Alice Sokoloff Photography: The Blog

Nathaniel & Lukas | Stanford University | Palo Alto Family Photographer

2011-09-25T01:32:00.000-07:00

I've been taking pictures of Nathaniel every six months since he was born, and it's been such a thrill to watch him grow. From his infant session, to his session at 6 months, to the session with his baby brother Lukas, when Nathaniel was 1 year old, he's been such a pleasure to work with.

This time around, with the boys 1.5 years old and 6 months, respectively, we decided to do our session at the beautiful Stanford University campus, where both of their parents went to college!

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A shot with the whole family:

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Thank you, Nathaniel, Lukas and family for a wonderful session! You, boys, are growing up so fast! I am thrilled to watch you grow and to have the privilege of capturing a few precious moments while you are still little!

Until next time!
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Lily & David | San Jose Wedding Photographer

2011-08-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

If you are a true folower of this blog, you might remember Lily and David from their Vietnamese engagement ceremony over a year ago, or from their more recent engagement session.

Well, it is now time to showcase their wedding photos. What a day! Lily and her bridesmaids were up from something like 5:30am that morning, getting ready! I met up with them at the stylish Tangerine Hair Studio in San Jose.

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All done, and even running a little ahead of schedule no less--which rarely if every happens at weddings. A great time to grab a quick picture!

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We next went to Lily's parents' house, to get ready for the Ruoc Dau Ceremony (Vietnamese tea ceremony). The house looked very festive, with an arch of blue and white balloons decorating the front.

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Lily changed into her traditional gown.

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David arrived at the house soon thereafter. He was getting ready at his parents' house a few blocks away, where Gennadiy Magidin, my second-shooter, worked his magic.

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With the tea ceremony over, it was time for Lily to get ready for the traditional Catholic ceremony at church. As she was getting ready, it was a good time to snap a few detail shots.

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Love the shoes!!!

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And here she is, perfectly done up!

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We had a short bridal session on the church grounds. Here's the bridal party all assembled and trying to stay cool by the wall of the church.

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In case you are wondering, the flowers are real! Cool shade of blue, right?

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The first kiss! (Thank you, Gennadiy, for the nice catch!)

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Now that the ceremony is over, I got Lily to lay on the grass! Love this shot! (And no, there were no grass stains.)

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At the Dynastya Chinese Seafood Restaurant where Lily and David had the reception, they had set up a backdrop to take photos with their guests as they arrived. (This is in addition to a photo booth.) Where there weren't any guests arriving, we got a chance to play around and take some fun shots.

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Party favors--custom-made shot glasses.

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Guests signatures for an unusual wedding keepsake.

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Lily and David showing their guests how it's done!

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The wedding cake.

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Can you find the cork? Nice one, David!

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A big bouquet toss by Lily.

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Perhaps a little too big. :) Had to get the bouquet out from the draping.

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The garter toss. Doesn't look like the boys want that garter... It doesn't bite!

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And I will end with the first dance. What a beautiful pair, and what an awesome confetti release!

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Thank you Lily and David for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

I also wanted to thank Gennadiy Magidin for second-shooting with me. Here we are taking a short break to make faces at the photo booth

Finally, I wanted to thank all the other wedding vendors for making the day possible!

Hair/Make-Up: Tangerine Hair Studio
Florist: Fujii Florist
Ceremony: Church of the Ascension
Reception: Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant
Photo Booth: ScreenBooth

Until next time!
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Denise & Andreas | Church of the Nativity & Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel Wedding | Menlo Park Wedding Photographer

2011-06-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

Denise and Andreas had a traditional Catholic wedding, where they would not see each other until the ceremony.

Denise and I started the day early at the spacious and airy bridal suite at Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel in Menlo Park. While the very talented Yoong of Wowpretty worked her magic on Denise's hair and make-up, I played around with the lovely details of the day.

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When Denise's hair and make-up was done and she looked very lovely, her bridesmaids helped her into her wedding gown.

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And we were off to church in a fine black limo.

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As the ceremony drew nearer, Denise became emotional--it was really happening!

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The church was abslutely stunning.

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After the ceremony and taking a few family photos outside the church, we headed out to Stanford University for a very short bridal session. Despite on-going construction, Stanford was, as always, just fantastic!

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We caught the tail end of the cocktail hour, where guests laughed and shared cocktails to the sound of Spanish guitar.

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The speeches made the guests laugh and they made them cry.

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Father-daughter dance, with one of the groomsmen singing (really well!).

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Mother-son dance.

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And dancing by everyone!

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Congratulations, Denise & Andy, on a beautiful, emotion-filled wedding!

Big thank you's to all the other wedding vendors for making the day such a success!

Hair/Make-Up: Wowpretty
Cake: A Piece of Cake Bakery
Catering: Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel
DJ: DJ Spencer Sutherland

Until next time!
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Bianca & Erik | Paradise Ridge Winery Wedding | Santa Rosa Wedding Photographer

2011-06-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

You may remember Bianca and Erik from their rustic engagement session just a few posts ago. Well, now on to the story of their beautiful winery wedding at the Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa.

We started the day at the gorgeous Fountain Grove Inn, where Bianca was getting ready in the bridal suite.

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It's never too early to start celebrating. Bianca expertly popped open a bottle of bubbly!

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Bianca was all set with something old, something new, something borrowed... wait, she still needed something blue. One of her bridesmaids came to the rescue with blue nail polish (just for the pinkie toe). Ingenious!

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While Bianca was getting ready, I had a lot of fun photographing her wedding day details.

The dress:

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The shoes:

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The rings:

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Her stunning diamond bridal jewelry:

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And their super-creative wedding invitations:

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And then it was time to put on the wedding dress, which was just stunning on Bianca! It complemented her figure so perfectly!

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A quick bustle fix by the bridesmaids.

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And she was ready to go. We did some quick bridal portraits before we headed to the winery to meet up with Erik for the first look.

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Bianca looks like a model! She really does!

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The winery.

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Bianca descends the stairs for a first look with Erik.

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Naturally, Erik is blown away by how stunning Bianca looks! :)

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And off we go to our bridal session.

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I had to grab the classic vineyard shot! :)

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Probably my most favorite shot of the day. There is just so much sweetness in the way Bianca is looking up at Erik. Her smile, her eyes, the way she draped her arm over his shoulders -- it's just all so perfect!

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As time for the ceremony was fast approaching, we made our way back from the vineyards.

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As you may remember from the engagement post, Bianca and Erik met working on their university newspaper. For their wedding programs, they created an issue of The Arganaut, using photos from their engagement session (and a few others).

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The radiant bride walking with her parents down the aisle.

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A fun traditional Filipino wedding ritual.

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The vows.

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And the exchange of the rings.

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After the ceremony we did the traditional family photos and a few photos with the bridal party.

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Before the reception got underway, I grabbed a few shots of the setup.

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And what do you suppose that is?

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It's the wedding cake, of course. Did you guess it right? I didn't quite believe it when I saw it, but sure enough, it was a wedding cake. I LOVE all the creative details of Bianca and Erik's wedding. And by the way, while not the entire contraption is cake, it is entirely edible!

A sweet image from the father-daughter dance.

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More dancing!

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Congratulations, Bianca & Erik! What a wonderful wedding you had and what a great life together lies ahead of you!

I also wanted to thank my wonderful supportive husband for second-shooting with me. And I wanted to thank all the other wedding vendors for making the day possible!

Wedding Coordinator: Swank Events & Weddings
Hair/Make-Up: Serendipity Salon
Catering: Park Avenue Catering
DJ: Denon & Doyle
Videography: Blissful Pixel

Until next time!
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Lily & David | Vasona Park Engagement Session | Los Gatos Wedding Photographer

2011-06-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

You might remember Lily and David from their Vietnamese engagement ceremony that I photographed a little over a year ago.

Well, time sure does fly and their wedding is just a little over a week away now. And in the nick of time, we did a super fun engagement session at Vasona Park in Los Gatos. We wanted to do some boating, but it turns out that if you hit the park late enough to take advantage of the golden hour (a little before sunset), boating is closed. No matter. We still had a great time exploring the picturesque park!

We started out with a little picnic.

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Lily had prepared these cool rice balls for the occasion. Don't they look yummy? And in case you are wondering, that's 3 hearts and a Mickey Mouse.

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Oops, looks like someone forgot a bottle opener... Key to the rescue.

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Phew, disaster has been averted and peace has been restored to the universe. Go David!

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David said that Lily couldn't jump. So Lily had to prove him wrong and jumped over his head! :)

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Since we couldn't actually go boating, we hung out in front of the colorful boats.

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And then we moved onto the children's playground.

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Swinging shots are so much fun!

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Thank you, David and Lily for our super fun, energy-infused session! Looking forward to your wedding, just a little over a week away now.

Until next time!
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Max | 2 Years Old | Foster City Family Photographer

2011-06-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

One surprisingly sunny and resfreshingly warm day in May, I met with 2 year old Max and his family for a mini family photo session.

We chose a particularly picturesque location by a water canal in Foster City. Max was thrilled--he wanted to dive right in. :) So we moved away from the water and the boardwalk and took pictures in the surrounding park.

Thumbs up for the parents who came prepared with a gorgeous helium-inflated balloon bouquet. Love it!

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Now we've all heard the term "terrible twos". Look at that angelic face! May these photos stand as a reminder not to generalize about age -- children of all ages are wonderful!

Until next time!
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Bianca & Erik | Notre Dame University Engagement Session | Belmont Wedding Photographer

2011-06-14T00:29:00.000-07:00

In preparation an engagement session, couples will often ask me to recommend a good engagement session venue. We are fortunate to live in a place with no lack of beautiful outdoor venues to shoot, and I am always happy to recommend my favorite shooting spots. However, if a couple has a spot that is special to them, I think it makes their photos so much more special.

For Bianca and Erik's engagement session we went to their alma mater, Notre Dame University (home to the beautiful Ralston Hall). Bianca and Erik both worked on the university newspaper--Erik as a photographer and Bianca as a writer, and both of them as editors, at one point or another. :) I think this should provide enough context for the photos that follow.

Bianca and Erik: love the look that you guys assembled for our session. You look amazing!

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Bianca and Erik's beautiful winery wedding was a few weeks ago, so I will be posting photos from it soon (I hope). I am a bit behind on my blogging, but I am working hard to catch up!

Until next time!
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Baby Spencer | Infant Session | Redwood City Family Photographer

2011-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

I am often asked what is the right length of session for newborn photography. And I always recommend a full 2-hour session, because babies are unpredictable. Since infants, when possible, are photographed in their sleep, they don't tire from the session, the way that older kids might. And it is good to have extra time, which may go towards feeding or changing a diaper or even calming the little one down.

But Spencer proved all my theories and experience wrong. :) When I arrived, the little guy was already prepped and ready for me in a pretty wicker basket wearing only a diaper, with fabulous light coming in from a large window. He slept through our entire 45-minute session and even let us reposition him a little to get him into the cutest baby poses.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the session:

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Thank you, Spencer and family, for a wonderful session! I look forward to taking more pictures you and watching you grow!

Until next time!
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"Style Unveiled" features Beth & Kevin's Historic Sand Rock Farm Wedding!

2011-05-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

So excited to have Beth and Kevin’s beautiful Santa Cruz wedding featured on Style Unveiled!

Their wedding was a little over 6 months ago and looking at the photos again brings back all the excitement of that day!

Click here for the original post about their wedding.

