Wedding photographer, Orange County weddings, Los Angeles, San Diego by Matthew Morgan

I now have a NEW BLOG: matthewmorgan.net/blog

2009-12-17T02:32:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to announce the arrival of my new blog and I'd like to thank everyone for either your kind comments, inspiring work, generous support, or all of the above!

Cheers, Matt

PS. Please be sure to add my new site to your RSS feed: matthewmorgan.net/blog. Go there to check out the first post of Dan and Tracey's engagement session!

Cameron and Veronica | wedding | Rancho Capistrano

2009-11-06T12:12:00.001-08:00

Ryan & Danielle | Huntington Beach Hyatt | wedding

2009-10-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

For more images be sure to check out the genius deets and planning by Jesi Haack and the sweet dessert-making skills of Melody (Sweet and Saucy Shop) here featured on Wedding Chicks: click here and here

Jason and Marissa | engagement | SJC & Dana Point

2009-09-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

Danielle

2009-09-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of blog sneak-peaks. But I am a huge fan of this photo.

Cameron and Veronica | engagement

2009-09-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

to not labor

2009-09-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of snaps of a couple of my littler family members: Presley and Grace, Labor Day 2009.

Jonathan and Jamie-Rose | engagement | Balboa, Newport, CA

2009-08-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

trying to edit a blog post for these two was like trying to order at Cheesecake Factory. everything is so good and delicious. go ahead, enjoy the image deliciousness these two served.

Dave and Jen | engagement | Laguna

2009-07-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Here a few snaps from Dave and Jen e-sesh, warming up for their upcoming wedding. They're getting married in a church as old as our country this Novemeber in my hometown of San Juan Capistrano and the wedding will be styled by Anthropologie. So be sure to check back for an amazingly detailed wedding in just a few months!

Elmer and Tracey | engagement | Balboa

2009-07-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Diego and Julia | wedding | Long Beach Gardens

2009-07-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

Dom and Gwen | wedding | South Shores + El Adobe

2009-07-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

Kinley | infant

2009-07-09T01:11:00.000-07:00

cullen and ashley are radicool. as a byproduct of their radicoolness came this little gem, kinley.

Matt and Christa | portrait | San Juan Capistrano

2009-07-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Matt and Christa are rad. They just moved to Tennessee where Matt will further pursue his music career. Before they left, I made sure to snag some shots for their 5 year wedding anniversary.

This hawk wore a power suit and tie. Pure business. No messing around.

Sean and Jess | Laguna Beach | Tivoli Too

2009-06-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

Celebration and joy abound around these two on a lovely Laguna day.

Lauren and Sienna, a couple of former clients, ready to celebrate.

Steve and Alex | Laguna Beach

2009-06-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Jim and Anna | Escondido

2009-06-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

a lovely day for a lovely couple. jim and anna were married in escondido at westminster seminary. then off to a private residence/vineyard for celebration. good times. enjoy.

Daryl and Krissy |Franciscan Gardens

2009-06-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

Angela |Corona Del Mar, CA

2009-05-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

Learning the art of the single person portrait.

Guatemala |Mayan women

2009-05-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

here's the last post in this series from my Guatemalan travels, dedicated to the 'mujer maya'. mayan women still dress in traditional fashion as you can see from the brightly colored 'vestidos'. they are harding-working, industrious, and share a strong sense of community. they are the preservers of an ancient culture, the remnant of a dying tradition. hope you enjoy.

Kevin and Chris |Yorba Linda

2009-05-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

I'm requesting Sufjan add this couple onto his Michigan album, because they are that sweet. California got graced by these two for a lovely, intimate wedding celebration. Calm, collected, and spilling laughter, Kevin and Chris were the classy to the max. Enjoy the pics.

hair+makeup: Cheek Couture

the deets section. wonderfully crafted flowers by Art With Nature

Ragged Ol' Sailor

2009-05-10T00:44:00.000-07:00

Ragged Ol' Sailor. Santora's. 5.09.09

Brian Bent, leading charge of this swashbucklin' bunch of mates.

Amber Jam Family Band

2009-05-04T16:45:00.001-07:00

Another mighty fine jam night.

trying out this fine little toy, borrowed from a friend, w/ surprisingly good results.

the one and only nickie vaughn.

foreground: senor salazar background: classy art piece by pickle

Mark and Katie |South Shores

2009-05-01T12:23:00.001-07:00

Mark and Katie were stunning. They are sooo into each other. The photos speak for themselves. Enjoy.

