Blue Labs Photography

Mother’s Day For Me

Angie — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:28:09 +0000

I hope you all had a great Mother’s day celebrating with your mother, grandmother,aunt,sister, significant other, whomever that special mother is in your life today. I have to tell you this was my best mother’s day yet. I really felt special. It wasn’t just my family that made it special. It was you. I had many text messages and phone calls from our clients converted to friends for a lifetime. Thank you! Allen took me to MAC at our neighborhood mall and I actually tried it out. Not only that, My bride and groom whose wedding we shot last Saturday, Aby & Michael were there getting their mom a make over for Mother’s Day too! Allen asked how much I spent and when I said the total he just said I was worth it and then some. Made me want to cry. Happy tears people, happy tears! MAC is like the big wedding make up besides Mary Kay out here on the west coast and now I can wear both too. I also got to buy some clothes and go to a really nice dinner with my family. I did miss my little grandson as he is teething and miserable right now so prayers go out to Zander and his mommy and daddy right now. It was a very special day for me. I hope it was for all of you moms reading this too Thank you, Allen, Mandy, Jess, Jason Josh Micah, Katie, Geneva, Michael, Aby, Anna,Michael, Yinka and more……XOXO

I Must Have A Gazebo…

Angie — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:37:45 +0000

The one thing Lara really wanted at her wedding was a gazebo. She found the perfect one at Wedgewood Delta View where her and Derek stood lovingly as they said their vows on Saturday April 28th, 2012. It was a beautiful day right into the evening. The most important thing to them both was that their friends and family had a great time. It was a worry free fun atmosphere filled with love and laughter. Lara looked like a princess and Derek was her handsome prince. Allen and I are so blessed to have been able to share their special day with them. Throughout the day we were able to capture special looks of surprise, enjoyment and laughter. From the early reveal of the bride to the groom, the grooms face when he saw his surprise grooms cake of superheroes to the look of love when Lara and Dereks eyes met on the dance floor, it was truly an amazing day. Thank you Lara and Derek for sharing it with us! Call us and book your wedding today 925-456-4150 or contact us by email http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/contact-us/

Are You Curious?

Angie — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:51:13 +0000

Meet Central Valley Paranormal Group. Allen and I met Crystal and her group before her wedding last year. She was getting married at beautiful historic Jefferson Street Mansion in Benicia, CA. Crystal shared with me that she liked to do readings and while we didn’t quite make it to a cemetery for her engagement pictures, we made it to one last Saturday to photograph her entire group for their website and marketing materials. Her group is made up of a great bunch of people with different and fun personalities. We had a lot of fun capturing their personalities in their images. Crystals group is becoming more known and we are happy to take the journey with them. Are you curious? Here is a link to an article Crystal wrote recently that she shared with me. Trials Of Being A Good Investigator And Leader You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Valley-Paranormal-CVP/255225571164826 If you belong to a club or group that needs portraits for your next marketing event or website, give us a call at 925-456-4150. Here is an image Allen had a lot of fun creating!

It Feels Like Love

Angie — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:08:34 +0000

Noelle & Chris

Saturday was beautiful after a week of rain. It was cold and windy per the norm for San Francisco.Chris & Noelle drowned out the cold this particular Saturday with the warmth of the love they have for each other. Don’t believe me? Look at their images.The beautiful bond between them can be seen in their images. Allen and I enjoyed hanging out with them and trying new techniques. The couple that introduced them to us had some of their engagement session shot at the same location. It was very important that we differentiated their sessions through the art of their portraiture.Every couple is beautiful and shares their own unique love so capturing their individuality as a couple was easy.Contact us at 925-456-4150 to set up your session now. Here are some of our favorites…..

You Know You Love Me

: Walk With Me Into The Sun Set

Sunset Silhouette

We Are Getting Married… in Four Weeks!

