From Rotary Club Connections to Family Portraits at Lover’s Point Park
Even though I have photographed dozens of families in the past, mostly on the west coast beaches of Florida, since pivoting to focus on commercial photography 12+ years ago, I still have the occasional family portrait session come up. This family portrait photo shoot at Lover’s Point Park in Pacific Grove, California came about through me joining the Pacific Grove Rotary Club last year, which is were I first met Richard. We went on to judge a car show together put on by the Rotary Club. Since then we see each other every 2 weeks for the Rotary Club luncheon and have become friends. I have helped him with photo prints of existing photos of his a couple of times. This time, he asked me to make new photos of him and his wife Beth and their dog Gino, and then help them with designing their Christmas card (see below) using the photos we made together. I enjoyed the experience of making family portraits again, and getting to know Richard even better outside of the monthly Rotary Club events. Thank you Richard and Beth and Gino!
This marketing video for Pacific Grove Adventures was created as part of an ongoing video project for the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, highlighting local businesses through short, approachable, story-driven videos. In this case, the “studio” was the beach, the props were bikes and a SUP board, and the goal was simple: show what it actually feels like to spend a day exploring Pacific Grove with Pacific Grove Adventures.
Once again Jazmyn and CC were pros in front of the camera! This video shoot required more physical action than the others, but it was no problem for them on land and water.
Sometimes I get ideas in my head of a photo I would like to make before I even walk out the door. On this recent Saturday evening, as January 2026 was about to conclude, I also still needed a photo made in January to include in my future January 2027 Pacific Grove Fine Art Photo Calendar. I had an idea of getting a photo of Lover’s Point Park near sunset time from the west of it, and using my Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master telephoto lens for a certain perspective and compressed view of the park. Well, where is that photo in this blog post? The light was not what I expected, for one, so the photo I went out looking to make was only so-so. However, I stumbled upon the Winter Moon rising so turned my focus onto getting images of that. Since my 70-200mm lens is not a super long telephoto lens, and thus I could not fill the frame with a photo of the moon itself, I decided to add out of focus foreground elements to some of the photos, and then add foreground and background layers to others. A boat even cooperated and cruised by for a photo too!
Headshots and Branding Photos both in Studio and Out on Location in Pacific Grove for a financial advisor
Chris contacted me about making headshots and personal branding photos for him here in Pacific Grove discussing an in studio shoot and maybe out on location too. After talking, he decided on both so after beginning in studio shooting on my new, and increasingly popular, “thunder gray” background, I took a portable set of lighting with me helped by assistant Melissa to Lover’s Point Park for some ocean background shots. In a shoot just an hour long, I made in total 11 headshots and branding photos for Chris both in studio, as well as out on location! It was a very creative and efficient shoot not taking up a lot the client’s time. Of course Chris was great in front of the camera so that helped too! Check out his website for a local financial advisor. Thank you Chris for choosing me as your headshot and personal branding photographer!