Guatemala |street

2009-04-27T23:09:00.001-07:00

The streets of Guatemala are paved with many stones. Upon the faces, along the walls, in the streets, one sees the character, the struggles, the history, and the challenges of this tiny country. Despite a collection of painful pasts and present circumstances, many people still carry a joyful resilience, a very visible hope and joy. This is by no means an exhaustive survey but rather a selected glimpse of some of the streets I travelled in this latest latin american excursion. You'll have to pardon the heaviness of some of the content; however, at the same time, it is sometimes most beneficial to see pain in order to develop compassion within. That being said, I promise the next post will be a little lighter.

Lining Central Park are the banners of organized protests of the people.

A stone of poverty.

Tagging the city walls are cries for justice for genocide of the indigenous Mayan people during a civil war that lasted 36 years until 1996 when the country finally declared peace.

An armed guard for every major shop.

Despite abject conditions and a rattled history, the large majority still hold strong to their faith in God.

Some fellow clickers hanging after a local religious procession.

Guatemala |niños

2009-04-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Guatemala |transportation

2009-04-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

Guatemala |faces

2009-04-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

This begins the first of five posts from my travels in Guatemala.

Chris and Stephanie |San Juan Capistrano

2009-04-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Exploring new nooks in the Los Rios District area (and beyond).

All you soul-searching people c'mon

2009-04-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

Delta Spirit. Detroit Bar. 3.07.2009.

Dawes joins in for "people turn around"

Nate and Brynne |San Juan Capistrano

2009-03-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

cowboy attire + century old neighborhood + wildflowers + 2 great peeps= success. Nate and Brynne brought classiness to my hometown for yet another great e-sesh.

Stephen and Ronna |Dana Point

2009-03-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

A little rain didn't set these two back; nothing like braving the elements. Stephen, my cousin, and his lovely wife Ronna had a little ceremonial rain and then a blazing, sunny afternoon to follow. For more details go here to Heather at the Bar, bride to be and wedding expert extraordinaire!

Dave and Megan |Balboa

2009-03-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

Dave and Megan were oodles of fun and loved the fine attention to detail and wonderful celebration. Prepare yourself- this is probably longest blog post- forgive me for not being too selective- enjoy the images. Oh yeah, Dave, Megan, one of the mustached groomsmen (Trevor) and myself are going to Guatemala next week!!! I'm pumped for the trip and stoked for Dave and Megan's coming together.

Justin and Erin |Costa Mesa

2009-03-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

Traveling 3 hours from Brawley to have to deal with our freakish Orange County weather, Justin and Erin were smiles the whole way through- well, maybes a few shivers here and there between frames- but a delightful couple nonetheless to photograph. I photographed Erin's sister Lindsay's wedding earlier this year (here) and engagement almost a year ago in Laguna (here).

Kurian

2009-02-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

My buddy Mark started a company called My Near Death Experiment.

What if you could have the life-changing effect of a "near-death-experience" without the pain, the hospitals, the drama, and the potential loss? What if you could live a more meaningful life now - while you're young - and be happier, more fulfilled, more alive...? What if...

check out some shots I took of Mark. Needless to say the guy is a character.

WPPI

2009-02-24T02:06:00.000-08:00

zyzzyx road. gamblin' bill's. with Rod and Hugh

Bridal Fair in San Clemente at Casa Romantica

2009-02-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

This Sunday in San Clemente there is a killer bridal show going on; for more details go here. I'm giving away a free engagement session. If you're around, come on down and say hello.

Kurt and Lindsay |Brawley

2009-02-19T18:59:00.000-08:00

Kurt and Lindsay are a great couple. Super easy going and cool people. From our e-session down in Laguna to my third trip out to El Centro area to photograph on their wedding day, it was smooth riding the whole way. Congrats you two!

Sean and Jess |Balboa Newport

2009-02-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

Sean and Jess and I cruised Balboa and Newport to catch some CA delight. Enjoy the photos.

A Dana Point day

2009-02-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

I went out the other day and shot around the neighborhood. Dana Point tones red and blue.

SW love

2009-02-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

Hope and Adam are so cool and stylish that Southern Weddings had to do a feature. Check out it: Part I and Part II

The Amber Jam 2| Dana Point

2009-01-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

more jam.

