Photographer (me) was a surprise gift to the wedding couple. The bride and groom planned a thrifty wedding. They started out by borrowing a relative’s house in Simi Valley. But the parents provided them with the wedding vendors as surprise gifts.

I’ve been talking to the groom’s mother and brother for a few months about this wedding. I was told to show up at the wedding right before the wedding ceremony started (for a surprise effect). I had to insist that I would arrive at the wedding site way before the wedding ceremony so I would take pictures of the bride getting ready.

Everyone wore beach attire for the wedding. It was very hot in Simi Valley today.  Only the wedding officiant and I were wearing suit and tie.  I wear a suit during the ceremony only, so I am OK with a little bit of heat for a short time.  I prefer to look formal for my customers.

I thought I knew the wedding DJ from somewhere.  We kept picking our brains to figure out where we met.  Later I realized he was Mike Breul.  We’ve been talking online for several years.  But we’ve never met in person.  DJ was good.  There were a lot of dancing.  I should email him before I forget.

This wedding was one of those “flawless” weddings.  I didn’t see any accidents or dramas.  Maybe it’s because the wedding couple expected a thrifty wedding at the beginning (?) I don’t know.

Also, there were a lot of dancing.  You can usually tell how successful the wedding was by amount of dancing going on at the wedding reception.  At some weddings I see not much people dancing at the expensive wedding site.  But at this wedding at Simi Valley? there was a lot of dancing.  This backyard wedding was a success.

3 years later, the bride and groom contacted me again.  They wanted me to photograph their babies… their 2 dogs.

They were vacationing at Carpinteria.  So, we’ve decided to photograph their dogs in Carpinteria.  Carpinteria is safe and they have parks and beach.  Carpinteria even has a beach that allows dogs.

It was a very hot day, though.  Even though we were at the beach it was still very hot.  But the dogs didn’t mind the weather.  They were running around everywhere for 1 solid hours.  Then they slowed down.. almost falling asleep.  Then they started to run around once again.. haha…

When we were walking at down town Carpinteria, a lot of cars were slowing down to look at the dogs.  Some people were pointing right at the dogs as they talked to each other.  It turned out, that long haired beagles are rare.  And a lot of people at Carpinteria knew dogs. 

She’s the bride from the beach wedding 3 years ago~!!

They were getting ready for a trade-show next week.  These pictures will be used for their website and print materials. 

Hi, my name is John Park, photographer & owner of VenturaPhoto.com.  This is my blog where I relax and be a little personal.  I am a both left & right brain person.  I have an AS degree in Photography & a BS degree in Computer.

Pictures to show who you are. Not to mimic gone with the Wind.

This is my primary objective when it comes to wedding photography. I don’t believe in heavy photoshop trickery when it comes to wedding photography. I don’t like to turn your wedding album into a photoshop playground. I give you technically sound photographs at best possible price and best possible personality. Let my sample images do the talking. What you see is what you will get at no extra charge.

Wedgewood Banquet Center’s been good to me.  They have wonderful in-house DJ’s like Robin and Scott.  They also have a Spanish DJ 

Wedgewood is a friendly place for wedding vendors.  They take care of wedding vendors.  I always fee comfortable with them.  Bartenders, waiters, DJ, and rest of the staff members are quite likable.  I have a lot of fun memories here.  And I took a lot of fun pictures here at Wedgewood Banquet Center.

One of the memorable pictures I have taken at Wedgewood Golf Club is this group picture 4 years ago (below, 2005).  Apparently, my current customer saw those pictures as well.  The bride asked me to take same group pictures for them as well.

It was just when the wedding ceremony was over.  The bride and groom just kissed and walked down the isle.  As soon as they walked down the isle, the bride asked me about that group picture.  “I saw group pictures you took here on your website, can we take that picture?”  So I told the wedding coordinator “If they want that group pictures, we must announce right now before they start walking way”  “It has to be right now~!!”  (It was not the time to be polite – I was yelling ).

The wedding coordinator called the DJ on her radio, and the DJ made an announcement for group pictures.  Everything worked out perfect.

