C Stop - c.Robinson Photography Blog

The Blog is Back

2010-12-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

After months without a blog post...

The blog is back !

Along with the traditional "gym workout" resoulution (LOL), my other 2011 resolution will be to blog post on a regular basis.

Last season was really busy and I got some fabulous images with several multiple day weddings,e sessions,
maternity shoots (yes I do those also)

2010 was a FABULOUS year for"creative" weddings. This year I experienced "sensory overload" at some of the most colorful and exciting weddings I've ever seen.
Quite a few couples are finding ways to really show their personalities in their wedding celebrations and it is great.

If you access the "Featured Weddings" category in my web site you can check out a few of the images from some of the 2010 weddings I photographed.

http://www.crobinsonphotography.com

Sorry these are not a direct link

ANAND & JESSICA
PAUL & CLARICE
DANNY & KAT
CURTIS & ANNA
CARLOS & HELENA

Valentines Day Fun

2010-03-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

I spent my Valentines day doing the thing I love the most.
Taking photos.
I spent several hours with 2 of the coolest people - Jeff & Kimberly.

Both Bride and Groom are in the entertainment industry so we put our heads together and headed to colorful Haight district for the engagement session.
By the way - Thanks for the candy
Check out a slide show of our fun day !
http://crobinsonphotography.myshowit.com/jeffandkimberly/index.html

Mis Quince Anos

2010-03-06T12:15:00.000-08:00

Last year I was asked to photograph Christina's Quinceanera during the holiday season.

What made this extra special for me was that I had photographed her sister Carmen's quince a few years earlier

AND their beautiful friend Paola's quince.

If you are not familiar with a Quince click here for Wikepedia's version
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincea%C3%B1era
Sort of like a rite of passage in the Spanish speaking community when a young girl
becomes a woman. Very beautiful ceremony and I was looking forward to being a part of a special celebration with "clients" that are more like family now. But I was already booked for an engagement party that evening at the Mark Hopkins.
I found a wonderful compromise. I was able to photograph some potraits and detail images before Carmen's ceremony and my colleague Clifford Bluitt of Signature Weddings photographed the event. I am sure I have mentioned Cliff in an earlier post.
We have known each other professionally for 18 years (yikes!) and words cannot express how talented he is. I live and breathe photography and so does he.
Thanks Cliff !

Better late than never ...

2010-03-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Wow! I hard to believe I let over 6 months pass without a blog post.
The weddings and e-sessions I have done have been fabulous because of the AMAZING clients I have.

Spring isn't here yet but a large percentage of my previous Brides are expecting or have a recent new arrival. I offer maternity,newborn and family sessions and it's always great to reconnect with previous couples.

I have to start with Alan & Deb - the couple I photographed in Italy a few years ago
Care to see images from our fabulous experience in Rome ? you can scroll down to the beginning of this blog or visit the "featured galleries" area of my web site.

In December I had the big thrill of photographing Ted and Amy's new arrival.
Being able to share in the growth of a new family is really special to me.
If you happened to see any of their wedding images on my site or in this blog you will understand why their son is so adorable.

Amy is so creative. She made a super cool holiday card with the images I shot.

Yeah, there's more.
A year after I photographed their wedding, David and Dipanwita added a beautiful son to their family.
Talk about perfection. So cute and I could already see that he has the sweet loving spirit of his parents and siblings. I really considered it my privilege to photograph a wedding day that was filled with so much love.

More to come on "the Baby blog" soon ...

Axel and Yvonne Engagement Session

2009-06-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

I probably said this in a previous post but I get to photograph the COOLEST couples around.

I knew I wanted to be a part of Axel and Yvonne's special day when I spoke to her and she shared the details of their intimate Half Moon Bay Wedding.

Even though we were really close to the wedding date, I wanted to have an engagement session

anyway.