Congratulations, Beth and Kevin, on having your wedding featured! It was beautiful and thoughtful and deserves to be shared with the world!

Until next time!
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Baby Irene | 6 Month Session | Palo Alto Family Photographer

2011-05-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Photographing babies is extremely gratifying. But photographing a smiley, adorable, hand-knit hat clad 6-month old is a prize!

Irene and her family were absolutely fantastic and I am very grateful for the wonderful short session we had at Stanford University.

Here are some of my favorites:

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If you are wondering how a 6-month old is standing behind the chest... I couldn't tell you. Sometimes, I suppose, when you want something badly enough, it just happens. Like I said, Iren was just wonderful!

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A portrait of the gorgeous mom and dad. Is it me, or does anyone else see a Cameron Diaz similarity here? Or maybe Meg Ryan? Anyway, mom looks like a star!

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Thank you, Irene and family! You were wonderful!

Until next time!
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Alexandra & James | Engagement Session | Santa Clara Wedding Photography

2011-05-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at Santa Clara University for my engagement session with Alexandra and James, I knew we were in luck. The entire campus is in bloom and absolutely gorgeous. The Wisteria alone is to die for. But then there were roses and more roses and then the rose garden! Just wonderful!

And Alexandra and James, who were nervous about posing, turned out to be so natural. Nothing to it -- kiss and smile and enjoy a lovely day with the one you love! It was a real pleasure to work with you both!

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Notice that formidable lock on the gate? That's for real. I am not going to comment further, only to say that this couple is unstoppable -- I love it! :)

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A portrait of their wonderful dog, Chloe, who had been waiting patiently in the car for the session to end. I did not even know she was there until we were about to wrap up, or I would have used her in more of the photos!

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Congratulations, Alexandra & James!

Until next time!
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Melissa & Henry | Engagement Session | Palo Alto Wedding Photographer

2011-04-16T01:15:00.000-07:00

It was on an uncharacteristically warm and sunny day in February that Melissa, Henry and I went to Stanford Shopping Center to shoot their engagement session.

I am so fortunate to work with so many wonderfully artistic brides. Melissa is a dancer and she moved so well--it really made some of these shots!

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Congratulations, Melissa & Henry!

Until next time!
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Anna | Mini Photo Session Outdoors | Sunnyvale Family Photographer

2011-03-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

There is a field, close to my house. And once a year, in the spring, when the flowers are in bloom, for a short few weeks, it is pure joy to look at!

This year I was so excited to be able to do several wonderful family sessions in this gorgeous field, including this one with Anna.

Please enjoy!

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Thank you, Anna and family, for a spectacular session!

Until next time!
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Baby Lukas | Colma Infant and Family Photographer

2011-03-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

If you remember baby Nathaniel, whose infant photos I took only some 14 months ago, and whose 6-month session was this summer, well, meet his baby brother, Lukas!

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And here is Nathaniel with little Lukas. He's such a big guy! I had to keep reminding myself that he too is still a baby! :)

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Congratulations, Nathaniel and family, on your new addition!

Until next time!
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Dominic | 6 Month Session | Sunnyvale Baby & Family Photographer

2011-03-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

I had not met Dominic until a week ago, and immediately he won my heart! (And not just because he's the son of my best friend.)

What an adorable, lively, baby, full of smiles, drool, and the sweetest facial expressions! At not quite six months old he was trying to sit.

He was a real trooper as we squeezed him into a treasure chest a few sizes too small for him. And when it was time to nap, he got really animated and showed us his best smiles yet.

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Thank you, Dominic and family, for putting up with us over the weekend, and for a very special session! Oh, and happy birthday to Dominic's young and beautiful, mom! ;)

Until next time!
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Alina & Jim | San Francisco Wedding Photography

2011-01-24T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last Friday it was my privilege to photograph Alina & Jim's wedding in San Francisco. We met at the Palace of Fine Arts for a bridal session at 3:30pm, which during the winter is right around Golden Hour. The light was simply amazing. The bride looked lovely in her princess gown and the bridesmaids rocked their elegant purple dresses!

I love the way Alina is looking at Jim here.

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And if that limo is looking a bit long, no special effects on my part--it's just a stretch limo!

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Alina is a good dancer, so she twirled gracefully despite the long dress and the heels.

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Eight is possibly one of my favorite images from this wedding!

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The beautiful bouquet.

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The rings. That's a good-sized rock there, Jim. ;)

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I was happy to catch a bit of the setting sun between Alina & Jim.

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Alina had no trouble at all working it for the camera. Great posing!

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After the Palace of Fine Arts we drove out to the Yerba Buena Gardens, where we continued our bridal session.

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What a gorgeous, gorgeous location!

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When it got too dark to shoot (around 5:30 or so--that's how early the sun sets these days), we headed out to Russia House. The guests were starting to arrive and were having cocktails, waiting for the reception to start.

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I took this opportunity to take photos of the reception hall, ...

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of the beautiful centerpieces, ...

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and other detail shots, like these creative and personalized party favors.

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The sweet little flower girl, Emily.

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Soooo cute!

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And here's the nine month old ringbearer with his dad (and his mom reflected in the mirror). Can you believe those big round eyes? What a sweetheart!

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Mother-of-the-bride and a bridesmaid are waiting for the bride.

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Mother-of-the-groom, proudly walks her son down the aisle.

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And there's adorable Emily with her basket of petals.

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Everyone please rise, here comes the bride.

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The symbolic breaking of the Challah got a little competitive. :)

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The First Dance.

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The entertainment was fantastic, with talented singing by the performing band!

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There goes the bouquet.

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And the garter.

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I love this creative idea for the cake. One larger cake on top (with custom figurines, no less). And individual cakes below for all the guests! Yummy, too!

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All's well that ends well! :)

Congratulations, Alina & Jim! My best wishes to you for a long and enviably happy life together. :)

Until next time!
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Sonia & David | South San Francisco Wedding Photography

2011-01-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

My last wedding of 2010 was Sonia & David's beautiful nuptial at the South San Francisco Conference Center. You may remember Sonia & David's engagement session from a few months ago, which they just rocked! :)

This December wedding was shot entirely indoors. On their wedding day the rain poured as if someone had tipped a bucket over the Bay Area. But rain on your wedding day is good luck. And Sonia & David didn't let a little bit of water get in the way of their special day!

They started the day at the Embassy Suites in South San Francisco, where the bride, groom and bridal party got ready. Sonia's gown was just beautiful! It looked stunning on her, but can hold its own, too. :)

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LOVE the purple shoes! Totally rocking!

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Since the weather wasn't cooperating, we did a short bridal session in the hotel lobby.

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Sonia, you're sooo beautiful!

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Given the time of year, hotel decorations had a few seasonal touches. All very elegant and they didn't mind us moving around furniture and props in the foyer to get the shots we wants, so thumbs up for Embassy Suites!

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At the South San Francisco Conference Center, Sonia & David had a very lovely cocktail hour area, decorated with, among other things, their engagement photos. :)

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Absolutely gorgeous centerpieces at the tables!

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After the cocktail reception, it was time for the Chinese tea ceremony.

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Sonia & David are passing the cups to Sonia's parents. Can you believe how young Sonia's parents look??? :)

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Sonia's dad walks her down the aisle.

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I love this shot--Sonia is so peaceful and happy as she looks onto her husband-to-be.

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And there's David. What a stud!

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Exchange of wedding rings.

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"You're now pronounced husband and wife!"

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During the reception, David and Sonia were to play a game.

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It came as a surprise to the newlyweds.

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David, wearing a blindfold, had to pick Sonia out of a line of some 20 women, merely by shaking hands with each one. And here comes Sonia.

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He takes her hand and doesn't let go. "That's her. She's the one!" And so she is!

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A little girl playing with beads--I couldn't resist!

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And who is that dancing? you might ask. Well, it turns out that Sonia's maid of honor, her sister, is also a ballroom dancer, and she put on a performance--an amazing one at that--for Sonia & David.

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A colossal 5-tier wedding cake! Gorgeous!

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Congratulations, Sonia & David! What a fun and amazing day! A great start for an amazing life together!

Until next time!
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Home for the Holidays | Saratoga Family Photography

2011-01-13T14:55:00.000-08:00

My first post in 2011! Very exciting!

And I am going to share with you photos of a very photogenic and close family. One of their daughters studies abroad, and I was happy to photograph them all together, as she came home for the holidays.

What beautiful girls and what a sweet family!

I should add that they braved insanely cold wind for these photos in just t-shirts, while I was wearing a sweater and a jacket over it. Respect! :)

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Thank you, Maria and family, for being so positive throughout the session!

Until next time!
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Gift Certificates | Family Photography Special

2010-12-13T22:38:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. The leaves have turned yellow and red and have for the most part fallen off the trees. You're wearing a sweater, maybe even a jacket outdoors on a daily basis (and not just at the office to counteract the air conditioner). In other words, we're in California and the holidays are almost upon us! And you need to buy everyone on your list personal, warm presents that they will love! Better yet, when your friends and family ask you what YOU want for the holidays, you want to have a good answer lined up! :)

For the second holiday season now, we're excited to offer gift certificates! (Just in time for those last minute holiday gifts.)

The certificate for a family session looks something like this and we can either send it directly to the recipient by mail (a S&H fee will apply) or we can send it to you in full-resolution filled out with your and the recipient's information and you can print it out yourself (good for those truly last minute gifts)!

And this is our current family photography pricing, to give you guidance on what your gift certificate is going to buy:

Until next time!
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Naomi | Stanford University, Palo Alto Family Photography

2010-12-10T00:15:00.000-08:00

In what I think is going to be my last Stanford University family session of the year (or not, you never know) it was my pleasure to work with the lovely 1-year old Naomi and her parents. As is generally the case with my 1-year old clients, I chased her around Stanford University to "get the shot" and had a great time doing it!

Naomi had a bit of stranger anxiety, but I think we did just fine nonetheless, and by next year, I am sure we'll be good friends! :)

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Thank you, Naomi and family!

Until next time!
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Luka & Ana | Stanford University, Palo Alto Family Photography

2010-12-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

The holiday mini-sessions proved to be so popular, that only a week later I was at Stanford University again, with more families!

It was exciting to be back! The air was colder and crisper. The sun's rays were softer still. And, as usual, the campus was beautiful, despite some renovation that they are doing over there.

I work very hard to make sure every family's photos are unique. It's an added challenge, when working in the same location session after session, but I am loving it!

And here are the photos of the somewhat restless but so adorable Luka & Ana.

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Thank you Luka, Ana and family for a great session!

Until next time!
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Happy Birthday, Anna!

2010-11-28T23:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated Anna's 6th birthday! Who is Anna? Well, I think it would be fair to say that she is my very first model, in my professional photographic career. In fact, I have been taking her pictures since she was one year old. In honor of her birthday, I thought I would share some of my favorite photos of Anna from the past 5 years. I like this selection because it shows photos from different seasons, photos indoors (in a studio setting) and outside. And of course because they show how little Anna has grown and matured into the beautiful girl that she is today.

Happy birthday, Anna!

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Thank you, Anna and family, for the opportunity to be a part of Anna's life and to watch her grow through the years!

Until next time!
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Holiday Mini-Sessions - Part 3 (Stanford University)

2010-11-22T23:47:00.000-08:00

I am happy to share with you the last installment of the Stanford Holiday Mini-Sessions.

