My friends Dan and Taryn wanted some pictures to give to their grandmothers as a present (how sweet!) and since they’re the best dog-sitters in town, I traded them a portrait session for all the dog-watching they’ve done (I’m fairly sure my dog likes them better than me, so he got to join in on the photo session.) Taryn and Dan are very photogenic, a super-cute couple, and very silly – a great combination for a successful photo outing.

Jamie and Jay were lots of fun, comfortable with each other and at ease in front of the camera, and we had a great time wandering around Davis finding cool places to shoot. When I met with Jamie, she told me that Jay would probably wear boots and a cowboy hat to the e-session (they actually forgot the hat, and made an emergency phone call to have Jay’s parents bring it to them from Sacramento – way to go!) I mentioned that the arboretum, where I like to shoot, is right next to the horse pasture at the Veterinary Hospital, so we might get a chance for some cool shots with the horses. The horses were more than happy to cooperate once we found some grass for them to chew on…
Jamie and Jay met while playing rugby, so we also got some cool shots of them in their jerseys playing around with a rugby ball on one of the UCD athletic fields – fun!
Finally, we ended the day in on of the fields in West Davis, which is currently filled with bales of hay, and which I’ve always found very photogenic. I’ve been wanting to take photos out there, and this was the perfect opportunity. I always try my best to capture the personalities and style of the people I photograph, and I think it worked out pretty well this time!

My first wedding of the season was a great one to start with! Jamie and Brad were a joy to work with – super friendly, happy and easy-going. Brad had a HUGE grin on the entire day. Any time he caught me pointing the camera at him, he smiled even more. Jamie was looking beautiful and happy, and the guests had a great time. Jamie’s family was really nice – and her sisters were both very photogenic and happy to ham it up for the camera. The reception was energetic and the dancing was off the hook – Brad and his daughter did a great rendition of Thriller, and the whole gang joined in for YMCA. They made it really easy to get some fantastic action shots. See their slideshow for lots more images.

When Jackie and Mark booked me, they mentioned that they had met while working in the library at UC Davis and would like to take engagement photos there. They were probably a bit surprised at my excitement at the idea, since they didn’t realize that I’m a literature geek who has spent many happy hours at the UCD library, often thinking about how nice the window light is while browsing the stacks… So we arranged for a two-part engagement session – the first part would be at the library on Memorial Day weekend, when most of the students are out of town, or at least not in the library studying, and then we’d head over to the arboretum later that weekend for part two. I was really thrilled with the results – the library session was tons of fun, and Jackie and Mark were a blast to work with – quick to smile, obviously in love, and looking FINE! They dressed up in what could easily have passed for wedding attire – Jackie in a lovely ivory-colored dress and Mark in a smart-looking suit. The arboretum session was also tons of fun, and they again picked out a great pair of outfits that complemented each other nicely. All in all, a great double-dose of engagement fun!