Posts tagged portraitphotography
Graduation photoshoot

Graduation is a big deal. Think about it - someone spent a good portion of their life studying towards a career. It’s a bigger deal when it’s graduation from Law School.

When Victor reached out to me he wanted to take some photos after he graduated Golden Gate University. He originally wanted to do the photos inside of San Francisco City Hall, but since it’s closed due to Covid restrictions, I suggested we shoot outside of the CIty Hall instead.

Normally a busy location, we enjoyed a quiet Tuesday afternoon near the CIty Hall area. We took advantage of this quiteness to get some dramatic shots.

Many many years ago I was planning to become a laywer as well. I got my Bachelors degree, interned for several lawyers and was going to apply to Law School. I eventually decided against it to focus on more creative aspects of my life. So this session was personal to me and I wanted to approach it with a concept and have some ideas coming into the session. While they don’t always work and need to be adjusted I find that having concepts before the session is a must.

Victor was such a cool and easy guy to work with. He is aiming to work as a family and immigration lawyer. My goal was to capture the seriosness of someone who works in a law firm already, someone who deals with people who has issues and tries to help them. It’s a tough job because in family law dealing with people’s pain is part of the job and it’s hard to tune off when you go home. And i felt that Victor is very empathetic and caring. So being a family lawyer can definitely weight down on you.

I wanted to show many sides of him. More dramatic, serious and at the same time as a fun, easy going person. We spent 2 hours talking, walking around, running in some cases while taking various photos

Kailyn Editorial Shoot

Before meeting, Kailyn and I talked about the kind of session we would like to work on. She said she loves travelling and can’t live without coffee. So through the conversations the concept of shooting in this European like cafe and then walking down the streets of Santana Row to recreate Kailyn’s longings (travel and coffee). If you’ve never been to Santana Row, it’s very reminiscent of Europe. Restaurants and cafe, wine bar, outdoor dining and even brick pavement have this European spirit about it. It even has a hotel called Valencia.

Kailyn and I sat down for a cup of coffee, talked about life, religion, our interests and anything that came to mind. I wanted to keep this shoot more casual and less about posing. Kailyn has done plenty of modeling shots and is quite good at it. For this session I wanted to bring to life her own personality, her own interests and desires. I was interested in showing a girl full of laughter, joy, energy and at the same time determined, not afraid and open to whatever life brings her way.

Veena Studio Portrait

I was always interested in not just taking photos of people, but in creating a concept around what they like, what they enjoy and what is part of who they are. When Veena reached out to me that she wanted to do some portrait photos I didn’t just set the time, i asked questions. I wanted to know what she liked, what she couldn’t live without, what makes her happy, etc.. I wanted to get a feel for her as a person before she even stepped into the studio. So i wrote down some ideas I felt i should consider for our session. When she came in, I instantly threw half of them away and focused on the ones that felt right and fit the mood both of us were in. While Veena was nervous at first - which is quite natural - she relaxed shortly and her true self came out. The room filled up with peacefulness, harmony and a load of positivity.

My goal was not to force any concept or idea on her but to build the imagery around her personality and showcase Veena as she is and also to visualize her warmness and openness as a human being.

Betty

Whenever i travel i always bring my camera with me. I guess that’s a given being a photographer. While i love shooting at the beach the key for me is not be repetative. But it’s also improtant to work with someone who’s willing to be playful, have fun and just try different things. I met Betty while at the Riviera Maya where i went to celebrate New Years Even with my family.

We chatted a bit but when we truly connected is when taking photos. We were both filled with energy and enthusiasm, ready to do whatever is needed to get some of the fun shots. I also wanted to capture Betty (who’s about to turn 17) in this very innocent way of the girl who’s whole life is ahead of her - all the choices, big decisions, new experiences are all waiting and are not that far off.