The Amber Jam |Dana Point, CA

2009-01-24T14:55:00.001-08:00

We've been having sweet jam nights over at the pad. Aptly named after our street, The Amber Jam Family Band, is a group of friends coming together, enjoying music, drink, and one another's company. This is the first stab at documenting a segment of my friends with plenty more to come. Enjoy the jam.

The Woods part 2 |Laguna Beach

2009-01-24T14:40:00.001-08:00

So the family was pleased with Phil and Jen's pics so much that we all gathered together for a complete family portrait session.

The Woods |Laguna Beach

2009-01-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Woods are awesome! They recently moved to Laguna so we took some pics in their new hood.

Josh and Paige |Rancho Santa Marta, Mexico

2009-01-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

We went down to Mexico for our annual orphanage trip (here) and took advantage of the beautiful terrain to take Josh and Paige's engagement photos. It was only a few years ago on this same trip that Josh and Paige first hit it off and so it was only appropriate they save this special session for the ranch.

Braven |infant

2009-01-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

Howie and Holly gave me the privilege of shooting their beautiful baby boy Braven. This is my first infant portrait session and I am hooked!

Braven giving his Daddy a piss surprise

Jason and Jen |Crystal Cove

2008-12-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

Jason and Jen, married recently this last Fall, skipped out on photos and with Christmas very soon on its way, decided they should at least have one nice pic together for the holiday season. Taking a suggestion from my buddy (thanks Mark), we headed down to Crystal Cove and struck gold! Merry Christmas you two, I had a great time shooting and hanging out afterward.

Nick and Shannon |Newport Beach Temple + Mission San Juan Capistrano

2008-12-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

A lovely Newport day was the starting backdrop for these two wonderful peeps. Couple's description: Classy, every ounce of them both! We started at the Newport Beach LDS temple, which is a gorgeous, and then headed to San Juan Capistrano. I grew up in San Juan and have frequented the mission grounds, but this was my first time ever shooting for clients and it is simply amazing, a photographer's dream. Hope you all enjoy Nick and Shannon's big day.

I love this photo, look at Shannon's expression

Class-eeeee!

Mr. Forte

2008-12-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

My good friend Mr. Hugh Forte stopped today by unannounced for a quick portrait sesh. Here's one I liked from the quick 10 minute shoot. Maybe I'll post some more later.

Matt & Jacqui |Palm Desert

2008-12-09T14:54:00.000-08:00

Although my woes pale in comparison to those who, unfortunately, lost more than just hours off the clock, due to SoCal's raging wildfires,my 2 hour drive turned into a 5 and a half hour drive to make it out to this wedding; thankfully I came out the day before. Despite all that, it was well worth the inconvenience to come out to shoot Matt and Jacqui's wedding in Palm Desert. Seriously, I fell in love with the La Quinta Resort, where we shot some pre-ceremony photos; the Spanish style architecture and layout reminded me of my hometown in San Juan Capistrano. This was a fun day and Matt and Jacqui were great! Enjoy the images.

Click here for the slideshow

Mark & Katy |Laguna Beach

2008-12-08T22:30:00.001-08:00

Mark and Katy are awesome peeps! I am was so excited when they were engaged and now can't wait for the wedding. We ventured down Laguna way and snagged some beautes.

Mark, hissing at the camera

Hanley fam |Laguna Niguel

2008-12-08T21:50:00.001-08:00

More family fun with the Hanleys and their precious wee one Sienna! I guess this was technically our second family portrait, except the last time lil Sienna was in her mom's belly. Perhaps you remember their prego e-sesh (here) or their wedding pics from last year (here).

Mulder fam |San Juan Capistrano

2008-12-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

Back for round two, Jessie, Lizzie, and Emma were out again to get their Xmas photos done. It was great to see lil Emma's super-sized personality this year as she interacted with her parents.

Fall colors are back!

Emma sneaks into Mom and Dad's portrait

America idol impression

The train whistles as it draws near

Some nice lady (whose dog is sniffing) gave Emma this flower

Justin & Caitlen |The Prado/Balboa Park

2008-12-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

Here are some images from a friend's wedding. I shared the lead duties with Rafe, the one who first trained me as a wedding photographer, so that was pretty sweet. Justin and Caitlen were married at First Presbyterian San Diego and then celebrated in Balboa Park at the Prado.

Caitlen first finds out about her Costa Rica honeymoon

Brett and Jessica |Dove Canyon

2008-12-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

Brett and Jess have been a delight to get to know over this last year and it was great to finally see all the plans and hopes and scares culminate into one beautiful day! They were married at Dove Canyon in Orange County.

