Back in August I had the pleasure of photographing Farm Sanctuary’s 2010 Walk for Farm Animals in Berkeley, California. The Walk for Farm Animals is an annual event that helps spread the word about the treatment of animals on factory farms and raises vital funds for our rescue, education and advocacy work.

The Walks are an important part of Farm Sanctuary’s history and outreach and fundraising efforts. They are also a great way for supporters to help send a positive message of compassion and hope for farm animals. Each year, the Walks are more successful, attracting more participants and raising more money to help abused animals. They are positive events that bring together people who care about what factory farming is doing to animals, people and the environment. This year’s event hosted over 160 participants, raised over $20,000, and included speakers Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Shani Campbell.

Farm Sanctuary works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living. The organization was founded to combat the abuses of factory farming and to encourage a new awareness and understanding about “farm animals.”

Farm Sanctuary advocates for laws and policies to prevent suffering and promote compassion, reaches out to legislators and businesses, and works to bring about institutional reforms. When Farm Sanctuary started in 1986, it was a fledgling, all volunteer organization that was funded by sales of veggie hot dogs from a VW van. Today, Farm Sanctuary has grown to become the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, with hundreds of thousands of supporters.

001_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 002_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 003_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 004_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 005_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 006_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 007_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 008_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 009_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 010_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 011_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 012_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 013_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 014_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 015_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 016_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 017_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 018_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 019_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 020_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 021_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 022_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 023_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 024_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 025_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 026_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 027_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 028_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 029_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals 030_Farm_Sanctuary_Walk_For_Animals

Farm Sanctuary
Works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.

Karine Brighten Events
A full service event-planning firm serving the San Francisco Bay Area, specializing in eco-friendly events. A Bay Area certified green business.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
A long-time vegan and animal activist, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a sought-after and inspiring public speaker on the spiritual, social, and practical aspects of a vegan lifestyle. She has appeared on the Food Network, is a columnist for VegNews Magazine, and she is a contributor to National Public Radio.

Shani Campbell
President of East Bay Animal Advocates.

MyHairFix.com
Fabulous, tinted dry shampoo that smells fantastic and contains only the highest quality organic ingredients while being free of animal products/testing, talc, perfume or chemicals. Also offers Lip Fix Lip Balm and Skin Fix Soap lines and plan on adding additional personal care products in the coming year.

Melie Bianco
Founded in 2003 by a husband and wife team, this wildly successful family-owned accessories company offers affordable high-quality faux-leather handbags free of animal-based products.

Sappo Hill
All natural, vegetable oil soaps made according to traditional methods.

The Vegan Collection
Stylish vegan accessories, t-shirts and shoes.

Alternative Baking Company
Incredibly delicious vegan cookies with no refined sugar, hydrogenated oil, artificial ingredients, or preservatives!

V-Dog Vegetarian Dog Food
V-dog is recognized as the original vegetarian dog food, first produced in 1980, using only natural, healthy and wholesome ingredients and without the use of artificial colors or preservatives.

Opie & Dixie
Produces premium pet vitamins, supplements and shampoos to enhance your pet’s well-being.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Event Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

OUT Magazine recently asked me to photograph a benefit event they were holding for the AIDS Memorial Grove. The event was held at/co-sponsored by the luxury retailer, Burberry, in San Francisco’s Union Square. OUT Magazine is a gay and lesbian magazine with a perspective on style, entertainment, fashion, the arts, politics, culture, and the world at large. The AIDS Memorial Grove is dedicated to the creation and long-term maintenance of the first living memorial to those lost to AIDS and in support of those living with HIV. A portion of the sales from this evening’s charity event were donated to the AIDS Memorial Grove. The event was VIP, invite only, and was well attended by many of San Francisco’s most hip and well heeled . The evening’s festivities were held on 3 floors of Burberry’s Union Square store, and offered a live DJ, complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, stunning models wearing Burberry’s latest fashions, and fantastic shopping all night long. I had such a great time photographing this luxury event! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the night:

San Francisco Charity Event Photographer San Francisco Corporate Event Photographer San Francisco Public Relations photographer San Francisco Corporate Event Photography San Francisco Event Photographer San Francisco celebrity photographer San Francisco luxury event photographer San Francisco society photographer San Francisco corporate event photographer San Francisco luxury event photographer San Francisco non-profit event photographer San Francisco private event photographer San Francisco gala event photography San Francisco Charity Event Photography San Francisco fundraiser photography San Francisco gala event photography San Francisco party photographer San Francisco luxury event photography AIDS Memorial Grove event photography OUT Magazine charity event photography Burberry Event Photographer San Francisco Event Photographer

Burberry – San Francisco/Union Square
225 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-2200

I just LOVE photographing events like San Francisco’s Day of the Dead parade. This parade is a community event that has been happening for the last 30 years. Dia de los Muertos is an annual Meso-American holiday dedicated to people’s ancestors and loved ones now gone. Participants celebrate the Day of the Dead by creating sacred space with art installations, performances and a walking procession which help people contemplate their personal existence, mortality and celebration of life.

Dia de Los Muertos in pre-Columbian America is at least as old as the vivid 3000 year old recorded art history of Mesoamerica. Its best know symbol, the skull head, represents rebirth as well as death. Life was but a dream or mask, and death was when one would meet the real world. Like its spring counterpart, Carnaval, attempts were made to repress it by the Catholic church authorities, but it was too deeply ingrained in the people. While Spaniards viewed death as the end of life, the natives believed the dead came back and visited.

Communal expression, is widespread in Native America. It aims to re-create the sacred in the present moment. Communities regularly seek to be restored to their original fertility in cyclic ceremonies of renewal, and thus promote the continuance of life on earth.  Throughout the weeks surrounding November 2nd are innumerable altar exhibits and special displays which demonstrate and sell the pieces which mark Day of the Dead.

Calaveras, the animated skeletons which remind us that death is best approached as an inevitable greatest life journey are the most popular in both San Francisco and Mexico, either as small sculptures or as prints by the great Mexican artist Jose Posada. Yet the palate is large, with many that serve on personal ancestor altars like sugar skulls, marigolds, candlesticks, incense-burners and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more San Francisco Photojournalism, View My Portfolio, or  Contact Me.

I’m happy to share that recently I was asked to participate in, and photograph, an event at Oakland’s Lake Chalet. I go past the Lake Chalet several times a week while going running around Lake Merritt, and I’ve always wanted to peek inside as I’ve heard the restaurant is just great!

The green event was put on by the Lake Chalet, in conjunction with Karine Brighten of Karine Brighten Events, and Pilar Zuniga of Gorgeous and Green. Karine specializes in coordinating ‘green’ events, both private and corporate. Pilar offers wonderful eco-friendly gift, decor and floral arrangements, both for events and through her retail boutique in Berkeley.

The Lake Chalet has been working towards greening its facility, and is now available to host green events, such as weddings, corporate meetings, and more! I was really excited and honored to be chosen to be on the Lake Chalet’s “Preferred Vendor’s” list, as their only green-certified photographer…woo hoo!

Here are some fun photos of the event. I can’t wait to do more at this great venue. Oh, and they do a awesome 3-6-9 Happy Hour in the Pumphouse, and a great Taco Tuesday that you can enjoy right out on the dock when the weather is nice. Be sure to check them out, and commission a Gondola Ride on the Lake after dinner!

Event photographer for Lake Chalet Oakland Lake Chalet Green Weddings event Eco-friendly wedding flowers Lake Chalet Green Weddings event Sustainable Wedding Flowers Oakland Green Event Coordinator Oakland Green wedding flowers San Francisco Gorgeous and Green Weddings Berkeley Blue and Green wedding flowers San Francisco charity event photographer San Francisco private party photographer Green Wedding Coordinator San Francisco San Francisco gala event photographer Corporate event photography San Francisco Corporate Event Photography Oakland Oakland event photography Oakland Event Photographer Berkeley event photographer

A little history on the Lake Chalet (in case you didn’t know….I sure didn’t!)

Originally a tidal estuary formed by several creeks, Lake Merritt’s gets its name from former Oakland Mayor, Samuel Merritt, who proposed to dam and clean up the estuary in 1868. After funding the project with his own money, Merritt laid the groundwork for the urban sanctuary we know today as Lake Merritt.

The Lake was further transformed into a recreational park around the turn of the Twentieth Century as the roads and paths were built and in 1925 the Lake got its Necklace of Lights.

