Lindsay Docherty Photography

What to Wear: Engagement Sessions

2008-07-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

What to Wear: Engagement pictures

The inevitable question before a portrait session: what do I wear? There are no hard and fast rules, but there are some suggestions that you may want to consider before your big day in front of the camera. Here are a few…

• I absolutely encourage outfit changes. So consider wearing something dressy and bringing along something more casual/everyday.
• Beware words, logos, loud colors and patterns that might distract from the truly important aspect of the pictures: you! The human eye will locate familiar words in pictures and put them together, taking away from the true subject.
• Coordinate your outfits, but don't wear the exact same thing. Stick to the same color family or complementary tones and bear in mind that darker colors are most slimming on women.

Kristen and Vic rocked the greens for a springtime session in a North Carolina park.

• Think about wearing an outfit that matches your surroundings. Floppy summer hat for a beach session: yes. Floppy summer hat for a snowy session on the ski slopes: maybe not.

Cole broke out the blazer for some preppy shots at Grace Cathedral and the Fairmont.

• Give your shoes as much attention as your shirt. They will be in the pictures and may even be highlighted in a few.

Caroline wore some very sexy little sandals that made an appearance or two.

• Wear something that you feel defines your personal style.

Fred and Sam, with their tattoos and totally laid back, awesome personalities, wore simple outfits that just felt like "them".

• Wear something you can sit, walk, run, lay down, jump, kick, and spin in.

• Check the weather and dress appropriately. No matter how cute you look in that flirty tank top, you'll be completely miserable when you wear it in thick San Francisco fog. Wool sweaters and wellies can be just as awesome. When in doubt: LAYERS!
• Accessorize with your favorite jewelry, scarves, hats, belts, shoes, and even pets (well-behaved, of course).

Tips:
• Bring a small mirror, makeup, and brush for any touchups.
• Unless you want it in the pics, don't bring a purse; you'll just be putting it down every few seconds.
• If you're particularly concerned about something, mention it to me so that I can keep an extra sharp eye out for it. (examples: that cowlick you've had since you were 5, the necklace that is constantly flipping around, more cleavage than grandma would appreciate, etc.)

In the end, be true to yourself. If you are not comfortable, it will be obvious in your pictures. If these suggestions don't feel like you, break all the rules and show up in something that is completely, and totally you.

“The only rule is don't be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.” - Paris Hilton

Helpful source: Miss Avocado on Weddingbee

New Website!

2008-07-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

Fabulous, exciting, stupendous news!!! My website overhaul is complete! Yay!

I have been working on it for months now and I'm happy to say that it's finally out there. Same basic colors and feel, but a smoother interface with more images. Plus, there's now a weddings section that I will be filling soon.

I'm so psyched about it. I've kept it under wraps for a while now since I didn't know when it would go live. I just love the new site.

Woohoo!

Go check out www.lindsaydocherty.com right now and let me know what you think!

Wedding in Carmel with Julie Cheshire

2008-07-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

The other week I shot a wedding with the lovely Julie of Julie Cheshire Photography down in Carmel at Mission Ranch. As you will see, Mission Ranch is just beautiful.

Loren got ready in the honeymoon cottage. It was an adorable little house just large enough for all of the girls to get gussied up. Loren is simply beautiful and I love, love, love her hairstyle.

The flower girl was cute as a button. That face in the lower left was when she saw Loren’s dress for the first time. She looked like a little princess herself.

The ceremony site was down a path and over a bridge with a spectacular and private view of a field and the bay in the distance. If it hadn’t been so warm and lovely, it really would have reminded me of Scotland. And there were even sheep out there! They started getting vocal during the formals before the ceremony. I just thought it was the coolest thing.

Loren and Michael had blue skies and huge puffy clouds just for them.

The ceremony was presided over by a family friend which made it all the more special and personal. The six bridesmaids carried white roses and green hydrangea; Loren’s bouquet consisted of green orchids and white roses.

Since we had taken care of most of the formals before the ceremony, we pulled Loren and Michael aside for just a few shots near the fence before heading off to their cocktail hour.

The details were perfect and everything seemed to fit so well. It was a beautiful wedding in the country with just the right amount of fancy details and relaxed atmosphere.

The couple danced their first song to Alison Krauss’ “When You Say Nothing At All”.

The party really got going after that. There was some great music and the guests were so much fun.

Thanks so much, Loren & Michael. All the best!

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all
Alison Krauss, When You Say Nothing At All

Being a good wedding guest

2008-07-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

Despite having never been a bride myself, I have a pretty good grasp on weddings. I read more wedding blogs than I care to admit and I have been a guest and/or photographer at quite a few as well.

Today I read a great blog post over at Manolo For the Brides on Six Steps to Being the Perfect Wedding Guest.

It's a really good article and one that I believe many brides would love to be able to pass on to their guests. Check it out and let me know what you think. What else would you add?

So you opened your mail one day recently and found a shimmery pale pink envelope (or a lush, chocolate one, or an austerly elegant ivory-colored one, or one you could barely read through the bright purple printing on cherry red paper) containing a wedding invitation. Perhaps it was one you’d been expecting for weeks. Perhaps it was one you had no clue was coming. Perhaps you are so close to the couple you took part in the invitation addressing party. Perhaps you have to desperately scan your every childhood memory to even figure out who the happy couple might be and why they sent you an invitation to witness their marriage.

