Sargeant Photography

Sargeant Photography Blog is now sargeantblog.com

2011-01-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

Change dem bookmarks, recent work and blog at the new site: www.sargeantblog.com/home

See you there!

Hush a Bye Baby...

2010-12-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hush a bye baby up in the sky
On a soft cloud it’s easy to fly
When the cloud bursts the raindrops will pour
Baby comes down to mother once more.

Rock a bye baby safe in my arms
Mother will hold thee safe from all harm
Tree limbs may break and clouds disappear
Always and ever Mother is here.

~ Lois Duncan

Surrounded in Love.

2010-12-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Here we are together,

In a place

in space

surrounded in love

here to say yes I do...

I love you

and I wanna be the only one

-Curtis Mayfield

Rachel + Albert : Rancho Las Lomas Wedding

2010-12-08T00:38:00.001-08:00

I wont bother typing too much here because this wedding can do all the talking for itself. Rachel and Albert are such cool people, bursting with energy right out of the gate from our first meeting, we know we'd have a great time with them at their wedding. They love to travel together, so to help set the stage for their decor (and preemptively enlighten their guests of their 2 week european honeymoon adventure), they enlisted the always amazing floral decor genius Larrissa Rehder of Inviting Occasion. It was also a pleasure to work with Kimberley Bradford for the first time, she kept everything running super-smooth as expected (and with 20+ sponsors and a 12 person wedding, that was no easy feat ;).

What resulted was a combination if wit, whimsy, old, new, and whole lot of european charm in the heart of an Orange County's canyon. Congrats you guys!

Coordination - Kimberley Bradford

Floral and Design - Larrissa of Inviting Occasion

Caterer - 24 Carrots

Vintage Decor - Jeni with FOUND

Dress - Marisa

Men's Tuxes - Friar Tux

DJ - Emmanuel Lao

Cake - Great Dane Baking Company

Video - Americana Cinema

Rings - Shane Co.

Photobooth - Shutterbox Photobooth

String Quartet - Arroyo Strings

Also thanks to Kerstin Fletcher for coming out and rocking the camera in the places we couldnt be :)

Never Resist the Unfamiliar

2010-12-03T00:30:00.000-08:00

"Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it."

-'Richard'

Encinitas bluff, 2009. 4X5 pinhole. 8 seconds approximately f/360

Lindsey + Peter: Manhattan Beach Engagement Session

2010-11-29T10:13:00.001-08:00

We headed to Manhattan Beach this summer to go play in the sand and walk up and down the streets with these two local love birds. It was so fun to visit their favorite bar Shellback, and hit up a candy store for some delicious cotton candy! These two are so cute together and we really can't wait to photograph their wedding next May!

Beautiful Wife + red heels + green suit + hawaii + pineapple

2010-11-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

= tropical bliss.

I had a few extra rolls of 220 left over from Laura and Mikes wedding and decided to burn them with Leanne at our local beach before heading out to the airport. I love having a model at my side whenever I need her :). Film was developed and scanned by my friends at Richard Photo Lab in LA, with a few minor photoshop color tweaks by me, but straight out of camera for the most part.

So the story behind this one is leanne is like "take a photo of me standing on this rock with the pineapple" ... so I do. Then she says, "wait for a wave to come up and splash around my feet." So I'm waiting and focusing my camera and out of the corner of my eye a 4 ft wave rolls of from behind and lands right on the rock she's standing on. Gold! I missed pure perfection by about 1/100th of a second. But I think its still hilarious. Leanne didn't think it was so funny :P

My favorite.

Stranded on the way to Vegas ...

2010-11-15T13:14:00.000-08:00

... we met up with Alyson and Grant late in the day. They were stuck in the desert. Good thing they had each other and our camera's to pass the time.

Full post coming soon.

