I gotta tell ya folks, if you don’t have insurance to cover your gear, you are OUT OF BUSINESS! I’ve had my policy with Sentry Insurance for almost 15 years and if you add up what I’ve paid them all those years it still isn’t anywhere as much as what my claim just cost them to reimburse me when my camera, lens and flash fell and broke. I also carry a $2 million dollar liability with them, these days you need all of this and more when on location shooting.

My brand new 5D, 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens and 580EX2 flash all arrived today and you bet I’m going to be more careful this time when laying down my gear anywhere!  I also ordered another flash and in another month I’m adding even another 5D camera body, giving me back up gear for even more back up. That means when I go out to shoot any job I’ll have 4 bodies, 7 lenses and three flashes.

Growing up as a teen I was a Boyscout. There motto was “always be prepared”. Oh yea…words to live by. Ha!!!

Randy

BEFORE 

AFTER

When it comes to weddings all of us who are full time professionals are always trying to think of new ways of making are images look fun, exciting and at times look like a piece of art. I just purchased new software from Adobe systems called Lightroom and also the upgrade CS3 for photoshop. Great, now even more new things I have too learn how to use.

But that is exactly what all of us who are full time in this profession do. We go to trade shows, conventions, purchase all the newest and best software out there….why? Because as an artist, we want our clients to have the very finest work there is and as photographers shooting in the digital age we can. Its a lot of time and money spent and hundreds of hours of labor behind the computer, but in the end its really worth it. A single finished photograph these days can take anywhere from a minute to over a hour alone in post production to create.

So next time you look at another photographers work you will appreciate it better. We have all in this field become artists because of digital cameras. Film was easier, but digital is amazing!

Well after my Canon 5D camera hit the cement at 60mph and cracked open and parts flew everywhere, we tested to see if it would even turn on, yep.

We tried shooting with it even though the screen was messed up and broken. When I took out the card to see if the camera was even recording the info…it was! This camera was completely smashed, lens, flash and body.

At the end of the day after downloading every file I went back to check the camera….it was dead and non responsive. This was in fact an act of God. He kept that camera going for us until the very end.

Tell me now you don’t believe in miracles.

Here are some shots from the all new Arden Hills Country Club Chateau Mansion taken with my amazing smashed and broken Canon 5D!

Well I knew someday this could happen. My 6 month old Canon 5D hit the floor with a huge thump, cracked the body, screws flew everywhere and the screen where you view your images, well, everything looks like a cartoon now. Its history.

Also one of my  new 580 Canon Flash’s with its cheap plastic foot cracked and snapped off, now thats wasted too. I can’t beleive that my Canon 70-200mm L lens made it through this wreck today, I would have rather had a lens break other than my camera and flash. I’m just grateful that I have kept my insurance up for the past twenty years with my gear and that they will take care of my claim ASAP! I’ve got work almost every other day.

And all this happened just a few minutes before a Bride was to walk down the isle, thank GOD I always carry back up camera’s, flashes and almost everything else in my cases!! My 20D saved my neck today.

Anyone out there ever have a piece of gear break on them, fall etc.??

Let me know.

Like the song says… “The best is yet to come and won’t it be fine, the best is yet to come till the day you’re mine”. Well 25 years later, two wonderful children and a room full of wonderful friends and family from all over the country, it was a beautiful day and evening for Julie and Steve on their 25th wedding anniversary.

The Napa Valley was the setting for this elegant affair at The Domain Chandon Winery. With its beautiful grounds and its 5 Star restaurant, and beautiful weather you couldn’t have asked for anything more.

The day started off with some photos of my couple, there kids, some friends arriving, the renewal of vows, then off to the elegant Etoile Restaurant for the Five course meal. And the service,well it was as wonderful as the meal. The staff and workers have to be the best I have ever worked with in years, I mean they were fast, polite, professional and not one item out of place, just perfect. you felt like you were royalty there.

Here are some photos from the day into the evening. I have to get ready now and packed up for my 9:30am wedding in Sacramento so this is all I can show right now. Check back around 6pm tonight to take a peek at today’s wedding!

Event	Location	Date
Tony Bennett	Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Calgary, Canada	July 2, 2007 Monday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Edmonton, Canada	July 3, 2007 Tuesday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Greek Theatre – LA Los Angeles, CA	August 16, 2007 Thursday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Deer Valley Resort Park City, UT	August 18, 2007 Saturday 7:30 pm
Tony Bennett	Caesar’s Atlantic City Atlantic City, NJ	August 24, 2007 Friday 10:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Caesar’s Atlantic City Atlantic City, NJ	August 25, 2007 Saturday 9:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Bass Performance Hall Fort Worth, TX	August 27, 2007 Monday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Jones Hall Houston, TX	August 28, 2007 Tuesday 7:30 pm
Tony Bennett	Majestic Theatre – San Antonio San Antonio, TX	August 29, 2007 Wednesday 7:30 pm
Tony Bennett	Ravinia Highland Park, IL	August 31, 2007 Friday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Cape Cod Melody Tent Hyannis, MA	September 2, 2007 Sunday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Radio City Music Hall New York, NY	September 8, 2007 Saturday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Radio City Music Hall New York, NY	September 9, 2007 Sunday 8:00 pm
Tony Bennett	Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA	September 14, 2007 Friday 7:30 pm

I’ll post some photos of me with some of my old very famous clients next week.There wern’t digital cameras back then so I have to get out my scanner and work the old fashioned way to get images online.

Today is my 21st Wedding Anniversary on the 21st! 

My secret to a long Happy marriage is

always tell her “Yes Dear”…it really works!

Tonight we dine at Ruth Chris Steakhouse, then when we get

home she gets to open all her gifts. Just a hint… Jared Jewelers,

Nordstrom Parfume and make up dept. & Nordstrom Leather Goods.

Yea…I spoil her rotten, why not? She’s my one and only. 

We have to remember it takes two to tango, and when it comes to a wedding I’m always a 50/50 shooter no matter if the Bride has 200 guests and the Groom only 50. 

Also, many more grooms these days are getting involved in the wedding process. Helping to book different vendors by themselves, making calls and so much more. 

I’ve had grooms calling me and making their appointments, some even coming in alone and booking me. Its nice to see that these couples are serious about their marriage, their life together and that each trusts the other with the responsibility to book and hire vendors for their wedding. I call these couples my “Love Teams”.

Being prepared and organized really helps me, especially when my couples know what to expect and are aware of all the extras I can do for them if they are on time and ready. In the long run they will come out ahead with better photographs and a larger selection as well!

R

This little darling looks like “Boo” from the Disney Movie Monsters Ink .

I must look like King Kong standing and shooting down at her! Ha!

It was a beautiful evening in Auburn, California. The weather was only in the 80′s, we had pleanty of shade and a slight breeze and 100 of Indira and Josh’s best friends and family, it was wonderful! Here are only a few photographs from just hours ago. More to come later in the week. Enjoy!