I am usually down to get boba, especially with dear friends like Jackie and Alex! Their engagement session in San Jose was full of laughter and snacks, which is very true to them (and our friendship :) ). We started in Santana Row, strolling through the lively outdoor mall, stopping for obligatory PMT (yup, I used the Norcal term), and playing around in front of a vibrant outdoor mural across the way. (I think it was actually part of ongoing construction, but hey, I’ll take it!) Then we traveled to Los Gatos for some photos in beautiful Vasona Park. They were great about walking around the lake with me to find the best spots, even in their dressier outfits :) We stayed until sunset, which also allowed me to play around with a fun silhouette shot at the end. It’s always fun to hang out with these two, and I can’t wait to stand by their side when they get married in just a few months (!!!) Love you guys!!
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Sunnyvale Maternity Session | Kellie + Min
Our dear friends Kellie and Min were recently expecting their first child (past tense, because as of this post, baby Tenaya has graced us with her presence!!!), so we spent a lovely morning in Sunnyvale documenting this precious season. We started the morning with some classic portraits with some cute outfits among the trees in the park, and even some fun shots on the playground since they both have really fun spirits (one is especially good at childlike joy, I’ll let you guess which one :D). However, my favorite part of the session by far was in their famous #minllievan. These two transformed a regular ol’ mini van into a transportable home when they went on a months-long cross-country road trip a few years ago, and it was important to them to be able to document their special space. I love these photos because they are so relaxed and at ease, and at the risk of sounding redundant, you can tell they just feel at home.
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Berkeley Engagement Session | Emily + Andrew
I moved down from the East Bay to the South Bay a few years ago, so it’s always a treat to find an excuse to go back and visit Berkeley. Emily + Andrew are fellow Cal alumni (Go Bears!), so John and I spent a sunny afternoon with them traipsing around campus. The two of them met in a business frat at Berkeley and have been together since their undergrad years. We even recreated one of the photos from their graduation shoot years ago - scroll down a bit and look for the one where he’s giving her a piggyback ride :)
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Los Altos Wedding Photographer | Michelle + Duy
Ever since I hung out with Michelle and Duy at their Cupertino engagement session, I’d been looking forward to their wedding. Their wedding day in Los Altos didn’t disappoint - not only did it feature gorgeous florals, gowns, and decor, but also a beautiful blend of culture and families.
Michelle and Duy opted to do a first look, which I typically recommend for couples so that they can not only get some nerves out of the way, but also so they can tackle all their bridal party and immediate family photos before the ceremony. Their first look was so cute - Duy’s signature smile and Michelle’s sweet laughter made it all worth it.
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Vasona Park Family Photographer | The Nolt Family
50 years. The whole extended Nolt family reunited in the Bay Area from all across the country to celebrate the 50 years that Robert and Anna have been married! It was pretty hot during our late afternoon session, but they were all such troopers and kept each other entertained and in good spirits. The kids were especially well-behaved (I heard there were some sweets offered as bribes - I approve ;)) and came up with some super fun and creative poses towards the end of the session (see the last photo!)
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Colorful Up-Inspired Disney Wedding | Janice + Kevin
When Janice and Kevin first contacted me about photographing their wedding, they mentioned that one of their shared interests was Disney. They did an amazing job infusing this love for Disney throughout their Cupertino wedding, especially inspiration from the movie Up! The groomsmen had grape soda bottle caps on their boutonnieres, Janice wore earrings with the famous floating house, the flower girl and ring boy carried an assortment of colorful balloons down the aisle, and they even had their own personalized mailbox with colorful handprints, just like Ellie and Carl! The Up theme also perfectly spoke to Janice’s love of color, and complemented her vibrant bouquet and her gorgeous blush Vera Wang dress. In Janice’s own cheerful words: “I’m just the happy ball of pink floating around the room!”
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