La Bella Vita Photography Blog

Featured as Wedding Website of the Week

2009-12-21T09:55:00.000-08:00

Just got some great news in my inbox this morning. Derek and Michele Lapsley's Paradise Springs wedding was featured as the Wedding of the Week over at www.collages.net. You can check out their images here.

Married: Juan & Shelby Fresno Luxury Wedding Photography

2009-11-17T22:44:00.000-08:00

Juan and Shelby have done it...yep, they tied the knot...and did it in style. They had an amazing wedding at Shelby's parents Italian villa inspired residence. The back yard was initially set up for the ceremony, then once the ceremony concluded, all of the guests moved to the courtyard in the front of the house for hand passed appetizers and to enjoy a mariachi band. While this was going on the back yard was being transformed into an amazing reception area much like that of a fine dining restaurant. Another one of the coolest things I'd seen in a while was the flowers on the cake were exact replicas of those on Shelby's dress. It's this kind of attention to detail that makes my "job" so much fun. Once again, and it seems I say this for every client, I am so fortunate to be able to work with families such as Juan and Shelby's. Thank you for allowing me to capture your wedding memories that I hope you will cherish for a lifetime.

Some of the fabulous wedding vendors that made all of this possible are as follows.
Oh So Swank
Pardini's Catering
Classic Party Rentals
Cloth Connection
Brown Bunny Flowers
You're The Star Video
Party DJ Party
Spanish Guitar Talent
Creme de la Cake
Media Solutions

Married: Garrett & Lyndi- Wolf Lakes Wedding, Sanger

2009-11-06T07:35:00.001-08:00

Up next is Garrett and Lyndi. Woot! This wedding came to me from photographing Garrett's brother's Senior pictures not too many years ago. I've also done some portraits for Garrett's family as well. I love it when families continue to come to me to capture their important family memoriess. LOVE it!

Anywhoooo, Garrett and Lyndi's wedding was held on a Friday afternoon at the beautiful Wolf Lakes in Sanger, CA. The weather couldn't have been better and everything went off without a hitch. Check below for some of my favorites from the day.

I know I've mentioned it before but a big THANK YOU once again to Garrett and Lyndi and their families for having me play such an important role in capturing those precious memories.

Halloween 2009 @ the Ellises

2009-11-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

Jen and I decided again this year to have a little Halloween get together with friends, family, and neighbors and it was FUN, FUN, FUN. I ended up settin' up the camera, lights, and backdrop and takin' pictures of everyone. I'm not sure the sugar has even worn off yet as the kids are up early and still bouncin' off the walls but in the meantime see some of my faves below. If you wanna see some more Halloween goodness from our shindig just go here.

Married: Ryan & Aimee Wedding @ Wine & Roses, Lodi, CA

2009-10-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I headed up North to witness (and photograph) Ryan and Aimee's wedding. It was located at the beautiful Wine & Roses in Lodi, CA. Although things ran a bit behind (well, a lot behind) schedule, we still managed to pull off some great creative shots and we were still able to have a first look, which I love love love when my clients choose to do that. Check out some of my favorites from the day and be sure to let me know in the comments what you think.

Married: Graham & Jaime- Holland Park West Wedding

2009-10-27T13:22:00.001-07:00

Not too long ago I photographed Jaime's High School Senior Portraits. I always jokingly (with a very serious side to it) make the girls promise me that I'll be the one to photograph their wedding as well....you know it's good for business. ;) Well, Jaime met Graham, the man of her dreams, just a couple short years after she graduated from High School and I got a call asking me to photograph their wedding. Woo hoo! It worked.

It was a beautiful, albeit a little warm (err, HOT) Friday afternoon. They both got ready at Holland Park West. They shared their first look there (love those), as well as some portraits, and then we headed to Northwest Church for the ceremony, and then jumped back to Holland Park West for the reception.

Please take a peek at some of my favorites from the day.....and a big THANK YOU goes out to Graham and Jaime, as well as their families for having me share such an important role in their wedding. Thank you for allowing me to do what I LOVE to do.

Married: Derek & Michele, a Paradise Springs Wedding

2009-10-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, back from my beauty rest. It's time for the rest of Derek and Michele's images from their beautiful Paradise Springs wedding. I was honored to be chosen as Derek's wedding photographer. He's a great photog in his own right and has a great eye for composition. If you get a minute you should check out some of his work. I also want to thank Justin and Cori for helping me out that day. There was a lot of mountain climbing and when you're shooting for another photog you wanna make sure not to miss anything. Now, on to the pics.

Married: Derek & Michele....Paradise Springs teaser

2009-10-21T03:28:00.000-07:00

It's official. Derek and Michele are married. And it's also official that I'm tired beyond belief and falling asleep at my computer, hence only one image for now from Derek and Michele's wedding. There are a ton more on it's way as soon as I get some beauty rest.....promise.

Introducing Joe and Jerrica...a Platinum Weddings couple

2009-09-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

I just heard the news this morning about Joe and Jerrica's upcoming wedding. They've been chosen to be on the reality TV show Platinum Weddings. I'm so excited to be a part of it. I know there's been lots of behind the scenes work to make this happen and it's definitely paid off. We opted to do a "day after" session sometime after the wedding rather than an engagement session (we've got some pretty fun things planned) but here's a few pictures that were done for their playbill/program for the wedding reception.

