From this same wedding I did a post about photographing downwards from upwards positions. Well it’s very easy when the subjects are much shorter than you.
One good consideration is that you can find cleaner backgrounds for the pictures (like on the right picture)
There’s something about having someone tilt their head upwards like this… they often come up with great expressions naturally.
Remember the things you make them do will effect the emotions coming from their face… ergo the look you get.
This was from a wedding reception in California on the 3rd of July this year and as usual taken at the lowest aperture of the lens 2.8 usually.
The purpose of this post is to inspire people to take pictures wherever they want. Old stereotypes be damned.
Baker is what many might consider one of the Ugliest towns in the United States, boring and hot. Good for gasoline and some fast food. So I was excited to shoot some engagement pictures there. The couple traveling with me seemed to think I was just being goofy and playing a joke, (understandable) so we only took a few.
(Above) This is just outside of Baker… the mountains are certainly nothing out of northern Utah… not the typical vision of beauty. But it makes it strong and unique. Yeah I wish I had shot for more than about 2-3 minutes. I also wish it wasn’t 100 degrees.
What’s the most distinctive thing about Baker? The tallest thermometer in the world.
So I convinced them to get out for a minute or two and shoot here in the middle of an ugly, empty, hot and dirty parking lot.
Looking back the iconic aspect of having the thermometer is cool but I’m such a fan of the colors and the sky. Made laying down on the burning hot ground worth it.
Underneath a billboard for some shade… hoping to get the trailer park a bit more in the scene. I should have stoop up high on something to get more of the scenery.
The colors of this place are distinct in the pictures… you can’t really tell it’s late morning and almost 100 degrees. I actually like the way the color of this place is mid day.
NOT BAKER (Below)
OK so we stopped several locations during our trip and this was mid morning outside of st. george off of some random street. The color and light was amazing when we passed by but we hit another location first and so we didn’t get back for about an hour. easily my favorite pictures of the event… even if I was excited about trying to make Baker look good.
I’ll do more spots in baker next time.
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We were staying at the beach house of next week’s bride (last week) I thought it’d be fun to do some pictures for her (spontaneous) prior to leaving back for Utah. So we talked down to the beach and took some pictures in a short 40-60 minute block of time she had open.
I love that she’s picking something different for her wedding dress and it matches her personality and looks.
I look forward to the wedding this Saturday.
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Here is a preview of the wedding pictures taken last Friday in Los Angeles.
More pictures will be posted later of the events later that evening.
We tried to stay in areas out of the direct harsh sun… or we blocked the light with large reflectors.
To see more pictures see this preview gallery
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(Above) I’m pretty happy with this picture because they wanted a picnic look and had these grand aspirations of the prototypical look, and when I saw this bright and yet rustic fence I thought this will be different and fun. They trusted me enough that their awesome idea would work in a grungy street in the middle of no where on a patch of here today gone tomorrow green grassy-weedy with a couple of surprise flowers. No big fancy set up needed… just plop down the blanket and basket and say, hey by the way we’re doing your picnic picture here now have yourself a little romantic moment while I lay down on this sidewalk.
A continuation
Last week I posted a teaser of some of the pictures I had taken at night of a couple in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Rest
Today I share the rest of the pictures taken throughout the day and throughout the city.
They get married in July in Idaho but she lives close to San Fransisco and I was already there doing a wedding, so he came down and we spent a few hours trying out dozens of locations throughout the city.
You want good pictures?
What makes for a great engagement picture session? a whole bunch of enthusiasm… and this couple certainly had it and it led to me trying out a bunch of new things. If a couple is good with “whatever” then that’s what happens, and if they want amazing and are willing to work for it, then that’s what we’ll strive for.
see the gallery of many many more pictures
No… no one is a pilot… but we saw it from the freeway and all thought it looked so scenic… and we were right!
