Intakes >< Outtakes

Amazing Venues...

2010-10-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

What an amazing Month, October, and what a busy Summer and Fall season it has been for us!

Some incredible California Venues, from our list of recent corporate events, that we find worth mentioning...

The Pavilion at Vintage Estate... the combination of perfect weather, a relaxed (and thoroughly wine-soaked) group of folks visiting from the East Coast... enjoying dinner on the Pavilion's lawn. This spot is perfectly located in the Napa Valley and has seen a boost of vitality over the last Year... This spot will alwaysbe tops on my list for favorite places to photograph.

The Rubicon Estate
Talk about history, talk about character, this place breathes Old World.. The staircase is worth the visit in and of itself.

The Montecito experience! Variety magazine...

2010-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of our Clients and Friends of the Business who have asked about our Blog update, and thanks for your patience! It's been an incredibly busy, and enjoyable Spring and Summer Season, and a personal record for miles logged in the air and on the road.

Among many recent assignments, we most recently have been published in Variety magazine for a private client who is listing their home in Montecito, CA (Santa Barbara).

This project lasted for a few weeks, and after many patient hours of waiting for the Marine layer to clear, we were able to cover this amazing property from every angle.

This property sits right on the Pacific Ocean, and is the quintessential "California" experience... literally just sitting at the beach front seawall and listening to the waves creates a vibe that you can't fine anywhere else! This property was a challenge to photograph in that the feeling you get being there is very tough to show in photos.

This image was recorded as a wide-angle panorama, and covers a view of approximately 220degrees.

For more photos of the property, and for information, please visit www.montecitoparadise.com

An Irishman's Birthday Poster design

2010-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to design a poster for a friend's Birthday (gone unnamed)... Little did I know it would turn into a nine-hour photoshop intensive assignment.
I was approached by a local cadre of Irish SF Socialites, all mutual friends of the birthday boy, who wanted to commemorate the special occasion with a limited edition of posters given to party guests. Easy, I thought.
Well, the design request called for "a fighting leprechaun dressed in a green tuxedo, conjured into reality by the birthday boy through a psychedelic array of flashbulbs and sparks in a fantastic character-come-to-life comic book cover look and feel".

I've had numerous request to share the design online.... Here it is! whew!

Note: all images used were sourced from an iphone camera. Yah! seriously.

Sense Yountville 2010

2010-05-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

SENSE Yountville 2010, the quintessential event showcasing the amazing food and wine in Yountville, and this time the first weekend of May (normally reserved for The Kentucky Derby) has been indelibly marked on the calendar of events in the Napa Valley... photographer's note: I've made the Yountville scene as a local/photographer for the last 20 years, and I have never seen a celebration like this!
The stars have aligned for the Town of Yountville over the last year, and Sense Yountville has officially made its mark. This is not to be missed in 2011!

Grilled Morel mushroom, skillfully prepared by Sean O'Toole, head chef at Bardessono

THE Bob Hurley in his "perenniallyartfuloffering" of Wild Boar... This is one of many dishes that Bob has mastered and I will always set my camera down for!

Paul Jeanty serving up a pork loin topped with foie gras, designed to knock your derby hat off...

Bimbo's 365, a San Francisco original

2010-03-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

We covered a private event last week at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco, and some of the details are worth sharing here. Bimbo's has been a San Francisco Institution since the 1930's, and just about anyone who considers themselves a "San Franciscan" most likely has some fond, distant foggy memory of this place. In my years as a photographer, I've covered no less than 100 parties here and I've never really seen a bad one.

Catering was through Small Potatoes Catering Co. of San Francisco.

The cover band "Notorious" always puts on a great show! A fun group to hear and watch!
They cover Def Leppard like no other band in town, which is sure to get the 35-40 crowd out of their seats.

It's Rainbow Season!

2010-03-03T19:19:00.000-08:00

Driving through Shasta National Forest over the weekend, we spotted this amazing rainbow, and made a quick exit off the highway.
With the perfect combination of rain and sunlight, it's definitely that time of year to catch a full rainbow. Carrying our camera (with polarizer filter) ready to go at all times, we had been waiting a few years to catch one this perfect!

San Diego in February, ahhhhhhhh!

2010-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

You can say all you want about Southern California, but when it comes to weather you can't beat it!

