Tagged: photography

California Wine Country

Brooke and I are foodies. We love it all – finding a good recipe, picking out produce, cooking, food photographs, the smells and the tastes. This past July, we spent a few days in California with family for a little foodie vacation. We have some great food in the Midwest, but the food in California can just be unreal. Even dive restaurants are amazing.

During out little trip, I simply brought one camera and a box of film. Over a few days, we toured Sonoma and Napa valleys from our base in Santa Rosa. Included below are a few photos from our exciting vacation, with notes where it makes sense.

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

We flew into San Francisco and had a brief layover for lunch. We practically picked a place at random and it was excellent. Note – they had clam pie on the menu šŸ˜‰

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Above – a little stop in Muir Woods on the way north. Below, Brooke is planning our daily stops the old school way – a map on the hood of a car.

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

I must admit, I really wanted to buy the chicken during some shopping. Alas, it would not fit in our backyard. Below is our favorite winery – Littorai. It is not open to the public, but gave us a personal tour of their bio-dynamically farmed vineyard. I also wanted a duck.

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Stag’s leap was one of the best “public” tasting we went to. Also, Stag’s Leap Artemis Cab is a favorite of ours.

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

If you recognize the building above-left, then two points. If you can name the chef, then 5 marks. If you were lucky enough to eat there, then 10 points. Best.restaurant.experience.EVAR!

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

We spent a good 30 minutes waiting to get into Bouchon Bakery one morning. It was totally worth it. We then walked across the street to a Yountville park to eat our bounty.

Personal photos from our vacation to California wine country

Above left – scenes from Yountville. At right is Elyse Winery. We discovered them at the French Laundry. They make the only Zinfandel wine I love. Their Howell Mountain Zin is a peppery heaven.

For those interested in the technical details, the above was all photographed on my Mamiya 645 AFD-II with mostly Fuji Pro 400h film. No digital at all.

Our best friends – curious canines and engagement sessions

“Do you mind if we bring our dog?” is a common question we get asked about engagement sessions. After all, our clients know I love dogs. They know I have a Doberman at home, and some know my father is a vet. Of course dogs are welcome for engagement sessions. It’s almost preferred. More than anything, I just love meeting new dogs. Each has a unique personality, but they all love the camera.

Dogs are an important part of new families, so it makes sense for them to be a part of any special moment. Over the years, I have amassed a small collection of dog portraits captured during engagement sessions. Below are a few favorites for you to enjoy. Most of the photos were captured this year and last, around downtown Cleveland.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Above, Meatball with Danny and Deanna. Below, Bella with Molly and Dave. Bella was rescued from a crack house and now enjoys the perfect life.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Above, Tara and Brian’s dog putting on a show. Below, a Hungarian Vizsla named Roo living up to his namesake.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Above, Johah and Katie with their lovely dog at Holden Arboretum. Below, Erika and Scott’s dogs getting really curious.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Above, Penelope (a rescue) with Didi and Henry. Below, a beautiful B&W of Danielle and Matt with their loved one.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

Lastly, good friends Annie and Derrick with Riley the rescue.

Our best friends - dogs from engagement sessions

I have been sitting on this post for a couple weeks and am so happy to have it finished. I’m so excited to finally feature a few more dogs. That’s all for today. More coming very soon, especially now that spring is here and summer is just around the corner.

P.S. – You know that thing dogs do when they dream? Monty is laying behind me, woofing and chasing squirrels in his dreams. Love it!

Kelsey & Zak – Sunny Spring on the Farm

I thought I arrived early. I was going to take an extra moment to look around the farm. Alas, Kelsey and Zak were already waiting. No worries though, I had been to the farm before. It’s one of my favorite places and I rarely have access to it. However, it was a special request by Kelsey. It’s a special place for their little family.

Kelsey and Zak regularly take their Hungarian Vizsla, ‘Roo, to the Case Western Reserve University farm for walks through the fields. The farm is the perfect place to for a dog named Kangaroo. The open fields of grass and woodlands provide the perfect playground. It’s also a great place for an engagement session. The setting provides for the gorgeous open landscapes that I love.

Kelsey and Zak even showed me a new feature of the farm. Tucked away in a forested corner is an old mansion. Currently it’s used for special events. For their session, it added just a little touch more. Below are a few favorites from a good afternoon with friends.

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

The open grassy field above is one of the reasons I love the farm. The golden hues are simply amazing.

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Roo was so excited during the entire session. Below, you can see how he lives up to his namesake.

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Kelsey and Zak truly do make an amazing couple together. You can really feel the love between them.

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Below you can see they have fun together as well. Zak seems to be theĀ instigator, which just puts Kelsey in stitches.

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

Kelsey and Zac - Sunny Spring Engagement Photos on the Farm

The framing on the last photo is quickly becoming a favorite. In an open space, the framing still suggests a moment of privacy. Of course it’s easy to love with such an amazing couple. That’s all for today. We have another engagement session coming momentarily. Then, I have planned a post on just the dogs from engagement sessions. Should be fun.

P.S. – For the photographers, above is a mix of film and digital (as is typical for me). The film is Kodak Portra 400 put through a Mamiya 645. The digital is processed via VSCO film. I’m sure you’ll spot the differences.

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