San Francisco Engagement shoot this past June.   

This Friday in Dublin California our good friend Devon will marry Patrick and then celebrate their reception at the Palm Event Center-Mitchell Katz Winery in Pleasanton, California. This is going to be a very emotional wedding as all three of Devon’s brothers are Marines with two just getting back from Iraq and the youngest getting ready to deploy after the wedding. I will be posting photos and a web show after the weekend.

Its supposed to rain and be very windy from this thursday through the weekend, but as it always happens to me there is always a short brake where we get a chance to run outside and get some beautiful shots. My wife works with Devon and nothing is going to keep us from creating some wonderful photography for them and their families.

                  Frank and Shayna               Connie and Justin

Oh my gosh…both of my nieces just got engaged and the first wedding is June 1, 2008 with the other next May of 2009. I can’t believe how fast they both have grown up and how they have been planning this day forever! I’m a little nervous, thats right…Mr. Cool is nervous, I mean I’m not just shooting for a regular client, I will be having my entire family around me when I’m trying to work!!

I’ve been told to never work for family, but when your Mother tells you that YOU are shooting your nieces wedding for your sister, you just hit your knees and start to pray. I know I’ll do a great job for both of them, the problem is, how to not have them telling me what to do and what to shoot and where to go etc. etc. I’m working on a work sheet for my sister and her daughter Shayna’s wedding coming up this next June and also my other niece Connie and her mom so they can right down everything they will want and expect from me so I don’t miss a beat.

Here are a few photos I snapped of them and their fiancees the other day when our family finally got together for the holidays. This was also the first time my wife and I got to meet the young men that are going to be their husbands soon. 

Well I’m finally getting caught up and getting some of my album designs finished for clients. Today, I just finished up on Jamie and Jasons design from their Oct. 6, 2007 wedding celebration at the Grand Island Mansion. I have the link here for those of you who would like to take a look at their 43 page 8×10″ Storybook Album Design.

Click here To View The Show

The New Year’s Eve Baby is on his way to New York’s Times Square!

Just 5 Days from now it will be 2008! You’ll notice the Internal Revenue Service man right behind the 2007 Baby. Time to gather all our receipts and get ready for the tax man too…yuk!

Some of My Favorite Christmas Movies are White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Its a wonderful life and of course all three Tim Allen (Disney) Santa Clause 1,2 &3.

What are your favorites?

God Bless and Merry Christmas! 

Randy

Have you ever noticed that little kids are scared silly of this old man and his beard?! Its one thing to look at Santa at the mall from a distance but I always see kids screaming there heads off and crying when they get their photo taken. I bet you that if it was Mrs. Clause posing with them they wouldn’t be crying! The malls should try that one out next year with Santa Taking the photo.

FYI: This is’nt me!

Just wanted everyone to know that I won’t have to much to blog about until my next gig which is a wedding on Jan. 4, 2008.

Soooo, I’ll just be catching up on some designing of albums, printing photos and delivering of finshed books to clients. Catch ya’ all later next year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My 2007 Dodge Caravan saved me from really getting hurt the other night. It seems the bumper system they designed took the 55mph impact really well even though I have a sprained neck and back (whiplash). The Chevy Silverado that hit me had no damage, just my van. here are a few photos of the damage, it really dosent look all that bad, but let me tell you it felt and sounded really bad when I got hit.

I wish this never happens to any of you out there, it’s still running through my head in slow motion over and over again. Drive safely this Holiday Season!  Randy

Its a Friday afternoon on Dec. 14th around 3:45pm, I’m  packed up and leaving  with all of my Instant Onsite Photo gear for one of my clients company parties that is to be held on Hornblower Yachts on the San Francisco Bay and the ship debarks at 8pm.

The traffic is awful and really heavy, but I’m taking it easy when around the Albany area on Hwy. 80 a guy in front of me decides not only to slow down a bit but slam down on his brakes when all other traffic is moving around us. I was being cautious and watching when I had to slam on my brakes and skid about 5 car lengths and come to a full stop nearly hitting him, when I look in my rear view mirror and see this huge Ford p/u coming behind me and not stopping, it really is like slow motion, I remember yelling out loud for three seconds don’t hit me….. SLAM, CRUNCH, OUCH!!!

I guess he didn’t see or hear me.

My four month old Dodge caravan is smashed up in the back but at least I can drive it. I call 911 and am put on hold for almost 5 minutes until they p/u and I tell them where I am and request CHP help asap. The CHP show up in 15 minutes, its now 6:10pm and I should have already been at the pier unloading and getting ready to set up all of my gear. When we all get off the freeway to have the officer make his report and I get back on the road its 6:40pm and the traffic is even worse. I’m getting closer to the bay bridge when I look in the mirror and see the patrol unit behind me, he comes around me and yells through his window to follow him in the diamond lane to get pass about 5,000 cars at the toll gate so I can get over the bridge. He then waves me on and I got to Pier 3 at 7:15pm with a Whiplash, sore back, headache and 600lbs of gear to unload then go find a parking space. Just as I got on the ship it embarked. I photographed 300 guest photos and finished up at 11:30pm, tore down and packed everything up and at 12:30am was in my van again, still sore and driving home to Roseville by 2am Saturday.

Now thats one job I will never forget for the books! Now to contact my insurance company, my lawyer and make an appointment with a neck and back doctor right away, today the pain is starting to really set in and hurt.

Hopefully all of this will be behind me and I hope none of you ever gets in an accident, its really scary when you see it coming at you and all you can do is pray!!

Drive safely this holiday season!!!

Randy