Kathryn and Mark: Glen Park

Glen Canyon Park, and Glen Park in general REALLY don't get enough attention.  Let's show some love for Glen Park!  Saturday was one of the hottest days of the year in San Francisco and turned out to be a perfect day for a hot engagement session!!  

Vietnam Part 2

These kids cycling to school just blew me away...  My bus was stopped for a lunch break somewhere in between small town and smaller town Vietnam.  It was blazing hot as we sat at the lunch counter drinking soup... The traditional Vietnamese breakfast, sometimes lunch, dinner and/or midnight snack- Pho... mmmmmmmm...

During my visit to the hill town of Dalat, I booked an "Easy Rider Motorcycle Tour" for the day.  On the back of what was barely a motorcycle down very windy and beautiful roads I watched the Vietnamese country side whiz by...  We stopped to meet some very cute kids with very dirty feet!  My favorite :)

This woman and her daughter were making rice wine in the back of their house from tons of rice.  I was going to try some, but just a whiff was enough.  This "wine" could probably fuel a large aircraft.

Next, was the tour of a silkworm factory.  I had visited one before in India, and this time I was ready to shoot.  The process is fascinating and the imagery captivating!  I am not sure this tangle of raw silk will ever be used, but it looked so beautiful to me, hanging there in front of the cocoon farm.

The cocoons are collected and washed in warm water, where the silk threads are pulled apart by hand and spun onto a wheel...

Then, in the same factory, there are woven into the silk used to make all types of clothing and fabrics and later dyed...

Vietnam!!!

You may or may not know that I spent the better part of January traveling in Vietnam.  I began my route in Ho Chi Minh City and made my way up to Hanoi and to the rice patty laden hills surrounding Sapa.  It was such a beautiful and amazing trip! I am very excited to share with you some of my photos and experiences.

One of the most memorable was a trek in the muddy hills of North Vietnam.  We ran across the most amazing faces...  These hills are home to various tribes, among them Black, Red and Flower Hmong, and Red Dzao.

Abby & Bill Engagement Session

It was so great getting to know Abby & Bill this weekend!  I always say that e-sessions are the perfect way to warm up to your photographer (and vice-versa btw).  Thanks guys for getting me out to such a beautiful spot on a Saturday morning!!!   I did not go running the next day... but this weekend, for sure!  ;)

mo belly mo belly mo belly!!

One of my favorite things about being a Wedding Photographer is becoming "The Family Photographer"!

Beth and Matt were married in 2008 at the beautiful Cornerstone Gardens. Now they are pregnant and they invited ME (!) to their beautiful home to take some Maternity Photos...
It was so awesome to see them as always, and I sooooo can't wait to meet the new baby!  Patience, I have been told, is a virtue.  Hmph.

It was great having Matt there to hop into the photos.  

It often helps to have your partner there with you to make you feel more comfortable during the shoot.  They also make great assistants!  ;)

Its been too long...

Okay okay... I know. bad form.  It has been too long since my last blog... As you can tell I am working on a whole new identity, plus (+) I did spend a month traveling in Vietnam (I promise I will have some photos very very soon....)

For now you will have to settle for photos of one of my favorite babies on earth!!! Enjoy!

Erin and Todd

Congratulations Erin and Todd!

Wow, what a gorgeous day!  Erin and Todd had their beautiful intimate wedding at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, California.  I had never been there before, and was so so so pleasantly surprised.

The grounds were just gorgeous, with so many special settings for great couple shots.

We had  absolutely perfect light for the portraits before the ceremony.  I could have shot there for a million years!


Erin showed up ready to roll, hair and makeup beautifully in place, she looked stunning, and with the most impressive pair of yellow shoes!!!

Todd was busy setting up their very own little photo booth.  Brilliant, they picked the fabric, and I brought along guest shooter Chyna Darner to capture portraits throughout the day.  What a great do it yourself photo booth!  I think I'm going to start offering this at all my weddings, it was really fun and I was almost jealous that I couldn't be there for all that craziness!!

Erin and Todd (along with Erin's mom) have been collecting old lanterns and birdcages all year to decorate the site.  It really added an elegance and softness to the day.

It was so much fun to walk the grounds with Erin and Todd, they were in such high spirits (not that I wouldv'e expected otherwise) but we really got a chance to play with the scenery and get a bunch of great shots without missing out on too much of the fun of cocktail hour.  I love that!



The food and beverage supplied by All Seasons Catering  was phenomenal.  I was so impressed.  their honeymoon margarita really stole the show!

Notice all the beautiful letterpress by dauphine press??

From the bride, " my mom and I shopped the Alameda Antique Fair, flea markets and second hand shops for nearly a year to find the decorations: vintage white vases for the tables, the lanterns, chalkboard. We did the décor ourselves including hand assembling the favor boxes filled with sea salt chocolate caramels (by Cutie Cakes Bakeshop in Sebastopol) and wrapping each of the disposable lighters in decorative paper for the first dance.

Also a little different — I walked down the aisle to the intro to Love Song by Tesla, recessional was Sweet Child O’ Mine by G’n’R and first dance was I’ll Be There For You by Bon Jovi."

Link Love:

Venue: Marin Art & Garden Center
Invites/printed items:  Dauphine Press
Dress: Amy Kuschel Bride
Catering: All Seasons Catering
Flowers: Vanda Floral
Cake: Laurie Lucov
Make Up: Evet De Cota
Hair: Lisa Christensen