Whatever the case, there are things you can do to make sure that you’re the sort of guest people want to invite to other events after this one is over and done with.

1: Please, please, please RSVP! This is probably the number one faux pas wedding guests make today. The bride and groom need to know how many people are coming. The answer will affect everything from favors to the seating arrangements to the catering bill. Look! They’ve even made it easy for you to do! Simply either check the yes or the no option on the reply card and send it back in the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope, or call the phone number at the bottom of the invitation and tell whoever answers whether or not you’re coming. Many couples even include an online option at their wedding websites for easy response.

Oh, and when you reply, only do so for the people who were actually listed on the invitation. If your name is the only one on the envelope and there is no ‘and guest’ on it, then do not attempt to reply for yourself, a date, your three-year-old child and your next-door neighbor. The bride and groom have spent a lot of time organizing their guest list. There may be any number of reasons why these people were not invited. If you do not feel you can go without your mother, your child, or a date, then the proper thing to do is to decline the invitation and send your best wishes for the couple’s marriage along with them. Don’t try to guilt the bride and groom into inviting your guests to their wedding.

On the other hand, the mere receipt of an invitation does not mean you have to say yes for everyone listed. If you’d rather leave your small child behind with a babysitter than watch to make sure she doesn’t take a header into the wedding cake before it’s cut, you’re perfectly free to do so.

Don’t feel the need to make excuses or stand on soapboxes. Just say, ‘I’m terribly sorry, but little Agatha-Petunia (or Joe Bob, or Auntie Mildred) won’t be able to attend with me.’

2: If at all possible, send your wedding gift before the wedding. Bringing gifts to the wedding itself can be awkward. You have to juggle it along with everything else, there may or may not be a designated place for it to go during the festivities, and that place may or may not be adequately guarded against theft. It’s an ugly fact of life that some people do crash large weddings in public places and help themselves to goodies off the gift table while nobody’s looking. It really is easier for everyone concerned if you send the gift to the address the invitation was issued from at least a couple weeks before the big event.

3: Remember that the registry list is a helpful suggestion, not an order. By all means, take a look at the registry list if you can. It’s a great way to get hints as to what the happy couple may or may not need and to get a general idea of their tastes if you are not entirely familiar with them. It’s also a great way to give something you know for certain they can use and will enjoy…but you are not in any way required to use it. Feel free to use your imagination as well. Some brides may disagree, but some of the best wedding gifts Mr. Twistie and I got were the sorts of things you just can’t register for. Whether you choose to give a place-setting of the couple’s formal china, a set of guest towels, a spa day for two, some of your homemade persimmon jelly, a check, or simply a congratulatory note, send it with love and without worry. It’s perfectly polite and appropriate.

4: Arrive in good time looking like you belong. Yes, I know, most weddings run late, but that is no reason for you to deliberately do the same. Do your best to arrive on site at least ten minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin, but no more than half an hour in advance. You want to have plenty of time to be seated and arrange yourself comfortably, but you don’t want to show up while the altar flowers are being arranged or the pew decorations are being hung or while a frantic bridesmaid in curlers and a robe is trying to figure out where the bride’s eyeshadow got to. Worse yet, you don’t want to enter the room just as the officient is asking whether there is anyone who objects to the union!

And you never know. Every once in a blue moon, a wedding does actually begin on time.

Looking like you belong is a trickier issue. It means taking stock of a variety of clues (time of day, location of the ceremony, whether the reception is in a different place and what that place might be, formality of the invitation, etc.) and working out what seems best for that time and place. For instance, if the wedding is in a fairly conservative house of worship, it would be politic to keep knees and shoulders covered at bare minimum. If the wedding is held during the day, don’t go for a sequinned evening gown, even if the reception will run until everyone is simply out of steam. An outdoor daytime wedding is the perfect excuse for a great hat, but that might look out of place in a banquet hall during the evening. If you’re invited to Pamela Anderson’s next wedding, I’d advise dressing down, since there’s a good chance the bride will appear in a bikini again.

Whatever you wear, though, make sure it’s clean, neat, and at least a reasonable attempt to fit the time of day, setting, and level of formality. Oh, and never turn down a wedding invitation simply because you don’t have the money to buy a special outfit. Simply do the best you can within your available means. If they really want the honor of your presence rather than the honor of your presents, the happy couple will not care much about what you’re wearing so long as you show up.

5: Get into the spirit of the party. I can’t believe the number of people I have heard over the years insist that they couldn’t have fun at a wedding without alcohol, a date, the precise music they like best…and all sorts of things that really shouldn’t make that big a difference. If you go in with that attitude, I guarantee you won’t have fun. What’s more, I’ll tell you right up front it’s your own damn fault. I’ve been to dozens of weddings in my day, and there have only been a couple where I had a grizzly time. Whether or not there was something ‘adult’ to drink, whether or not I had a date, whether or not I was wild about the music, whether or not there was dancing, whether or not I was familiar with the customs being observed, even whether or not I knew many people there, I managed to have a great time nearly every time. The ones where I had a bad time…well, there were good reasons why I had a bad time, but at least I know I went in game to enjoy myself.

If you go in expecting to have a good time, that’s pretty much half the battle. So try out a food you’re not familiar with. Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. Ask someone the significance of a tradition you’re unfamiliar with. Just remember, if you walk in defensive and negative…you will almost certainly leave the same way having dampened someone else’s good spirits into the bargain. Don’t rain on the bride and groom’s parade.