Pre-ceremony prayer

First glance of Jess

Six...What is: How many people does it take to get the dress dress bustled

Mom and son

Dave & Megan |Laguna Beach

2008-12-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

It was a nice day for a stroll down in Laguna with these two fine peeps. There were so many beautiful pics to choose from, hope you enjoy.

Cowboy (& girl) up!

I think this one was my fav

Christmas pic hot off the press

2008-11-28T23:29:00.000-08:00

Here's to our sweet new Christmas card! Shot taken by Hugh Forte

Rich and Raja |Laguna Cliffs + Laguna Beach

2008-11-12T23:43:00.001-08:00

Rich and Raja were my first elopement couple I've had thus far, traveling all the way from jolly old England to California's Pacific shore to get married and honeymoon for a few weeks. They are both doctors that met in med school out in England while studying. It was Raja's first time out and probably won't be her last; they came out for a beautiful week of weather here in Dana Point. Their wedding day started out at the beautiful Laguna Cliffs Marriott with an intimate 5 person ceremony and then the 3 of us ran down to Laguna for some magic hour shots. Hope you enjoy!

Hope and Adam | Parker Ranch wedding in Trabuco Canyon

2008-11-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is the first ever wedding shot at the private and exclusive Parker Ranch in Trabuco Canyon, in Orange County, Southern California. Another beautiful DIY rustic ranch style wedding, with a double feature on Southern Weddings blog.

I loved taking these photos. The day had style points going all around: from the multi-colored bridemaids dresses with boots to the brown Levis and matching Vans of the dudes, the wedding was class-ee. Congrats you two; blessings on your marriage!

Lil miss Ruby giving it the fashion elbow

A nice little bridal party table decoration

For even more photos and an interview with Hope, please go to Southern Weddings blog where the girls did an amazing two part feature on this wedding, check out it: Part I and Part II

Another Parker Ranch wedding | John and Jenna

To see more from John and Jenna's wedding at Parker Ranch please click here

Scott and Nicole

2008-11-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

This was great day in local Capo Beach, full of laughs and celebration. Nicole looked stunning and Scott was a stud. Good times were had by all. Go to the slideshow here

Nate and Jenny

2008-11-04T16:27:00.001-08:00

Nate and I hadn't really reconnected since junior high school and so it was great to meet his lovely wife Jenny and to be a part of thier special day. They were high school sweethearts and so this had been a long anticipated day for many. Nate surfs (here) and I'm told Jenny break dances (pity she couldn't bust out with her wedding dress on :) I wish lots of love and blessings to you both! Click here for the slideshow:

Nate's dad giving a tie tying lesson to the groomsmen

Pastor Dick looking lovely

The Kazarians

2008-10-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Kazarians... so hot right now! I freakin' love this family. Imagine something like the My Big Fat Greek Wedding family and bump it up a few notches on the classy scale and you've got the Kazarians. I've known Tommy (T-guns :) since Freshman year in highschool and have gotten to know these wonderful people well over the last decade or so, confirming the fact that they are a generous fun locing sincere group of people.

I first started photographing them for Troy (here) and his former Hollywood career and then for both Troy and his new wife for their engagements pics (here). The shoot was short and non stop comedy coming from papa Kazarian and his antics.

Oh the volumes this photo tells: Younger bro pesters older bro. Older bro retaliates. Little sis caught in between :)

Bonnie and Dylan

2008-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Dylan and I used to play college football together and, ironically, didn't find out until we met up for the first time in Dana Point to discuss the wedding. He and Bonnie were married in style on the beautiful sands of Capo Beach. Enjoy the show here!

This little friend hopped on board before we started shooting the dudes

Looking back towards Dana Point and an amazing setting sun!

Their last name is Bird and the wedding theme was "bird" so I snapped a little ring shot in the nest

Bonnie found a manufacturer of South Park figurines and ordered a pair for the cake..hilarious

Jeff and Michelle |Marbella Country Club

2008-10-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

Jeff and Michelle got married at Marbella Country Club in San Juan Capistrano. Ironically, I used to work for the golf course years ago as a cart boy and here I was back again doing a different type of again. The wedding was awesome good tunes, good peeps and a lovely day for this fine couple! Here's the slideshow

Jeff and Michelle |San Juan Capo + Laguna Beach

2008-10-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

Two terrific towns & two terrific people! Here's a session that nearly slipped my brain from a number of weeks ago. Starting in historic San Juan Capistrano and ending in romantic Laguna Beach, Jeff, Michelle and I covered some ground and stole some sweet shots.