Here are some of my favorite images from our shoot

How To Get Married While City Hall Is Closed

So you’ve been planning to get married in 2020. It’s such a great year for that - numerically, symbolically and just why not? Nothing should stop the couples from tieing the knot. But then the pandemic hits and all the plans are changed. San Francisco City Hall that always attracts a large number of couples from all over the world wanting to get married closed its doors on March 17 and hasn’t reopened yet.

The good news is.. San Francisco City Hall started doing virtual licenses and ceremonies. There are certain requirements you have to meet but for majority of couples it should not be an issue.

You can view all that you need to know here and then book your ceremony with San Francisco City Hall officiant.

https://sfgov.org/countyclerk/video-marriage-services

Now i understand virtual ceremony is not the same as the one where the officiant is right in front of you. I’ve seen a few of these ceremonies. The officiant is still engaged, the moment are emotional and real. Unfortunately you’re not at San Francisco City Hall Rotunda, or on the magnificent 4th floor balcony, or the grand Mayor balcony. But you’re getting married, you have the person you love the most next to you and you have the officiant who’s “blessing” your union, giving it an official Californian stamp. In the eyes of the state you will be married.

So you get dressed, get your hair and makeup done. Why not take that opportunity and do a wedding photo session after your virtual ceremony. You can’t get inside of the City Hall, but there are plenty of great spots around the City Hall area. As a matter of fact I always left enough time for outside shots because San Francisco City Hall architecture strikes me the most from the outside. It’s what stands out first. The wedding session can be followed by going to the beach, overlooking the Golden Gate, Palace of Fine Arts or any other awesome location in the city.

Tala & Jad

On March 17 for the first time since reopening in 1999, San Francisco City Hall closed down for all wedding ceremonies. As counties in San Francisco Bay Area became the first in the US to mandate “shelter to place” order, all wedding ceremonies got cancelled through April 17..

While coronavirus was taking hold on Europe and various parts of the world, it was still relatively on a low radar in the US. The toilet paper panic hasn’t started. Beans, pasta and rice were still available on the shelves at the stores. But couples started cancelling their wedding as they were concerned already. All that changed in a few days when more and more cases of COVID 19 were being reported in the US, particularly in SF Bay Area.

Tala & Jad didn’t want to cancel. They were determined to get married. They didn’t have a large party. It was just them, Tala’s brother with his wife and daughter. And they were lots of fun! You could tell from the start when they are just “good fun people”. They laughed, joked … and then even danced extremely well.

While this was one of my last sessions at the City Hall before the lockdown, I have no doubt life will go back to normal. Engaged couples will once again walk into the City Hall and leave it happily married… with great memories and photos.

Portraits - my new obsession

Before i had my first “professional” photo shoot. Before i was even able to set exposure on my camera or focus correctly, I was attracted to people’s portraits…. actually i’ll say it differently. I was always interested in people - their emotions, passion… how it is reflected on the faces and body language.

While I enjoy shooting weddings - whether it’s a small San Francisco City Hall wedding or a larger weekend wedding - i always feel that I wish i had more time to spend with the people. Weddings are fast paced, adrenaline rushed, in the moment photography. While I always will set time aside for couples portraits, I don’t want to take over one of their biggest day in the lives, especially when the couple has family and friends attending.

My dream of having my own studio came true this summer when I built my own studio in Santa Clara. On weekly basis I work some amazing people, who trust my music choice and go along with my inquisitive and at times silly questions.

With portrait photos, especially studio, there’s no time pressure, no space pressure. To me it’s a sort of meditation. I have a chance to get to know the people and they have a chance to get comfortable and get to know me. I’m genuinely interested in each one of them. I want to understand their thinking, philosophy, personal experiences, what drives them.

I don’t want this to be a stare in the camera, I want the image to have a meaning. It’s about the mood, the true emotions, at times conflicted desires as we so often have. It’s about telling a story with a few images. A story about the person, their life, what they feel… That’s what i try to achieve every single time I do any kind of session, but more so when it’s a portrait session.

For more information on my packages I have created this page. The packages are very low priced for a reason as my goal is to attract more people who are interested in headshots and portrait photos.

https://www.sfcityhallphoto.com/portraits