I have to say that both children, the 4-year old and the 3-month old were just perfect during the session. As it turned out, it took the promise of a family trip to a restaurant after the session to keep the 4-year old interested. But it worked like a charm! And the baby's good humor was completely unperturbed by the handing back and forth between the parents and not even when he was placed into (and subsequently adjusted within) a basket. He just looked about happily until he fell asleep at the end of the session. What a delight!

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Thank you for a great session!

Until next time!
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Holiday Mini-Sessions - Part 2 (Stanford University)

2010-11-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Continuing with photos from the holiday mini-sessions, I simply couldn't not share photos of this gorgeous family with you.

As it is usually the case with toddlers, we had to run around quite a bit and get creative to catch the little guy. But the parents were just wonderful and came up with some ingenious strategies to get the shots (which I will have to add to my little book of tricks)! The key generally to getting good images with very young children is to go with the flow, not set any specific expectations, and try to find things that they like to do that are still appropriate for a photo session. :) Which is exactly what we did for this session. Because, as any parent of a 2 year old can attest, expecting a toddler to sit still and smile at the camera is setting yourself up for failure. :)

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Thank you for a wonderful session!

Until next time!
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Holiday Mini-Sessions - Part 1 (Stanford University)

2010-11-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, on Sunday Alice Sokoloff Photography held holiday mini-sessions on the beautiful Stanford University campus. We were very fortune--the weather was absolutely fantastic! And all the families were so great to work with. We had a lot of 2 year-olds this time around, so there were challenges, but I think it's fair to say we handled them admirably, propelled by relentless support from the families!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from one of the sessions. I will try to post a few more over the course of the next few days.

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Until next time!
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Elainya | Hayes Mansion | San Jose Family Photographer

2010-11-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

With the holiday mini-sessions just around the corner, and with perhaps some of you wondering what to expect, I am happy to share with you images from Elainya's session just last Friday. This was one of my regular mini-sessions, which was 45 minutes long and which includes 10 images in digital form. So this session was a little longer than the holiday mini-sessions, and it was in another location, but it should give you an idea of what to expect. :)

You may remember this family from the holiday family session I posted almost a year ago. Elainya was just a tiny baby then. Fast forward less than a year, and she is already walking--I should even say running. And when you thought she couldn't get any cuter, she did! Those baby blues just kill me! :)

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The dress that Elainya is wearing is the same dress that her mommy wore for her 1 year old photos. And the awesome retro rocking chair was also made for her mommy when she was just toddling about. :)

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As you can see, I could not narrow it down to 10 favorites. :) Elainya was too adorable! :) Thank you for a wonderful session, Elainya and family!

Until next time!
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Kumiko & Bradley's Wedding (San Mateo Garden Center)

2010-11-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

If you have been paying very close attention, you might be asking yourself--"Kumiko & Bradley? Haven't I already seen photos from their wedding?" And you have. :) Earlier this year we featured Brad & Kumiko's San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony on the blog, which was a lot of fun. Then, a few months ago I received a call from Brad. While the ceremony at City Hall was a very sweet and intimate affair, they had decided to have another celebration, to share their joy with their friends and family.

Brad and Kumiko chose a very picturesque outdoor venue, the San Mateo Garden Center to have another ceremony and reception. Kumiko is an accomplished artist, and she truly made the venue her own by putting up her artwork on trees and tables all around. It was a wonderful personal touch!

Without further ado, let us turn to some photos from this warm and beautiful wedding:

A few very cute guest book table decorations.

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The bride's bouquet.

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Kumiko's wonderful artwork.

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The lovely wedding gazebo.

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A close-up of the gorgeous flower arrangement adorning the gazebo by Laurie Keit of Seasonal Celebrations.

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After the ceremony, Kumiko, Brad, and I stole away to have a little bridal session fun.

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The flowing veil shot that I had wanted to get last time in front of City Hall, but had to wait some five months to get.

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The delicious food was provided by Ulisess Catering Services.

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And here is the cake!

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Mmmmm, looks so yummy. Makes me want to have cake right now. :)

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Brad dancing with his daughter. Getting everyone on the dance floor was DJ/Emcee Scott Gahagen of Peninsula Mobile Music

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Kumiko, all posed and ready to throw that bouquet!

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And this bouquet never hit the ground!!

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Congratulations, Kumiko and Brad! What a wonderful celebration!

Until next time!
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Specials: Mini-Holiday Sessions on November 14, 2010

2010-11-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

The leaves are turning stunning shades of yellow and red. There are Christmas trees and Santas and reindeer just about everywhere you turn (at least if you're at a mall). And it's a little bit chilly getting out of bed in the morning. The holidays, as usual, have snuck up on us and are just around the corner, aren't they?

And since we KNOW your family has been on you to send them cute photos of your little ones, we're offering this wonderful holiday special:

I look forward to photographing all your beautiful families!!! Please book right away, while space is available!

Until next time!
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Family Session with 3.5 Year Old Katya (Cuesta Park, Mountain View)

2010-10-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

It has been almost a month now since I photographed little Katya, and I couldn't quite bring myself to blog our session. Somehow it felt almost sacrilegious, but maybe also sacrilegious not to write about her. You see, Katya has cerebral palsy. She is 3.5 years old, a beautiful little girl, who loved her photo session and laughed and smiled for me the entire time.

There is so much that I feel for this little girl, that I can't even verbalize. She breaks my heart. It isn't right. And it isn't fair. And it's just plain awful that she can't run around with her friends on the playground, or tell her mom she is a little princess, or twirl for her parents in a new dress. And yet, her spirit is so alive--you can see it shine through her eyes and through her smile full of delight.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for Katya that with intensive physical therapy and with lots of work and perseverence, she learns to walk and talk and is able to enjoy a full life, which she so deserves!

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Katya, you are such an amazing little girl. I hope one day, you look at these pictures and say "Wow, remember this? It's from when I still couldn't walk?!"

Until next time!
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Beth & Kevin's Wedding (Historic Sand Rock Farm, Aptos)

2010-10-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month it was my pleasure to photograph Beth & Kevin's beautiful rustic-inspired wedding at the Historic Sand Rock Farm in Aptos.

I loved all the little details (both purchased and DIY) that the couple thought through to create a unified theme for their special day. The earth tones in Beth's dress and Kevin's vest and pants worked so well with the setting of the wedding on a clearing in a miniature forest. (Don't know why it's called a farm... It's really more of a wooded area.)

A week before her wedding, Beth herniated a disk in her neck. [Gasp, I know!] But she totally kept her calm, rearranged a few things in the wedding day schedule, and went through the wedding, smiling and enjoying herself, as if nothing had happened! You are my hero, Beth!

I love just about every photo from this wedding, I think, so it's going to be hard to narrow down a few for the post, but I'm going to try. :)

Beth and Kevin made these adorable wooden signs from drift wood that they had found. Apparently, it takes coats upon coats of paint to get this look.

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For table decorations, Beth & Kevin found all sorts of cool-looking vintage bottles in which to place really cute fall-inspired bouquets--they'd been collecting the bottles since they started to plan their wedding!

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The area where the reception was later held is called the cellar. I don't know why... I usually think of cellars as being damp and underground. But if you are planning on having your wedding at the Historic Sand Rock Farm and they mention the cellar, you'll know what they are referring to. :)

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Beth and Kevin chose to see each other before the ceremony, and here they are, right before their First Look.

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Trying to sneak a peek now, but they actually still can't see each other, even if it looks like they can. :)

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And here it is, the First Look.

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Beth's garter was extra special--her friends made it for her. They made and found cool buttons and sewed them on for a very unique wedding souvenir.

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And here are the rings.

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The rings in another setting and the shoes.

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The groom and his brother bonding before the ceremony.

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I love the way Beth is looking at Kevin in the photo below. To me, her eyes say "complete love and devotion."

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I think symbolic hand-bindings are way cool. :)

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Beth's parents looking on as their daughter is saying her vows.

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The big picture. What a wonderful, intimate setting!

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Congratulations, Beth & Kevin! You were spectacular! Thank you for letting me take part in your special day!

Until next time!
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Sonia & David's Engagement Session (China Beach, San Francisco)

2010-10-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

It looks like fall is here now. The skies aren't as clear. The wind is a bit chillier and stronger. And all that, I say, just makes for more dramatic, interesting photos.

Sonia and David met me at China Beach for their session on Saturday. I have to say, they were real troopers: did not complain once about the cold or the wet or the strenuous physical activities... Well, you'll see what I mean in a second. :)

Thank you, Sonia & David, for a wonderful session. I am looking forward to your wedding in December.

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Did I mention they were also troopers about all the climbing that I had them do? I guess that falls under strenuous physical activity. :)

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Until next time!
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Janice & Jason's Wedding (Hakone Gardens, Saratoga)

2010-10-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Every bride approaches her wedding differently. And there is no one right approach, to be sure. But, I think, most brides would agree, that planning a wedding is overwhelming, to say the least.

But Janice was not overwhelmed. Well, maybe just a little. But she discovered that a solution to being overwhelmed is being well prepared, really well prepared. She thought of everything. She had a very detailed powerpoint for her bridal party and her wedding went off without a hitch even without a day-of coordinator, which is quite a feat!

We started the day off at Janice's parents house. As I always do in preparation for a getting ready session, I told Janice that she should think of the space where she will be getting ready with the same meticulousness as she does about the rest of the wedding. This was two days before the wedding. I also mentioned that Janice should wear something "weddingy" as she was getting ready. Well, Janice really took my advice to heart and it turned out fantastic. They cleared out the living room, where she was going to be getting ready and left only the essentials and a few wedding accents. It was perfect--spacious, airy and festive! And her white silk robe totally said "bride"!

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Janice and Jason wanted to include a composite in their bridal session and we came up with something fun and a little different. :)

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What a gorgeous gate at Hakone!

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The rest of the grounds were pretty awesome too! :)

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The photo below is actually one of my favorite images from the wedding. I love the emotion and the visible chemistry between the bride and groom. (And I also happen to think the negative space works quite well here.) :)

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The programs in the shot below were a DIY project and don't they just look fabulous? Janice designed their wedding logo herself, which I thought was very cool too!

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The day was sunny, glamorous, and very hot! I am sure the guests appreciated the foresight of party favor fans!

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Another one of my favorite wedding shots below. Lots of lens flare in this wedding! :)

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First kiss as husband and wife.

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Beautiful and yummy French food by Le Papillon.

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The bride and groom used photos from their childhoods, their time together, and their engagement session for a slideshow.

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The Macarena.

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Congratulations, Janice & Jason! What a fantastic wedding!

Until next time!
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Family Session with Sofia and twins Ryan & Oliver (Rancho San Antonio)

2010-10-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the adorable twins, Ryan & Oliver? You've seen them when they were just cuddly infants. And you've seen them at 6 months, huddled around a holiday tree. And, of course, their super cute, but until now a bit camera-shy older sister, Sofia.

Well, I am so happy to share with you the photos of our first outdoor session with this super photogenic family! We were hounded by flies and the heat was very nearly overwhelming, but the kids didn't notice any of it. They just did what kids do best--enjoy a warm day outdoors!

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One of my favorite photos from the session--big sister doing the heavy lifting:

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You can't see it on these photos, but their onesies say "Older & Wiser" and "Younger & Cuter". How cute is that?!

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Happy Friday, everyone!

Until next time!
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Sneak Peek from Beth & Kevin's Wedding (Historic Sand Rock Farm, Aptos)

2010-10-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share just a few teaser images from a beautiful wedding I photographed on Friday. A full blog post from this wedding to come in the weeks ahead.

