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Hey there! My name is Becker and I am a wedding photographer from Orange County, California who specializes in capturing relaxed portraits, amazing details and real moments for the coolest brides and grooms on the planet.
This blog follows both my personal and professional life, and features images from the weddings I shoot, the places I travel and the friends and family members that mean so much to me. It's basically like my own personal photo album combined with an information source for my current and potential clients and a source of inspiration and education for other photographers. This site is a little more informal and I just want to give everyone a sense of who I am, and what I am all about. Thanks for visiting.
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check out the top voted images click to enlarge
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| Caden's first T-Ball game |
01.31.2010 |
Put me in coach... I'm ready to play!
So I went to Caden's first T-Ball game this afternoon and being the good uncle that I am, I brought the big camera with the big lens and a monopod. My whole family was there cheering on our future Major Leaguer. I'd love to tell you that Cade hit a few home runs, and a game saving diving catch in the bottom of the 9th... but at this level, it's all they can do to hit the actual tee hard enough that hopefully the ball rolls forward a few feet. They don't keep score, they don't make outs... everyone bats and they just play 1 inning. Everyone is a winner. Yay!
The actually practice for 45 minutes, then they play a 1 inning, 45 minute game.
Here's our little slugger: |
| Here's coach Matthew (Cade's dad) leading the team in some calisthenics. |
| Hey Cade, it's easier to catch with your eyes open buddy! |
| He knocked the crap out of the tee: |
| This kids always has fun. He's such a happy boy. And check him out rockin' the backwards hat. Lookin' good is just as important as playin' good!: |
| Uh... we need to work on the batting stance. And he actually had quite a nice hit during the game, but totally did a Barry Bonds impersonation and just admired his nice hit for a few seconds before deciding to run. Showoff! ;-) |
| They play with passion, everyone goes to the ball. You have to give them that! |
| Proud Mama snuck out onto the field with her flip: |
| Coach dad, future superstar & assistant coach grandpa: |
| Here's a self portrait with my big lens. And yeah, I know I am wearing my Angels shirt. I couldn't bring myself to buy any Dodgers gear and give that organization any of my money. |
| 10 years at the [ b ] pad |
01.30.2010 |
Hey, I just realized that I have been in my place for 10 years now! I originally rented the home I am living in before buying it a few years later. My lease started on February 1, 2000. The owner actually moved out a little early and let me move in a couple days early. I remember moving all of my stuff into the garage on the night before the Superbowl. We couldn't go into the house just yet because the carpets just got cleaned. On the morning of Superbowl Sunday, my dad & I build my new entertainment center from Ikea and set up my big screen TV just in time for the big game. I hosted a party that day and since I didn't have any furniture, and my fridge hadn't been delivered yet, we just sat on lawn chairs and bean bags. One couple even let me borrow their inflatable couch. We filled the cooler with frosty beverages and really enjoyed that close game between the Rams & Titans.
Over the last decade the house has really become a home and I love living here. It's only about 2 miles from my parents home where I grew up. Mission Viejo is a wonderful place to live. It's clean, and safe and just a really nice community. It's often on the list of safest cities in America.
So, of course I run my businesses out of my home, and when you first want in, the living room has been turned into my gallery where I meet clients. Upstairs I have 2 bedroom offices and a loft, which is where we do most of the computer work and production. The master suite is my sanctuary... my cave (because of the the dark walls and black out curtains). I spend most of my time working from my room on my laptop. I have a nice view of Saddleback Mountain. Behind the curtains in my gallery, is the bachelor pad... the kitchen and den with the big screen plasma. The garage is part time poker room and part time studio for the [ b ] School. I can't believe it's been 10 years. Time flies these days.
The [ b ] pad (yes, I know it needs a paint job): |
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| preview of a day after shoot |
01.27.2010 |
Dang... I was being such a good blogger and had posted every day of this year and over 30 days in a row up until last friday and then I just got super busy. Oh well, I hadn't set out to blog every single day again, but hopefully I won't miss 4 days in a row again for the rest of the year.
Anyway, today is an exciting day. Steve Jobs will be giving his keynote presentation that I am excited to watch the replay of later tonight and I am about to give a 1 day presentation to a bunch of photographers up in Vancouver BC. It's my 3rd trip to Canada in the last 9 months and this time I'm not totally freezing, so thank you
The other day I shot a day after session... a couple months after my good friends Gavin & Erin Wade got married. I was really hoping to go to their wedding, but I had a wedding of my own to shoot that day. So they got dressed up again this past Monday and we headed to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano for a fun shoot. There are tons of photos but here's just a quick peek of one that caught my eye on the plane yesterday. I'll post more soon.
Happy hump day!
