Oh my gosh! This wedding was the PERFECT way to kick off 2010. Sarah and Anthony are one of those couples I just get giddy about when  I meet. Stylish, young, fun and so adorably cute! Plus, they are both artists, and have a great aesthetic. Once they explained to  me the “look” they were going for, I felt really inspired. Sarah really wanted an organic, natural feel to her images. And Anthony liked the minimalist element that the Winter season provides. Where some couples (and photographers) might wish this were a Spring or Summer wedding, I loved the fact that they actually liked the Winter feel.

The day started when I met Sarah and Anthony at the Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa, which if you don’t know, is a fabulous place in Oakland, Ca. The hotel was established in 1915, and I just love the vintage feel.

From the Claremont Hotel and Spa, we went up into Tilden Park to the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden, where an intimate ceremony was held. Even in the “off’ season, this garden was gorgeous, and I highly recommend a visit if you haven’t been there already.

After weeks of rain and cold weather, the sun came out this day for Sarah & Anthony.This is Anthony’s Nana, Hazel. If I could adopt her as my grandmother, it’d be a done deal!Anthony, smiling.This is the fabulous outfit of one of Anthony’s good friends. I just loved the juxtaposition of colors, patterns and texture.Topping off the outfit was the sneakers. Sweet!I LOVE the trees in the background. Yay for Winter!Everyone just looks so incredibly happy.I really like this photo. Something just so sweet about this picture of a father and his daughter.Cheers to mother and daughter matching cowboy boots!Sweet sisters.Trees!I love the tattoo. Nice shot by my assistant, Breck!I love this shot. So serious, but it totally works!From serious to silly! How cute are these ladies?Such beautiful eyes! I’m officially jealous.Rock those cowboy boots, girl!Proof they’re really married!I love Anthony’s look in this photo.Sarah is so pretty. Wow.Snapped this just as the Parks Authority asked us to stop. Oops. Still, a nice shot tho, eh?Sarah smiling for Breck.After these fun shots at the botanical garden, we rounded out the day with a dinner and celebration at Oliveto Restaurant in the Rockridge district of Oakland. The food was great and the space reserved for the group was perfectly cozy.After listening to Anthony’s impromptu speech at the end of the night, where he told Sarah what she meant to him, I gotta admit, I got a little teary.Shot this while eating dinner in the next room. Camera in one hand, fork in the other. Yeah, that’s how I roll.I like the expression on Sarah’s face that Breck captured. She’s having a blast!
Here we go!I noticed Mom’s tattoo as I went over to Sarah to say goodbye.

Sarah and Anthony were just such a pleasure to work with. I really enjoyed meeting their family and friends. Everyone was so down to earth and friendly. It’s clear, Sarah and Anthony are very loved. And, the love they have for each other is very inspiring. Sarah and Anthony’s wedding was the perfect reminder why I photograph weddings. So for that, THANK YOU, Sarah and Anthony. It was such an honor to capture these moments on your special day. Enjoy!

Claremont Resort Hotel and Spa
41 Tunnel Road
Berkeley, CA 94705
510-843-3000
http://www.claremontresort.com

East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Tilden Regional Park
Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 544-3169
http://www.nativeplants.org

Oliveto Restaurant
5655 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 547-5356
www.oliveto.com

Being away from the ones you love while serving your country can be difficult.

I understand and want to do my small part, so I’m proud to announce that I’ve recently joined forces with Yellow Ribbon Photographers, a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 and consists of photographers who have donated their talent and time to photographing servicemen and women.

Our goal is to provide professional images to soldiers who are about to deploy, so that they may bring along a small piece of home with them.

How It Works:

If you are a San Francisco Bay Area active duty  service member about to deploy, or a family member who has a loved one actively serving our country, please contact me about my availability.

Once scheduled, the service member and his/her immediate family will received a 1-hour photo session, along with (2) 8×10″ prints and (2) 5×7″ prints from the shoot. (On a case-by-case basis, the loved ones of soldiers who have already left can request a photographer for special occasions (birth of a child, etc.) or as a simple reminder of home.)

Additional items such as images on DVD, prints, gallery wraps, and albums are available at a discounted rate.

*Photo shoots are offered based on the availability. Because of the large number of troops that may be deployed at one time, and the limited number of openings, we regret that we may not be able to accomodate everyone that inquires*

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I recently had the pleasure of photographing a group portrait for the San Francisco law firm Hanson Bridgett, LLP. This year, Hanson Bridgett hosted Globalaw’s Annual Members Meeting in San Francisco. Hanson Bridgett is a member of the Globalaw international legal network, which gives them access to lawyers at firms in 165 major jurisdictions around the world and provides critical international resources for their clients. Hanson Bridget has been a San Francisco and California mainstay since 1958. Based in Northern California, Hanson Bridgets’ 150+ attorneys serve clients nationally and internationally.