New York and Boston : Panoramics

2010-11-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

We just returned from a week on the east coast with Leanne's family. Its been a trip a few years in the making, fall colors, hustle of the city, and a chance to revisit the spot where we got married have been on our to-do list for some time. Leanne has a bunch of amazing photos to share too, but I thought I'd beat her to it by posting some of my panoramics.

These are just rough out-of-camera images, I usually "work" them a bit more in post, but decide to let the compositions speak for themselves this time. In a digital world where 5000 photos can fit in the camera for under $50, it is constant challenge for me (and other artists too I assume) to keep their vision focused and get exactly what they want out of a trip or photo session. I hope you guys dig some of them, please check out the full gallery on facebook to see more:

go here

-Paul

Under the arcade - south facing staircase - leading from lower central park, down to the Bethesda Terrace. There was a choir of about 5 children and a cellist playing something wagneresque that filled the arcade with haunting but beautiful sounds

Standing on one of the higher points in central park affords an amazing view of columbus circle, midtown manhattan. Look for Leanne rock-hopping on the left

Words cant express how amazing it was to walk the high line now that its been restructured as a park. It runs almost 3 miles through the westside, cutting through chelsea, hells kitchen, and the meat packing district. For more information and some wonderful photos of the old high line, visit the website and Joel Sternfelds project "walking the high line"

Yellow leaves catching my eye on Newbury st in Bostons Back Bay

Leaves slipping from the shore of a lake in boston commons. Artfully fulfilling the transition to winter

St. Regis Princeville Kauai : Preview

2010-10-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

There is so much goodness contained in these photos I cannot begin to describe it all (its a preview, I'll get wordy later with the full post ;). All I can say is Laura and Mike had the most intimate ceremony we have ever witnessed. It was just the two of them, their pastor, and the two of us ... on a tiny stretch of sand on the north end of Hanalei Bay. Its been stormy all week and it rained all morning and night, but stopped just long enough for their portraits and ceremony (how lucky is that!). We really can't express the love that was felt on the beach that afternoon. Thank you Laura and Mike for letting us photograph these amazing moments.

We're in Kauai for two more days, so more to post when we return!

Aloha! Paul + Leanne

what you get ...

2010-10-22T23:59:00.001-07:00

... when the grooms identical twin brother leaves the portrait hour a little too early. photoshop!!

Megan + Jonathan : Newport Coast Wedding

2010-10-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

First off ... if good looks can be measured on a scale of one to ten, these two go to eleven! Everything came together splendidly to give Megan and Jonathan an amazing day they'll never forget (especially if I have anything to do with it ;). They even met up before the wedding for a "first glance" between just the two of them. I love this for a bunch of reasons, particularly because the portrait hour would have been short due to a sunset ceremony and it took the anxiety level down a notch for both of them as they prepped for the ceremony. Jonathan is from Puerto Rico, so there was a bit of cultural blending ... literally, he brought sand back from his native home and mixed it in the glass with some of Megan's "local" sand.

As a side note ... Megan and Jonathan are both extremely accomplished individuals and recently passed the bar and are practicing lawyers. They both come from very legal families ... so I'd say out of the 225 guests, about 80 of them were lawyers. Needless to say we were on our best behavior. And if anyone tripped over my lightstand, I have no idea how it got there ;).

Thanks to the great vendors and details that brought the day together:

Venue - Pelican Hill, Newport Coast

Coordination - Gail Garceau, GG weddings

Hair - Louis Orozco of Madison Salon

Makeup - Makeup By Berit, Lettie Mix

Vive Entertainment - Peter Papadopoulus

Food by Resort at Pelican Hill

Audio and Visual Services - Mark Cooney of Pelican Hill

Flowers - Enchanted Florist
Dress- Monique Luhilier

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Calligraphy by Kathleen

Brazilian Drum troop - Tropidanza

Ikeokonta Family

2010-10-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

We were just delighted to hear from Adaeze and Immanuel two years after their wedding ... particularly because their son had arrived and was already the better half of a year old :)... sorry this wedding was amazing but pre-blog so I cant share the photos (unless I repost in the future!). So we all me up at a tiny park near in San Pedro -not far from their house - and captured some amazing energy between the three of them.