6: Thank your hosts. At some point during the reception, be sure to give the happy couple your best wishes and thank them for the invitation. It’s easy to do this if there is a receiving line, but if the bride and groom don’t have one, take it upon yourself to do it anyway. Ideally, they should come to you at some point, but it’s perfectly polite to be the one to initiate the conversation if they don’t. If you don’t manage to make contact with them during the reception, be sure to find a way to let them know later on what a great time you had and what a beautiful wedding it was. At absolute minimum, let them know you appreciate being included in their big day.

A wedding is a celebration of a happy event. It’s a great excuse for a party. And unless everyone involved is doing it completely wrong, it’s not a minefield. So just remember these simple rules, relax, and have a great time knowing you’re doing your best to add to the day.

An Engagement Session all over San Francisco

2008-06-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Cole proposed to Caroline atop Mt. Tam and I got to be there to capture it. It was so beautifully set up.

On Saturday, Cole, Caroline, and I traveled all over San Francisco for a full-day engagement session hitting up some of San Francisco's most beautiful spots. And while Friday was almost sweltering, Saturday's weather was absolutely perfect. Not too warm, not too cold, bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. Oh, it couldn't have been better!

Here are some of the highlights of our day…

We started around Union Square and despite being called "scoundrels" (them) and "wench" (me) by one of the locals, it was a good start to the day.

Onwards to Golden Gate Park's DeYoung Museum and Botanical Garden.

And we eventually found our way to Stow Lake, though I certainly took them on the scenic route. I introduced them to San Francisco's It's Its too!

We went to Fisherman's Wharf for some famous bread bowl and clam chowder at Boudin's and then strolled over to Pier 39 to check out the sea lions and the bay.

We then went back to Nob Hill to their hotel, the Fairmont, for a change of clothes and some shots around the hotel and Grace Cathedral.

I took them to one of my favorite little spots in the city – a little grove of trees that lets in the most amazing light during golden hour.

We ended our day at Baker Beach around sunset.

Phew! It was such a wonderful day and I can't wait to hear all about their wedding in Texas this winter.

Caroline and Cole, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your trip out to San Francisco!

No city invites the heart to come to life as San Francisco does.
~William Saroyan

p.s. To see more of Caroline & Cole's day, click here to check out their wedding guest book!

Marriage Proposal on Mt. Tam

2008-06-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

Oh, man. So many pictures over the past few days but I just had, had, HAD to share some of what happened Friday night…

Cole contacted me a few weeks ago and said that he was traveling to San Francisco from Dallas and was planning on proposing to his girlfriend and wanted me to photograph the whole thing. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled. I had read about this new phenomenon of proposal photography and even posted about it not too long ago.

We get everything in place and I drive to the top of Mount Tamalpais Friday evening and meet with Cole's friend, Tanner, to help set up. We staked out this stunning scenic overlook that was to die for! The view was incredible.

Tanner and I arranged rose petals and fresh fruit for Cole and Caroline to just happen upon.

I climbed up on the rocks to get a view of the action and stay hidden. Here are the results…

It was such a rush. I am always honored to be chosen to photograph someone's wedding and photographing the proposal may have been even more rewarding. The unexpected emotions and surprise and romance are so real. It's being part of a moment that may have been planned for months or even years, but the other half of the equation has no idea.

I took a few pictures of them against the amazing backdrop and then left them alone to watch the sun set, snack on the berries, and revel in what had just happened.

As if this wasn't cool enough, Cole had planned for me to travel all over San Francisco the next day for a super engagement session. Somehow he managed the best weather I have seen in San Francisco and we had a fantastic time. Stay tuned for that installation…

There is no remedy for love but to love more.
~ Henry David Thoreau

Best Wedding Toast Ever

2008-06-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share this awesome wedding toast to a bride by her amazingly caring and talented friends.

Best Wedding Toast Ever!!!! (Amy's Song) - Click here for funny video clips

the feminist photographer

2008-06-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

In my life before portrait and wedding photography, I was in graduate school for sociology.

In undergrad, I didn't know what opportunities there were for sociology majors. I just loved the subject matter and had some incredible professors that I never put much thought into what would happen after graduation. I learned that the main route for sociology majors who are really into sociology is graduate school so you can make more sociologists. This was prefect as I loved being in the classroom and I was pretty good at being a student (graduated magna cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa).

My shtick was family and gender roles and social psychology. So off to graduate school I went and ended up at NC State University studying under Barbara Risman, a nationally recognized feminist author and researcher. I had planned to focus on the gendered division of household labor, something I studied a bit in undergrad. I eventually left NCSU, partially due to my father's failing health and partially because the department was changing around and Dr. Risman had accepted a position in Chicago.

During that heavy time, I would seek solace in photography and eventually realized that photography had been a constant in my life for years. I never thought twice about it after I became fixated on the academia track.

But I still keep a look out for gender study issues and social psychology topics.

This brings me to an article I want to share with you that came out earlier this week in the New York Times about the gendered division of household labor, i.e. the imbalance of housework and childcare between spouses. I actually learned of it during my daily blog-stalking; this time on Weddingbee.

So why do I bring this up? I figure my readers are 1) good friends or family who will read regardless (Hi Mom!) 2) future brides who, like the Weddingbee gals, find this relevant in their current life stage and/or 3) forward thinking women who also happen to like pretty pictures.

