Hoffmann Photographer

Baby Pictures Los Angeles | Child Photographer

2008-11-26T22:12:00.000-08:00

I photographed Mike and Crystie's wedding a couple years back at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. You know who to call when the family starts growing!! Yeah!! Welcome little Emmie to the world . . . .

I wrote a BLOG once about the family pets who like to watch me work. Click here to view. Anyhow, while they are watching me I like to turn the tables on them and point my camera their way. They become "innocent bystanders. . ."

Thanks for inviting me over. See you guys in a few months.
Destination Wedding Photographer

Adamson House Malibu | Los Angeles Wedding Photography

2008-10-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Adamson House in Malibu will fulfill all of your beach wedding dreams and offer privacy for you and your guests as well. The house was actually a private residence at one time but is now property of the California Parks & Recreation and is operated as a historical site. You can see from the first two pictures how unique, classy and well-preserved the property is . . .

By the way, these shots were taken using a photography technique called HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging. Click on the following link to view an article I wrote about HDR photography for weddings.

The wedding is going to be in the shade of this MASSIVE sycamore tree on the right (which doesn't look that massive using my 10.5 lens) . . .

The following images are from the wedding of Kiyoko and Chris Robbins. I felt very honored to photograph their BIG day as they have become special friends. Due to limited space I can only post a few pictures, but if you would like to see about 100 pictures from their day in a slideshow format click here. The room for the girls to get ready in is perfect for photography - lots of natural light coming in the windows, dark wood and mirrors (and it's also right next to the swimming pool!). . .

Kiyoko is wearing a stunning designer gown by Pronovias . . .

Here's our groom, Chris! Flowers on this day were created by Fleur-de-lis Floral Couture in Pasadena . . .

Here's the guys in a pre-game prayer huddle. . .

Very proud Dad walking Kiyoko to the ceremony site . . .

Once again, the following ceremony picture (under the MASSIVE sycamore tree) was produced using a technique called HDR

I have to give props to my supercool Infrared Wedding Photography. Click on the link to view another one of my articles. There are not too many wedding photographers pulling this off . . .

As mentioned earlier, the Adamson House in Malibu is directly on the beach. It is literally walking steps to the sand . . .

I have to give a shout out to the VERY entertaining DJs of the evening - DJ EFFEX and DJ DAVE of Cool Sounds. They are based in Long Beach and regularly work throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties. I see new DJs almost every weekend and thes guys are definitely some of the best. Dave did a really fantastic job keeping the guests entertained through various games and Effex was GREAT at mixing the beats.

This wedding at the Adamson House in Malibu was photographed in September and the sun was shining until the early evening. I was able to shoot natural light for almost the entire reception using my favorite f1.4 lenses from Nikon! The pictures came out AWESOME. Best wishes to Kiyoko and Chris! Talk to you soon.
Destination Wedding Photography

Wayfarers Chapel Rancho Palos Verdes | Wedding Photography

2008-10-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

The only truly "natural" chapel in southern California is the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes. It is built on the principles of Organic Architecture and actually inspires peace as you walk around the premises. The chapel is built with nothing but wood, rock and glass and rises in the midst of redwood trees overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful! Although I have worked as lead photographer for weddings at the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, this time I was pleased to be a guest at a friend's wedding. Getting pictures on the outside of Wayfarers Chapel is tricky because it is entirely engulfed by redwood trees, but since this wedding was at night I couldn't take outside shots anyway ;) The ceiling of the Wayfarers Chapel is a combination of glass panels and wood so the hope for a night time wedding is a starry night . . .

You can see how beautiful the Wayfarers Chapel In Rancho Palos Verdes is! No comparison. After I took those first pictures, I was informed by the coordinator that guests are not allowed to take ANY pictures during the ceremony! WHA?! The professional photographer was stuck completely in the back of the chapel (another rule) so I decided to take the risk of ejection and snapped a few. No flash required in this photojournalistic style . . .

Invite a professional wedding photographer to your wedding as a guest! It is a great way to get free pictures ;)
Destination Wedding Photographer

Laguna Beach Engagement Pictures | Chris and Diane

2008-10-24T21:56:00.001-07:00

Chris and Diane had NO problem spending time together in Laguna Beach for their engagement pictures. Their work schedules are so crazy they hardly see each other and so they were feeling extra romantic. . .

Believe it or not, when we first got to the beach it was raining! We waited about 15 minutes and then the skies opened up for a wonderful photo shoot . . .

Chris and Diane are getting married in 2009 overlooking the Pacific Ocean at beautiful Occasions in Laguna Beach.
Destination Wedding Photography

Laguna Beach Engagement Pictures | Amber and Nathanael

2008-10-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

Amber and Nathanael are one of the most 'chill' couples I have worked with. Amber wanted to take the engagement pictures somewhere 'different' (that is code for someplace that Hoffmann hasn't worked yet) and she ended up choosing the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach! Exciting choice! They were nervous about photos, but it didn't matter because they are so great with each other! . . .

The Montage Resort turned out to be a SUPER choice for the engagement pictures because of the great amount of backdrops and the choice of three beaches.

The tide was incredibly low and revealed all kinds of little sea creatures and really neat rock formations . . .

Look at these kiddos! . . .

What's up Laguna Beach sunset!!! Yeah!!

Yeah, great job Amber and Nathanael! It wasn't so tough. I am very excited to photograph your wedding next year at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine! See you soon!
Destination Wedding Photography

Baby Pictures Orange County | Huntington Beach Photography

2008-10-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

We are ALREADY back with little bubba Cameron! He is a very quiet and happy little fellow who has most recently learned to sit upright and also roll over sideways. . .

See how close Hoffmann can get with his 2.0 lens, hahaha . . .

Way to go Cameron!! You are a champion!!
Destination Wedding Photographer

Turnip Rose Costa Mesa Wedding Photography Orange County

2008-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

In the coastal region of Orange County there is a great wedding/reception venue called the Turnip Rose. Located at the Grand Newport Plaza in Costa Mesa, it has Spanish architecture, big fountains, lots of palm trees and tropical vegetation, wrought iron gates - in short, it is beautiful for photographs. . . .

I was very excited to work for Laura and Jeff for their wedding at the Turnip Rose. I met Laura a couple years ago at a wedding in Cabo San Lucas and she was VERY excited to call and let me know about her own BIG day . . .

At the time of the wedding there was some construction going on next door to the Turnip Rose. It became a back drop for one of the guy sessions . . .

The wedding party out in front . . .

This is Laura's Dad giving her away at the beginning of the ceremony . . .

I was fortunate to have two back-up photographers for the day (Gavin and Maolo). In the following two photos, you can see the ceremony site from opposite views . . . Pretty awesome! . . .

There is LOTS of great light inside the building for doing more bride/groom photos . .

Laura and Jeff practicing their first dance . . . I shot this from the third floor . . .

One of the groomsmen singing his rendition of a Frank Sinatra song . . .

If you would like to get married in the coastal Orange County area I highly recommend taking a look at Turnip Rose in Costa Mesa.
Destination Wedding Photographer

Orange County Laguna Beach Engagement Photography

2008-10-09T17:54:00.001-07:00

Jeanie and Andrew flew in from Arizona to visit their parents and accomplish ONE more check box in the wedding planner - the engagement pictures! The weather was a slight bit chilly, but we are talking Southern California chilly - 60 degrees? Winter here in Laguna Beach is so difficult, I wish I lived in Wisconsin. Anyhow, the clouds made for great even lighting and the sun even poked out at the end to give us a fantastic sunset. . .

If you are as impressed at Jeanie's make-up as I was, the secret is Berit Digerud!

If you have a few minutes you can check out Jeanie's enjoyable work at Tucson 12 TV. Very funny stuff!

I brought my wife to work as 2nd shooter - she performed SO well pulling in these next two amazing shots with th 15mm lens! So beautiful!! . . .

