I’ve covered the annual tree-lighting ceremony at the Four Seasons hotel in East Palo Alto several times over the last few years – they do such a great job of having lots of activities for little kids, plus yummy drinks and snacks for the adults. Santa arrived in an Escalade (what no Prius Santa?), and the kids had a blast with the frothy bubbles emitted by the faux snow machine. The tree was lit to great fanfare, and all had a good time.
Here’s a few of my favorite photos from the event, or you can view and order prints of all 186 photos at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Enjoy, leave a comment, have a happy holiday season.
Tags: activities, art, bubbles, ceremony, Children, christmas, crafts, east palo alto, event, event photography, four seasons, hotel, kids, lighting, movie, palo alto, palo alto event photography, photography, playing, santa claus, silicon valley, snow machine, tree, tree lighting ceremony
Chef Marco Fossati was the original Executive Chef for Quattro when the restaurant first opened with the new Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto five years ago. He then left for his home country, Italy, for a couple years – but now he’s back! Doug, The Marketing Director at Four Seasons, wanted some creative portraits for the newly reinstated chef – something different from the standard headshot. I love getting opportunities to do something different, so we wandered around the property shooting at different locations and playing with ideas. Here are my favorites below, there’s 73 edited photos in total to check out at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: bay area business headshot, bay area portrait photographers, bay area portrait photography, business, business portraits, chef, chef marco fossati, creative portrait, east palo alto, fossati, four seasons, four seasons hotel, head chef, head shots, headshot, headshot photos, hotel, hotel photography, kitchen, marco, marco fossati, palo alto, photography, portrait, portrait photography, professional, quattro, restaurant, silicon valley, staff
I’ve been trying to get all my new brides-to-be excited about engagement sessions – they’re great practice for the big day, but in a low-stress, easygoing environment. There’s no dress, no bridesmaids, and certainly no mothers making unreasonable demands. It’s just me and the couple, exploring what poses and angles are the most flattering, and getting comfortable with the artistic dance that is wedding and portrait photography.
I met Joe and Christine at Belgatos Park in Los Gatos. None of us had been there before, so we really didn’t know what the place was all about. It’s at the base of the Santa Cruz mountains, so we only had 20 minutes of sun left when we started shooting. We immediately climbed to the top of the first hill (note to self: start running again) to take advantage of the setting sun and eek as much light out as we could. It was muddy from the recent rains, and I made Joe and Christine walk through and sit on all kinds of “pokey” things. They were real troopers, though, and collectively took one for the team. It was kind of like a team building ropes course, except for marriage instead of a boy scout badge. I give Joe and Christine a gold star each for their performance in front of the camera.
Below are my favorite photos from our engagement session, there’s 93 edited photos in total to peek at on my proofing website, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Enjoy, and leave a comment if you get the urge.
If you haven’t already, feel free to review our portfolio site, browse past weddings, check our romantic engagement sessions, follow our business on Facebook (like us while you’re at it!), or read our awesome Yelp reviews.
Tags: bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, belgatos park, christine schaffer, engagement, engagement photography, joe and christine, joe sanchez, los gatos, ring, romantic, santa cruz engagement photographers, santa cruz engagement photography, santa cruz wedding photographers, santa cruz wedding photography, wedding photographers, wedding photography
This is the most athletic family I’ve captured in quite some time – in fact, five of them are gymnasts! I’m thinking the whole family could go on the road with their own circus act with the talent they’ve got under one roof. With 14 people to capture, I had my work cut out for me when confronted with this crew at Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz. Everyone was totally friendly and there to have a good time – and so was I! We just rolled with the chaos and got some keepers while we were having fun. Thanks Kim for connecting with me, I look forward to it again next year! Here’s some of my favorite photos from our one hour session below, there’s 107 edited photos in all to check out at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Comments?
Tags: acrobatic, backflip, Calen, Correll, Erinn, Eva, family, flips, gymnasts, hall, hall family, jeff, Kim, lisa, natural bridges, Nikolai, photography, Sage, santa cruz, santa cruz family photography, Taran, Tristan
I’ve been friends with Jeff and Eleanor since freshman year in college. Eleanor was one of my art major friends, and Jeff was one of my engineering major friends. It’s pretty cool that those two circles eventually merged to create this wonderful, dynamic family. They have three fantastic kids, and I really enjoyed spending some time with them. Romio has oodles of personality, and is curious about everything – I let him help me assemble my camera and lighting equipment, and he thanked me with all kinds of dramatic poses and faces.