Love these roots from this tree

Preview from the weekend

2010-10-13T00:15:00.000-07:00

So much goodness from this wedding ... exciting to share next week. Stay tuned.

Leslie + Daniel : Rancho Capistrano Wedding

2010-10-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Okay here is one wedding we are really excited to show off. We really had an amazing time with Leslie and Daniel at their engagement session ... not to mention we created some off-the-hook-rad photos that set the bar pretty high for the wedding. We we cleared that bar with room to spare. Check out some highlights from their "vintage summertime" inspired wedding at Rancho Capistrano. Did I mention they had a pizza truck pulled up just outside the venue busting out fresh wood-fired pizza (!). Top it off with a table full of desserts from Sweet and Saucy to fully induce a delicious food coma :). Conrats Leslie and Daniel, we were thrilled to be there to document it for you!

Venue - Rancho Capistrano

DJ - Chuck from Music on the Move
Flowers - brides family
Food - Farmers Market Pizza
Hair & Makeup - Ann Pacheco
Invites and Stationary - Designed by Tonya Wirgau & Leslie
Cake and Desserts - Sweet & Saucy
Dress - Mikaella
Decor - all done by the bride and groom

These guys could model for mens wearhouse full time if their current careers ever take a dip!

Seriously LOVE this (!)

Katherine + Wade : Intimate Palos Verdes Wedding

2010-10-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the wedding needs to be scaled down to what really counts. Katherine and Wade wanted to keep things as intimate as possible by inviting only immediate family to their ocean-side ceremony on the bluff. When they looked around them during the ceremony, they wanted to be able to see all of the people who play important roles in their life. Goal achieved... they said "I do" with a semi circle of family and friends surrounding them (we can relate ;). Wades twin brother officiated the ceremony ... and you can tell from his outfit (he's no monk) that they have a great sense of humor!

Their reception took place at a hillside house overlooking all of LA. Amazing view. You may recognize past amazing bride and groom Taryn and Steve :). They kept things pretty simple ... amazing food and drink, Fuji instant film photo booth, and handmade succulent favors ... each with a personalized message from the b&g (collect them all!). Great job Katherine designing and creating (with the help from etsy :) just about everything on your own!!

Props to:
Aaron Regnier for second shooting
Dress: Amsale - Little White Dress Collection
Shoes: Kenneth Cole & Banana Republic
Suit: Hugo Boss
Caterer: Cookin' Thyme
Desserts: Friend - Lori Jark (aka Sugar Mama), Chocolate Chip Cookies - Mother of the Bride
Flowers: Bride, Matrons of Honors and Vanessa Kelterborn
Hair: Susan Lyons
Makeup: Adrianna Rangel
Cake topper: etsy

Slice

2010-10-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

Something about a photo like this says so much by revealing so little. I love the in between moments that occur at a wedding - the slice of life. Everyone often expects certain things to happen and yet sometimes they never do. The same can be said about the unexpected surprises that can never be anticipated but are glorious when they arise. I want to jump behind the smiles and into the head of each child to find out what they're thinking. Or better yet, feeling. Oh and for those who haven't figured it out yet, they aren't waiting for the best man's toast ... C.A.K.E ... baby.

Two Amazing Years down ... Infinity to go!

2010-10-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

To my dearest Leanne,

We made it to two years (!). Time has flown by pretty quickly since our NY wedding, but next february will mark our tenth year together. Its safe to say this decade together has rocketed by. By this time two years ago, we had just finished up our portraits with Joey, an hour after saying "I Do" by the lake at bethesda terrace ... with all those boats that wasted half their touristy adventurous hour to idle by the boat launch and witness our nuptials. It was nice to see our wedding party dominate the terrace by land and by sea.