Angie — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:25:48 +0000

Dianna was working on learning to speak English and planning her wedding to her beloved. She didn’t know much about American culture and especially about a traditional American wedding. She had four weeks to plan. Her maid of honor, Lina, called me just three weeks before the wedding to see if we were available and if we could accommodate what they needed and wanted for their wedding. It was a small intimate wedding with only ten people in attendance including Allen and myself. It was a beautiful day in April. Not too hot and not too cool with only a few clouds in the sky. Dianna looked radiant.Randy and his son were wearing black suits and their boutonnieres were red roses. Diannas bouquet was an assortment with lilies. One of Randy’s best friends was their officiant. The ceremony took place in a gazebo in the park in Benicia and right after we headed to the docks and got some fun and fresh images of them. Then we went to San Francisco for an intimate dinner reception with the couples closest friends. It was a nice and refreshing change to the big fancy wedding and reception with a lot of guests. I would definitely suggest this type of wedding for a wedding on a tight budget or with not much time to plan, or if you just like to keep it small and very private. Now don’t get me wrong, I do LOVE the big weddings with the fun receptions and lots of guests! This was just a nice change of pace. Whatever your style or choice, we will Make your Memories Unforgettable! Call now to set up your consultation 925-456-4150 or you can click this link Blue Labs Photography

There’s Not Just Two of Us and What About My Hair?

Angie — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:17:39 +0000

It was a cold and rainy week and Jen contemplated rescheduling their engagement session with Blue Labs Photography. Oh but wait… Angie did say they have all the equipment to shoot in the rain if need be. Hmmm? What about my hair…..? Will it be too cold for Kensey? Okay, so why is all this so important to Jen? You may of heard of her. Jen The Hair Girl? She is a top notch professional hair stylist based out of Downtown Pleasanton. No hair stylist wants to be caught dead with bad hair! Rain and a great hair “do” do NOT mix well. Who is Kensey you ask? Her little dog Kensey has so much personality and big brown eyes. She loves to play with her future daddy Chris and her soon to be sister Taylor (Chris’ cat). Now bringing a cat on an engagement shoot was never part of the plan so Jen didn’t have to worry about whether Taylor would be cold or get wet. Jen decided to leave their fate in Angie and Allens hands and went about getting everything ready for their session. Thursday morning was cold, windy and cloudy but the rain was sporadic and the sun shone through here and there. Jen and Chris were all smiles as we began their session. We walked downtown Pleasanton and found little hidden gems of scenery for each creative shot. I love images where the wind blows a clients hair naturally about. Kensey seemed to relax and enjoy having her pictures taken too! Check out some of their images and what Jen had to say after their session below.

Call Us at 925-456-4150 or use our contact form to Schedule Your Session Now!

It’s My Party and Celebrate I Will!

Angie — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 01:32:52 +0000

She called and sounded like she was in a hurry. She was looking for a photographer for her 18th birthday party. Little did I know how busy she really is. Her name is Khushpreet. People call her Khushi. She is a beautiful young woman that Allen and I had the pleasure of meeting just 6 days prior to her party. She was bustling with excitement and energy that day as she came in to meet us for the very first time. She was working full time and going to school. This was going to be her very first birthday party! It was to be a grand event with lots of family and friends surrounding her with love and laughter. We quickly scheduled a photo session to get a few images of her for her signing frame and edible cake top. Her session was on Thursday and she picked up her images on Friday. Here are a few of her favorites from her session.

Khushi’s Birthday Party was at an Indian Restaurant in Newark that Sunday evening. She had hired an event planner and everything was perfect. Her special birthday outfit looked beautiful on her. She was glowing when we arrived to get set up for the evening. It was a true evening of family, friends, great food, music and dancing. By the end of the evening, her singing board was full and everyone had a great time. Thank you Khushi for sharing your 18th birthday with us at Blue Labs Photography! If you know of someone in need of a photography team that works well together for their special event, please give us a call at 925-456-4150 or fill out our contact form at Blue Labs Photography

Pre-Bridal Shoot? Why not?!

Angie — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 05:39:42 +0000

Meet Marisol and her beautiful Bridesmaids.! They got a chance to meet and work with us before the wedding. It gave us an opportunity to meet each one of them too! There was no stress and everyone was able to wear their hair and make up like they wanted for Marisol’s wedding so they could test each look out. We had fun and joked around a lot. It was cold but worth these beautiful ladies images. And half way through we went inside to the fireplace and warmed up.

