Dave Richards Photography :: The Blog

I HAVE A NEW BLOG! CLICK THE LINK BELOW

2008-11-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

MY NEW BLOG IS UP!!

2008-11-25T23:58:00.000-08:00

Well after many sleepless nights and all the curse words you could stand.....

....my new blog has finally launched! This blog has served me quite well over the past 2 years, but it was time to move on to something a bit more customizable, user friendly and just overall better. I want to give a huge thanks to my good friend Rick at rONE Designs for building the new blog and putting up with my craziness! This old blog will stay up and can always be found here, but be sure to bookmark the new one!

www.drpblog.com

GO THERE NOW!!!!

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Manhattan Beach :: Family Portraits

2008-11-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

After the engagement session earlier in Laguna Beach, it was time to head back to the South Bay for an afternoon portrait shoot in Manhattan Beach. On the way back you could see where the dense, thick cloud of smoke lay across the sky. It felt like we were driving into another dimension! By the time we arrived for the shoot, it had mostly cleared up and we had some gorgeous late afternoon sunlight at our disposal. Check out some of our favorite pics from the session!

Laguna Beach Engagement Session

2008-11-17T23:04:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning we had the opportunity to head out of the smoke-filled South Bay and down to some clean, fresh air in Laguna Beach for an engagement session. These two are tying the knot in February at The Hacienda in Santa Ana. We had a great time cruising the streets of downtown Laguna Beach with you guys and are looking forward to your wedding!

Manhattan Beach baby portraits

2008-11-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

Is it still summer? Did I miss winter? What's happening? It was 85 degrees in Manhattan Beach today....in NOVEMBER! Only in California huh? Well anyways, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed down to the beach for a baby portrait session for the (other) Ernster family. Little Andrew is 8 months old, and he is adorable! Don't take my word for it, just take a look at these pics.....

Thanks guys for getting down and dirty with us....the pictures were totally worth it!

Chance Barber: 6 months

2008-11-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we headed over to Sandy's sisters hours take take 6 month pics of her baby boy Chance. 6 months is such a great time for pictures because their personalities start to show, and they are more aware of what is going on around them. Plus they smile a LOT, which is great for pictures!

Muckenthaler Mansion Wedding

2008-10-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday we had an amazing wedding at the Muckenthaler Mansion in Fullerton. These two were so much fun to hang out with and I had such a great time at their wedding. The bride looked absolutely gorgeous and had an old-Hollywood-glamour look going on which fits her perfectly! These guys were so happy to be married and you could tell they were genuinely in love because it radiated from them all night. Here are a few of our favorites from the day....

I have an obsession with birdcage veils....they are so awesome!

Ever try squatting on a hill in high heels? Apparently neither has this bride! But the groom was there to catch her!

Thank you guys for having us their to capture your day...were were honored to be there!

Ernster Family Portraits: De Portola Park

2008-10-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today I had the chance to hang out with the Ernster's and their brand new addition to the family! We headed over to De Portola Park in Torrance for this session. Here are a few of our favorites from the shoot.

Thanks guys for a great session and I hope to work with you again soon!

Devin Richards: Manhattan Beach

2008-10-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

Today we took advantage of a day off and headed down to Manhattan Beach to get some fresh shots of my nephew Devin. It is so crazy to see this little guy sprouting like a weed! I really don't see him as often as I'd like to, so I really love doing these little portrait sessions for them. As always, Manhattan Beach gave us some gorgeous golden late afternoon sunlight to work with.....

Canyon Lake Wedding

2008-09-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

Have I ever told you that I absolutely love shooting weddings? I get the chance to meet so many amazing people, and hang out with them on the happiest days of their lives. Saturdays wedding was no exception. These two got hitched out in Canyon Lake, which is a gated community out near Murrieta with their own private lake! These two live in this community and decided it was the perfect location for their wedding. Here are a few of our favorites from the day.

Disneyland Hotel Wedding

2008-09-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekends wedding at the Disneyland Hotel was awesome! This is such a cool place to shoot. The bride is a huge Disney fan, and wanted her fairytale wedding, just like in the movies. She arrived at the ceremony in a glass carriage, and even had glass slippers! The wedding was held at the perfect time of day, so we had some amazing light and got some great shots of these two. Here are some of our favorite images from Saturday.

Marina Del Rey Engagement

2008-09-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday the 14th I made my way up to Marina Del Rey for a super fun engagement session with these guys. The bride-to-be is the sister of a previous bride of mine, and the groom-to-be was a groomsmen in the wedding as well. I had tons of fun with her sisters shoot, so I knew this one would be just as good! These two are getting married up in Cayucas in November and I am really excited for the wedding! If you have never been up there you have to check it out sometime. It is a gorgeous little city just north-west of San Luis Obispo near Morro Bay. The evening sunlight is guaranteed to be amazing up there, and I know it will be a great wedding. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the shoot.

Calamigos Ranch Wedding

2008-09-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday these two got hitched up at the beautiful Calamigos Ranch in Malibu. They both had family come in from all over the world, which made the event extra special to them. The late afternoon sunlight was gorgeous and we got some awesome pictures of this amazing couple. Thanks so much you guys for having us there to capture your wedding! Here are a few of our favorite shots from Saturday.

Verandas Wedding

2008-09-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had an amazing wedding at my favorite venue in Manhattan Beach, Verandas. This spot is definitely on the top of my list if I decide to get married locally! I always have such a great experience here and get so excited whenever I get the opportunity to work here. Special thanks to Natalie for doing such a great job coordinating the event.

Speaking of being excited, I couldn't wait to shoot this wedding for this awesome couple! These guys were so much fun on their engagement shoot that I knew the wedding would be just as good. It was a very small and intimate wedding, and everyone had a great time. Check out some of our favorite images!

La Venta Wedding

2008-09-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was a gorgeous day for a wedding up here at La Venta in Palos Verdes. I was so excited to shoot this wedding because I knew these two were very easy going and they such an awesome couple to work with. The bride looked absolutely gorgeous and was so exited to be getting married. Here are a few of our favorites from the day....

The brides gorgeous vintage style dress. This thing was awesome!

The relaxed groom prepping up....

I love this shot of the bride putting her dress on

Bridesmaids helping with the final touches on the dress....

Like I said....absolutely beautiful!

Where it all took place

A few relaxed portraits in the golden SoCal sunlight....

First dances....

I hope you guys had as much fun on your wedding day as I did capturing it and are having a great time on your honeymoon!

Dove Canyon Wedding

2008-09-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we had the pleasure of working with this amazing couple out in Trabuco Canyon, CA. The wedding took place at the Dove Canyon Courtyard, which is a great place for small to mid sized weddings. The day started off a bit frantic, and the bride was nervous and anxious for her wedding, but it all came together nicely and everyone had a great time! Here are a few of our favorite images from last Sunday....

Congratulations you guys! I hope you had a great time on your honeymoon!

Calamigos Ranch Engagement

2008-08-31T23:52:00.000-07:00

Last Monday I headed up north to beautiful Calamigos Ranch in Malibu for an engagement session with these two. They are getting married there in a few weeks so we thought we'd do the engagement shoot there as well to give us a chance to go check out the place. These guys are so laid back and are just my type of people to hang with, so naturally we had a great time. Take a look at a few of my favs from Monday:

Thanks for taking your morning off for the shoot guys and I am looking forward to your wedding in a few weeks!

