Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gordon + Nichole – Pie Ranch – Pescadero CA

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I am a talker. I love telling stories and spinning a good yarn. And if you get me going on bees or photos, I will talk your ear off. Sometimes this can land me in trouble. Close friends know some infamous stories of both my feet in my mouth, at the same time. But one particular day last year, the situation worked in my favor, for as I was selling my honey (State Street Honey…shameless plug…) at the farmers market in Pescadero, Nichole overheard me say that I was also a photographer who specialized in weddings. Well, how serendipitous, as she and her betrothed were to be married next year and were still in search of someone to fill that role. Fast forward. Nichole and Gordon are now married, and I photographed their wedding. What a great day – full moon, perfect weather, great light, AMAZING food, barn dancing – it just doesn’t get any better. So please peruse a quick selection of the day’s photographs that will hopefully take you back to that amazing day. Enjoy!

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Pt. Reyes Kayaking Trip – Adventure in My Own Backyard

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I used to live on a sailboat.  I’ve sailed over 7000 nautical miles, and 4000 of those were totally alone, up and down the Mexican coastline.  I’ve encountered storms, thought pirates were going to come after me, close calls with tankers, and collided with a whale at over 5 knots.  And then one day I sold my boat and left for the heart of Japan where there are no oceans, to swim in a field of powder for a few years.  Now I am back along the coast, with some of the best sailing around, but I’ve managed to make it out on someone else’s boat a handful of times.

But I learned something all those years ago.  You don’t need to sail around the world to have a real adventure.  It’s actually right outside your door.  So I loaded up my canoe to rendezvous with a friend who had just finished his home built kayak at the shores of the Pt. Reyes Peninsula along Tomales Bay.  Before heading out for a quick paddle and overnighter, we loaded up on about 30 oysters each at Hog Island Oyster Co.  With the B Vitamins pumping though my blood, we were ready to paddle.  I was concerned about the wind and my big old canoe, especially since I would be solo paddling, but our weather window was descent, and Greg and I made short work of the mile and a half paddle.

What waited for us across the way was something totally unexpected: White sand beaches, clear water, lush forest, and some wild creatures that said hello in the morning whilst drinking a very strong cup of coffee.  If you have the means to get up this way and are feeling like Tom Sawyer, I suggest you head out past the water’s edge.  An adventure awaits indeed!

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Mad Science

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I’ve been photographing an ongoing project with Genentech over the last few months.  They have a mentor-ship program which provides tutoring and science activities to some local schools.  We set up a photo-booth and tricked it out (as best we could) with some science props, lab coats, and a healthy supply of dry ice + warm water.  After watching everyone have so much fun for the last few months, and with the space totally empty, it was only a matter of time…

Mwah hah hah…!

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Ritz Carlton Bridal Fair Success!

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It was great to see so many faces yesterday at the Ritz Carlton in downtown San Francisco.  I think we were short a few people due to the 49ers playing and successfully moving onto the NFC Championship.  Obviously a tough game ahead, but we shall prevail!  Anyway, getting back on task, if you stopped by the booth to say hello, thank you.  We received some nice compliments, but my favorite among many was utter by Anna when she said this, “Your photos capture the essence of the couples and family.  Your photos are real.”  Aww, my heart sank.  My job as a visual storyteller is wrapped up that gem of a nutshell.

Didn’t get a chance to meet me yesterday?  That’s cool.  Shoot me an email or call so we can set up a meeting at the studio.  But don’t wait too long!  Space is limited and weekends are booking up.  Looking forward to hearing from you!

Todd

Exciting News – Moving Into New Studio

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2013 brought so many amazing events and changes to my life: The continued success of my photography business, a great year keeping bees, meeting and collaborating fantastic colleagues, and of course, the birth of my baby daughter.  Is it any wonder that 2014 would be any different?  I think not!

