednesday and Pugsley from the Adams Family for Halloween :)

Chris and Leiha

2009-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that I get to photograph Chris and Leiha's wedding next spring! Leiha is in charge of making all of the sports programs for Dos Pueblos High School. She arranged for Ryan and I to take photos of some of their sporting events to use in these programs while I was living in Goleta. This was fun, and we became friends. It is an honor to take photos for a fellow designer, but also really cool to see a friend in such a good relationship! Chis is great, and it was nice getting to know him while we were doing the photos. You can also see more in the SLIDESHOW.

These first photos were at the Lane Farms pumpkin patch.

The eucalyptus trees out on the Ellwood bluffs are a cool photo spot.

Chris and Genevieve Targoni

2009-10-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

I had a pleasure of being able to be a guest at my good friend Chris Targoni's wedding. I think that this was this first time that I have been a guest at a wedding in probably 5 years because I am normally "working." Chris and Genevieve had an awesome wedding on the beach in Carpinteria. I took a few photos just because I couldn't help myself.

I was looking through these photos, and I realized that almost all of my friends at this wedding work at Reality Carp (or they serve there). Sean and DJ above and Cody and Jessica below.

Matt, Amber, Zoe and Ryan.

This is Chach, and probably the best cupcake toast that I've ever heard!

The youth group leaders/kids from Reality. When I first met Chris, he was still in high school. We did discipleship together for a couple years, although I think that I learned more from him than he did from me.

Congratulations!

Michael and Juliana

2009-10-20T01:44:00.000-07:00

I got to do some portraits for Michael and Juliana around San Francisco. We started out at City Hall, and surprisingly, it was my first time there. What a beautiful building! You can see some of the shots that we got below, or you can see more in their SLIDESHOW. Cheers!

Matthias came with me so that he could get some images for his portfolio. He took the shot above, and I really like it.

Thanks!

Kyle and Danielle Perry

2009-10-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog entry. I have been working on editing, albums, and staying alive. At any rate, I am going to try and get back on top of my blogging. Thanks for being so patient :)

I had the pleasure of being able to photograph Kyle and Danielle's wedding. It was such a blast! You can see more photos from their day in the SLIDESHOW. Here are some of the shots:

Kyle wrote Danielle a super cute note.

Super cool car, right?

My friend Matthias shooting with me for the day. The shot above is one of his. Between his 3000+ photos and my 4500 or so, I think that it's safe to say that I'll be doing some serious editing.

This was a time where everyone was saying encouraging things to Danielle to get her ready before the ceremony. I guess the sign on the window says it all :) Actually, this room is the same youth group room where Kyle and Danielle met in high school, at the Redwood Church. I thought that it was nice that they were married there too.

The Ringman/Perry love tree was planted.

It got dark really fast, and this shot in particular was totally in the dark (1600 iso, f1.2, at 1/13).
Another cool shot by Matthias.

It was a perfect day. Congratulations!

Albums!

2009-10-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

I have been designing and making lots of albums lately. The thing that I love about albums is that they are tangible. I am guilty of leaving tons of my own photos in the computer, where they get moved around, and then backed up onto other hard drives, and forgotten. It is really nice to pull a tangible book off of the shelf and flip the pages though. Here are some photos of the albums that came in recently, including some of the interior spreads. Cheers!
This one is my favorite.The black leather cover is very clean and classy--the inside is gold too!

This book has a metal cover that is unlike other albums that I have seen. It has a sleek modern feel that I enjoy.
This parent book has an ivory leather cover.
An engagement coffee table book.

I was so stoked when I got to this page. It came out really nice.

This spine detail show how you are able to have images span across the page without losing part of the photo in a gutter.

This coffee table wedding album came out wonderfully.

... and then I wrapped it all up and sent it out. Thanks for looking. I can post the layout pdfs if anyone is interested in seeing what a full wedding album looks like from front to back...