Jeanie and Andrew will be having their destination wedding next year at Occasions Laguna Village in Laguna Beach! I can't wait!
Destination Wedding Photography

Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-10-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

Carly and Chriss had us traversing the depths of Orange County for their awesome daytime wedding! Three venues, three cities, LOTS of fun! If you would like to watch a slideshow with over 100 pictures from their day you can click here. We started with the entire wedding party getting ready at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort (at 6:30 in the AM!! wha?). Carly wore a beautiful fitted dress designed by Monique Lhuillier . . .

AND just below that . . . a sweet pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes . . .

Chris is looking GOOD in the Red Room Bar at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach . . .

The wedding party came together for photos right after everyone got ready. . .

If you have been following my BLOG for a little while, you know that I have been experimenting with HDR imaging for weddings. Here is one of my HDR shots of the church - St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA.

The church has GREAT looking architecture, very clean and is a great photography location. Anytime of day you can find some nice looking shady areas to work in, and the sanctuary is FILLED with fantastic light . . .

This is right outside the sanctuary at 12:00pm, high sun . . .

The reception took place at Il Fornaio Restaurant of Irvine. I had a few extra minutes with the guys . . .

First dance . . .

Just after the cake (tiramasu) cutting . . .

This was a really fun day that finished up by 4pm. After party back at the Hyatt . . . see you there!
Destination Wedding Photographer

Destination Photographer | Orange County Wedding Photography | Laguna Beach Wedding Photographer | Occasions at Laguna Village

2008-10-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

Britney and Dustin got married on the sunniest, most perfect day in Laguna Beach history!! Well, pretty close . . . it was an amazing day. We started at the Surf and Sand Resort where the girls were having a great time getting ready for the BIG day . . .

I always recommend the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach for my clients to get ready. All of the rooms have an ocean view with TONS of great light coming into the room. No strange curtains or hotel carpet, everything is very contemporary.

The guys chose to get ready at the Hyatt Regency Resort in Huntington Beach which has an ENDLESS amount of photo opportunities. Particularly great for the guys is the Red Room Bar - a very masculine room with lots of harsh light coming in . . .

The ceremony and reception was at the great Occasions at Laguna Village! . . . No one is complaining about this view! . . .

Flowers were put together by Annie Kim at La Tulipe Floral Designs . . .

Yes, that is the Pacific blue behind the cake . . .

It was a crowded day at the beach, but lots of fun . . .

My 2nd photographer Gavin Holt picked up this nice shot . . .

When the night was closing down, the brother of the bride suprised Britney and Dustin with a classic car from Lake Forest Limousine for their getaway . . .

There are very few wedding destinations like Laguna Beach, CA. The pacific ocean is the ultimate dramatic backdrop for a ceremony and reception.
Destination Wedding Photography

Engagement Pictures | Craig Park Orange County Brea

2008-10-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Jill and Brian's wedding is only two weeks away and they wanted to pull of some quick engagement pictures. No problemo ;-) We met at Craig Park in Brea which is perfect because they brought the third member of their family! . . .

This is a reflection from the small lake at Craig Park. Look closely you can see all three of them! . . .

This little guy turned out to be great and he made the photo time of fun . . .

Nobody knew that I am really a nature photographer . . .

Jill and Brian, thanks for bringing your little puppy with you! Have fun these last couple weeks with the final plans. See you soon!
Destination Wedding Photography

San Diego Baby Pictures | Photography San Diego

2008-10-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

We are back with the beautiful Aragon family in San Diego! I have been photographing their family for 2 years, mostly their daughter Lourdes Jules. This time it's for their NEW addition - GRACE! Pretty exciting!! Once again, I was invited to the hospital on the first day of this precious life . . .

Big sister LJ wanted to spend every moment holding her new little sis . . .

The best pictures of the day came when these two were snuggling . . .

Private moment with Daddy . . .

Family picture! . . .

Thank you for allowing me to document your very special lives. See you soon!
Destination Wedding Photography

Long Beach Family Pictures | Los Angeles Portraits

2008-10-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Get ready to be stunned by this beautiful southern california beach family! Believe it or not, the little guy was VERY tired but he LOVES the sand and water more than sleep!

Little walk with Dad . . .

How great do they look?

This next picture reveals some tired eyes, but look how BLUE!!

Destination Wedding Photographer

Newborn Baby Pictures | Orange County Photographer

2008-10-01T12:35:00.001-07:00

More Orange County baby pictures! Hello world! Meet baby William, 1 day old!

SO beautiful!!

Does he have Daddy's ear?

Destination Wedding Photography

Orange County Baby Pictures

2008-09-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

I love photographing Cooper! This is my 3rd session with him (he is 9 months now) and he is ALL smiles. He loves to sing and make all kinds of noises, so fun! . . .

Surprisingly, he also has a new way of getting around. Mom says he is in transition between walk and crawl . . .

I love this next picture! Even though you can't see Cooper's smile, you KNOW it's there . . .

Oooh, a serious moment . . .

Cooper has an amazing bond with his Dad. In most of the pictures where Coop is laughing, it is because Dad is singing something like, "Gulp Gulp goes the little green frog!" Or, you can just hang him upside down . . .

See you in 3 months Cooper. I can't wait!
Destination Wedding Photographer

Los Angeles Baby Pictures | Manhattan Beach Photographer

2008-09-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail from Haruko that the birth of baby Kai was about to happen. In a flash, Hoffmann is at the hospital to document the miracle! . . .

Pictures speak louder than words when it comes to newborn babies. . .

Dad making time with baby Kai . . .

Destination Wedding Photographer

Orange County Maternity Pictures | Manhattan Beach Photography

2008-09-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

Wow! Check out Haruko in the final DAYS of pregnancy! These pictures were taken about 10 days before little Kai was born. . .

Since I am not a "studio" photographer, I usually go directly to my clients house or "on location." These photos are ALL natural light, no flash.

Here's Dad making some time with little Kai . . .

This last picture I love because it has a really 'timeless' feel to it (except for the iPod on the night stand, hahah) . . .

Destination Wedding Photographer

Beach Wedding (on the beach!) | Newport Beach Wedding Photography

2008-08-28T17:46:00.001-07:00

How many times can I say the word beach in one blog post? Let's count . . .

Talk about small and intimate! Less than 30 people total in attendance for this joyful wedding. Jason and Allison chose to get married on the sand in Newport Beach, CA. with their closest friends and family. I considered it an honor and joy to be invited to participate in this gathering. Just a little informational side note - gatherings of less than 50 persons do NOT require a permit in Newport Beach! Good news!

At the very beginning, everyone EXCEPT for the bride assembled on the sand by the water. We waited patiently for her and then (in the words of Eric Clapton) "Everyone turns to see . . . the beautiful Lady . . . " It was a nice long walk across the beach. Really wonderful . . .

So romantic . . .

One of the perks of shooting a small wedding - one portrait will take care of everybody! hahah . . .

Wedding party looking like a movie poster . . .

and another perk of having the small beach wedding - no shoes! . . . yipeeee!

Such a cool and fun couple! Thanks again for inviting me.
Destination Wedding Photography

Family Pictures Newport Beach | Orange County Photographer

2008-08-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

I met with the Gamboa family recently at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa to do family pictures. We did lots of group photos of Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad and two beautiful little girls. But my favorite pictures from the evening were simple candid shots . . .

This special moment with Grandma and granddaughter turned out to be priceless . . .

Grandpa was very content to watch the kids play most of the time . . .

Thank you Gamboa family for inviting me into your life for one evening! I wish you the very best!
Destination Wedding Photographer

St. Regis Monarch Beach | Occasions Laguna Beach Wedding Photography

2008-08-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Annie and Josh decided to break a few of the Orange County wedding norms for their BIG day - First, they got ready together in the same room at the St. Regis Monarch Beach (Pretty AWESOME) and second, they had a guest list of only 35 friends and family for their wedding at Occasions in Laguna Beach (aka Occasions at Laguna Village). Such a great break for me! When a couple are interested in seeing each other before the actually ceremony, it creates LOTS of extra time to take pictures. At a place like the St. Regis Monarch Beach you always wish there would be MORE time for pictures! Please take a few minutes to enjoy about 60 pictures from their intimate day . . . (Just click the large 'play' button) . . .