In addition to being able to work with a great bunch of folks, I loved this shoot because Hanson Bridgett’s San Francisco and Marin offices are certified Green Businesses and their Sacramento office is a certified Sacramento Sustainable Business. In addition, they are the only law firm we know of that features a Rock Band, a Jazz Trio and a Grammy award winning violinist. Cool, eh?

To top it off, the shoot was held at the fabulous Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Since 1907, the Fairmont hotel has hosted the rich and famous, kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, and stars of the stage and screen. If you didn’t know, the United Nations charter was signed at the hotel, and Tony Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” at the hotel’s famous nightclub, The Venetian Room. In addition to hosting some of the most influential meetings and events, the hotel also is well known for its breathtaking weddings and other special occasions.

The Fairmont San Francisco luxury hotel is centrally located, just a short cable car trip from downtown, the Financial District, Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s also located at the only spot in San Francisco where each of the City’s cable car lines meet. I encourage anyone visiting San Francisco to spend even just one night in this amazing hotel. If you do, be sure to check out the hotel’s incredible panoramic view of San Francisco and the Bay!

Special thanks goes out to my assistant, Mischa, and Hanson Bridget staff Rob Corwin and Brandi Hewlett who worked as an incredible team to help me arrange and capture this fun group portrait.

Hanson Bridgett LLP
425 Market Street, 26th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
www.hansonbridgett.com

The Fairmont Hotel – San Francisco
950 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 772-5000
www.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing sister and brother, Nikki and Andris. Nikki had flown in from Colorado, and both wanted to find something special during her stay to give to their mom for her birthday, which just happened to be while Nikki was in town. After seeing most every tourist spot in San Francisco (and every gift shop in between), they couldn’t figure out what to get Mom. So, I said, Why not a nice portrait of the two of you? What mother wouldn’t want a professional photo of her children, right? So, we decided to make a road trip out of the day and drove down to Pescadero. We visited the Harley Farm, which is a great goat cheese farm where I have photographed weddings in the past. (To check out those images, just click here.) After the goat farm, and checking out the local Chili Cook Off, we headed to the beach. It was overcast and cold, but I as we were driving, I saw a great field of flowers, and thought it would make for  a nice portrait. Nikki and Andris were good sports and braved the thorny blackberry bushes and pricker bushes to get to just the right spot. Here’s a few of my favorites….

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

Recently I was asked to shoot some portraits of students at a local graduate college. The portraits will be used in the college’s collateral materials, including their View Book. Alongside each photo will be a quote from that student about why they chose the college. I had TONS of fun photographing this great group. They were all super fun, friendly, and totally willing to get silly with me. I’m posting some of my faves…including the ‘out-takes’!

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I hope you enjoyed my post. Click here if you’d like to see more Portrait 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 

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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.

I recently had the pleasure to meet and photograph, Hema. This particular portrait photography shoot in San Francisco was really fun, and by the end, I felt like I was hanging out with an old friend. Hema’s got a really gentle and warm personality, as well as stunning features, all of which came through really well in her head shots. (Lucky gal!) Here’s some of my favorite portraits from the day:

I love this shot….so simple, and taken with just natural light provided by a wall of windows in her loft in SoMa.

Look at those eyes!

I love playing with color, so Hema and I explored the alley ways in/around SoMa in San Francisco.

A very cool door in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this shot. So natural, so content, so beautiful. What a great end to a great day of shooting portraits in San Francisco!

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

This was a fun portrait photography shoot! Els is an exchange student at UC Berkeley, studying for her PhD in Psychology. A communications & public relations agency from the Netherlands (Making Waves | visual communication) hired me to photograph Els for an upcoming brochure/book that will be used to promote overseas study. Els was really easy to work with, and a really interesting gal….she’s conducting sleep research….hence the photos with the pillow!

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

This portrait photography session was a nice break for me creatively. Jane is an incredibly interesting woman, with an easy personality, and penchant for the ’50′s and everything vintage. She wanted something different, creative and a bit edgy…..a dream come true! To reflect her personality, I wanted to shoot in a location that was equally artistic, interesting and vintage inspired. Thanks to my favorite Lighting Designer, Andris Kasparovics, we were able to shoot in the historic Lodge of the old Regency Center Ballroom in San Francisco. This place is just beautiful, ornate in its architecture and history, and will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2009. Special thanks goes out to a very talented make up artist, Alexis Simonson! Here’s some of my faves from the day:

The Grand Ballroom at the Regency Center
1290 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 673-5716

Alexis Simonson
Giorgio Armani Face Designer
Saxs Ffith Avenue

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