Jealous Sound and Dead Country @ the Fillmore

2009-10-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

I love seeing shows, and I had the treat of being able to shoot a couple of awesome bands at the Fillmore. Dead Country is fronted by Nick Long, who used to be in a band with my brother back in the day. Nick is still rocking, and I really like the Dead Country music. I have an enormous amount of respect for Nick and anyone who is willing to pursue their dreams. You can see more photos from Dead Country's set HERE.

The next band that played was the Jealous Sound. I got hooked on their cd, Kill them with kindness, a few years ago, and have been on it ever since. They also have a self titled album and an ep called, Got Friends. I like their music so much I did some stalking to find the singer's previous band, Knapsack, which I love as well. I guess you could say that I am a mega fan... They played a really good show, and I'm so glad that I got to be there. You can see more photos From Jealous Sound's set HERE.

Another band was headlining, Sunny Day Real Estate, but I got shut down from doing photos of their set. I was still able to pull this one though :) It was an awesome night!

Fleet Week

2009-10-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos that I took of fleet week here in San Francisco. The blue angles are really cool, but their show was unfortunately cut short due to the weather.

Alpha Pregnancy Center Design Work

2009-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

For my final design project while I was at SF State this spring, I opted to help Alpha Pregnancy Center develop a consistent way to communicate with their clients and supporters. Alpha Pregnancy Center helps meet the needs of bay area families by providing for their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. I spent months doing research for this project, and not only did I learn a lot, but my designs were approved by the board and are currently being used. I developed a new identity system, including a logo, typeface selections, and a color palette. Here are some images of the final printed collateral:

I also did some work helping them to promote their big annual fundraiser in September. The event was a huge success, and I'm glad that Alpha will have more resources to help women and families in difficult situations this year.

There are still a million projects that could help Alpha Pregnancy Center accomplish their goals. If you are interested in hearing more about what they do, or the people that they serve, you can visit their website: www.alphapc.org. Thanks.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

2009-10-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Alexis and I went this weekend to see Gillian Welsh and Neko Case playing free shows in the park.

Mike and Rebecka

2009-09-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of being able to be a part of Mike and Rebecka's wedding. It was an intimate affair in Santa Barbara at Stella Mare's. On top of being a beautiful day, it was also a really fun wedding for me :) Here are some of the photos, or you can see more in their SLIDESHOW.

When this picture is larger, you can see Rebecka's expression as she peers through the frosty glass towards her groom, Mike.
Rebecka's father is a pastor in London and he was officiating the ceremony. Her brother, who came out from Sweden, Walked her down the isle.

Real joy :)

I like this one.

I really felt special getting to have dinner with Mike, Rebecka and their families. I think I was the only non-family member who was at the wedding!

Cheers!

The surprise cake with Mike's team getting solid representation. Underneath the frosting, was a rick chocolate heaven!

Thank you for letting me be a part of such a special day!

Portugal. The Man

2009-09-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

I saw Portugal. The Man at the Independent. I always look forward to seeing this band because they are amazing live! Their new cd, the Satanic Satanist, is gold. You should check them out if you get the chance.

Kyle and Jamie Longacre

2009-09-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

I had a blast this weekend at Kyle and Jamie's wedding out in Woodland. Everything was perfect. I love my job! This is a monster post (I had a really hard time chopping it down), or you can also see even more photos if this isn't enough in their SLIDESHOW. Cheers!

When we got back to the hotel after the salon, the Longacres has a bunch of food for me. I only mention this because there was this magical pasta that pretty much changed my life. It was So good!

The wedding was at a family friend's amazing house out in the country.

I love all of the country-style shots that we were able to get just down the street from where the wedding was. I am SO happy with every portrait that we got all day. Money!

"Don't eat the rock candy favors until after the photos... it totally turns your mouth blue!"

It was so hot that all of the girls changes back out of their dress until right before the ceremony.

I was stoked on all of this interesting lens flare. I think these photos have a nice warm feeling to them.