Santa Monica Beach Club Wedding

2008-08-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

Back on August 9th I shot an amazing wedding for none other than your favorite reality TV star, Beth Stolarczyk from MTV's Real World Season 2! Beth and Matt are two awesome people and I was so honored that I got to be part of their wedding day. We started off at the Oceana Hotel in Santa Monica where Beth and her beautiful bridesmaids got ready. From there we headed down to the Beach Club for the ceremony and reception. We had such a great time at their wedding and wish you guys the best of luck!

Here are a few of my favorites from Beth and Matt's wedding:

Adrienne grabbed these shots of the guys while I was with the beautiful bride.....

Summit House Wedding

2008-08-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had an amazing wedding that I shot for a friend of a friend out at the Summit House in Fullerton. These two have such wonderful friends and families and I was honored to be part of their wedding! Nichole Shockley did an awesome job on the girls makeup and David Navarro from Willows provided the beautiful floral decorations. Dave Greenwood from Dijital Engagement was the man with the entertainment, and special thanks to Adrienne Gunde for coming along and helping me shoot this wedding!

These two were so much fun to hang out with and make a beautiful couple. The day went off without a hitch and everything was perfect! Thanks again you guys for having us there to capture your special day....we had a blast! Check out a few of my favorite images:

Downtown Fullerton Engagement

2008-08-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday we had the privilege of hanging with this super fun couple out in downtown Fullerton. This was my first time shooting out there and I will definitely be back! We started off the shoot at the Santa Fe Depot railway, and then worked our way over to the Tuscany Club for a few drinks. We started losing light so we headed back towards our cars and ran into an awesome little alley where we finished the shoot. Here are a few of my favorites from Tuesday. Thanks to you two for such a great time and I am looking forward to your wedding in October!

Green River Golf Club Wedding

2008-08-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we shot a wedding at the Green River Golf Club in Corona, California. What a great place to get married! We were the only event that day, so we had the whole place to ourselves. The Bride and Groom were married right before sundown, so we headed up the golf course after the ceremony and were able to use that amazing light for their relaxed portrait session. The B&G were naturals in front of the camera and we were able to capture so many great moments between the two of them. Check out some of our favorites from the day.

Congratulations you guys!! We had a great time at your wedding and hope you have an amazing honeymoon!

Manhattan Beach Engagement: At it again!

2008-08-18T23:17:00.000-07:00

Your probably thinking to yourself, does this guy ever get sick of Manhattan Beach? NOPE! Whenever a client wants to do their engagement session at the beach, I always recommend Manhattan Beach. There are so many different locations to shoot around here and I am finding new spots to shoot every time....plus you can't beat the light down here! Saturday morning we headed out again for a shoot with these two who are getting married next month at the Disneyland Hotel. Take a look at a few favorites from the session!

Manhattan Beach Engagement Session

2008-08-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

Normally I don't blog out of order, but I was so excited for this shoot that I just had to post it. I met up with these two Sunday morning down at the Manhattan Beach pier. They booked me only for their engagement session, and are getting married in Colorado next year. These guys were such naturals in front of the camera, and we hit it off immediately. They were super fun to work with and were up for anything, so naturally we got some amazing shots.

Guys, if you haven't booked a photographer for your wedding yet, give me a call and lets see if we can work something out! I would LOVE to shoot your wedding, and I do travel just so you know ;)

Anyways, on to the good stuff! Pardon the lengthy post...I couldn't narrow down my favorites!

San Pedro Wedding

2008-08-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a crazy, tiring weekend! Friday and Saturday I had back to back weddings, and this morning I had an engagement shoot with a super fun couple. Be sure to check back later this week for those photos!

So Friday's wedding started off at the Crown Plaza Hotel in San Pedro, where I took some preparation shots of the beautiful bride as well as the groom and his posse. From there we headed down to Simons Banquet Center for the ceremony and reception. The weather was beautiful and we had some AMAZING light for the relaxed portrait session. I have been down here many times, but I never realized how many awesome locations there are to shoot! I could have easily spent 2 hours shooting around here, but unfortunately our time was limited so we had to work quickly. Nevertheless, we got some outstanding shots of this gorgeous couple.

I want to thank Cassie and Nathan of Extraordinary Moments for doing an amazing job coordinating this event and making it extra special for the bride and groom. Ok enough writing, lets get to the pictures!

As the bride was waiting to come down the stairs for the ceremony, I saw her through the steps and grabbed this shot....love it!

The first sight of the groom...she was so excited!

She couldn't stop smiling the entire ceremony.

After the ceremony we headed out for some relaxed portraits. We started out on the docks overlooking the San Pedro bay. I love how the light catches the bouquet in this shot....

Milking the last of the tasty, late evening sunlight

The first dance.....

I loved this shot of the bride's first dance with her father.

And one of my favorite shots of the day to part with!

Thanks so much you guys for having us there to capture your special day....it was truly an honor!

Countdown to 1 year!

2008-08-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little nephew is going to be 1 year old in 3 weeks! It's really crazy how fast time flies as you get older. I remember being younger and thinking that 1 year was such a looong time, and now I barely have enough time in a year to get anything done! Before I know it I will be taking pictures of Devin's kids!

Palos Verdes Wedding

2008-08-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I got to spend the day with this fantastic couple up in beautiful Palos Verdes. What better way to kick off the weekend than with an amazing wedding like this! These two got hitched at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center. This place has such a beautiful view of the ocean! They hired a steel drum band, which in my opinion is the way to go! I am definitely getting one of these at my wedding! Janel at Critic's Choice did an amazing job coordinating the event.

Special thanks to Adrienne for coming along and helping me shoot this wedding! Check out a few favorites from Friday....

Adrienne snapped this shot of the groom before the ceremony. Very relaxed!

The beautiful bride looking equally relaxed!

Adrienne got this perfect shot of the kiss....

I love this moment that Adrienne caught as they were leaving the ceremony, as the bride looked back over her shoulder at the guests cheering them on!

Time for some relaxed portraits!

Adrienne snapped this as I was setting them up for my shot. Good eye Adrienne...that's what I like to see!

Adrienne was workin' it with the sun flare! Beautiful!

The sunset was gorgeous.....

...a perfect ending to a perfect day. Congratulations you two!!

La Verne Wedding

2008-08-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I headed out to La Verne for another fabulous wedding. These two tied the knot at the La Verne Church of the Brethren, and their reception was held at South Hills Country Club in West Covina. A big thanks to Yesenia from Exquisite Wedding Planners for doing a fantastic job coordinating the event. I also brought along Jen Cleary to help me shoot....a big thanks to you Jen! Check out a few of my favorites from last weekend.

Check out this awesome shot Jen got of the guys praying before the ceremony.

The brides father was so proud! They have such a great relationship and it really shows when you see them interact.

The look of love....photo courtesy of Jen.

Jen grabbed this perfect moment during the kiss.

Jen snapped this shot of the guys before the ceremony.

Some relaxed portraits....always my favorite time of the day!

The grand exit was so cool....they had canons shooting out giant confetti!

Thanks for having us there to capture your special day! We had a blast and I hope you had a great time in Hawaii!

Manhattan Beach Engagement Part 2!

