Wedding in Los Angeles | the Grove LA

What a gorgeous gorgeous wedding at the Grove, LA! The bride and groom got ready nearby their venue at the Hotel Wilshire, a cute boutique hotel in the heart of LA. This wedding took place at that fun little Italian restaurant called Maggiano's. I'm sure you've been there maybe at least once. While it's a smaller, intimate venue, I found many beautiful areas with terrific lighting and backdrops. This was certainly one of my favorite weddings of the year so far. Can't say enough good things about the venue staff and food either----absolutely a five star experience for any bride and groom thinking of getting married here. Here are a few of my favorites (among many!) from this sweet, gorgeous wedding of a lovely, sweet couple.

intro to my new world

film photographers: this is for you. i’m starting this series on why i love film and all the beautiful and heartbreaking things about it. alas, i no longer have time for shooting weddings or long events, but i would love to share my passion on photography and all things film here.

let’s dig into it. what do you want to know? how a film camera works? why it’s superior to digital (at times)? how to shoot artistic portraits? i’m starting this series here on my blog as part of my new life as a blogger hehe.

stay tuned for how to shoot film and much much more! i leave you with this fine art portrait of a seagull.

Los Verdes Golf Club Wedding | Rancho Palos Verdes Photographer

This was an absolutely cloudy and overcast day, with heavy rain in the morning that made everyone just apprehensive and worried about what would happen during the ceremony. Well, this is an instance where no one can deny that prayer WORKS! We prayed like crazy for the rain to stop and...it did! As professional photographers, we work the light to our advantage no matter the situation we're in. That's what separates us from the amateurs. I am pleased to say that all these photos came out gorgeous because, well, the bride & groom or beautiful inside and out of course. There's nothing that can hold back the joy and beauty of a wedding day. This one at the Los Verdes Golf Club was no different. I secretly love overcast wedding days because they offer the most even lighting, and you don't get harsh shadows during the noon hours as you would with bright, sunny days. The Bride was a stunner in her intricate white lace dress and lonngggg cathedral veil that just swept from side to side as she walked. The bridesmaid dresses were incredibly chic and I just fell in love with that taupe color which looked so delicate against the green grass. This wedding was really elegant and sophisticated, and the bride & groom were the sweetest couple a photographer could ask for. Enjoy these previews!

Ojai Olive Grove Engagement Session | Style Me Pretty

I'm so excited to share my feature on Style Me Pretty's California blog today! I photographed an Ojai Engagement session out in a gorgeous olive grove that happened to be my client's backyard. These two are simply amazing together and have such great style to boot, making every pose look effortless. I love that we can create photos that have meaning for my couples. Head over to SMP's blog to see more of the gorgeousness here:

 http://www.stylemepretty.com/california-weddings/ojai/2015/12/19/romantic-olive-grove-in-ojai-engagement-session/

A fairytale wedding in a forest setting

Quite possibly my favorite forest wedding thus far...I photographed these two lovebirds in beautiful Saratoga Springs, California, in a setting with lofty redwoods and incredible light streaming in between the branches. Most of my brides know that I keep it looking natural, and one of the techniques I use is to have them look away from the camera for just a second, close their eyes, and take a deep breath. While they're taking a breath, I know my brides are thinking about how blessed they are to be surrounded by so many loved ones on their wedding day. And then they give me the sweetest smile. Enjoy these few favorites while I finish up editing the rest!

Bride wearing one of my favorite wedding gowns from BHLDN (by Watters wtoo).

published on 100 Layer Cake...

I am incredibly excited, like, giddy all over and running up and down the stairs like a madwoman, excited. My photos from the Sunstone Villa are finally published on one of my favorite wedding blogs of all time---100 Layer Cake. This is a beautifully curated online magazine with the top wedding photographers in the nation. So, it is truly an honor when a blog like 100LC decides that they love my work and want to feature it on their front page! Make sure to head over to there and check out the photos.

Sunstone Villa & Winery located in Santa Ynez is the same exact location where the stunning Lauren Conrad (LC from the Laguna Beach tv show) married her beau. The entire place is like a dream, straight from the Tuscan countryside of Italy. I can see why she decided on this gorgeous venue for her wedding. It's not just a wedding venue though. You can actually rent one of their hotel rooms, with spectacular panorama views of the vineyards and the Santa Ynez mountains, large personal spa tubs, and a relaxing rain shower to boot. It would be ideal for a romantic getaway!

Thanks to all the vendors who made this wedding shoot a terrific success. I especially loved Joy Proctor's styling and the 18th century theme she came up with. With Amy Osaba's amazing, organic, and feminine florals from the bouquet to the table garland, I nearly died when I saw it. It was just a great time at the Kurt Boomer Workshop, and I will always be grateful for the new skills and techniques I learned while shooting on film. It's a joy to be able to produce creative work like this. I can't wait to photograph all my upcoming brides at the end of this year and for the rest of 2016!