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Gail & Rodney - Grand Island Mansion - Walnut Grove, CA

Gail and Rodney were married on the Sunday June 21st at the Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Grove.

Gail and Rodney walk down the isle as husband and wife.

Gail and Rodney walk down the isle as husband and wife.

gail-rodney-02 Gail & Rodney - Grand Island Mansion - Walnut Grove, CA

All the lovely flowers for the wedding were provided by Cazales Flower Shop located in Stockton, CA.

Rodney waits for the ceremony to begin.

Rodney waits for the ceremony to begin.

Gail walks down the elegant staircase to the ceremony.

Gail walks down the elegant staircase to the ceremony.

gail-rodney-05 Gail & Rodney - Grand Island Mansion - Walnut Grove, CA

The happy couple pose outside the mansion with the water fountain in the foreground.

The happy couple pose outside the mansion with the water fountain in the foreground.

The late evening sunlight casts a warm glow over Gail and Rodney's rings which site in the Lion's paw outside the mansion.

The late evening sunlight casts a warm glow over Gail and Rodney's rings which sit in the Lion's paw outside the mansion.

The sun sets behind the couple as they kiss.

The sun sets behind the couple as they kiss.

Gail, Rodney, and all their guests take a monent for a group shot.

Gail, Rodney, and all their guests take a monent for a group shot.

Cassie & Ben’s Guest Book

The photos from Cassie and Ben’s engagement session were used to make their guest sign in book.

Cover of Guest Book

Cover of Guest Book

guest-book2 Cassie & Bens Guest Book

guest-book3 Cassie & Bens Guest Book

June 29, 2009 - 2:32 am Mike - That's a really nice looking guestbook! I love the cover texture.

Adobe Lightroom 2.3 Graduated Filter - Blown Sky Recovery

Found this great Lightroom method to darken or fix a sky that has been “blown out” using the Graduated Filter tool.  The video  shown here on the Art of the Image blog shows how perform the sky recovery in less than 30 seconds.

Cassie & Ben’s Engagement Photos - Crockett & Mare Island

Cassie and Ben  started their engagement session on the walkway to the new Carquinez suspension Bridge that spans the Carquinez Strait.  We then headed to the base of the bridge on the Crockett side of the straits.  Finally we crossed the bridge and ended the engagement shoot at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo.

Cassie and Ben walk by the former by the home the was reserved for the shipyard's commander.

Cassie and Ben walk by the former by the home the was reserved for the shipyard's commander.

Cassie and Ben on the walkway that leads to new Carquinez Bridge.

Cassie and Ben on the walkway that leads to new Carquinez Bridge.

cassie-ben-engagement03 Cassie & Bens Engagement Photos - Crockett & Mare Island

Cassie and Ben visit the Crocket waterfront

Cassie and Ben visit the Crocket waterfront

Balance and coordination on the railroad tracks.

Balance and coordination on the railroad tracks.

cassie-ben-engagement06 Cassie & Bens Engagement Photos - Crockett & Mare Island

Cassie and Ben look through the gates that workers at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard would pass through.

Cassie and Ben look through the gates that workers at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard would pass through.

cassie-ben-engagement08 Cassie & Bens Engagement Photos - Crockett & Mare Island

Black and White with Selective Color

Black and White with Selective Color

Cassie and Ben in soak up some rays in front of one of many old buildings at Mare Island.

Cassie and Ben soak up some rays in front of one of many old buildings at Mare Island.

Backyard Nature - Dragonfly resting - Honeybee covered in pollen

This dragonfly just seemed to be resting. My taking it’s picture didn’t seem to bother it.

Close up of a Dragonfly resting on a twig.

Close up of a Dragonfly resting on a dead twig.

The honeybees were out and about looking for pollen. This one is covered in pollen.

Backyard-Nature02

Overhead view of the same dragonfly.

Overhead view of dragonfly shows all 4 wings.

Francesca & Larry - Chardonnay Golf Club - World Famous Napa Valley

Francesca and Larry were married this past Saturday at the Chardonnay Golf club in Napa, California. It was a beautiful day, that ended with a stunning sunset.

Francesca & Larry see each other for the first time on their wedding day.

Francesca & Larry see each other for the first time on their wedding day.

franci-larry-napa02 Francesca & Larry - Chardonnay Golf Club - World Famous Napa Valley

John, Paul, George, and Ringo aka The Beatles Abby Road Album Cover.