2008-07-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning I headed back down to Manhattan Beach for an engagement shoot with this smokin' hot couple! I was stoked that I got to hang out at the beach so much this weekend! These two live in Las Vegas but are getting married next month in Corona, CA. Since they had to hit the road back to Vegas, we had to do an early shoot....which actually turned out great because we had some really nice soft light. Check out some of my favs from Sunday....

Thanks for getting up so early guys, I am looking forward to your wedding next month!

Manhattan Beach Engagement

2008-07-20T23:39:00.000-07:00

No weddings this weekend, but I stayed busy with 2 engagement shoots and a family portrait session! Saturday evening I headed down to my favorite beach for an engagement shoot with these two. I was so excited once I saw them interact for the first time....and I knew it was going to be a great shoot. Sometimes it's tough to get the couple to be a bit goofy and play around, but these guys had no problems at all! In fact, they started the interaction without any direction from me! Definitely naturals ;)

It started off with a nice intimate moment....

And then the goofiness started!

LOVE IT!

I love the perspective of the pillars under the pier.

100% their idea....they made my job so easy!

The bride-to-be dislikes getting sandy, so thanks for putting up with me during this shoot! We had a great time with you two and are very much looking forward to your wedding!

Long Beach Wedding

2008-07-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

These two got married Saturday down in Long Beach....congratulations again you guys! It was a beautiful day for a wedding, and we took full advantage of that. It was a bit on the hot side, but everyone made due and we got some amazing shots. Take a look at a few of my favorites!

A few details to start off with....

Check out the Bride's PINK shoes!

A quick shot of the beautiful Bride before the ceremony. She wasn't nervous at all!

The guys arrived to the ceremony in style...hot-rod style!

Some relaxed portraits of the newlyweds

Off to the reception!

I hope you guys are having a great time on your honeymoon!

Palos Verdes Wedding

2008-06-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we shot another gorgeous wedding along the coast of Palos Verdes at the Los Verdes Golf Club. I had such a great time with this couple on the engagement shoot and I knew the wedding would be nothing less than amazing. Here are some of my favorites from the wedding (as you can tell by the length of the post, it was extremely hard to narrow down!).

Thanks to the bride and groom for letting us be a part of your special day! Working with you was such a blast :)

San Pedro Engagement

2008-06-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we headed over to Averill Park in San Pedro for an engagement shoot with these two. I was hoping to escape the heat since we started at 9am, but no luck! These two live up near Sacramento but are getting married down here in August, and I am looking forward to their wedding!

Agoura Hills Wedding

2008-06-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had a wedding up in Agoura Hills at the Malibou Lake Mountain Club. I was worried that I might pass out because of this crazy heat wave, but I made it through ok. I'm just glad that it seems to finally be cooling down a bit! Anyways, on to your regularly scheduled programming....

The first look....they were so excited to see eachother.

Just the guys....

Here are a few of my favorites from the ceremony.

Relaxed portrait time (my favorite time of the day!)...

The first dance....

And a detail shot of the bride's beautiful bouqet

I hope you guys are having an awesome time in Saint Lucia!

Claremont Wedding

2008-06-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

My alarm went off Sunday morning at 5am, and as much as I wanted to hit snooze and keep sleeping, work was calling! I was due to be in Claremont at Scripps College at 7am so there was no time to waste. I was so excited for this wedding because these two are such naturals behind the camera and are very easy to work with. The weather was beautiful and the early morning light was gorgeous....I knew it was going to be a good day!

A couple detail shots to start off with....

The bride and her sister getting all dolled up

I love this shot of her putting her slip on.

Absolutely stunningly gorgeous!

The groom cleaned up pretty nice too!

On her way to the alter I grabbed this shot. I love this moment.

A few relaxed portraits to end with

Thank you guys for having us there to capture your special day!! We hope you are having a great time on your honeymoon!

San Marino Engagement

2008-06-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday we headed up to San Marino for an engagement shoot at The Huntington library and botanical gardens. I can't believe this was my first time there, and it definitely won't be my last! We only had an hour to shoot before they closed so we had to work quickly. I would have loved to wander the entire area but that would have taken all day, so we stuck to a few of their favorite spots and ended up with some sweet shots.

NOTE TO PHOTOGRAPHERS: These images were processed with the Boutwell's new set of Totally Rad Actions: The Revenge! Be sure to stop by and pick them up for yourself. They've got the best Photoshop actions in the industry!

Manhattan Beach Engagement

2008-06-11T22:24:00.001-07:00

After a long and busy wedding Saturday I went to bed sore and tired, but Sunday I woke up energized and excited for this engagement session! These two are getting married on 08.08.08 and I can't wait for their wedding. They both have such natural smiles that look so great on camera. As always in Manhattan Beach, we got some tasty light from the evening sunset reflecting off the golden sand. Take a look below for some of Sunday's goodness!

Los Angeles Wedding

2008-06-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday we shot an amazing wedding for such an awesome couple. These two got married at St. Brendan's Catholic Church, and the reception was held at the Wilshire Country Club. This is the same church that the Bride's parents were married, so it was especially important to them. I also brought along Adrienne Gunde to second shoot with me, and she was a pleasure to work with...thanks Adrienne! Now on to the good stuff....here are a few of my favorites from their wedding day....

I was so stoked when i saw that the bride had RED shoes! I think they look so cool with a white wedding dress

Here is a shot that Adrienne got of the groom getting ready

The bride was so excited and couldn't stop smiling all day

A few quick shots before the ceremony

Her dad looked so proud walking her up to the alter. I love this shot.

I love exit shots. You are always bound to capture some great emotions during this time!

A few relaxed portraits....

I was honored to be part of your wedding and I hope you guys are having a great time in Jamaica....I am super jealous!!

Devin all decked out!

2008-06-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Today my brother called me and asked if I could take a few shots of Devin in this awesome little tux they got him for a wedding they attended the other day. It's so funny to put babies in adult clothes....he looks like a little man!

Up for a game of soccer?

David Beckham aint got nuthin on me!

This is the first time I have seen this face!

Emmy Thompson: 9 months

2008-05-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

After a busy weekend full of engagement shoots, we decided to take a little detour and take some pictures of my niece, Emmy. It is always a blast taking pictures of kids, especially when they love to smile for the camera :) Take a peek at some of our favorite shots below.

Temecula Engagement

2008-05-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

I woke up Sunday to pouring rain thinking to myself "Oh no, were going to have to call off todays shoot!". Luckily, as the day progressed the rained slowed to a sprinkle, and then it was gone. So I hopped onto weather.com to check the forecast for Temecula, where the shoot was being held. Sure enough...."Chance of showers with isolated thunderstorms"! Well, the weather looked nice enough to me, so we went ahead with the shoot anyways. By the time we arrived the weather had cooperated nicely, and we got through the entire shoot without a single drop of rain! These two are having a wine-themed wedding, so it seemed fitting to do their engagement session at a Winery....

Big thanks to this awesome couple for meeting me all the way out in Temecula and withstanding the brutally cold wind-chill!

Palos Verdes Engagement

2008-05-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had an engagement shoot at Abalone Cove up in Palos Verdes with these two. I hadn't been to Abalone Cove in many years, so I wasn't too sure what to expect. It turned out we arrived right when the tide was at it lowest so we were able to get a few shots on the sand...what luck! The place was also full of other fun locations to shoot, so we got some great stuff....check it out!