Destination Wedding Photography

Luxe Hotel Wedding Sunset Blvd Los Angeles | Wedding Photography

2008-08-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Leaving my comfort zone behind the Orange County curtain I ventured into Los Angeles again and found myself photographing the wedding of Elena and Michael at the Luxe Hotel on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles! A stones throw from Beverly Hills, this is a very cozy boutique hotel with lots of lounging going on. My kind of place!

They only do one wedding per day at the Luxe Hotel on Sunset Blvd so you never feel like the coorindating is spread to thin. Also, not going to run into any other brides or photographers ;) Here is our groom working it on the runway . . .

Guys shot courtest of my 2nd photographer Lawrence from Furious Photographers.

I spent alot of time taking pictures in this hallway, the light was SO great . . .

The ceremony site at the Luxe Hotel is secluded and semi-private. It runs right alongside the main ballroom and also to a lounging area where the guests will socialize for the cocktail hour.

These cool little frames were a gift for each guest. Inside each frame was the information for reception seating as well . . .

I have to show some sweet shots of the reception room. It is VERY contemporary, and the custom lighting gave the room a very elegant feel. As usual, each table had a vase on it filled with flowers - BUT on top of each vase was lampshade!! So cool! . . .

Yes, you can bet these things ended up on some heads later in the night . . .

Back to the hallway . . .

I have always been inpsired by the wedding photography of Joe Buissink, and even more recently Lara Porzak. The following two pictures are my mediocre attempt to duplicate some of the richness and wonder that I find in their photographs . . .

Thank you Elena and Michael for inviting my team to your wedding day. It was a wonderful experience in Los Angeles at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd and your vision for the reception room turned out fantastic! Happy HONEYMOON!!!!
Destination Wedding Photographer

Armenian Wedding Photography Los Angeles

2008-08-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

I had such a GREAT time photographing the Ekmekji wedding in Los Angeles. This was my first time as wedding photographer taking part in an Armenian wedding and it turned out to be a wonderful cultural experience and a grand day-long celebration filled with LOTS of cheering, dancing, drinking and joy. The day began very early on both sides where the bride and groom were dressed by their close relatives (one of many wonderful Armenian wedding traditions that I witnessed this day). A couple pics of Aida getting made-up . . .

I am very proud of the following picture of Aida's SUPER beautiful Lazaro dress. Backlit lace dress on lace curtains - from a photographer's standpoint this requires some skill. I used HDR imaging technique (no flash) which I wrote about in this article on HDR Imaging for Weddings.

At the reception, Aida's Father gave a great toast where he let everyone know about Aida's strong affection for shoes, shoes and more shoes! I was honored to photograph her Christian Louboutin wedding shoes . . .

I love this shoe shot . . .

Behold the bride! Flowers by Magnolia Flowers of Burbank. Also wearing the beautiful matching Lazaro veil . . .

The following image was photographed with infrared light and colored in Photoshop. You can read more about this in an article I wrote on Infrared Wedding Photography.

As is my usual custom on the BLOG, I always like to show what the guys are doing while the girls are getting ready. . . hahaha . . .

Well, to be fair . . . besides mild drinking there was lots of dancing, singing and eating. So much fun. The 'guys getting ready' photos were taken by my 2nd photographer Mariemil Zamoranos of Maolo Photography. Here is one of the little ringbearers getting dressed by the groom . . .

The guys . . .

Behold the groom!

The ceremony was at the United Armenian Congregational Church in Stuidio City, Los Angeles.

The Armenian wedding ceremony was loaded with all kinds of rich and meaningful traditions including the rite of crowning (see below), which is the climax of the service. You can read more about the traditional Armenian wedding ceremony here.

And finally. behold the bride and groom! . . .

Another infrared . . .

The dancing went LATE into the night and never stopped. The reception was held in the George Duekmejian Grand Ballroom at the Ararat Home in Mission Hills, Los Angeles. Day of event coordinator was by Alexandra Doudian of Enchanted Events & Design. It was really a great celebration . . .

Steve's family comes from Lebanon and Aida's family hails from Egypt. They are part of a VERY large Armenian community in Los Angeles. Little factoid: There are more Armenians living outside of Armenia than within the borders of Armenia! You can read tons of other very interesting things about Armenia at this link on Wikipedia. Thank you Steve and Aida for including me in your wedding day! It was a wonderful experience and a great party.
Destination Wedding Photographer

Pasadena Engagement Pictures | Los Angeles Wedding Photographer

2008-08-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and Kevin were the first couple to book a wedding date with me for 2009. They were WAY ahead of the ball preparing for their awesome March wedding at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific!! Pretty cool! They took the same approach with their engagement pictures - get 'em out of the way! We actually started the engagement session at the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles. The sun was hot and high while we were there, but me managed to have some fun around the building.

This is the view overlooking Los Angeles from the back terrace of the Griffith Park Observatory . . .

An interesting note: Kevin was SUPER nervous about taking pictures! You would never know though. Maybe it was Jennifer's free spirit that helped us all relax . . . Hahahaha . . .

After all that sweaty fun at the observatory we drove to downtown Pasadena for more engagement pictures.

Old Pasadena is SUCH a GREAT place for engagement pictures. Each store has a different facade, endless amounts of photo opportunities, art, and LOTS of people just cruising around. I love it!

OK, let's take a cute one for MOM . . .

This colorful spot is right outside the Cafe Santorini . . .

After a few hours of pictures, Kevin wanted to keep taking more (haha, just joking). Jennifer and Kevin took me out to dinner at the amazingly delicious Sushi Roku.

Thank you Jennifer and Kevin for the great time in your neighborhood! I am excited about your wedding next year at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific!
Destination Wedding Photographer

HDR Photography | HDR Imaging for Weddings

2008-08-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

The following is an article written by Steve Hoffmann of Hoffmann Photographer. It is a very basic introduction to HDR imaging and asks the question, "Can HDR imaging be used in wedding photography?"

I was introduced to High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging earlier this year when doing an architectural shoot in Orange County, CA. If you haven't seen HDR images you can check out some incredible samples and the amazing possibilities of HDR imaging at Smashing Magazine. To put it in the simplest terms, HDR imaging is the process of representing a wider or more dynamic range of exposure (levels) in a picture. In its most basic form, a photographer will take three separate exposures of a scene (underexpose, correct expose, over expose) and then combine them together in one dynamic image. It is actually very simple to do and does not require a huge amount of photoshop or digital imaging knowledge. My very first attempt actually produced the following image for my architectural shoot. . . pretty insane!

Not bad for a wedding photographer! The building was shot in mid-day sun with post production done in Photomatix Pro and Photoshop (lens correction filter, levels, contrast).

HDR imaging works fantastic for scenery and architectural photography because you have the gift of TIME and very little movement in the frame. You can set up your tripod any time of day, proceed to take three or more uninterupted photos, and produce an exceptionally fancy image. Truth be told though, I am a wedding photographer at heart and found architectural photography to be a little boring.

I couldn't find any samples of HDR imaging for weddings on the internet so I had to experiment myself. I came up with three questions that I needed to answer, 1) How can I apply HDR imaging to wedding photography?, 2) What happens when you include people and/or movement into the image and, 3) Do you have to use a tripod?

The most obvious use for HDR imaging in weddings is for venues. This first image of the Mission Basilica Parish in San Juan Capistrano is not very impressive, but I learned two great lessons here. . . .

First, HDR does not produce very exciting results on overcast days. The reason for this is the lack of shadow and light. Really, I could produce the above image with ONE exposure. Second (and a surprise), having moving people in the frame is NOT a big deal for the final image. Cool! This is good news for HDR wedding photography! Here is the answer: To process the images I have been using the software Photomatix Pro (visit their website to see more impressive HDR images). When Photomatix combines the multiple exposures it will actually compensate for movement in the frame! BTW, Photoshop CS3 actually has a HDR imaging feature but it completely LAGS compared to Photomatix Pro.

