We met in Seacliff, California to photograph a 2016 Shelby Mustang GT Convertible. I have a very methodical approach when photographing a car for an auction site, starting with the exterior coverage photos. This essentially involves photographing the car as if it were being rotated on a giant 360-degree platter — and since it is a convertible, doing it twice from all angles.
A Collaborative Campaign Headshot Session in Pacific Grove
Burcu Mousa (see the headshots I made for her on her campaign website) contacted me about making headshots and branding photos for her campaign to be Auditor-Controller for Monterey County. She visited my photo studio in downtown Pacific Grove, California bringing with her a number of wardrobe changes and I had reggae already playing per her request when I asked her what music vibe she wanted for her photo shoot! This was a fun, collaborative shoot, and yes, having a professional photo session matters because elections are visual. Since I shoot tethered to a 43” screen, Burco and I went through shot by shot during the session getting each headshot and branding photo just right in terms of lighting, background, and expression. She also changed wardrobe several times to match with the background and intention of each photo. In less than an hour long session, we were able to create 10 images she personally chose and that some of which are already up on her website! I really enjoy working with candidates running for political office. It definitely adds a little kind of extra buzz to the photo shoot in my mind! Thank you Burcu for choosing me as your photographer and trusting me to make the visuals that will be used in your campaign!
How a Conversation Led to a Guest Room Photo and Video Project
You never know what may lead to a photography job. Such was the case of how I ended up working with Odeli of Del Mesa Carmel. I received an invitation to the first Makers’s Market at Asilomar Conference Grounds in December. Setup across from my table display was an artist. He wandered over and we got to talking. I had the drone on display on the table, so in talking about that, he mentioned having a friend who was talking about needing drone video. I gave him my card to give to her. Well, shortly thereafter that person walked by so he introduced us, and here one month later I was on site starting out by making interior photos and video of a guest room available for residents of the community. Thank you Eric for the intro and thank you to Odeli for your help during the shoot. I will be back to make the drone video next!
This short marketing video above was created to complement interior photography by showing how the guest room flows, how light moves through the space, and how the room is actually used. Videos like this work especially well on websites, social media, and digital marketing platforms where attention is limited and first impressions matter.
Appearing on Monterey On Tonight for a Live Interview!
Recently, I had the opportunity to appear on Monterey On Tonight, hosted by Gary Morris, and talk about my photography and drone work, my path to Pacific Grove, and the role visual storytelling plays for local businesses and individuals on the Monterey Peninsula. I submitted a bio and was told the interview would be about 10 minutes long, but that is all so I did not know exactly what to expect. Gary was most curious about the drone portion of my business so one of his producers pulled up my recent drone video of a surprise engagement and played it! Gary loved it and I loved having the drone video itself play on the air. I really enjoyed the overall experience of being on Monterey On Tonight and hope to be on again some day. Thank you to Hannah (who I met doing a radio interview 5 days earlier) for asking if I wanted to be on the show and for Gary for having me on!
On-Location Team Headshots and Family Business Portraits in Pacific Grove, California
This was my fourth overall shoot for Waveform, including both photography and drone video, but it was the first time photographing the owners, Ryan and Katelyn, along with their team. In the past, I had photographed examples of the work they do for their clients. This time, I visited their Pacific Grove warehouse office with my mobile studio setup to create professional on-location headshots for each team member.
A Fun and Thoughtful Conversation on Photography with Don Brooklyn
I had a great time this week joining Don Brooklyn on his KMBY radio show for a lively and thoughtful conversation about photography, creativity, and a few unexpected personal connections. One of the biggest surprises of the interview was discovering that we are both originally from Rhode Island, which led to some laughs about how far from home we both ended up here in Pacific Grove. We talked about the ongoing question of phone cameras versus “real cameras,” and I shared my perspective that phone cameras are good for quick snapshots in ideal lighting, but there is still no substitute for professional photography when it comes to controlling light, freezing motion, and working in challenging conditions. Don also shared that he recently picked up a new camera himself, so we may be continuing the conversation soon with a photography lesson. I really appreciated the opportunity to speak directly to the local community through KMBY, share some practical insights, and enjoy a genuine moment of connection with a fellow Rhode Islander.
Surprise Engagement Drone Video and Photography in Pacific Grove with Tim and Anna and Goose
This surprise engagement drone flight and photo shoot was long in the works. Tim first contacted me a few months ago when we started discussing locations and ideas for how to pull off this surprise! The location Tim chose, I knew very well since I walk the Pacific Grove coast often myself. I knew exactly where the spot was he showed me in just one reference photo! With the location decided, then how to capture the candid engagement moment? Tim ultimately chose for the actual real, candid moment to be recorded with drone video (see the above video). I got there early with my assistant, Felix, and was in position with the drone already in the air so I could capture their walk up and approach to the coastline. Tim told me he stoop down and pick up three shells, and the third would have the ring hidden under it, so that was my signal. Being as discrete as possible I had the drone hovering near the couple, and as I saw him make his move, I slowly brought the drone in closer and closer until you can see in the video Goose started barking at it, but by that time I had already recorded the actual proposal moment!