Thanks for hanging out guys, I had a ton of fun and look forward to your wedding in June!

Vacation: Day 6

2008-05-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

Day 6...our vacation is nearing it's end! Today we arrived in Carmel around 3pm, checked into our hotel and went directly to Point Lobos State Reserve. Be sure to check out that link to learn about the history of this place and what it has to offer. The views are breathtaking and these photos do not do it justice.

Here is a view of Headland Cove

This one is called Terminal Rock

There were so many cool trees and plantlife, including the very rare Cypress tree, which only grows naturally in 2 places on earth. Both places are here in Carmel!

Here is a shot of some of those Cypress trees.

We saw a bunch of animals including a fawn, wild rabbits and otters, but these are the only 3 that wanted to pose for me.

Tomorrow we head into Monterey to check out the aquarium, then after that we are heading home! As much fun as vacation is, it's always so nice to come home.

Vacation: Day 5

2008-05-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Rogue River is amazing! If you ever get the chance you have to check out the Jerry's Jetboat Tours in Gold Beach. We woke up today at 6:45 to get ready for our tour which departed at 8:30am. The trip was a total of 104 miles round trip....the longest of the 3 that they offer. The ride was super fun and the scenery is breathtaking. For fear of getting my camera wet, I only brought along my point and shoot.

Here is a shot upriver from the boat.

We stopped at a remote little lodge called Singing Springs for lunch. It had a great view of the river while we ate.

Be prepared to have hair like this after the tour is over!

And here is a cool video of one of the many spins that took place on the tour.

The tour ended around 4pm and we headed out to continue our trip to our next destination...Monterey and Carmel by the Sea. Since we are taking the coast the entire way we got a chance to go through the Redwoods in Northern California. Check out this view from the Northern California coastline...

A shot of the road we took through the Redwoods.

These things are massive!

Sandy posing for me so you can see how big they are in comparison.

Well that concludes day 5. Tomorrow afternoon we arrive in Carmel/Monterey so be sure to check back for those photos!

Vacation: Day 4

2008-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Well I don't have too much to blog about today. We took off from Gresham, OR around 9am and drove directly west to the coast. Once we hit the coast we hopped on the 101 South and headed down to Gold Beach, where we are now. Check out a few pics from todays drive along the coast.

We stopped at the Sea Lion Caves, but unfortunately the caves were closed due to maintenance, so all we got were a few shots of them from the cliffs.

A quick shot of Sandy before we hit the road again.

And here are a couple shots from various viewpoints along the 101. Oregon beaches are amazing.

More to come tomorrow after our Rogue River jetboat tour, stay tuned!

Vacation: Day 3

2008-05-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today was crazy and very tiring! We got up around 9am and fueled up with some breakfast, then headed out to the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area to set out on the first hike, which was 5 1/2 miles.

We started our hike around 10am. The hike started right at the bottom of Wahkeena Falls, which was probably our favorite waterfall of the entire day:

Sandy under the sign right before we set out

The last part of the falls

Wahkeena Falls

Just above the falls:

About 1.5 miles later, we arrived at Fairy Falls.

Another half a mile up and we took a rest at Wahkeena Springs

I thought this moss covered tree was cool

We don't see trees like this in California!

Part of the trail...beautiful isn't it?

The next falls we hit was Weisendanger Falls:

Just below Weisendanger Falls:

Another mile or so down the path and we came to the top of the most famous one, Multnomah Falls. This is just a baby waterfall from the viewpoint we had at the very top of the 550 foot fall.

Here is a shot of the actual falls

Sandy and I had to take a picture in front of it

That concluded the first part of our journey. We stopped at Multnomah Lodge to get a bite to eat and recharge our batteries. 5 1/2 miles of steep rocky paths takes a lot out of you!

About 3pm, we set back out for the second part of our hike. This time we started at Horsetail Falls.

Next on the list was Ponytail Falls. This one was really spectacular. The path winds around and goes underneath a rocky overhang and behind the actual waterfall. It was amazing.

At this time we had the option to head back down, but we decided to tough it out and head up to Triple Falls. To get there, we had to go over this little bridge that crossed an awesome moss covered gorge.

The path to Triple Falls was the hardest of the entire day. Note: It's possible that by this time we were just so exhausted that we thought the path was the toughest...who knows for sure ;). The hike was worth it though...the falls were gorgeous.

This was taken from a bridge just above Triple Falls.

FINALLY! Our hike was done and we headed back down. On the way, there was a viewpoint of the Columbia River.

Check out this clip that Sandy shot as we hiked under Ponytail Falls....

Wow, I can't believe I was able to write this much...I'm dead tired and ready to pass out! Well this concludes day 3. Tomorrow we head out early to the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach), which we are driving all the way down to our next stop, the Rogue River. Be sure to check back soon for more vacation fun!

Vacation: Day 2

2008-05-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick shot from the iPhone while passing through Mount
Shasta. Oregon here we come!

Vacation time!

2008-05-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

2008 has been very busy so far and I am in need of some R&R, so I will be leaving early tomorrow morning on a week vacation....yea!!

First, Sandy and I are driving straight up to northern Oregon Saturday and Sunday to hike Multnomah Falls on Monday. Tuesday we are heading directly west to the northern Oregon coast, which is absolutely beautiful if you have not seen it before! We will continue to drive the Oregon coast down south to the Rogue River in Gold Beach, where we are stopping to take the ever famous Rogue River Jetboat Tour on Wednesday! Thursday morning we head out and drive the coast down into California and through the Redwoods, past San Francisco and finally arriving in Monterey. Friday morning we will check out the Monterey aquarium, and in the afternoon we are heading over to Carmel for some sight seeing. In the evening we set out again and drive the California coastline into San Luis Obispo, where we are stopping mainly for the food! If you are ever up in SLO, you have to check out the following restaurants:

Breakfast - The Breakfast Buzz
Lunch - Firestone
Dinner - Either Tsurugi's in downtown SLO, or Rosas in Pismo Beach (15 minutes down the 101 freeway)

There are many other great restaurants too, these are just a few of our favorites. Sandy went to Cal Poly up there and we fell in love with the town and its fine dining. Now we always look for a reason to go up!

After spending Saturday in SLO, we head out after dinner back to reality. It's gonna be a fun trip! Be sure to check back periodically for updates and pics (assuming that our hotels have working WIFI). Have a great weekend everyone!

Palos Verdes Wedding

2008-05-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ok, I finally got some time to blog about this super cool wedding that I shot last Saturday! The ceremony was held at Wayfarers Chapel in Palos Verdes, and the reception was at the Donald Trump Golf Club. The Wayfarers Chapel is also known locally as the Glass Chapel...can you guess why from the photo below? ;) The entire chapel being made of glass makes it very beautiful, but also very difficult to photograph on sunny days, because of all the shadows created by the structure and trees. Nevertheless, we got some great shots of this amazing couple on their special day!

San Juan Capistrano Engagement

2008-05-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend it was! I started it off with a wedding on Saturday up in Palos Verdes (check back later this week for a sneak peak), and Sunday I headed down to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano for an engagement session with these two. There was a bit of a cloud cover that gave us some very nice soft light which was great.

On a side note, I really need to get back in shape since wedding season is here! I woke up this morning pretty sore and very tired. I'm only 28 years old, I should not have a body of an 80 year old man! I am off on a vacation starting Saturday for a week, but after that I promise I will start exercising again!