More hay shots :) On top of being attractive, Kyle and Jamie are SO cute together!

This photo might be blurry... I was crying right about now.

In case you didn't notice, Jamie's dad get 100 man points for his awesome mustache!

Ouch!

Father and son owning the dance floor.

This was the most extreme dance floor fishing that I have ever seen... and I have seen a lot! There is an awesome sequence of the whole event, even where the fish was caught and held up for a posed photo. Amazing!

The groomsmen on the left is getting married this weekend in Las Vegas. If you read this, congratulations buddy!

I got to chat with these guys at the rehearsal. They are super cool, and obviously lots of fun.

I will survive lip sink and dance... Priceless!

Thank you guys for letting me be a part of your day! It couldn't have been any more fun :)

Gypsy Kings

2009-09-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend, Alexis, is so awesome! She took me to see the Gypsy Kings at the Mountain Winery. I have been working so much that I never get out of the house anymore. I'm lucky that she still likes me ;) On top of being gone all the time, my POS car almost didn't make it to the venue because there was crazy traffic up a steep hill. The gypsy kings were really good.

Eric and Elke Reichel

2009-09-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Eric and Elke's wedding this weekend. The photos came out fantastic! You can check out a sample below, or see more in their SLIDESHOW if you would like.

Anticipation for the first glance :)

The wedding was at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. The old adobe buildings in the back made for some cool portrait spots.

Signing the Ketubah. I love this shot!

I like how you can see all of the groomsmen's kippahs in this shot.

I went to high school at Dos Pueblos with Josh and Lisette, who are cousins with Eric. I'm honored that they would refer me to their family. Thanks guys!

Even though this photo doesn't really have people in it, I think that you can get the feeling of how it was SUCH a nice Santa Barbara evening.

There were so many good shots from the dance floor!

I never try to intentionally embarrass people, but this photo gets me laughing every time I see it :)
Eric and Elke had a slideshow at the reception of photos from their childhood through recent times. I wish I could pair this shot with the photo that goes with it from the slideshow, but you know it was a good one. Rock on!
This courtyard when it is all lit up at night, looks really cool.

After the wedding most of the people went to the bar that they rented out on State Street for the after party. I was glad that I could make it out there for a drink as well. In case you didn't notice... all of the fun times from the reception just kept on rolling.

I was also able to see one my favorite bands of all time, Strung Out!

On my way out of the show, I bumped into the newly-weds, and all of the late night troopers. They were looking for the 1am slice of pizza that you earn after a good night out. It was awesome to be able to share a slice of the victory with all them. Thanks for everything! It was a day for the books :)

Also, Elke made my day yesterday by sending me this kind email:

"Everyone loves the pictures. My mom (and I) love the "Abby Road" one and all of the ones we have seen - you are so talented and create beautiful work. You have exceeded our expectations and I just wanted to complement you on an amazing job at our wedding!"

Weddings are such an important event, and I feel blessed that people would trust me enough to document their day. It was also nice to get this encouragement because I have been drowning in work lately, and it's good to know that all of the long hours at the computer are worth it. Thanks Elke!

Swine Flu

2009-08-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

In addition to being extremely busy still, I got the swine flu :( It was the worst! I felt weak, achy and brittle all week. Sorry for the delays that this caused to all of the photos that I need to edit. I hate being sick!

Dan and Natalie

2009-08-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that I will get to photograph Dan and Natalie's wedding next year! I went to high school with Natalie at Dos Pueblos. Actually, she used to live up the street from me on Taraval when I first moved up to the city too. Kris and I went to a party at her house (after we all bumped into each other on MUNI), where I met her boyfriend, Dan. A couple years later, it was awesome to hear that they are now engaged. They are so cute together :) You can see more photos in the SLIDESHOW too.
We met up at this moss covered pond in Golden Gate Park, and then wandered around taking photos.
Dan and Natalie with a few random kids who were drinking in the park .

