Ar'alani's photostream  

These lovely people (Udaya, Jenna and Michael) are a major part of why I love weddings so much. Working with such talent and dedication is truly marvelous. One of my favorite post-event things to do is look through everyone's images--the range of angles, lighting, posing and moments is remarkable. We all see things so differently, and yet share the same passion for the art of wedding photography.

Love you guys.

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I went to Santa Cruz and Yosemite last week for wedding and portrait gallimaufry. On my last day in the park, I was up at 4am. This is the only reward I needed: utter silence, and a golden, spreading glow of the sun flaring into the sky. While a very difficult park to shoot at certain times of the day, there's something truly magical about this place.

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Yesterday, I went up to the Ape Cave with Nathan and one of his friends. We had a great time hiking through the dark. I loved the walls in this particular part of the cave, and asked the boys to go around the next bend and come back with their headlamps and flashlights. I poofed my flash a few times for ambiance.

It took about ten tries until I was satisfied, and MAN was I happy. This photo is just so much fun! Plus it really shows the details on the walls--the Ape Caves are incredible, and you should go. It's a blast!

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I love engagement sessions. I wasn't sure I'd ever say that with any kind of conviction, but it certainly came true. When I started out with wedding photography, they were brutal--what do you do with a whole hour (sometimes more) with a couple you don't know very well, and create images that, well, look like them? Not campy, not ridiculous, not painful... Gee. Hard, right?

It took a bit (a long bit). A lot of practice. A lot of hair-pulling. Now it's one of my favorite parts of the process. Not distracted by family, stress, life-changing events or any of the wedding-day staples, I get time to chat, laugh with and get to know a really cool pair of people.

I really owe that to these wonderful couples I photograph: being a stranger at someone's wedding is not a desirable place to be, especially when you are responsible for documenting everything that is important. You miss so much. So many details. Knowing them, paying attention, absorbing their personalities and style and relationships--that's how real magic happens.

This session, with Holly and Vahid, was definitely magical. There are so many photos that I adore from it. They are a truly wonderful pair. Some of the other images are here.

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Shooting in a place like Kerry Park can be a challenge. Not because it lacks photo appeal, but because everyone shoots there. Almost any time of day, there's a line of tripods up there. At sunset, it can be mayhem. I always look for a way to tell a different story about a classic place.

The clouds made the challenge a blast--this is a 10-second exposure with a 6-stop ND. I love how Seattle looks so tiny, under a huge swirling sky.

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