When it came down to it though, shooting the outside of wedding venues with HDR really isn't any different than architectural photography. . . .

Here is where it starts to get juicy! . . . Inside the Mission Basilica produced fantastic results. Check out the gold altar, the colors and the paint details all the way on the ceiling! The light/shadow really popped with the HDR imaging. MOST impressive in the following two images is that the bride's dress is not completely blown out. This is a constant problem in Churches where there is more light on the bride/groom than anywhere else. Notice, you can also detect NO movement of people!

If you wanted to capture this scene with only ONE exposure, you would have to choose either the dress or the altar or the ceiling, etc. HDR imaging allows the entire scene to be exposed correctly! That is SO cool! See how RICH this next image is. It almost looks like a painting . . .

This one shot in St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA. . . .

All of the above images were shot using a tripod (5-6 exposures for each image). Since I hate tripods, the next test for HDR imaging in weddings was to see if I really needed a tripod. The Catholic wedding ceremony and the venue pictures above allowed extra time. Most weddings days are a fight for time and attempting to introduce new photography techniques at a live wedding could be time costly. These next two images were shot hand held. I shot 6 exposures for each image in a matter of 5 seconds. In between each shot I used my thumb to dial the exposure up two clicks (I start with totally underexposed and move to totally overexposed). Slight camera movement does not matter because the software will accomodate for that when producing the final HDR image. The software will align all of the images.

Lace dress on lace curtains? Try to get this with one exposure and no flash. Sweet!!

Wedding party experiment . . . not bad!

And finally the reception venue. The great part of this next picture is that the reflection in the mirrored cabinets along the wall is totally clear. Normally, there would just be white where you see the trees and other foliage.

Thank you for taking the time to learn with me! All of the images in this article were shot using Nikon digital cameras (D200/D300) and Nikkor lenses (10.5mm fish and 17-55mm zoom). Indoor images shot at 800ISO and outdoor images shot at 100ISO. It is my hope that this bit of information on HDR imaging for weddings will help you become a better photographer.
Destination Wedding Photographer

Jewish Wedding Photography Orange County | Los Angeles Wedding Photographer

2008-08-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

Jewish wedding ceremonies are such a joy to photograph. They contain a great amount of meaningful historic rituals and LOTS of celebration! As a wedding photographer, it presents a wonderful challenge to document all of these moments as they unfold during the day. The following pictures will give you an idea of just a few important elements in the Jewish wedding day. Jennifer and Matt hail from rainy San Francisco (see San Francisco engagement pictures) but fortunately for me they chose sunny Orange County to commit themselves to each other. The day started in Dana Point at the beautiful St. Regis Monarch Beach where Jennifer was getting ready with her Mom . . .

I could spend hours at the St. Regis Monarch Beach doing photography - wedding, engagement, getting ready photos, etc. This one grand staircase takes up at least 45 minutes each time I get to shoot there . . .

I caught up with the groom over at the cereony site - Laguna Village Occasions in Laguna Beach.

Every Jewish wedding that I have photographed, the bride and groom always see each other BEFORE the ceremony. The signing of the Ketubah (Jewish marriage document) takes place . . .

and also the bedekin. The bedekin is a humorous moment when the groom actually greets his bride and visually approves that this is the woman he has chosen to marry, and then he veils her.

Please don' t make me photograph any more weddings in locations like this . . .

Bride and groom under the chuppah (a symbol of the home that is to be built and shared) . . .

Some great black and white wedding pictures out on the street in Laguna Beach . . .

A final kiss after the cake cutting . . .

What a beautiful day!
Destination Wedding Photographer

Crowne Plaza Hotel Anaheim | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-08-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

For my first time at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Anaheim I was extremely fortunate to have Tiffany and Peter as my client! They were very relaxed all day and the itinerary left plenty of time to get great photos (very important). The day actually started early with a Vietnamese tea ceremony. Tiffany and the bridesmaids wore traditional 'ao dai' for the tea ceremony and then changed into American dresses for the rest of the day. These first two pictures are fantastic to see the comparison of dress . . .

As usual, I LOVE having photos of what the guys are up to while the girls are spending hours getting dressed and made-up . . .hahah . . .

Formal, but relaxed, groom portrait . . .

Here is a shot looking up from the outdoor ceremony site at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Anaheim. It is a fairly secluded area with part shade and part sun . . .

Once again I worked with Lawrence from Furious Photographers. He picked up this great shot along with many more . . .

Almost forgot to share a photo of the ring bearer. Once again a formal, but relaxed portrait (hahahah) . . .

Fortunately the Crowne Plaza Hotel Anaheim has a grand ballroom that can seat at least 400 guests for Tiffany and Peter's wedding . . .

First dance photo shot with the 50mm using a spotlight in the background . . .

Peter sang Tiffany a song and the entire crowd went crazy for them . . .

Tiffany and Peter's wedding at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Anaheim resulted in a great mix of coreographed portraits and straight wedding photojournalism. I am excited to put their album together!
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Huntington Beach Baby Portraits | Orange County Photography

2008-08-01T02:19:00.000-07:00

I originally photographed Cameron Hayes when he was only two days old!! Click here to see those amazing photos. I stopped by the Cox home recently to keep the photographic journal going on Cameron. He had put on a few healthy pounds and was feeling extremely relaxed. You can see from this first image that he very clearly remembered me from 3 months ago . . .

But after that brief initial moment Cameron was off in his own world again, as content as could be. These next two images you see he decided to have a conversation with his buddy . . .

A little creative family photo . . .

See you at 6 months!!
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Temeku Hills Golf Club | Temecula Wedding Photography

2008-07-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

When I first met Kevin, he began to tell me the story of how he met Tiffany in high school. He truly feels incredibly fortunate to be with Tiffany for so many years now and to finally be getting married! Kevin and Tiffany hail from Yucaipa, which is only a stones throw from their wedding venue of the Temeku Hills Golf Club in Temecula. Here is Kevin telling me the "story" . . .

Tiffany getting her dress on . . .

Boys . . .

It turned out to be a fantastic day at the Temeku Hills Golf Club in Temecula. About 85 degrees F and a light breeze - PERFECT wedding day weather. Tiffany came out to give her dress a test run around the track . . .

Finally! Way to go Kevin, I am happy that you two are finally complete!

Thank you for checking out these pics from the Temeku Hills Golf Club. Have a happy day in the Temecula Wine Country.
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Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-07-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

There are few places in south Orange County as exclusive as the Coto de Caza community. Miles and miles of gated community and winding roads will eventually lead you to the Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club, aka Coto de Caza Country Club.

Sweet shot of happy Dad in the limo with his daughter . . .

One of the fun ideas they do at the Coto de Caza Golf and Raquet Club is that all of the drinks are named after the popular wedding day rhyme "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue." Can you guess which drink this is? haha . . .

LOTS and LOTS of photo opportunities like this one . . .

Check out these cool centerpieces with the feathers coming out of them. This is a really classy reception room. In the reflection on the furniture you can see that the opposite wall (the wall that is behind me, the photographer) is actually a wall of windows looking out to the hills and terrain of the Golf Club. Very beautiful . . .

Grand entrance . . .

A very warm first dance . . .

and a beautiful toast . . .

I hope you enjoyed looking through these wedding pictures from the Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club! It was a real treat to be there.
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Wedding Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano

2008-07-31T01:47:00.000-07:00

The INCREDIBLE Mission Basilica in San Jaun Capistrano is part of the original Mission San Juan Capistrano set up by Father Junipero Serra. They get at least 10 requests a week from interested couples who want to get married there. From the outside you might think this church is not a big deal, especially on a sort of gray day like this one . . .

BUT check out what hides beneath the stone walls . . . KABOOM!!!

You get the idea . . . if you are Catholic this is a dream come true . . .