If this interests you, you may also want to check out Sociological Images, a blog that points to visual media and deconstructs it sociologically. Some of the examples are a stretch, but interesting nonetheless.

And for more info on shared parenting or parenting equality or whatever you call it, here are some sites that I found: Equally Shared Parenting and The ThirdPath Institute. Definitely food for thought.

I like hugs and I like kisses,
But what I really love is help with the dishes!
~Author Unknown

Hooray California!

2008-06-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

In case you've been living in a cave recently, I want to alert you to an amazing development in California's marriage history*: the legalization of gay marriage!

Oh, California, how I love you!

About 2 hours ago, Mayor Gavin Newsom officiated the ceremony of two eighty-something women who had been together for 54 years! Tomorrow will be even more spectacular as same-sex couples will be crowding into city hall for their turn to wed.

Without getting too political (too late for that, Lindsay!) it's clear to me that love is love. Marriage is for those who are committed to one another. Period. And to have the legal backing to assert that right is spectacular.

Many, many congratulations to all the couples who will wed tomorrow and forever more!

Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.
~Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, A.D. 524

*Same-sex marriages have been legal in California once before in 2004 only to be nullified soon after. There will be a vote in November that could again amend California's constitution to limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Wedding in Palo Alto with Julie Cheshire

2008-06-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

I went down to Palo Alto with the talented Julie of Julie Cheshire Photography the other week to photograph the wedding of Karen & Mark at the Garden Court Hotel. I absolutely loved the location. It had elements of a Spanish villa and felt so self-contained, as if it could have been in the middle of nowhere.

Karen herself was the picture of elegance. She just exuded it. Very simple makeup, very little jewelry, and a very classy and sleek hairdo. When going through the pictures I couldn't help but feel that they should be in black and white since she had that feeling about her. Her dress was a very lovely and simple strapless Maggie Sottero gown with a small train.

The raw silk bridesmaid's gowns were hand made by a family friend.

And she wore a fabulous cathedral length veil. Now, I can't say that I'm a proponent of the tradition behind veils but as a photographer, if I had it my way, every bride would wear one. They are such a great thing to photograph and I love how they turn out in pictures.

The ceremony was in a room with huge semi-circle windows on two sides, letting in tons of natural light. They had a friend officiate it and incorporated elements from both Philipino and British cultures.

My favorite part of the Garden Court Hotel was its back patio with fountain and trees and Spanish style yellow walls surrounding the place.

Julie went to one of the upper floors to photograph the entire wedding group. I stayed below with the guests to get the fun shot from the ground.

The beautiful couple walked into the reception to some hilarious toasts and delicious dinner.

Julie managed to get Karen and Mark to come outside just after sunset for some pictures in the empty courtyard. It looked so great with the little yellow lights everywhere and the open sky. It was so romantic.

Their first dance was to Frank Sinatra's The Best is Yet to Come. So classy!

For me, one of the best parts about the day was seeing Linda and Neil again! Julie and I shot Linda and Neil's wedding last summer and it was so much fun to catch back up with them. They are still as cute as ever and were oblivious to everyone around them as they danced together. I was just beaming.

There were strict orders to avoid cheesy songs and hip hop and Hector got the party jumping to some great rock and classic oldies.

We learned that Mark had once taken breakdancing lessons but we didn't get to see any of that action from him. There were some guests who strutted their stuff, especially when Michael Jackson came on. I was pretty impressed!

They had a garter and bouquet toss and Karen's facial expressions when Mark was getting the garter were just priceless. She looked like she was getting into some really cold water. Too funny.

It was a great wedding and I was so happy to be a part of it. Best of luck, Karen & Mark! Maybe we'll see more from you guys in the near future at another wedding!

The best is yet to come, and wont that be fine
The best is yet to come, come the day that you're mine
Frank Sinatra, The Best is Yet to Come

Karma

2008-06-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am a blog addict. I am. (This is why my link list on the lower right side of the screen is titled "Guilty Pleasures".) I am subscribed to a ton of them and I think I check my bloglines at least twice a day. I go there for wedding trends, photographic inspiration, news, laughter, and just for straight up futzing purposes.

One of my favorite blogs is pifphoto.com. It is a fabulous source for photographers to learn about new photoshop techniques, get business advice, pick up some new templates, and just generally connect with the larger community of photographers dedicated to the idea of "Paying it Forward". It's all free and photographers and occasionally some vendors offer up all sorts of goodies.

It's a great environment and in an industry that can be a bit secretive and protective, it's an encouraging resource.

A month or so ago, Lindsay, the incredibly friendly PIF Photo founder, honored me with the invitation to become a regular PIF blogger! I thought surely she must have meant to contact someone else, but she assured me that the opportunity was mine if I wanted it.

Um, let me think about that for a sec... Yes!

So today I was announced as the newest member of the PIF Photo family and I'm so psyched about it.

Now I just need to figure out what on earth I am going to contribute! Eek!

Oh, and don't think I've forgotten about that "change" I had promised. I should be able to announce it within a week. Yay!

When someone does you a big favor, don't pay it back... Pay It Forward.
Tagline for movie, Pay It Forward

Great Moments in Portraiture

2008-06-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

The internets have some great stuff.

Today I found a link to Great Olan Mills photos. Freaking hilarious. Had I been drinking milk, it would have come out of my nose.