This statue is so emo, that we had to get a joke photo with it.

After coffee, we took some night shots in North Beach, and up at Coit Tower.

I love this one!

Coit tower looks really cool at night, and I was glad that we were able to get it in some of the shots.

By the time that we were done, it was super late. Time flies when you're having fun!

Mikey and Ashley Got Engaged!

2009-08-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to announce that my brother, Mikey, and his girlfriend, Ashley, got engaged! Mikey is also a photographer, and he has help shoot a lot of weddings with me. I offered to drive down to do photos for him, so we spoke on the phone about his plans for the engagement. He wanted to do it up at Lizard's Mouth up in the mountains about Santa Barbara. There are lots of rocks and bushes up there, and the view is amazing. Below is the map that he drew for me so that I would know how and where to set his stuff up once I got to Lizard's Mouth. Alexis, Daniel (my other brother), and I went up there early to set up a jewelry box that Mikey made that had the ring in in. The plan was that we would be in the bushes so that when they got there, the box would already be there, and we could take photos while he proposed. I love that he thought about all of the potential photo hideouts and drew them on the map for me.

Will you marry me?
Yes!
It all happened pretty quick, and I was not very set up when they got there, so I had to scramble a little bit, but it still worked out. Good times!

we took some other engagement photos too while we were up there.

I normally never stage moments after they have already happened, but we all had a good laugh setting this up.
We all got in cammo gear so that we could hide in the bushes and go undetected. It was stealth!

I can't tell you how happy I am for Mikey and Ashley, and it was really special getting to be a part of Mikey's master plan. It was perfect!!

Mercedes and Jarrod

2009-08-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

Alexis and I went to her friend Mercedes and Jarrod's wedding reception. The ceremony was earlier in the day, and it was smaller, so not everyone could go. It was pretty nice being a guest at a wedding because I am so used to working at them. Come to think of it, I don't think that I've been a guest at any weddings since I've been doing photography. Anyway, it was a good time!

Fire in North Beach

2009-08-12T23:24:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kris, had just moved to a cool new apartment in North Beach with another one of our buddies, Dillon, when this happened. Kris found this image of the fire on the web. It is the roof of his place. Luckily his room did not burn down, although many of the other people in his building were not as lucky.

We set up a temporary Red Cross Shelter in my room for Dillon and Kris's stuff. They have been living out of suitcases and couch surfing since the fire. As bad as it was, it could have been worse. I'm glad that nobody was hurt.

Saison

2009-08-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

I took some photos for the hottest new restaurant in San Francisco: Saison. My friend Kris helped start it, so it has been cool to see it start to take off. They are currently only open on Sunday evenings, but they will be adding additional days in September. Alexis and I were able to eat there, and we loved it! You should check them out. Here are some of the shots:

Chef Joshua Skenes.
Kris Esqueda

Jeff and Sarah Passage

2009-08-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

I went to another awesome wedding this weekend! Jeff and Sarah got married at the Admiral's Mansion on Mare Island outside of Vallejo (Bay Area). I posted some of the photos here, or you can see more in their SLIDESHOW.

One of the most laughter filled lunches ever! Full BM (Bridesmaid Mode) ;)

Kevin Toqe has been friends with Sarah for a while, and he was singing at the wedding. I met him at church last week when he sang for us there. Amazing!

A beautiful day!

I love the industrial looking buildings in these shots! I think the color and the juxtaposition with the wedding outfits works out well.

A perfect day! Thanks for all of the smiles.

Mike and Betsy Braun

2009-08-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

Mike and Betsy are one of the coolest couples! I'm so glad that I got to photograph their wedding in Pacific Grove this weekend. We are all friends from Dolores Park Church in San Francisco. There are a bunch of photos below, or you can see more in their SLIDESHOW. Cheers!

In addition to photos, I also tied Mike's tie for him.

Betsy and her dad entered from the path that was in front of the ceremony, so all of the guests just looked straight ahead, instead of turning and looking back. This was really cool, and I've never been at a venue where something like this could happen.

