Tina + Justin -- Engagement Photos at Alamo Square

  This engagement shoot was totally glamorous! We spent several hours with them in Alamo Square, with the classic Painted Ladies in the background (don't worry -- will post more of the photos later!) and tons of adorable photos with puppies -- Tina is crazy about puppies!  Well, who isn't?  Or, kitties for that matter :)

  A super huge congrats to them both!

Bridal Photo Session - San Francisco Wedding Photography - Part 2 - Palace of Fine Arts

    The wedding dress by Jinza fit perfectly, as shown in this detail shot.

    This is part two of our bridal shoot photos. We had such a fantastic time taking these photos and are so excited to be able to share them with you! Can't you just feel the love between these two when you see them together?! Love it!  The Palace of Fine Arts served as a gorgeous backdrop, that worked well with their classic look.

    These two not only look great, but the authenticity of the moment is captured so well that I can almost hear their laughter coming through the photograph!

     A photograph that conveys the optimistic dreams of a young couple on their wedding day.

    Wow!  Doesn't she look great?

     It is almost magical how the struts of the parasol form a heart, a perfect symbol for the occasion.  A wedding photographer must remember not only to document the how the wedding dress looks from the front, but also get all the details from behind, but do so in a manner that captures the elegant curves and romance of the dress.  This photograph is reminiscent of a silhouette, in how it features the simplicity and beauty of the form.

     A floral masterpiece by Honey Pear Floral Designs!  Tell us if you've ever seen a bouquet quite like it.  The delicate yellow orchids are arranged beautifully on flowing branches of pussy willow, in a cascade of flowers that fall from a crown shaped handle.  This innovative arrangement complements the sophistication of the bride's raw silk mermaid gown perfectly.

    What bride doesn't want to feel a little sexy in her wedding dress?  Are we right?

      A strong grip brings the groom in for a tender and playful kiss.  What a story this photograph tells!

Bridal Photo Session - San Francisco Wedding Photography - Part 1

     Here are a few more shots from the beautiful bridal shoot we did in San Francisco a few weekends ago. We loved the misty weather that day, which gave the photos a truly romantic feel! The candid feel of these photographs really convey the authentic joy of the couple with their broad smiles, and yet, each photograph also conveys such a stylish elegance.  The wedding dress was by local San Francisco designer Jinza and the flowers were by Honey Pear Floral Design. More photos to come later this week!

    Love.  Laughter.  Elegance.

    Since we are both also photojournalists, we love capturing photos like these that feature the authentic personality of the couple, and also highlight the joy of the bride and groom on their wedding day.

     There's something so touching and unique about this photograph, which conveys both the spontaneity and joy of the moment, and also a beautiful and timeless story about love told in the symmetry of their pose.
 

Karin and Craig's San Francisco Wedding Photographs Taken with a Holga

    I've been enjoying shooting with my Holga camera, but find it almost unbearable to wait for the film to be developed.  Ariel and I got this roll of film professionally processed at the San Francisco Castro Photoworks, and of course, the anticipation was almost too much, and we ripped open the envelope barely before leaving the service counter.   
    Since Karin and Craig's wedding had a DIY spirit, with a Dia de Los Muertos celebratory theme, I thought that the Holga would be perfect to capture the occasion in a style that pushes beyond realist representation into a more pictorialist mode, and hopefully more ably communicating the whisper-like, evanescent moments of the wedding.  The Holga I use has a softening and uniquely distorting lens, with vignetting at the borders, that tends to produce a more expressionist-quality photograph.  Also, since each frame's negative is 120mm, great resolution is preserved in large-scale enlargements, just in case the newly-weds wanted a life-size portrait to hang on their wall! 
    It was such a joy to shoot at this wedding, located at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House.  The bride looked beautiful in her vintage-inspired wedding dress, with the matching rose and lace bouquet made by her younger brother; the groom matched her style perfectly with a smart charcoal suit, and a playful marigold-orange and bone-white Dia de Los Muertos skull boutonniere.

San Francisco Winter Wedding at Potrero Hill Neighborhood House

We love DIY weddings! Karin and Craig had so many special and unique elements at their wedding, with lots of homespun creations. After being snail mail pen pals for years, via SF and England, Karin and Craig finally met in person and it was love at first sight! Now, three years later, they finally got to throw the wedding they had always dreamed of. They both have a love for all things Halloween and Day of the Dead, and they even concocted a special "love potion" during their wedding ceremony. As San Francisco wedding photographers, we love taking pictures at offbeat and quirky weddings like this one. And Ariel still can't get over how beautiful Karin's dress was!