Author Archives: Todd

Leslie + Dennis

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Leslie and Dennis married on a gorgeous March afternoon.  With all the rain we’ve had, they managed to find a whole lot of sunshine for their special day. Good thing too, since we cruised around to some different spots and snagged photos along the way.

I must also mention that these people can party!  With Dennis being a doctor and Leslie a pediatric nurse, and their friends being doctors, pulling long and late hours isn’t an issue.  I found out just how long the party would go.  Here’s a hint:  Till Closing.

What follows is a very abbreviated version of a fun and fantastic day.

Enjoy!

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Serena + Keith

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Yeah, we’ve got plenty of sunshine right now, but let’s remember just a few weeks ago people! It was raining cats and dogs. (Wonder where that saying came from? Wait, the internet!  Here is an explanation of no less than a few possible origins.) But I digress…

Placing our hearts in the weatherman’s corner, we went for it at Tilden Park. Well, we just missed the rain, but still had a soggy time of it.  Serena had planned on us hiking a trail that she and Keith run on sometimes, but the streams were up so high, there was no way we were crossing that puppy.  So we had to re-prioritize and figure something out.

Thank goodness Tilden is blessed with wide-open meadows, Eucalyptus, and a sprinkling of Sequoias here and there.  Oh yeah, if I could put on a seminar to help clients model, I would hire Keith and Serena.  I didn’t even have to say a word, and they were changing it up, throwing different looks my way, and having a good time of it.  Here are a few from the day.

Enjoy

Serena + Keith.

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Tiffany + Adam

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Tiffany has a lot of energy.  I have 43 emails in my gmail of her and I going back and forth over such items as props, the dogs, the scooter, the weather, change of clothes, what to expect, time of session, etc.  In the end, none of this mattered at all, as we had to deal with intermittent showers and dodgy weather at best.  To boot, her make-up artist texted her and said she couldn’t make it – a few hours before the session.  Man, that’s like breaking up over the phone.  In Tiffany’s words, “Really, she should just have the balls to cancel straight-up.”

Word.

Barring all of those ahhhhhhhh minor obstacles, we met at the Palace of Fine Arts for its big dome coverage.  A safety play in the rain.  But it was well worth it, cause the crowds were minimal and the light was pretty darn good.  Like any good zen photographer, you have to accept what is there and not push it.  Look for opportunities and ye shall be rewarded.

Good thing I brought the umbrella. It served us pretty well.

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Bill + Heidi

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Got an email out of the blue a few months back.  “Would you be interested in shooting a wedding in Yosemite, and maybe a Pt. Reyes engagement session, since that’s where we got engaged?”  I could only have one response – Is the Pope Catholic?

And so Bill, Heidi, and I made plans for a weekend shoot.  I figured, if we’re heading all the way out to Pt. Reyes, let’s do it right and cover some ground.  Ya know, go for some different looks and use the National Seashore for all it’s beauty. Well, you know what they say about plans.  We make ’em and God laughs.  Note to all those who don’t live in Northern California right now:  God laughing = Rain.

Cool looking trail.

Even with the wind blowing and the rain coming down, we charged on out into the wilderness anyhow.  I was suited up my Gore-Tex goodness, and protecting my camera was an Aquatec Rain Sheild.  Good thing too, because it rained the entire session.

Gotta say, everything worked out perfectly.  I was fairly dry as was the equipment, and Bill and Heidi never wavered in their pursuit of, well, just having a good time.  We knew we were done when I mentioned something about hot spicy bean soup with sausages and cheese (I had just made it the night before).  As I was walking and talking about it, there was an odd silence behind me.  I asked if they were OK.  They responded, “Yes, but we were just thinking how good that soup sounds.”  I knew we only had a few more shots left.

Here are a few from the day.  Enjoy!