Until next time!
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Marina & Stefanos' Wedding (San Francisco City Hall)

2010-10-02T02:02:00.000-07:00

I first met Marina and Stefanos the way I frequently meet my City Hall clients--over email, with no context and no initial consultation. I asked them to send me a picture so that at the very least I would know who I was looking for at City Hall on the day of their wedding. In short, I did not have the opportunity to get to know and bond with Marina and Stefanos before the wedding. On my way to their wedding, I was trying to imagine what they might be like in person.

I was in for such a treat! Marina and Stefanos are an amazing couple. They exude such peacefulness, calmness and warmth. When I first start a session, whether it's for a wedding, an engagement, or a family, it usually takes the couple a little bit of time to get warmed up, to start to feel comfortable in front of the camera and to lose their inhibitions. They inevitably do all of the above, just not in the first fifteen minutes of the session. Usually. Marina and Stefanos, from the first photo, were impeccable. They were relaxed and natural! Such a pleasure to photograph!

As you may have guessed by their names, Marina and Stefanos are Greek. City Hall weddings by definition tend to be impersonal and do not integrate the cultural traditions that may be near and dear to the couple's heart. So I thought it was especially great that Marina & Stefanos' friends found a way to include a few Greek traditions in their wedding, by bringing candy-coated almonds as favors and by showering them with rice outside City Hall.

As usual, a few of my favorites:

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And here are those candy-coated almonds. They're yummy, by the way. I got some, too. Sweet (almost no pun intended)!

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I swear there is rice in the air in the photos below. But you can only see it on 100% zoom, not on these little web versions. :)

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Congratulations, Marina & Stefanos!

Until next time!
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Janet & Tyler's Wedding (Mountain Winery, Saratoga)

2010-09-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

This couple, Janet and Tyler, they blew me away! Their wedding was beautiful. It was touching and emotional. But more than that. I have a hard time describing this exactly, but for several days after the wedding, I was still under its spell. And while I was processing the photos, going through each one and reliving that magical day, I was once again entranced.

Was it because of how completely, unstoppably happy Janet was on her wedding day? Or because of the carefree effortlessness with which she twirled on the dance floor during the first dance? Or because of the beautiful father-of-the-bride toast where he called Janet's mom the love of his life? Or because of the sweet, love-struck way that Tyler looked at Janet when she gave their last speech of the night?

Maybe it was a combination of all those things, and a million more. But it was such a remarkable experience to photograph this wedding! I feel so honored to have been able to share this day with you.

Special thank you goes to Sasha of Sasha Photography for second-shooting and doing a fantastic job.

And now, on to the photos from Janet & Tyler's magical day:

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Janet positively glowing below... That's what she did all day long--she glowed! And it was good!

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In the shot below, Janet, all done and looking fabulous, is taking a picture of herself, with her phone, to send to those who couldn't be there with her on her wedding day.

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Stopping traffic, of course, as she crossed the street.

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I was so happy that Janet and Tyler opted to have a First Look. This gave us a chance to have (the bulk of) our bridal session before the ceremony out in the gorgeous Mountain Winery vineyards.

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Having the extra time during the first-look allowed us to play around and create these two playful composites.

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Janet moves SOOOO well! What a treat!

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While the bride and groom took a few minutes to rest before the family session and the Ketubah signing, I took the opportunity to photograph a few of the details, like Janet's super-cute shoes and her stunningly elegant dress.

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A very cool moment (below) caught by Sasha.

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The bride putting on her shoes below by me, and the groom finalizing his wardrobe, by Sasha.

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And on we went to the Ketubah signing.

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Below is the gorgeous site of their ceremony, lit by the late afternoon sunlight.

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Tyler walking up the aisle with his parents, captured by Sasha.

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Janet walking up the aisle with her parents, my angle.

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Walking down the aisle together, husband and wife, and happy as can be, taken by Sasha.

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The bouquets, Chuppah and the stunning table flower arrangements were provided by Lindsay Catterton of The Wild Geranium.

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During the cocktail hour, we snuck away to take a few more photos of the bride and groom.

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Janet & Tyler walking into the reception towards their waiting guests.

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The first dance.

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The sun began to set after the parents' toasts.

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The dancing was a lot of fun.

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The 4-tiered carrot wedding cake, captured by Sasha.

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The last dance of the night.

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Congratulations, Janet & Tyler! You are so wonderful and so perfect!

Until next time!
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Family Session with Nathan and Filip (China Beach & Palace of Fine Arts)

2010-09-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

One unexpectedly warm and sunny day in San Francisco, Nathan, Filip and their parents, met me at China Beach to spend a few late afternoon hours running around taking photos. And run around we did. Nathan, 5, and Filip, 3, were so active and energetic--the whole family was running just to catch up with the two of them. No stuffy family photos during this session!

And now I offer you a few favorites from this warm, fun-filled, summer session:

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Thank you, Nathan, Filip and family, for a fun session!

Until next time!
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Ruminations: Inspired by a Yelp Review

2010-09-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

Every day, as we go on about our business, we judge those around us and we are in turn judged, whether we know it or not. I, for one, whether out of humility or sheer ignorance, am always surprised to find out that someone noticed me, something about me, that they formed an opinion, and took the effort to express that opinion, either in verbal or written form.

Today, I learned that I have a new review on Yelp. I was floored at first! One of my wonderful clients decided to tell the world about my services and, essentially, help with my business development. But then I opened the review and saw that I received 3 out of 5 stars. 3 OUT OF 5! I was devastated. My heart beating fast, I started reading the review. Although, according to Yelp, 3 stars is "A-Ok", in my book, that's failure. So who have I wronged?

I read the review, and then read it again. It was by a prospective client, or a former prospective client, if that makes sense. Someone who met me once and, frankly, didn't like me. Besides learning from the review that my photography quality is "decent" [gasp], I was also mortified to find out that I have an "aggressive approach," that I am "negative overall," and that I "talk bad" about other photographers.

I am still walking around, feeling like I'd been slapped. Needless to say, I don't agree with the review, and yes, I know, I need thicker (much thicker) skin. But that's not why I decided to blog about this. It got me thinking about all the judging that we do as a society and about how it hurts people. I am as guilty of it as anyone. And especially if you believe in karma and in our ability to affect the cosmos by the kind of energies that we put out [those of you rolling your eyes, I can feel it; don't judge], it almost doesn't matter, whether you (more kindly) judge someone behind their back or (in the spirit of Yelp) do it (anonymously) to their face.

So here are my take-aways from today's experience:

(1) Be kinder to others. Don't make negative snap judgments, and certainly don't share those snap judgments. They could hurt someone [I'm still sniffling a little bit] and create more bad energy in the universe.

(2) In meetings with clients, or prospective clients, don't assume people want my advice, even my best-meaning best-intentioned advice. Wait for them to ask for it.

And lastly...

(3) Remember that not everyone has to like me or get me. [Sigh.] My clients, they really get me. Maybe they don't go on Yelp and rave to the world about me first chance they get, but I think they get me. They understand that I am not aggressive--I am enthusiastic, and that I am not critical--I am protective and helpful. And they certainly, most certainly, get that it's all but indecent to categorize my photography as merely "decent". :)

Thank you, Krittle C. (though I realize you are not a fan and don't read my blog), for the lessons you taught me with your review!

Until next time!
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Sneak Peek from Janice & Jason's Wedding (Hakone Gardens, Saragota)

2010-09-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, it was my privilege to photograph Janice & Jason's beautiful wedding at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga. Here's a little teaser, a preview of what's to come.

Congratulations, Janice & Jason!

Until next time!
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Maternity Photo Session with Svetlana (Granada Hills)

2010-09-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy shooting maternity photos because pregnancy is such a fleeting time, and I feel that it is really important to capture it. Those photos are the cornerstone for all the cute infant, toddler, pre-schooler, and other photos to follow!

And last month, I had the opportunity to do a short maternity session with a dear friend of mine, my first "model" that I practiced my craft on years ago, before it was ever my craft and only a hobby. :)

Here are just a few faves:

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Congratulations, Svetik! You're going to make such a wonderful mom!!!

Until next time!
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Family Session with 10-Month Old Stephan (Winnetka)

2010-09-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Last month I flew up to Los Angeles to visit one of my closest friends, and to do a little bit of work, too. Yes, it kills me that someone I care about so deeply lives some 300 miles away, but what can you do?

On the bright side, she has access to this other huge market, and sends referrals my way for work down in L.A., or, in other words, another excuse to visit her. And so it was, through a referral from her, that I came to meet baby Stephan and his family.

The little guy was so great through the entirety of our 2-hour session. He smiled and crawled and looked at us in wonder with his big beautiful eyes. In short, he was fantastic, as were his parents and grandma. Here are the best of the photos:

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Even the family dog, Savannah, made an appearance. How cute is that!

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Thank you, Stephan and family, for a wonderful session!

Until next time!
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Joyce & Brian's Wedding (Mission Santa Clara de Asis & Freedom Hall)

2010-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

If you are planning a wedding and are lucky enough to be able to work with a wedding planner, or if you can't afford a wedding planner and simply read books about wedding planning, the first thing they'll tell you is "you should stucture your wedding around a theme." I tell my brides that all the time, too, partly for the somewhat selfish reason that it makes it that much more interesting to photograph a wedding organized around a theme, and partly because I think it makes the wedding planning a lot more fun for the bride herself.

When I met with Joyce and Brian, I was thrilled to discover they had a theme to their wedding--it was going to be about missions! Why missions? Joyce and Brian are united in their strong religious beliefs and they had only recently gone on a road trip covering every California Mission. How cool is that?!

Everything had come together perfectly. The wedding ceremony was held at the stunning Mission Santa Clara de Asis located on the Santa Clara University campus. The guest book (designed by Joyce & Brian) had photos from the road trip intermixed with lined pages for the guests' wishes. The place cards were held in place by tiny mission bells! Every table was named after a mission. Needless to say, at a wedding planned this well, the couple had their own wedding logo (also mission themed) and beautiful flowers! In fact, as Joyce confessed during our first meeting, when she saw my website, she fell in love with a bouquet in my portfolio and showed it to her florist as inspiration for her own flower arrangements. I was so happy to hear that I could help provide wedding inspiration! :)

Second-shooting with me at the wedding was Yury of East of Pacific.

And here are some of my favorites from the wedding:

The wedding preparations took place at Hotel Valencia on Santana Row.

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Each of the bridesmaids received as a present a tote with her initial. The totes came stuffed with goodies, such as orange flip flops and other wedding essentials.

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Did I mention how beautiful the mission is?

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Joyce is a teacher and one of her students came to sing at her wedding. He sang so well, I almost cried!

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The reception took place at the Freedom Hall and Gardens in Santa Clara. And here are all those lovely details I was telling you about. (Details in #23 are by Yury.)

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Congratulations, Joyce and Brian! Your wedding was so beautiful, so well-planned and perfectly executed. It was an honor to be a part of your special day!

Until next time!
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Sneak Peek from Janet & Tyler's Wedding (Mountain Winery, Saratoga)

2010-09-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend I photographed an amazing wedding at the Mountain Winery. The bride was nothing short of sensational. The groom so rocked his kilt. I just couldn't resist and decided to share this one image with you.

A full post with images from the wedding to come in the next few weeks. :)

Congratulations, Janet & Tyler! You were fantastic! And I just know you are going to be so happy together!

Until next time!
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Bride Tip: Enjoy Your Wedding and the Wedding Preparations

2010-09-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

So many brides get stressed out by the wedding planning process, that I thought I should write a separate post just on that topic alone.

I'll tell you a cute story that made me think and that, I hope, carries a message for you, too. I met someone today, getting ready to renew her vows. "Is it an anniversary?" I asked. "Well, yes," she said. She explained, "We renew our vows every five years, so this is our fourth time getting married." She laughed. "It's been fifteen years. I still don't know whether I'm going to say 'yes' this time around," she added coyly.

And I thought to myself, first of all, this is sooo sweet and romantic. Every five years they evaluate their relationship and continue on because they feel as (or more) strongly for one another as they did when they first got married.

But I also thought--wow, planning a wedding every five years, that's got to be so hard. Even planning one wedding in a lifetime seems to overwhelm many a bride. So what's the secret and why do they do? This is pure conjecture on my part, but I am going to say that the reason they do it and continue to enjoy it is that they don't have to. There is no pressure for them to do it, and so when they renew their vows, it's purely because they want to. It's for them and they revel in it.

So that's the lesson that I want to impart on every bride out there who is stressed and can't sleep, as she is getting overwhelmed by the planning process: take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember why you are planning a wedding in the first place. Your wedding is ultimately for you and your spouse! It's not for your parents or your friends, even if at times it may feel that way. And if the wedding is for you, then enjoy it, and enjoy planning it. One day will slip by in a blink, but the planning process may take 6 months, a year, or even longer. Don't suffer through the process because you think it will result in the perfect wedding that you are going to love. Change your thinking so that you are enjoying those 6 months, a year or more, and if you can't, change the planning process so that you can!

Until next time!
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Engagement Session with Jen & Yannick (San Mateo Central Park)

2010-08-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Back in March, Alice Sokoloff Photography had a booth at the Modern Bridal Faire at the San Jose Convention Center. At the faire, we gave away six free engagement sessions to six lucky couples.

Jen and Yannick were one of the couples to win a free engagement session with us. They are getting married in Mexico next year, where unfortunately I won't be able to join them for their wedding. Even though their session was technically free, we pride ourselves on providing professional high-level service to all our customers! Jen says:

"I honestly appreciate your efforts and working with us based off of a 'free' coupon. I won a few things, and have had a few 'trials' on things for the wedding cards, invites, free dinners etc that I won... and nothing was truly free, nor did we get the QUALITY experience that we got with you. I am extremely impressed, and like I said, can't wait to be able to use you again in the future. I was hoping we could smuggle you into Mexico with us :-). And now seeing these pics, I REALLY wished you were coming along."

Thank you for your kind words, Jen! You and Yannick rocked the session. Here are some of my favorites:

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These two are probably my favorite images from the session.

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Although I really like these two as well!

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Congratulations, Jen & Yannick! My best wishes to you for your fabulous wedding!

Until next time!
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Family Session with 1 Year Old Levi (Stanford Medical Center)

2010-08-30T03:36:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, on a very bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, I met 1 year old Levi and his parents by the Stanford Medical Center for their photo session.

Levi was all smiles. What a delightful baby and a sweet, photogenic family! Thank you for a wonderful session, guys! Here are some of my favorites:

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Loving this retro toy car -- totally awesome!

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The adorable little crawler.

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Until next time!
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Sophia & James' Wedding (Church of Our Lady of Peace & Pruneyard Plaza Hotel)

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

It was my great pleasure to photograph the wedding of Sophia and James a few weeks ago. Second-shooting with me was the very talented Sasha Yevelev of Sasha Photography.

Sophia and I started out bright and early at the Salon Rache, where she had her hair and make-up done by Karen Miller. In no time at all, it seems, we were out of there, Sophia looking radiant!

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I loved the cute accents at the salon.

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For the final preparations, we went to Sophia's parents' house, where her dress, shoes and jewelry were all waiting for her.

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It's not just the bride who needs to have her hair done for the wedding. More photos of this cute flower girl later.

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Sophia's mom and sister helped her to put on her jewelry.

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And here she comes, the beautiful bride.

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We reconvened at the Church of Our Lady of Peace, a conservative Catholic church in Santa Clara.

For brides who are considering this church, a note of warning--they have quite onerous restrictions on photographer movement during the ceremony, so if you would like every moment of your ceremony captured from every angle, you might want to look elsewhere.

With that aside, however, the service was beautiful and touching.

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The best man untying the rings from the ring pillow.

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The bridesmaids kneeling in prayer.

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Sophia and James walking down the isle for the first time as husband and wife.

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We did a short session outside the church hiding in the small patch of shade behind the statue of Our Lady.

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Back to the limo and off to Pruneyard Plaza Hotel.

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The guests having cocktails in the lobby.

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The shoes were so cool, I couldn't resist.

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As promised, a few more photos with the beautiful flower girl.

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After the cocktails, everyone moved upstairs into the reception hall.

Sophia and James ordered a custom-made guest book with their engagement photos, which was a huge success with the guests and which will be a wonderful memory for them to treasure. Photo guest books are becoming more popular now, as brides are looking for creative uses for their engagement photos.

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The father-daughter dance.

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The toasts got very emotional.

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And the dancing got pretty heated!

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A beautiful vegan cake.

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And there goes the bouquet, flying across the room. The bride's sister caught it, which I thought was kind of cool.

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After the reception, we had a little more bridal session fun right there at the hotel.

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And finally, some photo awesomeness by Sasha--these are just a few of my favorites from the wedding. Thank you for your hard work and vision!

Congratulations, James and Sophia! All my best, warmest wishes go out to you!

Until next time!
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Engagement Session with Janet & Tyler (Garrod Farms)

2010-08-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago, Janet, Tyler and I went out to Garrod Farms in Saratoga to ride some horses. Ok, I may need to correct myself. I don't ride; they do. And... well... it so happened that we had to content ourselves with petting and feeding and not so much horseback riding, but that's a longer story. The important thing is that it all worked out wonderfully! :)

Janet and Tyler met in veterenary school in Scottland and will specialize in treating... you guessed it, horses. So it only seemed appropriate to take our session to a horse farm.

I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story, but let's just say, those horses should feel lucky to have such caring, sweet people as Janet & Tyler joining the ranks of their doctors. :)

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For all those skeptics, no, the previous picture is not photoshopped. There is actually a very real oversized mirror to allow the rider to see how they (the rider and the horse) are doing.

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The ring.

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The only horseback shot we got. When it comes to horses, they just like them. They don't discriminate.

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Thank you, Janet & Tyler, for a wonderful session. I am looking forward to your wedding at the Mountain Winery just a few short weeks away!

Until next time!
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Family Session with 6 Month Old Nathaniel (Stanford Shopping Center)

2010-08-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

Do you remember sweet baby Nathaniel? It seems that only a blink ago he was 10 days old and I was taking his infant photos. And yet, it's been 6 months! And it was such a pleasure to photograph him and his extraordinarily photogenic family once again!

We scheduled the session for the Stanford Shopping Center, which never disappoints. There was a nice selection of different backgrounds and Nathaniel stayed entertained by all the action throughout. Of course, I would never dream to attribute his good humor to the location alone. He's just such a smiley, easy-going baby--I am sure he would've done great anywhere!

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I just love this one with the tongue... So adorable!

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And for the finale, one with the grandparents, who were so patient!

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Thank you, Nathaniel & family for a wonderful session! I look forward to seeing you in another 6 months for Nathaniel's 1-year session!

Until next time!
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Engagement Session with Janice & Jason's (Palace of Fine Arts & Baker Beach)

2010-07-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

It was on a surprisingly warm and sunny San Francisco late afternoon in mid-June that Janice, Jason and I set out to take their engagement photographs at the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts. Assisting me at the session was my wonderful supportive husband, Andrew. :)

I always know a session is going to go really well when I see that the couple took the time to prepare. So when I saw Janice and Jason walking towards me on the day of our session, rolling behind them a big suitcase, I was excited! Janice, who is naturally already so beautiful, had had her hair and make-up professionally done for our session. And Jason had picked out outfits that coordinated with Janice's cute summer dresses and put on styling white shoes to boot (no pun intended, of course). Their energy and commitment to the session was fantastic! And now, I will let the pictures take over the story.

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With an hour left till sunset, the magical "golden hour", we headed to Baker Beach, just a short 7-minute drive from the Palace of Fine Arts, to continue our session.

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Did I mention that Jason can fly? All right, maybe he cannot quite soar like an eagle, but he jumps really really high! We were pretty blown away! He even jumped over the Golden Gate Bridge, though not on the two photos featured below.

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And last, but not least--I find this photo very romantic. Janice and Jason seem to be looking out towards the same bright future together, don't you find?

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I am looking forward to shooting Jason and Janice's wedding at the Hakone Gardens in a few short months. Congratulations, guys, you were fantastic!

Until next time!
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Family Session with 8 Month Old Julian (San Bruno)

2010-06-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

It was back in March that I photographed this wonderful family--then 8-month old Julian and his parents. They had received a Gift Certificate for an Alice Sokoloff Photography Family Package (2 hours of on-location photography & all processed images from the session in digital form) as a present from their friends for New Year's. This winter, if you'll remember, turned out rather rainy and cold (by our wimpy California standards, I admit, for anyone reading this from places that get truly cold). But by March, the sun had come out, if only a little, and it seemed safe enough to schedule a session outdoors.

For the first hour we photographed in Shelter Creek, the grounds of the apartment complex where Julian lives. For the second hour, we went inside and I set up a portable studio in Julian's room, if you are wondering about the studio-type photos towards the end. :)

Julian was such a great sport throughout the session. He smiled his sweet baby smile and behaved perfectly! It was such a pleasure to photograph him and his parents. I had a big smile on my lips all the way driving back home from the session--that's just how much positive energy there was!

And here are a few favorites from the session.

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I look forward to watching Julian grow and to photographing this sweet, loving family in the future.

Until next time!
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Lily & David's Vietnamese Engagement Ceremony

2010-06-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I had the pleasure to photograph the traditional Vietnamese engagement ceremony of Lily and David, held at Lily's parents home in San Jose.

You may be wondering what an engagement "ceremony" (as opposed to the usual engagement "session") is, just as I was when Lily first contacted me, shortly after the Modern Bridal faire.

According to Vietnamese tradition, the engagement is a festive ceremony involving the fiancé's and fiancée's families, and arranged in advance by the parents. The engagement is considered very important, and in some areas, even more important than the wedding itself. The fiancé's family prepares gifts, that are placed on an odd number of trays. The gifts, as you will see in the photos, are covered by red cloth. Vietnamese belief states that the odd number and the red color will bring luck to the young couple. The gifts include betel leaves, areca nut fruits (trầu, cau), wine, tea, husband-wife cake (bánh phu thê), sticky rice and one of the most important gifts--a whole roasted pig.

The fiancé's family bear the gifts to the fiancée's home and are greeted by the fiancée's family. Once everyone is inside, fiancé's father asks the the father of the fiancée for the fiancée's hand in marriage on behalf of his party. The fiancée's father graciously accepts the gifts and presents the fiancée to her in-laws to be united. The fiancé then places the engagement ring on his fiancée's finger.

After the ceremony, the families celebrate the momentous occasion with a feast organized by the fiancée's family, where the fiancée serves the members of her own and her newly acquired family.

