Adam and Maya – Oakland Livin’

When Adam and Maya rode up to the engagement session on bikes, I knew instantly knew they were going to be awesome.  Although a bit camera shy at first, I can’t imagine a better engagement/lifestyle session.  By the end of our walk in the park, I can truly say that they are the quintessential Oaktown couple – creative, passionate, and real.  They’re getting married this weekend and I bet it will be fun!

Mother’s Day For Real

Just wanted to share a little bit of a humorous take on the family. We enjoyed a nice mother’s day and hope you all did too.

Point Molate – A Beach with a Cause

This Earth Day I took to one of my favorite places in the East Bay.  It’s a place burdened with the anticipation of grandeur.  Instead, it’s a quiet peninsula on Richmond’s long Bay coastline.  This peninsula has celebrated many lives, being reborn almost every 20-30 years.  Point Molate has borne names synonymous with great wine, native cultures, Chinese fishing, Naval power, and most recently poorly conceived casino proposals.  Now it carries a new moniker – Hope.

Winds of Change

Every once in a while you come across something amazing… and sometimes it’s just blowing in the wind.

Is this Renewable Energy?

I’ve been working in the desert for some 5 seasons doing botanical surveys.  On a professional level, I love being on these mega-surveys that help collect important botanical and biological information about desert environments that are almost unexplored, untouched by human footsteps.  I can’t share all of what I’ve seen, but truly, the desert is a living, thriving place.

There is no doubt in my mind that desert biology is an acquired taste, and lets just say we have some fine vintages in Southern California.

Up close and personal with the desert: Desert Horned Lizard.

The Most Unique Bike Ride of the Bay Area – ALT

Bikes. Are. Rad.

That’s all there really is to say about these two-wheeled creatures.  They’re stylish, sleek, hardy, solid little engineered chunks of steel that provide a unique experience.  They are THE way to travel over land in my perspective.  I wish I could do all my field work on bike.

This is a little project in which I got to do quite a bit of it via two wheels.

Jimmy and Leah

A sneak peek of a recent wonderful outdoor maternity shoot I had with Jimmy and Leah.  Morgan Hill, CA.  Congrats to Jimmy and Leah on their first.  There are few personal journey’s as amazing as your first pregnancy and birth.

LoFi, Fo Fum – Reducing dynamic range in finished photos and liking it

So there’s a big push to well, push. I’m not just talking about climbing harder or running faster, but I’m also talking about contrasting more. Yup.  Got to push those highs just into the yellow zone before they blow out, and well, those blacks need to be a hair above “no information” and what do you have – a high dynamic range photo that techno-colorizes the world. (click on any image to enlarge)

Amazing Grace: Growing into a Mother

As many of you know, I’m a dude. I seriously enjoy being a dude for many reasons. Like my muscles look bigger when I have a mustache. And. Beer bellies are kinda cool. And. Back hair makes me look tough. And. I look good in a ratty, stinky trucker hat that I found on the side of the road yesterday. And. My gruffness can be played off as testosterone, when in fact I’m just being, ehem, unbalanced.

Canon 5D Mark III (or is it a 5D X) Rumors, Musings, and Realities

No matter how much you subscribe to the photographer first, gear second ideology, a game changing camera will always turn your head.  The Canon 5D Mark II was such a camera.  The Canon 5D Mark III will follow proudly in its footsteps.