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Chicago With The Farewells
Learning To Love A City…
All my life, I’ve loved New York City. The people, the food, the wide streets, the narrow alleys.
Even before I’d ever been to Manhattan, I knew I loved it. There was just something ABOUT it.
Chicago on the other hand could not have mattered less to me. For years my family travelled to
Naperville (a suburb of Chicago) for homeschool conferences. After I moved out I found myself
flying to the Windy City for marketing seminars. Just staying long enough to be assaulted by
the cold and treated to a deep dish pizza.
In all, Chicago was one of those cities where I just couldn’t understand why someone would live
there, much less LOVE to live there.
As the years passed though, I met more and more amazing people who were simply addicted to
Chicago… They spoke of it’s people, it’s food, and it’s parks… After a while, they’d finally convinced
me that somehow my impressions of it were completely unfounded and that I MUST make time to
get to know the city they loved so much.
We’d met Matt & Stevi through a mutual friend (Kenny Kim) in NYC last October and hit it off
immediately. Ever since, we tried to find excuses to spend time together; they kept tempting
us with the concept of the elusively awesome Chicago.
And that’s how we ended up in Chicago with our dear friends Matt & Stevi Savage.
(photo above by Matt Savage)
Immediately after arriving at their amazing loft, we took off to find some good
food and drink. On our way downtown we passed the set for the new Transformers movie
and of course had to stop and take a few photos 
Pretty cool, right?!
After Transformers 2, I thought I’d never want to see another one… But now I’m actually
excited to see the scenes that were filmed in Chi-Town! The ENTIRE time we were there,
there were film crews flying black helicopters around capturing bits and pieces of the movie.
After stopping by the set we headed into the depths of Chicago’s underground street and
parking system… Where we recognized a plethora of spots from the Batman movies 
We were in search of a special little wine bar that was well loved by Matt & Stevi. It was
right down by the river and really was a unique little place. Sadly though, it was closed
and that left us with nothing but time to wander around this truly intriguing city.
Left, Matt under a bridge… Right, an incredibly interesting skyline makes
Chicago stand TRULY apart.
Above, Matt’s standard pose… That man LOVES photography as much
(or more) than I do… It’s such a joy to shoot with him!
One of the things that brought the four of us together is simply BEER.
We both love the intriguing balance of flavors in today’s micro-brewers
style. Above is our first sampler at a small bar near downtown. The Rye-PA
in the foreground was an absolute “kick in the teeth” (in a good way).
The next day, we all headed back downtown to wander around a bit and
see the sights. We ended up at the “beach” on Lake Michigan. Matt had
left his sunglasses at home and we all felt it’d be nice if he multi-tasked
by wearing mine with his regular glasses.
As the day wore on, we made our way to Goose Island Brewery to sample their
creations… It wasn’t our favorite brewery but we had a nice time hanging out!
Matt & I left… We share an affection for hats.
The sign to the right is actually a door to a lounge that was right down
the street from one of the places we had breakfast… “Orange” a fascinating
little cafe with an Orange inspired menu… (Including Orange Coffee).
One of our last nights in town we planned a little get together at Matt & Stevi’s
loft with a bunch of our photographer friends from the area. We had such a great time!
Left: Matt setting up is flash umbrella to protect the grill master from the sunset light.
Right: We decided that we simply had to shoot some medium format long exposures of the skyline.
Stevi, Kenny Kim, and Friends.
They’ve since moved but I simply ADORE their view!
The next morning we made our way to an incredible open air market on the
North side of downtown. Of course we all brought cameras
Matt shooting Nelle and I, shooting Stevi & Matt.
The Market (above).
Matt’s shot of Nelle and I.. It’s hanging in our bedroom now
Another short car ride led us toward the heart of downtown and this incredible
ampi-theater.
We were drawn closer by the sound of INCREDIBLE music.
See, they were practicing for a Cellist’s performance sometime in the near future.
The sound of strings has always stirred my heart and the cello has been my
favorite instrument since childhood. As we walked closer, I realized what was
happening… I was truly and wholly falling in love with this quaint city.
It’s art, it’s people, it’s food, it’s STYLE was truly lovely.
I simply adore lovely things
The video’s shaky and poor quality but it should convey a bit of what we experienced.
So awesome!
Stevi is an absolutely precious person. She and Matt are a joy to be around.
I simply had to put a picture with “The Bean” into this series… I don’t think a trip
to Chicago could be complete without at least stopping by
After the bean, we swung by an incredible community center that was once a Library:
And then a coffee break at the truly wonderful “Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea”
We truly fell in love with Chicago… It’s like a clever blending of Portland, San Francisco, Phoenix,
and New York… All balanced in such a way that it’s a real pleasure to spend time there…
We’re really looking forward to going back!
Muskegon Wedding — Michigan Wedding Photography
Land Of Big Ol’ Lakes…
The last time I spent time in Michigan, the lakes were frozen and visibility was less
than a mile (oh, and I was 16 years old). Going back this July was SUCH an incredibly
different experience.
First, we flew into Chicago (more on why later) and then drove down around the great
lake through Indiana and into Michigan… As we passed through Holland, MI I grinned,
my family and I had spent a lot of time in the area one summer. We’d had a blast!
The further North we got though the more we discovered what a different world Michigan
is in the summer months. It’s green, bright, and truly beautiful.
Soon after we arrived in Muskegon, we headed down to the Groom’s beach house for a
fun party night with the whole wedding party… They’d been there for a whole week
before the wedding, having a party of epic proportions!
The Groom…
The Priest was awesome… He had a serious sense of humour and was highly
entertained that the Bride was a couple minutes behind schedule.
Gabriel and Jillian were both precious. Love & joy was exuding from their very souls.
Their beautiful Rehearsal Dinner site…
Mmmmm Bells Brewing Company makes some great beers!
SUCH a great wedding party:
The speeches were absolutely PRICELESS (and included a brilliant rendition of
Zach Galifianakis’ “Hangover” speech).
But then, it was the wedding day!!
I love Bridesmaids that rock! 
AND I love blingin’ rings
Beautifully designed programs…
And Grooms who ADORE their Brides.
Happy Couples…
And Party Buses
Champagne…
And Red Bull…
Big Wedding Parties Especially Rock
Did I mention how big this wedding party is?
Or how sweet this couple is?
They had special songs for each member of their wedding party, and then
danced their way into the reception to the theme song from Austin Powers…
It was super awesome!
Perfect.
The Father of The Bride let his adoration for his daughter show bright and true.
And the Groom made sure he had some fun with the garter
Their entire reception was one heck of a party. Dancing, drinks and FUN.
It was awesome!
And that’s all the photos I’ll post for now…. So many posted!
We had a truly amazing time in Michigan, the people were rockin’ awesome
and the area was BEAUTIFUL.
I have to thank each and every person in the wedding party for the amazing
weekend… We so enjoyed being a part of your lives (and your party!) you
guys and gals are true rockstars
I also need to offer a quick thank you to my friends Jen & Jonah Otchy for their
help shooting the wedding, my dear wife for ALL her assistance, and the great
DJ’s over at Absolute Entertainment.
We’re gearing up for our next adventure, but I figured I’d get this blog
post up as quickly as possible
Talk soon!
Seattle Wedding Photography — Fremont Abbey Wedding Photography
A Mustache-cular Marriage
When I heard that Luz and Cole were engaged, it was back in January when Nelle
and I were on our epic cross country road trip. We drove about 15 hours out of the
way to visit with them and capture a few engagement photos:
Soon after, we got a special call from them asking if we’d be available
to shoot their June wedding. As luck would have it, we were!!
And so, when June rolled around I hopped a jet to Seattle to photograph
their beautifully eclectic wedding
Luz’s flowers were made from the pages of Saint Augustine’s Confessional…
They were beautiful!
They both share a love for hot liquids (principally coffee and tea 
)
Cole’s Groomsmen were all straight up awesome… And each one
carried their own “Pacific Northwest” uniqueness with pride.
Luz & Cole opted to have a private “First Look” instead of waiting ’til their ceremony
it was so darn precious!
Also precious… The relationship of Luz and her dear brother Paz.
These two have been best friends nearly their entire lives.
Not to be outdone by the guys, all of Luz’s girls were absolutely darling.
They each carried themed bouquets revolving around the Genesis story
and were able to accent their look with their own personal styles.
The real highlight though, was Luz and Cole themselves… Their adoration for
each other was absolutely palpable.
Plus, Cole’s the kind of guy who buys a special hat JUST for his wedding
Luz is a long time fan of older photography styles… Polaroids, Holgas, and sundry
other such funkyness… I worked hard to shoot and edit in that style for them…
I Hope you enjoy it too!
On to the ceremony!
Luz and her Bridesmaids sharing a prayer just before they walked down the aisle.
The groomsmen, each sported their own unique flair as they waited as well.
See?
(and yes, that’s a titanium spork in his pocket)
The light (and personalities) were both amazing:
And then it was time…
Here’s Cole watching his Bride walk down the aisle to greet him.
Paz walked his sister down the aisle and had a special moment with
her new protector before he gave her away
Luz had SUCH an awesome grin all day long.
And now, their 20.8 second kiss (they had several people betting on the length,
thus stopwatches were a must
Time for treats!
Also it’s time for the mustaches to be worn with pride:
A few speeches…
And finally, a triumphant exit…
The flower petals are actually a cool story on their own… Luz’s mother has been
saving all of the flowers Luz has had over the years to be thrown at her wedding…
They looked amazing!
And that’s all for tonight
Thanks so much for taking a quick trip to Seattle with me… I can’t wait for our next
Seattle Wedding… We truly love it up there!
Rose Hall Resort Wedding Photography…
In Montego Bay, Jamaica!!
When I first met Paul he soon shared that he was engaged, and that they were
planning a special destination wedding in Jamaica. Of course my instant reaction
was to tell him how much we’d love to be a part of the experience, and luckily for
us, they decided that sounded like a good idea!
Given the distance, they initially expected it to be a small family event. Soon though,
their friends started sending in their RSVP cards… Many of them checked “yes”!
With all their friends and family there, It was SUCH a wonderful time. SO much love,
SO much joy, and SUCH an incredible setting.
Our View:
We were so blessed to get a top floor room at the Rose Hall Hilton; the photo above
was taken moments after we arrived on Thursday. We were absolutely blown away by
the beauty that surrounded us!
The Ancient Aqueduct:
(The above is pretty much one of the coolest things I’ve ever shot).
Rehearsal:
One of our very favorite things in the world, is that we get to be a part of
people’s ENTIRE wedding adventure. We make a point to capture more than
just the ceremony, more than just the same old “boring” photos.
Of course that can leave a little down time… Which when you’re at a gorgeous
resort like the Rose Hall, means you get to have some precious relaxation time
with your gorgeous wife:
See?
My new favorite sunglasses even got to make an appearance:
Before long though, it was the wedding day… And the girls were getting ready!
Tools
EPIC Light.
The bathroom mirrors had these gorgeous lights that wrapped ALL
the way around them… If you’re ever selecting a mirror for photography,
square lights all the way around the edge surely look good
Details:
I was astonished to see how many precious family heirloom
style details the Bride was able to bring with her, all the way
to Jamaica… They surely made for some special photos!
Manly Men:
Watching sports no doubt
One of my favorites:
The aqueduct REALLY rocks… So obviously, we all had to climb it.
The next photo was taken moments after my lovely khakis split right
down the middle… See Paul (the groom) laughing at me?!