Married: Reno & Mikhaila

2009-09-11T19:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend while most of us were "un"laboring on labor day weekend, Reno and Mikhaila were getting married...and I was fortunate enough to be able to take part in it, as their photographer. I photographed Mikhaila's sister's Senior pictures a couple of years ago so it was great to be able to see and visit with the family again. Everything was held in the Palatine building/Slates Restaurant where there was loads of photo opportunities. After the record setting ceremony (4 minutes), we headed to the roof to do a bridal party picture as well as the "creative portraits" of both Reno and Mikhaila. My great assistant Justin once again facilitated in the making of lots of these shots, and even took some of these shots, and I couldn't have done it without him so major props to him. Take a look below at some of my favorites and be sure to let me know what you think in the comments.

Engaged: Ryan & Aimee

2009-09-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Aimee love being outdoors so we decided to take this engagement shoot to the foothills where we could have some uncluttered views to work with. It was a beautiful location, and I even got to climb (and almost fall out of) a tree. These two are getting married in only a few weeks at an amazing location in Lodi called Wine & Roses. Take a peek at my most favorite pics from that day.

Engaged: Reno & Mikhaila

2009-09-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, this wedding is coming up pretty quick.....like, uhmmm.....tomorrow. I can't wait. We made a little time amongst Reno and Mikhaila's busy schedules to head out for a mini-engagement session. We managed to hit all of Fresno's hot spots, like the back lot of UPS, under a random bridge at FWY 99, and a baseball field. Seriously, it was nearly 90 degrees when we were shooting. Anywho, here's some of my favs from the day. Enjoy!

Engaged: Garrett & Lyndi

2009-09-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

We all definitely shared a few giggles on this engagement shoot. Garrett and Lyndi, like most of us, share a love of caffeine, so we started their shoot off with a little jolt from a nearby Starbucks and then we walked over to Woodward Park in Fresno. We even got to grab a few shots with their "kids" Toby and Izzy. Shortly after that we did an outfit change, well they did, and then headed to River Park to finish off the shoot. I know Garrett's been hittin' the refresh button waitin' for this blog to hit so without further delay, enjoy the pics.

Jungkshen killed it at the Starline in Fresno

2009-08-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

So, my buddy and fellow photo homey is named Ryan.
Ryan plays in a band.
That band is called Jungkshen.
Jungkshen pretty much KICKS A**.

Enjoy some of my favorite pics from the night, and even a quick video at the end.

Below are my fellow photo papparazzi Justin and

Steve. Between the three of us we had the event covered pretty well. ;)

Married: Dennis & Gina

2009-08-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

Gina's got to be one of the sweetest people I've met....Dennis isn't so bad either. ;) Seriously, he's one of the most laid back guys I know. With everyone's hectic schedules I ended up photographing their mini-engagement session just days before they got married so I've decided to post both their engagement and wedding pictures here together. They got married on the patio of their gorgeous Italian Villa style home in Fresno in front of a small group of family and friends. It was a beautiful ceremony and we even managed to escape the recent heat waves. Please check out some of my favorite shots from both and if you get a second please check out Gina's music. She is an amazingly talented piano player. I listen to her music on a regular basis while working at my computer. You can check out some sample tracks here.

Portraits: Glenn

2009-08-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

So, after we finished up last week with our workshop in Vegas (Skip's Summer School), Glenn, Dan, Mark and myself headed out to the desert to get a shot of Glenn and his scoot. This is what we came up with.

Engaged: Andy & Kathy

2009-08-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Andy and Kathy are avid wine drinkers it was quite appropriate that we met at a local vineyard for their engagement session. Starting off the shoot with a glass of wine only helps to calm the nerves too. Hey, they even had one too. :P We shared several giggles as we wandered around the winery and through the vineyard, all the while capturing great images. I'm soooo looking forward to their wedding next year in Santa Barbara at the Four Seasons Biltmore. Enjoy these for now.

I thought this shot was pretty appropriate seeing as Andy is an eye surgeon.

Married: Rene Roy & Alejandra

2009-08-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

So, I'm about to split to Vegas in less than an hour and I haven't even packed yet, but I wanted to get this post up before I left. Rene and Alex, I hope you love these. I definitely have some of my favorite shots EVER from your wedding. You and your families were so easy to work with and I am so grateful to have clients as incredible as you. Sorry I was short on words but I gotta run. Enjoy!

Married: Mark & Crystal

2009-08-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day for Mark and Crystal's wedding....and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect place. I escaped out of the Fresno heat and headed to the Shore Cliff Lodge in Pismo Beach where it was supposed to be a high of only 72 degrees. After some fun with both the guys and girls for the getting ready shots, Mark decided last minute to see Crystal ahead of time for their first look. It worked out really well because they wanted to have plenty of creative time for pictures before the ceremony (take note future clients). I'm pretty sure Mark will vouch for this but I don't believe it took anything away from seeing Crystal walk down the aisle as he ~~got pretty emotional about it~~ cried like a little girl. I can say this because I did the same thing when I saw my wife. Heehee! I could barely say my vows. Anywho, there were so many favorites from their day but here are a very select few that I wanted to share. A big thank you to Crystal and Mark, and to all my clients really, for letting me take such an important role in your wedding day. I hope you love your images as much as I did taking them. Let me know what you think.

Viper Magazine Cover Shot: Jerry De Young's Viper Pit

2009-08-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Admittedly I don't do this type of photo shoot very often but when I do get asked I definitely give it my all. Jerry contacted me and apparently Viper magazine put a memo out to all Viper owners/enthusiasts about them wanting to see owners ~~garages~~ shrines where they house their prized vehicles.....and if it was good enough it could possibly make the cover. Well, that's all I needed to hear to accept that challenge. Take a peek at the actual magazine cover as well as a couple of behind the scenes shots. Many thanks to Glenn Schafer as well for helping me out with the lighting, setup, etc.

The original shot after massaging it a bit in Photoshop.

