Bantam is a relatively new restaurant on Fair Ave. on the West side of Santa Cruz off Mission. It’s got a decidedly cool atmosphere with its distressed/recycled wood and artistic touches like the enormous airplane propeller-style fan. They’re known for their wood-fired pizzas which I was happy to photograph while I was there. Here’s a few photos from their shoot:
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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This local communications company in Santa Cruz regularly has executive meetings with employees that fly in from around the world. They usually meet at The Dream Inn, Santa Cruz – so I set up shop near their meeting space for some nice outdoor portraits. Check out the best photos below:
Looking for some quality business portrait photos in Santa Cruz? Bay Area Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look your best! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Chef Mark at Soif cooked up some amazing-looking dishes for me this afternoon – the colors pop, the presentation is elevated, and the overall composition is clean and simply makes your mouth water. Below are my favorite photos from this short food and portrait photography session:
Mark Denham, Chef
Pork chop with winter vegetable slaw
Brown butter poussin
Grilled swordfish with fresh shelling beans
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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A Palo Alto-based startup company needed some good portraits of their executives, so while they were having a retreat of sorts in Santa Cruz, I came to the estate they were staying at and set up a mini studio in one of the bedrooms. It was a little cramped, but I’m used to making the best of challenging situations. The goal was to get nicely-lit headshots of each executive with the background being completely white. Since all the walls in the house were painted with bold accent colors, the only white was from the bedroom window curtains. But that’s all we needed! Check out the best photos below:
Looking for some quality business portrait photos in Santa Cruz? Bay Area Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look your best! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Assembly is Kendra and Zachary’s latest restaurant opening, located in downtown Santa Cruz, right next to Kianti’s. The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is very natural, with lots of recycled wood contrasting with clean white surfaces. And of course, those antler chandeliers speak for themselves… Chef Carlo whipped up some of their specialty dishes for me to shoot: West Coast burger, corn cakes with roasted apples, grass-fed ribeye steak and a fresh Cobb salad. Yum! Enjoy the photos below.
Co-owners Zachary and Kendra with Chef Carlo (middle)
West Coast Burger
West Coast Burger (closeup)
Corn cakes with roasted apples (closeup)
Corn cakes with roasted apples
Grass-fed ribeye steak
Cobb salad
Cobb salad (closeup)
Grass-fed ribeye steak
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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I took a few food photos at The Picnic Basket in Santa Cruz near the Boardwalk – it’s owned by the same people that run The Penny Ice Creamery and Assembly (both in Santa Cruz). All three locations have a focus on quality, organic food (and I might add taste), Definitely check it out if you’re in the area!
reuben sandwich – corned beef, carrots and greens
Salad closeup
Salad
El Salchichero Hot Dog
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Bob wrote a book about solar energy with an emphasis on the far-forward view of the technology; I swear we talked more about this topic than we spent time taking photos! Bob contacted per his marketing agent’s request for a “smart, approachable” photo for the bio. We met at his home in the Santa Cruz mountains, and the first thing I did was scout the grounds for good places to shoot Bob’s portrait. He and his wife have a beautiful property, and we lucked out with warm, sunny January weather. Bob was really easy to talk to, and I hope my genuine interest in the topic of his book helped him open up and give me some natural smiles for his portraits. Here’s a few of my favorites!
Looking for some quality business portrait photos in Santa Cruz? Bay Area Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look your best! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Tags: author, author portrait, bay area portrait photographers, bay area portrait photography, bio, bob s, natural, outdoors, portrait, santa cruz portrait photographers, santa cruz portrait photography
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After having to reschedule their engagement session twice due to rain, we enjoyed fantastic weather at Lill and Will’s engagement shoot at Sutro Baths in San Francisco. I guess the third time truly is a charm! These two saw me in action last fall at their friend’s wedding, so I was honored when they asked me to shoot their 2015 wedding and engagement. These two were all smiles, and the love they have for each other is evident in their intimacy. After spending a couple hours taking photos together, I’m more excited than ever about their Shakespeare Garden wedding in November.
Enjoy my favorite photos below – and please feel free to leave a comment or share!
- Booking Info
- Interested in scheduling a GoodEye engagement shoot? Check out my engagement packages and availability before you contact me.
- About Chris (GoodEye)
- If you don’t think you have what it takes to look like one of the couples on this page – you’re wrong! With a little coaching and a couple shots of tequila (I jest…), you can get results just like all the other “normal” non-model people you see here. I’ve been shooting engaged couples for quite a few years, and I absolutely love it. It’s a challenge that I embrace – and let’s be honest, you two will be way more cooperative than a couple of cranky toddlers – right?
Near the Lands End Lookout Cafe – such a great view from here
The beginning the session and they already look super comfortable in front of the camera!
We’re still at the Lookout – I love getting more interesting poses like the sitting/standing shot on the right.
Check out those sunbeams shining through the trees – we lucked out!
The arching trees created a natural portal, how about the dreamy quality of light?
Nice view of Sutro Baths below on the left photo. The right pic is also romantic, I can almost see those ocean waves roll.