In about 15 minutes, two years ago, our cab will drop us off across the street outside of Bricco in midtown for our intimate four course meal. With cappuccinos and tiramisu freshly made and waiting on standby to kick start the six hours of dancing that would inevitably follow around the corner at the rooftop bar. One day from now, two years ago, we'll board our Paris bound plane for our little fourth-floor apartment in the cinquieme arrondissment. Two weeks of dodging renaults and peugeots with our rented bikes and covertly guzzling bordeaux alongside the Seine was exactly what we needed after a busy wedding season, plus our own (!). I love you babe and wouldn't have changed a thing! Happy Anniversary!!

for those who want more photos :) go here

~Paul

I think I deserve a medal for this one

2010-10-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

Joyce + Joe Wedding Album

2010-09-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Here is wedding album design I can't help but show off! It is going to be a 50 page 12x12 and I cannot wait to see it printed and bound!

Joyce and Joe's wedding was so beautiful and full of details. They had two ceremonies and an amazing reception! Designing this album made me relive all the energy and beauty of the day.

~Leanne

She Walks in Beauty......

2010-09-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

George Gordon Byron

Kimberley + Andrew : Vintage-Modern La Canada Wedding

2010-09-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

We have to hand it to Kimberley and Andrew for being DIY rockstars! They wanted to keep their wedding intimate and simple, so they staged their venue at their uncle's amazing modern art-gallery-of-a-home in the north LA hillsides of La Canada. Andrew is an amazing graphic designer, so its was a given that he'd team up with Kim to design everything from the colors, table decor, flowers, to the invitations. The 40's era Rolls was a pretty sweet touch too :). Amazing color bathed the home that afternoon ... beautiful hues of summer yellow and light blue reoccurred throughout the day. Congrats again guys!!

Thanks also to Kim Tran for second shooting with Leanne and to

DJ - http://www.showcasedj.com

Video - http://www.whatwedofilms.com/films/

Still Pinhole, You are Still Awesome!

2010-09-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

A few months back I did a post on pinhole cameras... Paul and I love them because they break photography down to it's most basic form. A single "darkened chamber" that captures light, or in latin a "camera obscura." One of the interesting things about pinhole cameras is that there is no shutter, therefore you can expose your film/paper for as long as you want. ... However this is not always easy. Since it's not digital you never really know what you are going to get so you must use the method of trial and error. There is a chance that you can over or under expose your image.

Here are some amazing examples of pinhole long exposures that have really inspired us to break out the old toy and put it to work! ~Leanne

Justin Quinnell- 6 month exposure

Michael Wesely- 34 month exposure

Michael Wesely - 14 months

Michael Wesely - 2 year exposure

Michael Wesely - 1 year exposure

So many new projects to share ... but you'll have to wait and see

2010-09-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

Rochelle + Andre : Pasadena Wedding

2010-09-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

We had a great time following behind Rochelle and Andre all day. Their energy and enthusiasm was unrivaled! Leanne even tried to keep up and ended up on the dancefloor (!). I really want to take the time to give credit to Rochelle for all the hard work she did on planning and executing the bulk of the wedding on her own. She did an amazing job tying their love for nature and the outdoors into most of the decor (check out Andre's sick custom cufflinks with the wood grain and the little heart...and the wonderful cake trim). Great job guys. Congrats again!!

Oh and we brought the land camera with us this time ... every classy couple with a classic home backdrop needs a few timeless fujiroids (rip polaroid) in their collection.