Municipal Boat House - The Lake Chalet building began life in 1909 as a high-pressure salt water pumping plant for the Oakland Fire Department; John Galen Howard designed the original concrete building.

In 1913, Walter D. Reed designed the two building wings to serve as a municipal boathouse. The building hosted excursions, regattas, locker rooms, a tea room and several restaurants.

The original pump station remained in operation until 1955 when building was converted to offices by Superintendent of Parks William Penn Mott Jr. to move parks staff there from downtown. The Lake Merritt Rowing club has used the lower south wing for their activities since 1961.

Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill – The restaurant, which opened in August of 2009, was created by veteran restaurateurs Gar and Lara Truppelli (Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant and Park Chalet Garden Restaurant in San Francisco) working with Executive Chef Jarad Gallagher.

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see my Wedding Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

If you are looking for some fabulous inspiration for your wedding, here it is! This wedding is ecofriendly, with a touch of DIY, and a lot of fun! Along with some amazing photos, here is the story of Krista and Tim’s wedding told in their own words…

Describe any special parts of the wedding, or people who attended.
The ceremony was created surrounding the 7 foundations we wanted to nurture in our marriage: grace, honesty, generosity, respect, community, growth, and love. Our community of family and friends are a big part of what makes our lives so rich, so it meant a great deal to us to have so many people be a part of our wedding. In addition to the wedding party and officiants, we had Chuppah carriers who not only brought the Chuppah up, but stood surrounding us during the ceremony. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but there was a strong breeze and the Chuppah wouldn’t have stayed in the holders if our community hadn’t stayed up there with us. It was a perfect accident! The Chuppah was made by Krista’s sister-in-law and sister. Krista’s nephew played guitar and her sister sang during the ceremony. Krista’s father passed away unexpectedly 6 weeks after we returned from the honeymoon, so the time we had at the wedding became more special to us, including our very non-traditional spontaneous father-daughter fast dance where my dad was “getting his groove on”. He had the entire room laughing and dancing!

Why did you choose Boa Ventura as the venue?
We looked at a lot of sites prior to Boa Ventura. We wanted something outside since we both love the outdoors. I had been to a wedding in an orchard and loved that venue. Boa Ventura had a similar feel. It is slightly rustic, with wild flowers everywhere and a lot of great little details including a bocce ball court. There were animals around the property including a cat, a horse, a few dogs, and even a few chickens in a coup. This was perfect for the relaxed, community feel we wanted to create. Another bonus was that they didn’t dictate which vendors we had to use, allowing us to create a wedding that was unique and truly embraced who we are as individuals and as a couple.

How did you choose your florist, and the particular flower types and colors?
We bought our flowers from Trader Joe’s. The store has a designated person to order flowers. I went a few weeks before the wedding and we talked about what kinds of flowers we wanted and what was in season. She ordered the type, but couldn’t guarantee the colors. The day before the wedding, she let me pick through the order to choose the types and colors we wanted. We had Van Gough Sunflowers, red, yellow, orange gerbera daisies, and celosia flowers among many other flowers. We also had mint, lavender, and roses from a friend’s garden. The morning of the wedding, myself, the bridesmaids, my sister, and other friends made the bouquets and boutonnieres. The balcony of the hotel room where we were working was overlooking the pool where some of the kids from our wedding were swimming and playing. It was a lot of fun to be around all those flowers and have our loved ones laughing below. The centerpieces on the tables were potted organic herbs planted by myself  a week before the wedding.

What drew you to your other vendors?
We chose Whiskie Bits because we wanted something unique, and they had unusual flavors such as malted milk ball and strawberry rose cupcakes. They try to use only seasonal ingredients and organic when possible. It added another original touch to the wedding.

We chose Rebecca Wilkowski Photography because Rebecca is a warm, easy to talk to person, not to mention her photography is amazing.  I used to assist wedding photographers and understood that the wrong fit for a wedding photographer can be a big issue throughout the day. Tim was a photography major in college and has an eye for good photography. We knew Rebecca would not only beautifully capture our wedding day, but she’d also be a joy to have around for our special day…..and we were correct on both accounts!

What was your favorite part of day?
Krista: Surprising Tim and dancing flamenco for him. After my dance, Tim was laughing and crying at the same time
.
Tim: Our time alone together immediately after the ceremony. The owners of the winery let us hide in their garden on a bench and enjoy a glass of wine from their own cellar and a plate of the appetizers. It gave us a chance to connect and take in the ceremony before the party began.