From this angle, the natural bridge/hole in the rock formation out in the water looks like a heart!
Lill and Will have taken dance lessons, can you tell? I love this spot just to the side of the main “ruins” building with the lake and ocean in the background.
Shooting on the pathways among the Sutro Baths ruins are a little sketchy – especially when carrying over 10K in equipment. There were also quite a few tourists out so I had to get creative with compositions to make it feel like it was just the two of them.
The sun is close to setting, so the natural light was amazing by now.
I wish those metal guardrails weren’t there as this tunnel is an amazing photo opportunity – but alas, there they are. Still pretty neat though. We didn’t go all the way through as there was a lot of mud in the tunnel…
Looking for some creative engagement photos at Sutro Baths in San Francisco? Bay Area Wedding and Engagement Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you both look simply amazing! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Oswald has been a downtown Santa Cruz mainstay for a few years now – and they never fail to impress with their fine dining experience. Damani (Chef & Co-Owner) whipped up some delicious creations for me today – check ’em out:
seared abalone
chilean sea bass
chilean sea bass
chilean sea bass
chocolate soufflé
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Here are a few delicious food dishes from Solaire at Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz. They taste as great as they look!
“Spicy” Shrimp: sharp cheddar grits and bacon emulsion
Bibb Salad: live bibb lettuce, Sherry vinaigrette, fines herbs and manchego cheese
Diver Scallops: parsley root puree, rainbow char and bacon broth
Diver Scallops: parsley root puree, rainbow char and bacon broth
Mustard Greens Salad: burrata cheese, roasted beets, balsamic and torn sourdough toasts
New York Steak: red wine shallot sauce, braising greens and sour cream potatoes
Solaire Clam Chowder: leeks, potato, bacon and pacific clams
Looking for an on-location food photographer in Santa Cruz? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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This law firm is redesigning their website, so the design team needed some fresh content to work into things. It was a drizzly, yucky December morning, so luckily most of what we wanted to accomplish was indoors. We started with everyone’s favorites – headshots! And then we moved onto more “stock” lawyerly photos. Enjoy!
Mr. Morgan himself – standard business portrait
Looking up from paperwork at the conference table
Attorneys working together in the conference room
Attorneys in the lobby
long exposure showing blurred movement of a man walking through the lobby
Stock photo of law books on a shelf
Stock photo of a pile of business cards
Looking for some quality business portrait photos in Santa Cruz? Bay Area Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look your best! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Mauro poses for me at the main entrance to his restaurant before I take photos of a few of his favorite dishes. I only spent a brief time at Main Street Garden Cafe in Soquel, but it was long enough to know I’ll definitely be back – with my appetite!
Looking for an on-location food photographer in TKTKTKTK? San Francisco / Bay Area Commercial Food Photographer Chris Schmauch makes food look really yummy! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Tags: bay area engagement photographers, bay area engagement photography, engagement photography, engagement photos at the beach, engagement photos in the forest, henry cowell, henry cowell engagement photos, julia and alex, panther beach, panther beach engagement photos, santa cruz engagement photographers, santa cruz engagement photography, trash the dress, TTD
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- Danielle is a good friend of my family, and it’s been awesome to see her transition into professional Yoga training as a profession. She’s one of those people whose inner light truly shines, and her positive vibes will brighten anyone’s day within seconds of being around her. We originally intended to shoot her yoga portrait session on the beach at dawn, but when we met (in the dark) it was really overcast and so misty that it was almost rain. Good for the drought, bad for the shoot. But because Danielle is such an awesome person to be around, we drove over to Coffeetopia to hang out for a while. We were going to reschedule, but after 90 minutes or so we looked outside, then at our empty coffee cups, and decided to go for the shoot! It was still overcast, but we had some light poking through in the distance that made for some really interesting light. We picked a rock outcropping a few feet above the crashing waves and got started. I basically shot her warming up, then going through a routine. I used off-camera lighting to help make Danielle pop against the beautiful ocean backdrop. We had a great time together, and I think we got some lovely photos too – my favorites are below!
- Booking Info
- Interested in scheduling a GoodEye business portrait shoot for yourself or your company? Check out my business portrait packages and availability before you contact me. Hint: there’s a bonus waiting for you somewhere in this article – save money on your next shoot if you find it!!
- About Chris (GoodEye)
- Chris Schmauch thinks every business person deserves to have an excellent, professional portrait. Your online photo (think: LinkedIn) is increasingly the “first impression” – and we all know how important that is. A GoodEye portrait is sure to stand out among the sea of crappy selfies or point and shoot photos! Based in Santa Cruz, but traveling all over the Bay Area and beyond, consider taking advantage of Chris’ talent to capture great photos of you and your staff.