It's Corporate Conference Season, and we spent last week in San Diego for a Tech Industry Client covering four straight days of various awards ceremonies, tech demos, sales and developer breakout meetings, etc.. This type of photography requires you to spend most hours of the day inside Hotels and Convention Centers with NO windows!
You'd think that being in February we wouldn't mind, but this was San Diego! The weather was amazing and we had just enough time to catch this sunset photo on our final day wrap-up.

Carrie & Tim's Wedding details

2010-01-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

This Year's first wedding for us was in Scottsdale, Arizona, and was a great photographic start into the New Year!

The Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale is perfectly designed around the desert environment, from the moment you enter the lobby until you walk into your room, and all points in between. Every amazing view of the terrain down to the smallest cactus becomes a detail to the guest framed by the architecture. As photographers, Kate and I couldn't have asked for better natural lighting, and we spent most of our time covering 'details' from the weekend.

Carrie and Tim had the perfect weather at the perfect venue, and couldn't have guessed that the sunset would turn out to be the "Best all Year" according to the Hotel staff.

The perfect sunset for the perfect marriage!

Our photos showcased on StyleMePretty...

2009-11-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

We received word over the weekend that our recent photos of Christina & Jeff's amazing wedding in Sonoma (see June 2009 post "Christina & Jeff's wedding") has been featured in the hugely popular StyleMePretty blog.
It's no surprise that Christina & Jeff's wedding made the impact it has- it had everything going for it: A beautiful couple, an incredibly picturesque venue and one of the best wedding planners in the industry, Amy Nichols.
As we stated in our original notes about the wedding, "Christina & Jeff had all the luck and love in the world, which made for constant chances to to capture those defining shots."

PurkinjeBlue meets Papyrus!

2009-10-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Papyrus is now featuring PurkinjeBlue’s Kate Moloney-Egnatios & Andy Berry as local Photographers in their 2009 Custom Holiday Greeting Cards campaign.

Enter to win a professional portrait with PurkinjeBlue through drawings being held at select Papyrus stores around the Bay Area!
This partnership and drawing will run through the month of October, 2009 at the Union Street Store, and the Fillmore Street Store in San Francisco, as well as the Burlingame Avenue Papyrus Store in Burlingame, California.

For more information, please email us at info@purkinjeblue.com

Wendy & Louis

2009-10-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Summer went way too fast for us this year, and looking back at all of the amazing events a certain special thank you goes out to Napa Valley locals Wendy & Louis. Two of the most inviting, easy going, and friendly people we had the opportunity to work with.
Wendy & Louis chose the Pavilion at Vintage Estate in Yountville (Villagio Inn&Spa), and must have consulted the Farmer's Almanac for the perfect weather! The venue is an amazing spot for weddings, and the Historic Barrel Room, adjacent to the Pavilion, is the perfect spot for a party.
The photos enclosed were from a quick post-nuptial visit to the neighboring Kapcsandy Vineyard... Where else?
Congrats Wendy & Louis!

Christina & Jeff's Wedding

2009-06-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Glen Ellen, CA, in the Summer, is a beautiful place to visit, but WOW does it get hot!
The entire wedding weekend was orchestrated perfectly by Christina (a very talented event planner in her own right), and her "right-hand" for the day of, Amy Nichols (www.amynichols.com)
I was honored to be asked by Christina & Jeff to photograph, and where I knew I really had to pull out all stops to please Christina's high expectations for quality and great taste, I was also welcomed like a member of the Family, which made my job as easy as could be!
Photographing weddings requires alot of things to go well, and outside of what can be controlled through experience, there's also a little bit left to chance; like the cherry on the sundae. Christina & Jeff had all the luck and love in the world, which made for constant chances to to capture those defining shots.

Thanks again C&J, Enjoy your memories!

Spanish Lightning!

2009-06-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

From the rooftops in Malaga, Spain, I was able to catch this photo of a dry lightning storm that passed over the city in the early morning.

I have always been determined to expose a full lightning bolt at some point in my life, but never imagined that I'd be on a high rooftop standing beside a camera mounted to a 6-foot tripod while doing it! It's a very sketchy feeling, a lot like harvesting apples with a golfclub during a thunderstorm.

I found that my best strategy was to lock-on my shutter drive for continuous 15 second exposures, cross my fingers, and get as far and low from the camera as possible. Realistically, and as a footnote to you purists out there, there's no other way to get this shot! After 40-50 photos, I knew that I had it! The lightning seems to have grounded to a construction crane which is just out of the frame to the right, as well as a bolt in the distance that hits the roof and antennae of an apartment building.

