Engagement Session: Ariel & Marc

We had a fun time photographing Ariel and Marc last weekend. We absolutely loved this couple's impeccable style (check out Ariel's fire-engine-red heels)! And the story of how they met reminded us a little of our own how-we-met story. Marc and Ariel were both in the choir at Cal State Northridge (where my husband and I met 15 years ago) when Ariel spotted Marc. She was a freshman majoring in journalism (like I was when I met Braden) and he was a handsome sophomore (like Braden). Years later they met again, they hung out ... and love took over. We wish them a lifetime of happiness, and we're really looking forward to shooting their wedding later this year. In the meantime, here are some of our favorites from their e-session! To see the complete "sneak peek" gallery, click here. (Special thanks to the Lattimore family for the use of their gorgeous home.)

Ladies of Softball

Last Thursday I shot some new portraits of the CSUN softball team. I try to only give direction during a shoot when it is absolutely necessary. I think that when a photographer gives too much direction, the photos end up looking a bit contrived. Of course, there are times when a little gentle prodding helps a person loosen up in front of the camera, but my goal is to let their personality come out on its own.

I think you can tell a lot about a team during a shoot. I've been through some shoots where it was obvious that the team members were not really close, but that doesn't appear to be a problem with the softball team. This year's team was fun to photograph -- and I think the photos reflect that. The athletes interacted with each other without much prodding from me. They were a funny bunch, which made my job fun. How many people can say that about their job nowadays?

Here are a few of my favorite shots.





You can see the full shoot here.

--Braden

A Beautiful Day for a Swim

As I was shooting a swim meet at Cal State Northridge last week, I was thinking about some of the similarities between sports photography and wedding photography -- dealing with colorful personalities and moments that only happen once.

A wedding is full of details and moments that make that particular wedding unique and special. I love the challenge of finding those moments and capturing them. Likewise, sports are filled with moments that happen only once. You can’t ask a player to go back and make that 28-foot, game-winning three-pointer again. The moment passes and it’s gone. You either got it -- or you missed it. There’s nothing in between.

Here are some shots from the swim meet. By the way, one of the great things about living in Southern California is that you can watch an outdoor swim meet in the middle of January while wearing shorts and basking in 85-degree heat. Enjoy the weather. --Braden