When asked to capture portraits here on the coastside, everyone assumes it has to be on the beach (which, if I have to be honest, is my favorite place too), but there are just so many places I have discovered and am still discovering here on the coast and in the bay area.  Not to mention if its beach you want, how many different looks we have to offer here!  From San Gregorio, Miramar, and Montara, three of my favorites and all so different! I love Northern California and all it has to offer in terms of beauty!  I couldn't imagine doing this anywhere else!  These are all images captured here on the coast, enjoy! 

I love Stowe Lake in Golden Gate Park!  I have the honor of capturing Irina and Todd's wedding this June. I am so excited to capture this for these two.  Irina and Todd had such a sexy style and great artistic vision when planning their engagement session, that I can only imagine what their wedding day will be like. Irina really wanted to rent paddle boats on Stowe lake, mainly for their old world style bridges.  On top of the great bridges and Row boats, this location even has a great cascading waterfall!  It was perfect.  But bring along a couple that has such amazing chemistry,the shoot couldn't have been any better!  Here are some shots from this great sexy, romantic, and fun session.

I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful women by the name of Lovene a few years back, we had a fun photo shoot down by the Ocean Colony Beach.... she has such amazing spirit and strength.  Fast forward a few years, and I get a call from her wanting to commission me to capture a dear friends of hers from Oklahoma.  Always the best compliment!  Not knowing what to expect, we chose the beach.  I failed to ask the age of her children (which I always do), and expected them to be younger, so had pack my monkey puppet and beach pail, and headed out to meet this family.  Oooops, this is a grown family, and it wasn't going to be that kind of shoot :)  Live and learn. Clyde and Colleen, their two boys and their wives were on a visit to the west coast... grandchildren left at home. They got lucky and were blessed with one of our magical fall nights on the beach with a minus tide.  There was so much love in this family, it radiated in the images.  I always love when I can capture the soul too, and that is exactly what was happening on this night.

And of course, when I get the images back, I succeeded by producing tears of joy.  Yeah me.  Towards the end of the slideshow, Colleen had mention in passing that Clyde was sad the day of the shoot, not wanting to pry, I let it go as that.  As a follow up visit, she then confided in me that she has terminal cancer and this was her big trip out with her family.  Clyde was sad that day, because he knew they were capturing something more than just an image.  

I am honored to have met this family, even before I knew the fate, but now I feel blessed to have crossed paths with them.  May the love they have for each other get them through this difficult transition.  Thank you, Lovene, for bringing them into my lives, even if it was just for a moment.

Here are a few images of that day: