Here’s a few fun images from a playful engagement story session in Laguna Beach! Mixed a little sand, a little water, a little golden hour, a little yellow sun dress, and a little ooh-la-la, and this is what we got:

Angel+Lavinder will be gettin’ hitched at the Ritz Carlton in Newport Beach, and I am stoked to be there!

But I should begin at the beginning: They both started their day at 5:30am …

One of my favorites with Anitra and her dad:

At Justin’s family’s home, Kelli caught their very curious dog, Junebug …

These high-school sweethearts got hitched bright and early in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, before it opened to the public for the day. They wanted to see each other before the ceremony, so they had a private moment in the central Palm Dome:

What a beautiful location! They had a decidedly small ceremony, with about 20 guests and hundreds of eye-popping flowers in attendance.

Justin and the guys had a Reservoir Dogs moment outside the grounds …

Afterward, they had a cozy lunch reception at the Palomino restaurant in downtown Minneapolis (food = mmm, dessert = wow).

But I’m saving the best for last.  See Part 2 … tomorrow!

For those uninitiated to a Holga, it’s essentially a toy camera that has gathered a following among a certain set of photographers both amateur and professional — those that enjoy unexpected results! Holgas are actual film cameras — “Wassat? Film?” –  known for their plastic elements and light leaks. To focus the lens is to choose a point somewhere between three settings: “one person,” “three people,” and “five people.” It’s photography guesswork, and the results rock!

Lomography is an unorthodox and freestyle way of making photos with an inexpensive camera such as a Holga. It’s  very hipster idea, and the cameras fill a table at any Urban Outfitters. To switch gears after wrangling a massive camera takes some getting used to, but is ultimately very freeing.

I used “redscale” film for these Lomo photos from their engagement session:

Nothing like a creamy, apocalyptic engagement session!

I’ll be experimenting some more with the Holga at their wedding … stay tuned.

I want to share with you more photos from a fantastic,  stylish, marvelous couple I was honored to photograph in early October in New York City & New Jersey. René + Ed, both lawyers and world-travelers extraordinaire, met at a Halloween party in Louisiana. These two fit together like puzzle pieces, and they look good in front of a camera too.

True to their worldly ways, their two-part wedding spread over two states. Their official civil ceremony was in NYC …

after which we trolled the city for some photos.

My favorite shot took thirty seconds from start to finish, in which we borrowed a magazine stand from its grumpy-but-patient owner. My awesome assistant, NYC-local photographer Alejandro Duran, held a flash out of frame behind René on the right side. The natural light streaming into the plywood box from behind me, along with a fluorescent tube above Ed, did the rest of the work. Ha ha, I can find Buttman magazine — can you?

Afterwards, they had a small party at Café Asean in the West Village.

Then on Saturday, the girls (René, Catherine, and Zoey) got all dolled up in NYC, then hopped a limo two hours to Skillman, NJ.

René + Ed had their white wedding in his parents’ gorgeous backyard. The clouds, which had been threatening moisture, broke mid-day to become my favorite light, that lovely post-rain drama.

And then my favorite moment of the evening …after cutting (smearing?) the cake, Ed needed to clean his glasses! Inventive solution, if I say so myself.

Congratulations, René + Ed! May your many years be happy!

We were nearly done with the bride-and-groom session — and they were getting tired — when I spotted a tree trunk up a hill. It was a bit of a hike, so I gingerly suggested that I had one more crazy idea. I remember that Stephanie, though her feet were hurting, replied something to the effect of: if your wedding photographer has an idea, you should go with it. (Sound advice!) So we braved the hill, the ants, and the sticker bushes to make Ryan a Prince Valiant:

My other favorite image came at a very emotional moment during the ceremony. They had one of the most heartfelt ceremonies I’ve seen, and there was barely a dry eye in the crowd by the end. During a fantastic reading by her bridesmaid, Ann, Stephanie spontaneously reached for Ryan’s hand, then turned and looked at Ann. The moment gave me butterflies:

Happy one-year anniversary, you two! May you stay well!

The first back-to-back couple was Shelly + Gary.  She’s such a gorgeous bride, and he’s a bit of a jokester and fun fellow; they remind me a lot of my own parents in how they relate to each other.  And they got enough country in ‘em to belong in the down-home stylings of PJ’s Abbey!

The very next day, Ken and Sylvina had a very beautiful wedding at the same restaurant.

Ken + Sylvina seem to have a wonderful sense of communication that’s all their own … one of my favorite photos from the night is a quiet one, with both of them at the bar late in the evening. I don’t think they knew I was there when he slid up to her. One thing that’s great about photographing people is being able to sense how they interact with each other … and then challenging myself to show it!

Happy 2nd to both of you couples!

These first photos are from the day before … Heather + Brian took family and friends to see the Hearst Castle, which will make any photographer drool. We snuck in a few portraits while touring one of the pools.

On the day, Heather got girlied up at the Bladerunner Salon & Day Spa in SLO, and they both got ready at the lodge.

Theirs was a very intimate wedding (only 60 guests!) in the gazebo garden. Their extra-furry ring bearer stole the show.

We made a mad dash through the gardens and then to the ocean for some portraits as the sun went down. The results turned out beautiful!

The party may have been intimate, but the festivities were fantastic!

Thank you, Heather + Brian, for the opportunity to photograph your celebration, and may you stay so darned, ahem, cute.

Don’t work too hard! It’s Labor Day!

- Russell

Happy 2nd, lovebirds!

– Russell