HOT Scottish Southern Missouri Hippie Wedding with a Campfire

Ah, so I'm digging deep into the my favorite weddings bank while still on the portfolio journey and ran across possibly my all time favorite experience shooting a wedding...The Scottish/Hippie Wedding.


It was a perfectly soaking wet humid July day in 2008. The hottest day of the year...and Gabe and Shiela were having a wedding. This match made in heaven met at Sherwood Forest Camp, the same camp I attended growing up and then worked at. I have known Gabe's family since before I met Gabe. And then Gabe met Shiela...who traveled from Scotland to work at the same little camp in southern Missouri with underprivileged children from St. Louis. This alone defined her as a special person in my book. We were all soo happy when they decided to "make it official".


I really didn't know what to expect photographing their wedding. But I knew it would be fun. It was held at Missouri Outdoors, a campground off the river. All the guests actually camped overnight before and after. Sheila's family traveled from Scotland for the event and seemed like a perfect match for Gabe's colorful, tie-dyed, let loose and easy going family. The whole weekend was a celebrate of the union.


The heat however, made a huge impact on the experience...and on my photography. The generators failed, things were burning, my boyfriend passed out with heat exhaustion and by sunset, my lenses were were fogging with humidity. But alas, I was able to catch a few moments from the day.

Gabe and Shiela, you two are amazing! 

 

  

 

Mavericks Surf Competition: Half Moon Bay. February 13

Yesterday Zeta and I packed up and drove down to Half Moon Bay early in the morning for the largest surf competition round these parts. The competition consists of 24 surfers riding the biggest big waves, monstrous walls of water built force that range between 20 to 50 ft. The contests is called when the conditions are right resulting in all 24 competitors flying from around the world within 48 hours. Chris Bertish, South African Maverick first place winner of the $50,000 prize, flew 36 hours to compete. 

Our day was filled with luck. I luckily got the last BIG lens on rental in the city and they even had a 2x extender (300 mm 2.8 with a 2x Extender making it 600mm). We luckily found next to perfect parking. we luckily missed the large surge that took out the stage, vendors, sight seers and news people. And we luckily lugged the cooler up the cliff without tumbling down backwards so that I had something to stand on next to my tripod and fat lens so that I could have a go at shooting a wave or two. Luck continued with the arrival of our friend Mark who we shared lunch and laughs with...as well as shared the weight of the cooler on the long walk back to the car. 
Both Zeta and Mark had a go at shooting too...which made it even more fun. Here are few from the day. Enjoy! 

                                                          Our view of the surge that made Maverick history.

Viewers attempting to see a wave high above the ocean via the airforce fence.

 

Jay and Silent Bob.

talking shop

 Zeta tumbling down.

Lake Merritt + Astrid = Awesome

Ahh....headshots.....headshot shoot that turns fashion...I love! 

Astrid arrived at my home where we began our fun shoot. It amazes me what natural (or unnatural) backgrounds surrounds us without having to lug around a big set up. Walking with Astrid into the overgrown and undervalued backyard behind the apartment building with camera in hand, I instantly saw the textured backdrops surrounding us. I was soo happy we were on the same page about shooting. She was ready to jump into bushes and sit in broken chairs. Perfect! We then headed to Lake Merritt which I've been hankering to photograph someone around. It's could use more positive attention and lots of love. So let the love shine!

I used to dread headshots. Right out of school I worked in a studio that was part of a larger camera store. Lighting was generic...as were the headshots. They were more like mugshots and working under a 75 year old senior photographer...I had little say except on his days off. Those are the days I brought out the red back drop!

I used only natural light with Astrid and kept it very simple. That's the KISS method. (keep it simple stupid...my professors would be so proud).  Along the same note, these images were barely touched in post processing. Lightroom basic adjustments and walah! These are just a few of my favorites...but there were so many to choose form. Thanks Astrid for another fun day! Can't wait for more!!!!! 

Hs Lordships | Josalie + Vincent

Continuing on in my wedding portfolio journey, I find myself completely overwhelmed with soo many beautiful images from the wedding of Josalie and Vincent photographed with Sandra Reid. Josalie and Vincent were filled with a superb amount of character, energy and love towards eachother. As was the rest of the family. It was a super fun and entertaining day. Thanks Sandra for putting me on as second shooter! Choose your favorite and let me know. 

Solstice Grove's Eco Yurt Living

Wow. What a beautiful surprise to happen upon this during my Saturday adventure to Solstice Grove outside of Fairfax. I was attending another event put on by the Seven Circles Foundation. "An organization established to promote and support spiritual practices based on the ancient ways of Native American Indigenous People."

I've begun photographing for the organization pro-bono as well as highlighting the founder and native American elder, Fred Wahpepah...an amazing and inspiring individual. More on that later.

On this day, I arrived at Solstice Grove...a magical land protected from the world by a peculiar automatic mystical wooden gate and it's ranch of horses behind it. I finally found my way through the horses and up the road to the community house where the event was to be held.  I was welcomed by Astrid (pictured above) who lives on the land and to my surprise...lives in a yurt. What a fantastic place to live! My intrigue and her need to feed Luna, her cat, won me a free ticket to tour de yurt. I soon discovered that Astrid found this land by what some may call happenstance and others may call fate. Astrid said the land called her...and I can see why. 


It is the perfect place for an Eco Interior Designer and Sustainability Consultant to focus on writing a reference book. The images do not do justice to the space that Astrid has created hand in hand alongside nature's natural creations. It's decided...I need to live in a yurt! 

For more information about Astrid and the work she does check out her site Astrid Design.

El Sobrante Sikh Temple and a Royal Wedding

In the fall I had the amazing opportunity to photograph a Sikh wedding ceremony at the Sikh Temple in El Sobrante. From the moment  I arrived I was inducted into a world unlike my own. I was in the presence of majesty. Photographing barefoot running between gorgeous women dressed in colorful saris and the bride and groom. The little girl inside me felt like I was shooting the wedding of Prince Charming and his beautiful princess bride. Thank you Thank you! Here are a few of my favorites from the day hoping one or two might make it into my portfolio.