Beth and Paul |wedding

2008-10-18T15:51:00.001-07:00

This was the 3rd historic Ole Hansen venue in a row for me: first the San Clemente Cottage, then Casa Romantica, and finally the Ole Hansen beach club. Beth and Paul are are the definition of easy-going. I love their genuine, no-nonsense kindness and the way they laugh with one another. The day was filled with joy and celebration and I stoked to be a part of it! Check out the slideshow here

Lookout Facebook :)

2008-10-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Taking an aim at Facebook, a small marketing experiment with one of my recent favorites from Hope and Adam's e-sesh (here)

Kevin and Jess |Casa Romantica

2008-10-14T14:24:00.001-07:00

Here it is: Kevin and Jess's wedding in the beautiful Casa Romantica of San Clemente. The ceremony was gorgeous, peering atop the shoreline cliffs out over the San Clemente pier and down the California coast. Kevin and Jess were a joyful union indeed; I was thoroughly impressed by the sincerity and love they have for one another as demonstrated during the ceremony and throughout the day. I hope you enjoy these images. Click here for the slideshow

Red and Kristin |wedding

2008-10-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Red and Kristin are both lovely people and a barrel full of laughs. From the first meeting and engagement pictures to Red pulling me over in his Park Ranger truck and then just randomly running into these two and their many friends all over town, it has been a pleasure getting to know them. Enjoy these images and check out the slideshow here

Jaime and Leah |Franciscan Gardens

2008-10-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

Taking it downtown to my hometown of San Juan Capistrano, Jaime and Leah were married in style at the Franciscan Gardens. Check out the slideshow here

Gary and Kimi |North Ranch Country CLub

2008-10-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Gary and Kimi were three cheers of of class and elegance the whole day through! It was such a pleasure getting to know them both along with the fam. North Ranch country club was gorgeous! Check out the slideshow here for even more pics of the beautiful day.

Will and Nichole | Wedding

2008-09-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

Well Will and Nichole were super naturals in front of the camera for our downtown Laguna session and they proved again to be amazing photo material down in Shelter Island in San Diego. The women were dressed elegantly, the dudes were rolling hard in their two tone suits and Will just about gave Nichole a run for her money with his all white suit. But, obviously, the best of the day is always hands-down the bride and Nichole was no exception. From putting everyone in tears in the getting ready room to slamming out major moves on the dance floor, Nichole stole the show all day long. Definitely one of the more fun weddings I've been to- congrats you two!

Victim #1 Grandma

And Nichole consoles victim #2 her mother

Brad and Katie | Wedding

2008-09-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

Catching up on a unprovoked leave of absence from my dear blog :)

Brad and Katie took their wedding celebration down to San Clemente's Historic Cottage on the bluffs off Calafia. You may remember their bike ride engagement through Del Mar Street we had a few months prior. They had a lovely ceremony right on the shoreline and good times roasting up some big game from Wyoming, which Katie's family shot prior to the wedding and then hauled over to the west coast for some good old fashioned family style game meal.

Grilling up the game!

Chrishtar!

2008-08-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Who is Chrishtar??? Well, that has a lot of layers of meaning and is not easily answered :) But simply put, Chrishtar is Chris and Ishtar become one. I had the honor to photograph these two special people as they got hitched and the two became one. It was exciting and I hope the images convey just a portion of the energy and coolness of this freakin' sweet pastor couple! We are holding off the romantic shots for a more private session at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in my hometown and I can't wait!

Congratulations you two and may the Lord impress his loving countenance on your marriage and continue to bless your life together.

Ishtar places a knecklace upon her mother just minutes before the ceremony

Ishtar steals a moment away with her father just moments before they walk the aisle to Chris

Some prayers we definitely laid down for these two; Chris' mom extends a hand in agreement

the 16 Morgs

2008-07-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

With my brother and his fam out from Missouri (click here) we came together for a family pic with all my brothers, their wives and kids, my sis, parents, and myself- 16 of us total. The standard SoCal locale for fam photos is down at the beach or at some park cause it's easy. But I wanted to do something a little more interesting and, after pulling a few strings, found a hookup with a local san Juan Capistrano barn. I've seen the Cook Barn, a local historic landmark I'm told, for about 26 years now and never knew anything about it except that it it a goldmine for photos. The retirement community next door knew nothing about it so I called a construction truck parked across the street with a Cook label on the side and wah-lah I reached the man in charge and he graciously permitted us to click some pics.