We explored Natural Bridges this morning – and even though I’ve shot here a lot recently, no two shoots are alike. People make the process dynamic, personal, and individual – and I creatively roll with each session, never having a preconceived plan of attack in my mind. With kids, you can’t force a pose or expect them to stay still for long – so as a photographer you have to be willing to let an idea go, take frequent quick breaks for the kids to run around, and never ever get frustrated. It’s all the unplanned photos, the moments between posed shots, that the magic really happens – you just have to let it emerge on its own and be ready to capture it.
Unfortunately I couldn’t spend more time with my old friends, and they had to head back to Southern California. But I was able to preserve the moments we had together with ye olde camera, and I hope that they cherish the results for years to come.
My favorite photos from the session are below, you can check out all 112 edited photos at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Leave a comment below!
Tags: beach, couple, domonic, el and jeff, eleanor, family, family photography, gloria, jeff, michael, natural bridges, ocean, photography, portrait, portrait photography, romio, santa cruz, santa cruz family photography
The Tates (and extended family) have been coming together every year to stay at a house in Pajaro Dunes (Watsonville) for the past 38 years. That’s a commitment! Of course the family gets bigger every year with new kids and marriages adding to the crowd. This year they hired GoodEye to capture some family photos on the beach the day after Thanksgiving. We had clear skies and a bright sun to contend with, but I did my thing and got some great shots. My favorites are below, there’s 124 edited photos to check out at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Leave a comment if you dare!
Tags: beach, candids, family, family photography, family portraits, mary tate, ocean, pajaro dunes, Portraits, sand, santa cruz, santa cruz family photography, tate family, watsonville
Wow. What a smokin’ session. It didn’t matter that it was raining, cold and windy – Kim & Bryan heated up the west coast and I had a blast capturing their sweet interactions. We met at Lighthouse field, which was a new location for me, although I’ve driven past it a thousand times. Then after a wardrobe change we hopped the fence near the cliffs and made our way down to dog(sh!t) beach. The weather was as I said, rainy, but intermittently sunny as well – and since they had driven up from Southern California to make it happen, I was committed as well!
They are smart, funny, and have that natural chemistry that makes my job that much easier. The elements challenged my abilities and pushed the limits of my hardware, but Kim & Bryan were easygoing and fun, willing to explore different poses and places. I always tell couples that I’ll keep throwing crazy ideas at them until they say “no,” and I was dumbfounded when I suggested they soak themselves in the chilled waterfall next to the cliff. I mean, really. That was awesome!
I ended up with way more proofs than I’d normally have after an engagement session, but that’s OK. Here’s my favorites below, if you’re down for checking out all 181 edited photos, saunter on over to my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography for a look-see. Peace, and comment if ya got somethin’ to say.
If you haven’t already, feel free to review our portfolio site, browse past weddings, check our romantic engagement sessions, follow our business on Facebook (like us while you’re at it!), or read our awesome Yelp reviews.
Tags: bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, beach, bryan mancuso, dog beach, engagement, engagement photography, goodeye, kimberly davis, lighthouse field, photography, photos, rain, romantic, santa cruz, santa cruz engagement photographers, santa cruz engagement photography, santa cruz wedding photographers, session, sexy, shoot, sprinkling
Carrie and Steven are good friends of recent family photography clients of mine here in Santa Cruz, so I was happy to capture some precious moments between them and their little rugrats, Maya and Ryan. It was chilly out, but we had blue skies and puffy white clouds floating above – and these guys really loved playing around in the water. I think Carrie and Steven were the kids for a while the way they were stomping, jumping and prancing around on the shore! I enjoyed being a fly on the wall, so to speak, and without further ado, I present my favorites below. There are exactly 100 edited photos in total that are available to view and print on my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Enjoy, and leave a comment!
Tags: beach, carrie, family, family photography, kids, kingsley, Maya, natural bridges, ocean, photography, photos, pics, playing, ryan, sand, santa cruz, steven
Wyland is such a cute little kid, and so well behaved during our one-hour family photography session at Natural Bridges beach in Santa Cruz. The weather has been rainy on and off, but we lucked out this evening with some dramatic clouds and almost no wind. Here’s some of my favorite photos below, there’s 89 edited photos in total to check out at my proofing website, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: beach, family, family photography, fun, george, George Lisac, lifestyle, michelle, Michelle Lisac, natural bridges, ocean, professional photography, santa cruz, Wyland
I got to try out a new photo location when Jason and Kelley showed me “3 Mile” near their house. It’s 3 miles from downtown Santa Cruz, hence the oh-so-clever name. It’s got railroad tracks, a field of brussels sprouts, cliffs, a little lake, some awesome rock formations, and of course the ocean and beach. I’ve known Jason and Kelley for quite a few years through common friends, so I was touched that they wanted me to capture their wedding day set for Lake Tahoe next June. We had a great time, my favorite photos are the ones at the end with Jason’s wicked Bronco. The blue truck, the azure sunset, and their obvious love for one another blended together to make some remarkable images.
My favorite photos from the session are below, all 150 edited photos can be seen at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
If you haven’t already, feel free to review our portfolio site, browse past weddings, check our romantic engagement sessions, follow our business on Facebook (like us while you’re at it!), or read our awesome Yelp reviews.
Tags: 3 mile, bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, beach, blue, e-session, engagement, ford, jason booth, kelley starnes, photography, photos, pickup, professional, professional photography, romantic, santa cruz, session, shoot, sunset
Connie, the owner of the year-old Estatements boutique in Los Altos, needed some new photos of products for some local advertising outlets. I can’t say jewelry is my specialty, but I gave it my best shot. We had several themes to assemble, so it was fun to try to get everything to work together. Connie was open to my suggestions, and I think putting both our brains together made for some intriguing presentations. Estatements is definitely high-end, with jewelry, watches and handbags that surely accessorize the Silicon Valley elite, but there’s definitely gems to be found if you know what you’re looking for. The most remarkable thing about the store is its owner – Connie is classy, but not pretentious or snobby. She clearly has a heart of gold that makes the decadent accoutrement she sells pale in comparison.
Here are my favorite photos from the shoot, there’s 66 photos to check out at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: angela, barany, beach, capitola, family, family photography, michael, ocean, photography, pier, professional, toddler, water, wharf
I can kind-of credit Meg and Ryan with being responsible for my transition from photo-enthusiast to paid-professional. I was a guest at their wedding in 2005, and I took some photos of the event with my first dSLR, the Nikon D70. It turns out they liked those photos more than those of their hired wedding photographer – and encouraged me to think about doing it professionally.
Fast forward five years – and not only have I gone pro with photography, but I’ve made it my full-time profession! After shooting a maternity session with Meg back in June, baby Sophia had finally arrived and was ready for her moment in the spotlight – or softbox, as it were. I ventured up to Petaluma for our family portrait session, where I scoped out their house for places to shoot. Nothing spoke to me, so I asked about nearby parks – so McNeary Park it was! There were tons of fallen leaves, and the weather was sunny and gorgeous, so we spent an hour or so trying to capture the moments in time. Jack was a little shy, and Sophia was a little cranky, but we found the in-between moments that will make your heart melt.
Enjoy my favorite photos below, or peruse all 98 photos from our session at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. If you like what you see, leave a note!
Tags: bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, family, family photography, jack, mason, megan, petaluma, photography, Portraits, professional, ryan, sophia
Diane wanted a few photos of her taken at her house here in Santa Cruz. It’s a lovely property up in the mountains, and we had fun exploring around for different places to shoot, inside and outside. It can be hard for people to loosen up as having a big camera focused just on you can be unnerving, to say the least, but Diane was a natural and was open to improvising and best of all – having a good time. Here’s my favorite photos from our 1 hour session, all 54 photos can be reviewed at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: bay area business headshot, bay area portrait photographers, bay area portrait photography, business, business portraits, diane drumbach, forest, head shots, headshot photos, house, photography, photos, portrait, professional, santa cruz
PotD: 2010.11.11
Date Taken: 2010.07.04
Photo Specs: Nikon D700 + 28-70/2.8 lens @ 70mm, 1/3,200 sec, f/4, ISO 200
Lighting Specs: Ambient light – hard sunlight
Why it’s cool & how I got it: This is a simple snapshot taken during the Chester,CA (Lake Almanor) 4th of July parade this summer. We go every year and stay at our family cabin on the lake – and do our best to make it to the parade and festival. It’s a fun, small-town affair – you know it’s not a city parade when a huge logging truck rolls by, decorated with ribbons and blasting its horns. This particular shot is neat because it shows my cute little 4yo daughter Emma looking on at the Veterans marching in the parade. The focus is on Emma, but the out-of-focus Veterans and American flag play a big part of the composition. The blue and red in Emma’s dress, as well as the strong blue sky, blue uniforms, and cool-hued pavement all work together to unite the image and strengthen its impact. Your eye starts at Emma’s head, then directs to where she’s looking: the flag, then to the Veterans, down to the ground, to Emma’s feet and back up to her head again. There’s no elements in the composition that lead the eye astray or off the image, and you can’t help but wonder what’s going on inside Emma’s head. Is she wondering who those guys wearing funny uniforms and carrying the American flag are? Or is she just wondering if they’ll throw candy like the other people in the parade? I’ll never tell.