Back to the Ladies:
Katie was so entertained as the girls helped lace up her dress,
I think the “corset” from Pirates of the Caribbean was mentioned
once or twice
As the guests began to file in for the ceremony, the light slowly began
it’s waning dive into perfect beauty. It was still bright, but the contrast
it offered became simply gorgeous:
The elders were on hand with their iPhones to record as much as possible:
And then, it was happening!
The Father of the Bride approved
The emotions were amazing, laughter, tears, and smiles abounded… It was beautiful!
And then, it was official!
Everyone Cheered
In Jamaica, apparently it’s customary to sign your wedding license DURING the ceremony,
so before everyone was released, Paul and Katie sat down to sign it. They had
some trouble though, as they seemed to not be able to take their eyes off
of each other!
The precious flower girl didn’t mind their distraction though, she’d
discovered the wonder of the beach!
The Wedding Party
We took time for a few group shots, and then whisked Paul and Katie away
for a few photos of their own:
The light!
They so love to play together:
See?
After our all too brief photo session, the Bride and Groom slipped away for
a few minutes and I made my way over to the reception site… Just in time
to capture this:
See it LARGER by Clicking Here.
The party that followed was wonderfully fun, complete with delicious food
a poolside bar, and rockin’ music. I’ll attach a few photos below, before I end this post!
So much fun!!
I’m headed out the door to a meeting now, so I simply must end
this post (or I feel it may go on forever). If you’re coming across
this via Google or Bing, I’d LOVE to talk to you about your destination
wedding photography… We’ve done a lot of it, but every time we travel
we discover some new, exciting thing
I hope you’ve enjoyed the post… What was your favorite photo?!
Bok Tower Wedding Photos
My Favorite Wedding Venue… Ever.
Last year, my wife and I were married at one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Seriously!
We had an incredible day, filled with precious moments, and surrounded by family…
And ever since, I’ve done everything I can to help promote this amazing place.
Where?
Way back in 1921, Edward Bok (a noted philanthropist and editor of “The Ladies Home Journal”)
spent the Winter months in my home town of Lake Wales, FL. During his time here, he was drawn
to a spot, known as “Iron Mountain”. He bought the land and soon discovered that it was actually
the very highest point in peninsular Florida.
Around the same time, my Great Grandparents (Carl Sr. and Bertha) arrived in Lake Wales,
with a vision to create a few high end communities for the rich iron and oil barons, arriving
from the North East in droves.
Tragedy struck my family in the mid 20′s when my Great-Grandfather died from Pneumonia.
All plans to develop our land were halted, and my Great-Gandmother, Bertha worked herself
into a frenzy, caring for her two young children.
(Sorry for the history lesson, I’m going somewhere with this I promise!)
In 1929, Bok’s workers completed the incredible Pink Marble tower you see in the photo
above… (My Wife’s Great-Grandfather was a part of that team!)
At the time, our little rural County was the most wealthy in the WORLD, and people flocked
from everywhere, to experience “Bok’s gift to the great people of Florida”. On top of the tower,
he placed a series of 60 bells and a carillon keyboard. He firmly believed that the music they
produced was akin to the sound of angels.
As time went on, Bok Tower Gardens grew and developed. Yet it’s still holds the same values,
to preserve the TRUE beauty of Florida, and to give back to the community.
Today, Bok Tower is working hard to continue offering it’s beauty to the world, and over the
past few years has put special emphasis on helping couples create magical wedding experiences.
After our wedding there, I was offered a few truly unique opportunities to capture events
at the gardens… At first just for clients, and later working with Bok Tower’s publicity team.
I’m attaching a few of my favorite photos from Bok Tower Weddings and Engagement sessions
below… Hope you enjoy them!!
Jon & Amber…
This next image is actually being featured in Get Married magazine this Fall!
One More
Joseph & Alex:
(You may remember their Chalet Suzanne Wedding this February, we recently
took some time out at the Gardens “after hours” to capture some truly unique portraits).