Chance Barber: Welcome!

2008-04-30T00:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday I had the honor of taking photos of the newest addition to the Barber family! Chance was born on April 16th, so he is exactly 2 weeks old today and is such an adorable newborn. He was a little sleepy by the time I got to their house so we had a little trouble keeping his eyes open, but we managed to get a few good shots in. It is going to be so exciting to see this little guy grow up, and you can be sure that there will be many more blog posts about him!

Congratulations Lori and Tom! I can't wait to take the next set of pictures when he is a little more awake ;)

Claremont Engagement

2008-04-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had an engagement session with another one of my amazing couples! They decided to do the shoot on the campus of Pomona College in Claremont, which is an awesome location. It was pretty hot but we managed to stay cool enough in the shady areas of the campus. These two are getting hitched in June of this year and I am super excited for their wedding! They were so easy to work with which makes my job just that much easier, and it doesn't hurt that the bride is a total knockout! Take a peek....

I hope everyone had a great weekend, thanks for looking!

Long Beach Engagement

2008-04-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with a great couple down at Shoreline Park in Long Beach. They must be an awesome couple because I am shooting their wedding on the most important day of the year....my birthday!! These guys are great though...it had to have been in the upper 80's yesterday and they stuck it out for me for an hour and a half and went along with everything. they were very laid back and easy going, which makes for easy photos!

We had a great time working with you guys and I look forward to your wedding and my birthday! hehe :)

Santa Barbara Engagement

2008-04-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon I headed up the coast to beautiful Santa Barbara for an engagement session with an awesome couple. These two got engaged up here so it seemed fitting to do the shoot here as well. Driving up it looked almost like rain, but by the time we arrived it was nothing but clear skies. Check out some photos from the last shoot of my busy, busy weekend!

This was the exact spot where the magic happened!

Congratulations you guys and I can't wait for your wedding in June!

Sunday portrait session

2008-04-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a busy weekend! Yesterday I shot a wedding in San Diego, Sunday morning I had this portrait session in Manhattan Beach, and Sunday afternoon I had an engagement session in Santa Barbara (check back soon for these)! I am finally back home and relaxing now...whew.

Stefanie is a singer/actress and she was looking for some new headshots to add to her portfolio. She is so beautiful and photogenic that it was impossible to take a bad photo of her! Don't believe me? Take a look!

Having a little fun...that's allowed right? I mean modeling must be hard work....these girls need a break sometimes!

Another break....yea she must be union :P

Torrey Pines Wedding

2008-04-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

I was so excited for this wedding I shot today that I just had to blog about it ASAP! The wedding was held at The Lodge in Torrey Pines which is such an amazing location. The event was coordinated by the lovely girls over at Red Letter Days, and they did an amazing job and were such a pleasure to work with. If you are looking for a great coordinator, look no further! Ok, lets take a look at some of my favorite photos from the day!

Note to photographers: This wedding was shot entirely with my brand new 1D Mark III. Oh how I love this camera!

A few of the details:

The beautiful bride looked stunning!

The groom relaxing waiting for the first look with his gorgeous bride. The guys have it easy don't they?

The bride and her entourage heading down for the first look. Look how excited she is!

Feel the anticipation?

Some relaxed portraits of the two....this one is my favorite!

Ceremony time....I love this shot.

I had to get one last shot of the bride before the day ended, she just looked so amazing!

The first dance.....

Well that ended an amazing day with an even more amazing couple. Congratulations you guys and I wish you the best of luck!

Devin Richards: 5 months

2008-03-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well I am back from WPPI and it is soo nice to be home! The show was amazing and I met so many great photographers and I am definitely looking forward to next year.

So I am a little late on posting this since Devin is now 6 months, but better late then never I suppose. We did these shots at my brothers house using my favorite type of light....natural window light. Stay tuned for 6 month shots soon!

I just realized that I have been shooting an awful lot in portrait orientation...no idea why! Hope you liked them!

Cheers

Off to WPPI

2008-03-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I am off to WPPI in exactly 12 hours! This will be my first time attending and I think it will be a great opportunity for me to network with other amazing potographers and learn as much as I can from all of the various seminars. It should be tons of fun and I am definitely looking forward to it!

To all clients: I will have limited access to my emails, so if I do not get back to you right away please be patient. If for some reason I cannot get any access then I will be returning home Thursday and will promptly return your email then.

Walling & Maertz Engagement

2008-03-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

Engagement season is upon us, so expect many engagement session posts in the near future! Yesterday I headed down to Laguna Beach to do a session for a really great couple of mine. We had access to a private beach, so we took advantage of it and avoided the crowds on such a beautiful day. I love Laguna because of all the cliffs and rocks they have....I can't find anything like this where I live! Check out a few of my favorites from the day.

Lori + Tom + baby Chance: Pregnancy

2008-03-04T22:12:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a beautiful day here in southern California, so we decided to take a stroll to my favorite local beach to do a portrait session for my girlfriends sister, Lori. Lori is almost 9 months pregnant, so they wanted to get some photo's taken before she's due. Be sure to check back for pictures of the little guy once he arrives!

We started the session off at their house

Rebekah + Daniel: Wedding

2008-02-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

You may remember Rebekah and Daniel from their engagement shoot I posted a few weeks back. Well they were my first wedding of 2008, and what better way to kick of the season then with this amazing couple! They are so easy going and you could tell how happy they were to be getting married. Check our some photos from their big day!

While we were waiting for the bride to arrive I snapped a few shots of the lucky groom. Look how relaxed he is! This is a man ready to get married.

The bride's beautiful dress and bouqet

Proud Dad walking his daughter up to the the alter.

Here is a shot of the grooms mother during the ceremony. I love shooting away with my 70-200 lens to get these really candid style shots.

The happy couple!

Congratulations Rebekah and Daniel, and thanks for allowing me to be there and capture your special day!

Minae + Philip: Engagement

2008-02-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

So what'd you all think of this nice southern California weather we had over the weekend? Enough of that cold stuff, this is what im talkin' about!

I am very much looking forward to the summer, and all of the weddings that are coming along with it. One of my earlier weddings this year is a really great couple...Minae and Philip. Minae and Philip are from San Diego, so we headed down to the Gaslamp Quarter to take advantage of the various and plentiful locations it has to offer. This was actually my first time to the Gaslamp district, so you can imagine how overwhelmed I was when looking for locations to shoot! There are so many great locations that I could have spent an entire day wandering around and shooting, but we only had a couple hours so we had to make the most of our time.

Aren't they a great looking couple?

I love this picture!

We were pretty tired from walking around all day so we decided to hop on a couple of bike-taxi's and head on back.....

Thanks Minae and Philip for being so patient with my never-ending search for the perfect location. I know it was a long day but you guys were troopers! I am very much looking forward to your wedding day!

Rebekah + Daniel: Engagement

2008-01-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

We couldn't have asked for a better day then the one we had last Saturday here in Manhattan Beach. There was absolutely no wind, the lighting was great and it was super warm, especially for January!

Rebekah and Daniel are a great couple from Irvine and I had such a great time shooting them Saturday. They were up for anything and everything, so we spent longer than usual for this shoot. They brought 4 changes of clothes so we made the most of the day with as many locations as possible. Normally I try to keep my posts under 10 images, but I have so many favorites that I had to post a few more.....

