I met up with Aimee at Wild Cherries in Truckee last November after talking with her a few times via phone. Aimee and Mike are definitely two of my absolute favorite clients. When Aimee originally saw my photography, she instantly knew. So when we met up in November, she already KNEW I was going to photograph her wedding. It was awesome. I love it when my clients view my work and love it from the get go. It makes my life so much easier when they’re already emotionally connected to me through my vision. Mike is so great, on the day of the wedding, he trimmed his beard a little too close, and he was so so relaxed about it, even though his daughter, Haeley, was very nervous about it. I said, “Well, it looks like he’s just gonna have to shave.” And he did. So chill and relaxed about it. I think it might’ve have something to do with that he went snowboarding at Squaw in the morning before his wedding. Both Aimee and Mike were so chill about everything on their wedding day, and crazy fun and so much in love. I know I could go on and on about how these two interact and look at each other. (Remember my favorite thing in the whole wide world is capturing how my couples look at each other) Thank you so much for believing in me, and allowing me to have a freaking phenomenal time photographing your wedding!

In late February, I was (am) blessed by the way my grooms gaze upon their brides. I feel so overwhelmed with love and completeness watching my couples look at each other. Logan is so incredibly respectful and supportive of Jane, it was so amazing to photograph. They were married on a Thursday at Edgewood, which in February, one would think be completely snowed in, but alas, it was a nice spring weather day with most of the snow melted (unlike lately, which we’ve been going back and forth between winter and spring, and it’s June already!) They were so awesome, and many thank yous out to Melanie (close friend of Jane’s), who acted as event coordinator, and almost physically forced me to party with them after my photography coverage was completed. (I’m joking Melanie, but definitely love you for being so welcoming to me!) Many gracious blessings to these love birds. ( I want nieces and nephews Jane! Hurry up and get to it with that sexy voice of yours!)

I am so wound up, totally stoked, excited for the weekend I just had. Client meet in San Francisco early Friday, wedding in San Ramon Friday night, Wedding in Rancho Murieta on Saturday, amazing crepes from Betsy Hite’s Elegant & Easy Gourmet, Client meet at Plumpjack’s Farm in Napa on Sunday and finished my glorious Sunday with Ginger and Luigi’s engagement session. Such an inspiring weekend, so happy and in love with all my couples this weekend. Loving what I do for a living (getting to play and experiment and have soft porn couples (and everything in between) Love love LOVE this weekend. I want all my weekends to be as freaking cool as this one was. Many posts to come, including previews, but here’s one for Ginger and Luigi. (So freaking blessed and thankful for my life and my career!)

When I first met up at Sand Harbor a couple weeks ago with Reinee and Seth for their engagement session, I knew instantly they were going to be my creative fun couple that would allow me to go outside-the-box with them for their photography. We met up at dusk on the Lake Tahoe’s west shore for some “trial” images, a chance to me to play with light and making light. This image is my trial “Ben Chrisman” style. One thing I love about browsing all day everyday (when given time) at other photographers’ work, is seeing an idea that will inspire me to elevate my own photography. I love Ben’s style, however it’s not my style, but I hope to use artificial light more and find a way that will make it my own. Lots of mileage, practice, and determination in my upcoming goals. Thank you so much Reinee and Seth for hiking with me, battling the cold and making me crave sushi! (I feel a trek to Drunken Monkey this week for some exquisite sushi) On a side note, I completed my first Master Cleanse last night. Kinda freaky to wake up this morning and realize I don’t have to do a Salt Water Flush or make the lemonade concoction. I created a frozen banana, strawberry with freshly juiced apple with some raw cacao powder smoothie for breakfast, and many more smoothies for the rest of the day, and my goal was to have a big veggie with lots of feta and garlic pizza tomorrow, and I still plan on it. Next MC cleanse: November for 30 days!

Sometimes, just because I can, and because of friends’ influences, I take a break and just go PLAY. Yesterday was one rarity of day when my friend Ingrid and I went to explore a ghost town in Plumas County. I love ghost towns. I really need to get out to Bodie again and soon. I love the details, the decay, the mystery, the newness of discovery. I think the going out and just playing with my camera, especially with people I like and admire, like Ingrid, allows me to be true to myself. Growing and learning, being curious, these things I love. It’s helps me to strive for what I want and need in my life for my ultimate goal HAPPINESS. Since my move to Truckee this winter, I’m definitely experiencing more and more of this, but like any photographer or person, I have doubts in myself (Is this photograph how I see it? Do I have time to make it how I want to? What do I need to change?) Time is a big issue with me. I wish I had more time, especially when I photograph my clients. I love my clients and how they appreciate my vision, and love their photographs, but I always wish I had done more, or did this differently, or that, or something. I’m a perfectionist. My curse. Life is the journey right? How will I feel when I ARRIVE? Wow. Hopefully on top of the world and still completely humble. I love what I do, I love my clients, I love my play time, my me time (no, not a McDonald’s commercial) I love watching my couples interact. I love capturing the tears and joy and laughter. I love it, all of it. I am so blessed and SO THANKFUL for what I have been given, what I have learned, how I ALWAYS want to learn and learn from my mistakes. All of this is a big part of me. Thank you.