We shot at a few of my favorite spots here in the city. Check out the engagement gallery in the "Featured Galleries" area of my web site for more fun,romantic,sexy and offbeat images.

Sean and Liz

2009-06-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Sean and Liz chose Oakland's beautiful Preservation Park for their wedding and reception. Lately the weather has been unpredictable. We were concerned with the weather because the forecast was for rain, and

the Bride chose this venue becuase it is the perfect place for an outdoor ceremony and photos.

We were blessed with a clear sky all day long. Sean and Liz's slide show can be found here -

Click here: Sean and Liz

Catching Up...

2009-06-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

The blog is back !

I have really missed sharing the latest stuff with you .

The great thing is that I have had the thrill of photographing the coolest couples around.

Seriously.

All of them had exciting elements that were "out of the box" on their wedding day and the energy between my couples has been electric.Juan and Celia make me smile everytime I think of them. Celia was breathtaking in her sophisticated lace gown with her pulled back with a necklace to accent the open back of her gown.

The DJ http://www.chocolatesound.com/ was on fire and really kept the party going.

The food was really fantastic, as was the service. I was really impressed with the caterer that they chose. I will be adding their name to my vendor page soon.

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, Juan surprised the guest by having a

taco truck arrive to provide the guests with hot mexican food.

The creativity didn't end there. Celia had the great idea of purchasing comfortable Mesh Chinese Slippers for all of the women who were wearing heels to change into. They were a big hit !

She had them in a large basket and the ladies were able to select a size a color to suit them

She even had a white pair of her own. Enjoy a slide show from their big day here - Click here: Juan and Celia

James and Allison

2009-04-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

Today I some spent time with James and Allison for their engagement photos.

We really had a great time. The great thing about these two is that the energy between them

is great and they are obviously meant for each other.

When couples are this comfortable with each other it makes for fabulous photos on the wedding day. "Relax and be yourselves" is my mantra. But I didn't have to say it once to these two.Their smiles are so genuine. I can't wait until the wedding ! 8 weeks to go !
James and Allison will be getting married on a Yacht !
I really am looking forward to getting some great images that day.

GO TED GO !

2009-04-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was thrilled to open my mail and find this book written by a Groom (Ted) I photographed last year,complete with a personal note on the first page.
On the day of our engagement session, Ted shared with me that he ran a 153 mile marathon through the Sahara called the Marathon Des Sables and that he had written a book about his experience and more.
Temperatures top 120 degrees and participants are carrying their
survival supplies in a backpack and using a map to navigate.

I was excited,intrigued and inspired all at once. I love a challenge. I love to challenge myself.
But there are MANY times I don't have the "inspiration " to stay on the treadmill at the gym.
I had to know how this man managed to complete a weeklong run through the Sahara.

I realize that we often give up in our heads way before our bodies do. This applies to so much more that athletic ability. Ted's story really lit a fire that was already burning within me as a youth. He promised me a copy of the book and true to his word, Amy his Bride mailed me a copy.
(Thanks Amy!)

I started reading the book right away and am using every free moment to continue.
This is book is not some boring journal of how many miles he ran each day.
Ted shares stories about personal challenges with his well known sense of humor.

I laughed,cried and got angry while reading the first few chapters.
Very well written and entertaining.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat not wanting to put the book down, but at some point I had to get back to work. Can't wait to finish it soon.

I may sound like a cliche'. But this book is really a story of the triumph of the human spirit, and what is the thought process going on in our head that makes some of us continue when others choose to quit.

Title of the book - Carved by God, Cursed by the Devil by Ted Archer
You can purchase a copy here - http://www.tedarcher.com/ or to just read more about it.

Better than any motivation seminar you could attend. This book will really inspire you.
Perfect for the times we are living in right now.