The couple that started it all...

Yes, the Morgan all look the same- it's crazy, I know

Red and Kristin |Laguna Beach

2008-07-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Another stellar couple full of laughs and a good time! It was great meeting them for the first time a few months ago and seeing how many mutual friends we both had, talking about man-eating sharks (Red's a park ranger- Kristin's a lifeguard), and then finally stumbling into our pastor whom we both had planned on meeting with- a nice little move of providence.

A few weeks ago we headed off to the beautiful city of Laguna Beach and stole some sweet snaps of the fun-loving couple. Hope you enjoy!

Paul and Beth |San Clemente Pier

2008-07-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

We headed out to get some engagement shots at the beautiful San Clemente pier all the while head high sets were rolling in sets tempting Paul and I. Paul kept Beth laughing for me and I just fired away as they joked around smiling for the camera. After the shoot they introduced me to one of my new favorite Pizza Port pies called the bacon cheeseburger pizza. Sounds like maybe too much to combine a delicious burger selection with a pizza, but I've go to hand it to the Port, they have nailed down a tasty lil pie. Can't wait you guys to storm San Clemente again on the wedding day!

Chris and Kristin

2008-07-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

Another travel out to far corners of California in El Centro. Chris and Kristin were great. Kristin warned her hubby may be a little shy but the dude performed well and Kristin's ball of emotion was great for the photojournalism. Good times in The Center!

Here's the emotion I'm talking about!

battling the tears as she strolls down the aisle

Hope and Adam |Old Town Orange

2008-06-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hope and Adam had the ever-so-brilliant idea to do their engagement photos on their trusty Vespa! I had a friend bring his scooter (Thanks Josh!) and the 4 of us ripped around the circle in downtown Orange, getting some classic images. Hope is pretty gnarly ;) but seriously, she rode side-saddle without a helmet for like 20 or 30 laps! Definitely one of my fav engagement sessions. Style points off the charts- can't wait for the shin dig this September!

You can see me in the bottom left corner in the rear view mirror

Actually, my fav Vespa images came while off the scooter and standing in the park and panning with my 70-200 as the two of them zoomed around the circle

Kurt and Lindsay |Laguna Beach

2008-05-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

Three cheers for these two! One cheer for each hour they drove to and fro to get these engagement photos all the way from El Centro to Laguna Beach. I been blazin' through these blog posts the last two days, recapping on the last couple months work, and I've been kind of blown away at the quality of people I've been able to photograph. These two were such an ease to be around, even when I was fumbling around in the cafe, trying to get a creative shot, almost causing servers to lose their trays (more than once!). I'm glad they were willign to come out to my neck of the woods get to know one another. I hope you two love the images! We definitely got some memorable ones. I can't wait til '09 to comes around and we'll get to celebrate the wedding!

Troy and Christina |Laguna Beach

2008-05-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well you may recognize Troy headshots from a previous blog post (here); this time I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot he and his fiance Christina for their engagement photos. They are such a classy, down to earth couple. I had met Christina a few times prior but really got to know her well and see what a sweetheart she is. They both carry this quiet confidence and I felt like I able to capture a little bit of that in the images. Like with most of my couples, there was nothing too contrived, I just gave them a little direction and let them be their selves; that's usually when we get the best images.

Will and Nichole |Laguna Beach

2008-05-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Will and Nichole both work for Disney as performers and so they travel all over the US putting on shows. I love these images in that none of the smiles or laughs are forced. They really just enjoy each other and it shows! Whenever I needed an authentic laugh I motioned to Will and he had about a dozen tricks to get Nichole laughing.

"Hear hear" the two of them striking a very proper Shakespeare'ian pose

Brett and Jessica |Laguna Beach

2008-05-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

Another sweet session in Laguna Beach, Brett and Jess are a class act and a ton of fun. Brett kept the jokes rolling and Jess laughing and we snapped some super fun pics...can't wait for November you two!

Brett, trying to pose himself in the kiddie tube slide

Ollie and Christianne |San Juan Capistrano

2008-05-28T10:06:00.001-07:00

I've been neglecting the blog.... this is an shoot from a couple of months ago. We started downtown in SJC then I remembered a field I had come across months prior that would be great for an engagement shoot. Actually my buddy Hugh and I came across this next location while out exploring on a photo shoot for my website. However, when I was there it was just small green shrubbery. Now it never registered that right after storms swept through SoCal wildflowers started popping up everywhere and that the field may be full of flowers. Oh we were struck with a stroke of good fortune my friends this day in the field of wild mustard flowers. Not only were the flowers perfect height and vibrant yellow. Ollie and Christianne must have known cause their colors (brown and yellow) were perfect for the fields!

Mug shots in Los Rios District

We crashed some little boy's birthday party at the petting zoo

And the fields of gold...

One of the county's few remaining orange groves

Snow in Mexico

2008-05-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

Yep, you heard it right. Mexican snow! When you think of Mexican landscape, usually the first image that comes to mind (at least for us Californians) is something like Baja California, where the desert and mountains meet the beaches and ocean. However, there is more to Mexico than just deserts and beaches. Running straight down through California into the Baja peninsula, about 2-3 hours from the main hwy, is a mountain range called San Pedro Martir, where during this last spell of bad weather they saw snow.

My buddy Josh purchased a sweet, practically mint, VW Westfalia for about $300 and we (Josh, my other buddy Adam and myself) were off to the mountains of Mexico, determined to see if the rumor was true. See, rumor had it that atop these mountain peaks one could see both the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean in one broad, panoramic sweeping view. It seemed to good to be true. So we were off...

Our faithful chariot

Sun dips into the Pacific as we pass through San Clemente

Rest stop on the way down: view from the the colina "chi-chi"

Taking a pit stop

Our first step in Mexican snow

Delighted at my first glance of the forest

Adam ready to ambush Josh with snowballs

perched atop a boulder watching the sun set

we scrapped together a little fire, played a little guitarra, and shared a little bottle of vino

Apparently, because San Pedro Martir is so distant from any major city and its lights and because it soars to an altitude of over 9000ft, it is considered to be one of the 5 darkest spots on the planet. For that reason, teams of scientists and students alike travel to live and stay on the mountain top where they have placed a series of large telescopes for studying our galaxy. Well after daring a rough unpaved road, we made it to the telescopes and my oh my to my utmost surprise we happened upon a clear day and the rumors were finally confirmed as being true!

Looking west on the horizon you can barely see the Pacific Ocean, but its def there

And to the east you see the northern rim of the Sea of Cortes, where Mexico lies south of Arizona. I must say the view was amazing!

The valiant young viajeros stoked on the view...

Mexican roads aren't as well maintained as the U.S. ones. This boulder almost ate our Westy...

The boys below roaming for rocks to roll down the green hills.

perty dern perty! As cows graze like ants in the distance, not a soul in sight in this here Mexican landscape...The End

Wade and Renee |Dove Canyon Country CC

2008-05-12T00:16:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful day out in Rancho Santa Margarita at Dove Canyon Country Club. I had a great time roaming around the club finding some great little spots, it was kind of overwhelming how many locations there were to choose from. We def got some great images. Wade and Renee live in Norcal so I had only the chance to meet with Renee and her mother one weekend. I think Renee had warned that Wade may a tough one to photograph but the dude really shined and we got some solid images. From the Father officiating the ceremony to the dog delivering the rings, it was a unique ceremony. Renee is now preparing herself for having a child very soon now. Blessings to you two on this new chapter of life as both your marriage and family continue to grow.

Wade's 5 year old niece stepping into her flower girl role

Just as the girls were getting ready, Wade had delivered a special gift for his soon-to-be bride

the ring bearer, barreling into the country club

excited to show herself off
after jettisoning the grass idea (rain+grass+heels= a no-no), the bridesmaids lend a helping hand, showing their support and style point at the same time.

The altar set to go, framed and silhouetted by the leftover rain clouds

Gar anyone?

Matt Haeck

2008-04-24T20:27:00.001-07:00

So Matt and I go to school together and last semester I promised him a photo session for his upcoming album. We finally got around to it last month and went to historic downtown SJC. I found some new little nooks and crannies I'd never really shot before; I was pretty amped on what came out of our wanderings.

I like lot of different styles of music, but especially the style Matt is shooting for: a blend of folk, acoustic and Americana. Try a listen at his MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/matthaeck

and also be checking back for his debut LP coming out in the next month. I was privileged to hear some of the unmixed tracks and they are even better than what he has up now; kind of a whole new progression in his music; check back soon ya hear?