I met up with a client on Sunday who is getting married at a gorgeous backyard venue in Sacramento on Sunday morning. So excited for their June 12th wedding! Luckily for me my friends Maria and Drew live very close to the 6/12 Sacramento wedding, and I was able to catch up on some much needed quality time with Maria and Drew (as he studies for his the finality of Law School!). Maria I went to explore old town Sacramento and I was telling her about Sal and Daragh’s wedding that I photographed Saturday in Nob Hill. I said, “Sal works with as a newscaster for Channel 2.” Maria exclaims, “Oh yeah! The traffic guy!” I don’t think I’ve ever watched the News in San Francisco, but I do think it’s funny how Sal is known as “The Traffic Guy”. As Maria said, “He’s everywhere, on TV on the radio…” So awesome to have photographed a local celebrity’s wedding in San Francisco, although lucky for me, since I’ve yet to see him on TV, He’s just Sal to me. Daragh is so sweet and lovable and adorable and I kept trying to talk into marrying me instead of Sal. Nope, she’s completely 100% in love withher best friend, Sal. So many tears, laughter and love to share soon. Here’s a preview.

Yesterday was my birthday. To begin my year anew, I went all smoothie yesterday. Today officially begins The Master Cleanse for 14 days. Decided it was time to finally clean out all stuff that’s been mucking up for 30 and some odd years in my system. I like quietness and peace. The sound of the wind, the sound of the cars on the highway, the feel of falling snow on my face as well as the brightness and heat of the sun. I like simple things, but I’m not simple. I like soft porn couples, and couples that are willing to make out for me for the camera. I love seeing the intensity of the way my couples interact with each other, and the quietness of their interaction too. Reinee and Seth are going to be so fun to photograph on their wedding day. Reinee dislikes being the center of attention, but Seth is all over it. I can’t wait for August.

One of the greatest resources I’ve found for planning a wedding is a budget calculator which helps you understand how much the big event you are planning is going to cost (versus how much you think it will cost). I rated just for fun if I was to plan a big event in North Lake Tahoe including rehearsal, ceremony, reception and all the details from flowers to the officiant to wedding attire and place cards. My wedding would cost me $60,000. Check it out here. Another wonderful resource is budget/friend photographer versus professional photographer. Why you should hire a professional photographer over having a friend photograph your wedding. Check it out here.

On a completely different note, I photographed two events this weekend, amazing weddings I am so stoked on. Here is a little preview to Christina and Jeremy’s wedding in San Mateo and Redwood City this weekend. Great couple, great location, absolutely dreamy.

Alex has the coolest doors to his closet in his loft. They have these awesome pegs and with tied rope, which totally makes me think sadomasochistic photographs. Alex and Monica were married at the Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley back in November. She their wedding photographs here. I was lucky enough today to visit them for lunch and see Alex’s cool loft in Oakland (and seeing the photographs I created from their engagement session all over their walls.) After a long week, very long, from attempting to obtain my alpine skiing Teacher Certification (which Squaw kicked my butt, and couldn’t ski to save my life; thus not obtaining my Certification, which will have to wait until next season when I can practice and hoping to ski better (!), a rehearsal dinner on Thursday night, a wedding on Friday (unbelievably awesome!) and another wedding on Saturday (equally awesome!), it was time to to take 10 minutes out in Alex’s loft to create some sexy photos of Alex with his bride. I love how Alex looks at his wife and how they interact together, it’s so endearing and what I wish someday I could have. Home sweet home now, and a ton of work ahead of me, but totally loving it (that I get to play for a living and not really work!) Here’s one of my favorites. Enjoy and until next time!

I came down to Oakland yesterday to visit my friend, Amy, as well as photograph a wedding in Santa Clara. The wedding was awesome, I’ll have images to post soon, but also was looking for some creative time with my friend, who is also a photographer. The weather is seriously rainy today, and I’m always for the rain, although I’m currently sitting in front of the space heater attempting to dry out before my trek home to Truckee. We began the day by having breakfest at Thornhill Coffee House in Oakland Hills, which by chance (I had no idea) is Jules Bianchi’s studio. Jules definitely does some AMAZING work, and I loved peeking in the windows of her studio. Someday I’ll have a cool space to display my work and meet with clients….someday (I’m so dreaming!). Amy suggested we held out towards the Berkeley Pier for photos. There’s something about freezing with rain blowing into my left ear while walking to the end of the 3000ft pier to a gate, where about 100-150 feet at the end drop off into the water and the unmaintained remaining almost 2 miles of the pier disappear into the Bay. We froze, got completely soaked, made some cool photos and made our way back to Amy’s Acura with the heated seats. *sigh* A few photos of our escapade today. I have to do this more often…going out for fun and taking photos just for me. I drew inspiration for today’s shoot from Kazuumi Takahashi; there’s just something about the chaos of the weather to make quiet photos. Rain has subsided…time to venture home.