Thanks for being such good sports guys and I am looking forward to your wedding next month!

Are you left or right brained...or both!

2008-01-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

So I saw this post on one of my favorite photographers blog and just had to repost it because it is so cool. Take a long look at the spinning silhouette below.....then read on.

If you see this lady turning in clockwise you are using your right brain.

If you see it the other way, you are using left brain.

Some people do see both ways, but most people see it only one way.
See if you can make her go one way and then the other by shifting the brain's current.

BOTH DIRECTIONS CAN BE SEEN

Experimentation has shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking. The following table illustrates the differences between left-brain and right-brain thinking:

Left Brain Right Brain

Logical Random
Sequential Intuitive
Rational Holistic
Analytical Synthesizing
Obejective Subjective
Looks at parts Looks at wholes

Most individuals have a distinct preference for one of these styles of thinking. Some, however, are more whole-brained and equally adept at both modes. In general, schools tend to favor left-brain modes of thinking, while downplaying the right-brain ones. Left-brain scholastic subjects focus on logical thinking, analysis, and accuracy. Right-brained subjects, on the other hand, focus on aesthetics, feeling, and creativity.

How do you see it? ;)

New Postcards!

2008-01-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

Starting this year I am going to be designing a series of postcards annually to send out to previous clients, vendors, friends and family. For 2008 I designed a set of 5 postcards and decided to stick with a simple and elegant black and white theme. Check em out!

Devin Richards: 4 months

2008-01-06T22:18:00.000-08:00

Our attempt to photograph my nephew Devin every month for his first year has yielded yet another set of studio portraits. It is amazing to see how fast he is growing! In this set Devin is sporting his super cool supercross outfit! Dale and his wife Stephanie have been riding dirtbikes for as long as I can remember, so it is no surprise that they found this awesome little outfit for him, and just in time for Supercross. Yep, I can see it now....Devin is going to be just like his dad. Happy 2008 everyone!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-25T12:19:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Years. Stay safe, see you all in the new year!

Barber Family Portraits

2007-12-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

Today Sandy and I headed down to Hermosa Beach to do some family portraits of her sisters husbands family, the Barbers. The location was Valley Park, a great little spot in the middle of Hermosa. While we were there we took advantage and also did pregnancy portraits with Sandy's sister Lori, and her husband Tom. They are expecting a baby boy in April, very exciting!

We found this really cool tree and had to take a few shots of Sabrina and her mom Michelle

A couple portraits of Sabrina with the buttery 50mm 1.2 @ 1.2

The Barbers (from NY, down for xmas!)

A final shot of Sabrina before we left

I am off to bed to get ready for the holiday madness. I hope you all got your shopping done in time! Merry Xmas everyone.

Cheers

Ode to Sadie

2007-12-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

I thought I would take a moment to blog about Sadie. Sadie is a Welsh Corgie and was born on January 17th, 2006. Before we got her I had no idea what a Corgie was, but my girlfriend had one as a child and has wanted to get another one ever since. So last year we decided to take the plunge and get this little furball. Let me tell you, these are the cutest little dogs I have ever seen! They are the perfect size and are very smart, plus they are great with kids. If you are thinking about getting a dog but don't know what kind, look no further!

Now Sadie is her legal name, but we rarely call her by that. Below is a list of the more common names we usually call her....and don't ask me where we came up with these or how!! Somehow they just evolved over the last year ;)

saders, sades, sadies, darth sader, darth sader potater, stinkers, stinky, fatty, da puppers, puppers, poopy butt, cow belly, stinky butt

....um yea, like I said, don't ask....

Here is a little collage documenting her almost 2-year-long existence:

Excited!

2007-12-10T21:01:00.001-08:00

Today the man in brown showed up and delivered my brand spankin new Canon 85mm 1.2L II lens! My collection of prime lenses is now complete and I am very excited. Eventually I want to pick up the 90mm TS lens, but that is not a must have for me and who knows, maybe Santa will bring it for xmas ;). Check out this beast of a lens:

I can't wait to put this lens into action and see what it can really do. Be sure to check back to see photos taken with this bad boy. Oh yea, happy Monday everyone.

Day at the Beach

2007-12-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a perfect day so we decided to head down to Manhattan Beach to do some family portraits for my girlfriends sister and her family. The Thompson's consist of Jon, Kristi, Kylie, and their newest addition, Emmy. I always enjoy shooting portraits down at the beach because the lighting is amazing and the sand acts as a huge reflector and gives off such a nice look. And I guess it helps when the family is as good looking as this family is! It near impossible to shoot a bad picture with such a great looking family.

Just the girls

Kylie loves her new little sister!

Jon, I am confident that the next one will be a boy....but for now you have 2 of the cutest girls I have ever seen!

Kylie LOVES tattoos, especially if they have anything to do with Disney.

...she also loves seashells!

Playing on the lifeguard tower

Playtime is over, time to go home...booo

New Glass

2007-12-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I picked up a couple new toys for my arsenal. These bad boys are both awesome lenses and I can't wait to use them at a wedding! The 50mm 1.2 is replacing my trusty old 50mm 1.4, and is mostly used for detail shots and portraits. The buttery 1.2 aperture is so sweet and gives a look like no other lens can duplicate (except its cousin the 85mm 1.2). The 24mm 1.4 is am amazing wide angle lens, especially on the 5D. Most wide angles inherently have a large depth of field, so it is very hard to get background blur. This lens is definitely an exception. With a max aperture of 1.4, this baby can blur the background like no other wide angle can.

Katy + Tim: Engagement

2007-11-24T23:35:00.000-08:00

Today I had an engagement shoot down in Laguna Beach. Katy and Tim are from Connecticut, but are getting married in Redondo Beach next year. These two were so much fun to work with! I was so excited when they booked me because I could tell they would be up for anything, and they are very laid back and easy going. It turns out my hunch was right....because....well just check out the photos below!

You don't see this kind of stuff to often in late November! I didn't even have to ask them, they just showed up prepared to get wet....it was great. Thanks Katy and Tim for hanging out with me today, I had a blast!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2007-11-22T23:53:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great turkey day! I sure did...although now I feel fat and useless! Have an awesome weekend everyone.

Cheers

Herrera Family

2007-11-18T15:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did studio shots for some family friends, the Herrera's. They just had a new addition to the family, so they wanted to get some photo's done for xmas. Sam, Chris, Katelyn and Lauren were refreshingly easy to work with. I love photographing kids, but I admit they can be a handful! Luckily Katelyn and Lauren were very cooperative so we got some really nice shots. Check em out!

I think Lauren was a little sleepy

Just the girls

Aren't they such a good looking family?

Big sister, little sister

Katelyn's 'mean' face!

Baby Devin

2007-11-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

We finally got around to taking some nice studio shots of my nephew Devin. What a little stud he is turning out to be! He has doubled in weight since he was born so he is a little porker now, but I think it makes him even cuter as a baby haha. We are going to try and take photos of him every month so we can capture the different stages as he grows, it's going to be very exciting!