Also thanks to :

Reception Venue - Craven's Estate, Pasadena

Hair - Renee at Glendale SalonSpa

Makeup - Bride's cousin Jonilyn Jane Legaspi

Dress - Pronovias Barcelona

Shoes - Paris Hilton

Flowers - Groom's aunt

DJ - Tom Chandler from California Sounds

Video - Dustin Allan from Inspirit Media

Photobooth - SoCal Photobooths

Dinner - Royal Court Catering

Invitations - designed by ZMachine; printed by Twin Ravens Press

Mogwai: Burning

2010-08-27T20:17:00.000-07:00

I've been looking forward to this for months now and thought I'd share with all my post-rock-art-cinema-geek homies out there. Its only playing two nights in southern california ... once at the echoplex in LA on september 12th and once tomorrow at the Art Theater on 4th in Long Beach. The show is at midnight and we have a wedding tomorrow in Malibu, so we'll see if we can make it (!). If not, you'll catch us at the LA showing for sure.

Filmmaker Vincent Moon and Nathanael Le Scouarnec team up and follow Mogwai through their recent 3 night set in Brooklyn. Burning’s arty black-and-white noise is harrowingly beautiful even in this short trailer. Reminds me of Anton Corbijn's work on Control only tweaked into warp speed. Amazing footage of an amazing group.

Read More http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/05/mogwais-burning-sonics-make-for-epic-cinema#ixzz0xrsIls13

A Quick glimpse on a long drive

2010-08-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sky spreads serenity
Atmosphere melts
Peaceful fallout
Radiant health

Torch upon
Rich evergreen
Peaceful wake
Though it seems coincidence
Or purely dream

Crisp air fresh
Deep held breath
Golden sky on fire perched
Inspiring bold primaries clash colorcast

As if then calm
Horizon line glows
Contemplating celestial bodies
Philosophizing death unknown

Clouds that cool
Over volcanic hell
A beautiful moment
Eternal in itself

by Adam Dustus

Michigan Wedding, Jessica + Samir : Preview

2010-08-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

"untitled (man with the woman of his dreams patiently waiting)"

2010-08-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

Chelsea + Nick : Rancho Las Lomas Estate Wedding

2010-08-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Nothing I could write here even comes close to describing the awesomeness that was Nick and Chelsea's wedding. So I'll keep it short ;). These two are amazingly kind and thoughtful and were a total pleasure to tag along with all day. Enjoy!

Venue - Rancho Las Lomas

Coordination - Jill Watson of the Pampered Bride

Catering - 24 Carrots

Hair - Samantha Pena

Make-up - Lisa Pilgram

Flowers - Romance etc

Dress - Watters from The White Dress

Mens Wear - Friar Tux

DJ - KC Campbell from Vox DJs

Special Guest Officiant - Chris "Geeter" Mcgee

Nick wanted to go out for a cigar break towards the end of the night, so we grabbed Chelsea and put them together for a little rolls royce hollywood style magic

Pure Photobooth Awesomeness

2010-08-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

Much more greatness from Rochelle and Andre's wedding coming soon :)

Chelsea + Scott : Shutters Santa Monica Wedding

2010-08-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

Chelsea and Scott rocked it together at their beachside wedding in Santa Monica. Beautiful hues of pastel blue and green were out in full force (particularly Chelsea's amazing shoes!). The sky surprised us with a little overcast all day (july-gloom?), but we button pushers prefer a little haze to soften the light to subtle perfection. We couldn't be happier for these two ... we had a delightful time capturing their energy throughout the day. Scott is a police officer for the Torrance PD, so the bulk of his groomsmen were sporting the badge. Needless to say I had to be on my best behavior for this one :P.

Thanks also to:

Coordinaton - Ashley Randall

Cake - Cake Divas

Flowers - Deep Roots Florist

Hair - Lindsey Pettigrew

Dress - Romona Keveza Couture

Shoes - Stuart Weitzman

DJ - Aaron from Vox DJ's

Gallery Update

2010-08-04T01:40:00.001-07:00

Hey all, head up to bergamot station if you can this week. One of my csulb professors has a show at gallery Luisotti in Santa Monica until august 14th. Here is the show description:

"Gallery Luisotti is pleased to present an exhibition of new work by Mark Ruwedel. Known for his topographic documents of the Western United States and Canada, Ruwedel has recently turned his camera toward the exurban locales of Southern California. Capturing the degraded, fringe spaces of the high desert, Ruwedel’s photographs describe a landscape of simultaneous development and decay"

directions and schedule at bergamots website : http://www.bergamotstation.com/#/exhibitdetail

Amazing prints ... I'll see you there!