Ted is in Morocco right now running the marathon for the second time.
http://www.darbaroud.com/

Braganza Wedding 2X Part #2

2009-03-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

I have to share the short slide show of images from Paolo and Melody's wedding last month.
Paolo and Melody

Tom and Janice's SF Engagement Session

2009-03-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Tom and Janice were referred to me by Wilma, a Bride I photographed last November.
They are the 2nd couple I have booked because of her fabulous referrals and I
greatly appreciate Wilma's enthusiasm for what I do.

This kinda goes back to my previous "six degrees" posting on my blog, about how a lot of my clients are referrals.

We spent the day enjoying the beautiful San Francisco weather at Golden Gate Park and Crissy Field. Tom and Janice are so easy to photograph and their great sense of humor really makes them a lot of fun to be around.

These are just a few of the great images we created that day.

We really had a great time. I have the greatest clients in the world.

Braganza Wedding 2X

2009-03-04T22:05:00.001-08:00

I was greeted by the family dog when I arrived to take the prep shots... look at those eyes...
You know I am a big animal lover, I couldn't resist taking this photo.

The Groom was so excited he sent a text message to the Bride - several times ...

This wedding was particularly special for me

because the Groom is the brother of Pierre, the Groom I photographed in Hawaii last year.

Our Bride Melody was a Bridesmaid in Ati and Pierre's Hawaii wedding also.

Ati looked beautiful as she helped Melody get ready for her big day.

I have been a big fan of her style since I saw the fabulous job she did planning her destination wedding in Hawaii.

Rumor has it that these two will be offering their services to Brides on a professional

basis pretty soon. I have been encouraging them to do so an I cannot wait until

they get started.

I was really looking forward to spending some time with these two families.

There is so much love and genuine affection between them all it is really wonderful to be a part of it all.
I had the great honor of having Clifford Bluitt of Signature Weddings photograph with me that day. Cliff and I have known each other for a very long time and he is the consumate professional and an extrodinary photographer. He has a pretty tight schedule so I am always thrilled when he is available. He is the only photographer I know who could possibly love photographing weddings as much as I do. And that's saying a lot...
The toast given by the couples brothers and sisters were beautiful and extremely touching.

But Mel still looks incredible. Her make up was flawlessly done as was her hair.

The kissing contest winners were Melody's parents.

The glass on my lens was scorched !
The reception was one moment of excitement after another.

Paolo and Melody's performance was HOT !!

The original ticket from the Sade concert where they met.
I love details like this.
A slide show from this fabulous day will be coming soon...

Undine's Russian Orthodox Wedding

2009-02-16T22:45:00.001-08:00

I was introduced to Undine by a previous Bride I photographed last year named Charlene.

When Undine tolde me that she and Terrell were going to be married in her small Russian Orthodox Church I was so excited.

I have had the honor of photographing Jewish,Hindu,Catholic,

Non Denominational,Civil,Tea Ceremonies

and more in my career as a wedding photographer.

But I had only seen a few images from what appeared to be such a beautiful ceremony.

St. Nicholas Church has such a wonderful sense of family and their wonderful choir
that sang during various parts of the ceremony.

The Priest shared the several stages of the marriage rites, which was a little different from what some of the guests may have been used to.

The rite of Marriage contains two parts:
the Betrothal, and the Crowning. At one
time, it was common practice to perform
these two rites separately, the betrothal being
the "engagement" service, and the
Crowning being the actual wedding.
Today,these two rites are celebrated together as
one whole rite of matrimony.

Look for more images from this wedding on my web site soon.

Sleepless in Seattle...

2009-02-02T23:04:00.000-08:00

I just flew in to SF from an engagement session in Seattle and my arms aren't tired (I couldn't resist that cheesy joke) but they are FROZEN.

The next time the thermometer drops below 65 here in the Bay Area, I won't complain.

Seattle is beautiful. Of course I suffered from sensory OVERLOAD from all of the great places to take photos and I could still be there photographing Toland and Nicole because they are such a great couple. Meeting couples like these two who blend so well together is one of the best parts of my work.

