allana July 30th, 2008
I was immediately struck by what lovely people Joanne and Hil are. I had suggested dressing for a casual date, but they stepped it up, with a lovely crisp white sun dress for Joanne, and a cool vintage tie for Hil. They were both naturals in front of the camera, and had gone recon style on some location scouting missions the week before. These two have known each other for over a decade, which does explain their rapport, both on and off camera and that the sweet whispers between them seemed to be about laundry and Sunday house chore divisions. Their familiarity and comfort shows. Joanne confided in me that Hil is the more romantic of the two, and this is something she is working on. Though I am happy to report that it was Joanne who chose these gorgeous (and romantic) spots to enjoy this Sunday afternoon.
A few memorable moments from our afternoon in the gardens.
allana July 28th, 2008
We met up with Zoey and Scott at their apartment in Santa Monica. While we walked to the waterfront, they recounted the romantic story of their long distance courtship comprised of red eye cross country flights, and sporadic weekends together. We enjoyed the morning by the Santa Monica shoreline, under the veil of the marine layer. We photographed them in a beautiful organic sculpture, and in a rose garden, and even found a little courtyard of brick for an urban feel. Pretty much touched on a bit of everything.
Here are a few images from our morning stroll:
allana July 19th, 2008
You’ve seen these two before, and now once again before they jet off for Japan. Taking a break from the packing of thier American life, Bronwyn and Jon shook out their wedding attire and met up with us in Echo Park for a little post wedding photo shoot. Where once they stood at a festival under an LA sky full of fireworks, this day was a sunny afternoon and the park was filled with families picnicking and absorbing the heat of the sun amongst the patches of grass. We returned to the site of the proposal.
Wishing them the best as they ready themselves to embark of their new (mis)adventures.
A few of our favorites from the park and further urban LA scenes.
allana July 11th, 2008
Since meeting Lisa and Mike, and photographing their wedding in Glendale two summers ago, I have been sporadically following the hilarity and adventures through pregnancy in their family blog. Mike was so content in being a Dad, holding his son Vince in one arm, highlighting the difference in their sizes. Parenthood definitely suits them.
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allana July 11th, 2008
Still acting like newlyweds, though 9 years in, and newly grandparents to an adorable baby girl, Elizabeth and Rick invited me over to make a few portraits of them together. Their home, a wonderful embodiment of their life work - building and playing with structure, color, texture, and form - is an amazing space to visit.
Elizabeth is a spinner, weaver and importantly a thinker, synthesizing her previous careers as psychologist and engineer into her current vocation as an artist. Rick, who Eliabeth jokingly refers to as her Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer, proudly hows me their collection of spinning wheels, their work in basket weaving, spinning and together they are working on a book on Mad Weave, a triaxial weacing technique that is usually done with caning, but they have begun creating with fabrics, papers and wood.
allana July 10th, 2008
In honor of his sponsored attendance at Vienna’s International Dance Festival, Impulstanz, and his guest blogging invitation to chronicle said dance festival, I came through New York to make some street portraits of Will James Rawls, of Dance Gang.
Much of Will’s work is site specific, a dialogue in movement with his surroundings. He exudes a playful energy, using his height and limbs to explore the environment. Last time I photographed Will, he had just finished four years at Williams, and was entertaining the idea of moving to New York City to become a dancer. Seeing him now, making his mark in the dance world, I am thrilled to witness his hard work turning that dream into reality.
Learn more about Will and his Dance Gang partner, featured here in this New York Times article.
allana July 10th, 2008
Tucked away in the dense green of Scituate’s Egypt neighborhood, lives a little girl called Cassidy and her new baby sister Matilda.
Cassidy is, as did once the rest of us ‘big’ sisters and brothers, getting acclimated to the idea of having a baby around. Learning how to care for her, and to be gentle with her affections.
Sunday morning was a bit cold, and wet, so we stayed inside and played on the new blue couch and in the pretended to make Matilda and Dad breakfast in the play kitchen.
Cassidy is a sharp, and playful girl, with a delightful imagination. Dressed in her blue dress from her Oma, she posed with her patient little sister. Matilda wasn’t up for much picture making.
allana June 26th, 2008
As my mother quotes, there’s nothing so lovely as a day in June. Though my experience of the seasons is much more mild now that I live on the west coast, I can still appreciated these perfect weather days as compared to the cold winters of my youth, that are still etched deep in my bones.
And to spend such a June day with a dear friend and her adorable daughter, to delight in a New England summers day, to feel a buttery wind across the pond, to take respite in the the dappled light, to swim out into a pond and be on all sides surrounded by trees and blue skies, and to continue to savor the day in the mix of pond and sunscreen on my skin. It was wonderful.
All of this happened yesterday when I took off for Walden Pond with my close friend from college, Ilana Krepchin and her four month old daughter Molly, who due to her inherent smallness has earned the nickname ‘molecule’ from her cousin Rex.
Molly and I hung out at the water’s edge while her mom swam into the center of the pond and back out again. In her little sun-dress, Ilana bounced her around and dipped her toes in the water. I told her about the wonders of pond swimming, after all this is no doubt the pond in which she will learn to swim, and the summer spot where she will remember picnicking with her parents.
Big blue eyes, and with an occasional chirp into the conversation to remind us of her presence, she was an easy baby to photograph.
Here a some of my favorites from our mini-session at Walden Pond.
allana May 23rd, 2008
I was asked to create a graduation portrait for our neighbor and soon to be an SFSU alumn, Kai Pederson. Trent and I made use of his near empty house to set up a little studio. We tried to incorporate elements of his graduation, and his future plans. Kai’s dog Zoe is BFF with our dog. So when they return to New Mexico on Sunday, we are prepared to face some major puppy heartache.
This is one of my favorite portraits of Kai.
allana May 17th, 2008
I first met Liz & Steve at the Vermont wedding of Scott & Simone. Turned out they were newly engaged and lived in San Francisco. Liz & Steve invited me to come along with them as they applied for their marriage license at City Hall. San Francisco City Hall is a gorgeous interior space. During the lunch-hour we were there we saw a couple get married at the top of the steps (only the officient and the photographer present whom we assumed doubled as their witness); we saw several other couples come through the halls and file their own paperwork; some dallying and giddy, some efficient and business-like; and Liz was even asked to be an emergency witness for another couple who were in a frenzy to get married right then and there.
It was cool to be there to photograph the first legal document of their marriage.
A ladybug party was discovered in a bunch of greens at the Civic Center Farmer’s Market. Liz makes a wish.
Afterwards, Liz and Steve took me out to lunch at Tu Lan. It was, of course, fabulous.
We are very excited to photograph their wedding in June at the Presidio.