Wedgewood Wedding – Group Picture
Wedding Picture from September 2005
Photographed with a Film Camera – Negative Scan (low resolution)
Notice the shorter trees

Back to Wedgewood Banquet Center
March 2009. Look at the trees, they are taller now.

Look at that picture… that’s a cute group shot.  I also photographed them waving at me as well, just like the one from 2005 wedding.

One thing I like about Wedgewood Banquet Center is that you have this elevated view point so you can take a large group pictures.

Sun was setting so fast, I had to direct people like a plane was going down.  We managed to photograph all the needed shots.  The wedding guests worked with me (and for me) without any delay.  I felt thankful for making everything so smooth for me.

Reception was fun.  Later, the bride told me “It was everything I wanted a wedding to be”.  A lot of people danced (a lot of dancing means the wedding was a success)

Good time.

I still have some connections with the musicians in Hollywood.  Actually, this band is located in Camarillo, Ventura County.  They even gave me a ride to Hollywood to photograph them.

I had my ear plugs on at all time.

The band at work – I am working as well (the only person taking pictures)

The funny thing was that I didn’t know that I booked a photography session with my past wedding customers.  Bride’s family member contacted me for a family portrait photography session, so I had no idea who she was.  As we communicated and booked photograph session, the customer never mentioned that she knew me from the wedding.

I was taken by surprise when I saw the family.  I remembered all the family members from the wedding about 6 months ago.  I don’t have a blog post for their wedding.  But here is a picture.

Left, Six months ago.  Right, today

I was keep telling them “Why didn’t you tell me?”  “You should have told me you knew me”.  They were just laughing.  One customer said “You took good pictures, so we wanted some more”

We took pictures of the family for about 2-3 hours.  I took some couple shots of my past wedding customers.   It was a gloomy day.  Some people worry about gloomy weather.  But you should not worry about the weather.  It’s a photographer’s job to worry about the weather.  Also, when you take pictures of the family, weather becomes secondary.  Pictures should be filled with your loved ones.  You really don’t care if sky is blue or gray.  Pictures should be there to please you, not to impress others.

 

The bride and groom live in Los Angeles.  Griffith Observatory is one of their favorite spots.  They liked the Hollywood sign.  They also wanted some pictures with down town Los Angeles in the background.  But it was a foggy day in Los Angeles.   We were little disappointed, but it was OK… we were busy anyway.

Oh, today was Superbowl Sunday, but none of us was a football fan.  We expected there would be less amount of people at Griffith Observatory, but the place was packed with couples and families.

We walked around Griffith Observatory and took pictures at different locations.  We took a lot of pictures when the Sun set over Los Angeles.  I was very happy when the bride said “I am so happy we have you for our wedding”.

Everyone’s looking forward to their wedding.  They are coming to Ventura for wedding.  And there will be a parade.  Check back around April for pictures of them in a mini-parade.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles – After Engagement Photography Session

Engagement Photography at Griffith Observatory from 2007

I had a wedding at Pasadena in October of 2007.  The bride and groom now have a baby.  Check him out, he’s a cute one.  The newlyweds hired me back to photograph their new baby at the baptism in Pasadena.

(PS. I used to call the groom “The Doctor of Love”  Because the groom is a real doctor)

This was not my first time going to customer’s baby’s baptism.  I’ve been hired back for a Spanish baptism, birthday party, and etc..  One wedding customer from Oxnard hired me three times for three of their children’s weddings. 

I often receive emails from my old wedding customers.  Some brides send me their baby pictures.  Some people hire me back for their baby photography sessions. 

I feel humble that I have repeat customers like this.  I must be making some people happy.  Customers are happy with me.  And I get extra jobs without effort.  So, every one’s happy. 

They had a baptism ceremony at the same church in Pasadena that the bride and groom was married.  I saw the whole family members there.  I remembered most of them.

The baptism ceremony was very cute.  Their baby fell asleep during the ceremony like a baby Jesus.  The other baby was crying hysterically

It was a lovely day.  It’s good to be alive.  God bless the baby.