Pacific Grove Event Photographer

Pacific Grove Senior Living Celebrates 100 Years with Chamber Ribbon Cutting

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Pacific Grove Senior Living Celebrates 100 Years with Chamber Ribbon Cutting

A Century of Community in Pacific Grove

Even after nearly 3 years of living in Pacific Grove, there are still big surprises for me, like, the Pacific Grove Senior Living building is the largest building in PG! I had been in it once before, but this was the first time properly inside for the 100 year anniversary. It was a special event for me from the start, due to the company I had, the reason for that first prior visit, and then the chance to not only photograph a ribbon cutting like I have done many times before for the PG Chamber, but to talk with and listen to the residents and hear their stories. I love to hear stories and thank you to the residents that share theirs!

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Historic Preservation Center Ribbon Cutting at Asilomar Conference Grounds

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Historic Preservation Center Ribbon Cutting at Asilomar Conference Grounds

Photographing the Preservation of History at Asilomar

Photographing this ribbon cutting was especially meaningful because Asilomar Conference Grounds has continued to bring me back for corporate and community events over the past two+ years. This time it was for a ribbon cutting celebrating the Historic Preservation Center where the craftsmanship of the grounds are preserved, from windows to architectural features. Before the actual ribbon cutting, I made a series of group photos and was asked if I was ok being on a ladder as they wanted a high up perspective looking down into the preservation workshop itself. I joked that I am more athletic than the average photographer so no problem to shoot from 10+ feet up! (see the BTS photo below) There were then a series of speakers from Asilomar Conference Grounds, the California State Parks system, and the mayor of Pacific Grove also all talking about the history of the place and what it means to preserve. Then it was on to the lively ribbon cutting! Thank you Alex and Crystal for continuing to choose me as your event photographer for Asilomar Conference Grounds!

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70th Birthday Party Photography at Wave Street Studios in Monterey

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70th Birthday Party Photography at Wave Street Studios in Monterey

Family and Friends Came from Near and Far to Celebrate Patricia’s 70th Birthday

Shandra contacted me about photographing her mom’s (Patricia) 70th birthday party event at Wave Street Studios in Monterey, California. It was a short 1.5 mile drive for me, but I quickly learned that many people came from much, much further away to join the celebration! With roots in Seaside, San Antonio, and Atlanta, this was a cross country gathering. Things started with many emotional reunions between generations of family from siblings to spouses to aunts & uncles to nieces and nephews. There was of course cake, but also a Patricia Trivia contest that I thought was a fantastic party idea! Things finished for me photography-wise with a marathon of family portraits as everyone wanted a photo with the Patricia on her 70th birthday. This was definitely one of the more fun events I have ever photographed. Thank you Shandra for choosing me as your photographer for this family event!

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4th Annual Chalk the Block 2026 in Downtown Pacific Grove

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4th Annual Chalk the Block 2026 in Downtown Pacific Grove

I missed seeing Chalk the Block live in action last year, so put it on my calendar this year, to make sure I caught the artists in progress creating their art on the sidewalks of downtown Pacific Grove for the 4th Annual Chalk the Block hosted by Art Abilities. What is Chalk the Block? It’s an event anyone can register for, with kids and adults taking a section of sidewalk and making it into their own work of art. From professional artists, to young kids, a wide range of creativity was on display. For passersby, you could pick up a piece of chalk and add your own little contribution as well!

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Making Waves 2026 Event Photography at Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove

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Making Waves 2026 Event Photography at Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove

A Hospitality Community Celebration in the Heart of Pacific Grove

Thanks to a recommendation from Alex Marin of Asilomar Conference Grounds, I was connected with Paige Viren, an executive director for a hospitality program at CSUMB to photograph the big Wave Makers fundraiser event!

The Making Waves 10-Year Celebration brought together leaders, students, alumni, faculty, chefs, hospitality professionals, and community supporters for an evening at Kimpton Mirador in Pacific Grove. The event celebrated ten years of the Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism Management program at Cal State Monterey Bay, with a courtyard full of conversation, local food, music, awards, auction items, hugs, laughter, and the unmistakable feeling of a community that genuinely supports one another. I photographed the evening as a participating local creative partner. It was a privilege to contribute professional event photography to a gathering that highlighted so much of what makes hospitality on the Monterey Peninsula feel personal, connected, and deeply local.

Thank you Alex for the recommendation and to Paige for choosing me as the photographer for this great fundraising event!

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Pacific Grove Volunteer Appreciation Lunch and Awards Ceremony 2026

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Pacific Grove Volunteer Appreciation Lunch and Awards Ceremony 2026

Honored to Be There, and Glad to Contribute

This was my first time to be invited to the Volunteer Appreciation Lunch & Awards Ceremony for the City of Pacific Grove because I just became a commissioner on the Traffic Safety Committee earlier this year. So the invitation came as a very nice surprise! It was an honor to be included in an event recognizing people who give their time and energy to the city. As always, I brought my camera even though I was just attending as a guest. Deputy City Manager, Joyce Halabi, is someone I often see at various city events getting photos too, so I asked her if it was ok to get some shots of the awards ceremony. She said yes, and helped coordinate the photo ops as well. Thank you to the whole team at City Hall that helped put this together for the volunteers. Being there as both a volunteer and a photographer felt especially meaningful, and I was glad to help document a small part of what makes Pacific Grove such a special community.

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A Different Approach to Event Photography in Monterey, Carmel, and Pebble Beach

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A Different Approach to Event Photography in Monterey, Carmel, and Pebble Beach

If you are planning an event, conference, or corporate gathering, photography is usually one of the last things to get locked in. And often, the decision is simple—go with someone familiar, someone who has done it before, someone who is easy to book. However, there is a noticeable difference between standard event coverage and a more modern, thoughtful approach to documenting an event. This is a look at how I approach event photography, and how that experience can feel different—for planners, for venues, and for the people attending.

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