I admit that I too had the Olan Mills experience when I was younger. Thankfully, I don't own any of the pictures from it but I can tell you that it wasn't pretty. Who knew that bangs don't work on the curly-haired? My step-brother had it worse though, he was in high school at the time of the pictures and, well, he had curly hair too. Big curly hair.

I actually had a great client last summer who came to me for family and graduation portraits. They were a really really fun group and asked for the Olan Mills shot. Unfortunaltely I didn't have the studio lights and a really cheesy backdrop, but I went for the classic everyone-looks-off-into-the-distance-at-nothing shot anyway (complete with horrible vignette and teal-ish glow).

Nice, huh?

"Fashion is made to become unfashionable." Coco Chanel

Photography 101: Group Pictures

2008-06-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

I just came across a fabulous idea for taking group pictures. I'm so stealing this for my next wedding:

You want a photo of everyone together, or a photo of Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandchildren, or any other posed group–but you want everyone looking cute, not tortured. EVERYONE who’s going to be in the photo should come over and stand by the camera. Anyone not able to move comfortably can stay in the pose position, but everyone else should be at the camera. On a timer, press the button, and now EVERYONE run to get into position before the 10 seconds is up. This results in rosy-cheeked, happy-looking groups, though the group gets more disheveled looking with every “one more time, just to be sure we got a good one.”

from Sundry Buzz

Not only will the smiles look great and genuine, but it'll break the stiffness that comes along with the dreaded formal portraits.

Totally hilarious, I can't wait to see it in action with everyone in their long dresses and tuxes.

You don't take a photograph, you make it. ~Ansel Adams

Pet Session at Ocean Beach and GGP

2008-05-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I spent a few hours with a sweet pooch named Monkey. He was a shelter dog lovingly adopted by shelter volunteer and mommy of two cats, Pam. He's a brown and white mix between a pit bull and a Staffordshire bull terrier with brown patches around his big brown eyes.

Pam used to live right by Ocean Beach so it was a very logical place for us to meet to photograph Monkey (even though he doesn't care much for the water).

He's just a sweetheart with little ears that flap in the wind. And he was so funny – Monkey would dart off, then coming running back over to us and swoop right past the camera as I would crouch down to get him.

He's a really curious dog and he'll go over to shyly investigate other dogs or kids but he always makes sure to stay close to mom.

We went into Golden Gate Park near the Dutch windmills to capture him against a green backdrop and to give him another environment to explore.

And I loved all of his cute little puppy parts. Check out his furrowed brow – those wrinkles are so cute!

I had a great time with Pam and Monkey. Thanks so much, you two!

The average dog has one request to all humankind. Love me.
Helen Exley

p.s. Pam introduced me to Virtual Pet Adoptions, a website connecting people with animal shelters and rescue organizations in the Bay Area for a very thorough offering of pets that would love to be given a great home.

p.p.s. If anyone knows of a shelter or rescue organization needing great photographs (completely without charge) of their shelter pets for websites and marketing purposes, please connect me with them!

According to Match.com*, "members with photos get up to 15 times more attention than those without one" and I can only imagine it applies to cat and dog profiles as well.

*I also photograph people for online dating sites and I definitely can't knock Match.com. I found my honey on there 3 years ago, we moved across the country together, and we're still going strong. And the picture thing is so true. When looking through all those profiles, the pictureless ones aren't worth the time and a great picture can get you the attention you deserve.

Catholic Wedding in Napa with Lisa Leigh

2008-05-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am still experimenting on my blog with different image treatments and this was the perfect event to test them out – let me know what you think!

A week or so ago, I shot Elizabeth and Dave's beautiful wedding with Lisa Leigh Photography up in wine country.

We started at this great little house they had rented out right around the corner from St. Helena Catholic Church. This place must have come straight from the pages of Country Living because it was just adorable.

There were so many pictures I loved from this wedding, so I've tried to keep it as brief as possible but really, the dresses, the venue, the bride, the cake… Everything was beautiful!

Here is Elizabeth in the getting ready stages. All of the delicate details were just perfect and she had the most beautiful skin and great big, bright eyes. Despite the spectacular event, Elizabeth is no prima donna. She was incredibly down to earth and very laid back.

The bridesmaids wore pink with fuchsia and pink tones in their flowers while Elizabeth's bouquet was all whites and creams with gardenias making it smell just heavenly. Her dress is Reem Acra's aptly titled "Beautiful". It was a stunning flowy empire-waisted sheath dress with delicate beading and stitching all over.

St. Helena Catholic Church seemed just the right size. And it had a balcony, which I always love when shooting weddings. It best part was the priest who presided over the ceremony. There was a last minute switch and the couple had a Jamaican priest doing his fourth wedding. His accent was great and made the whole affair very light and fun.

After the ceremony, the bridal party went back to the house to relax until the reception. Elizabeth had a second dress since the delivery of the first kept being pushed back close to the wedding date. This dress was a fun Oscar de la Renta with floral embroidery that was mimicked on their wedding cake.

We arrived at the stunning Calistoga Ranch resort. While the reception area was being prepared, the guests had a cocktail hour on the grass next to the private lake. We took pictures of Elizabeth and Dave on the grounds and in their suite which featured a very cool outdoor shower that they wanted to feature in their photos.

The reception was held in the resort's wine cave and it looked extraordinary.

I snuck a few shots of the couple before they made their grand entrance to go right into their first dance. Being the low key couple that they are, they shoes their first song that day, the very classy "At Last" by Etta James.

