A truly happy couple makes for wonderful photos with great expressions. This Southern California wedding took place in Dana Point with the reception at the Ritz Carlton. The bridesmaids wore black, which always looks great in photographs. On the surfboard image below, we used some unusual retouching techniques. This effect brings out exceptional detail and saturates the colors to give a dramatic look. We used a vintage effect on the couple walking in the courtyardHotel:
Christina + Kevin: Wedding at Wayfarers Chapel, Reception at Trump National
The historic Wayfarers Chapel and Trump National Golf Club rest on the cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California. On their wedding day, Christina and Kevin enjoyed the spectacular Pacific Ocean views while driving from the ceremony to the reception in a classic convertible Lincoln Continental. Their beloved golden retriever happily joined them for the ride. We also had some photographic fun with the props the couple brought along, such as large letters they held that spelled out “I Do†and a white umbrella we used for a romantic sunset shot.
https://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.png00erin kistnerhttps://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.pngerin kistner2017-01-16 15:36:322017-01-16 15:36:32Christina + Kevin: Wedding at Wayfarers Chapel, Reception at Trump National
Black and white works excellent with locations that have architecture. At Hummingbird Ranch we had a combination of garden settings but also areas that had architectural elements. The printing process is very important with black and white, detail should be kept in the highlights and shadow areas. It takes someone very skilled in photoshop to do black and white correctly, but when it’s done right it’s absolutely beautiful! We had a fun time working with Brytanie and Brian and Hummingbird Ranch was a location with many wonderful backdrops to choose from
I had a wonderful time photographing Laura and Marcus’ engagement session. We shot at great locations in Marina del Rey, Palos Verdes, and the beach at sunset. It’s always great when a couple brings a number of outfits to choose from as Laura and Marcus did. This enables us to pick the perfect outfit for each location. I’ve been wanting to incorporate some of my vintage cameras from my collection into my shoots. The camera in the image below is an SX-70 Polaroid. We were surprised to find there was still some film in the camera when Marcus clicked the shutter!
https://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.png00erin kistnerhttps://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.pngerin kistner2017-01-16 15:12:102017-01-16 15:12:10Laura + Marcus: South Bay Engagement Session
The ceremony took place in Dana Point on the Grand Lawn at the Ritz Carlton, and the Reception was held in the Pavilion Room. Tracy left her long hair down on her wedding day, and had a beautiful long veil to go with it. A slight breeze enabled us to do a lot of fun things with the veil flowing in the wind. The bridesmaids wore a vibrant turquoise blue that went great looked great with the blue ocean behind the ceremony. We did some fun jumping shots with the groomsmen that you can see here in the blog post.
https://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.png00erin kistnerhttps://www.karenfrenchphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/karen-french-logo.pngerin kistner2017-01-16 15:10:562017-01-16 15:10:56Grand Lawn at The Ritz Carlton Weddings: Tracy & Andy
I get my best images when I work with two people who are having a great time on their wedding day, like Alex and Blake did. A couple’s mood can have an effect on the entire event. If the bride is happy and playful, the groom, wedding party and family follow suit. So my advice to all brides is to make your mind up to have a great time…even if something doesn’t go as planned. If the sun doesn’t shine or the cake is chocolate instead of vanilla, don’t worry about it! Let it go and have a great time.
I had a great time photographing Jennifer and Mike’s wedding. Everyone was wonderful to work with, including their wedding party and families. The ceremony took place at Emerald Bay, a private residential neighborhood in North Laguna Beach, Orange County. There is a wonderful park there where residents can hold weddings. We were on the move for much of the day, starting with Jennifer’s getting ready photos at her parents’ home in Laguna, then moving on to Emerald Bay, then to the Community Congregational Church in Corona del Mar, then back again to Emerald Bay and the beach. Community Congregational Church is one of my favorite church sites to shoot. It has beautiful white pews and soft lighting that comes in from the side windows. A tent shaded the reception area with cocktails outside under statuesque maple trees. Jennifer had many of her sorority sisters in attendance and we did several fun pictures with them. One of my favorite shots of the day was a tender moment between Jennifer and her father during their “father daughter dance.†As always, Square Root did an outstanding job on the decorations for the reception. Wedding coordinator Susan MacDonald, also a past president of the Association of Bridal Consultants/Orange County, kept everything flowing smoothly, including the bride in her Vera Wang dress.