Beside the new Visitor’s Center:
A Fairly Special Perspective of The Tower
Shot this little landscape photo during the same shoot…
Can’t you see why Mr. Bok fell in love with the area?
We’ve been truly blessed the past 6 months or so, to develop an exclusive relationship
with Bok Tower. We’ve helped them with their projects, and in exchange we get special
access to the Gardens and Tower here are a couple spots you’re not likely to ever see
photos from
One final session before I finish this post….
Meet Dan & Jess:
(She’s way cuter than him [and rightly so].
So darn precious!!
I know this blog post is a little convoluted, but I hope you captured the beauty
of Bok Tower Weddings, and that you’re able to see just why *I* am so excited
to be shooting there.
If you’ve found this blog post through Google or Bing, feel free to jump over
to my main website page and say hello, I’d love to talk to you about YOUR
Central Florida Wedding (or wherever it might be
Any way, as I type this; My lovely wife and I are sitting in the Fort Lauderdale Airport,
waiting for the next leg of our journey to Jamaica… I’m SO excited to be shooting a
beautiful wedding there this weekend, and I promise to get the images up as soon as possible
I hope that you, dear reader are enjoying your week… I’ll do my best to get us back
to our “regularly scheduled” blogging soon
P.S. I know there were a PLETHORA of photos in this post, but which SHOOT was
your favorite?? These are definitely some of my all time favorites
A Penn House Wedding in Reidsville, NC
A Long Time Coming…
Jessica and Drew met almost a Decade ago… They became friends, and as time
swept by, they suddenly realized that there was something DEEPER to their relationship.
It didn’t take long for them to get engaged, and then begin planning their wedding.
Jess had grown up in Reidsville, NC and dreamed of having her wedding at the
Chinqua Penn Plantation, or the Penn House. It worked out that the plantation was
booked already, but there was still space at the beautiful Penn House.
And let me tell you, this place is TRULY a beauty!
Nelle and I arrived Thursday evening to prepare for a VERY full wedding weekend.
While I was shooting the wedding happenings, Nelle had agreed to help coordinate
the last minute details and do all she could to be a blessing.
Saturday morning began with a beautiful Bridesmaid’s Brunch at the “Backstreet
Buzz” Coffee Shop:
The Ladies, beginning with Prayer.
Mother of The Bride (and the Bride herself!)
From there, we took off for our traditional “engagement session”.
Even though it was the day before their wedding, we ALWAYS
include a session just to get some time to hang with the Bride and Groom
before their day
(Plus, they look awfully cute together).
And One More…
After our engagement session, we hurried to the Penn House for the rehearsal!
As we arrived the sun began to set and draped us with the most BEAUTIFUL light.
(The Bride arriving with one of her very best friends).
(The Groom and his men).
In the interest of time and space, I’ll skip the HILARIOUS photos from the rehearsal
dinner and jump straight away into Sunday morning aka the morning of the wedding
And then, it was time…
Sadly, we didn’t have that same luscious light as the night before.
Their precious emotions more than made up for it though
Told you so
Having the reception in the mid-afternoon was a REALLY fun twist,
people wore sunglasses, were thankful for the breezes and danced like CRAZY!
Plus, I have a serious soft-spot for really cool DJ’s.
These guys (http://anythingmusicnc.com) rock
There were LOTS of single ladies vying for the bouquet
This special little gal “won”
The afternoon continued with fun dancing, great family portraits and
a beautiful exit (with bubbles!)… But here’s the REALLY fun part.
After the Bride and Groom “left” we met up a few hours later for a
quiet portrait session in a small field… From the moment we arrived,
the sunset light, and TRULY unique green that only North Carolina
can provide, swept us away with it’s beauty.
And that’s it!
The Bride and Groom made their way to Colorado for an incredibly
romantic SNOWED IN honeymoon at a private cabin.
MY Bride and I would LOVE to shoot more weddings up in North
Carolina, especially when the seasons are changing, it’s so darn beautiful
up there!!
