March 14th, 2011:

So, would you all like to know how random the world can be? Yes? I thought so.

Way back in 2005, before I ever met my wife, Felicia spent a semester studying French in Paris.  Her program had students from Singapore, Virginia Tech, Hong Kong and University California Riverside.  There she met Lisette who was attending UCR and was also studying French. They hit it off, became friends, then after a few months went back to their separate continents with a little email contact to keep in touch.

Fast forward to 2007, Felicia bumps into me in Tibet and I reveal I am originally from Riverside, CA – She is startled by the fact she knows people there, and remarks the world is a small place.

Then in 2008 Felicia makes her way to California to visit me and lets Lisette know she will be in Riverside soon.  Lisettes reply: “WHY would you be coming to RIVERSIDE?!?!”  I mean out of all the places in California to come visit, Riverside usually doesn’t rank high in the tourist index.  Felicia reveals to her that it’s for a boy  (At this point I imagine they chattered like school girls all about me and various other boys, but this fact can or cannot be confirmed).  Felicia met up with Lisette during her 2008 trip, then life continued to happen and a couple more years passed before they saw each other again.

Then in 2010, after Felicia and I had married and moved to Burbank, we were invited to a birthday dinner for Lisette, where we first met Dom. We saw their connection and how well they interacted, and it was only a short while before we received the call about wedding photography.  We are thrilled to be part of their upcoming day and later this week we are all headed into the woods to shoot the second half of their engagement photos in the great outdoors.

I love all the chance interactions in life that bring people together.

Yes, there was a random bus driver taking a break who was more than happy to let us shoot a couple images on his empty bus.  The charming fellow (whose name I didn’t catch) even went as far as to suggest other locations we had to shoot at.  +1 for the kindness of strangers in the city.

Two things I love: f/1.2 (above) and clients who can hold a pose rock solid for an entire second so I can get cool light trails from the taillights of passing cars (below)

Felicia and I decided this last picture is the perfect image for when Dom and Lisette star in their own primetime police drama about two cops on the streets of L.A.

Dom, like any great man, is a huge Star Wars fan, and Lisette bought him a legit lightsaber as a surprise gift for this shoot, so we HAD to bring them out.

You guys are awesome and we can’t wait to see you later this week! (It’s hard to say no to meeting up with people who love lightsaber fights as much as I do)