Whimsical Portrait

2010-08-03T12:33:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of photographing the very talented singer / actress Amy Bloom. She needed new headshots, but came to me with the desire to add a little more substance to the images ... she wanted more of her personality and style to show through. So we met up in an overgrown regional park in Palos Verdes for an afternoon of wandering, laughs, and snapshots.

This Mornings Harvest

2010-07-30T12:00:00.001-07:00

Its Ironic that the busiest time of year for me is also the best time to be in the garden. I have to say that I've kinda neglected my growing crop over the last two months, but even with that said I still managed a healthy reap for dinner tonight. Maybe spicy green beans with a tomato and garlic saute (?).

Preview from last weekend

2010-07-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Two beautiful weddings ... more goodness from both of these to come, I promise!

-Paul

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something GREEN!

2010-07-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a little inspiration for those of you who like vintage style and also want an eco-conscious wedding!

Imagine finding a dress that has meaning and beauty from another time. A dress your grandmother may have wanted but couldn't afford. You try it on and suddenly become Audrey Hepburn, all a while saving the world by recycling some fabric and breathing life back into a forgotten gem.

I know Vera Wang's awesome and you really love that one Maggie Sottero, but how cool would it be to wear vintage Dior!

Check out these sites to see what is out there! If not a recycled dress, perhaps some vintage pearls, or something else green! :)

xoxo ~Leanne

http://www.recycledbride.com/

http://www.thefrock.com/bridal_page1_main.html

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/

Christine + Larry : South Coast Wedding

2010-07-21T17:59:00.001-07:00

We had a great time with these two (can I accept my "understatement of the year" award now). It was clear to us 5 minutes into their engagement session (as well as dinner afterwards!) that these guys knew how to have a good time. The wedding was more than just a blast, it was filled with beautiful details as well as many personal touches by the bride and groom. Larry proposed to Christine at her senior prom and they lovingly (and patiently) waited for summer of 2010 to officially tie the knot. So naturally they went with a healthy dose of "prom" theme by bringing in the photobooth complete with ivory columns, climbing plastic vines, and starry evening backdrop we all remember a bit too well. Also displayed was a custom yearbook-style guest book housing bridal party and engagement photos. And no photobooth is complete without a life size cut out of the bride and groom (well the guests definitely can't complaint about not getting a photo with the newlyweds)!

(And did I mention that they busted out full karaoke on a traditional vietnamese pop song to keep their guests entertained during dinner :)

Christine and Larry's wonderful smiles and superhuman energy ... added to the pastel colors and amazing dress by Watters ... made our job of capturing natural laughter and elegant details easier than usual. And we got to see our always lovely past clients Helen and Tim at the reception (!).

Thanks to the great team who worked so hard:

Costa Mesa Hilton, CA
Coordinator and Caterer - Stacie Tran of Furiwa Restaurant
Video - Alex Hsiao of White Rose Production
Hair - Robert Andersen of Vault Salon in Huntington Beach
Make Up - Kimi Vu
Dress Watters
Flowers - M's Flowers of Montebello

Christine and Larry's wedding preview

2010-07-15T14:53:00.001-07:00

Absolutely hilarious ... and yes, what you can imagine happening on the dancefloor towards the end of the night definitely happened :). Full post coming soon.

New images and new direction coming this soon

2010-07-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine, our summer season is in full swing and we're proud to say we're busier than we've ever been in our whole lives (!). Leanne and I love our free time together, but love even more the friends we've made and the spirits we've documented ... more work means a lot more images and sessions to share with everyone, but it'll take a bit before we're caught up enough to post them.

