27Dec

La Valencia

By, December 27, 2017

Highlights of La Valencia Hotel

La Valencia Hotel is the definition of vintage luxury in beautiful La Jolla, California. Also known as “The Pink Lady,” this Mediterranean style, oceanfront resort is romantic, playful and always enchanting. With it’s marble tiled hallways, hidden fire escapes, iconic pink walls and prime location above La Jolla Cove, La Valencia is one of our favorite wedding destinations to photograph, and we know its every nook and cranny.

Directly adjacent to the hotel is Cafe la Rue; a great spot for some fun photos with your wedding party.
We love to have fun with our couples before heading onto the lobby.
Shooting the same location at different times of the day results in drastically different images.
The marble floor lining the ground floor of the Cabrillo building make for some spectacular shots.
The hallway on the 9th floor of the Tower ends with a fire escape and incredible view of the Pacific.
This place is a gold mine of reflections and dramatic lighting.
The staircase leading to the upper floors of The Tower are adorned with ornate mirrors and lined with original wooden bannisters.
As soon as you step into the central courtyard you will be surrounded by lush vegetation, Spanish tiled stairwells and bright pink walls.
Following the main path adjacent to the pool you'll arrive at a cozy landing that is lined with blue Spanish tile and signature pink walls. If you follow the stairs down you'll pass thru a gate that leads directly to La Jolla Cove.
There are several fire escapes on the outside of the hotel that offer sweeping views of La Jolla and the surrounding areas.
We love to make use of the beautiful window light.
Some couples choose to get ready in one of the hotel's beautiful guest rooms.
The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor and has enough space for you and your bridal party.
You can also choose to get ready in one of La Valencia's Villa Suites.
The Ceremony at La Valencia is located on a cozy landing directly above the swimming pool, and is backdropped by the Pacific.
While one photographer focuses on the close-up intimate moments, the 2nd photographer can get step away to grab an over-all shot of the ceremony.
The walkway directly behind and above the ceremony site is another great spot to capture the festivities while showing off the spectacular view.
The Pacific Ocean makes for a spectacular backdrop for your family photos.
One of La Valencia's biggest draws is definitely its location, just a short walk away from La Jolla Cove and the Pacific Ocean.
The green covered rocks become accessible during low tide, and make for a dramatic backdrop for our subjects.
A bride and groom always grab all the attention.
After the sun goes down and the lights come on, La Valencia takes on a more dramatic and romantic mood.
These photos were taken just outside the ballroom, meaning the bride and groom won't have to be away from their reception for long to get some memorable images.
The fire escape above Cafe laRue is great for backlit night time photos.

La Valencia Hotel Wedding Photography

As preferred photographers of La Valencia, we photograph weddings here frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our La Valencia wedding photos.

25Dec

Scripps Seaside Forum

By, December 25, 2017

Highlights of Scripps Seaside Forum

Located on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus, the Scripps Seaside Forum offers a blend of modern architecture and style that celebrates Southern California’s unrivaled coastal environment. With an unparalleled beachfront location, modern facilities, and award-winning architecture, this stunning venue offers an ideal setting for you wedding and reception. The breathtaking view and multipurpose auditorium also makes the Scripps Seaside Forum a wonderful location, and one that is sure to impress.

The back of the building offers an opportunity to photograph our newlyweds while showcasing The Forum's award winning architecture.
By stepping in closer, we can use the natural lines of the hallway to pull the eye towards our subjects.
We can use the walls and complex architecture of the Forum to naturally frame our subjects
By simply turning our couple around we get a completely different look of the same hallway.
Throwing on a longer lens and staying close to the wall results in intimate portraits.
Continuing further down the hallway, we arrive at a wide balcony with a spectacular view.
From the upstairs patio, we can take the stairs right to the front lawn.
On your way to the lawn make sure to stop on the stairs to grab some fun shots of your newlyweds
Once at the lawn you'll have lots of room for photos of the entire wedding party with the Pacific in the background.
The stairs located at the northernmost point of the lawn will lead you right to the beach.
During low tide, Scripps beach is a great place to pose the bride and groom for some dramatic portraits.
The mood changes during higher tide, but the opportunity for spectacular photos is always there.
Following the beach north, you'll arrive at what is probably the most photographed location at Scripps Beach; The Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier.
After getting extended coverage of the beach, it's usually time to get the newlyweds back to the Forum for their Grand Entrance.
When the timing is right, the reflection on the ballroom sliding doors is pretty epic.
Stepping outside during the first dance can result in some really memorable photos.
The market lights above the main lawn illuminate the bride and groom.
The slotted wooden panels that line the main courtyard offer lots of opportunity to play with off camera lights.
The Forum is not only perfect for wedding photography, but for engagement and lifestyle shoots as well.
The Rose Garden, located just north of the main lawn, is a lush and colorful spot for romantic portraits.
The blue tile on this building gives photos an instant pop.
Looking north from the pier, the cliffs above La Jolla make for a spectacular backdrop.
By positioning ourselves between the cliffs and the water, we can capture a different perspective of the same scene.
During low tide, the tide pools in front of the cliffs emerge, and offer great opportunities for complex reflection shots.
ocean, beach, engagement, love, scripps, seaside, forum
Don't worry, we wont make you get in the ocean. Only if you want to :)

Scripps Seaside Forum Wedding Photography

As seasoned wedding photographers all throughout La Jolla and San Diego, we photograph weddings at Scripps Seaside Forum frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our Scripps Seaside Forum wedding photos.

20Nov

Torrey Pines Engagement | Tiarah and Anthony

By, November 20, 2017

When we met Tiarah and Anthony at Torrey Pines for their engagement shoot, it was a bright, cloudless day. This sounds great in theory, but having limited shade can make for a very challenging photo shoot. Fortunately, we have a solid understanding of light, and knew how to use it to our advantage :) By adjusting for the conditions of the day, we found the best opportunities, and captured great photos for this happy couple!

couple kissing on sunny path
couple looking at ocean
By shooting from an elevated location, we used the sun to backlight Tiarah and Tony, and reduced the glare in the frame.
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To achieve clean shadows, and a balanced backlight, we positioned Tiarah and Tony between the sun and our lens.
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By keeping Tiarah and Tony close, and positioning the light source (sun) behind them, we created soft light portraits in less than perfect conditions.
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By rotating Tiarah and Tony, and keeping the sun to their right, it created a bolder, more dramatic feel.
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As the sun set closer to the horizon, we made our way to the beach. There, we fully embraced the setting sun, and the romantic light it provided.
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This time, we allowed direct sunlight to enter our lens, to achieve a sun-kissed look
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As the sun set, we brought in a little fill light by using an off-camera flash. This allowed us to balance the image, and have detail throughout the images.

Check out more of Tiarah and Anthony’s Torrey Pines engagement photo shoot

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