I must say that my absolute favorite pictures came from the vineyard, which we wrangled our way into right after sunset.

And my favorite picture of the entire day…

Thanks, Elizabeth and Dave. Your wedding day was beautiful and I feel so fortunate to have met both of you. Congratulations!

Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last

Etta James, At Last

I Heart San Francisco

2008-05-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get bummed about living in San Francisco. The parking is atrocious; I drive a stick shift and live on a hill and I can't even count how many times I've stalled out. The cable car runs right outside my window til 1am every night. And I live in an apartment the size of a shoebox (and that's being generous).

But… I really do love this city. I live near the top of the hill and the view from my rooftop is amazing – I can see all around – Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, SOMA… And how cool is it to say that the cable car goes right past my house!? And my apartment is small but it has hardwood floors, bay windows, really cool old-timey elevators, and that view… I look out my window to the east and see the Transamerica building and Grace Cathedral to the west. I can see Coit Tower and a sliver of the bay to the North.

And sometimes the city surprises me like it did last week with one of the most stunning sunsets I've ever seen. As I was busily working away, I see these cotton candy pinks and purples out of the corner of my eye. I turned and saw the most spectacular colors and since I'm a photographer, I couldn't let these moments go without some digital proof…

to the east

And then I had to go to my roof and get the whole scene! Too bad my tripod was in the trunk of my car (blocks away).

to the west (The Mark Hopkins on the left, Grace Cathedral and the Fairmont on the right)

Over the bay (Angel Island, Alcatraz, Coit Tower)

The Fairmont

The view to the south towards SOMA

The city itself is incredible too. I've never lived anywhere like it. (And I've lived in Missoula, MT, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Main Line, PA, Springfield, VA, Tucson, AZ, Coppell, TX…)

Where else but San Francisco will you see an annual 12K race featuring fabulously costumed and utterly naked hordes of people. Of course I'm talking about Bay to Breakers. I have been the past two years and it's such a fun scene to watch and be a part of.

Rich and I walked the last few hours of it from Ocean Beach to the end of the party so that we could go against the race and see more of the spectacle. Not surprisingly, the end of the "race" tends to get a bit sloppy as the crowds stop marching forward and just continue drinking in the streets of the panhandle. A really crazy scene compared to what I saw last year as I walked with the crowd from very early in the race.

There are those who go all out with elaborate, creative, and just plain fun costumes…

And there are those who are there mostly for the partying and drinking…

And then there are those who are there for both…

It's simply a scene unlike any other.

We got to the end where the police were slowly moving people along so that the street cleaners could tackle the solo cups and trash left behind.

So thank you, San Francisco, for being such an amazing place for a photographer such as myself. There's more to see every day.

“There may not be a Heaven, but there is a San Francisco” Ashleigh Brilliant

Engagement Session at China Beach and Lower Pac Heights

2008-05-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce… Megan and Gardiner… [ applause ]

These two are just cute as a button and we had so much fun the other week shooting their engagement session. We met up in their neighborhood, which is literally right up the street from where I live (granted, California St. is very long, but still). I had scoped it out the day before and found some fabulous spots just around the corner.

I’ve said it before, but San Francisco has some of the best backgrounds. You can have whatever you want here and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many beautiful options.

Just check out some doorways and interesting elements we found along the way. I love the architecture here and Megan and Gardiner made everything click.

I mean, hello, can you get any more beautiful?!

They were playful and made such great models.

After wandering around for about an hour we headed off to China Beach. I had checked it out the day before but had honestly never been there before that. I’ve done so many sessions at Baker Beach but this was a first for it’s smaller and more private little sister.

This location was especially necessary because this was the spot for their first date and where Gardiner proposed to Megan. This picnic table was the place that started it all.

We took a stroll along the beach and played in the waves and, despite the wind, it was a beautiful day. And I absolutely love Megan – not only is she absolutely sweet as can be, but she’s just my height so I totally get it when you need to stand on your toes to kiss.

I can’t wait to shoot their wedding at Viansa winery in September. They are going to be sooo much fun.

Thanks, guys! See you in just a few months!

Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. ~Robert Heinlein

Lindsay Docherty for Lisa Leigh Photography

Change is Good.

2008-05-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

There's an exciting change on the horizon for Lindsay Docherty Photography. I'm practically squeaking with excitement but I won't tell just yet. Stay tuned...

O, swear not by the moon, the fickle moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. William Shakespeare

Engagement Sessions at Tilden Park with Julie Cheshire

2008-05-10T23:41:00.000-07:00

I spent part of Friday with Julie of Julie Cheshire Photography at Tilden Park in Berkeley. I have no idea how big the place is but it seems like there are new paths at every turn.

I was there with Julie in March for some engagement pictures of Anjuli and Mark. Anjuli was adorable in her cute cotton dress but I felt so bad for her because it was sooo chilly that morning. She took it like a champ (I would have been a big baby).

And since textures are the hot new thing in photography…

Aren't they a cute couple? They were so sweet and I have no doubt that their wedding will be beautiful.

And here are Amelia and Ted! We spent a few hours with them on Friday and had such a fun time. Amelia is a little goofy and they were both making faces the whole time. It was a much warmer day and the weather was just perfect for the session.

This is their serious and lovey side, but just you wait…

We found some really cool trees that we just had to use. The bark was completely smooth and all those spindly branches made for a really neat look.