Here's a final shot we grabbed of myself, Glenn and Jerry to commemorate the experience. Thanks Jerry!

Engaged: Martin & Tricia

2009-08-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

Martin and Tricia's e-session was a whirlwind. We had very limited time before Martin had to get to work so we had to create all the images we needed for their guest book in a record two hours. We even managed to get in four outfit changes and several locations before finishing up. Woohoo! With a smokin' hot couple and Martin's '63 T-Bird for some of the shots, my job really wasn't that difficult. Check out some of my favorites below and be sure to leave some love in the comments section.

Engaged: Rene Roy & Alejandra

2009-08-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

Dang, time flies when you're havin' fun, or just really busy. Rene and Alex just got married but I'm just now able to share their engagement session pics with you all. It's time to get crackin' on this here blog already. We kept it pretty simple for Rene and Alex's session. They love the outdoors so that was a given.....and oh yeah, did I mention Rene is obsessed with Superman. You know Alejandra is a true sport because she went along with what we came up with to really put the SUPER in Superman. ;) Take a peek here but be sure to check back for some of my favorite wedding pics of the year. Enjoy!

Engaged: Juan & Shelby

2009-08-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Another fun engagement session on the blog. One thing really important to me is capturing who a couple really is. For Juan and Shelby, this was easy. They both graduated from Fresno State (go Bulldogs!), they both coach cheer at McLane High School, and they both love the outdoors. So, when it came time to brainstorm for their session, it was pretty easy. We got to incorporate all of their interests into the shoot and we came up with some pretty fun shots of them, just being them. I'm looking forward to their beautiful backyard wedding coming up the first part of October. Enjoy some of my favorite pics below.

Engaged: Matt & Audrey....and we can't forget Shylo

2009-07-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago I got to head to the coast for an engagement shoot. I know Audrey is refreshin' the blog on a minute by minute basis so I had to get these up quick. ;) We had so much fun with this shoot. There was lots of laughing, tickling, and running...pretty much how all engagement shoots should be. Check out a handful of my favorites from the day.

Married: Carlo & Tabitha

2009-07-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

So, I've never had so much fun watching a groom get dressed. Seriously, I just about peed my pants. Apparently, it's an Armenian tradition to dress the groom and let me tell ya, these guys did not disappoint. Although Carlo and Tabitha opted not to see each other beforehand, I had plenty of time for creative pictures. This is key to great pics....make sure I have enough time for it. Take a peek at some of my favorites.

Married: Jared & Stephanie

2009-07-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous bride....too cool for words groom.....and a wedding. There's milk and cookies, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, and then there's Jared and Stephanie.....they go together that good, or else I'm just hungry. They really are a sweet couple and I'm not just sayin' that. Wanted to share my favorites from their wedding before I headed out on vacation. Enjoy!

And when you get done checkin' these out you can see some more Jared and Stephanie lovin' over at Derek's blog here. He helped me out as a second shooter and did a fabulous job.

Married: Nicole & Justin

2009-07-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

I've had a streak of hot weddings and this one was no different. Beautiful couple, beautiful wedding, beautiful location....what more could I ask for. Really, it was beautiful. Again short on words but lots of pics to peek at.

Engaged: Carlo & Tabitha

2009-07-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

We had tons o' fun on this session gettin' to know each other. These two can not only laugh at and with each other but they can pull off the serious looks too. Enjoy the pics!

Married: Chris & Jamie

2009-07-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

A smokin' hot wedding....literally. It was 104 degrees for this outdoor wedding. Chris and Jamie killed it though as this wedding turned out beautifully despite the heat.

Justin & Nicole: Engaged

2009-07-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Married: Steven & Janelle

2009-07-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to play some mad catch up on the blog so there will be only pictures, no words for a lot of the forthcoming posts. And if you're my clients in these pictures, you know I love ya...I just want to share....and catch up! :D

Xtreme Seniors

2009-06-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright already! Enough of the harassing emails, phone calls, facebook satire (you know who you are).....I'm making a blog post. Sheeeeesh! Apparently my three readers are getting tired of not seein' any new updates, so I figured I'd better get something up before my wedding season kicks into high gear. Soooo, I've been a little busy and my head has been spinning with High School Seniors. Thankfully, I'm just finishing up with them and wanted to share something new I offered the last part of the season that went over pretty well. While I've still got a couple more to finish up I wanted to show you the few that I did get a chance to complete. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments, that is if I've still got any readers out there.

Featured photog @ happyhourbride.com

2009-03-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hey hey! I was chosen as a featured photographer for a wedding I photographed at a Central Coast Winery. Check it out here. It's great to be featured amongst photographers as well known as Jose Villa and Anna Kuperberg. A big "Thank You" to Christy and Jeremy for trusting me on your wedding day and allowing me to do what I do to create these beautiful images for you.

Social Networking...on a local level

2009-03-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

I was invited to a luncheon earlier this week where local wedding related businesses got together to discuss the wedding industry and how we can all pool our efforts together to make the industry better as a whole. There are some exciting programs that were proposed to not only generate business for all involved but most importantly to make the decision making process for our clients much easier. Exciting things are to come of it for sure. I'll keep you posted but in the meantime enjoy some of the pics I snapped while I was there. You know I had to have my camera. ;)

Married: John & Laurie

2009-03-04T19:25:00.001-08:00

Right from the start through to the end Laurie and John's wedding day was a wild ride. We all had sooooo much fun. At the end of the night, my jaw hurt from smiling and laughing as much as I did. These two have a passion for life and a passion for each other and it easily shows. I love their clean and modern tastes too, which were reflected in all the details of their wedding. Thank you John and Laurie for letting me be a part of your special day. Enjoy some of my favorites.

