Best Buds
Posted on June 18, 2019
Meet J.
And Other J.
Nowadays, when you don’t have a prom date,
You pair up with your best bud.
Exactly as it should be.
Tear it up, ladies!
Goofiness and proms go together.
Just ask Other J who has a black-belt in fun.
When it rains outside during a shoot, you go indoors.
You take advantage of available light
And explore new styles of photography worthy of the occasion.
Oh, and you grab a spear of salvia.
That’s key, because if you can’t be outdoors,
At least you can bring a piece of it with you inside.
Where would this image be without that purple petal, right?!
As lovely as fine art portraiture is, it’s prom night after all.
So you’ve got to end on a goofy and timeless note.
Contact me for kids, teens, graduation, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Healoha Is Waiting
Posted on June 11, 2019
Meet Brigitte Mouchet.
She’s a wellness entrepreneur in the Bay Area.
She’s the founder and CEO of Healoha, a marketplace for wellness services that helps both clients and practitioners. Healoha is available in the U.S. and French-speaking countries in Europe.
Inspired by waves and ocean air, Brigitte hired me for a day of corporate photography on the coast in Half Moon Bay, one of her favorite places in the world.
We captured images for use on the company’s digital and social media channels, images ranging from corporate headshots like these two images…
…to environmental portraits like this…
…and this…
…to social and active shots like these…
…and even to landscape photography, which required a jaunt to Santa Cruz, where the mist lifted at last and Walton Lighthouse winked at the purpling sky.
I hope you enjoyed your visit. Thank you.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Smart Start
Posted on June 4, 2019
Let’s get one thing straight: Teachers are the best.
In the back-asswards Hierarchy of the Underappreciated, they’re perched on a mountaintop of nurses and EMTs, janitors and sanitation workers, freelance writers, line cooks, and UN interpreters.
So when Smart Start preschool hired me for staff photography, I jumped at the opportunity and threw myself into the assignment as though it were Teacher Appreciation Day.
Actually, days. I hope my effort shows.
Day 1—Newark, CA
Day 2—Livermore, CA
To the staff at Smart Start—and teachers everywhere—thank you. Thank you.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Simply Catherine
Posted on May 28, 2019
I have an idea for a new project: Being Human.
Its premise is straightforward.
Business professionals are people, generally speaking.
They may have titles, roles, and responsibilities.
But who they are goes way beyond workplace ephemera.
And it’s not a carefully guarded secret, either.
You just have to ask the right questions.
So, meet Catherine, a communications professional.
A writer, musician, and, well, read on…
When you grow up, what kind of person do you want to be?
I want to be that 80-year old or 90-year old who’s still riding her bicycle or running along the shoreline or hiking through redwoods as she gets older. She’s full of zest for life. She surrounds herself with people who love and inspire her. She’s radiant, humble, wise, and present — deeply present — to the hum and flow of each moment. She loves the world, in all its brokenness and heartache and still sees its glory shine through.
What is one question you would ask a fortune teller?
Am I going to be alright? Am I going to make it to 70 or 80 or 90 years old and still have my body parts working well and be cared for and surrounded in love? Am I going to be happy? Will I have done all or most of what was on my “bucket list?” Will I die a peaceful death and leave this place at least a little better than when I came in? Imagine how life could be lived if we knew that we were going to be alright no matter what. Nothing could stop us from pursuing our dreams.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sitting in sunshine on a warm day, surrounded by giant trees or the ocean or some magical outdoor setting. The sun on my skin. The smell of the salt air or eucalyptus or thick earth surrounding me. Listening to ethereal music. Sipping a phenomenal cappuccino. And eating the most heavenly slice of pie. Mixed berry pie, with billowy whipped cream. There must be pie for it to be perfect happiness.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Mountain Living
Posted on May 22, 2019
Last fall, I ran family photography mini sessions in the woods above the valley. What joy! What fun! Amazing, really.
Family #1
I admire a man who carries his son like a sack of flour. That, and dresses in pajamas to please his wife who has a vision, come what come may…
…and makes googly eyes at his boy just because.
Here older brother is doing what every kiddo wants to do, always: play, play, play.
Younger kiddo doesn’t know it yet, but this allegory of brotherhood in three frames will set the tone for the rest of his days. When in doubt, shout. Or listen, as the case may be.
Wrinkles the canine keeps the family together like a good herd dog.
Mother and daughter square up for a shot as golden hour paints the landscape in magical tones.
Only thing better than having a brother is hanging out with a brother on a fence.
Rim light transfigures everyone it touches.
Family #3
With scenes like these, every family deserves at least one…
…OK, maybe two family portraits.
Of course, where would Family be without Grandma? She lights up the scene!
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Urban Chic
Posted on May 14, 2019
When I capture a candid expression like this…
….and a heartfelt laugh like this…
…and a bookishly hip shot like this….
…all in the space of 23 minutes, well, I’m ridiculously happy as a result.
“There’s one thing a photograph must contain,” says Robert Frank.
“The humanity of the moment.”
For what it’s worth, I agree.
Thanks for visiting.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate staff and event photography in the Bay Area.
It’s Chime for a Change
Posted on May 7, 2019
A change in banking, that is.
Last March, during a break from the rain,
I photographed the Chime leadership team in the City.
When you’re doing corporate photography on Maiden Lane,
It’s best to put the street to good use.
Here are a few headshots from the day.
Scroll, peruse, enjoy.
Thank you.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate staff and event photography in the Bay Area.