And now, on to the photos:

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Lily's family greeting David's family outside the house.

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The gifts.

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Lily serving the family heads.

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The food was decilious. Lily's mom was so sweet and gave me a full plate to take home after the ceremony, so when I say it was very good, I speak from memory, not conjecture. :)

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And here it is, the whole roasted pig! What a beauty!

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When the formal part of the ceremony was over, we snuck out to take some cute engagement photos of Lily and David.

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Lily's laughter is just contagious!

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Congratulations on your engagement, Lily and David! I am looking forward to your wedding next year!

Until next time!
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Kumiko & Bradley's Wedding (San Francisco City Hall)

2010-05-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like shooting an intimate San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony on a sunny spring Tuesday afternoon!

The vast space inside City Hall was largely empty, so we could take photos at our leisure without tourists and other bridal parties getting in our way (for the most part at least). We were also able to choose where inside City Hall we wanted the ceremony to take place--we chose the Mayor's Balcony because of the gorgeous view! We were offered the opportunity to move up the ceremony time to immediately after Kumiko and Bradley received their marriage license, which worked out extremely well, allowing us to have a more continuous and stress-free bridal session following the ceremony.

We did have one amusing mishap--it is amusing to us now, though it wasn't quite so amusing then--when Kumiko and Bradley's duffle bag with a change of clothes, jewelry and a few other valuable items mysteriously disappeared in the middle of our bridal session. The newlyweds had several sweat-breaking stressful minutes trying to locate the bag, which they were starting to think had been stolen, when it came out that City Hall security picked it up. It turns out, they remove any "suspicious-looking" bags, for security purposes. Good to know.

And now, on to the photos:

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Not to waste any time, we took a few photos by the Office of the County Clerk, while we were waiting for our marriage license appointment.

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And here they are at the appointment.

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I really like this detail shot of Kumiko's earring through the veil and with her bouquet visible in the background.

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Congratulations, Kumiko and Bradley!

Until next time!
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Natasha & Vladimir's Wedding (Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, Oakland)

2010-05-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

You have already met Natasha & Vova in their Love Story Engagement Session that we did a few months ago. And now it is time for their fairytale wedding!

Natasha was a true princess in her Christina Wu ballgown style wedding dress. She was the most relaxed bride I have ever worked with, with a big happy smile on her face throughout the entire day. And Vova... he was her Prince Charming indeed--tall, handsome and with a warm smile on his face. What an easy and fun couple to photograph!

We started the day bright and early at the Worldmark Hotel, where Natasha and her bridesmaids were getting ready. When the groom and his groomsmen arrived, we made our way to the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens, just a few blocks away from the hotel, for our bridal session. The ceremony and reception took place later in the day at the stunning Dunsmuir Hellman History Estate accross the Bay Bridge in Oakland. I only wish we had had more time to explore the grounds there and extend our bridal session.

This wedding had so many cool elements! I love the stylish DIY invitations and seating cards! In addition to the traditional Jewish Chuppah and the breaking (pulling) of the challah, this wedding incorporated an old Russian tradition--taking bites of the Karavai (каравай).

Assisting me at the wedding was Stas, who took many wonderful images, kept our data cards backed up, and spoke up to make sure we got cake! Thank you Stas!!!

And now on to the photos!

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A great photojournalistic moment caught by Stas--the groom peaking out through the hotel lobby glass with reflections of downtown all around him!

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Another gorgeous photo by Stas! Love it!

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And here is the Karavai!

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And here's the guest book that I created for them using their engagement photos.

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And there goes the bouquet!

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Vova was asked to perform a sexy dance before he could go under for the garter.

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The cake was sooo dilicious!

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In fact, it was finger-lickin' good! :-)

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Congratulations Natasha and Vova! Your wedding was amazing--filled with love, joy, and laughter--and it was my honor and pleasure to capture it!

Until next time!
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Events: Russian Faire (Palo Alto JCC)

2010-05-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

Alice Sokoloff Photography was thrilled to participate this year in the annual Russian Faire hosted by the Palo Alto JCC at the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life. Here's our "booth" at the faire:

I met with many families and saw soooo many cute kids! If you were at the Russian Faire and have not ordered your family session yet, please remember that we are offering a 10% discount off our regular pricing until the end of the week (May 15).

Here is the family flyer/price sheet that we were handing out at the faire, if you missed it:

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table and said "Hello"! And thank you to everyone who played in our raffle for a chance to win a free family photo session! And now, we are going to announce the lucky winner. Drum roll...

The winner of our 2010 Russian Faire Raffle is Rachael [100freckles@...]. Congratulations, Rachael! Please contact me to claim your prize.

Until next time!
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Sabina & Ian's Wedding (Clift Hotel, San Francisco)

2010-04-16T01:12:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, it was my pleasure to photograph the classy and stylish wedding of Sabina and Ian in San Francisco. For their wedding, they had rented out the stunning Spanish Suite at the Clift Hotel in downtown. Outside, the weather was out of control--I hear rain on your wedding day is for good luck ;)--but inside it was warm and cozy, as Sabina and Ian celebrated this most special of days with their closest friends and family.

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This might be a good time to mention that Sabina really likes Photoshop effects and expressly asked me to make the photos as unconventional as possible. :)

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There were about two hours when the weather cleared up before the rain started coming down again (and with a vengeance no less). But during those few hours, it was just gorgeous and the covered glass patio in the Spanish Suite was lit beautifully by reflected light and elaborate chandeliers.

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During the cocktail hour I stole Sabina and Ian away for a quickie bridal session in the hotel. Given our severe time limitations, I would say we did quite well! :)

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And here are those fabulous chandeliers that I was mentioning earlier. :)

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An intimate moment before heading into the reception.

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During the cocktail hour, the hard-working staff at the Clift transformed the room where the ceremony had been into a cozy dining room!

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Aykut of Aykut Events was the MC and DJ for the evening. He was really great, by the way, and had everyone on their feet dancing when the music started, but we'll get to that.

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Family and friends gave heart-warming and funny toasts. I personally love the toasts because you learn a lot about the couple from what their friends and family have to say about them.

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The first dance had the bride spinning and the groom jiving.

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Only a handful of guests standing around. The rest were on the dance floor, getting their groove on.

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And now for one of my favorite images from the wedding--the bride kicks up her feet as the evening is winding to a close. All that's left to do is to find that little garter somewhere under her skirt and toss it to the boys.

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

Congratulations Ian and Sabina! You had such a gorgeous and fun wedding and it was my honor to be a part of it!

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Events: Modern Bridal Faire at the San Jose Convention Center

2010-03-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, March 28th, Alice Sokoloff Photography was thrilled to participate in the Modern Bridal Faire held at the San Jose Convention Center. We had a fantastic and truly one-of-a-kind booth, designed by the stylish and very talented Inga Kharik of Design Appeal. And here it is, for those who missed the event:

My associate and I talked to so many wonderful brides throughout the day! The energy was great! The bridal runway show was terrific. [I am just waiting for model releases to post a few photos from it as well.]

And we ran a very exciting raffle at our booth, with nearly 100 entrants (almost everyone who walked past our booth and did not have a wedding photographer entered!). The grand prize--up to 5 hours of wedding photography and a DVD of all the processed digital images from the wedding, absolutely free! It is no wonder our raffle was so popular! We also had 3 smaller prizes as well--$125 gift certificates.

We did the drawing after the faire, and now it is time to announce our lucky winners. Drum roll, please!

Grand Prize - Cortney & Mike (8/28/2010)
$125 Gift Card - Christine & Herrick (6/25/2011)
$125 Gift Card - Janet & Tyler (09/05/2010)
$125 Gift Card - Jessica & Robert (4/30/2011)

Congratulations to all our raffle winners! You will be receiving your gift certificates in the mail (if you filled out your mailing address on your raffle entry card), so keep your eyes peeled for them! :)

It was such an exciting day, but at the end, my associate and I were a little tired, happy tired...

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Events: Countdown to Your Perfect Wedding with Joyce Scardina Becker at Books Inc. (Palo Alto)

2010-03-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Uncharacteristically, I think, I am behind with my blogging. March has proven to be so busy that I am about three (or is it more now) posts behind and will try to catch up over the coming weeks.

But first things first, as promised to our contestants and readers, on March 6, Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction announced the winning couple in the Alice Sokoloff Photography Best Bay Area Love-Story Contest at her book-signing and presentation at Books Inc. And the winners were: Tamara & Jason. Congratulations, Tamara & Jason! You can read their story here.

Colleen Ross of Books Inc. graciously introduced the speaker, telling us a little about her own upcoming wedding and the anxieties associated with the planning process. Books Inc. has its own blog by the way, that you can read to find out about the exciting events they sponsor and the interesting new additions to their book collection.

Joyce gave a powerful presentation, backed by slideshows from the weddings she had worked on, about creating a theme for your wedding that is both meaningful to the couple and that pulls together the various elements to create a visually exciting event.

Here's Joyce, right before the event.

And here she is taking questions.

The guests also got a taste of yummy cupcakes provided curtesy of Books Inc.

Among other vendors present was the talented Nancy Pitta of the Mayfield Bakery & Cafe.

Thank you Books Inc. for hosting this event and thank you Joyce for your insightful presentation.

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Love Story Photo Session with Natasha & Vladimir (San Francisco)

2010-03-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I had an absolute blast shooting a love-story photo session with Natasha and Vova. What's a love-story photo session, you may ask? It's a super-exciting photo services product that I am pioneering and offering.

A love-story photo session is a more thoughtful and meaningful type of engagement session. It can tell up to three stories: the meeting, the courtship, and the proposal. The stories are "scripted" by the couple and the photographer ahead of time. But while the stories are planned, they stay fun for the couple to act out because of the photojournalistic approach that I use to photograph them. In the end, the love-story, as the name implies, tells the story of the couple's relationship in pictures and creates a wonderful lasting memory for them.

I couldn't dream of a better couple than Natasha and Vova for a love-story session. Natasha's laughter was absolutely contagious! Her background in theater allowed her to stay relaxed in front of the camera. And Vova's quiet romanticism set exactly the right kind of mood for the session. They also really took the time to think through the stories and to pick out the perfect accessories and props to make each segment, photographed all in one day, tell its own story.

And now, to satisfy some curiosity that you have hopefully built up... :-)

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One of my favorite images... It's so playful and sweet!

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Congratulations, Natasha and Vova! I can't wait until your wedding, only a month away now! :)

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Contest: Best Bay Area Love Story -- Meet the Contestants

2010-03-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

For those of you following our blog, you know that Alice Sokoloff Photography was running a very exciting contest in the month of February that has just come to a close. We now have our contestants and the winner will be announced this coming Saturday, March 6 at the Books Inc. lecture and reading in Palo Alto by Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction. If you'll remember, the winner of the contest will receive a $500 credit towards a wedding photography package. The other contestants will receive a participation prize, which will be announced on Saturday.

Drum roll please. Let's meet the contestants. The love-stories below are based on the stories that the contestants have e-mailed to me, re-told in my own words.

Karen & Joost
		Joost and Karen first met at a gay bar in West Hollywood that Karen had wondered into with a friend on Halloween. Joost, a Dutch native, was in the United States on an intenship. A week after their initial meeting at the bar, they started dating. But six months later, Joost went back to Holland after his internship ended and Karen moved to the Bay Area.
For the next 2 years and 3 months Karen and Joost continued to have a long-distance relationship, keeping the flames alive by Internet, video cam, Skype, and of course trips together throughout Europe and the U.S. They realized that, despite the distance, they preferred to be with each other than with anyone else.
And of course this story has a happy ending. In August 2008 Joost came back to California for another internship and on December 11, 2009 Joost formally proposed to Karen. Their wedding is to take place at San Francisco City Hall on May 27th of this year.