These next two images were actually taken with multiple exposures on a tripod (boring). But when you combine the exposures into one SUPER image you get some really unique and perfect stuff . . .

Thank you for viewing these pictures from a wedding at the Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. It is an honor to photograph there (even though you can only take pictures from two locations while the wedding is in progress! Boooo!)
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Laura and Jeff | Laguna Beach Engagement Photography

2008-07-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Smash, BAMM, Shazaaam! Back in beautiful Laguna Beach for engagement pictures. . . this time with Jeff (or is that John Travolta?!?!) and super cool Laura . . .

I had a feeling that Jeff wasn't too keen on going in the water, but leave it to Laura to push the fun a little bit . . .

Thanks for perusing these engagement pictures in Laguna Beach, CA. Jeff and Laura will be getting married in August of this year at the beautiful Turnip Rose in Costa Mesa.
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Surf and Sand Resort | Laguna Beach Wedding Photography

2008-07-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite wedding photography routines is the Surf and Sand Hotel followed up by Occasions Laguna Village in Laguna Beach. When you get two great locations like this and add a super cute bride and groom, it is very hard to take bad pictures. You just can't!

Flowers today were done by Melia at Weddings by Melia. A little play time in the streets of Laguna . . .

Travis sees Laura coming down the aisle with her dad . . . always a must have photo . . .

A mixed weather day at Laguna Beach Occasions . . .

Our cool wedding party . . .

2nd photogrpaher shot from the side . . .

Play time down at the beach . . .

One of my signature shots . . .

How can you complain when you have a bride that looks like this . . .

Travis and Laura have a baby together, her name is Kennedy. She is too young to be a flower girl but definitely cute enough to get pictures like this all day . . .

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Black and White Wedding Photography | Hilton Waterfront Huntington Beach

2008-07-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

There was a time when shooting black and white wedding photography meant having a dedicated camera with specific film in it. Since the switch to digital photography, most wedding photographers generally shoot the entire wedding day in color. In post-production the images will be desaturated and receive contrast adjustments. The following pictures were photographed first in color and then in "post" they were switched to black/white. They are all from a recent wedding at the Waterfron Hilton Huntington Beach . . .

I have found that the more striking black and white wedding photography images have very black blacks and very white whites (as opposed to having gray blacks and gray whites) . . .

Keeping the skin soft . . .

Great photojournalistic first dance shot . .

Good luck! But most importantly have fun converting your color wedding photography to black and white. ;)
Credits for Linda and Keith's wedding at the Waterfront Hilton Huntington Beach:
Event Coordinator: Skybox Event Productions
Videographer: Perfect 10 Productions
Florist and Linens: Three Petals
Cake: The Great Dane Baking Company
DJ Lighting and Photobooth: Platinum Peaks Entertainment
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Los Angeles Baby Pictures | Long Beach Photography

2008-07-01T16:01:00.001-07:00

I have been photographing the awesome Fitzpatrick family for a few years now. The latest addition is Morgan who I photographed last time at 5 days old (see here). She is SOOO cute! I am sure you will agree. She definitely remembered me . . .

New trick that Hoffmann learned . . . baby in front of mirror = smiles . . .

Here is older sister Callie asking if she can be like mommy and hold the baby . . .

Good job Callie . . .

This always happens . . .

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Headshots Orange County | Los Angeles Headshots

2008-07-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Jenn Albeneau (I did her engagement pics, check them out here) is back! This time auditioning for a dance team and needs some headshots. I started outside with the 50mm lens set at 2.0 . . .

Inside the makeshift garage studio with the white sheet as a back drop, still with the 50mm set at 2.0. Notice a difference in skin tones (warmer) . . .

Back outside, but this time using the 70-200mm VR at 2.8 . . .

and a quick pic with sister (also make-up artist!) . . .

Good luck Jenn!
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Orange County Baby Pictures

2008-07-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

Last time we saw Cooper it was for his 3 month pictures. His personality is definitely beginning to shine. Dad and baby Cooper also have a special bond . . .lots of snuggles, cuddles and laughter . . .

What you can't see (or hear) in this next picture is me howling "COOOOOOOPER" . . .

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Aliso Creek Golf Club Wedding Laguna Beach

2008-07-01T13:53:00.001-07:00

Aliso Creek Golf Course is the only golf course in Laguna Beach and is also host to several weddings each weekend. It is nestled in the small hills of Laguna and has a old school country club feel to it. I was fortunate to work as 2nd photographer for this PERFECT day in Southern California.

I always love the contrast of going from the room where the girls are getting ready to the room where the guys are getting ready . . hahah . . .

Very happy Mom and brother of the bride . . .

Casual guys portrait . . .

Photographer Brian Jost making time with the bridal party . . .

Hillside wedding ceremony at the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course . . .

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Catholic Wedding Photography | Orange County Photographer

2008-06-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

Most of the couples that I meet have been dating for 2-3 years. Not Jennifer and Shawn though . . . try 11 years!!! (no that is not a typo) They had a great response to the general wedding day question, "Are you nervous?" - "About as nervous as possible after dating for 11 years." In other words . . . not very nervous. Here is our first pic of Jennifer in the room she got ready in . . . (make -up by Michelle Moore)

Handsome groom . . .

The wedding ceremony was at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Laguna Woods. Here is Jennifer waiting in the bride room just a few minutes before the ceremony . . .

It's always a trick to catch the kiss during a Catholic ceremony, because it is not announced. . .

A few cool shots of the B/G from later in the day . . . (and Yes, the groom is wearing Converse Chuck Taylors)

After the Catholic wedding at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, we continued the wedding photography for the reception at Laguna Village Occasions in Laguna Beach.

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Orange County Engagement Pictures | Laguna Beach Photographer

2008-06-11T12:21:00.001-07:00

Trisha found me through a great publication for brides called Here Comes the Guide. Her wedding is not until 2009 but her in-law's decided to throw an awesome engagement party so we had to get the some pics done quickly. Trisha and Brandon were a little nervous but they did so great and even brought along a couple outfit changes . . .

Starting to become more playful. . .

YEAH!! Way to go!! . . .

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Occasions at Laguna Village | Laguna Beach Wedding Photography

2008-06-10T20:07:00.001-07:00

Dorothy and Yuichi are a such a great, fun and playful couple. They both got ready at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. Besides being a very funny girl, Dorothy also had a very cool pair of shoes . . .

These first two shots by my 2nd shooter Lawrence of Furious Photographers, shooting the Canon 40D with a 50mm 1.2. Make-up by Vivian Tran at All Made Up . . .

Special moment with Mom . . .

Groom getting ready a few doors down . . .

Dorothy and Yuichi meet for the first time BEFORE the ceremony. Flowers by Melia at Weddings by Melia . . .

What up, boyzzzz . . .

Ladies!!! Stop messing around, we are trying to take photos here!

Wedding ceremony and reception at Laguna Village Occasions in Laguna Beach . . . once again check out the aisle arrangements from Melia's Flowers (which later became the centerpieces) . . .

I got the idea for this next picture from Jessica Claire. . .

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Orange County Performing Arts Center Engagement Pictures

2008-06-10T15:53:00.001-07:00

I am always up for new locations for engagement photography. Before I suggest any locations to my clients, I always ask if there are any places that might be meaningful to them. I had such a great time with Carly and Chriss at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, CA. . .

DISTORTION . . .

Carly is actually a wedding photographer herself (see here), so I felt very honored to be chosen as their photographer.

A lot of curves in these next couple shots . . .

A cool rusty piece of metal that someone called 'art' became a fantastic back drop for a few minutes . . .

Thank you for stopping by to look at these engagement pictures from the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, CA. Carly and Chriss will be having their wedding this year at St. Mark Presbyterian in Newport Beach with a reception at Il Fornaio Restaurant. Pretty exciting!!
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Laguna Beach Engagement Pictures | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-06-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

People ask me if I ever get sick of photographing in Laguna Beach. I am there ALOT! The truth is that I don't because 1) Laguna Beach is beautiful, and 2) I LOVE the beach. I have lived at the beach my entire life and hope to keep it that way. When I am photographing couples at the beach I am barefoot, getting wet and sandy along with my clients.