Thanks, Gerhard, for the perfect vantage point, and thanks also for the cigars! Muchas Gracias, Amigo!

Style and "Grace"

2009-04-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

Our most recent babe portrait was an eye-opener. Little Grace was totally hamming it up to the camera, and at only 9 weeks old we have yet to see so much personality, she really was enjoying the attention!
Lessons learned from this photoshoot... Always schedule time for naps, don't take baby far from home, and keep the bottle closer than the camera.

San Francisco stock imagery

2009-04-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy March and April of building our Stock Photo Library, especially our San Francisco collection, and the weather in the Bay Area has been perfect for getting those quintessential City shots. What started as a client's need for "San Francisco" imagery back in March has led us to a good string of City photos.
Stay posted for a special section of our website to be be launched in the Summer showcasing this ever-growing collection!

St. Paddy's Warmup No.6 - fundraiser for St. Charles School

2009-03-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

If this was a "preview" of St.Pat's 2009, then this coming Tuesday is going to be a day to celebrate in San Francisco... This 6th Annual Fund Raiser (to help raise money for the Children of St. Charles School in the Bay Area) was a complete turnout!

PurkinjeBlue was asked to cover the event this year, and through our Social Responsibility Program we happily donated a photography booth setup to help the cause. We expected a nice party, but were surprised to see the Temple Bar totally packed!

What really made the party were the two guests of honor: "Mike" & "Anthony"... these two were like little powerpack Emcees. Good times!

The Shupnick Collection...

2009-02-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

We were pleased to hear that Larry & Glenda Shupnick recently purchased our "Clos Du Val Harvest" piece.
I delivered the print this week and spent some time with Larry to find a best spot to hang in his Napa Valley Home, only to find a lot of well-placed artwork to compete with.
After some debate, we agreed that their front entryway was best- what an honor!

Local Tastes of Yountville

2009-02-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today was a preview of sorts for the Annual Napa Valley Mustard Fest/Taste of Yountville Event... hosted by Vintage Estate, local wine growers and winery owners came together to share their latest creations, and size each other up for the Spring season.
Several familiar wines were represented, as well as a few new faces.
My favorite had to be Carmen & Gail Policy's first ever vintage of Casa Piena, a 2006 Estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon.

Mustard in bloom, Sonoma, CA

2009-02-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

I captured this photo today, driving home from a work weekend in Napa.
This time of Year is typically a photographer's "pull over and take a photo" season in the Wine Country, with the mustard flowers in bloom. When I see a potential photo while driving, I usually do the ceremonial quadruple-take glance, then subsequently I find myself debating internally over whether or not it's worth the time... More often than not, I'll get about a half-mile before whipping a U turn, then try my best to look like a complete tourist.
Today, I was glad I "stopped to smell the roses" (photograph the mustard), as the bloom fades quickly.

"Buddy"

2008-12-31T17:52:00.000-08:00

What a perfect day for a portrait of our furry, four-legged friend, "Buddy"... Buddy's adopted parents live in NorthBeach, and they wanted to portray Buddy in his element. After several great spots, including the park, walking the cablecar tracks, and running up the near vertical ascent of Taylor street, Buddy seemed most comfortable right at his own front stoop.
I found myself reaching into my bag of tricks to get these RCA-style shots of Buddy... the old "cat sounds" trick works every time.

PurkinjeBlue Launch Party a HUGE Success!

2008-12-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

December 5th was our Official Launch Party, and what better way to kick things off for 2009 than to coincide with Scott Lewis's Grand Opening of the V Wine Cellar.
A Sincere thanks to all those who made it out for the Party, if we weren't able to find you amongst the crowd then we hope to see you at our next opening.

We were featured in ARTBUSINESS magazine online, and were lucky enough to have art critic Dennis Scherzer, present at the Party. (find Dennis Scherzer's review below)... Thanks, Dennis!

For photos from the party, see our ONLINE GALLERY
For photos of the artwork on display, see our July, 2007 blog posting

Thanks again for making it out to help Celebrate!

Your Photographers,

Kate & Andy

Andy Berry & Kate Moloney-Egnatios, “PurkinjeBlue” Launch Party
V Wine Cellar
6525 Washington Street
Yountville, California 94599
(707) 531-7053
www.vwinecellar.com

www.purkinjeblue.com

Opening Reception December 5, 2008:

Andy Berry is a veteran commercial photographer. He has mastered the industry of weddings, corporate events, portraiture, and promotional images. However, he has not sacrificed art for practical pragmatic imagery designed to appeal to the taste of clients at the expense of other, more artistic considerations. Berry manages to bring the artistry forward and apply it to his commercial imagery, thereby bringing the clients delightfully along into a realm of creativity that they might otherwise never experience, enjoy, or imagine.