Much Love and Peace to each of you… Talk Soon!
Street Musician in Seattle, WA
A Bit Of A Flashback…
Quite a flashback, actually… If you’ve been keeping up with me for a while, you
probably remember the “Epic Surf Trip” I took in my 1970 Volkswagen which began
in November 2008.
I left from Orange County, CA and drove all the way up the Coast to Seattle, encountering
all sorts of fun adventures along the way (including sinking my car in the Pacific Ocean).
After arriving in Seattle, I got my first ever chance to explore the city… And of course,
I started things off down at the Pike Place Market. As I strolled down the brick streets
something out of place hit my ears… Was that a PIANO I heard?
Sure enough, there it was… I could barely believe my eyes. A man with long, gray hair
sitting at a piano, right there on the street corner. He moved with effortless grace, swaying
with the music like an aging metronome… Comfortable, fulfilled, and certainly moving to
the his own beat…
As I stood there watching him play, I suddenly found my eyes closing; hearing the
passion in his music, the grace in the sound. This man was no normal street performer.
Sure, he was a bit disheveled but there was something MORE to him.
As I collected myself, I lifted my camera to my eye and captured these photos:
(My First View)
And then more:
It was frigidly cold that day. Yet here was this man playing his piano,
gloves on his hands, jacket on top of jacket, and eyes closed blissfully.
I wandered around him for several minutes before he even knew I was
there… Finally opening his eyes at the end of the song, he smiled and said hello.
I thanked him for the music, and wandered away.
Flash Forward….
Thirteen months later, my wife and I made our way back to Seattle…
Once again in a Volkswagen, though this time with decidedly less dunks
in the Pacific.
As we made our way up to the market, I smiled as I heard the music in
the distance I was so excited to share this beautiful man with my bride!
Just as we arrived by his side, he finished his song and took a moment
to talk to us. I told him that I’d taken his picture the previous year and had
it hanging in my home (that first photo looks AMAZING on canvas
He asked me for a copy, and shared that he truly wasn’t your average street
performer, barely getting by. His name was Jonny Hahn and he’d been performing
at that same location for nearly as long as I’ve been alive. He lived just down the
street and LIVED to make the music he shared.
It was truly inspiring to talk to this gentle, passionate soul… A man commonly
overlooked, but filled with a humble joy.
Here’s a video I found of him playing on YouTube:
(I’ll try to get a better one next time!)
I’ll be back in Seattle in Late June for a beautiful wedding… And I can assure
you that Lord willing, I’ll be stopping by to see Jonny and thank him for his
constant inspiration.
How are YOU inspiring people?
Who’s inspiring YOU in unexpected ways?
Thanks For Reading,
Central Florida Wedding Photography…
My Little Brother Got Hitched!!
It seems so strange to say it… My little brother is MARRIED.
Yet on a beautiful day back in February, our family’s came together
and at the end of the day, they were married!
Joseph and Alexandra have been friends (and romantically interested)
since they were 7 or 8 years old. It may sound crazy, but these two
literally grew up in love.
11 years later, they were finally in a position where they could make
it official between God and man… And I got to capture it all
Here’s highlight reel
Shooting my Brother’s wedding was a really interesting experience
for me as a photographer… I wanted to be there for him as a groomsman,
to experience the joy’s of the day AND I wanted to be sure to capture it
all as well as possible.
My wonderful assistants for the day really helped make that happen.
Say hello to my darling wife Danielle, and her sister’s boyfriend (up
and coming photographer) Michael Flores:
The Wedding was held at the restaurant and country inn my family
has owned here in Central Florida for nearly 80 years; The Chalet Suzanne.
I’m REALLY excited to be living close enough to shoot here
more often, it truly is one of the best wedding and event venues
in the Orlando / Tampa area.