After getting kicked out of the gardens, we drove to a grove of eucalyptus trees and the smell was just intoxicating. The light coming through those huge trees was spectacular and I was kicking myself for not bringing my wide angle lens.

I kind of like this old 70s, vintage-y look, what do you think?

We then found some grass and brought out the props. Amelia and Ted met in a history class they shared in college. Amelia says that Mark is the reason she passed. These are books from that very class and it seemed so necessary to make them a part of the engagement session.

And, last but not least, Amelia and Ted showing off their totally fun side in their college sweatshirts. Go bulldogs!

Too fun! Such a great couple! Their wedding isn't until 2009 but I'm really looking forward to seeing them again.

I'm definitely going to get myself back to Tilden Park to explore all those nooks and crannies. Next time I'll bget there before closing!

Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker. ~Author Unknown

Jack Attack meetup

2008-05-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

Emma and I went to a Jack Russell Terrier meetup today and had so much fun. There are pug and boxer and chihuahua and all sorts of other dog meetups so I'm surprised it took this long to get one together.

Today was their second get-together. They're held at Mountain Lake Park in San Francisco at 4pm every other Saturday. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make most of them due to a busy wedding season, but you can bet Emma and I will be there on my free days. If you have a Jack, or really any kind of dog, you should definitely show up next time. The people are so friendly and welcoming and so are the pooches (especially Bacon!).

Here are some of the sweet pups we met…

Sweet little Daisy was the first JRT there.

Freckles, Brulee, and Brownie had also shown up after a long walk.

Freckles is a people-dog and a recent adoptee. She's a bit timid but not afraid to come around if you have a snack or two. And just check out her eyes!

Brulee is one of the sweetest dogs ever. He was just so personable and soft and adorable. He is apparently quite the cuddler too.

Poor Brownie had to deal with Emma. Emma is quite annoying at the park – soon after she shows up she'll find a dog that will run and she'll chase. Once the dog stops, she'll bark incessantly at him til he gets up and goes again. The problem is that she just won't keep quiet. Sooo annoying, but Brownie took it well and made sure to keep her in her place.

Bacon, an old man of a dog, was particularly friendly and I'll leave it at that.

Chooley/Chew-li/Chuli was the spunky JRT whose owners organized the whole shindig. She was well trained and had quite an affinity for sticks.

This scruffy Jack mix (I think her name was Safari) was just a happy little thing with a long un-JRT like tail.

And cute little latecomer Spike was trembling a bit from all the newness and dogs but was really adorable. Just look at that face!

No offense to the others, but long haired jacks are definitely cuter. I mean, look at my dirty little thing. Totally filthy with a mouth like a sailor but the most lovable pooch in the whole wide world.

Thanks, guys! Emma certainly got her exercise - after falling asleep on the ride home she'll probably remain sacked out til the next one. Can't wait!

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Josh Billings

Wedding at Falkner Winery with Julie Cheshire

2008-04-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, I can't keep writing novels when I post pictures! I'm so eager to tell the story and share that I write way too much, obsess over the collages, and it takes me way too long to post!

I'm going to try to be better. I'm going to backtrack so that I can share a wedding that I shot last month with the wonderful Julie of Julie Cheshire Photography. Check it out!

Sheesh! I have never taken as many pictures as I did at the wedding of Toni and Mike. Perhaps it was the pretty and laid-back bride, Toni, or maybe it was the fabulous setting of Falkner Winery, or maybe it was just that SoCal sun! Whatever the reason, Julie and I filled up over 30GB of cards and could have shot more.

In the spirit of being concise, I'll just throw in little tidbits of the day.

Falkner Winery is located in Temecula, California, which is about 90 miles south of Los Angeles. (And yes, we drove there and back.) More than once I was told that Temecula is SoCal's version of wine country – they are very proud of the area and they should be – it was beautiful. Unfortunately the grapevines weren't full but the winery and the grounds were so pretty. The main building has this great ivy all over it and the dining hall is located in this spectacular red semi-circle modernish building. The ceremony site has a great view of the surrounding hills and their ceremony happened right before sunset so it was really impressive.

Okay, I must pause to tell you about the candle-lighting portion of the ceremony. Toni and Mike walked up to light their candles and Adam Sandler's "Grow Old With You" came on and everyone was cracking up. It was another playful and personal little touch that made the wedding day so memorable.

We took the couple out to shoot a few pictures of them alone and made use of this fabulous Italian wall outside of the reception area. I want one of these walls on my house – I could have taken pictures here all day.

The reception area – note the huge windows that look down on the ceremony site and out to the hills.

Before their first dance, Toni and Mike's flower girl surprised the couple with a speech and a song! It was so sweet. I was warned beforehand that it would happen and was told to take pictures of Toni because she would definitely cry.

And their first dance… Check out the candlelit ambience – just perfect!

The party was bumping late into the night. I've mentioned him before, but Hector Duron knows how to get people moving. It was definitely a fun crowd.

Congratulations Toni & Mike!

I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad
All I wanna do is grow old with you

I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you

I'll miss you
Kiss you
Give you my coat when you are cold

Need you
Feed you
Even let ya hold the remote control

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed if you've had too much to drink
I could be the man who grows old with you
I wanna grow old with you
Adam Sandler, The Wedding Singer

In With the New

2008-04-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

So business stationary might not do all that much for you, but I'm totally psyched (did I really just say that?) about my new business cards!

