Humboldt County Photographer

Keith & Rose

2011-10-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

Do you think this might be one of the happiest days of Rose's life?

Finishing Touches for a Gorgeous Bride.

Keith goes to prepare for his Bride

Normally reserved, the groom is Jubilant.

A Band of Brothers or maybe they should start a Band?

Papa gives his Precious Daughter away.

Afterglow...

In a Beautiful Setting.

Radiant!

A Perfect Day

Aedan

2011-10-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Fall is upon us, and for me that means another season of senior portraits, one of my favorite times of year.
I have known Aedan and her mom and dad for many years. We have enjoyed a great friendship on and off the soccer fields of Humboldt County, so I was flattered and honored to be able to take Aedan's senior portrait.

I love collaborating with my clients and will go just about anywhere to do pictures, except maybe the edge of a live volcano. Doing photos at a local pumpkin farm was a brilliant idea on their part. Here is a sampling of many great shots we got that day.

I think it is fascinating and fun to try and get different moods just by changing the picture style. The following two shots were taken minutes apart.

Thank you Aedan!

Erin & Shawn

2011-08-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

They say Life is a Journey.

We know this is true.

What matters, as we travel through this big bold world, are the people who take the journey with us.

That watch over us, keep us safe and guide us.

And the friends and family that care for us.

And if we are lucky, we find a kindred spirit to share that journey.

Two paths cross and become one.

A new road unfolds.

A new story waits to be written.

William & Mary

2011-07-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

On a hazy, at times even rainy July day here in Humboldt County California, a sweet wedding took place tucked down in the little town of Scotia. When I arrived to begin the pre-ceremony getting ready photography, a fine mist was falling that would soon abate. Though not your sunny California day, the light was soft and even, perfect for pictures, and the couple made a warm glow of their own to color this very special day.

My thanks to William & Mary and their families for entrusting the photography to me, and for their warmth and support. I hope you enjoy a taste of the day.

-Paul

A father sees his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time.

A flower girl rushes across the lawn to get ready for the procession.

William watches his beautiful bride approach.

I love this grinning, eyes closed shot. It radiates pure happiness.

The beautiful garden at the Scotia Inn was the setting for the ceremony.

William kept Mary warm while her dress was being bustled.

Steve & Amy

2011-03-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

A SAINT PATRICK'S DAY WEDDING

Though I really don't know if Amy or Steve have Irish blood, you'd still have to say it would take a little luck to pull off an outdoor wedding in March in Humboldt County. Considering that the weather the week of the wedding was pretty much rain, hail and thunderstorms everyday, you wouldn't be going out on a limb saying a lot of luck would be needed.

The contingency plan, if it did rain, was...wait there was no contingency plan. In the days up to the wedding, I practiced shooting my camera while holding an umbrella.

Yes you might say luck was involved, and maybe it was, but I like to take a slightly different perspective. It takes courage to marry, let's be honest, courage and faith. Courage to make the commitment and faith in your partner to honor that commitment. Courage to face the many obstacles that undoubtedly will stand in a couple's way on their lifetime's journey together.

That day for Steve and Amy was a true dress rehearsal (and a mighty successful one I might add) for maneuvering the sometime rocky roads of marriage, and doing it all with a smile on their faces.

To me, this wedding symbolized so much of what a marriage is about. They made a commitment to have their ceremony on this chosen day at this chosen place, because it was where Steve proposed. There would be no contingency plan because they were committed rain or shine to having their wedding in this sacred grove of redwoods.

In the long run it turned out the weather would be the least of their worries. In their drive up from San Francisco the day before the wedding, their car broke down. Steve was busy running around to auto parts stores the morning of the wedding and then working on the car. You could probably still see the engine grease under his fingernails when Amy slid the ring on his finger. A groomsman, also driving from out of the area was held up, and it looked like he wasn't going to make it.

So finally, car's fixed, everybody is ready and to the wedding site on time (except for the groomsman still on the road). After a day of rain before, and what would be a day of torrential downpours the day after the wedding, the sun was shining on everyone as we prepared to walk the trail to the site of the ceremony. Then everything came to a brake screeching, tires squealing stop. A park ranger was not going to let the ceremony take place because they did not have a permit.

Steve patiently told the ranger he had contacted the park office months before and had been told that they would not need a permit. The ranger would not be swayed, and with more guests crowding around the ranger, who was standing blocking the trail head, things were becoming tense. I could see Grandpa was making a head count, considering covering the $100 fine per guest if folks tried to head for the site anyway. Soon there were at least 3 rangers on site. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, family, friends all waited patiently, wondering if their travels from distant points to witness a peaceful and loving ceremony would be stopped for lack of a permit.

Isn't there really only one way this story should end. Picture law enforcement vehicles driving slowly away, people making their way up the trail, taking a beautiful walk through the forest. The delay in the ceremony giving the groomsman time to run up the trail just as it is beginning to start. Rain falls for a brief moment, just to remind everyone, then stops. I wipe the rain drops off my camera, look through. The light is soft. Press the shutter.

Enjoy the pictures.

Wedding Photography 2010 - A Fond Look Back, Part III

2010-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Jeff & Lauren

What a great young couple. Their wedding was undoubtedly the most rural wedding I have ever photographed. It was held at a ranch tucked way back in the Trinity Alps of Northern California. 3 to 4 hours of driving on twisting mountain roads. But that's partly because I was held up for close to an hour on the west side of a town called Willow Creek. They had closed the two lane highway that ran through the middle of town for its Bigfoot Days Parade. I got out of my car and juggled my soccer ball on the still highway, while hundreds of cars honked their horns trying to get Bigfoot to hurry up.

