Online Dating Requires Good Image

My nephew called before his family trip to visit us for Thanksgiving. His request: a good picture for his online image. Now he didn't say "online dating" but I knew it was time. He was done with college and was getting well-established in his career so what was next. Ah ha, a family.

So I went out scouting in my area for some new places for late day lighting. At the appointed time, he arrived with a bag of new clothes and freshly cut hair and off we went to this gorgeous, rusty bridge I found down the street. (I love old bridges!)

Well, it must have worked. The following year, he was dating and shortly thereafter, the engagement was announced. I feel like I helped find the bride, in a sense.

Senior Model

I hadn't seen this young lady since she was 6 years old so when her mother called to schedule a graduation session I was excited. Boy, was I surprised though when we met at the location selected. She had grown up into an absolutely gorgeous young woman. To say she was highly photogenic was certainly a good description.

Black is Beautiful

As I get to know my new town of Santa Maria, I looked for help working with dark-complexions and found this family in need of some great images. What a match made in heaven. We met at my new favorite sunset location, Jim May Park. (A secret of a location indeed. Even the locals don't know where it is.)

Michelle and her lovely met me there at sunset and the weather was perfect. I think I wore them out trying every different angle I could manage. I forgot to tell them we might we walking a lot, like around the whole lake. But I think the images were definitely worth the effort.

September Wedding

Samantha and her groom were such a wonderful couple to shoot mostly because of the love that was oozing out so easily that it just jumped into almost every image I took. The venue of the Dallidet Adobe and Gardens near downtown San Luis Obispo was fabulous. I really love old gardens more than I realized. History is under every petal, brick and step you take. This wedding is forever recorded in the minds of this couple and their family and loved ones as part of the history of this ancient place.

Trash the Dress

I had been looking for the opportunity to do a "trash the dress" photo shoot so when Christa called me to ask about such a thing as a anniversary gift for her husband, the ideas came flying out of my mouth. We finally agreed on a water scene in San Luis Obispo. I found a natural creek in a isolated area and she met me there with a friend and a change of clothes. 

Of course, the main focus was Christa in a gorgeous wedding dress which she offset nicely with a hot pink bra (picture mild and tasteful wet t-shirt look). The weather was fabulous but the water was still very cold so we worked quickly before her lips turned blue.

In the end, the dress was left in the trash can so it really was a "trash the dress" shoot.

Vacation at the Beach

You are never too old to have great images, especially when love is involved. Can I make that into a famous quote or something? It's definitely one of my mottos and April and her husband are a good example of that. 

We met at Shell Beach for their photo session but they live in Lancaster. Did I mention how much I enjoy capturing the look of love between two people? Love it!!!