If you'd like to see more images from their wedding be sure to click below.

Engaged: Janelle & Steven

2009-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

It seems like forever ago that I photographed Janelle and Steven for their engagement pictures.....well, actually it was. With all of the madness that the holidays bring, Janelle and Steven got thrown right in the middle of it and they never got the proper blog lovin' from me. Sooooo, without any further hesitation, enjoy an extra special blog post. Lots of pics. I had a hard time pickin' my faves. Also, be sure to check out their engagement album I just finished up here.

Family Fine Art?

2009-02-05T17:29:00.000-08:00

I just got done working on a picture for a client that I pretty much dig. It ventures off more towards "fine art", but I know that is a very subjective term. This particular family rocks and she and I have collaborated on several projects that always turn out pretty cool, so I know, or at least I think I know (she hasn't seen it yet), that she would appreciate this type of work......something different. For the few people out there in internet world that I know stop by this blog every once in a while....what do you think? If this were your family, would you want something like this? Is it too much or jussssst right? Let me know. I look forward to your comments.

Married: Gary & Tara

2009-02-01T03:27:00.001-08:00

Well poor us....Jen and I had to suuuffffer through a wedding in Mexico for New Years. Cabo San Lucas no less, at the Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort. All kidding aside, this wedding was off the hook, and Gary and Tara were such gracious hosts. Words cannot describe the experience we had. We felt like family after all was said and done. From perfect weather, sunsets like my eyes have never seen, great food, a sunset dinner cruise on a yacht, a beach wedding, to fire dancers, you name it...it was the perfect ingredients for a fabulous wedding to finish off the year, or start the year, depending on how you look at it. And did I mention their honeymoon? Gary, you're such a stud.....he rented a yacht just for the two of them and they sailed around the British Virgin Islands. I was tryin' to figure out how to get myself packed in their luggage. :) Thank you once again Gary and Tara for having Jen and I there to document your wedding. Please enjoy some of my favorite images from your wedding day and stay tuned for your engagement session pics coming soon.

If you'd like to see more images from their wedding be sure to click below.

Ashley: Acoustic or Electric? Both!

2009-01-31T18:39:00.000-08:00

Sooooo, Ashley loves guitars. She even knows how to play them. ;) Seriously, Ashley rocks, and she wanted to get some cool pics with her guitars since she didn't end up getting Senior pics taken with me. Check it out! And then, after the pics, click here to view the album I put together for her from these shots and more.

Click here to take you to the slide show of the album. Also, once you're there, right click and choose full screen so you can see it much larger. I'd love to hear your comments.

Engaged: Crystal & Mark

2009-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! Another e-session at the coast. I love doin' these. Every time I go over there I find a new place to shoot so it's easy to keep it fresh. Speakin' of fresh, check out this smokin' hot couple........meet Crystal and Mark. We started in downtown San Luis and then made our way over to the pier in Pismo to finish it off at sunset. I'm lookin' forward to their big day for sure. Check out some of my favs from the day. Enjoy!

You can see more from their session here.

'09 Senior: Kyle

2009-01-29T00:30:00.000-08:00

So Kyle flew all the way from Arizona for me to photograph his Senior pics. Alright, so it wasn't all for me. His Dad's wedding was the same weekend and we just so happened to plan Kyle's Senior session at the same time. Pay attention for his Dad's wedding blog post soon too. Anywhoo, Kyle was kind enough to let me use him as my subject so that I could try out my new Canon 5D MkII and some new lighting techniques that I've been itchin' to implement in some Senior sessions. Soooo, many thanks to you Kyle for that. It was really cold and foggy the morning of the shoot but that didn't dampen our spirits. Check out some of my favorite shots.

Engaged: Stephanie & Jared

2009-01-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

Whoaaaa! Two blog posts in one day. Can you tell I'm tryin' desperately to play catch up? You know it!

Stephanie and Jared are gettin' married, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as their photographer. So, thanks guys for that. You both are soo sweet, and yeah, I can say that to a guy. :P I mean Jared writes love notes in the steam on the shower door....doesn't get much sweeter than that right? It's so obvious you guys are ridiculously in love with each other. I can't wait for the wedding.

You can check out more of their images below.

Expecting: Brooke & Michael

2009-01-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

So yeah....first order of business. It's been waaaaaayyyyyy too long since I've made a blog post. Almost 6 months to the day. Well, it's not because I haven't been shooting. Just the opposite actually. I've been shooting lots and the last priority was blogging. Seems clients actually wanted to get their images for their walls rather than see them on the blog. Go figure! Pffft!

Anywhooo, it's a new year and I figure I'd start thigs off with a bang and show one of my latest maternity sessions that I dig. Brooke and Michael are cousins and the family has long been harassing them about havin' some babies. Well, guess what, it finally paid off because they're going to be havin' a little one any day now. These were some of my favorites.

To see more from their maternity session please click below.

J. Garner Workshop: the Pics

2008-07-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, we had a great time at the workshop (see the previous post), but I also got some great pics that I want to share. We had super models to work with. A big thank you goes out to them. I'd imagine it can't be too easy being photographed from twelve crazy (well, at least Jim and I) photographers at once. I don't like being in front of one camera let alone twelve. Now for the pics. Enjoy!

At the space needle.

Right next to the space needle is the Experience Music Project. What a wacky building with some killer walls and architecture to work with.

We then went to another favorite spots of Jim's in downtown Seattle where this next series of shots came from.

One of my favs.

Another one of my favorites.

While not a typical composition for me, I dig this one bunches too. Shows the power and respect we owe Mother Nature....at least that's what I think.

Near Jim's beach house on Whidbey Island.

Then we headed to Deception Pass bridge for some evening shooting.