Anna + Greg: Wedding

2007-10-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of shooting Anna & Greg's wedding at one of my favorite locations, Monteleone Meadows. This place is just filled with lush greenery and has an amazing pond and waterfall right smack in the middle. I could literally spend hours shooting a couple here and never get bored! To all brides-to-be that have not chosen a venue I would definitely recommend this place! The weather always seems to be perfect here and the staff is amazing. Check out some photos!

We started the day off at Anna's parents house. Her dress was so beautiful!

They had this very cool looking door and I just had to take a few shots of Anna in front of it before we headed out to the ceremony.

They got married in the same chapel that Anna's parent got married in. It was a very unique looking place.....I loved it!

Greg cleans up nicely eh?

A portrait of the happy couple on the dock that extends out over the pond. I love this spot at just the right time.....you can get such perfect light!

The girls......

Who doesn't love polka dots??

Loving the late afternoon sunlight.......

To see more of Anna and Greg's wedding, click here for a slideshow.

Mac OSX Leopard arrived!

2007-10-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Woohoo, got my copy of Mac OSX Leopard this morning! It officially
goes on sale at 6pm tonight, but since I pre ordered it online I got
mine early. There are so many cool new features, I cant wait to check
it out!

Sent from my iPhone

Katie + Mike: Wedding

2007-10-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I had the chance to shoot another fabulous wedding with Rob Holley. This was a very unique wedding because it took place over the course of 2 days. The first day they had the ceremony at the American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach, then Sunday it was on to Palos Verdes for a beachfront reception. Mike works for ESPN handling logistics for the X-Games, and Katie works for the Home Depot Center, which was very cool because she got us press passes for the Galaxy game that Saturday night! Anyways, here are a few of my favorites from that weekend.

Rob was with Katie, so I got to hang out with Mike and his best man:

A few relaxed portraits after the ceremony:

Then we headed down to the beach to play:

This is the exact spot that Mike proposed!

Instead of the usual DJ, they had a steel drum band and hula dancers!! It was so cool! I think I am going to get a steel drum band at my wedding now ;)

And a few shots from the Galaxy game, which we won by the way. GO TEAM!

Edith + Eddie: Wedding

2007-10-17T00:21:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is a sneak peek at the wedding I shot at CSULB Japanese Gardens on Friday. Edith and Eddie were so great to work with and a great time was had by all. It's very late and I am tired so instead of rambling lets get to some photos! ;)

This is one of my favorite shoe shots I have ever done!

...and the beautiful bride Edith, so happy on her wedding day!

Eddie was looking pretty sharp too

Anticipation.......

I absolutely LOVE this moment during their first dance

Relaxed portrait....

Love me some off camera light!

To see more of Edith and Eddie's wedding, click here for a slideshow!

Thanks Edith and Eddie, I had such a great time shooting your wedding! Now I am off to bed!

Halloween Fun at Disneyland

2007-10-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's already October?? Where has the year gone? It's crazy how fast time flies isn't it? Well in anticipation for Halloween, Sandy and I headed out to California Adventure with her sister Kristi and her family. This is the first year Disneyland has done this and although it is definitely geared for kids, it was still fun. Sandy's niece Kylie was dressed as a peacock and it was hilarious! She looked so cute though. One cool thing was that there was absolutely no line whatsoever for the only adult ride, California Screamin', which is always a good time. But we mostly just walked around letting Kylie trick-or-treat. They had booths set up for kids to trick-or-treat at which was pretty cool....free candy!! Well I have to start packing up for a wedding I am shooting today at the Japanese Gardens at CSULB....so be sure to check back for more on that later! Until then, take a look at some photos from the other day.

Thanks for looking! Have a great weekend everyone.

My first Kiss Engagement sign-in album!

2007-10-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Check it out y'all...another sweet album by Kiss Wedding books! This time I had it printed to be used as an engagement sign-in book, so I left plenty of room around the photos for people to sign. The quality is top notch as expected and I received it even before the estimated ship date! Talk about being on top of it....these guys are awesome!

Edith + Eddie: Engagement

2007-10-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hey there folks, I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ahhh, mine was soo relaxing, finally had a chance to catch up on some much needed R&R Saturday, but Sunday was right back to work! You might remember Nelcy and Rudy from back in June. Well Edith is Nelcy's cousin, and I am shooting her wedding next Friday at the Japanese Gardens at CSULB. So Sunday we headed out to a nearby park and then down to the cliff covered shorline of Palos Verdes. Edith explained to me that camera's make her nervous, but you sure can't tell in these pictures! They both did a really great job and we captured some awesome moments between them....take a peek!

Thanks for being so easy to work with and for putting up with me guys....I am looking forward to your wedding next week!

Happy Friday!

2007-09-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

Friday is here, and this weekend I have no weddings so I finally get to relax and catch up on some movies! I absolutely love horror flicks, and there are a few that looked pretty good that I never got a chance to see when they were in theaters. Here are a couple that I am going to try and watch this weekend:

Plot Outline: A man who specializes in debunking paranormal occurrences checks into the fabled room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel. Soon after settling in, he confronts genuine terror.

This move looks CREEPY! From the previews anyways. Stephen Kings movies always seem to be worth watching and this one looks like no exception.

Plot Outline: An unhinged war veteran holes up with a lonely woman in a spooky Oklahoma motel room. The line between reality and delusion is blurred as they discover a bug infestation.

This movie looks crazy! I think this may be more of a psychological thriller than a horror, but I have been wanting to see it since I first saw the previews.

Other than that, I have an engagement shoot on Sunday, so stay tuned for pics from that...and I have a TON of errands to run. Oh and I think I might try to take some studio shots of my brothers new baby boy, Devin. Well I hope everyone has a great weekend....lets hope that the rain stays away!

Cheers

Universal Studios

2007-09-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday Sandy and I went to Universal Studios! We were both pretty excited because neither of us have been since we were kids. Pretty strange huh? We both have lived 20 minutes from Hollywood our entire lives and haven't been in over 15 years! Well, let me tell you it was MUCH different then I remember. It is now much more of a theme park.....well, it probably was when I went before, but I was just a kid so what did I know? It was still cool to go though, and we both had a good time. The only thing I remember from this place was the tram ride, absolutely nothing else. Sandy was bummed that the ET ride is now gone, and in its place is the new Mummy rollercoaster, which is way to short for my liking! But it was still fun. I think my favorite attraction was the Waterworld show...that was sweet! The special effects tour was fun too. Well enough blabbing, here are a few photos from the day:

The ever famous universal globe!

Sandy and I. Wow, I need to shave

War of the Worlds plane crash scene....the other side was way cooler!

The very wet....but fun, Jurassic Park water ride!

Just some mummies hanging out, ready to slice 'n dice

Sandy's new boyfriend. I don't get smiles like that when she poses with me!!

After that little stunt she pulled with Spiderman, I had to feed her to Jaws! It's eating her alive! Ok, it's not really eating her....it's not even a real shark. And she is smiling, which she wouldn't be doing if she really was getting eaten alive.

Anna & Greg Engagement Session

2007-09-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had an engagement shoot with a super cool couple down in San Diego. They decided to do it at Balboa Park, and I can see why. I have never been there before, and let me tell you this place is awesome to shoot at. There are so many different locations that I could probably shoot there all day! Since I live near the beach, that is where most of my engagement shoots take place, so it is always nice when a couple wants to break away and do it in the city or some other different type of location. Here are a few of my favorites:

I love taking photos with a little motion to them. It gives the photo a 'feeling'

Anna and Greg are getting married in October down in Murrietta, and I am very excited for their wedding. They are really fun and easy to work with and I know we will get some fantastic shots!