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| Hope for Haiti Now |
01.22.2010 |
Just finished watching the Hope for Haiti Now telethon and my heart just breaks all over again for the people of Haiti. This is just so sad and I wish there was more that I can do. I just want to encourage the people who follow my blog to donate whatever you can. I know times are tough right now in this country, but we are still a million times better off than the people who survived this unspeakable tragedy. Everyone reading this blog can afford $10, so please at least text "Haiti" to 90999. Also you can pre-purchase the album of some of tonight's performances on iTunes by clicking the graphic below. It's only $7.99 and at least you'll get some sweet tunes out of it. If you can give more, donate through the website above or call 1-877-99-HAITI
Click here to get the album (link opens iTunes): |
| bonus bridal portraits |
01.21.2010 |
Here are a few bonus relaxed bridal portraits of the bride from last weekend and the Dove Canyon Country Club. She seriously was so easy to shoot. Not only easy on the eyes, but just comfortable in her own skin and so happy to be getting married.
Notes for photographers regarding the lens selection and post processing processing are under each image.
Please vote for your fave(s): |
| 50mm/1.2 at f2, Kubota's Grainy Film Effect, [ b ] split tone. |
| 200mm/2 at f2.8 [ b ] A&F action, Totally Rad Derilicte at 20% |
| 50mm/1.2 wide open. Derilicte 20%, Boost Contrast |
| 200mm/f2 wide open. Grandma's tap shoes at 25% |
200mm/2 wide open, Derilicte 20%, Warm it Up Kris (from TRA set 1).
If you don't have the Totally Rad or Kubota Actions you really should get them. I use them all of the time.
Click Here if you missed my post about being a compensated blogger. |
| utterly engaged networking party |
01.20.2010 |
I just got back from the Utterly Engaged shin dig at the Astor Classic Event Center and had an absolute blast. It was the first time I've gone to an industry networking event in quite a while (other than those for photographers only). Like I mentioned in a recent [ b ] School video, I plan on "Networkin' it" a lot more in 2010. I was also stoked to see a lot of [ b ] School members also networkin' it.
I gotta tell you folks about the most awesome thing I experienced at the party... The Sticky Pig which is the original gourmet handmade candied bacon company. That's right, I said candied bacon. TO DIE FOR!
When I first got to the party, someone told me to go check out the "bacon station" in the corner, and as I got closer, the crowds of people huddled around the table sure peaked my curiosity. And since my friend Michael Norwood introduced me to the Vosges Milk Chocolate Bacon Bars a while back, I have been hooked on the bacon/chocolate combo ever since. I know it may sound gross at first, but it's right up there as far as perfect combinations go as peanut butter & jelly, ham & eggs, buffalo wings & curly fries, etc...
I am serious, I wanted to just pull up a chair and sit down at the table. I met the owner of the company and heard the story about how this whole thing started and I am an instant fan. I tried just about every offering the had... s'mores, jelly donut, the Elvis Presley,
Click on this photo and read more about my new favorite company and if you are planning a party or a wedding and want to have something unique that your guest will rave about, you gotta check out the Sticky Pig: |
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| a wedding at dove canyon |
01.19.2010 |
What a way to kick off the year! After a couple month of down time and not shooting a lot around the holidays, I was itching to get out and shoot a wedding. I've had January 16th circled on my calendar for a while now, because I knew it was going to be an awesome day. Last Saturday I shot an amazing wedding at the Dove Canyon Country Club in Dove Canyon, California, which is a small, private community not too far from my house.
I've actually known the bride for a few years, as our parents are good friends. I finally met he fiance when we shot their engagement photos back in September. As you can see from the photos, they are quite attractive people and easy to photograph, but even more than that, they are warm, wonderful people who my family has had the pleasure of knowing for a while now and I couldn't be happier for them. I've enjoyed getting to know the groom a bit and his friends and family were also super warm and receptive and made me feel like "an old friend with a fancy camera" (which is my goal at every wedding).
Please vote for your favorites, you can choose as many as you'd like:
Kimmarie York of "Petals" provided the florals. (I have her contact info if you are interested). |
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| The bride served as her own wedding planner and hasn't been more than a few feet away from her wedding binder for months. |
| Looks like the lineup for America's Next Top Model (not that I am admitting to ever watching that show): |
| Here are just a couple bridal portraits... I'll be posting more later... there are just too many to choose from. |
| The groom cleaned up alright too: |
| I'm telling ya, this was the proudest dad on the planet at this moment: |
| Dove Canyon is a beautiful venue: |
| I could have shot these two all day. Oh wait... I did. |
| These two are off to Fiji and sadly didn't invited their photographer, but I am stoked for them anyway: |
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