This part was awesome... I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now shake hands on the deal (or something like that). It was shortly followed by the kiss :)

After the reception we did a few more portraits; which turned out to be essential. There were a lot of cool spots that we were able to use right around the venue, and on the beach.

These rocks were pretty gnarly, but Betsy was doing it in her heels. Good stuff!
Thanks guys!!

Also a quick shout out to my friends, Jocelyn and David, who also go married today down south. Congratulations!

The Charettes

2009-07-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

I took some photos of the Charette Family today. We are all friends from church, and I'm sad that they are moving to Florida. I'm glad that they are probably swimming in the warm ocean out there right now though :) Emily is an awesome graphic designer, Jeff makes sweet websites, and Eleanor is cute. Here are some of the photos:

Desert?

2009-07-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

I am going to make a menu for the coffee shop across the street from my house, Mocha 101. I took a few test shots of one of the crepes that they make. I'll post more photos of the other food/menu layouts when they happen. Mmmm :)

Jesse and Karen Diaz

2009-07-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

I got to be a part of Jesse and Karen's special day. It was an adventure for the books, but everything always worked out. We got a lot of awesome photos too. You can see more in the SLIDESHOW, and I've posted some here too:

Right about the time that Karen was done getting her hair and makeup done, the bridesmaids went out to the car to get the dress. The only thing, was that the car was missing... It had been towed (SF parking is crazy!). This put a kink in the schedule, but luckily, Karen had planned a lot of photo time into the morning. It just cut into the photo time a little while they got the car, and the dress back. Through the whole scene, Karen was really calm :) No stress! Even I got a little worried when I heard one of the girl mention, "We could probably find another dress before the ceremony..." It all worked out, and the show still went on.

We were going to do photos at the Legion of Honor, and the Palace of Fine Arts, but we ended up just staying at the Legion of Honor. The courtyard there is an awesome spot for photos!

No stress!
Even though the photo time got shortened, we still got a lot of awesome shots, and had plenty of time to catch up with the schedule.
Jesse HAND PAINTED the sign below, and ALL of the name cards at the reception. They were beautifully done!

The ceremony was at the church I regularly go to, Dolores Park Church in the Mission District.

The reception was in China Town

Karen did a quick outfit change into a traditional Chinese dress.

Jesse got into taking photos with my other camera. It was pretty awesome because people had different reactions for him than they did for me.

It was an exciting day, from start to finish. I love all of the photos. Thanks guys!

Biker Chick

2009-07-24T17:44:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pics of Alexis on her motorcycle :) It's a Honda CB 200. I get to sit on the back when she's driving.

Hsiao-Yun Portraits

2009-07-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some portraits that I did for Hsiao-Yun, one of my professors at SFSU. Cheers!

Allen and Christine Frandsen

2009-07-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph Allen Frandsen and Christine Cobb's wedding today. Christine is a friend from high school. Here are some photos from the day. You can see more in their SLIDESHOW too.

It was a beautiful day in Santa Barbara!
First glance :)

One of their friends built this beautiful cake for them.

The reception site at night looked pretty cool.
Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day. It was awesome!

Happy Birthday Vanessa!

2009-07-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

Alexis and I went down to San Jose for the afternoon for her friend Vanessa's graduation/birthday party. We all played softball and it was really nice out. Good Times!

Local Music

2009-07-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

I was grabbing a coffee at Mocha 101 (the coffee shop across the street from my house), and was pleasantly surprised to see some live music happening. I'm mostly gone on the weekends, but I guess they have live jazz there every weekend. It was cool to see a lot of people from the neighborhood there too. Sometimes in a big city you lose the feeling of community, so this was really nice. Thanks Mocha 101!

