Part II of the Barnaby Jack Vintage lookbook shoot with our lovely model Sarah. (See Part I here.) I've been going to Castle Rock State Park since I was young, but this was my first time shooting there. As you can see, it's worth a trip up the mountain.
When Sara of Barnaby Jack Vintage contacted me about doing a lookbook shoot, I was so excited. The style of all her pieces was so in line with my own aesthetic taste, and we quickly learned that we had similar ideas for the entire vibe of the shoot. It came together quickly and flawlessly. Andie, our model for the first part of the shoot, did a wonderful job. (For part II of the shoot, click here.) You can see the photos up on her site! www.shopbarnabyjack.com
Sometimes you get the urge to head out to your local monastery and take self-portraits. (Really, I had heard about this place and wanted to check it out for myself before bringing clients there.) It exceeded my expectations, and I'll definitely be going back.
Hannah and I have known each other since we were two. Our backyards are connected by a wooden gate. We grew up making (embarrassing) short films together and eating terrible homegrown oranges under a miniature Japanese maple. When we weren't pretending we were cats, we would fight over her cat Pumpkin, whom I desperately wanted to cat-nap as my own. Some Saturdays we'd sit on top of a hill by the water treatment plant eating Indian food and honey sticks from the farmers' market. She taught me most of the swear words I know, and has been in front of my camera from the very beginning. Given this background, you can see why it's a pretty special thing to shoot someone like this. Add in a thrifted wedding dress and some amazing locations - it doesn't get better!
Tucked away in the Santa Cruz mountains is a magical fish pond that sits in a quiet pocket of redwood forest. I hope that, in looking at these photos, you can feel the cool trickle of the stream that fills the spring box, smell the forest floor & crumpled bay leaves, and hear nothing but the gentle flow of water.
Vintage Slip: Pretty Penny Clothing
Gold Feather Clips: Willow & Quinn
Hair & make-up by me ;)
I'm going to be honest: I don't love these images. I had an idea and a vision that didn't necessarily materialize in the way I was expecting. In fact, I liked my first milkbath photos better, even though I had a worse set-up. That said, this shoot was a reminder that experiments drive art forward. I'm a huge advocate of staying busy with personal work in between paid jobs because personal work is the core of my art. It's what has honed my style and sparked my ideas. So, if there's one piece of advice I could give, it would be: never stop shooting. Not every shoot will produce images you love, and that's okay.
A fun fashion shoot with a dear friend...enjoy!
Berkeley Photographer | Mother-daughter headshots | San Francisco Bay Area
Yesterday, Padraic and I checked out a spot I've been meaning to explore for a while: the Spring Box Trail in Santa Cruz. It runs adjacent to the UCSC campus and rambles in and out of redwood forest and open trails surrounded by oak trees. I don't know what the history is behind these spring boxes, but rumor is that locals set koi and goldfish free in these concrete boxes, and the fish some how manage to avoid getting eaten by raccoons. There are also lime kilns from the 1850s nearby! Needless to say, I left with inspiration for another photoshoot. :)
Palo Alto, California photographer | Arastradero Preserve | September 13, 2015
Sometimes I'm disappointed when the sun doesn't show its face for a shoot, but in this case, the cloud/smoke cover diffused the light beautifully, making shooting at any angle possible. Kimberly and Minta worked so hard to make this shoot come together - thanks, ladies!
Model: Minta Hsu // HMUA: Kimberly MacPhee // Flowers: Simply Stunning Events
Oakland Fashion Photographer | Field Day Wearables
"field day is a small indie clothing label born in 2005 out of Oakland, California. Trinity, the creator of field day, designs flattering, versatile, long-lasting, and completely conscious ready-to-wear line inspired by classic silhouettes that flatter the figure. field day utilizes the most sustainable materials available such as reclaimed vintage bed sheets that have been dyed in small batches to organic cotton grown and milled in California." I excerpted this bit from her website because I wanted to make sure you all knew how wonderful the story behind these designs is!
I had the opportunity to work with Trinity in getting some photos for a lookbook of her fall collection. It was so fun working with all these ladies - enjoy the photos, and be sure to go buy yourself something! (I know I will.) :)
Big thanks to models Mali, Nea, Emily, & Jaclyn!
Santa Barbara Photographer | Ocean People Project
These two. This day was one of the coldest in Santa Barbara, but I am lucky enough to have friends that indulge my somewhat insane impulses. The Ocean People Project is something I've been working on for a while now. It's simple: people run into the ocean with their clothes on (the more formal or outlandish, the better). This is the first one I've published on my site because I'm trying to come up with a more complete collection before posting. More to come...
Campbell, California Photographer | Portraits of a Parakeet
Meet Sue, the androgynously named plum-headed parakeet who is male and whose real name is Sunshine. A long time ago, he flew into a window at my uncle's office, and my uncle brought him home to us. He's as old as I am and is expected to live past 30, much to my parents' dismay. (Sorry, Sue.) He only says two things – "Hi, Sweetie, whatcha doin'?" and "Want a treat" – but he occasionally imitates sounds on TV. He flirts with food-offerers with a slow two-step and a click of the tongue, his pupils spiraling in and out like a hypnotist's disk. He thrives on seedcakes, pellets, and the occasional carrot, and sleeps one-footed on a mini swing.
This shoot was challenging for many reasons. Bird models are harder to work with than you'd think. I didn't even intend to be in these photos, but he wouldn't perch on anything I wanted him to sit on, so naturally the best alternative was my head. Self-portraits are hard enough to begin with! I've worked with wind, harsh light, and tricky people, but Sue was by far the most difficult model I've run into. (I haven't had anyone fly away from me before.)
Campbell, California Photographer | Sunflower Mini-Sessions | Summer 2015
Campbell, California Photographer | Sunflower Mini-Sessions | Summer 2015
Campbell, California Photographer | Sunflower Mini-Sessions | Summer 2015
Oak & Rye | Los Gatos Photographer
I had a blast taking photos of Oak & Rye in downtown Los Gatos - and even came away with a free margherita pizza (my favorite)! The restaurant and its employees have such personality, which you can hopefully see in this set of photos. Keep scrolling, and let the mouth-watering begin!
Campbell, California Photographer | Sunflower Farm SessionModel: Erin Nolan Wardrobe: American Apparel + Urban Outfitters
South Lake Tahoe Photographer | Lupine field photo session
These two lovely people found a perfect spot for us to shoot in South Lake Tahoe. The area was so breathtaking – a meadow, a river, and a lupine field all on the edge of the lake – making for some truly beautiful shots. Thanks, Cassandra and Steve! I had a great time working with you.
Santa Cruz Photographer | Creative Headshots
Had a great time working to get Elliot some updated professional shots with a creative edge. He is a designer, so I wanted to be sure his own creativity shone through!