The V Wine Cellar (within the V Marketplace) hosted a reception that was off the charts when compared to “First Thursdays” in San Francisco. In the city, you are likely offered some limp Chablis washed down with recycled crackers at an art opening (with some notable exceptions that I shall not reveal, lest they be trampled by the hoi polloi). Well, art fans, if you weren’t at “The V” last Friday – you simply may never know what a class act they put on in the Napa Valley under the bright moon and clear indigo sky that evening.

Private label wineries generously purveyed their latest creations. Restaurants sent their most talented servers bearing culinary wonders that completely overshadowed the sculpture gathering dust in the dark and quiet ateliers of the Barbary Coast. Sumptuous is a mild description of those wine offerings. And… just a few steps away, renowned master chef, Michael Chiarello (Napa Style founder) was hosting the opening night of his new restaurant, Bottega, which means “an artist’s workshop or studio”. What could be finer?

It’s a natural match, then, that Andy Berry’s work should be exhibited in this venue. Andy goes straight to the source, is realistic, and creates images that have a soft passion for the subject. Almost an instant nostalgia, and a documentary completeness, his photos of the vineyard harvest surround the wine racks, and give testament to the parochial fondness for Napa winemaking - historic and scientific knowledge paired with the vintner’s art.

Wine is the product of the winemaker’s art. Andy Berry augments that art with his imagery. It’s the perfect compliment for the moment when you twirl your glass around a bit, bury your nose in the bouquet, take a sip, and savor the good life.

Little "Elle", cutest baby of 2008 award

2008-12-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful experience with this "little person" portrait. "Elle", and her proud Parents, were all ready to go when we arrived for the portrait. We had yet to meet little Elle, and as we turned the corner into the kitchen, she immediately froze, and just stared at us with her huge blue eyes. "BLUE BERRIES!", I announced!
This would turn out to be, officially, the most photos we have ever taken in a thirty minute portrait! Over 300 RAW images @21 megapixel= over 12 gigabytes! (Any professional photographer with the opportunity to photograph such an adorable baby would understand what we mean!)... Thanks, Michelle and Adam. You are blessed.

Charlotte's imagination

2008-11-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

Little Charlotte had no problems having her photo taken, she was so distracted by the flowers, fountains, and little park that we found in Yountville, California. Candice and Seamus (Mom and Dad) weren't even finished fixing their own hair for photos, when I followed Charlotte on her own little adventure. A great little spot for portraits, and a child's imagination were the key ingredients to capturing Charlotte's portrait today.

More press for V Marketplace...

2008-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

We have more photos in Luxe Life magazine, this time a double page spread for V Marketplace in Yountville, CA.
These were our detail photos from the various Businesses in the Marketplace, including Sisters, Vianett, Tay & Grace, Domain, NorthBay Gallery, Gallery 1870 and V Wine Cellar. The night photo was from our coverage last year of the Yountville Festival of Lights, a favorite day-after-Thanksgiving gathering of Locals for the last decade, where the Holiday Lights are "switched on!"
See you there!

Rippin' it up at BlackBerry's Developer Conference!

2008-10-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

I recently experienced a personal flashback!
BlackBerry brought me in to cover their inaugural Developer Conference, and amidst the networking and demos that you might find at most Tech conferences, there was a group of young skate pros "pulling air"!
This was the type of entertainment you might have seen in the late 90's, during the dotcom boom.
These guys were getting agro on a couple of quarter pipes, and putting on a good show!
hey guys, if you happen to catch this post, please forgive my 80's skate lingo... I'm from the San Francisco scene... Thrasher/CBS/fogtown/justin-herman plaza, etc. good times!
Keep it up! don't pose.

Lyndsey & Peter

2008-10-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to describe the "Perfect Wedding". There are many reasons why EVERY wedding is perfect, it's a relatively subjective matter, just as there are many ways to look at a beautiful work of art. Weddings are meant to celebrate the beauty of a relationship between two people, and when the relationship is meant-to-be, and when the setting is as equally meant-to-be, the result is usually breathtaking.
Photographing a wedding is a lot like being a guest, you notice what is beautiful to YOU- and you GO AFTER IT. In the case of Lyndsey & Peter, I was very very busy! I soon realized that I was going to be on my feet all day... which is fine, because this was one of the more beautiful relationships and settings that I have seen in a while.
Thank you for inviting me to photograph your day, Lyndsey and Peter, it was BREATHTAKING!

featured ad in Lux Life

2008-10-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

We have a few photos in a recent issue of Luxe Life magazine for VMarketplace (announcing Napa Style & Bottega of Michael Chiarello fame), and we hope to see more of our "lifestyle" work this Fall and into 2009.
More to come!

