Willy Mays, Ronnie Lott, Barry Bonds, Joe Montana,

and more!!!

I can’t say where it is because its a private party I photographing in San Francisco with my instant photo setup, but you will be the first to see all the photos, the very next day, only here on the Borel Photography Blog!

   If you’re a Die hard Raider Fan or Oakland A’s Fan, then you’re going to love seeing all these players and coaches photos from my Celebrity Golf Classic from Blackhawk Country Club on September 18th.

Every year the San Francisco Council of Boy Scouts throws their golf classic and I have the honor of shooting all the groups, players and the live auction and lunch afterwards. Getting to hang around and speak to so many Raider players from years ago who are now retired from football, is amazing, and to hear their stories and see so many Super Bowl rings in one room all at one time, is amazing as well. This year I will try to get a shot of all those hands with all those Super Bowl Rings on.

Now onto the Oakland A’s. I have only been to 2 baseball games in my life, once when I was around 10 years old, and the other was last year to watch the A’s in Oakland. After the Oakland game, I became a fan right away. Its also a kick to know and be friends with one of their star players Nick Swisher. I thought baseball was an easy sport and it didn’t take much to play the game. Boy , was I wrong. It may be paced slower than Football and Basketball, but it has its moments where it just takes off and it gets you standing on your feet and screaming for your team!

Anyhow, here are a few images from last year.

 Today I’m off to visit my mother who lives in Modesto,California for the day. I feel so bad because I haven’t seen her since mothers day in May, I’ve been so busy. At 78 years old and non active she just sits at home most of the time and worries about everyone. Growing old and living alone (a widow, my dad passed in 1975) can really be a hardship on the family, my sister who lives close by is always complaining about mom that she forgets alot of things at times and snaps at her. I can’t wait for my sister to get that age, she has a daughter who will probally treat her the same or put her in a home!

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area I had many friends who were Asian and I experienced how they took care of and showed respect for their aging grandparents as a family as they grew older. Their families knew that someday their children would do the same, we all need to remember that these parents are the ones who brought us into the world, fed and clothed us, gave up so much for us and sacrificed for us. Most families today just don’t want to not deal with aging parents and either ignore them or put them in a home. Everyone should think about how they would want to be treated and taken care of and maybe then they might think like my old friends in the Bay Area.

To see a webshow with music of there wedding day click here: Highlights

There is nothing wrong with a demanding bride or groom, in fact I love knowing that they know what they want, it actually makes my job easier so I don’t have to second guess them. The TV show Bridezilla is really fun to watch and see all of these young women who have NOT been taught by there parents how to communicate well. They aren’t bad people the way the show portrays them. They are misinformed and stressed out because of lack of knowledge and planning. My advice is to get that groom involved and take some of the duties of planning the wedding, but not too many, you girls know how us guys are…duhhh. ha!

One really important thing to remember is, so many couples get caught up in planning the wedding and not planning their marriage. I would say that #2 is more important. If you have a good solid relationship and understanding of what each person has to do to have a sucessful wedding you will have a sucessful marriage as well! Gosh, I’m starting to sound like Dear Abby in my old age!!!

 Someone emailed me this morning and asked me how I got my shots so well. Ha!

Well sometimes is just plain luck and sometimes and mostly its experience.

Take the cake cutting for example. Thats the time when everyone of the guests pops up and takes out their cameras and plays the photographer. They don’t care if I’m the official one hired to take the photo, they will bump you and push you right out of the way. What I do is just get up high on a chair sometimes with a long lens and shoot from the sidelines. Just look at this picture of the guy who pushed his way into my shot and you can also see all the others in the mirror as well. I wonder who’s image will be in the finished album! ha!!

This was actually on the internet, too funny!!!

Steps for Cutting a Wedding Cake :

1. Time the cake cutting as appropriate to the type of reception. If you are having a cocktail or tea reception, serve the cake after the guests shuffle through the receiving line; if you plan to throw a lunch or dinner reception, present the cake after the meal.

2. Gather the crowd and announce your intention to cut the cake, either verbally or with a reprise of the song that accompanied the couple in their first dance.

3. Cut with the groom’s right hand over the bride’s. Slice through the bottom layer of the cake together.

4. Feed one another from the slice. Traditionally, the groom feeds the bride first, then the bride serves the groom.

5. Serve slices to your in-laws – with the bride serving the groom’s parents, then the groom serving the bride’s.

6. Have a preordained friend or the catering staff serve the rest of the guests.

Read more on ways to cut a cake. Follow the link to know about how to cut a tiered cake.

What a wonderful day and thank goodness the weather wasn’t 107 again!  Here are just some of my images from today’s wedding. I had Brian Lydell come along and help shoot for the day, as soon as I get his DVD of his pics, I will add some of his also for everyone to see. For just shooting his first year with his family and learning so much from his parents, Brian is going to be a great photographer!