Fortunately I had padded my travel time and I arrived at the Bar 717 Ranch in Hayfork, CA with time to spare. It was super cool, a real timepiece of Americana and a beautiful setting for a wedding.

Check out the amphitheater where the ceremony was held ~

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Lauren was a stunning bride ~

Jeff cleans up pretty well too. Here he is watching his bride come down the aisle ~

Before their husband and wife portrait, Jeff retied Lauren's shoe. So gallant and romantic.

One of my favorite portraits of Lauren is this Laughing Bride shot. It just vibrates with joy ~

We did some shots on this giant swing overlooking the valley. It just exudes romance.

A moment of repose while Lauren's dress was being bustled.

The photos from this series were some of my favorites.

This shot speaks for itself.

Lauren spent weeks prior to the wedding making homemade preserves for her guests. I was lucky enough to get a jar. My family and I opened it on Christmas Day. All I can say is it was worth the wait.

All the details were seen to at this wedding, and they fit the setting perfectly. A lot of the credit goes to Nicole at One Fine Day.

A parting shot from a beautiful summer night.

Wedding Photography 2010 - A Fond Look Back , Part II

2010-10-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

MATT & HALEY

It's difficult to select "favorite" weddings from all that I shoot each year, but Matt and Haley's wedding was very unique and fun, and the photographs truly captured the spirit of the event. One of my goals when photographing a wedding is to magnify the spirit and celebration of the day as it really is. There's no need for me as a photographer to manufacture moments, when it's always right there in front of me to capture. This is my specialty. So below is a smattering from hundreds of great images I took that day.

Also please check out their engagement coffee table book I created. It's a unique and very special thing I do for all my couples.

Wedding Photography 2010 - A Fond Look Back

2010-10-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

As the whirlwind of Summer weddings is coming to a close, I wanted to take a few moments to post some of my favorite shots from some of my couples. If you are a future bride or groom and are checking out wedding photographers, I hope you'll visit my website, www.paulphoto.com to check out more of what I have to offer and to find out why I am in demand as a Northern California wedding photographer.

PRUDENCE & JOHN

Ivan & Cori - A Humboldt County Wedding

2010-01-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

As the 2010 wedding season is quickly approaching, I wanted to take a look back at another one of my favorite weddings from last year. It was the type of wedding I love, a beautiful outdoor setting, and an intimate gathering of family and friends. To me, when I photograph a wedding, the most essential element, the key to photographing the heart of it all, are the faces of the people there, captured in an honest and joyous manner. If you feel the same way, we're on the same page. Please take a look at my web site if you want to learn more about my photography. In the meantime, enjoy this brief peak at a beautiful day in glorious Humboldt County.

Sisters - An Idyllic Moment

2010-01-30T15:52:00.000-08:00

This was a shot taken during a recent family portrait. It was a capture of one of those in-between moments. Not planned, not expected, but something that I still keep an eye open for when doing portraits - the unguarded moment. These are the nuggets, the treasures, that give me so much pleasure capturing, whether I am doing portraiture or wedding photography. I've been in business for over ten years, and this is one of the things I do best, capturing the honest moment. Please visit my website if you would like to learn more.

A Family Adventure - A Beautiful Book

2010-01-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

What's it like to have a family portrait done with me? Well, let's see, we go to a location that is very special, one of your choice. It could be anywhere from your own backyard to any number of gorgeous outdoor locations. It is a relaxed and fun time that you get to spend with the people you most love in the world, and we capture it forever in beautiful photographs. It's nothing like you have ever experienced before, a simple, fun adventure. Sound good?

One of the really cool things I can do is create a coffee table book of your experience. These custom designed books are produced using state of the art printing and look fantastic, just like they came off a bookstore shelf. When I design them, I go all out to make them highly original.

Why don't you take a look at the one I did for the Kontos Family. I think you'll be impressed, and like nothing else I can show you, it will give you a great idea of what it is like to have me capture your family Portrait.

A Great Fall 2009

2010-01-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

This year I had one of my busiest, best, and most fun Autumn senior portrait seasons. Here are some of my favorites. Thanks to all the great kids and families who trusted that I would provide some great portraits for them.

BILLY

TIBEL

TAYLOR

ZELDA

JAMES

RACHEL

AMANDA

MELISSA

Rachelle

2009-10-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

Fall is the time for Senior Portraits and I really look forward to it. It's an opportunity for me to meet interesting young people and make a beautiful record of them at a vital time in their life. I see portrait photography as a collaboration between myself and the subject. I am very open to ideas as far as location, clothing and special interests the student might have. I want the student's personality to shine brightly through and our time together to be relaxed and fun.

I wanted to show you Rachelle's senior portrait because I think it showcases many things. I love how 3-dimensional these pictures are of her personality, and how they represent an honest and vibrant portrait of a wonderful young woman. The setting is also spectacular. Humboldt County is not lacking for great outdoor locations.

The Tale of Keri & Bryan

2009-09-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome

2009-09-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

I was never interested in doing things like everyone else.

My camera's lens is a mirror to those looking into it.

I want it to show them how beautiful they are.

At its most basic, my portraiture is about capturing people at their best.

-Paul