Brittney and Dustin are having their wedding this year in Laguna Beach at Laguna Village Occasions.
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Manhattan Beach Engagement Pictures | Los Angeles Wedding Photography

2008-06-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

One of the lenses that is ALWAYS around my neck is the awesome 10.5mm Nikkor fisheye! It may seem a bit overkill to have it on me all the time, but I really love the images that I get out of it. The pics that I'll show you from this engagement session will ALL be fisheye. . .

Manhattan Beach is a GREAT place for engagement pics because you get the street/urban scenes and then also the beach. Each store has a different facade . . .

The beach in Manhattan is super wide, very clean and has really nice sand. Great for photos . . .

Sidney and Ashley are having their wedding this year in beautiful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!

Laguna Beach Engagement Pictures | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Kiyoko and Chris are a wonderfully playful couple from Los Angeles. . .

I recently found out (via internet) that the structure in this next picture is attached to a house that was originally built and lived in by Bette Midler. . .

They will be having their wedding in September at the beautiful Adamson House in Malibu!
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Patty and Brian | Laguna Beach Wedding Photography

2008-05-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Another great reason to get married in Laguna Beach - morning surf sessions! Patty invited me to photograph the early morning bridal party surf session on Thalia street. The waves were small but the coffee was flowing along with lots of anticipation for a fantastic wedding day . . .

Meanwhile the guys took a limo to the The Shave in Beverly Hills; a great idea for guys on the wedding day. Photographed by my 2nd shooter Gavin Hol t . . .

Patty getting laced in at the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach . . .

. . . and taking the dress out for a spin . . .

These next few photos will give you a great taste for the work of Annie Kim at La Tulipe Floral Designs in Laguna Niguel.

Ceremony at Laguna Village Occasions in Laguna Beach . . .

Proud Mom at the Mother/Son dance . . .

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Tiffany and Peter | Irvine Engagement Pictures

2008-05-21T23:43:00.001-07:00

Tiffany and Peter had their first date at the Irvine Spectrum! That is a perfect place to take pictures ANYTIME of day, and is a very short drive to Laguna Beach for MORE awesome pictures. This first image was shot with the 10.5mm fisheye using fill flash (sweeeet!) . . .

Mid-day at Irvine Spectrum you can find great shady spots like this one . . .

OK! It's time for a dress change and off to Laguna Beach! What a perfect day!

Dont' mess around with the 10.5mm! . . .

West coast sunsets! . . .

One of my favorite fun shots of the day . . .

Tired . . . Let's get outta here!

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Mazatlan Wedding Photography | Mexico Wedding Pictures

2008-05-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

Any wedding photographer has to love photographing weddings outside the normal travel radius - It presents challenge, experience and fun all rolled up into a job. I have photographed many weddings in Mexico over the past years, but this was my first experience in beautiful Mazatlan. Once again I was fortunate enough to have Jost as 2nd photographer. We arrived on Thursday night and this 1st picture is one the views from the Pueblo Bonito where we stayed. . .

Araceli and Hector met in Chicago and now live in Indianapolis. . . . Can you believe they had over 100 guests at their Mazatlan wedding? Hector waiting in the hotel room . . .

Dramatic bride shot using window light . . .

Catholic ceremony at St. Judas Tadeo directly in Mazatlan . . .

A couple shots for the wedding photojournalism fans . . .

Why would someone have a destination wedding? These next few pictures should answer that question . . .

Reception location overlooking the ocean . . .

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Long Beach LOVEbirds! | Los Angeles Photography

2008-05-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

Deanna and David are still feeling the LOVE waaay into their marriage! They invited me out to their place in Long Beach to document a little of their time together . . .

No, that is not Charleton Heston . . .

Proud owners of a high-rise condo! Congratulations! . . .

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Chin-Lu, Tam, Stacy and Sue | Orange County Photography

2008-05-06T22:37:00.001-07:00

These four girls met through RockHarbor church in Costa Mesa. They have become fantastic friends and last friday it was time for their first shoot together. . .

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Christine and David | Vietnamese Wedding Photography | Los Angeles Photographer

2008-04-15T16:29:00.001-07:00

I have really enjoyed photographing colorful Asian weddings over the last few years. They generally start in the morning with a traditional tea ceremony, lunch is then served, an American ceremony follows and then finally a large dinner reception with TONS of food. During this day the bride will change her dress 2-3 times! Christine and David had a awesome day that started early in the morning in Menlo Park and ended late at night in Sherman Oaks. This first formal picture (I love it!) shows the bride in her Vietnamese dress for the tea ceremony. . .

A tearful mother putting jewelry on her daughter during the tea ceremony . . .

These next xouple shots were captured by my assistant Jost . . . the flower girl watches as Christine changes into the American dress . . .

A cool as Christine gets out of the car at the church . . .

Once again, check out the fantastic colors involved at St. Joseph the Worker in Canoga Park . . .

For those photographers who have a hard time finding a decent background (haha) . . .

A stop at Griffith Park with the wedding party . . .

Another formal shot of the bride/groom . . . j/k! . . .

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Laguna Village Laguna Beach Wedding Photography

2008-04-14T23:47:00.001-07:00

You may remember Tabitha and Solomon from their engagement pics. Well, the BIG day finally arrived and everything went wonderfully. There could be no better place for her and the girls to get ready than the California Suite at the Surf and Sand Resort. . .

They were supposed to be getting ready . . .

My 2nd photographer Gavin picked this one up while I was working with the girls . . .

Sol getting ready down the street . . .

Da boyz . . .

The heavens opened with blessings for Sol and Tab . . .

One of my favorite shots of the day was a special moment that SOl had with his Dad after the ceremony . . .

Sol singing a love song to his wife . . .

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University Club Irvine | UCI | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-04-09T14:49:00.001-07:00

On the campus of University of California Irvine there is a cool little place for a ceremony/reception called the University Club. It has a great private feel and is tucked in the midst of lots of tall pine trees. It's perfect for a cool couple like Paul and Tam. Although they do have a room for the bride to get ready in, Tam chose to get prepped at home. . .

Make-up by Jessica Hoffman [no relation:)] Check out her cool website.

All the boys . . .

My second photographer for the day was Lawrence from Furious Photographers. He got lots of sick shots like this next one. Check out how the sun lit Tam up right when she started down the aisle. . .

Paul smiling at the Mom and Dad . . .

There is an old photography rule - "Never shoot into the sun." Well if you follow that rule you can't get cool shots like this one . . .

First dance . . .

Time to paaaarty! YEAH! . . .

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Newborn Baby Pictures | Orange County Photographer

2008-04-09T11:09:00.001-07:00

I always ask my clients to contact me right when their baby is born so I can try to get photos ASAP. The first 5 days is SOOOO awesome! Cameron Hayes Cox was born on the morning of April 5. I received an e-mail on April 6 and was at the hospital with the Cox family on April 7. VERY EXCITING! . . .

Tired or hungry?

All photos shot manual with natural light using 50mm lens set at f/2.0.

I photographed Duane and Sandy's wedding in December of 2006 (see their wedding album here) and it is so beautiful to see them with their baby. . .

BTW, if you like to have a room with a sweet view, consider having your baby at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach . . . NICE!!

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Engagement Pictures Laguna Beach

2008-04-08T22:39:00.001-07:00

The season is now in FULL swing and I am back in Laguna at my most favorite engagement beach. You'll see here that Linda and Keith have the ability to be very cozy with each other, and then very playful. They were great!

Experimental . . .

This is the beginning of a good game called "Push the other person into the water!" YEAH!! . . .