Next to the coast line.

Some video light techniques.

And lastly back to the beach house for dinner. And, since we couldn't stop, we did some late night shooting on the stairwell.

J. Garner Workshop: the People, Places, and Eats

2008-07-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Last week Jen and I had a little vacation time, well, I call it vacation time. It was actually a "business" vacation for me and for Jen it truly was a vacation. No kiddos (thanks Grandma and Pappa Rohrs) and no worries. I attended one of the best workshops I've ever been to. A workshop like no other. Yes, there were three days of intense learning (lighting, shooting, photoshopping, marketing, business, etc., etc.), but most important, it was three days of networking and building relationships with several amazing hand picked photographers (also can be read as Dawn Shields friends) from around the country. And did I mention we ate like Kings and Queens? Many, many thanks to Jim, Katarina, Kayla, Stephan, and Claire. You guys took the "client experience" to a whole other level and just from that alone I'm implementing some new ideas in my business. Below are some of the pics I snapped while we were there. Sit back and enjoy as this is a big post.

Meet the people. It was tough to contain all of our excitement.

Dawn Shields, the reason we were all here.

Michael Muramoto. The coolest of cool CA shooters but the poor guy still shoots Nikon! ;P

Jonathan Chan, another fellow Cali shooter with an infectious laugh. What's up with all of these Nikon shooters?

Dorene Nash, what a sweetheart and a true southern belle!

Dorinda Peyton. I think you look great in front of the camera. Fellow PC user too. Hip hip hoorah!

Whitney Johnson, Dawn's sidekick. We were surrounded by beautiful ladies I tell ya!

Stephanie Moore. I hope your back is ok.

Jon Koch. He'll never say no to a good beer.

Chris Sharber. Calm, cool, and collected. And an ex jet pilot. How cool is that?

Greg Schrader. Thanks for hookin' me up with Shazam, one of the coolest apps for my iPhone.

And, not to be forgotten, the one and the only ........TOP....TEN....PHOTOGRAPHERS....IN....THE....WORLD........ drum roll please....... Jim Garner. You can't help but have a good time with this guy around. Cool hair too! Wink, wink!

Some workshop group shots.

Did I mention Dawn loooooooves red wine? Me too.

Not only are the skies beautiful in Seattle, but the sunsets are gorgeous. Jen and I are taking a moment to enjoy it all.

This led to a sunset/silhouette jumping frenzy where everyone eventually joined in.

How studly is this group shot?

You know someone had to jump.

Can you pick out who's who? Hint: Dawn's the one that couldn't jump. ;)

Then, after what seemed to be 15 minutes of setup, I got this shot. Homage to the master.

Onto the places. Yeah, now this is what I call a beach house. Over 6,000 square feet of luxury livin'. You gotta consider this next time you visit Washington. And here's the house where the guys stayed.

The sound of freedom, tough to be heard here but we heard plenty.

And, to make us all hungry, the eats. Talk about gourmet. Yummy!

Check out that paella. I think it all made us more hungry watching Stephan cook it.

Engaged: Mike & Carina

2008-07-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

Seems like engagement madness lately but it's been fun and I've been traveling all over. For Mike and Carina's e-session we headed up to Armenian Summer Camp, the place they both have attended camp since they were kids. It was fun to hear them share their memories on the ride up, like the bus getting stuck on a hair pin turn, or the delivery truck having to back all the way down the mountain because it couldn't turn around. I even got to hear one of their favorite camp songs. I still can't seem to get the chorus out of my head. "I'm a moose, I'm a moose, I like to drink a lot of juice, I like to drink a lot of juice." Good stuff I tell ya. Lately, I've always seemed to get some of my most favorite images whenever I go out and this engagement session was no different. I love when a couple feels completely comfortable in front of the camera and trusts me to do what I do. Now go peek at my favs from the day!

Engaged: Jerry & Nicole

2008-07-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

For Jerry and Nicole's e-session, they just let me play. No agenda, no have-to's, no nothin'. They just wanted killer pics. So, since I hadn't been downtown in a while, we decided it'd be cool to explore the possibilities in a parking garage and some other urban locations. We got some fun pics and had a great time. Take a peek at some of my favorites.

My New Assistant

2008-07-21T03:40:00.001-07:00

I thought this was too cute not to share but Kyan is taking quite an interest in what Daddy does. Seeing how fast the kiddos are growing up makes me realize that I need to get them in front of the camera more often.

Engaged: Robert & Karen

2008-07-21T03:07:00.000-07:00

So for Robert and Karen's e-session we trekked up the hill to Ansel Adams favorite stompin' grounds, Yosemite. After all, this is where Robert proposed to Karen so it seemed rather appropriate to revisit for their engagement pictures. You'll see pictures of the bridge he proposed on below. We started off by enjoying lunch together at the Ahwahne Hotel, then ventured around the area to start shooting. We finished off the shoot with some more of their interests. They both like to ride. Karen chooses to ride the motorized variety (you gotta love a chick on a Harley) while Robert opts for the pedal power. We had a great time spending the day together, shared lots of laughs, and got some great pics. Can't wait to celebrate with you on your wedding day.

I got one! Can I get a woooh woooh!

2008-07-12T20:32:00.001-07:00

An iPhone 3G that is. Yeah, so I've been a bit behind the times in the mobile tech department lately and it was time to do some serious upgrading. The iPhone 3G was just the phone to do it for me. Just to kill some time while I waited in line I decided to play a bit with my camera. I ended up taking nearly double the images I normally would take at a wedding...in only 5 1/2 hours. Let's just say I severely reduced the shutter life of my camera in those 5 hours, seein' as I averaged one image every 6.5 seconds. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but take a peek here and see what I did with those images. You don't want to miss this one so click here. It takes a while to "buffer" but sit tight, it'll load. Again, a slide show tip. Once the slide show window opens, right click and choose 'full screen'. As a side note, a few things I've learned about myself while watching this. . . .I'm awfully fidgety and I need to shave.