Brad and Katie

2008-04-17T17:45:00.000-07:00

It was my first time doing engagement pics down in San Clemente and I loved it. Brad and Katie brought down their new Xmas beach bruisers and we went to all over Del Mar St. then to the SC Pier for magic hour. By the end, I had snapped over 800 photos (sorry you two I think I went lil overboard :) you two did an engagement marathon for me- hah. We came away with some great images; I can't wait for the big wedding date coming up!

I was riding my skateboard to get some of the images (kinda sketchy with expensive gear around your neck)

No parking?

The train finally came as we were parting; just managed to snap a few while it was passing by!

Steven and Ronna |Laguna Beach

2008-04-04T13:56:00.001-07:00

So I was notified by my cousin about three days prior that he would be proposing to his girlfriend and asked me to take some photos of the special occasion. She has been visiting my blog and so was happy to come out to get some pics taken; little did she know she was also going to be proposed to. So out they came early Sunday morning as they agreed to be my guinea pigs for the day as we cruised out to scope some new locations. We entered Laguna, the sun ran behind the clouds and so we ran down to the beach till it poked out it head again, getting a few Crescent Bay beauties. Then we ventured to a nearby park and finally headed to Point Park in Laguna, our final destination where Steven would get on one knee and do the deed....

...(entering into Point Park, below) well Steven had the bright idea to involve he and Ronna's beloved dog in the proposal. So while taking photos I was also coordinating the whole proposal thing with my aunt and uncle, who were to sneak the dog up behind Steven and Ronna while I took photos. While I snapped away and they brought the dog down, decorated with t-shirt displaying, "will you marry me" (no question mark we know, but she still got it ;) and carrying the 'rock' around his pink laced collar. It was a huge success and she said YES! Happy day and then free pizza for Mateo. Congratulations you two and blesssings on the upcoming marriage; now it's a race to see who gets wedded first- you or Kelly haha.

The messenger!

The happy couple and canine...

Kevin and Jess |Laguna Beach

2008-04-02T19:58:00.001-07:00

Super sweet shots down in Laguna! Kevin is living out in Colorado and Jess is in Chicago and they made it out to CA for the weekend to tackle some wedding errands. I'm stoked for their wedding this summer in San Clemente at Casa Romantica

Robert and Christen

2008-04-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Super classy people and lots of laughs way out in El Centro! What's classier than red cowgirl boots on your wedding day? I dunno, but Christen was certainly setting records for cool with her boots. Beautiful bride, cool groom and good times.

Chisin

2008-02-26T23:00:00.001-08:00

My buddy Chisin it an amazin fellow. Not only is he one of the most hilarious fun-loving guys you'll ever meet, he is also an amazing musician. He has been in numerous bands and is planning on doing some recording soon in LA. Here are some promo shots we did in the streets of Gautemala City.

Guatemala

2008-02-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

Well I had a splendid little trip down to Guatemala, for the 5th time so far in my life. This time was special because my lil sis Bethany came along. Bethany is a nurse in Denver and was able to make it down there with me so as to get a feel for the country; and, Lord wiling, this spring she will be going down there to do some medical work. A mis cuates de Guatemala, los quiero mucho y me hacen falta no estar ahi con Uds. Siempre me da gozo estar en su presencia, que se cuiden mucho y primero Dios nos vemos pronto...

Down in the rural southern border/coastal aldea of Garita Chapina, visiting some friends while battling the often-present woes of food poisoning, Bethany and I were able to spend some quality time with some quality people...

A lil baby girl striking a pose in her sunday dress
This nina was a little camera shy
Sis and I in front of church, downtown Guatemala city, Parque Central
Pet racoon in Garita
Oh yes, the trees were exploding in color!
Cleyci has just celebrated her quincenera and so she put the dress on to snap some photos

What 's more classy that a dress and boquet on a speed bike? she is super cutting edge here, take note future brides ;)

My lil sis...
My favorite Guatemalans, Los Barrera

A lil Garita cutie patootie
Sunsetting over black sand beach in Garita...
Antigua, Guate

An elderly lady kneels to pray in front of an underground altar

The Mulders |Laguna Beach

2008-02-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

The Mulder family ventured down to the pleasant shoreline in from of the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach for a fun lil family sesh! Good times- the lil grom Emma was superstar!