RANGEFINDER'S 30 RISING STARS OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY 2016

BOOYAH.

i'm honored to be one of rangefinder's top 30 of 2016.

i've watched the top 30 list come out every year since i started shooting weddings in 2011. i always wanted to be on it so badly. you can't imagine how surreal it was when i got the nomination email from libby (thanks, libby!). 

the guidelines were to tell a wedding story with 30 of your best images. going through 5 years of weddings (over 300) was one of the toughest edits i've ever done (thanks for your help, ash). i had to be brutal in choosing between some of my favorite photos of my career. below is the submission that i sent in after i was nominated.

huge thanks to: my amazing wife ash for believing in me at the beginning (and paying rent for so long), my family for putting up with multiple career changes until i found something that felt right, my early couples who took a chance with me, my current and future couples for continuing to inspire me AND finally rangefinder for this immense recognition.

congrats to all of my fellow honorees. i'm stoked to be amongst all of you. 

AMALIA + BRIAN'S CALIFORNIA COAST WEDDING

If you're paying close attention you'll notice that the bride (the incredibly talented Amalia Sieber) did all of the design and almost half of creating itself. The love that a couple puts into their wedding really shows and inevitably makes the day more meaningful for everyone involved. Especially the couple themselves. 

Amalia and Brian are the embodiment of everything that JBM is all about and this celebration is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

Amalia and Brian are the embodiment of everything that JBM is all about. Thank you for letting us be a part of it. 

Mad props to all the below vendors for bringing the magic.

Bouquet : Sarah Szekeresh of South Side Floral Studio

Greens and garlands : The Bride + Friends (sourced from SF Flower Mart)

Caterer : Nopalito

Rings : Sakura Haru

Dress : The Bride

Suit : Lazio

Stationery : The Bride

Cake : The Bride

Ceremony Harp : Ricky Rasura

Venue : Villa Montara

Calligraphy : Emdash Paper Co

Hair + Makeup - Julie Engle of Sakura Salon

KRISTEL + MARK'S METROPOLITAN BUILDING WEDDING

 

This is an oldie but a goodie. 

As I was editing these photos for the post, I couldn't believe how long it's taken me share this. It was such a gorgeous wedding. It was my first time shooting at the Metropolitan Building and I went nuts. I overshot this wedding big time and I feel no shame. 

Kristel + Mark were so sweet from the beginning of the process. They were such a joy to work with, too. They were down for anything! The Metropolitan Building is huge and full of portrait spots. I would kill to shoot there again.

By the end of the night, we were all friends. The height of the energy was right before I left. I was standing on a chair in the middle of the dance floor screaming over the music for everyone to gather together for a giant portrait. Sometimes that's my favorite part of the day. 

Thanks to all of the amazing vendors below:

Venue : Metropolitan Building

Caterer : Bite Size Kitchen

Flowers/Foliage: Putnam & Putnam

DJ: Mon Amie Events

Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar

Cake Topper: Small Object

JACI + PHIL'S WYTHE HOTEL WEDDING

Jaci, Phil and I clicked immediately when we met at their engagement shoot. We walked for hours just talking and snapping as we went. That's my kind of couple. 

That's pretty much how it went on their wedding day. We hung out and I got to shoot my friends instead of my clients. I think that's when photographers do their best work. We even got to run in the rain! Doesn't get any better than that. 

Thanks for the opportunity to do great work, Jaci + Phil. Congrats to a beautiful couple. 

Also, thanks to the amazing vendors below.

Photos : Jacob Murphy

Flowers : Starling on Bond

Caterer : Reynard at the Wythe Hotel

Dress : Acne

Suit : Kooples

Invitations : The Bride + Groom

Cake :  Reynard

Music : James Mulry of 74 events

Venue : Wythe Hotel

Veil : Kelly Chase Couture

Hair Piece : Haute Bride

Rings : Satomi Kawakita