Anya & Slavik
		Anya met Slavik outside a club, as she was looking for a likely candidate from whom she could bum a cigarette for herself and a friend. In fact, it was Anya's friend who had caught Slavik looking at Anya, and she suggested that she approach him, as she was sure he wouldn't turn them down. Indeed he did not. Anya and her friend did not see Slavik again until, after dancing for a few hours at the club, they came out again for air and saw Slavik engaged in a bloody fight with another drunk club-goer. Being underage, at the time, Anya and her friend fled the scene to avoid any unpleasant interactions with the police, which was be sure to arrive.
It was 9 months later that Slavik re-appeared unexpectedly in Anya's life. She was at a coffee shop with the same friend, looking at a popular social networking site, when she received an instant message from Slavik. Anya's friend suggested that he had been released from prison and now wanted to hunt her down to eliminate a dangerous witness. From the message, however, it did not appear that that Slavik knew who she was. He proceeded to ask her to go on a date, despite repeated refusals by Anya. Slavik found out her schedule and hang-out spots. Despite all odds, Anya had reasoned that if Slavik was a crazy stalker and had wanted to hurt her, he would have already done so, instead of continuing to court her, and agreed to go out with him! Just in case, she went on her date with a pocket knife in her purse.
Slavik arrived for the date in a black BMW with tinted windows. No one came out and Anya decided not to get in. But the BMW blocked her way to her own car, so she had to get in. To her surprise, inside sat a "nice Jewish boy, wearing a sweater two sizes too big, jeans, faded out and 2 inches too short, grandpa shoes, and an old black jacket." An hour into the date, Anya realized that Slavik really had no idea who she was and had on a vague recollection of that fateful night 9 months ago. Anya was endeared to Slavik for admitting during their date that he thought she was too pretty to date someone like him.
It has been 2 years since their first date and they are getting married on October 16th of this year.

Tamara & Jason
		Tamara and Jason met in graduate school at a seminar in Feminist Theory at the University of Colorado. When Jason immediately made the link between Tamara's research and the work of W.E.B. DuBois, Tamara was interested.
For a while Jason and Tamara spent time together only as friends. Tamara knew she was comfortable about Jason the way she wasn't around anyone else. Tamara and Jason did not start dating until several months later when she invited him to her home and cooked him pot roast. Their transition to dating was seamless and comfortable. They moved in together soon thereafter.
At the start of the next semester, Tamara and Jason started to discuss marriage, without a formal engagement, but it was a difficult financial time for them, and wedding plans had to be put off.
Amidst long-term planning for a wedding two years out, Tamara learned that her father was very ill. Wedding plans were immediately expedited on an emergency basis. Tamara even bought a dress. Jason stood by her in this difficult time, doing what he could to support Tamara. Fortunately, it had turned out that Tamara's father's condition had been an exaggeration. But Tamara felt terrible about the way she had pushed forward with the wedding, like a "black widow spider." Jason proposed the next week on Tamara's 35th birthday, taking her completely by surprise! Tamara and Jason will be married on December 29, 2010 at the San Francisco City Hall.

I would like to thank our wonderful contestants for sending in their entries. Every story is special in its own right and I only hope I did each of them justice in re-telling them on this blog! Best of luck in the contest and I hope to see all or at least a few of you at the Books Inc. lecture and book signing this Saturday, March 6th at 3pm.

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Specials: The Perfect Gift for Your Sweetheart on Valentine's Day!

2010-02-06T22:56:00.000-08:00

Whether you are getting married, are already married, or are just dating, treat your sweatheart to a very special and meaningful Valentine's Day gift this year. It will cost you less than jewelry, about the same as a large bouquet of flowers, and will last a lifetime!

To order, click on the photo below:

Just to clarify, your photo session does NOT have to take place ON Valentine's Day. It can take place on any date--all you would be purchasing is a gift certificate for the session to gift to your loved one.

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Contest: Best Bay Area Love Story

2010-02-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

Alice Sokoloff Photography is launching a great contest for engaged couples, so if you are not getting married, but know someone who is, forward the information on to them! And if you are engaged to be married and have a beautiful, compelling, funny or original love story that you are willing to share, read on!

The winning couple will receive a $500 credit towards their wedding photography package with Alice Sokoloff Photography!!!

The following rules apply:

info@alicesokoloffphotography.com

The entries will be published on the blog, together with the photos, on March 1, 2010. They will be evaluated and a winner will be selected on March 6, 2010 by Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction, an award-winning Bay Area event planner and published author, at the Books Inc. book reading and signing of her Countdown to Your Project Wedding in Palo Alto. (Details forthcoming.)

Please don't wait and submit your entry right away! There will be prizes for all submissions!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Family Session with 8-Month Old Saskia (Redwood City)

2010-02-02T00:41:00.001-08:00

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the lovely 8-month old baby Saskia and her no less photogenic mom.

I loved the cute outfit that mom had picked out for baby Saskia. I normally don't think dresses work for babies, given that they are not walking yet and tend to use their dresses as a chew toy. But Saskia's sweater-dress really worked! As did her adorable little hat! :-)

We started our session inside by the window, but as the weather improved moved outside. While I am very happy with how all of our photos came out, I have to say, nothing can come close to shooting in natural light. (Is that a very cliche thing to say? Well, it is tried and true all the same!) The bright and saturated photos taken outdoors are my absolute favorite!

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Did I mention Saskia is teething? Big time! :-)

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Business Photo Session with Tanya (San Jose)

2010-01-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Tanya Pysarevska of Azimuth Financial is a local insurance broker who specializes in all forms of personal and commercial insurance. Tanya needed photos for her business card and website and wanted images that would really show her the way that she is--the kind of person that you want to spend an afternoon with at the park talking about your kids (and about whether your insurance coverage is where it should be based on your current situation). Tanya understands the importance of good business photos for drawing in clients and I think the photos that we got from our session will serve her very well! Here are a few of my favorite photos from our session:

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Here is Tanya's contact information--she is my insurance agent; she could be yours too. ;-)

Tetyana Pysarevska
Azimuth Financial
2695 Moorpark Ave, Ste 201
San Jose, CA 95128
Cell: 408-476-7611
Fax: 408-449-4881
tpysarevska@att.net

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Newsletter: January/February 2010

2010-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

Alice Sokoloff Photography has come out with its first ever newsletter. But we are hoping to turn this into a regular bi-monthly (once every two months)update about where we are and what we are up to. Folks on our mailing list received a copy of this newsletter in their email boxes late last night and for everyone else, it is posted right here. :)

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Bride Tip: The Pros and Cons of a San Francisco City Hall Wedding

2010-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

Some of the local (SF/Bay Area) brides, and brides who are making San Francisco the site of their destination wedding, may be considering the San Francisco City Hall as the place to exchange their vows and get married. As with anything, there are pros and cons to any venue, and I thought it might be helpful for me to talk about some of them here.

PRO: The San Francisco City Hall is just beautiful! It's majestic, and classic and timeless. It's hard to find a location to hold the wedding ceremony that would offer such grandeur and in the heart of San Francisco, no less.

CON: One of the biggest disadvantages of having your ceremony at the City Hall is that it's not very private or intimate. In fact, you are one couple on a conveyor of brides and grooms, parents, friends, photographers, etc. It feels to me like maybe some of the magic of the wedding day is lost, waiting in line with brides before and after you for the same officiant who has already married 50 couples before you.

PRO: A ceremony at the City Hall is short in duration and if you've ever squirmed through a 45-minute long ceremony at a friend's or relative's wedding, you know it's an advantage! If you are not particularly sentimental about the ceremony piece, it is actually an advantage to have it over with quickly and not to have to pay the photographer for time spent circling you like a vulture as you are standing in one spot and not much is changing.

CON: Of course, a short ceremony by the City Hall officiant is not going to include anything that is particularly personal or sentimental to you. The officiant is not going to be a friend or family member and will not be recalling episodes from your toddler years as part of his speech. Nor will you and your fiance have the chance to exchange your own personal wedding vows. There is a script and everyone follows the script. So, if the ceremony piece is important to you, the somewhat truncated City Hall version may not be right for you.

PRO: The price of a City Hall ceremony (not to be confused with the separate marriage license fee) is only $75 as of the date of this post (source: Office of the County Clerk) and it includes both the location and the officiant and you don't have to pay to decorate! This is very inexpensive, especially given my first point about how beautiful it is. If you are a price-conscious bride and are only going to have a small restaurant reception after the formal ceremony, holding the ceremony at San Francisco City Hall could be a great way to save money and still have a magnificent ceremony venue.

CON: Many couples opt to have the ceremony and reception at the same location. It's the best way to ensure that most of your guests make it to both and that your guests do not need to re-park to get from the ceremony to the reception. While it is possible to do both the ceremony and reception at City Hall (see Special Weekday Intimate Wedding Packages and Weekend Wedding Package), these end up being no less expensive than a wedding elsewhere and may lack a certain warmth (just my personal opinion). The vast majority of couples that get married at San Francisco City Hall are only having their wedding ceremony there and the reception at another venue. Ceremony reservations at San Francisco City Hall are available between 10:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. That means, a weekday wedding. And that means that you are going to get married pretty early in the day on a weekday. Some guests may not be able to make it, which is just what's intended for a City Hall wedding. According to the rules, only up to 6 guests total may attend the ceremony, including the photographer, videographer, etc. I have yet to see this rule strictly enforced, but the idea is clear--you are not supposed to bring all 80 or 150 of your wedding guests to City Hall to celebrate with you, unless you are purchasing one of the [more expensive] packages mentioned above.

PRO: The San Francisco City Hall is centrally located. After the official ceremony, which as we said happens fairly early, the bride, groom, and their small wedding party can head out for a bridal session for a few hours before their reception.

CON: A central location also translates into no free parking. If you and your guests are driving to City Hall (as opposed to arriving by limo or taxi), you will most likely have to resort to paid parking.

PRO: A City Hall wedding is by definition secular. It celebrates a civil union and is free from religion. If you are deeply religious, this, of course, is not so great. But if you are deeply religious, I suspect you've been dreaming of and can visualize every aspect of that perfect traditional church (sinagogue, mosque, you name it) wedding that your religion calls for and I doubt you are even contemplating a wedding at City Hall. For the brides who don't feel strongly affiliated with any particular religon, or who perhaps don't share religious views with their future spouse, a secular ceremony is the perfect answer.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong decision. Whether City Hall is the right choice for you depends on the weight and importance that you ascribe to the factors described above. And whatever reception venue you choose, I wish you the most brilliant wedding!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Family Session with Nicole and Abby

2010-01-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

Toddlers are notorious for being difficult to photograph. They simply don't have a lot of interest in or patience for smiling for the camera or staying in one place. What they are interested in, however, is exploring the world around them, whether it's picking up leaves and rocks off the ground, jumping off chairs, or just running around. What that means is that, with some patience and skill, it is a lot easier to capture exciting action shots of a toddler than classic portraits.