In addition to wedding and portrait work, Leanne and I are finally completing (well Leanne is, I have plenty left undone) many of our personal projects - which may be shared here but will most likely be posted on our personal blogs.

As introverted people, we are natural observers and keep to ourselves more often than not, but if it weren't for the openness and kindness of so many great people in our industry, we wouldn't be where we are now. So we unequivocally plan to include our travel experience, thoughts and writings, personal projects, as well as more background information about us and our creative process. We hope to liberally contribute our work with the online community and open up (maintain) a consistent dialogue with other young artists around the world.

Other notable topics we hope to expand upon include

• Tips and techniques for photographers

• Vendor spotlights for wedding (and non-wedding) industry professionals

• Photography gallery schedules for art happenings and exhibitions in Southern California

• The growing "green" cultural renaissance and its connection to weddings and events

• DIY projects

• etc ...

Writing has never been our strongest attribute, but we're dedicated to loosen up a little, write more, try harder, fail more, overcome hurdles, and keep the dialogue about the importance of art and creativity in our lives vibrant.

We must become the change we want to see in the world

~ Mohandas Gandhi

-Paul

Tawni + Geoff : Lido Island Wedding

2010-06-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

We were extremely delighted and privileged to document Tawni and Geoff's big day. In addition to being super-cool kids, they are good friends with some of our past wedding clients. Tawni has been a guest (or bridesmaid) at no less than 4 weddings we've captured in the last few years ... and as nice as it was to see her beaming smile in the crowd, it couldn't hold a candle to the look on her face when she walked down the aisle :).

The ceremony was designed with vintage-simplicity (with a healthy accent of Tawni's favorite color green) and staged in the sands over looking the balboa peninsula. The reception was just a quick jaunt next door to the Lido Isle Yacht Club. Inside they set up a paper lanterns and a stylish photo booth - complete with mustaches, of course - for people to jump into and capture each other with their own cameras. We loved the idea so much, we gave my camera to someone and scored a few portraits ourselves.

Thanks to Taylor Sanderson for assisting us for the first time! And to the other wonderful vendors who worked so hard:

Catering - 24 Carrots

Flowers - Green Leaf Designs
Cake - French's Bakery
Jim Vita (guitarist)
Bridal Salon - The Dresser

Dress Designer - Pattis

Danielle + Seth : Griffith Park Engagement

2010-06-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

Perk #256 of doing our job ... wandering around and discovering new places. Not only are Danielle and Seth a total riot and a pleasure to be around, but they knew they wanted personal photos and set the engagement session in their local neighborhood of Silverlake. Being slightly unfamiliar with the area, we used it as a good opportunity to wander. We met them at Good microbrewery (called that for a reason, so yummy) on Sunset before exploring the streets by foot. Then we drove just blocks from their house to visit the enchantingly obscure Shakespeare Bridge.

Then we busted up the hill to the observatory to get creative. We try to think out of the box with all of our sessions ... but Danielle and Seth have just the right amount crazy to let us leave the box behind completely (particularly image 15, a little digital composite to share their doppelgangers with the world :).

Really looking forward to your wedding at Rancho Las Lomas this September!!

-Paul

Melahat + Kwame : Irvine Lakeside Wedding

2010-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

You know you're at a cool wedding when the bridal party romps through a field for portraits, the bride and groom fist bump after their vows, and a pop star shows up for a surprise performance at the reception. Melahat and Kwame shared a beautiful day by getting ready separately, followed by their first look meeting by themselves in the dry hills of Laguna Canyon. Then off to a beautiful ceremony inside the island room at the Lakeside Lagoon (tropical venue neatly tucked away behind wild rivers waterpark!) ... which housed the gorgeous sofreh, aforementioned fist bump after the vows, and Kwame's accidental kiss he gave Melahat upon seeing enter the room (he couldn't wait for the end :).