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Biz, Biz, Bizzzzz

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Nothing like being holed up in your one-man office when it’s raining and the tax man is taking way more than you previously thought possible.  “Can that be right? Maybe if I carry the decimal and add the 2…”  Nope – TurboTax can only do so much.  Sigh…  So that takes care of the first Biz.  I got nothin’ for the second and third – suppose it was me just wanting a bit of onomatopoeia.  And rightly so, since this is partly what this post is about.  Animals.  Animal sounds. And lot’s of em! Can you guess what we got?

Bees!

Yep.  Jen and I got a colony of happy little Italian Honey Bees.  It’s something I’ve wanted to do for so long.  Why?  I love nature.  I love honey.  I am pretty afraid of things that fly with stingers.  Wait, that last statement doesn’t make any sense.  Well, I figure, it’s time to stop being such a wuss, and tackle my fear.  And so one early morning, Uncle Jer (my bee guy, but not my Uncle) came by and dropped off a nice strong colony. I asked a few questions, and then he was gone.  And then it was me and 10,000 of my closest girlfriends.

Honey Bee and Flowering Quince Blossom.

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Jessica + Rick

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Our coast is gorgeous – not gonna lie – but it comes with some caveats such as pea-soup fog, blustery winds, and some pretty good storms now and then.  But sometimes the conditions line up, Poseidon is in a favorable mood, and it’s easy to see why you would want to live here.  When I met Jessica and Rick in Pacifica, it was one of those days.

Here are a few.  Enjoy!

 

Cypress + Light Fog + Sun = Good Stuff

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Incessant Babble Can Lead To Good Things

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White out conditions.  A 2 hour drive turned into 6.  Possible accidents and a new change of shorts needed.  Who wouldn’t want to drive in these conditions? My parents asked themselves the same question when it came time to pick me up from Denver International Airport.  Thank god for Kiwis.

“I have you scheduled for the 6 PM bus, but you could leave right now.  Do you wanna do that?” asked the guy at the counter.  I wondered if it was a rhetorical question.  I grabbed a seat alone, close to the driver.  As we pulled out, the two randoms in the back started talking about their portfolios while disclosing all kinds of personal financial information with specific dollar amounts gained.  I thanked the heavens I wasn’t involved in the stroke-fest that was going on.  I mean, how many times do you have to mention that you have a 2nd home in Vail?  We get it…

But sometimes pomposity has it’s attributes, like keeping decent people away from douchebags (warning, the definition may make you chuckle).  Building up my wall of energy to keep Smith and Barney from asking me anything, I struck up a conversation with Ray, the driver.  I just kept chewing his ear off, and pretty soon it lead to a question about my profession.  I waited another half hour before I threw it out there, that hey, let’s make a day of it and get some good shots.  Now I am always wary of inviting myself into other people’s days, but I knew I could deliver.

It was hard charging in 0 degree Fahrenheit temperatures – cold fingers and toes, watching out for powdery snow that wants to ruin your camera sensor, and bears – but we managed to get a few keepers.  And yeah, bears…

Here are a few from the day.  Enjoy!

Ray, tail grab off a nice little boulder.

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Adrienne + Charlie

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Two Adriennes in 2 weeks?  That’s just crazy talk – but it happened!  Gotta say, both were fantastic clients to work with. Instead of Neel, we have Charlie, who as it happened, graduated from my alma mater, Cal Poly SLO.  Sigh… Firestone’s Tri Tip Sandwich.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, it’s fine, you’re not missing anything.

Here are a few pics from our day at the beach.  Glad we got it in, because all this rain seems like it’s here for a few more days.  But hey, I kind of like the rain…

Enjoy!

You know the bridge.

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Adrienne + Neel

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Well, I’m kind of happy that San Francisco weather is acting like its normal self again.  Too much sunshine in the winter is just plain silly up here.  But for taking photos, it’s pretty hard to beat.  I’m just glad it cooperated long enough for Adrienne, Neel, and I to get some great photos down by Crissy Field and the Marina District.

I had a fantastic day you two.  Thanks for being such great subjects!

Enjoy!

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