“Love rules the court, the camp, the grove, and men below, and the saints above, for love is heaven, and heaven is love. ”  - Walter Scott

After spending an afternoon with Emily and Richard, I have to admit, Heaven felt a bit closer.  These two love each other and love life.  And these two know, without a doubt in their hearts, that they are part of Jesus’ plan for each other.  The way these two seem to bring complete peace to each other by just looking into each other’s eyes is remarkable.   I could say that it’s something truly special, but even that would be an underestimation.

I am looking forward to shooting their wedding this October and seeing a bit of Heaven on Earth realized.

Here’s a few pictures from our afternoon together at Wayfarer’s Chapel near Long Beach and the Disney Amphitheater in downtown L.A…..

“Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches.” – William Goldman – The Princess Bride

I met up with Kaydee and Steve at a  Malibu beach on one typical, spring, california beach afternoon….overcast with the sun popping in and out  as if it were winking at us with overwhelming approval.

I love these two – so mellow and easy-going and it really showed through in their pictures.  So did the love they obviously have for each other.  Effortless is the only way to describe it – they make no effort to forcefully adore each other  and yet it is was so exquisite to see what naturally occurred between these two.  Absolute adoration – the type of stuff that might make any man or woman feel a little jealous over. In a good way, of course….

These two will be beginning their life together in August in Long Beach and I am honored that they chose me to be a part of their day.

Here are a few pictures from our afternoon in Malibu…

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.”  - Albert Einstein.

But you wouldn’t know it with Michelle and Berto.  Gravity has nothing on the force that draws these two together.

I met these two on a gorgeous day last month to shoot their engagement in Los Angeles.  And Michelle is definitely my kind of girl:   black nail polish, Christian Louboutin peep-toe pumps (I have a major shoe fetish) and a man who adores her.  A girl really doesn’t need much else….The day was beautiful.  They were beautiful.  Michelle sort of has this Zooey Dechanel look to her and I couldn’t help  staring at these two even when I wasn’t looking at them through the viewfinder of my camera… And it was a beautiful thing to watch these two cuddle, laugh, and have fun.     And love each other.   And it’s going to be a beautiful thing to shoot their wedding in September.   I am looking forward to being a part of the day and being a part of the ‘history of Michelle and Berto’.

Thank you, Michelle and Berto for being so great and easy to  photograph….here are a few from the day.

“No human relation gives one possession in another—every two souls are absolutely different. In friendship or in love, the two side by side raise hands together to find what one cannot reach alone.”  - Kahlil Gibran

Melissa and Cole have been friends for a very very long time.  And they still are.  Probably best friends if you ask me .   And after spending time with them, I realized that they epitomize what people hope for in their life when it comes to their relationship – friendship and love.   I was in awe watching these two interact. Different but connected by their love  for one another…Cole is a sweet soul who you can tell treasures Melissa.  And it’s obvious that there’s no other human being on earth that Melissa probably loves more.  They laughed, kissed and cuddled  (JUST the stuff I love to shoot).  I watched them thinking to myself, ‘this is exactly what it’s supposed to be like.”  I am really looking forward to shooting their wedding this fall…and being there for the beginning of their life together.  Here’s a few from the day…

“You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free”
-Tom Petty

When Stephanie said she’d like to do a wildflower engagement session with Joshua, I knew the perfect place.  Stephanie and Joshua met in grade school.  I love their story….Joshua was somewhat of a bad boy and Stephanie was a good girl.  Opposites attract, right?  Well, in this case, opposites are perfect.  I’m looking forward to shooting their wedding this June.  It will be beautiful.  Just like they are…here is a sneak peek from the day…

If it weren’t for dogs, some people would never go on walks….It was a beautiful day in the middle of winter in Newport Beach and Laguna.  Jeremy, Kelly,(and Ellie, the beautiful Boxer) showed up ready for a walk and a good time.  And we definitely had a good time.  Ellie had a great time.  And when she wasn’t in the pictures or chasing seagulls, she acted as an excellent, tail-wagging assistant.  We all couldn’t get over how beautiful this winter day turned out to be….and I can’t get over how beautiful Jeremy and Kelly look together.  I’m looking forward to shooting their wedding in October.  She is going to be a gorgeous bride (see her pictures below) and I hope they let Ellie be a honorary junior bridesmaid…or groomsman…or both!!  

WAIT!! SOMEONE IS MISSING

Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever….Like Stephanie’s decision to take that particular Genetics class in college.   Or Kyle’s decision to be a T.A. in that same class…Kyle and Stephanie met in their college Genetics class…he was her T.A….little did they know that they’d soon be on their way to sharing genetics one day (literally).

I met up with Stephanie and Kyle one beautiful afternoon in sunny Las Vegas at the Boneyard – the Neon Museum – where the iconic neon signs of the past are placed to refurbished and preserved.  This place has special meaning to me because it was at this very place that my life changed one day in December a few years ago with one small decision…and I began to see the world and my life differently.  And this day was very similar to that day….

These two are so perfectly matched for each other….A teensy bit shy but not when it came to showing affection for each other.  And you could tell by the way they look at each other that neither regrets that one small decision that will change their life forever next July…  Here are a few from that day…

…and so are they…

I met up with Natalie and Michael last Sunday in Malibu, California.  The weather couldn’t have been better.  A typical Southern California fall day – 70 degrees and sunny.  And Natalie and Michael really were happy to be in Malibu at El Matador State Beach shooting their engagement session.  It always seems like nothing makes the fact that a couple is actually engaged more real to them than having their engagement photo session done… They will be married next March at the gorgeous and quaint Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga, California.  And I can’t wait….and I’m sure they can’t either.    Here are a few from that beautiful day….

What can I say?  Anytime I can get an adorable couple to my neck of the woods, I’m a happy camper…and this time, the campsite was Balboa Park and Coronado Island.  And the campers were Megan & Jared.  Megan & Jared will be getting married in January in Bakersfield and will be making their home in Florida after that as Jared is a pitcher for the  Florida Marlins Baseball Team.

I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with them because as a photographer, one of the best parts of camping (taking pictures) is spending time with a couple who you know really love each other – it’s one of those things you can just feel.  And if you know Megan and Jared and spent any time around them,  you know what I’m talking about.  They are one of those couples that will emanate that same love on their 50th anniversary as they will on their wedding day.  And I’m very excited and honored to be a part of it.

BIG thanks to San Diego…for making me a happy camper and providing some of the best darn twinkly skies a campsite ever had…Here are just a few from the day…

When Natalie said she wanted to have her engagement photoshoot done at Westchester Bowling Alley, she thought I would think she was crazy.  Well I didn’t.  I thought to myself, ‘Self, how fun would it be to shoot a bowling alley engagement with this adorable couple?’  And that’s exactly what we did.  Natalie and Zach met at this same bowling alley after a misunderstanding –  Zach thought Natalie was trying to leave the coffee shop without paying.   Obviously, the misunderstanding was short-lived but their love was (and will be) long-lived as you can see through these pictures.  They have definite chemistry on and off camera and I’m very excited to be shooting their wedding next May!  We shot their engagements, in part, at the Westchester Bowl and, in part, at the beautiful El Cortez Hotel in San Diego where I live.  The El Cortez was built in 1927 in downtown San Diego and has recently been restored to condominiums.  …The place is pretty cool with views over downtown San Diego and  the bay.  I’m glad they made the trip down…it was definitely worth it.  The two finished up the morning after the El Cortez shoot with breakfast in Old Town San Diego –  the fresh homemade tortillas are worth the trip alone.

The Roof top at the El Cortez….