Monday, April 20, 2015

Photo Critique 002

Just a quick update for anyone interested in photography related stuff. I've teamed up with Aaron Draper and a few other photographers to start providing photo critiques. Five photographers, each with their own niche, give their views about a submitted photo, once a week.

The second critique is now up on the site over at www.professionalphotocritique.org. For my part, I handle post processing.

Warning: This is my first video where I actually show up on screen (if you don't count the Zack Arias/creativeLIVE video I did way back when). For some reason, at 11pm, on a Sunday night, after being out in the sun all day at the first ever Found in Turlock Bridal Showcase, and after having downed some nyquil, I decided it was a good idea to film, edit, and post this video. Sadly, my awkwardness can be attributed to none of those things and this probably won't get any better with time. Of course, that's not going to stop me from continuing to make them.

Follow the blog, leave a comment, submit a photo, share with friends.


Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Senior Portraits: Saint Mary's College of California

One of our favorite high school seniors is now a college senior. Say what?! Translation: I’m old.

Jessica is graduating from Saint Mary’s College of California this year so I packed up the car, headed out to the college and did some shooting with her. She was one of our ‘model’ seniors back when we were first getting started. How long ago was that? This long ago…


Hamming it up on our very first shoot.


Look at how tiny Aiden was. Awe…

Well now she’s all grown up. She’s so grown up that she’s actually making beer in her science classes, (thankfully, Aiden isn’t to that point yet). Not goofing around making beer either. Like serious, looking for a job as a chemist in a full blown brewery, sort of beer making. 

We took some shots around campus but she really came alive when we got to her home away from home, the lab where she spent most of her time. It was so nice getting to see her in her element and listen to her explain everything. My how time has flown by.

Congratulations Jess!  


Saint Mary's College of California Senior Portraits

Saint Mary's College Chapel Moraga Hill

Out in front of the Science building Moraga Hill



I had a great time taking doing these environmental portraits.



 
The tutu and striped socks might be gone, but she's still Jess.

5x7 announcements for the graduation designed by yours truly. 
There's still one more shoot in the works (Melody wanted to get a chance to shoot with Jessica too) so keep your eyes peeled for that one as well. Until then, congratulations Jessica! 

Monday, April 13, 2015

Beautiful Diablo Grande Same Sex Marriage: Central Valley Wedding Photography

Abraham Lincoln had a practice of leaving letters of great import to sit on his desk over night before sending them out. His wife Mary would often throw them away if he grew too passionate in his responses, or he’d simply rewrite them upon achieving a cooler head. Over the years I’ve learned to do the same with posts to the internet. This is one such post.

It is a post I have anticipated since second shooting this wedding with my friend Aaron Draper, yet I have found it to be one of the most difficult posts I’ve ever written. Anticipated, because of the photographs; difficult, because of all of the second guessing. Do I make a statement? Do I speak passionately? Do I say nothing at all?

These photographs have been sitting on my desktop for days now, the blog post just waiting for text. I look at them each day and each time I do I smile. I smile not because of some statement or witty turn of phrase I have prepared, but because of the emotion -- the love -- I was able to capture that day.

Thankfully, I thought to seek the counsel of a friend, herself married to another amazing woman. I was worried about saying the wrong thing, about making too bold a statement -- and even of making none at all. She appreciated the concern but in the end confirmed my suspicions: I was indeed over-thinking it.

I realize now, after all the second guessing, all the worrying, all the back and forth, that the photographs speak for themselves. They are my statement, my response, my reason for doing what I do.

I hope they bring a smile to your face just as they do mine.


Same Sex Marriage Diablo Grande
Beautiful window light at Diablo Grande.

Same sex wedding getting ready shot
Had to dance around two or three videographers and their gear. Luckily, videographers rarely see what photographers do.

Interracial wedding getting ready
These rooms are on opposite sides of the building but somehow I was able to sneak in some equally amazing window light for Marco's getting ready shots.

wedding sign in book that is a journal
A fitting sign in book for these two.




first look anticipation shot diablo grande same sex wedding
Now that's anticipation.

Marco working on his vows.

same sex wedding party photo
Wedding parties don't need to be huge to be meaningful.

Gay couple wedding day walking together
I didn't get to do any shooting during the portrait section of the day because I was holding a light stand the entire time, but I was able to capture this as the guys were heading to the next shot location, and frankly, I love it.

Unique wedding arbor that you can reuse
Jared's dad built this arbor just for the wedding. How is that for unconditional love and support? Every couple should be so lucky.


The looks these two shared were amazing.

Marco is trying to keep it together.

This moment. This is what it is all about.


I can only imagine what these two might have gone through to get to this point, but their expressions tell me that it was all worth it.

Same sex marriage first kiss
"I do!"

Same sex marriage serenade by Franc D'Ambrosio
Jared hired Franc D'Ambrosio, a well known Phantom of the Opera, to come out and serenade them during dinner. It was phenomenal and by far the absolutely most romantic thing I've ever seen at a wedding.

Marco was nearly speechless.

That is one happy groom.

Definitely a keeper.

It was even touching to simply watch these two listen to the performance.

Franc D'Ambrosio of The Phantom of the Opera Seranades
Franc D'Ambrosio

There was dancing still to come, but to me this shot sums up the evening nicely and it's how I like to remember that day.

Venue: Diablo Grande in Patterson, California.

Special Announcement: I've teamed up with Aaron Draper and some other photographers to do a series of critiques. The aim is to give photographers meaningful feedback on their work. Check it out and submit. New critiques every week. http://www.professionalphotocritique.org/

Discounts: Everyone in the wedding party is entitled to a $200 discount for their wedding day.
You can see more from this wedding on our Facebook page here.
If you'd like to find out more about our photography, look us up at www.daveandmel.com
Want to see some editing videos that show a bit of how David works his magic? https://www.youtube.com/user/DefiningDave
More stuff for photographers here: http://www.professionalphotocritique.org/

And if you want to see cute pictures of our kids along with sneak peeks of what we're working on including all of David's little sketches, follow David on Instagram at: http://instagram.com/dnoceti