Talk Show Live

2008-09-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the final curtain for Talk Show Live, and the feeling was as bittersweet as "bittersweet" gets. This was my sixth show in attendance as "official-unofficial photographer", and just when I was getting into the groove, my good friends Alisa Baker & Kurt Bodden pulled the trap door! This has been THE quintessential San Francisco Monday night experience, and Kurt's wit and wise cracks will be missed by all who had the opportunity to catch the show! Bravo, Kurt! Brava, Alisa!

TechCrunch wrap up...

2008-09-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

The week ends and another round of TechCrunch Winners hits the Marketplace... The conference unveiled an impressive lineup of newcomers. the $50k grand prize went to "Yammer", which is, according to TechCrunch, “Twitter with a business model.”

The Company that seemed to be the overall crowd favorite (and in my opinion should have won) was one of the very last to present, the Company GOODGUIDE, has put together a team of scientists and technologists, and compiled product information from hundreds of sources, that could be used to shed light on the lesser known aspects of products and how they're made...

Founder and CEO Dara O'Rourke's presentation left the crowd of 1500 and four judges on stage in awe, what seemed to be an incredible idea was beginning to sink in with everyone that its time had come, and it appeared that this amazing new company's birth was the "grande finale" of TC50!

Judges Jeff Weiner, Sean Parker, Don Dodge and Loic LeMeur, were duly impressed... Weiner was "blown away" and Parker seemed to freeze during the site navigation demo and literally stare at the presentation monitor.

When asked why this hadn't been done before, O'Rourke remarked they were perhaps the only ones crazy enough to take on the challenge. Everyone in the room was glad that they were crazy enough to try this, as TechCrunch puts it, "this is a company that everyone seemed to agree should just exist".

GoodGuide took 2nd, but left everyone at TC50 feeling that they had just witnessed the launch of a GREAT Company!

Video from the presentation can be found here:
tc50_goodguide_video

TechCrunch 50

2008-09-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to photograph the TechCrunch Conference 2008 this morning at the San Francisco Design Center Concourse, and was curious to see who the presenters and panelists would turn out to be. The list of Companies for TC50 2008 was released this morning, and has once again created a buzz that the 52 showcased new Companies have basked in but also helped to create.
I recognized a few familiar Tech Industry faces this morning... Chad Hurley of YouTube, Marissa Mayer of Google, and Ron Conway, to name a few. Then there was a surprise (as I'm sure many of the attendees were thinking they were about to be Punk'd!) to see Ashton Kutcher take the stage... Kutcher was co-presenter for his new venture "Blah Girls". Interesting ideas and honest, experienced feedback is what the Conference is all about, and Ashton was not spared any criticism by way of his celebrity status.
After a few conversations with the attendees, I piqued up on some rumors... Companies to watch are "FFWD", "Photrade", and most notably GOODGUIDE.com

More to come!

Family History through Photography

2008-08-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a refreshing reminder that there are people in the world who cherish Family, tradition, and photography!
I was called on to capture a Family portrait in San Francisco... It was a beautiful sunny day in Pacific Heights, and photographing in Alta Plaza Park was a nice, yet haunting feeling for me as it's my old "stomping grounds" from childhood. The park has always been a symbolic landmark in my personal history, and to be capturing a piece of history for someone else in this same spot left me with a nice feeling that lasted through the weekend.
This is the type of work that reminds me that I really love what I do.
Thanks, Karen!

Burgertime!

2008-08-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today was a "food & wine" assignment in the Napa Valley... This was a 9am marketing shoot for the Pacific Blues Café in Yountville, and the focus was on their lemonade and cheeseburger. This was a serious excercise in restraint for me- I've photographed a lot of food before, but a juicy cheeseburger first thing in the morning was making my stomach growl!
In-n-out is the old standby for me in all cases of burgercraving, but this place makes an amazing burger with blue cheese, avocado and bacon!

