Keith & Rose

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

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

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

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

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.