This kinda goes back to my "Six Degrees" posting a while back. Toland is the brother of Conan, a Groom I photographed here in the Bay Area last year.

He and his beautiful Bride Margaret are in the "featured weddings" area of my web site.

When Toland asked me would I travel to Seattle for his wedding I was honored and excited. We had a ball and I was so happy that there wasn't any rain to interrupt our 2 days of shooting.

They took me to Pikes Place Market and I fell in love with all of the great food and wonderful handcrafted items. Think of a cross between Fishermans Wharf,The Ashby Flea Market in Berkeley and your local Farmer's Market. I plan to visit Pike's Place again when I go back for the wedding in July.

I was also able to take a look at the wedding site and I already have my shots planned.
I can't wait until July !

Random Good News !!!

2009-01-24T21:51:00.001-08:00

I'll be the first to admit that there are some things from my childhood that I refuse to let go.
The fabulous Mother's Animal Cookies are one of them. I couldn't believe it when I found out that this company that was established in 1914 had closed it's doors.
Whoa !
This caused an immediate cleaning out of all of the grocery store shelves and people even started to sell them on e-bay ! I found a few bags and decided put them in the freezer for a "special ocassion"
There are countless blogs and posts from other adults who were feeling the pain of the loss
of this iconic cookie.
Kellogs to the rescue ! I just found out that Kellogs has purchaced the company and these old favorites should be back on the shelves mid year.
Victory Screech !!!!!!

Ted and Amy Part #2

2009-01-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

WOW ! I just received this FABULOUS card from a Bride (Amy) using some of the images we shot on the day of their engagement session. I include a high resolution disc of engagement images for my couples to use in my wedding packages. I love to see the creative use of my work.

What made this card extra special were the words she wrote inside.

I love what I do ...

Engagement Sessions

2009-01-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

I really love the e-sessions that I do with my couples.

I am really fortunate that all of the couples I work with are so much fun and we really have a great time while taking the photos.

The time we spend allows me to find out what's really important to the Bride and Groom and
how they relate to each other. That may be why people say my images look so intimate and real.

Posed photos are important but the emotions and the memories are what I love to capture.

From the altar to the dance floor, I look for images that will move you.

I recently spent a few hours with Sean and Liz in the East Bay

We had a lot of fun as we hit various locations,but at one point I thought I was going to be attacked by a squirrel who seemed to be running toward us.

I managed to avoid the "confrontation" with him.

Maybe the fisheye lens I was using looked like an walnut to the squirrel.

He missed my leg by inches. The three of us got a big laugh about it.

Is it just me or have the squirrels become more "agressive" lately ?

I photographed a wedding in Golden Gate Park a few years ago and I noticed the signs in the park that discourage feeding them.

When I saw one jump on a guys leg while we were sitting on a bench, I understood the need for the signs.

The squirrel had a "gimme a snack or else" look on his face...

Wedding Photography can be dangerous :)

Even with the "stress" of a possible squirrel attack, Liz and Sean look great together,as you can see from the images I have posted here.

Ted and Amy's Excellent Adventure

2009-01-16T15:27:00.000-08:00

I remember the day I met Amy in my office. We clicked instantly and I was so excited when she selected me to photographer her December 2008 wedding.

We had a fun filled day in Old Sacramento during their e-session and a local winery

But the wedding day was more than I had anticpated. Amy did such a spectacular job with all of the details on her special day. She was an absolutely beautiful Bride. She and Ted make a striking couple and my camera loved them. Don't take my word for it see a slide show here -

Ted and Amy

SIx Degrees of Matrimony

2009-01-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

I don't know how many people are familiar with the "Six Degrees of Separation" idea.

Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is no more than six "steps" away from each person on Earth.

That has been happening with my weddings.
I should sit down one day and see how many I can link together.