Married: Nick & Mia

2008-07-05T23:55:00.000-07:00

Ok so this wedding is sneaking in before a few other wedding posts but I wanted to share it with Nick and Mia as a little teaser before their images will be ready to view online, which should actually be very shortly. Nick and Mia, you are such beautiful people both inside and out, not to mention your a smokin' hot couple. You define what it means to share a deep love for one another, the type of love to last a lifetime. It was truly an honor to work with you from your rockin' engagement session through your fantastic wedding. I look forward to building your album.

Our 4th of July!

2008-07-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

We had purrrrfect weather for the 4th, a cool 83 degrees, and got to spend the afternoon/evening with our friends Chris and Nanita, their kids, and loads of other families and their little ones. We BBQ'd, ate, drank, swam, played on the waterslide, drank some more, jumped in the bounce house, drank some more, lit fireworks, well, you get the idea. It was a hoot! And of course, I had the "job" to photograph it all. I luvvvvv my job! Check out my favorites below and if you get a sec, there's hundreds more pics in a slide show I put together but it's totally ghetto how you have to view it. Until I get it figured out how to post it within this blog post you'll have to head over here to view it. Sorry mac folks, you'll have to view this one on a PC. One other tip for you slide show viewers, right click within the slide show and choose "full screen" for your full viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Engaged: Kevin & Hillary

2008-06-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

There's always a bit of a nervousness when you meet/see a couple for the first time and have to go right into photographing them. Hillary booked me over the phone from Los Angeles and the first time we were going to meet was going to be on their engagement shoot day. So for me, I like to get to know the couple a little bit over a cocktail or two. This wasn't any different for Kevin and Hillary, who are getting married at Las Rocas Resort & Spa in Mexico this October. We started out at the pub in downtown San Luis Obispo where we grabbed some spirits, then proceeded to head out for the shoot after we were niiiice and reeeeelaxed. Wink, wink. ;) After the downtown area, we headed out to Shell Beach and then finalized the shoot under the pier in Pismo. I've got lots of favorites from this shoot so let's get to it. Enjoy!

Engaged: Brett & Jill

2008-06-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Now this was a fuuuuunnn shoot, as if they all aren't. Duh! :) For this e-shoot we trucked up to the foothills of Raymond and played on Brett's parents property. Boy was it beautiful. As if lakes, fields, mountains, cows, old tractors and barns weren't enough, we threw in a Rhino (a quad on steroids), a Harley, and a free couch that we found along the way. Can I get a Woot Woot! I hope you like some of the vintagey treatments I gave some of the pics. I've been playin' around with some new techniques in Photoshop. Thanks Brett and Jill for the fun day. I look forward to your wedding in September.

Engaged: Greg & Stephanie

2008-05-29T00:28:00.000-07:00

Man it's about time I show my blog some lovin' since it's been waaaaayyyyy too long. It's been crazy busy around here and I'm just finishin' up with the Senior season (lots to share) and I've been havin' fun with some recent weddings and engagement shoots too (again, lots to share).

Greg and Steph, I know you guys have been itchin' to see some teaser pics from your engagement session and I truly appreciate your patience through these busy times.

We spent the whole time at Greg's parents property where we had lots to play with, i.e., some garden tools (see my take on American Gothic), a shed, some beautiful fields, a quad, a riverbed, a couple of cold Coors Lights , and some red wine (is there any other). Throw in a couple of crazy love-birds that can't help but have fun and you've got the perfect combination for a great shoot.

Sheesh, I'm rambling. I'll just get to the pics. I look forward to your wedding guys. Enjoy!

Engaged: Ian & Nicole

2008-04-28T01:40:00.000-07:00

Still playing blog catch up and wanted to jump in and share some of my favs from Ian and Nicole's engagement session over at the coast. Dang, we laughed a lot during this sesssion. It must have been all the sand and the surf. K, scratch that. These guys are just fun lovin' goofballs. Let's just say we all got along juuuuusssst fine. Now, "show me the TIGER."

Engaged: Nick & Mia

2008-04-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a bit crazy around here lately but I wanted to get these pictures of Nick and Mia posted before they forgot taking them. Hee Hee. Seriously, thanks for your patience guys. I hope you feel they were worth the wait. I'm lovin' how these came out. Thanks for bravin' the wind and cold water to get shots I know you'll cherish. You guys are rock stars! It was so great to meet your families after the shoot too and thanks again for the great meal. I look forward to your wedding day.

Engaged: Nathan & Heather

2008-04-15T04:17:00.000-07:00

Vegas baby, yeah! Heather, I know I promised I'd have this post up by Monday. All was good and I was on track. . . that was until Jen asked me to put the kids to bed. Well, I ended up singing myself to sleep too. By the way, that's not the first time that's happened, and I don't think it's because I'm a good singer either. I just woke myself up and scrambled back in here to get this post up. I'm only about 4 1/2 hours past my deadline so if you guys are waiting by your computer, wait no longer. LOL.

Nathan and Heather wanted something different for their engagement session so they decided to hop on a plane and meet me in Vegas. We had so much fun, and got our fill of exercise since we walked seemingly forever to get to where we wanted to go. We stopped at the landmark Vegas sign, a quick stop at the end of the airport runway, some cheesy drive thru wedding chapel like only Vegas can do, the Stratosphere, and finished the night off with a gondola ride at the Venetian. Enjoy a few of my favorites.

