July 8th, 2021:
Alex + Mike were married at Seven4One in Laguna beach and I have to say, this intimate venue always makes for one hell of a party. Maybe it’s because everyone is mixed well into the defined party spaces and it encourages mingling, but whatever creates that vibe, I couldn’t get enough of celebrating with these two! Congrats you to you both!
June 19th, 2017:
Laguna Beach is one of those places in the world that always seems to be exactly what you need, when you need it. I arrived a couple hours before Sandy + Thomas’ engagement session and just wandered through town and relaxed in the sand watching the sea; the weather was warm, the skies blue and I felt alive. When Sandy + Thomas arrived a couple hours before sunset we meandered through town for the first half of their session before heading down to Victoria beach to catch the sunset.
Some days can be perfect, and this was one of those for me. My head was cleared and I was able to spend a few hours with a beautiful couple doing what I love most, creating images. I feel ready to kick off the summer wedding season in full force!
Sandy + Thomas, thank you for being game for it all and trusting me even when I had you scampering over slippery rocks to get to that perfect spot! See you in a couple months!
March 13th, 2016
A few years back Natalie was the maid of honor at her best friend Amanda’s wedding to Tyson; now that her and Andrew are getting married, they called me up to take part in their celebration as well! They’ll be getting married next month at Castle Green in Pasadena, but before we get to that we all headed down to Laguna Beach to photograph an engagement at the new Treasure Island park on the cliffs along Pacific Coast Highway. The sun was out and the weather was cool, creating one of those perfect Southern California “winter” days and an excellent setting to get to know Andrew and Natalie. Thanks for the great afternoon at the beach and I’ll see you both very soon!
December 1st, 2015:
Andrew + Kate are getting married in Detroit next year, but before heading home for the celebration they wanted to have their engagement photographs taken around their newly adopted home town of Laguna Beach. These two we’re both troopers in what was a rather chilly December day, and I have to give a special shout out to Kate for being exceptionally nimble, climbing around the tidal rocks in high heels and never once complaining or missing a step!
Thanks for the great afternoon Kate + Andrew!
October 19th, 2015:
After Amber + Mike’s epic engagement session inside the Nokia Theater, I knew their “Backyard Wedding” was going to be an beautiful event, but when I arrived at the house in the hills of Laguna Beach I was stunned by the endless panorama of the Pacific Ocean and the amazing light of this home. Not to be outshone by their location, these two were glowing the entire day and we’re even game when I said “Hey, do you want to climb through some bushes to get some sunset pictures?” – I am always thrilled that my clients trust me enough to follow through with my ridiculous ideas.
Congratulations again to you both and thanks for letting Kenny and I be there for your celebration!
November 20th, 2014:
Jandiz and I have know each other for about 15 years – we first met way back in 1999 in Bill Myer’s technical theater class where we had the privilege of learning about everything technical about the theater world. Somewhere between learning the difference between a carriage bolt, a loft block and a keystone we became friends and even though she spent the last decade in New York, we somehow manage to keep in touch. It was in New York where she met Nick and when I learned they were moving to California and getting married, I couldn’t wait to meet up with them, get to know Nick and gain a couple more L.A. friends!
I am throughly happy for these two and thrilled to see my friend find such an amazing husband. Congrats to you both and I’ll see you guys soon!
June 5th, 2013:
Blog post by Felicia:
Last year, when Rob and I were still visiting in Singapore, we received an email from Mike, who is based in Maryland. He was planning a California vacation with his girlfriend, and… he was also planning to propose! Mike is super meticulous, and carefully researched sites and locations, wanting nothing but perfection for this special surprise.
So six months later, we finally get to meet Mike & Amanda. Apparently Mike only told Amanda about the shoot right when they pulled up in Laguna Beach, on the pretext that it was a surprise birthday gift to her (yay May babies! Like Rob and myself!), and to capture the beautiful California landscape.
They were both really easy-going and we had lots of laughs, so hopefully that helped calm Mike’s nerves! Incidentally, we were talking about how birds are jerks because a swan pecked at me when I was a child, and Mike readily agreed because a row of birds seem to particularly enjoy pooping on his car. Right when we finished that conversation, I lifted the camera to my eye, and found a big milky white streak on it, and on my jacket…
SEAGULL POOP?!
That confirms it. Birds are jerks.
I was told that being pooped on by a seagull is good luck. Well, it was a very lucky indeed day for Mike & Amanda then, as the surprise proposal was a resounding SUCCESS!
Congrats Mike & Amanda!
August 10th, 2012:
Blog post by Felicia:
Earlier this week, Rob and I met up with Nick & Jamie for their engagement shoot around Laguna Beach. They are absolute beach people, and Nick is an avid surfer, so they knew from the start that they wanted to shoot here.
As we chatted with Nick & Jamie, we realized that they not only came recommended by Matt & Amber, they also knew Sean & Amber, Katie & Brett, Cassandra, Heather, and who knows who else! It’s super cool to realize the connectedness of the world we live in!
We wandered around downtown Laguna Beach for a while, and after dodging the unceasing throngs of sun-seeking tourists with their fanny packs and Birkenstocks for the umpteenth time, Nick suddenly had an idea, and asked if we would like to go to a special spot he knew of.
Ever-ready for adventure, Rob and I gave a hearty “LET’S GO!”, and before we knew it, we were following closely behind Nick & Jamie, as Nick navigated the undulating hills of the neighboorhood with intensity, speed, and great familiarity.
When we finally got to the special spot, it was definitely worth it: a steep crest on the cliffs of Laguna, overlooking the wide azure expanse that is the Pacific Ocean.
As I stepped out of the car, I noticed something, and asked Rob, “What’s that smell?”
It was burning rubber. Our tires were definitely put to the test!
Of course, we had to catch sunset at the beach, since they used to spend entire summers here. Nick & Jamie were certainly seasoned beach people, not even flinching when we had them navigate the barnacle-covered rocks in their bare feet, nor when we had them stand in the tidepools that were full of anemones, crabs, and other assorted seafood oceanic creatures (we were careful not to trample them, of course!).
See the frame on the left? We had Nick & Jamie hold still for a portrait against the deep blue skies, but without warning, a HUGE wave crashed upon us!
In the next frame (on the right) You can barely make out Nick & Jamie’s silhouettes, still holding their pose, through the wall of water that mercilessly soaked them, Rob, myself, and all our gear. We were just glad nothing/no one got washed away, especially after Nick had told us a horror story earlier about a couple posing for pictures, and suddenly being washed out to sea — not before being bashed real bad against the rocks. Ouch.
So I guess, if you put things in perspective, at least no one suffered any bodily harm. We all had a good laugh, called it a day, and even witnessed a bold act of “coitus-not-interruptus” on the beach as we made our way back to our cars.
We’re thrilled to get to know Jamie & Nick, and they’re certainly as cool and as much fun as all our previous clients in their circle of friends. If past experience is anything to go by, we’re certainly looking forward to one hell of a party at their wedding next year! Congrats, Jamie & Nick!
May 31st, 2011:
Liz & Brent came recommended to us last year from John (who is one of their co-workers), shortly after his and Nathasha’s wedding. We had a great time shooting their after-dark engagement session in downtown LA last November, and before we know it, it was time for their wedding – one of the two we shot shortly after returning from Singapore.
This Mikimoto pearl necklace was Liz’s “something borrowed”, kindly loaned to her by Brent’s Mom Debbie. The necklace goes back a long way: It was a gift Debbie’s Dad brought from Japan for her mother.
Kudos to Liz’s bridal party who, without hesitation, kicked off their high heels and struck a pose on the sand as we did photos before they headed over to Tivoli Too for the ceremony & reception.
The overcast day caused some concern, seeing as both the ceremony and reception were outdoors. Thankfully, the skies held up, and the dense cloud cover meant nice diffused light which made for awesome pictures without harsh shadows. Perfect natural lighting!
Congrats Liz & Brent!