Linda and Keith are getting married at the Waterfton Hilton in Huntington Beach on the most popular date of 2008 - 6/7/8.
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Huntington Beach Baby Portraits | Orange County Photography

2008-03-21T22:07:00.001-07:00

A couple months ago I took pictures of the awesome Fitzpatrick Family. Mommy was very pregnant at the time, so a few days ago I got "the call!" The world welcomes Morgan Fitzpatrick!! . . .

Hanging out with big sister . . .

Having a face-to-face with Dad . . .

Mommy's smile . . .

I wanted to do something other than the usual 'baby feet in the adult hands' shot. . . so we came up with the 'baby foot in Daddy's eye' shot! What do you think?

See you in a few months, Morgan!
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Orange County Baby Pictures | Photographer Huntington Beach

2008-03-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Back with Hannah Huntington!! (You can see her 3 week pictures here.) All the stars were truly aligned for this photo shoot - Hannah literally had a permanent smile for the entire time. Future model? We'll see . . .

She wanted to do an outfit change . . .

Kiss from Mommy . . .

See you next time!
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Headshots Orange County | Los Angeles Headshots

2008-03-21T15:51:00.001-07:00

As a photographer I get calls for headshots every once in a while. I don't have too much experience in this area, but I am always up for learning. Here are a couple 'commercial' set-ups from the last couple weeks. These were shot with the 50mm lens at f/2.0.

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Baby Pictures Orange County | Huntington Beach Photography

2008-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here is Cooper again, this time at 3 months! He is definitely getting cuter (He was already a 10 on the cute scale). I like to believe that Cooper is smiling for me, but it probably has more to do with Grandma behind my shoulder.

This entire session was shot using the 50mm f/1.4 lens from Nikon.

He didn't last too long for his modeling shoot this time. . .

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Infrared Wedding Photography

2008-03-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

The following is an article by Steve Hoffmann of Hoffmann Photographer on the subject of Infrared Wedding Photography.

I was inspired to learn infrared wedding photography after seeing the images in the book Infrared Wedding Photography by Patrick and Barbara Rice and ALSO the infrared wedding images from Scott A Nelson. Check them out - very inspiring! Capturing infrared wedding images with film cameras was complicated. Using bracketing and screw-on filters, you literally shot 'blind' and then hoped for the best when you brought the film to the lab to have it processed. Not to mention that weddings are a huge time crunch. Screwing on/off filters to your lenses and setting up the bracketing was a great waste of time.

After I switched to digital cameras the process for infrared wedding photography became one step easier. The opaque IR filter #87 was still required over the front of the lens (which means you are still shooting blindly) but you were able to see the result immediately on the back of the camera. This eliminated waiting for the proof sheets from the lab. That was a pretty big leap in a positive direction!

It was not long before private parties began rebuilding old model digital cameras and putting the IR filter directly inside the camera. The converted Nikon bodies (D1x, D50, D70) with the built-in IR filter have been the easiest and most effective way giving the user the ability to COMPLETELY see through the lens AND have immediate results on the back of the camera. Awesome!

Last year I had an old Nikon D1X camera converted for my infrared wedding photography. It is a little bit heavy compared to the converted D70 that is more recently available. You can see that the results are as great as film ever was for infrared and 100x easier and more time efficient.

BTW, the true infrared look can NOT be duplicated in Photoshop. As many times as I have seen a 'recipe' online for creating 'realistic digital infrared' through Photoshop, it has NEVER been even close. The major reason for this is that infrared light reflects off of every single thing in your scene differently! How can you possibly accomodate for that in Photoshop? Check out this angel walking through the trees . . .

Infrared wedding photography takes a little bit of practice, but if you are already shooting in manual then you will catch on extremely quick. There are not many wedding photographers shooting in infrared. This is a great opportunity to create a small but effective selling point for potential clients.

Thank you for taking the time to learn with me. It is my hope that this article on infrared wedding photography will make you a better photographer.
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San Francisco Engagement Pictures | Wedding Photography San Francisco

2008-03-05T13:04:00.001-08:00

I always let my clients choose the location of their engagement pictures - ANYWHERE they want to. This has taken me to lots of great places for photo shoots, i.e. Zuma Beach Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Cal State Long Beach, UC Irvine, Disneyland, Union Station Los Angeles, Ghetty Center, etc. Usually it is a spot that has meaning in their relationship. My couple Jen and Matt took it to the next level and flew me to their city - San Francisco! It turned out to be a normal SF day - cold and rainy. It definitely did not stop us from getting AWESOME pictures . . .

Somewhere down by fisherman's wharf . . .

It started raining so hard we had to move inside for a break . . .

After the rain slowed down we hit some more great SF locations . . .

and at night it started POURING buckets again . . .there is nothing like taking a shower and dancing in Union Square . . .

Way to go Jen and Matt! Congratulations! I am looking forward to your wedding this summer at Occasions Laguna Beach.
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Family Portrait Orange County | Craig Park Brea

2008-02-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

Craig Park in Brea, CA is a perfect place for a family portrait. Lots of green grass and huge trees allow for great light in lots of different places. If you walk back a little ways you'll also run into a small lake. All this in Orange County?

This little guy was real camera shy at first. You'll see though, a little bit of time worked a lot of magic.

If you have a trouble getting your little one to smile in pictures, just bring a crazy uncle to make funny noises in the background.

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La Valencia Hotel La Jolla | San Diego Wedding Photography

2008-02-06T20:55:00.002-08:00

Most of my wedding work is done in Orange County, but a few times a year I get to drive down to beautiful San Diego and shoot. This was my first time at the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, CA! A very cool place that opened in 1926 - the elevator still has a sliding grate door and is operated by an employee. The wedding of Lindsay and Billy Childress was fantastic. There were tons of great photos from the day including the following few from the ceremony . . .

Proud Dad and Step-Dad . . .

The private ceremony site at the La Valencia Hotel with an ocean view . . .

The following two pics are taken at the same time from two different locations. Once again, if your photographer offers a second shooter for the wedding - do it! (black/white photo by Gavin Holt)

You can view the progress of their wedding album at this link!
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Family Portait Los Alamitos | Orange County Photographer

2008-02-06T13:16:00.001-08:00

The Fitzpatrick's are one of my past wedding clients! They did not waste too much time producing little Fitzpatrick's. Callie is 2 years old and a little sister is on the way . . .

Everyone giving little sister some love . . .

And now time for Callie to play . . .

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Laguna Beach Engagement Pictures | Orange County Wedding Photography

2008-01-31T15:47:00.001-08:00

This week I was extremely fortunate to shoot back-up for my good friend and photography mentor Scott A. Nelson. He was doing an engagement session with one of his couples in Laguna Beach. Scott has a great gift of "seeing light" and shooting warm images, not to mention his very unique infrared portfolio. This first pic is shot from FAR off with 300mm of zoom - see Scott working with his couple before being attacked by a rogue wave! . . . bwahahaha!

Scott likes to say that God gave him broad shoulders so he can carry lots of cameras. He is wearing three cameras here - one on each shoulder and one around his neck in front.

Some of my shots from behind . . .

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San Diego Baby Pictures | Photography San Diego

2008-01-31T15:12:00.000-08:00

Lourdes Jules (LJ) is a beautiful baby that I get to take pictures of regularly. Our latest time together was in Laguna Beach. LJ spent most of her time mesmerized with the qualities of sand . . .

LJ with Auntie LoLo . . .

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Engagement Pictures Laguna Beach | Orange County Wedding Photographer

2008-01-24T20:04:00.001-08:00

If your wedding photographer has an option of adding a 2nd photographer, take it! I highly recommend it. You'll have many more pictures to choose from and usually all will have a candid feel. I took a 2nd photographer with me to Laguna Beach for this engagement session with Britney and Jeff. The following pics are from the point of view of my latest apprentice, Brian Jost.

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Baby Portraits Orange County | Huntington Beach Photographer

2008-01-16T23:00:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of meeting and photographing Cooper Bazarsky this week! I met the Bazarsky family through the wedding and events coordinator Heather at Something New Events. For baby pictures, I go straight to my clients house and get lots of great pictures of families doing 'life.' When I got to the Bazarsky house Cooper was still napping . . .