John, Paul, George, and Ringo aka The Beatles Abby Road Album Cover.

Francesca's 86 year old grandfather looks quite stylish for the wedding.

Francesca's 86 year old grandfather looks quite stylish for the wedding.

Their first moment as husband and wife.

Their first moment as husband and wife.

franci-larry-napa06 Francesca & Larry - Chardonnay Golf Club - World Famous Napa Valley

Francesca poses in the very late afternoon sunlight.

Francesca poses in the very late afternoon sunlight.

Bubbles.

Bubbles.

franci-larry-napa09 Francesca & Larry - Chardonnay Golf Club - World Famous Napa Valley

The colorful sunset the ended Francesca's and Larry's wedding day at the Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa, California

The colorful sunset the ended Francesca's and Larry's wedding day at the Chardonnay Golf Club in Napa, California

franci-larry-napa11 Francesca & Larry - Chardonnay Golf Club - World Famous Napa Valley

Many thanks to the wedding coordinator Melissa from the Chardonnay Golf Club for making things run so smooth, and to Sal the DJ from Souza Sounds for keeping things jumping.

Canon 5D Mark2 ISO 6400 sRAW

This image was made using a Canon 5D Mark 2 shooting on sRAW mode at ISO 6400 with a Canon 300mm f4.0 lens at 1/500 second at f4.0. The image was converted from sRAW to a  3861 x 2574 JPG using Adobe Lightroom 2.3.  There were no noise reduction actions taken on either of the top two pictures. The middle image is the full frame capture, while the top one has been cropped.  The bottom image had noise reduction applied via Noise Ninja.

Canon 5D Mark 2 sRAW at ISO 6400 No noise reduction. Night football

Canon 5D Mark 2 sRAW at ISO 6400 No noise reduction. Night football

Full frame ISO 6400 image from Canon 5D Mark 2 at ISO 6400 - No noise reduction

Full frame ISO 6400 image from Canon 5D Mark 2 at ISO 6400

Canon 5D Mark 2 photo ISO 6400 on sRaw With noise reduction

Canon 5D Mark 2 photo ISO 6400 on sRaw with noise reduction

The image was made at the East Bay Outlaws vs Central Valley Rams game on April 11th at Freedom High School in Brentwood.

WPJA Q4 Contest Winner

The results of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) 4th Quarter contest were recently announced and one of my cake cutting images placed fourth.

There is a certain element of danger using a sword to cut the cake.

There is a certain element of danger using a sword to cut the cake. Don't try this at home.

East Bay Outlaws vs Solano Ravens Football

The East Bay Outlaws scored their first win of the season yesterday  (4-4-09) vs the Solano Ravens in a Northern California Football League game.

Outlaws RB #22 Lontavious Johnson is sent flying during the team's first win of the season in the NCFL.

Outlaws RB #22 Lontavious Johnson is sent flying during the team's first win of the season in the NCFL.

View more photos from the game  HERE.

Cassie’s Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

Cassie and her bridemaids got together for a Napa Valley bachelorette weekend  a couple of weeks ago that included wine tasting as one of Saturday’s events. After the Limo picked them them up, the first stop was the Silver Oak Cellars.

Water fountain in front of the Silver Oak Cellars with a wine glass from the cellars sitting atop the fountain.

Water fountain in front of the Silver Oak Cellars with a wine glass from the cellars sitting atop the fountain.

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend02 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend03 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

Sign welcoming guest to the Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, California

Sign welcoming guest to the Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, California

Cassie steps out of the Limo - Wine tasting made easy, with a limousine.

Cassie steps out of the Limo - Wine tasting made easy, with a limousine.

Limousine service was provided by California Wine Tours.

Cassie wearing her veil looks into the wine display room at Silver Oak Cellars.

Cassie wearing her veil looks into the wine display room at Silver Oak Cellars.

Where the wine is made at ZD Wines

The next stop was ZD Wines in Napa, California. Where the wine is made at ZD Wines

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend08 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

A 2007 bottle of Pinot Noir from ZD Wines

A 2007 bottle of Pinot Noir from ZD Wines

Barrels where the wine is stored till it reaches perfection.

Oak barrels where the wine is aged till it reaches perfection.

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend11 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend12 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend13 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend

The wine tasting room at ZD Wines.

The wine tasting room at ZD Wines.

napa-valley-bachelorette-weekend15 Cassies Napa Valley Bachelorette Weekend