What advice would you give to others on their wedding day?
Take time for just the two of you on the special day! We had about 15 minutes after the wedding ceremony, and our first sighting was just the two of us w/ our photographer. It is such a private moment between the bride and groom, but is usually done in front of everyone. It was nice to have it be just between us, yet captured on film.

If you loved the story and these photos, here’s a vendor list to help you in your own wedding planning:

Photographer: Rebecca Wilkowski Photography  – Rebecca Wilkowski Photography is a proud member of Green America’s Green Business Network, Greener Photography, Green Chamber of Commerce, and the Green Bride Guide, and is available to photography weddings world wide.  Blog: www.rebeccawilkowski.com/blog and Website: www.rebeccawilkowski.com

Venue: Boa Ventura Winery in Livermore, CA.

Groom’s attire: Suit bought from Nordstrom to reuse for years to come

Bridal dress & Veil: demo dress & demo veil from J’aime Bridal & Weddings in Pleasanton, CA.

Rings: Groom’s ring was bought on ebay. Bride’s engagement ring was his mothers & great-grandmother’s wedding-antique ring from Aura Jewelers in Berkeley, CA. 

Bakery: Whiskie Bits Cupcakes used seasonal ingredients to make the scrumptious cupcakes.

Invitations: Recycled papers bought from Paper Source In Berkeley, Flax Art & Design in San Francisco, and Dick Blick’s in Berkeley. Invitations designed by bride, groom and a friend.

Center Pieces: Organic Herbs bought at Berkeley Horticulture & Westbrae Nursery and planted with Organic compost by bride and her mother

Beverages/bar: Home brewed beer, lovingly made by the bride and groom! All materials were recycled on site.

Caterer/Food: Organic Paella by Venga Paella, organic hors ‘d oeuvres made by friends

Table Linens & Decorations: Rented from Pleasanton Party Rentals in Pleasanton, Califonia. Re-used vases, candles, and candle holders from a friend’s wedding. Couple decided to rent everything instead of buy, as many of their friends had done previously, to save from more waste.

Honeymoon: Hacienda San Lucas, Ecolodge in Copan, Honduras. This lodge is amazing with organic foods and organic coffee that is grown up the hill from the lodge.

Bridal Gift: Antique Earrings from Aura Jewelers in Berkeley, CA 

——

The Bay Area Bride Guide is your local resource for wedding planning in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stacy Yamaoka, the founder of Bay Area Bride Guide, is also the co-founder of Marry Me Live. Marry Me Live is a live wedding streaming and wedding webcasting service that enables wedding couples to share their wedding day LIVE with family and friends around the world. Marry Me Live empowers wedding couples to “Go Green. Live Stream.”

Click here to read this article in full on the Bay Area Bride Guide. I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Wedding Photography, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.

Pictured below are Joe Alioto Veronese, Mark Leno, Carole Midgen, and Joe Nation during an appearance at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House for a Sate Senate candidate debate.

Potrero Hill Democratic Club
1459 18th Street #152
San Francisco , CA 94107
415-648-6740
http://www.phdemclub.org/

Potrero Hill Neighborhood House
953 De Haro St
San Francisco, CA 94107-2799
(415) 826-8025
nabe.potrerohillsf.com

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more San Francisco Event Photography, View My Portfolio, or  Contact Me.

San Francisco is host to the annual Decompression party, post-Burning Man. Decompression is one of ways the Burning Man organization brings the Black Rock to the Bay year-round, and is attended thousands of people from all over the US.

Burning Man
http://www.burningman.com/

I recently had the pleasure of photographing District Attorney Kamala Harris, at a local Democratic Club meeting. Mrs. Harris was friendly, open, very intelligent, and a pleasure to photograph. Plus, she’s stylish to boot!

Potrero Hill Democratic Club
1459 18th Street #152
San Francisco , CA 94107
415-648-6740
http://www.phdemclub.org/

Potrero Hill Neighborhood House
953 De Haro St
San Francisco, CA 94107-2799
(415) 826-8025
nabe.potrerohillsf.com

I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Photojournalism, View My Portfolio, or Contact Me.