With this intro, I present to you the family photos of Nicole and Abby. During our photo session at the Stanford Shopping Center, Abby ran around and explored, just as she was supposed to, and I snapped away. Nicole, pregnant with her second daughter, did not skip a beat and was there interacting with Abby to make for truly dynamic shots. Below are some of my favorites from that session:

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Family Session with Baby Nathaniel (Colma)

2010-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

My last photo session of 2009 was with the handsome baby Nathaniel. On the day of the session, Nathaniel was only fifteen days old, though he looks like such a little man already, doesn't he? But don't be fooled--it's the hair!

For most of our session, Nathaniel stayed wide awake. And he was being such a good little model for us. He didn't cry very much all and let us move him around, twist and turn him, dress and un-dress him more or less any way we pleased. :-)

Because he was being so good, I have more than 100 photos from the session, so it's very hard for me to pick only a few favorites, but I'll take a shot at it. :)

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And last, but certainly not least, my absolute favorite photo from the session:

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Engagement Session with Beth & Kevin (Aptos)

2010-01-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

There is nothing that I love about my job so much as appreciative clients who really dig and get my work! My latest fav quote from a client is from Kevin, who said to his fiancee, Beth, after he saw their engagement session photos for the first time "Honey, we've been turned into art!" :-D His reaction to the photos is especially flattering because Kevin was initially a bit skeptical about the whole engagement session idea, as many men unfortunately are.

Beth and Kevin were such a delight to work with during the session. They wanted photos that were fun and dynamic, and they were willing to work for it. :-) You'll see what I mean shortly, but let me just say that they were the best jumpers that I've had the pleasure to photograph!

Special thanks to Stas Ushomirsky of Sky Creative for his assistance during this session.

And now, on to the photos:

I will start off with a fun little composite that we did. Composites are rather time consuming to photograph, but it's time that pays off, I like to think. :-)

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The main trick to photos like this one is a truly fearless couple!

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Beth has such fantastic posture in this shot--she totally rocks it!

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And this one, too! :-D

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A very simple, even classic, portrait, but I really like it. To me it conveys a very strong "life is good" feeling.

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An engagement ring on the hand shot with some creative processing. Beth and Kevin also received a version with "regular" processing, in case they are not fans of cross-processing.

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We did some frame-within-a-frame experimentation and I really like the outcome!

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As we were losing light quickly--it was an overcast day and sunset came even earlier than expected--we closed with a few classic shots.

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Congratulations, Beth & Kevin! I can't wait to photograph your wedding in October 2010!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Contest: The Results Are In!!!

2010-01-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

The results of the Alice Sokoloff Photography Best Kids' Mini-Session Photo Contest are in! Thank you to everyone who participated!!! It was really nice to see this kind of a response.

If you were following the action, it shouldn't be hard to guess who our lucky winner is for the "best photo" prize. :-) Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for Xavier, whose photo, #6 in our contest, collected the most votes, beating its closest competition by more than a factor of two. No contest there!

[Wild applause]

The second prize, the one for the "best comment," I had to approach more thoughtfully. The costest wasn't about the cutest kid. It was about the cutest photo of a kid. And most of the comments focused on how cute the kids were. At the same time, I realize that the model or subject in the photo is a huge factor in how good a photo looks, so it can be hard to separate liking the person in the photo from the photo itself.

Ultimately, two comments stood out the most to me both for their thoughtfulness and insight, and since I couldn't decide which one I liked better, they are going to split the prize, each receiving a $15 gift certificate from Alice Sokoloff Photography. :-)

The two winning comments are:

Alla said...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to the winners and thank you, again, to everyone for taking the time to participate in our contest! Emilene & Alla, please email me for details about your gift certificates.

This contest is now over, but we hope to have more fun contests and specials for you in the future. If you haven't already, please subscribe to this blog, become a fan of Alice Sokoloff Photography on Facebook, or follow us on Tweeter, to stay on top of all of our latest news, specials, and updates!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Specials: Alice Sokoloff Photography Gift Certificates

2009-12-29T23:36:00.000-08:00

You asked for them and we listened. We're excited to announce that Alice Sokoloff Photography gift certificates are now available! (Just in time for those last minute holiday gifts.)

The certificate for a family session looks something like this and we can either send it directly to the recipient by mail for you (a S&H fee will apply) or we can send it to you in full-resolution filled out with your and the recipient's information and you can print it out yourself (good for those truly last minute gifts)!

We love getting great ideas like this from customers, so, please, keep them coming!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Bride Tip: Demystifying the Wedding Photography Services Contract

2009-12-28T21:14:00.000-08:00

When you, the bride, finally make that leap of faith :-) and decide on one photographer over all others, in most cases you will be presented with a contract to sign.

"Why do we need a contract?" you may ask yourself. Well, there are two primary reasons: one legal and one practical. I think it's important not to mix up the two as you read the contract for the first time.

The legal reason is obvious: if either of the parties (the bride & groom or the photographer) feels that the other party didn't live up to that party's end of the bargain, the offended party may take the offending party to court and attempt to resolve matters there. Since it is the service provider, the photographer in our case, that provides the form contract to the customer, you will see that there are a lot of provisions there designed to protect the photographer from a particularly litigious customer. You should read the entire contract carefully, but you shouldn't worry yourself silly over those kinds of clauses. If you are concerned, by all means, ask the photographer about the provision that has you up in a knot and even negotiate it, if you feel that strongly. Some photographers will negotiate with you; others won't. It depends on the specific provision that you pick on and how comfortable they are with their own contract. You have to pick your battles and I would suggest worrying more about the "practical" provisions (below) and less about the "legal" provisions. (This is not my legal advice--only my personal common-sense approach.)

Practically speaking, very few Wedding Photography Services contracts are going to end up being litigated in court. It's simply too expensive to go through the legal system to resolve this kind of a dispute, and usually not worth it. Not completely unheard of or impossible, but unlikely. So, again, practically speaking, the reason for a contract from the perspective of the bride is to lay out the actual terms of her agreement with the photographer. You will be surprised to see how small a part of the Wedding Photography Services contract the actual "substantive" terms comprise. :-)

So what are some of the contract provisions that you should care about as a bride:

Price & Options.

and

Payment Schedule.

Wedding Day Details.

Timeline for Products.

Privacy.

don't

Rights in Digital Images.

That's all that comes to mind as I try to reverse the roles and think through the Wedding Photography Services contract from the bride's perspective. This is my first attempt to tackle this topic, so if you, either as a bride or a photographer, have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions, I welcome those. Let me know what you think. Obviously this is not a comprehensive guide, but I hope it will make the often too-long Wedding Photography Services contract less intimidating. You know my interest in all this--let's move past the paperwork and start shooting! :-D

Now, you can't have a discussion of anything pseudo-legal these days without a disclaimer, so here goes. The advice, overview and "demystification" of Wedding Photography Services contracts provided here is not meant to constitute legal advice. I am not your lawyer; I am the magician behind the lens. :-) If you are worried about your Wedding Photography Services contract, you should consult an attorney.

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Contest: Best Kids' Mini-Session Photo

2009-12-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

As promised, we are going to have a very exciting contest!!! There are two prizes for the taking:

Here are the rules:

photo

And here are the photos, in no particular order:

(1) Carolyn

(2) Alexa

(3) Addison

(4) Sima

(5) Antoine

(6) Xavier

(7) Jake

(8) Vika

(9) Mason

(10) Jenna

(11) Dylan

(12) Logan

(13) Sienna

(14) Arthur

(15) Kyra

(16) Courtney

(17) Zachary

(18) Anthony

Let the voting begin! I look forward to all your comments!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Holiday Family Photo Session with the Farises (Mountain View)

2009-12-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

'Tis certainly the season for those Hallmark family photos in front of the tree or the fireplace. :-) And I have more warm-your-heart photos here.

This blog post is going to feature my favorite family--Alissa, Karim, Sofia, and the baby twins, Oliver & Ryan. You may remember Alissa from her maternity photos and the twins from their infant session back in August.

The whole family is now ready to celebrate the holidays! Merry Christmas, guys!

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Kids' Holiday Mini Sessions (Part 4)

2009-12-15T15:02:00.000-08:00

I finally know how many installments of kids' holiday mini-sessions there will be! Four--this is the last one (and the largest one) because I am now done with the processing!

This project took a little longer than I had anticipated, but it was very rewarding and I have many bright new images with bright new faces for my website. (Though I am starting to wonder whether I may need to do this again come spring--there's a really strong "golden fall" motif present in all the images that may look a little odd in April.) ;-)

I am very excited to share this last installment with you because now that the photos are ready, we can have a contest for the best mini-session photo--stay tuned for it in the next blog post. Naturally, I couldn't hold the contest until all the photos were done and up on the blog for your viewing pleasure.

And here they are:

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Holiday Family Photo Session with the Stapletons (San Jose)

2009-12-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

All babies are cute and precious. But some just a little more so than others. :-) It was my privilege to photograph the absolutely adorable 2-months old baby Elainya and her parents. They are such a sweet family and I think that sweetness and warmth really came through in the photos.

Without further ado, here are a few of my favorites. Again, it was so hard to pick only a few...

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I think this one is my all-time favorite:

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Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Holiday Family Photo Session (Stanford)

2009-12-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

December is just starting and already it is proving to be such a busy month. I have more photos in production than I care to admit (even to myself). And I have three or four new sessions scheduled for the coming weeks! What fun!

In the thick of my kids' mini sessions I also did a family photo session for old friends of ours. They are not old; we just go way back, to a time before any of us had bragging rights to any kids. Now, they are a family of four and they are all so lovely and photogenic--I love it! Happy holidays, guys!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Kids' Holiday Mini Sessions (Part 3)

2009-12-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

I've been working really hard on getting the rest of the photos from the mini sessions processed quickly and I appreciate the parents' patience in bearing with me. Your kids photos are in good hands. Those hands are just busy, busy, busy.

Another three fantastic kids for your viewing pleasure. And to preempt your questions, yes, the first two are brother and sister. (Ok, maybe you weren't going to ask... it's a little obvious, isn't it?)

Is it just me, or is anyone else thinking "miniature Nicole Kidman"?

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Kids' Holiday Mini Sessions (Part 2)

2009-11-30T23:05:00.000-08:00

With the holidays cutting in in the midst of it all, it has taken me longer than I anticipated to process the photos from the kids' holiday mini-sessions. But the holidays alone are not to blame. It's the kids! :-) They are so photogenic that I have been processing a lot more photos than I initially envisioned. :-D

I've got another three fantastic kids for this blog. Please enjoy!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Kids' Holiday Mini Sessions (Part 1)

2009-11-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

After three very intense days of shooting and some 20 kids later, I have over 2,000 images to look through, process, and select the top ones for my website. I sure have my work cut out for me!

My kid models were so delightful that I can't wait to share the wonderful photos with you. I will have to post them in batches, as I get through them all.

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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Children's Photos Special

2009-11-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

For four days only--November 19, 20, 23 and 24--Alice Sokoloff Photography is having a children's photo special. We are offering 20-minute mini-sessions for $20! This is a fantastic deal, so if you don't have little ones of your own, let your friends know!

Why are we doing this? We are in the process of doing a major overhaul and redesign of the Alice Sokoloff Photography website and need fresh new images and lovely young faces! In return for a release to publish the images and use them for marketing purposes, we are offering 5 digital images from the 20 minute mini-session. (Additional images and prints can always be ordered for an additional price, of course.)

Space is filling up fast, so call soon to book your appointment!

Until next time!
http://www.alicesokoloffphotography.com/

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