Here is their video link http://youtu.be/jIPn37ml4H0

We even had the flower girl, ring bearers and her son who is walking her down the aisle involved in photos.

Definitely fun and a way to test the colors you are thinking of using, hairstyles,make-up, photographer… Lol Just making sure I have your attention. Allen and I love to create beautiful images. Something you’ve been wanting to photograph/ Give us a call. 925-456-4150 or use our contact form. http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/contact-us/

Unforgettably Beautiful & Carefree

Angie — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:51:36 +0000

It was a beautifully clear, windy day. Quite unusual for the East Bay in early January. Shawn and Poplar were filled with excitement and nerves not knowing what to expect the first time they met Allen & Angie from Blue Labs Photography. Poplar chose hers and Shawns favorite place to spend leisure time and just enjoy each others company. Marin Headlands. Just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge by Fort Baker. If you love the outdoors and have never been there, you should make the trip. Its a beautiful view of the bay and gives you a new and fresh perspective. At first when their session began, Poplar seemed unsure about where to put her hands, how to stand and so on. Allen quickly opened her up to all the possibilites of just being herself and acting naturally like any other day on the hill top with her beloved. If you are not enjoying your session, it will show in your images. Be natural and carefree. Like that saying,”free to be me”. If something you are doing naturally looks awkward, we will let you know. Here are the results of their engagement session with us here at Blue Labs Photography

Tips for a Successful Engagement Session with Blue Labs Photography

Angie — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:14:21 +0000

Allen and I want you to feel relaxed and have fun during your engagement session. We want to capture all natural you. Your personality, your love for each other, what makes you you and your fiancee themselves. The same people that drew you together. Now Rawni & Robert (Picture left) met doing their favorite sport. Not everyone has a favorite sport or a motor cross bike lying around. Natural surroundings serve as wonderful storytellers too. My favorite one though is that true beauty in a connection between two people in love. Capture that, and props no longer matter.

Props can add to any moment yes. But are they really necessary? No. We want you to bring anything you would like to maybe add to your session. For some people, its an invitation in a bottle or a ceramic figure or letterman Jackets, horse,hat, a motorcycle… the list goes on. Already have children in your relationship? Bring them and we will incorporate them in some of your images as well. Your animals are your children? Bring them as long as they don’t bite.

Now Allen does have a tip list I always email to our clients before their session.

Tips:
• The goal of the engagement photo is to capture you as you appear in everyday life together and show how comfortable you are with each other
• Wear casual, complementary clothes. Wear comfortable clothes that you can sit, stand, and walk in
• Consider having your hair and makeup done on the day of the Engagement Photo Session to “test” how it might look in photographs on your wedding day
• Dress in solid colors, preferably earth tone colors such as blue, brown and green
• Avoid colors that will cast a reflective color on your skin, such as bright reds, yellows and oranges
• Large/bold patterns and shirts with logos are not recommended
• Wear like colors and clothes that blend well together. While all the clothing doesn’t have to match, the colors should be harmonious.
• Dark clothing tends to minimize body size; light tones emphasize body size.
• Wear presentable shoes and socks as they may be in the picture
• Avoid wearing glossy makeup; the shine catches the flash & can spoil the results
• Avoid wearing dark eyeliner; it makes your eyes appear small
• Wear only simple jewelry. Avoid wearing too much jewelry or big jewelry
• If you have contact lenses, wear them. Glasses can cause unwanted reflections, although we can usually compensate by adjusting the position of the lights.
• Bring sunglasses. They can be used as props to add fun & character to photos

Call us at 925-456-4150 or use our contact form http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/contact-us/ AND schedule your session today!

What’s A Typical Day at Blue Labs Photography?