Their wedding was at 1:00PM so we were graced with BEAUTIFUL
morning light as the girls got ready…
Snacks were eaten:
It truly was a family affair… Here, two girls from each of our
families help get each other ready
The Bride was the first one ready for the ceremony; she and I slipped
away from the crowds to take a couple quick portraits and so she could
catch her breath before walking down the aisle.
(She was quite happy )
One last photo before we were off to become siblings-in-law
Ahh yes, so fun!
But then I was off to my parent’s home just in time to catch
a shot of my little brother going over his vows:
And then it was time!
Being in the wedding party gave me the coolest perspective to capture the day.
See?!
The Maid of Honor, and all the Bride’s Sisters:
My Mom & Dad
Time for the rings:
Then a special kiss
And a high five between Father and Son
As everyone filed out, I made my way around the corner
to see this preciously private sight.
After a few minutes alone, the couple were announced and
a beautiful little reception ensued:
There was great rejoicing:
And Toasts!
And then a family portrait (or 20):
There are SO many more I’d love to share, but this post already has a
plethora more photos than I’d normally post; so I’m going to let it
draw to a close.
I’m so, so blessed to be able to share these with you, and to be able to
share my gifts with my family… I hope that someday I’m able to do the
same for YOUR family, dear reader.
May your day be Blessed!
P.S. Leave me a comment so I know you stopped by?
Would love to know which photo was your favorite!
My First WPPI
Here’s What Happened In Vegas…
Over the years, I’ve been asked if I’d be at WPPI a multitude of times.
Yet, somehow I’ve NEVER been able to make it. There’s always been
SOMETHING going on during the event so I’ve had to skip!!
This year however, everything we’d planned for the week of WPPI
was able to easily be moved… So at the very last minute; I went!
Arriving Saturday, I was able to hook up with a bunch of old friends
from my days in Orange County… Folks like the venerable Becker,
the adorable Keats, and the rockin’ awesome Jeff Norwood.
I also made some awesome NEW friends like Jen Otchy, and finally
connected with internet buddies like Aric Becker…
All in all, Saturday was rockin’… But then Sunday began.
It all began with a little lighting workshop Lan & Vu Bui put on.
They sold it out almost instantly and had a great group of folks
to teach. Sadly though, two of their models failed to show at the
last minute and my dear friends Matt & Stevi offered to step up
(You may remember them from our time in NYC, they’re the best!)
Here’s a few shots from the workshop:
Another friend from our last NYC trip was there as well… Feuza Reis!!
Another one of my very favorite people was there as well;
Mike Larson and I ended up rooming together for the week.
He’s a TRUE rockstar of the industry, and has some of the greatest
character of any man I’ve ever met… If you’re a photographer, or
even just a fan of photography, I encourage you to spend some time
getting to know Mike… It’ll be well worth your while.
That’s his new Canon 1D MkIV — I spent the week playing with it and I’m in LOVE.
The little guy above is the soon-to-be child prodigy of Grace Liu Anderson‘s
(He’s really an AWESOME little munchkin!)
Sunday night was a private little Pictage get together at the Mandalay Bay
which soon was carried away by the Go|Bee Party… I made a few new friends
there as well (who promptly shoved me into a photo booth)
The following morning (Monday) I made the rounds of the trade show
(several times) finally finding myself at the Bui Brothers/ Pictage/ Dane Sanders’
“New Media Lounge” complete with comfy couches, Wi-Fi and the all important
iPhone chargers.
Here’s a quick shot of Lan Bui with the 1D MkIV and 85mm F1.2L MkII
As the day drew to a close I started running around like a crazy person
getting ready for Mike Larson’s incredible speech on “Character Marketing”.
Did I mention that this is Vegas, and the conference center is about a mile
from the hotel rooms? Well, it is… And all in the same casino!
Mike’s speech was a great success, despite technical difficulties that would
certainly have thrown off a less passionate speaker.