I really liked my old ones but it was time for a change. I figured I should probably have a picture on them since I am a photographer after all. These are more wedding-y and I'm really happy with them.

So come find me and ask for one of my shiny new cards!

Oh, and I also got some new stickers in this week. Little round circles with my signature star and lots of green.

It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.
-David Bailey, In "Face" (London), December, 1984

Joanna & John's Reception in the Ferry Building

2008-04-24T12:24:00.000-07:00

Say you walked into an event and were told that there were going to be Mongolian contortionists, fortune tellers, and go-go dancers. Would you believe it? That's kind of the way I felt Saturday night when I arrived at San Francisco's famed Ferry Building and went over the shot list with the event coordinator, Maxine. This was in addition to the virtual golf station and candy bar. I must say I was a little incredulous. I was half-expecting a TV camera to come out and see how long I'd let the list continue.

But no. It was all very real and breathtaking.

The event was a celebration of the marriage of Joanna and John, which had occurred a few days prior in a personal ceremony that included their four children. This was the grand reception for friends and family. In their words, those with them were the people who were not only important in the past, but people with whom they wanted to spend the rest of their lives.

Let me tell you, Maxine Andrew, the creative goddess behind Instead of You!, knows how to throw a party. The night was so well choreographed and so stunning that words can't even describe it. Eye candy in every direction from the never-ending rows of white Phalaenopsis orchids on the dinner tables to the string sextet to the signature cocktails to the trumpeter announcing the beginning of the four course meal to the dainty stems of speckled yellow orchids everywhere else. She created a masterpiece.

In an effort to be more concise (this is a photographer's blog after all!), I'll leave you to look over some of the images from the night…

I wasn't exaggerating, was I?

Joanna and John, thank you for a beautiful evening. I hope the rest of your lives are filled with just as much magic.

Lindsay Docherty for Lisa Leigh Photography

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." -Judy Garland

Catholic Wedding in Sunnyvale & San Jose with Julie Cheshire

2008-04-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

I want to tell you about the wedding I shot the other weekend with the talented Julie of Julie Cheshire Photography. Or rather, I want to tell you about the couple: Karen & Tom.

Karen and Tom were fabulous. I really enjoyed being a part of their wedding day. Throughout the day we pieced together the long and tangled relationship between these two lovebirds. They met each other when they were in their teens while working at Round Table Pizza. They were in love and dated for a while but eventually Karen left to go to college in Boston. Fast forward about fifteen or so years, Karen comes back to town! They meet up again at a friend's house, sparks fly (again), and get married not long after.

Julie and I started the day at the Church of the Resurrection in Sunnyvale. If we can, we like to scope out the area before the wedding to get a feel of what we'll be working with. The doors were locked but we were really impressed with what we saw. There were some great places around the church for photographing some of the formals and the church had some beautiful stained glass windows.

** Just an FYI: I'm trying out some different techniques in my post-processing. Be on the look out for more "altered" pics. Don't be afraid: the images I shoot at weddings are initially more "normal".

We met at Karen's parent's place while she was getting ready. Unfortunately she was so eager to get the day going that she already had her dress on by the time we got there. It was a beautiful dress with some elegant beadwork and gems on the side. We met her sister and parents there and got a sneak peek at the inside of the church through her sister's wedding that took place there about twenty years ago (puffy-sleeved, magenta bridesmaids dresses and all!). We got some shots of her family and some of the red rose bouquets that she had made herself.

The inside of the Catholic church was just as nice as we thought it would be. It had a great dome ceiling with light coming from the top and fabulously colorful stained glass windows all around and right behind the alter. We especially loved the balcony (it's always a huge treat to shoot some place with a balcony so you get an extra special view of all the action). We met Tom who immediately showed himself to be quite the clown and we knew it was going to be a good day.

We followed the limo to the reception at the stunning The Ranch Golf Course in San Jose. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this place was like an Italian villa and had a tremendous view of the city below. It had great archways and stairs and columns and a balcony and.. and… and…

And that is just the outside. The inside was equally nice. It wasn't your typically boring reception hall. It had a unique set up with a fireplace, comfy chairs and windows all around. It felt open and comfortable while still being really classy. They even had a candy bar stocked with Karen and Tom's favorite treats (Swedish fish, chocolate covered raisins, Twizzlers, jelly beans, Whoppers, and M&Ms.)

The evening went off without a hitch. The cute couple saw only each other during their first song together, I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher. You'll note that the plasma tv screens were playing the Led Zeppelin DVD all night long. The rest of the wedding party got on the dance floor and the band, the Cocktail Monkeys, kept it hopping all night long.

They cut the cake and happily mingled all night long except for the times when Julie and I would pull them away for the great photo ops that showed up everywhere. Did I mention the view?

Karen's sister called the couple to the dance floor for a surprise song dedication, A Moment Like This by Kelly Clarkson. She said she had heard it a few weeks prior and started crying, thinking that it was just perfect for them. A few minutes in, the family circled around them and, all together, took out their lighters as if at a concert. When Karen and Tom noticed they broke down, hysterically laughing.

It was a great day and a fabulous couple. Tom and Karen, I wish you nothing but the best!

I got you to hold my hand
I got you to understand
I got you to walk with me
I got you to talk with me
I got you to kiss goodnight
I got you to hold me tight
I got you, I won't let go
I got you to love me so

I got you babe

Sonny & Cher, I Got You Babe