Sciandri Family Vineyards 2008 bottling

2008-08-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how much wine actually made it into the capsule for this maiden bottling of Cabernet, but everyone in attendence was certain of two things; this 2006 Cab is going to make for an interesting Thanksgiving, and the two Rons are more excited than kids at Christmas about it!
At least one magnum and one cork didn't make the cut, as winemaker Donald Baker quarantined our photo "props" as evidence... My bad, Don! This was my idea!

World's Best smelling Alley?

2008-07-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Road tripping along the California Coast, looking for that quintessential coastside photo... Who'd have thought we would find ourselves enjoying the smell of an alley!
<Burning our feet at Pismo Beach, CA
>Nose breathing in "Bubblegum Alley", San Luis Obispo, CA

Whole Lotta Love!

2008-07-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Today belonged to Sarah & Hans, and out of 500+ weddings I've seen, theirs was in the top 10 as far as displays of love and support. I felt very fortunate to be part of the experience, and to photograph a wedding that really "feels" good. Most weddings try so hard to "look" good, and the important aspects (sincerety, expressiveness, emotionality... being oneself) seem to fall through or just glance by, and in some unfortunate cases, are avoided entirely... Today was one of those amazing days that reinforced my need for feeling fulfilled in my role as photographer, I really felt like the images I was capturing would be cherished for generations, and hanging in the halls.
Congratulations, Sarah!... Nice catch, Hans!

ABP at VWC, finally!

2008-07-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

V Wine Cellar
Yountville, CA

After several Months of image editing, printing, reprinting, framing, canvas stretching... blood, sweat, and beers. We're finally "on the walls".

My current collection of work at the V Wine Cellar is selected from a series of photos taken over three days in September of 2007 in the Stag’s Leap Appellation, from both the Clos Du Val and Regusci Wineries... The "Harvest" Series.

The 12 images displayed are in two different formats, limited edition and numbered silver halide prints which are custom matted and framed, and limited edition canvas fine art prints, which are personally hand-built and numbered.

Working with Scott Lewis and his crew at V has been a pleasure, and their patience with my process (showing up with "one last thing I gotta do" or begging to keep the shop open late) was what really helped tie the entire project together! Thanks guys.

For a preview of the Series at V, just click below (or visit in person and have a glass with Scott):
click here to visit my Harvest Series online gallery

Saluté!

Sciandri Vineyards' winged foot of Nike?

2008-06-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

300 meter view of Sciandri Family Vineyards. Notice the shape of the Lake, and back vineyard, taking on the form of the winged foot of Nike... Ok, maybe it's just me?

Wayne Lackey of Wine Country Helicopters took us up for his aerial view of the Napa Valley (thanks, Ron & Roberta!)... Wayne is a shoe in for Napa's most interesting characters top 20 list, and to say he's simply a "tourguide" is an understatement. He's more of a birdman, carefully tucking his mutant wings into the back of his shirt so as not to freak out his passengers.
This photo is not posed in any way, we all figured he was checking for what migratory bird patterns he would need to avoid. That, or he was feeling out wind patterns in order to pull off his signature 2g wine country heli-dive, during which he was sure to yell out his motto "drop altitude - gain airspeed!"
Thanks, Again, Wayne! awesome show.

The middle of nowhere

2008-05-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of 4 on a 1000 mile loop through Nevada with CJ and Hoover. A mystery tour through junkyard after junkyard of Reagan-era cars riddled with tightly grouped bullet holes. This is a land of mirages and fast changing weather patterns, where if you're not watching the GPS closely, you'll realize before long that it's a blank screen and you are the little blinking arrow right in the middle of nothing. By the time you realize you've forgotten to record your "out-of-office" message, it's too late... That's when it sinks in that you are truly "off the grid", an addictive feeling once you get used to it.

Bern & Chap

2008-04-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a first for me! Killing time in Napa before a evening Corporate Event shoot in St. Helena, I met a complete stranger in her wedding dress, and convinced her to allow me to photograph her wedding that was to be held in 30 minutes!

I was spending my "time to kill" at the V Wine Cellar, in Yountville, with my good friend, and owner of V, Scott Lewis. We were carrying on and suddenly a woman approached the counter, wearing a beautiful white dress, and jewelry, asking Scott for a bottle of Tench!

"Bernadette" immediately opened up, and I just had to ask.... It really WAS a wedding dress!

Scott asked if she had a photographer, and she looked at me and asked "Let me guess.. you're a photographer?"

One thing led to the next, and after a very special 20 minute ceremony at Tench, Bern & Chap were married, WITH photos and a friend in California!