Posts tagged sfbayarea
Bridal Studio Session

Who says you can’t do a bridal photoshoot in the studio, not on your actual wedding day. Eli didn’t think so. If you like photos and really want perfection without worrying about what’s next on your wedding day agenda, studio photos on a different day are a great option. It’s just all about you and capturing the best images without all the wedding day stress. As a result we I want to bring out the beauty Eli possesses and not make it about the wedding dress only. Let’s just say the wedding dress was extra.

For a photographer who shoots a lot of weddings this was an opportunity to really take time, get perfect light, perfect poses, emotions without having people around, without time restrictions, location restrictions and all so many fun things weddings have. Within hour and half we were able to get lots of awesome shots. Here are some examples of what we were going for during our session.

Priscilia & Derrick

This was by far the most unique and insane wedding sessions I’ve ever shot. Insane because San Francisco got covered with dark orange haze making a day look like a night time. We never saw the sun and there was barely any light when we started at 11.30 AM. It felt like we were on a different planet.

But that didn’t stop Priscilia and Derrick. They originally planned to get married on Bali this summer, but COVID changed these plans. They ended up booking a virtual ceremony at San Francisco City Hall followed a session with your truly. But another surprise happened on the day of their wedding. Wildfires burning in California and Oregon brought down a huge dark orange cloud covering San Francisco Bay Area, creating what some call a ‘nuclear winter’ feel.

How many times have i said I get very lucky with the couples i photograph? I really am! Priscilia and Derrick just went along with whatever the day brought them. I offered to reshoot some other day when there was light if they felt so. But they were dressed up, ready to go and willing to go with whatever the day brought them. And I’m so glad they did. We got some of the most unique wedding photos and the couple was really happy with the end results. The credit really goes to them for enjoying the day no matter what happens. It’s a lesson we can all learn

Editorial work

It’s not a ground breaking statement that Covid-19 has turned our plans inside out. Lot of weddings i had booked for the summer got either cancelled, postponed or are up in the air.

San Francisco City Hall is quiet these days with no brides rushing through the security check point to get to room 168. No numerous photographers waiting in line to take a must have Grand Stairwell photo. No quinceanera girls dressed up as some princess from Disney movie with her makeup/hair artist, photographer and a few assistants taking over some area in the City Hall.

I miss that craziness but it’s also good to use the break and time to work on other aspects of photography that i like.

I enjoy shooting weddings for many reasons. I get to meet couples with their families and friends on one of their most memorable days. I get to share it with them, capture these moments. And while there’s a lot of pressure to get it right the 1st time (there are no redos here), I enjoy that adrenaline rush and excitement. So it’s natural that I miss it, but it also opened up an opportunity for me to spend more time shooting something else. I enjoy working in the studio or on location focusing more on editorial kind of work. While there’s plenty of spontaneity it also gives more time to think through some of the shots, create concepts and gives more room to play during the session. There’s more time to think and something new to try that i wouldn’t normally do during the wedding.

A few samples from 2 of my most recent sessions.