Matthias Photography

2009-07-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

I helped my friend Matthias with his new photo venture by developing (all in one night) a logo, colors, a website, pricing pdf, and business cards. I think it was the craziest all-nighter that I've ever done! We started at 7PM and worked straight through till 11am. Yikes! Matthias is very passionate about photography, and its always nice to help a friend out. He recently helped shoot Grace and Peter's wedding with me, and has been doing lots of other portraits, landscapes, and anything else that he can get in front of his camera. You can see the website that I made, and his photography portfolio at www.matthiasphoto.com.

Heidi and Lucy

2009-07-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Heidi and Andy Fox are friends of mine from our home group Bible study, and they are the proud parents of Lucy Fox. It was cool seeing it go from "I'm pregnant!" to the big belly, and then seeing Lucy smiling. We finally got around to doing some photos, but unfortunately Andy had some stuff come up so he couldn't make it. Here are some of the photos:

Camping

2009-07-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

Alexis and I went camping over the 4th of July weekend at Lake Amador. It was really nice to get away from the computer for a minute. That thing has been sucking the life out of me.

We burned part of one of my school projects while we were out there. It was very symbolic.

I hope that you had a nice 4th of July!

Markris Wine Group & Monday Night Flight

2009-06-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

I did some graphic design for my friend and roommate, Kris, who was starting a wine promotion company with a buddy of his named Mark. Their company name is "Markris Wine Group." Kris had his tattoo artist draw up the crest below that we used for his logo, and I set the type. We had some really cool business cards made too, but I didn't have a photo of them to post. Here is the logo:

They put on an event at the 5A5 Steak Lounge in San Francisco. Kris and I worked together to design the concept and promotional material for this event. The flyer simulates a boarding pass and the event was named "Monday Night Flight," as a play on wine flights.

Above is the poster for the event. Below there are photos from the event. It was a huge success, and the event will be happening once a month on a Monday Night. This event promoted 5A5 Steak Lounge, and a bunch of local vineyards and wine growers. It was a really good time, and lots of my friends made it out.

Peter and Grace Lee

2009-06-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

I had a blast at Peter and Grace's wedding this weekend! They are awesome people, and I had a lot of fun being able to hang out with them and photograph their day. Here are some picture from the day, or you an see more photos in their slideshow by CLICKING HERE.

I had my friend Matthias shooting with me, and he pulled some really cool shots, including the one above and the one below. Asqew has bunch of locations in San Francisco, and the food that they made for the reception was really good.

The wedding was at Loma Mar, amongst all of the big trees. It was a really cool spot for an outside wedding. For the ceremony, they had an intimate gathering for all of their family and friends. It was unlike any other ceremony that I've seen, and I think that the shot above gives you a feel for how organic it was.
Their families LOVE taking photos! I saw more cameras clicking away at this wedding than any other that I've been to. I felt like I was part of the paparazzi :)
They each wrote down the story of their relationship and the officiant read them. They had not seen each other's version before the wedding. This is a great idea for an added personal touch to add to the ceremony.

Finding an angle was a little bit tricky with all of the heads, but standing on a chair in the back with the zoom lens seemed to work out.
I really like the picture above.

It was really cool getting to do portraits here with all of the big trees.

So cute!

There was a debate about the difference between manger and a barn.

I love photographers!

The paparazzi loved this one with all of the babies. It looked like a firing squad!
It is a good shot though :)
They had a really cool gypsy folk band playing music.
Post-wedding relaxing
I was SO stoked that we did a bunch more portraits after the reception. Grace and Peter were down for the cause, and I think that it paid off.

The way that their reflections drained out onto the water was really cool.

On the way back out to Half Moon Bay, we stopped at the beach for a few more shots. There was a bunch of crazy sea foam, but we got some more cool shots.

I get a really good feeling when I take a picture that makes me happy. Sometimes it's catching an emotion, interesting lighting, or nice scenery, but the best is when all of these elements find their way into one frame. I felt like there were a lot of these moments at Grace and Peter's wedding. Thanks so much for letting us be a part of your day. You guys rock!