The cocktail hour and reception took place in the courtyard along side the lake. MMelahat is a consultant and fundraiser for many elected officials in Orange County and beyond ... so there were plenty of notable guests in attendance. The dancing kicked off with a live set by singer Farshid Amin. He set the dance floor on fire (!). Details included a tea area with server, extravagant sofreh, and table numbers cards (CD's with the "price tag" label as everyones name and seat!) by the extremely talented Sayeh Studios ... oh and did I mention her shoes!

Thanks Melahat and Kwame for letting us document the beautiful uniting of two cultures on your wedding day.

Thanks also to

Flowers : Azar Florist

Hair: Paula Poppa of Indulgence Hair & Beauty Salon

Make-up: Ana Cruzalegui

Invitations and Table cards : Sayeh Koetsier

Megan + Jonathan : San Juan Capistrano Mission Engagement

2010-06-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun with these two ... Megan knew right from the start that she wanted her photo session to take place at the mission. And who can disagree, with light and color bouncing off of meticulously maintained gardens and purposefully crumbling walls, one can't go wrong. We're now on the SJC mission's photographers list, so we'll be shooting there more in the future for sure. After the mission closed (way early I might add, 5pm during summer!) we jumped up the coast a bit to change looks and walk along the bluff at crystal cove. It was kinda windy and stormy ... so that made it challenging ... but the light coming off the water was simply brilliant.

Congratulations Megan and Jonathan, we can't wait for your wedding at Pelican Hill this fall! Oh and you're both off limits from procreating in the future ... for fear your child will be so beautiful the world won't be able to handle it ;)

-Paul

New Blog coming soon

2010-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased to announce a new (wordpress powered) blog to host our current photography and musings. It will match our website better, easy to leave comments, and will be social network connected. Stay tuned .... we hope to get this up and running very soon!

Paul + Leanne

Griffith Park : Engagement Preview

2010-06-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Too much awesomeness to post it all right now. Very soon though ;).

Leslie + Daniel : An Engagement off the beaten path

2010-06-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Leslie and Daniel knew the day they got engaged that they wanted something special for their photos. Lovers like these two come along as often as a blue moon, so we pulled out all the stops for them. Since they are incorporating a lot of their found vintage objects into their wedding, they decided to bring a few things along to the shoot (and our little yellow table :).

We originally intended to rent a row boat over at corona lake, but after conversing briefly with the entry attendant, we weren't that impressed (he also warned us quote "the 80 mile an hour winds will blow you over and you might be attacked by a mountain lion"). Needless to say he must not have wanted us there. No worries though, Leslie brought some beautiful items for a vintage picnic, we just needed an open spot.

After about 20 (kinda stressful ;) minutes of searching, we found the Lake Eslinore Military Academy. Built in the 1920's and abandoned since the 70's, the magnificent building hides behind two sets of barbed fencing, a massively over grown landscape, and its own faded and cracked facade. We knew we had to get in, but thought sneaking in would be tough, so we (luckily) befriended the caretaker and spent the raddest hour of our career wandering around taking pictures.

-Paul

Creating an Album from 1975...

2010-05-28T11:35:00.001-07:00

Our good friend and bride named Jen came to me recently with a request I have never had before. She wanted me to design an album... for her Mother's wedding. Her Mom's album was deteriorating, the pages wilting and warping and the photos falling out of place.

She had this idea to create an album that would face the test of time, something that her Mom could show off proudly. For me, this was an amazing opportunity! I loved looking over these old photographs, feeling the history and seeing the way wedding photography has evolved, yet has remained the same. It was fun to scan the photos and tell a story from long ago. I also decided to scan the old album's cover and use it in the design. Although I am creating a more durable and long lasting album, I couldn't let myself part with the beauty and nostalgia I felt when I held the old one. <3

What really gets me about this project is the importance of photography. Everyday I create images and I create memories for other people. It was fun to go back to a time before me. It is fun to think that someday our children will look back on our photos and wonder what it felt like to be here.

~Leanne