More shots from the Canon 1D MkIV:
Here, Mike demonstrates his best Jedi mind trick on my dear
friend Ginny Corbett:
Mike’s workshop was an overwhelming success, people walked
away each feeling more inspired to lean on their character as
the foundation of their business… Each inspired.
Many thanks to Mike, and to Kiss Wedding Books for making the workshop
happen… I was honored to be a part of it!
Tuesday dawned a new day… With BIG plans!!
First off was a morning session with legendary wedding guru Grace Ormonde.
She was really working the audience; helping them understand the best ways
to get their work published in magazines like hers.
Lawrence from ToFurious had invited Mike down to do one of his famous
“camera tosses” to record the event. (Mike and I actually MET because of
a camera toss in Times Square a few years ago, but that’s a different story
for a different time
Here’s Mike’s shot:
Pretty cool, eh?!
Next up, we had to run over to the New Media Lounge for Mike
to hop on “AskDane” with Dane Sanders…
Along the way we bumped into Becker and I finally got to subject
him to what I can only call “Beckering” — He’s famous for shooting
hundreds of photos of subjects in a single pose, largely to get them
comfortable, and partly to ensure he’s captured the PERFECT moment.
But, I had the 1D MkIV in my hands which meant I could fire off
10 frames a second for a full minute or so… I only took fourty or fifty
pictures, but darnit, I still feel like I “Beckered” him good
Then, it was off to the ShootQ booth for another quick speech.
(It was actually really fun chasing after Mike all afternoon, I got
to capture all kinds of things
Next on our list was a sprint over to the OTHER tradeshow building
for Mike’s speech at the Pictage Booth… Where my dear old xanga friends
Bob & Dawn Davis were just finishing up:
Jim Collins, the CEO of pictage is the one in focus… That man is a rockstar
Simon from pictage interviewed Mike all about his thoughts
on Character Marketing, etc. He was quick to point out that one
of Mike’s photos hung above us… Which was pretty darn cool
And then in a blur, we were off to our next stop…
Dane Sanders‘ Platform Session… With nearly a thousand other people
crowded into the room!!
Mike, Jesh De Rox, and I ran to the front row right as things
were getting started… Here are a few photos:
You’ve got to see Mike’s pictures from this… They’re awesome!
He doesn’t have them up on his blog yet, but I’m sure they will be soon
That evening was a rapid fire series of rockin’ parties…
First off was Dane’s after party at the Centrifuge Lounge, followed
by the biggest party of the week… Pictage’s VIP Event at Studio 54.
Both Kiss Wedding Books, and ShootQ sponsored shows during
the party, and when my friends Kevin Swan & Shaun Austin from
Kiss asked if we’d shoot their special event, there was no way we
could say no!
So, here are a few shots from that:
And here’s a rockin’ awesome video Lan & Vu Bui put together:
After the Pictage party, a group of us made a dash to the Mandalay Bay for
Becker’s [b]School party… Which ended up being ANOTHER awesome event
No pictures though, I left my camera in the room, that thing gets heavy fast!
Wednesday morning, I was scheduled to fly out at 8:00AM but I skipped
my flight to attend the first ever “Unite” meeting at a WPPI.
Unite is an incredible group of Christian Photographers, led by Mike Larson &
David Jay as well as many other photographers around the country.
We worshipped, prayed, and shared for about 2 hours… And my only wish, is
that it had gone on for 10 times as long… It truly was an immense blessing
(and well worth the cost of booking another flight, haha).
David Jay and Mike asked if I’d shoot a few photos to capture the event;
they’re attached below:
And since that’s about all the vertical ones I took, let me find a few more
landscape style
There are so many more photographs to post, and so many other friends to mention;
but I must let this post end somewhere!
Many thanks to each of you who made the week so wonderful…
I can’t wait until the next time we meet, and I am truly blessed by each of you.
As always, I am here to serve.
P.S. If you were there, would you do me a favor and leave a comment with
YOUR favorite moment from WPPI 2010?
I’d love to hear from you!
(Even if you weren’t there