SAN DIEGO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG :: SAN DIEGO POTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG: SCHNACK STUDIOS

Sunday afternoon I managed to break away from the Chargers’ 43-14 beat-down of the Chiefs in order to spend some time photographing the one and only Duggan family!  Andrew and I met in the summer of 2008 when I photographed some environmental portraits of him for his company We Can Power the World.  We then did some family portraits around the Holidays and wrapped them up in some custom Holiday cards (which were a huge hit, by the way).  So I was thrilled when they called again for more portraits this year!

We started out with some photobooth-style images at their home.  Then we moved outside and made a great family image on the cliffs near the Cabrillo light house (we managed to sneak it in just before the park ranger booted us out as the park closed).  There was still a touch of light left, so as we were driving back we stopped by Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary and made a great image of the family with the downtown skyline in the background.

Earlier this week I spent a fantastic afternoon/evening photographing Kate and Ross’s engagement session.  Kate and Ross were referred to me by coordinator extraordinaire, Melissa Barrad of I Do… Weddings!  Melissa and I worked earlier this year and it’ll be great to work with her again next year.  I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for their wedding!

The shoot started off at the terrace of their condo complex.  It was here that Ross proposed to Kate, so we felt that it was an important place to incorporate into the shoot.  The light was pretty harsh, so I wanted to back-light them and play with the long shadows of the bench and railings.

From there we strolled down Cedros Ave. in Solana Beach.  Over the past 20 years, Cedros Avenue has transformed itself from a blighted industrial corridor to a art/design destination.  The street is lined with galleries, home decor shops and, most importantly, The Belly Up Tavern.  It’s also a treasure-trove of colored walls, nooks and crannies, and killer architectural elements I love to incorporate into my work.

After a quick wardrobe change, we ended up on the beach in front of their condo.  It was one of those green-flash sunsets (although none of us saw it) and the light was just perfect.

One of the greatest things about my job is relationships that develop between my clients and me.  It’s so nice to see clients go from engagement shoot to wedding photographs to family portraits.

This is the third year in a row I’ve photographed the Ferrell family.  This year they welcomed the newest addition to their family, Abby.  I’ve been photographing her older sister, Maddie, since she was about one year old and it’s been so fun to see her grow.

It’s so rewarding when you work hard for a very long time to plan something and, when the event arrives, it’s even better than you imagined.  Mollie and I had been planning this shoot of her and her kids for some time, going over ideas, concepts and locations.  Mollie is an accomplished artist and her son, Petyr, is an aspiring photographer.

These images were made at Marine Street in La Jolla, one of my favorite locations at which to shoot.  The light was fantastic!

Long time no blog.  I’ve been slammed lately with so much work I haven’t had time to post it all to the blog.  So let’s go back in time a bit, shall we?

This shoot of the Reynolds family was done a few weeks back on the beach in Leucadia.  They were referred to me by Raul, an associate of my old friend, Ted.  Working with such a big group has its challenges, but also offers opportunities for some creative setups.  I prefer to stage large groups like this in “mini-groups” with varied posing for each group.  It gives the images more depth and allows me to work with the landscape a bit more.