Category Archives: Featured

FOOD·IE

[foo-dee] –noun Slang . a person keenly interested in food, especially in eating or cooking.

Although I consider myself to be a foodie, I cannot think of anything better than having an extremely talented chef do the cooking, and leave the eating to me. In this case, Lauren Cartmel – Executive Chef de Cuisine at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge – did all of the cooking! For our first culinary / photographic collaboration we wanted to do something simple yet sophisticated. We spent a lovely, bright afternoon in the kitchen where Lauren kept her hands busy preparing and cooking the food, and I kept my hands busy documenting the steps, the ingredients (fresh from the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market), and the finished plates. Those of you who know me may remember my year-long stint where I studied Pastry Arts and worked in a Pastry Kitchen in New York. Needless to say, opportunities where I am able to combine my lust for food with my love of photography, and my design background is a delicious combination to satiate my full creative palette!

CLICK HERE to download the high-resolution (aka. readable) version! Those of you who love seasonal, local and beautiful simple food will love Chef Lauren’s recipes!

Happy cooking & merry eating,

 

CATEGORY Editorials & Press | Featured

Natural Light + Natural Beauty. What more is there to be said, really?

Ok, ok, I’ll indulge. Being surrounded by radiant light, and having a bride who is excited to take all sorts of beautiful photos… well, it’s just plain dreamy! She was getting ready in a family member’s soon to be vacated condominium in Brickell Key. The practically empty setting lent itself to refined and artistic ‘getting ready’ images, which she loved as mush as I did! While the sun was still shinning brightly we had a healthy amount of time to take portraits outdoors before the reception. When you aren’t rushing, there are endless photo opportunities… and you can enjoy it like a sunny stroll on a Sunday; enjoy those moments with each other serenely.

That said, once the hustle and bustle of the reception has eased later in the evening, sneaking away for ten minutes can bring a different feel to your collection of photos; different light, different setting, different mood. Not to mention more alone time to enjoy each other again! The day is naturally full of love and excitement. I like to create scenes where those sincere interactions between the couple can come to life… then all I have to do is quietly observe and capture.

 

CATEGORY Featured | Weddings

CHAMPAGNE TASTING I loved this photo from the moment I verified on my camera’s LCD screen that I actually got it! It was one of those quiet moments of photographer’s bliss when you realize you captured something that lasted merely one second, and that you had the fortune of being there with your camera at hand! The expression on their faces was… well… I hope the image just tells its story on its very own.

Oh, and yes! It made it into PDN’s Wedding Photography Issue. More than anything, I was honored and excited to be selected from so many great entries, and amongst such wonderful photographers. Most notably, Jose Villa, of whom many of us photographers in the wedding industry drool over.

CATEGORY Candid Moments | Editorials & Press | Featured | Weddings

 

COUPLE Christina Ethier and Luis Anderson, from Brazil and Venezuela respectively, in Toronto, Canada, en route to St. Michael’s Cathedral.

INSPIRATION i wanted to capture the silence of the moment, where the bride was alone with her thoughts before the ceremony. I waited for her to lean forward into the light as she fanned herself in anticipation. It was a sincere glimpse into her experience.

CAPTURING THE MOMENT my principal aim is for the bride and groom to feel so comfortable with me that I become unnoticeable to them. This way they can experience the day without any intrusion, allowing me to capture beautiful, subtle moments like this.

WEDDINGS ABROAD there’s such a great energy and ambience! Everyone is excited to be celebrating two loved ones in a beautiful setting.The closest family members and friends are happy to make the effort to attend, which lends itself to a more intimate conviviality. Being able to capture these glimpses — the essence of the entire day — and giving them back to the bride and groom in the form of something they can hold in their hands indefinitely … that’s amazing to me!

CATEGORY Candid Moments | Editorials & Press | Featured | Weddings

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