I recently photographed Joemarie and Wilma's fabulous wedding.
You can enjoy more of their images in the "Featured Galleries" area of my site

Turns out that the Groom's sister in law knows a couple who were part of the wedding party in the wedding I photographed in Hawaii on 8/08/08.

While we were in Hawaii for the wedding, I took advantage of our beautiful surroundings in Waimanalo and photographed Mel and Paolo's engagement photos the day before the wedding.

We also had a second e-session here a few weeks ago.
As you can see from their attire in the second set of photos, the temperature was dramatically different.
I will be photographing their wedding next month here in the Bay Area

SF City Hall Weddings

2009-01-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

San Francisco City Hall is one of my favorite places to photograph a wedding.

I photograph large and small weddings. I love the variety.

Our city hall is abundant with great places to photograph a wedding.

In 2008 I photographed quite a few ceremonies there.

Check out "Fabrice and Lisa" in the "Featured Weddings" area of my web site for a really cool wedding I photographed at City Hall.

You can also see a slide show here :

http://bigshow.bigfolio.com/?s=000011517&t=f0645ea0025013b5724a51115293bd86

We also went to the Legion of Honor take some

photos with "Bella" the 57 Chevy, the couple rode around in on their wedding day.

(Thanks Frank!)

Think about adding a location or two to your wedding package for some one of a kind images.

50 Years of Love

2009-01-09T22:50:00.000-08:00

One of their original wedding images from 50 years ago in the Philippines.

I promised myself I would complete this post without getting teary eyed..

But on December 20th I was fortunate to be the photographer for Angel and Expedita's
50th anniversary.

When their beautiful daughter, Angela contacted me about the event I was really excited.

When they came to meet me I felt like a part of the family by the time we were done talking.

After 50 years of marriage they still have that "spark"

We had an "engagement" session a few weeks before the big event.

I used the images from the e-session to make a photo guest book for their guest to sign at the reception.

They were so cute,we were the center of attention at all of the locations we used that day.

Angel and Expedita are two of the warmest people I have ever met.

They have a lot of love between the two of them that has stood the test of time
Angel and Expedita have also raised 3 handsome sons and were surrounded by a host of friends and family at the event.

The blog is back !

2009-01-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

UNBELIEVABLE !!

The last time I posted was in 2007 ?

That's scary...

I have my reasons :)

I could say that I am really slow on the keyboard,but if I typed one letter a day I would have posted at least once since 2007.

I have been really busy with the wedding thing. I love photographing weddings more than anything.

One is that I kinda felt the daily "blog" thing is a bit much for me.
I mean, who would want to read about EVERYTHING I do ?

But sharing info and images of all of the fabulous weddings I have been a part of will be a privilege.

I am going to bring you up to speed with my retro blog and make it current !

Those of you who know me are aware that I "love" to talk.

So I have decided to translate that "love" in a typed form.

Be warned...

Oh yeah, the beautiful images from Alan and Deborah's wedding in Rome can be seen in the

"Featured Weddings" area on my web site. Please enjoy !

My Italian lessons ...

2007-05-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited !
I will be photographing Deborah and Alan's wedding in Rome this month.

I am so excited about the great images I will be able to capture of this beautiful couple with
Rome as their backdrop. Deborah chose to use the images from their enagement session for their invitation and it is breathtaking. She chose to use some of the Black and White images I took of she and Alan "whispering sweet nothings" to each other, totally unaware of my camera.

These are the kind of images I strive to make. When the 3 of us reviewed the photos in my office, I think we all got teary eyed. That is my goal as a wedding photographer.
Images that evoke emotion. Images that your children will see of your wedding day that will allow them to "feel" how strong your emotions were on that day.

In preparation for my trip, I downloaded some Italian lessons a few weeks ago.

Ha! Ha! To be honest, I don't remember much from the 30 Italian lessons on my I-pod.
The lessons are really short. Each podcast is only about 5 minutes. Basic phrases.
Nothing elaborate. I just need to focus...

Ciao ! (I remembered that)