I saw this cool baseball on the shelf in his room . . .

I guess when Cooper wakes up he likes to do a little thinking . . .

A kiss from mommy . . .

The baby angel Cooper . . .

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Engagement Pictures Laguna Beach | Orange County Wedding Photographer

2008-01-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

Back to Laguna Beach with a really cool couple for engagement pictures! Jenn and Tim have been dating for over 4 years and had no problem being comfortable with each other (and looking good) in front of the camera.

Jenn is mesmerized while Tim talks about rocket science (haha) . . .

Easy there Tim . . . not too comfortable . . .

Laguna Beach in the winter time, looking just as beautiful as in summer . . .

OK, let's see how many different ways we can pick Jenn up and spin her around . . .

VICTORY!!!

and finished . . .

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Fort MacArthur San Pedro | Los Angeles Wedding Photography

2008-01-04T23:35:00.000-08:00

Check out the magical hair!! Kristin getting ready at the Doubletree Hotel in San Pedro . . .

Hair and make-up done by Hair Comes the Bride . . .

While our groom is patiently waiting at St. Margaret Mary in Lomita . . . at least he had a card to read from his wifey-to-be . . .

SHAZAMM!! and Kristin is ready to be MARRIED!!! . . .

A beautiful Catholic ceremony - notice how the sun came in through one of the stained glass windows and shown bright on the dress at this point . . . very cool

Congratulations from gramps . . .

Off to the reception at the Fort MacArthur Air Force Base in San Pedro! A great gem of a place located on a cliff overlooking Long Beach Harbor. Here are the guys screwing around . . .

The ladies are looking GOOD!

and a dance with Dad . . . lucky guy.

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Engagement Pictures Manhattan Beach | Los Angeles Wedding Photographer

2007-12-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite beach communities in Los Angeles is definitely Manhattan Beach. The wide sandy beach is always clean, never crowded and LOTS of places to eat. A perfect place to take pictures of couples and then have a nice meal. Since I am in Huntington Beach, Manhattan is a great half-way point for my clients that live in the far reaches of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. This is Steve and Aida. You'll see how cute they are - the entire time they were having so much fun and were SO loving . . .

When I photograph engagement pictures in Manhattan Beach I like to start in the streets before we head down to the beach.

A little friendly "love advice" from a passing stranger . . .

See what I mean when I say the beaches are not crowded? . . . SO great . . .

Practicing the first dance . . .

Good job you guys!!!

I am excited about doing the wedding photography at Steve and Aida's event next July at the United Armenian Congregational Church in Los Angeles.
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San Diego Baby Pictures | Photography San Diego

2007-12-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

I have never met a parent who has too many pictures of their baby. Babies are so fascinating and wonderful, and they grow up VERY quickly. In the following photographs, see the amazing transormation of little Lourdes Jules (LJ) from newborn to 1 year. The first picture was actually taken on Day 1 at the hospital . . .

Here is 2 months . . .

5 months . . .

10 months . . . (Wow!!)

and finally 1 year with Grandma . . .

Consider the importance of professionally documenting the 1st year of your baby's life!
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Engagement Pictures Laguna Beach | Orange County Wedding Photographer

2007-11-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

Back to my favorite beach in Laguna Beach Orange County for engagement photography. Paul and Tamara are both tall and striking - looking great! From a photographer's standpoint, what really makes their photos wonderful is that they genuinely enjoy being around each other.

Tam checking out her ring . . . being hypnotized . . .

Winter in Laguna looking dreamy and mysterious . . .

Wearing black on top for the engagement pictures is always a great choice - it brings more attention to the faces in the photo.

This is the point when I dare Paul to take Tamara into the water (which is about 55F) . . .

The crazy part of the story is that Tam absolutely loved the water but Paul was wishing he had brought his wetsuit. . .

Paul's hair is still perfect and I notice he loosened up his collar a bit . . .

Even though this pictures is a bit dark, I really liked it . . .

Paul and Tam will be getting married in March at the University Club on the campus of UC Irvine. Cheers!
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Hyatt Regency | Newport Beach Wedding Photography

2007-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

A couple with modeling good looks getting married in one of the world's richest cities - Orange County wedding photography never looked so good! Josh and Lindsay got ready and married at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. Besides having an "old school" resort feel, this location is unique for an Orange County resort because they only do one wedding per day on the site. You'll never run into another bride on your wedding day, or another wedding photographer for that matter. ;)

Whoa, easy there Josh . . . getting excited about pictures . . .

Ceremony site at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach . . .

Try not to get the dress dirty ok? hahahah . . .

They only do one wedding a day at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach - which is great because you'll never run into another bride. Also, the main ballroom is ALL yours! . . .

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Family Portaits Costa Mesa | Orange County Photography

2007-11-02T15:31:00.001-07:00

The Brinson family and I met at Tewinkle Park in Costa Mesa for a little play time with their beautiful daughter. . .

Bubbles are a fantastic way to get your kid to smile and have a good time. They will completely forget about the guy with the camera.

Daddys are definitely good for play time . . .

Almost done . . . don't get tired yet . . . just a couple more . . .

Mommys are good for nurture time . . .

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Orchard Menifee | Temecula Wedding Photography

2007-11-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

If you like spring time and gerber daisies, then you'll love Steve and Grace's wedding out at the Orchard in Menifee, CA. Menifee is a small city near Temecula in Riverside County, CA. When was the last time you googled "riverside county wedding photography?" That's what I thought. It was a VERY hot day, but lots of willow trees and lemonade made for an easy time.

If you and your fiance decide to say your own vows, be sure to write them out . . .

2nd photographer shots like this one courtesy of Drew!

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Catholic Wedding Ceremony | Orange County Wedding Photography

2007-10-25T23:49:00.000-07:00

If you are ever in Brea, CA and looking for a fresh microbrew, head straight to Taps Fishhouse and Brewery. Don't be surprised if you meet someone there you eventually fall in love with. That is how the story of Natalie and Chad begins. It continues here . . . Ceremony at St. Norbert Catholic Church in Orange with a reception at the Newport Beach Marriott.

The ladies . . .

The boys . . . (caught by second photographer Mike Solis)

At a Catholic wedding ceremony, always be sure to have the LONG lens on hand to catch the kiss . . .

Here's the whole crew . . .

and finally a couple reception room shots . . .

The Newport Beach Marriott is a fantastic location for an Orange County wedding. You can get married at the Seaview Terrace, in the Rose Garden or in the Atrium. All 3 sites are very workable from the aspect of wedding photography.
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Laguna Beach Engagement | Orange County Wedding Photography

2007-10-18T20:53:00.001-07:00

Joycee and Greg . . . so cute . . . don't need to say much more than that.

Here's an idea . . . jump on Greg's back when he isn't ready . . .

This is what you get if you jump on Greg's back when he isn't ready. . .

Yeah, but look who finally wins . . . hahaha!

Another beautiful night in Laguna Beach, CA.

Joycee and Greg got married in 2007 at Occasions Laguna Village in Laguna Beach, CA.
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Baby Pictures Irvine | Orange County Photography

2007-10-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

I always feel very affirmed when I receive a phone call from a previous client and am able to come to their home and take pictures of their family. This is Lesley-Ann, Tony and beautiful little Hayden . . .

Time for a little man to man talk . . .

Sleepy sleepy sleepy . . .

and good night . . .

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Newport Beach Family Portrait | Orange County Photographer

2007-10-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I get to do family portraits in Orange County. This is the Gilmore family from Newport Beach! Brian, Jennifer, Brian Jr and Tyler. We met on location in south Newport - a small secluded beach that I had never been to even though I have lived in this area my entire life. I love it! I will DEFINITELY be returning there for more pictures with couples and families.

My family portrait times are a mix of composed portraits and candid pictures. The sessions last approximately one hour and are always done on location.

Fun with Dad . . .

and nurturing with Mom . . .

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