Tags: 4th of July, American Flag, chester, child, Fourth of July, holiday, Kiwanis, lake almanor, parade, Veteran's Day, veterans
I met Eileen, her husband and three children at Wilder Ranch tonight – and something about them seemed really familiar. Then I looked at the two boys, and had a vision of them running down the hill towards me, and then it clicked – I’d shot Eileen’s husband’s sister’s wedding last year. Duh!! With that settled, we put on our jackets (it was breezy and chilly) and walked down to where the old Wilder Ranch home and barns are. I’d just shot here the week before for the first time, so it was a challenge to do things a little differently. I know my clients don’t mind doing something I’ve done before – in fact, they often want the same shots they see on my blog and websites, because it’s new for them, but there’s a big part of me that hates doing the same thing twice – probably why I’ll never be an in-studio photographer. It’s a big world out there, let’s explore it!
We all had a good time exploring the nooks and crannies of Wilder Ranch, I hope we didn’t break any rules with all the apple-eatin’ and pumpkin sittin’ that went down. Here’s my favorite photos from the 1 hour session, there’s 112 final, edited pictures to see on my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com. Enjoy, and leave a comment if you like what you see.
Tags: AJ, distressed wood, eileen streller, Elli, family, family photography, farm, Luke, old buildings, photography, photos, ranch, santa cruz, streller, sunset, texture, wilder ranch
The Queen family drove over from Gilroy to get their professional family photos done at the beach. They’d already had to take one rain check (literally, because of rain!), so Marcia was concerned about the weather as it was yucky in Gilroy. But as is often the case, the weather in Santa Cruz was the opposite of the “other” side of the hill, so we were good to go! We included their lab Ruby in some of the photos, but Grandma watched over the dog for the majority of the shoot. The cool thing about this session was the tide was really low, so we were able to explore the inside of the Natural Bridge – along with all the other people swarming the beach that Saturday. Usually my beach sessions are during the week when there’s basically nobody there, so we had to contend with the masses. We still got some great shots, though, and everyone had a blast.
Below are my favorites, there’s 74 edited photos in total to check out on my proofing site www.GoodEyePhotography.com
Tags: beach, family photography, kids, Marcia Queen, natural bridges, ocean, Paul Queen, portrait, professional, Queen Family, sand, santa cruz
I met Dale Yoshihara, the owner of Kyoto Palace in Campbell, about 5 years ago when I was working for The Wave Magazine. He was still happy with the photos I took back then, but I knew (and Explore Publishing knew) that I could do better with five solid years of photography under my belt since the last shoot. So I got some new portraits of Chef Yih Chuang, some action shots with customers, and some nice shots of plated sushi. Oh, and a few interiors and details to round it out. Here’s some of the better shots from the shoot, more to see at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: bay area business headshot, bay area food photographers, bay area portrait photographers, bay area portrait photography, bay area restaurant photographers, business, business portraits, campbell, campbell food photographers, campbell restaurant photographers, chef Yih Chuang, dale yoshihara, Dining, Food, food photography, head shots, headshot photos, japanese, kyoto palace, professional, pruneyard, restaurant, sushi
I first met David and his boys at Frederick Street Park by my house, and as dads will do, we got to talking. Actually, dads tend to ignore each other (and their kids), preferring the company of their smartphones – but in this case we struck up a conversation and found out we had a lot in common. I don’t usually bring up the fact that I’m a family photographer with other adults at parks – I feel too much like a salesman – but nevertheless we ended up booking a session.
We met at the most popular Santa Cruz beach destination – Natural Bridges. David’s wife Angela was very sweet, and the two boys made sure I earned my money trying to get their attention for the photos! They’re full of energy, and we had a good time figuring out how to channel it into keepsake photographs. I think we got a few. My favorites are below, there’s 94 edited photos in total to check out at my proofing site, www.GoodEyePhotography.com.
Tags: angela thompson, beach, boys, david thompson, family, family photography, kids, natural bridges, ocean, photography, photos, santa cruz
Tags: aptos, bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, engagement, engagement photography, nisene marks, photography, photos, santa cruz, scott and trang, scott weston, session, trang tran
by Chris Schmauch
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