Looking for a creative portrait photographer to capture the personality of you and your employees? San Francisco / Bay Area Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch captures great, natural portraits of people – and is super quick, so there’s minimal interruption to your workflow! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Tags: bay area fitness photographers, bay area fitness photography, beach, capitola beach, danielle, fitness, morning, portrait photography, Portraits, privates beach, santa cruz fitness photographers, santa cruz fitness photography, yoga, yoga poses
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Both Abbie and Joe are teachers (high school and elementary school, respectively), and if I learned anything while working for them, it’s that they’re perfectly made for each other. They’ve got an amazing network of friends and family, many of whom pitched in to make things happen on their wedding day. They tied the knot at the circle of redwood trees at the top of the mountain, and the ride up and down in the train is always so much fun! The reception was filled with lawn games, dancing, great beer, energetic dancing (including a surprise ribbon dance!) and lots of laughter. Thanks so much for making me a part of your wedding day.
Below are some of my favorite photos – enjoy!
- Booking Info
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Interested in booking a GoodEye wedding? Check out my wedding packages and availability before you contact me.
- About Chris (GoodEye)
- Chris Schmauch loves weddings – from intimate elopements, to grand events with your 1,000 closest friends – it’s truly an honor to participate in, and be responsible for capturing all the fleeting moments throughout the day. Based in Santa Cruz, but traveling all over the Bay Area and beyond, consider taking advantage of Chris’ talent to capture your wedding the way you envision it (i.e. as amazing as possible).
Looking for a skilled wedding photographer familiar with Roaring Camp in Felton, California? San Francisco / Bay Area Wedding and Engagement Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look like a superstar! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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I don’t shoot a lot of mini-sessions, especially with new clients who aren’t familiar with the way I work. A mini session is about 15-20 minutes, usually outdoors somewhere fun like the beach. Nicole and John were staying at a rented beach house in Aptos with some other family members when I met up with them. The kids are at that perfect age where they’re cool with photos, or at least will put on a smile in return for some secret, previously agreed-upon form of compensation. Regardless, the kids were great, and were happy to play along with whatever ideas I threw at them. Nicole (mom) was a joy to work with – easy to smile and quick to laugh. I’m pretty sure John enjoyed himself too; as a dad myself I’m not always eager to get on the other side of the camera, but if the photographer is quick and competent, I usually have a good time in the end. I hope this was the case for John! So, even though we only had 15-20 minutes together, I feel like we got a bunch of keepers from their Seascape Beach family portrait session.
Below are some of my favorite photos from the family photography session, laid out album spread-style. Enjoy!
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Interested in scheduling a GoodEye family portrait shoot? Check out my family portrait packages and availability before you contact me.
- About Chris (GoodEye)
- Chris Schmauch thinks your family rocks, and would love to capture some truly precious memories of you and your little ones (or big ones!). From families with their first newborn, to multigenerational huge get-togethers, Chris is up to the task. Based in Santa Cruz, but traveling all over the Bay Area and beyond, consider taking advantage of Chris’ talent to capture the memories before it’s too late (Hint: it’s never too late).
Looking for a creative family portrait photographer with mad little-kid skills? San Francisco / Bay Area Family Portrait Photographer Chris Schmauch captures sweet family moments like no other! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Tags: aptos family photographers, aptos family photography, bay area family photographers, bay area family photography, beach family portraits, family photos at the beach, gianna, jackson, john, nicole, seascape beach, seascape beach family photos
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Joan and Nathan had a highly DIY wedding, which is always a risky proposition as it can potentially lead to extra stress on the B&G on the day of as they frantically try to make sure everything comes together. But Joan and Nathan’s family and friends were all over it – from unique test-tube flower arrangements to the stringed origami to the beautiful quilt that all the guests helped create, all the details seemed to come together without too much fuss or stress. The ceremony and reception was held at River House, a beautiful private estate nestled in the redwood forest in Ben Lomond, California. It just so happens that this couple’s colors (orange, purple) were vibrantly on display all over the garden (a happy coincidence), tying the natural ambience and the decorations together beautifully.
The lovely couple decided to opt for the First Look, so we could then shoot all the bridal party and bride/groom formals before the ceremony – because these guys wanted to get back to the party as soon as possible; and with all the lawn games, beer on draft and close friends and family – can you blame them? I had a blast meeting so many nice people, and of course I do love photographing details, especially when a lot of love has gone into them. Congratulations you two, your love shone bright and I was honored to capture every minute of it.
Below are some of my favorite photos – enjoy!
- Booking Info
-
Interested in booking a GoodEye wedding? Check out my wedding packages and availability before you contact me.
- About Chris (GoodEye)
- Chris Schmauch loves weddings – from intimate elopements, to grand events with your 1,000 closest friends – it’s truly an honor to participate in, and be responsible for capturing all the fleeting moments throughout the day. Based in Santa Cruz, but traveling all over the Bay Area and beyond, consider taking advantage of Chris’ talent to capture your wedding the way you envision it (i.e. as amazing as possible).
Looking for a skilled wedding photographer familiar with River House in Ben Lomond, California? San Francisco / Bay Area Wedding and Engagement Photographer Chris Schmauch makes you look like a superstar! Call (831) 216-6210 or fill out this nifty contact form (for serious inquiries only).
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Tags: back yard wedding, bay area wedding photographers, bay area wedding photography, ben lomond, ben lomond wedding photographers, DIY wedding, joan and nathan, outdoor wedding, river house, river house wedding photography, river house wedding photos
by Chris Schmauch
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