I am thrilled to announce I’ve moved into a beautiful studio in San Francisco.  I am still in the process of framing up new work for the walls, but when they’re up, I’ll snap a few images to let you see 🙂  Until then…

Here’s wishing everyone an amazing 2014!  And if you’re thinking of booking a wedding for 2014 – don’t hesitate – weekends are filling up quickly!

Cheers!

Cassie + Jon – San Francisco City Hall Wedding & Sir Francis Drake Hotel

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City Hall is one of the best places to photograph in San Francisco, bar none.  It’s like a huge softbox, which means amazing light for those of you who don’t speak photo-nerd.  The architecture is amazing, and right outside the front stoop lies the rest of this wonderful and vibrant city.  And so it was on a gorgeous but windy Friday afternoon that Jon and Cassie tied the knot.  With family in attendance – spanning a few generations – we all witnessed a bond of love take form and elevate to the next level. After the ceremony we took a jaunt over to the Sir Francis Drake. I find it easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission, so we snuck up to the lounge area where more great light was spilling in, and we again captured some great moments. Jon and Cassie wanted some fun photos, and we definitely got them! Enjoy!

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Kevin + Tracy – SF City Wedding + Yank Sing

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So, turns out a baby can come early.  I guess that’s why Jen was harping on me all the time to get the crib finished.  And so the time that I had allotted to edit Kevin and Tracy’s kick ass wedding was replaced with sleepless nights, poopy diaper changes, and lots of sleeping on my back with a newly minted human being atop it.  Not that falling asleep with your beautiful baby daughter is a bad thing, but I was bummed it would take me longer to get to their photos.  I think the wait was worth it.  As I was cruising through the 900+ photos that I am going to deliver, I had the difficult task of picking out around 50 of my favorites.  What follows is great light and great moments.

Kevin and Tracy, your wedding was beautiful.  We skirted the rain, the church was amazing (pastor was a little intense on photography rules), dinner was great (besides being duped into almost eating a chicken head), and your friends and family were gracious subjects.  I mean, you guys were married in the year of the dragon as well, right?!  It’s only up from here!  Congrats and enjoy the photos.

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JD

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JD.

Becoming a man is easy.  Nothing stops time, and we all grow old and grey at some point.  But, becoming a real man – well adjusted, humble, kind, personable, passionate, and resolute – well, those are qualities we learn as we grow.  Parents teach and guide, and can only hope to instill these qualities in their children.  The real leg work is left to each individual.  From my first meeting with JD, I recognized a solid human being, eagerly anticipating his Bar Mitzvah with equal parts excitement and apprehension.  In like turn, I was feeling somewhat the same from a photographic standpoint.  This was my first Bar Mitzvah, and with total artistic free reign, I wanted to capture the intimate moments, the sacredness of the ritual, and the fun that is being an adolescent.  The last part wasn’t so hard, as I still think I’m a kid myself!  But I loved how everything turned out, and if you’re interested in looking some more, I think you will too.

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Nancy + Brady

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I watched the weather with hesitation.  All week the rain forecast kept eeking towards Saturday, and sure enough, I woke up to gray skies.  As I arrived at the Saint Claire Hotel in San Jose, the skies opened up.  But it was all good, because Nancy and Brady were having an indoor wedding.  The only bummer was we wanted to take some photos outside after the ceremony.  Well, wedding luck struck again.  The streets dried out, the sky was a marvelous blue with puffy clouds, and we got some great shots.  See for yourself!

 

Standing among the palms.

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Betsy + Michael

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I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while.  When Betsy, Michael, and I talked about the wedding and location, I was fired up to photograph a gorgeous spot so close to my own backyard.  Chateau La Joye is just over the hill on the way to the ocean via Old La Honda Road.  Along this road, I’ve done the following:  bicycled, picked fresh Chanterelle mushrooms, foraged on wild blackberries, and surfed the wild waters just a bit further down the road.  Why not add a wedding to the list?

And so it was that Betsy and Michael got hitched in front of family and good friends in a beautiful place.

Glowing in the woods.

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