I won!

2008-03-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

I forgot to blog about this earlier but I was just awarded first place for this image at Open Photo Contest. Woo hoo! It's been a long time since I've entered any photo contests but it's sure nice to know I've still got my mojo workin'.

Engaged: Jon & Kelsey

2008-03-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Oh Kelsey, I remember just a few short years ago you came to see me for your Senior pictures. Here's to reminiscing Tinkerbell. Hee hee!

Both you and your Mom promised me that I would be your wedding photographer when that day came, even though you weren't even dating. Well, fast forward a few years and in pops Jon, and you went from Tinkerbell to tats. ;) You couldn't have found a better catch really, even though Kyan is a bit jealous. As long as he doesn't lose his favorite babysitter he'll be ok with it.

I had so much fun with you guys on this shoot. We got to go to some new favorite spots to play and since you guys are more of the artistic type, I wanted to reflect that in your pictures. I hope you enjoy some of my favorites.

Window Shopping Shooting!

2008-03-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

While location scouting the other day I stumbled across these greenish windows that had some cool reflections. Since I was only with me, myself, and I, I decided to take a few self portraits. This was one of my favorites.

p.s.- Also announcing. . . .bigger pictures for my blog. While I'm still working on my new site with bigger pictures I figured it'd be a good idea to be more consistent with those on my blog. So, here ya go! A big "THANK YOU" to my buddies Josh and Mariano for helping me figure this out.

The Farmer Family has officially been blogged!

2008-02-27T05:54:00.000-08:00

Hey Treysen, you're on the internet. Hee hee.
Whoa! This was a fun one. I'm normally chasing kids through the studio but Steve and Natalie wanted something different for their family photos. So, we all got to run around in the field and also live a little dangerously by playing on the train tracks. That's a reeeaaal train in the background too. No photoshop. :P The next shot is of them running. Really. LOL! Enjoy some of my favs below. Oh, and they're blogging too. Check it out!

Engaged: Tim & Liz

2008-02-25T05:19:00.001-08:00

This session started off with a BUZZZZZ. . .literally. Tim and Liz walked through the door with a number of different outfit changes in one hand and a bottle of bubbly in the other. Apparently they were nervous about the engagement session. LOL! Well, it not only led to great pictures but uncontrollable outbreaks of laughter and total giddiness. We were all a little goofy really, except when I had Tim sit in a pile of red ants. Woops, sorry about that Tim. :P Some of the places we got to play were around old wooden bins, a "paint can lid" fence (my latest find), an old shed, near train tracks where we almost got ran over, and one of their favorite restaurants where they danced in the parking lot. Good times guys, good times! I'm looking forward to your wedding in just a handful of weeks. Oh, and for all of you brides out their that need a killer wedding cake, be sure to hit up Liz. She owns creme de la cake and does some swweeeeet work. Now go check out some of my favorite clicks below.

08 Senior: Samantha

2008-02-25T03:12:00.000-08:00

Jen and I go way back with Samantha and her family so I was excited to find out that I'd be shooting her and her twin brother's Senior pictures. Samantha's a pretty easy goin' girl so we kept the shoot reeeeeaaaaal simple and got some beee-youtiful images. Have a peek at some of my faves.

Donovan turns 4!

2008-02-24T19:18:00.000-08:00

We got to spend the rainy afternoon at Pump It Up, the inflatable party zone, for Donovan's (my sister in laws grandson) 4th birthday party. Lots of color, bounce houses, inflatable slides, air hockey, and great cupcakes. My kids are still on a sugar high. Here's a few pics from the party.

Engaged: Jeremy & Christy

2008-02-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

I get all giddy with fun and sweet couples that are crazy in love! Jeremy and Christy were a perfect example. We started the engagement session at Christy's Mom's property in Reedley, made a quick stop at their Church, and then made our way back into town. We finished off the night at the Elbow Room for a few last shots and dinner where I swear they have the best prime rib. Not to mention Jeremy splurged and we all shared a bottle of Nickel & Nickel Cabernet. You guys are over the top! I look forward to your wedding in May.

'08 Senior: Andrea

2008-02-19T03:15:00.001-08:00

I was so excited to try out some new locations with Andrea that I could just pee my pants. And I almost did too. I get so into my work sometimes that I don't hear Mother Natures call even though she's yelling at me. In any case, we got to play around some graffiti walls and a dilapidated home in only the best parts of town. :P I also got to experience the likeness of Colbie Caillat and Missy Higgins when Andrea belted out some of her vocals. Whewwwwww! This girl can sing. Enjoy some of my favorites and remember to help me think of a name for the last pic.

'08 Senior: Paige

2008-02-19T01:43:00.001-08:00

I'm on a blog roll here and I'm looking forward to posting lots of Seniors. With Paige's session we kept it really simple and didn't leave my property. I love the challenge of manipulating the light and creating new looks without loading into the car and driving to a location. I'm stoked about the images we got. Take a look at what I know will be some of Paige's favorites.

'08 Senior: Ashley

2008-02-19T01:09:00.000-08:00

Senior season is officially here and it is going strong. Ashley was my first 2008 female of the year for me to photograph and we didn't hold back. I mean how can you go wrong when you start off the shoot with Dad's bright yellow Viper? I also got to try out a concept (see the last pic) for a new product I'm offering this year. Now if I can only come up with a name for it. Lemme know if you've got one. Thanks Ashley for a fun session. If you're any indication of the year to come it's going to be fantastic. Check out my favs below.