Audra & Alex 09.01.07

2007-09-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I shot a beautiful wedding in Malibu at the Malibu West Beach Club with Jen Cleary. Alex and Audra were an awesome couple, and they couldn't have picked a better day for their wedding. It was a hot day, but there was a nice breeze since we were on the beach, so I think everyone kept cool enough. Check out some photos:

Audra getting all dolled up for her bog day:

Alex's father writing his speech:

Alex waiting for his beautiful bride:

I love this shot of the exit:

The guys hanging out on the beach:

And I'll end the post with some relaxed portraits of the newlyweds:

Congratulations Audra and Alex!

Devin Roy Richards - 08.29.07

2007-08-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today was a very exciting and special day for my brother Dale and his wife Stephanie as they gave birth to a healthy and handsome baby boy (their first I might add)!! Congratulations you guys, we all know you will be great parents! Check out some photos of the little stud:

Have you ever seen a cuter newborn?

I have 2 other nephews and 3 nieces, but they are all up in Washington state with the rest of my family, so I only get to see them a couple of times if year if I'm lucky! My brother Dale and I are the only ones who live down here in California, so I am excited that I get to see Devin grow up, which is something I unfortunately do not really get to see with my other nephews and nieces.

sent from my iPhone

Gotta love it!

2007-08-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful (and very hot!) day, so we decided to take our dog Sadie for a stroll down at the beach during sunset. I gotta tell you, California really is the place to be. Most of us that live here take it for granted, but when you think about it we really do have it good. Every time I travel, I always look forward to coming home. I have traveled to many different states and countries, and after all is said and done I would rather be no place else. Picture below from my iPhone.

Crystal and Shawn Wedding

2007-08-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy that I haven't even had a chance to blog about the last wedding I shot with Rob Holley! This wedding was shot a few weeks ago at Biola University. Biola University is a private Christian university located in Southern California. For nearly 100 years, Biola has stood out as an institution grounded on biblically centered education, intentional spiritual development, and career preparation, where all faculty, staff and students are professing Christians.

I have not posted nearly enough photos of the guys recently...so here are a few for ya:

The happy couple:

The tunnel exit!

Random Friday Post

2007-08-10T10:08:00.001-07:00

Pirate ships are cool! I was going through some old photos and I ran across this shot of the Black Pearl that I took. They were filming the 3rd movie down here last year off the coast of Palos Verdes, but when they were not filming it was docked in the bay of Redondo Beach, which is where this was taken. It was so cool to see this thing in person...it was huge!

Happy Friday everyone!

Connect with free online marketing!

2007-08-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you don't have an account already it might be a good idea to create one over at Myspace. It is a great (and free!) way to connect with other photographers, old friends that you haven't seen in ages, and possibly even new clients! If you have an account then feel free to drop me a message or request me as a friend! My page can be found at the link below, as well as in the "links" dropdown menu above.

New Blog up and running!

2007-08-08T10:05:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a minute to promote my good friend Rick over at Rick One Designs. Rick is a graphic and web designer based in Souther California, and he did an awesome job modding my blogger page. I am stoked because I wanted to be able to post really big images, and now I can do that! It also now fits with the style of my main website.

If you have a blogger page and want to mod it then shoot him an email and he will be happy to help you out: rick@rickone.com

KISS Wedding Book arrived!

2007-08-07T17:55:00.001-07:00

After only 2 weeks of anticipation I received my KISS Wedding Book studio sample, and let me tell you this thing is sweet! The quality is amazing, the prints look great and the leather is so supple. And the best part to me was how easy the ordering and upload process was. I had my spreads uploaded and the album ordered in 5 minutes, literally. I would highly recommend this album to all wedding photographers!

About Me

2007-08-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

Hi there, thanks for stopping by and welcome to my photography blog! My name is Dave Richards and I am a wedding photographer from Southern California. If you have a few minutes, please feel free to look around. I am always updating the site with photos from recent weddings, engagements, portrait sessions and anything else interesting that happens in my day to day life. This site is intended to let you get an informal look into my life, and to get an idea of who I am. If you are a potential client and have a question then feel free to email me, or if you know someone who is getting married then please forward this link to them.

I am based in Los Angeles/Orange County, but am available for travel worldwide. Please contact me for more info at: dave@dave-richards.com

Paddle Out Ceremony for Dan Frank

2007-07-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a slideshow I put together from the Paddle Out Ceremony that was held in memory of Dan Frank on Sunday, July 29, 2007:

R.I.P. my friend, you will always be missed

2007-07-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very sad day as we lost a great friend and an amazing person. I have known Dan for many years and I can honestly say that he was just a joy to be around, and had a great outlook on life. It is so sad and unfair to see someone so young taken away from us. You will be in our hearts forever Dan.....you will always be loved.

R.I.P - Dan Frank - 1980-2007

Paddle Out Ceremony Slideshow

Julie and Richie Wedding - July 14th, 2007

2007-07-18T13:47:00.001-07:00

Another amazing wedding with some of the most friendly people I have ever met! Julie and Richie got married at the Japanese Gardens at CSULB. Supposedly the flowers were not in bloom because of the crazy hot weather we have been having, but that didn't stop the place from looking great! Check out some photos of their amazing day:

Here is Julie looking absolutely stunning:

Just arriving at the Japanese Gardens:

Richie as he see's his beautiful bride for the first time:

Congratulations Julie and Richie! I hope you two have a great honeymoon and i wish you both the best!

Happy Birthday to me!!

2007-07-12T12:51:00.001-07:00

So today I wake up, go outside and find that I received a nice birthday present...A FLAT TIRE!! Who doesn't want one of those, right? Haha, luckily it was only half flat so I was able to drive around the corner to my local tire ship and get it patched. Turns out there was a 2 inch screw that caused the flat. Picture below is from my new iPhone ;)

So anyways, tire is fixed and everything is good now. This weekend I have another wedding in Long Beach at the Japanese Gardens in CSULB, so be sure to check back for some photos! Well I'm off to enjoy the rest of my bday! Have a good weekend everyone.

Rudy & Nelcy

2007-07-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

I finally finished editing the photos from the last wedding I shot on June 23rd. Rudy and Nelcy were referred to me through a mutual friend and I am so glad they booked me because they are so much fun to work with. Nelcy was ecstatic all day long and could not stop smiling. They were both actually very calm all day which allowed me to capture some great moments:

The gorgeous bride getting ready for her big day:

Ceremony time!

The sun looked so cool coming through these trees:

Congratulations Nelcy and Rudy!

Jenny and Ernie - June 17th, 2007

2007-06-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

I finally got through all my images from last Sundays wedding! Jenny and Ernie wanted a beach set wedding, so they booked a spot at the Crown Plaza Hotel of Ventura Beach. The reception was held in the balcony view room at the top of the hotel, with a beautiful view of the ocean and surrounding city. Check out some images from the day:

What a perfect couple:

I loved this spot, the sun looked so cool beaming through the trees:

They must have been practicing for such a perfect dip!

This is one of my favorite dancing pictures from the night. I love how you can see the girl in the background watching with a smile on her face, dreaming about her own wedding it seems:

Congratulations Jenny and Ernie!