(Above Right) – “Sitting on the dock of the bay -Watching the tide roll away - I’m just sitting on the dock of the bay - Wasting time”
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This is a little teaser of the long engagement session I did yesterday… this was the end of a long day. I didn’t mind because I don’t get to shoot in the bay area very often so why not take a little extra time and take a bunch of pictures all over the place. Now next time I am asked to come back and shoot around here I’ll know what to expect and have some great ideas.
There’s a reason why the end of the photo shoot is always the best pictures… often because the lighting is the most dynamic and also because when you take your best pictures you decide then that you’re about done and therefore the best pictures were at the end.
But as for all the other hundreds of pictures all throughout San Fransisco you’ll have to wait to see those I’m sure.
As well as all the travel pictures and the wedding I did on Friday.
So we got up at the point and there were a whole slew of photographers taking pictures… everyone had a tripod and one of the guys asked what I was shooting at. 1/13th at 1.4 and he wondered where my tripod was… um yeah my tripod were the two flashes sitting on the posts.
In fact to exagerate the point I litterally shook and moved my camera As I took the pictures.
Most people often have a lot of things they say they’ll “get back to” when they have the time.
Well I’ve got tens of thousands of those things.
(above) Some Highlights from wild animal park.
(Below) I can’t even remember the name of this place… I don’t think I owned a GPS for my camera at that time either.
Big sand dune.
More of the Wild Animal Park
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You might think I made the poor kid cry… but I stand innocent.
I suppose sometimes kids just cry. I know that never happens to any of your kids.
Parents aren’t supposed to have favorites… but photographers can.
This red-head is a model in the making.
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We came back later in the day… Thus no one around.
I think i’ve seen every schedule possible for a wedding day… but I must admit this was the first time I took group pictures and then left for the luncheon and then came back for the couple pictures.
I liked it… a bit less rush.
For those that didn’t hear it last time… Sacramento LDS temple is probably one of my favorite temples to shoot at!
My philosophy on group pictures is: Let them decide, I’ll just make it look good.
I don’t want to put groups into situations they think are gonna be terribly cheesy.
But if they think of it themselves they’re probably good with it.
This way I get new ones each time and if they’re a more traditional group I’m not putting them into some elaborate set up they won’t even appreciate when a straight line is probably all they want.
Sometimes the good ol’ fashion jump is amongst the best… and this is amongst the most entertaining of them… as far as faces go.
To view the entire album go to http://jarviedigital.smugmug.com/gallery/8840079_qymoP
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First of all let me say that I LOVED shooting at the Sacramento LDS Temple
The temple Grounds were wonderful, with lots of places to shoot:
Little river beds, archways, fountains, plenty of places to sit, nice windows and doors, and a great place for group pictures if people are up for it.
Full Gallery – Highlights first
Full Gallery – Chronological
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THE SEARCH
I have commenced a long process of searching for all photographers.
I am starting with Utah and focusing on Wedding Photographers
My database so far for Utah is 300+ Photographers, 100 Californian Photographers, 75 Colorado 50NY
A Mega-Database
I am storing lots of information for each photographer, most importantly a link to their site.
Eventually I will share this information on a massive informational website… kinda like a price/product comparison site.
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Taking the Long road back…
On the way back from taking pictures at a wedding in Los Angeles
I stopped at places like Joshua Tree National Park (Above)
And along the Coast (Above)
And I spent some time in San Diego (Including Old Town San Diego – Below)
And a San Diego Padres baseball game. (Below)
I also took a short 3 hour tour through Mexico (Below)
And Finally I spent 2 days at Zion National Park doing 3 popular hikes. (Below)
Of the 3000+ pictures 150 were selected for these galleries
They are divided into two sections.
LA to Mexico
(which includes a substantial amount of pictures from Joshua Tree National Park)
Zion’s National Park
Genny and Dan’s wedding at the Los Angeles LDS temple and reception in Pasedena
Open Gallery
Full galleries require a password : from myself or the wedding couple
Couple, Temple, Group, Reception, Luncheon and others