Casey: a model to hit the big screen soon

2008-02-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

Casey has accomplished quite a lot for his young age, one of his biggest was starting HIS magazine, among many other successes. The next goal on his list is to do some modeling/acting and I have no doubt that he will be successful at that too. Thanks to him dating one of the most amazing women I know, besides my wife and my Mom, Barb Miller had referred him to me to get some head shots taken so he can get his face out there in front of the agencies. We kept things really simple and got some great images for him to work with. I wish you all the best Casey! Take a peek at some of my favorites.

My Little Princess/Cuddle Monkey

2008-02-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

Early the other morning Jordyn came wandering into the bedroom and crawled into bed with me. She didn't say a peep. She just layed her head on my chest and was in quiet comfort in Daddy's arms. I couldn't help but grab my cell phone off the night stand and grab a shot. You gotta love these moments!

Jordyn vs. Double Stuff Oreos

2008-02-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

Jordyn had her first experience with Double Stuff Oreos tonight. I think more ended up on her face and pj's than in her mouth.

The Yee Brothers: Soccer Fanatics

2008-02-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

I just finished up with these soccer collages and thought they turned out pretty killer so I decided to post them here. Enjoy!

Vesper: a baby shoot like no other

2008-01-29T18:50:00.000-08:00

I swear I've got the coolest and most giving clients. I met Shanti and Aaron at Jeremy and Erin's rock star wedding. When I found out that Erin had given the gift of photography to Vesper (Aaron and Shanti's 3 month old), I was so excited. I knew I wanted to include Mom and Dad in the pictures as I typically would, but this time it was different because I knew that Mom and Dad had some really killer tattoos that I wanted to incorporate. A huge thank you to Shanti and Aaron for trusting me and giving me free reign in the studio. I love how these pictures turned out and I hope they'll provide you with the beginnings of a lifetime of memories of your little Vesper.

Pete & Jessica: Just because

2008-01-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

What better reason than that to come in and have some portraits done. Actually, Jessica works for me and is an absolute necessity to the LBV Photo team. Thank you Jessica! I couldn't do it without you. When she mentioned that she and Pete (her fiancee) wanted some updated photos of themselves, I was happy to oblige. We even got to include their little "family". Here's some of my favorites.

Engaged: Steve & Robin

2008-01-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

It seems like sooooo long ago that I took these pictures. Well, actually. . . .it was. Steve and Robin, you've been so patient in waiting for these. These were taken right before I got crazy busy with the holidays. Although Robin and I had a bit of a tough time convincing Steve that taking pictures by the old grape trays and trash bin on Steve's ranch was cool, once I showed him the back of the camera he was on my side and we had a blast from there (the little wine they drank didn't hurt either). Hee Hee. We got to have a picnic in the vineyard, play at a softball field, and dine at one of their favorite restaurants, La Rocca's. For now, enjoy some of my favorites from your engagement session and stay tuned for more, along with a guest book design in the near future. I look forward to your wedding in June.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T01:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is long past. . .

2007-12-24T23:59:00.000-08:00

but I still have lots to be thankful for, like a family that will jump on command. See below for those and other fun pics from Thanksgiving, only 1 short month ago. Sheesh time flies and it seems to be only accelerated around the holidays for photographers like myself. Things are finally winding down for me though and I've finally got some time to post some of my most recent work so please stay tuned.

*Photo tip: Getting one to jump not only leads to great expressions/funny faces but quite often will result in jaw hurting belly laughs from those surrounding the jumpers. We had fun with this one.

Hangin' with the band Missing Piece

2007-11-13T01:55:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I've been backstage with a rock band but I was fortunate the other day to not only be able to hang out with the band Missing Piece in my home, but I was asked to photograph them for some new promo pieces they're working on. Well, it wasn't exactly in my home, it was more like in the garage. I had a fog machine set up for the shoot and I didnt' want the fog drifting around and stinkin' up the inside of the house. Take a peek at some of my favorite pics we got and make sure to check out their music here. It's good stuff. All the best to you guys!

'08 Senior: Zachary

2007-11-13T01:09:00.000-08:00

Just like his brother Jordan back in '06, Zachary was the first Senior guy of '08 that I've photographed. My Senior season is right around the corner and I got a reminder of how much I dig shooting Seniors when I photographed Zachary. You rocked it Zach. I'm soooo looking forward to the coming year to try out even more techniques that I've been working on and to shoot at a bunch of new locations I've discovered. Enjoy these for now!

Married: Jeremy & Erin

2007-11-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

From Superman shots at their engagement session to karate kicks at the reception (see below), Jeremy and Erin (a.k.a.- Grace Kelly) have to be one of the nuttiest couples I've worked with. . .and I love that. Below all of the nuttiness, they are truly in love and a perrrrrfffffect fit for each other. As as side note, major props to Willy (Erin's step dad and an amazingly gifted physical therapist). If it weren't for him fixin' my recent back problems, I wouldn't have functioned nearly as well as I did. I had so much fun with this couple and their families. Thank you for having me be such an important part of your day. There's lots more to come but for now check out some of my favorites.

Halloween fun!

2007-11-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

At 1 in the afternoon of Halloween I got a wild hair-brained idea to call all of our neighbors and some friends and tell them to bring their kids over so that I could photograph them in their Halloween costumes for nada. I was already going to take some pics of Kyan and Jordyn so why the heck not. I guess it was my good deed for the day. I couldn't have done it without my wife and assistants Danielle (fro'd out girl) and Jessica (girly golfer) so a big thank you to you. For two and a half hours my studio was complete chaos from kids, and some adults, running around and yelling, but I gotta tell ya I had soooooo much fun. There's something infectious about surrounding yourself with kids, and before long I was running, jumping and yelling too. This may just have to become and annual thing as it's good for the soul. Take a peek at my favs.