Angie — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:19:16 +0000

Allen and I are a husband and wife team. In every team, there are strengths in each individual person agreed? Allen and I also have two younger children out of five still living at home. On a typical day ( meaning no extra family emergencies) I start my day between 5:30 and 6:00am. I wake up our son Joshua for school. I will get my coffee and sit down and write a blog and check our traffic reports on our website and facebook ads. Ocassionally, I check to make sure Josh is on track and getting everything ready for school. At around 7:00 am, I start to wake up Allen so he can get his shower and start his day. I send out emails to prospective clients answering questions and responding to price requests etc. 7:30am time to get dressed and wake up our 4 year old. I make sure Josh ate his breakfast and has everything in his backpack. I also stop by my computer to check any emails that might have come in. Some mornings I even make breakfast for everyone. This is rare during the week. While Allen finishes getting ready for training, on location shoots etc, I take Josh to school. Then Allen and I have our morning business meeting. How are things going? What do we need to do today to be successful? How was our traffic to our website and facebook ads? What is working and what’s not? What are our plans today as far as what are we each working on. Depending on what needs to get done, we focus on each job and get them completed. We do not play around much during work hours. I do admit when my four year old is climbing on my chair behind me demanding attention, I have to give it a break and do something with him for a little while so he is assured we still love him and he is important too! Then its back to work till lunch time. I love enhancing everyone’s images. Designing albums is also very enjoyable without any distractions. I love getting to know our brides and grooms and how they met, what makes them happy, etc. Probably the only thing I do not like about my job is the tax stuff. I seriously have a folder of receipts.

Our Focus right now- engagement sessions and booking family and senior sessions, along with weddings. Allen has been working hard on our website so we can add other genres of photography without taking anything away from our beautiful wedding photography. It is still a work in progress but with the world changing so fast all the time isn’t it always? Keeping up can be tiring but the rewards outweigh the downsides in my humble opinion. So at 5pm I start to get dinner ready and by 9pm the phone has stopped ringing and its time to settle in for the night. Oh wait, Allen and I usually talk about the day and any special things that stood out or need to be addressed. Then its lights out. Unless we are shooting a wedding of course Weekends are another story for another day being that they are never typical and different every week.

A Double Rainbow Blessing

Angie — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:16:08 +0000

It was cold and drizzling when we arrived at Fort Point. Armed with our large black umbrella and our clear plastic camera and lens baggies we awaited Angelo and Andriannas arrival. Once they arrived, they seemed excited but a little unsure what to do with their bodies during the session. I told them it’s ok. Just act natural. By the time the session was over, they were laughing and having a good time. And Allen wonders why he always goes over…. Once you completely relax and surrender to Allens artistic shooting, it is fun and engaging. The rain doesn’t stop Blue Labs Photography if everyone is willing to get a little wet. And you may even get a double rainbow to back you up! We were all in awe when half way through the session a double rainbow appeared in the sky right beside the Golden Gate Bridge over Fort Baker. The second rainbow didn’t appear as bright as the first but it was there. It was a magical moment for all of us. We were all relaxed and having fun at this point. We got some excellent shots inside the Fort, but my all time favorites are the rainbow and Golden Gate. Now you may think that is so awesome or so what………when we were about to end Angelo and Andriannas session, the San Francisco Trolley showed up all decorated for Christmas.After all, it was late November right before Thanksgiving. We all had fun with the trolley too. It was an amazing engagement session. Fort point was open so we could go inside, a double rainbow appeared and then the trolley showed up and it was decorated for the Holidays. Now that’s what I call a blessing! Give us a call at 925-456-4150 today and let’s get your engagement session scheduled. You can also use our contact form http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/contact-us/

We Had So Much Fun We Decided To Book Our Wedding

Angie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:52:50 +0000

It was a partially cloudy day. It was cold and windy. That’s about normal for the bay this time of year. I could smell the ocean in the breeze. Seeing Andrea and Rommel was a refreshing sight at the Legion Hall Of Honor. They are engaged and so in love. There really are those couples that just eminate that positive feeling and energy filled with love for each other. They are no exception. We had fun going from one location to another taking fun and a few romantic pictures. The Palace of Fine Arts was our last stop and well worth it too. Here is what they had to say after their session with us:

My fiance and I adore working with Blue Labs Photography. Allen and Angie made our engagement photo session so much fun that we decided to book them for our June 2012 wedding.My fiance appreciated how comfortable he felt in front of the camera, and I sincerely appreciated that they got him to smile the whole time instead of making mean thug faces at camera.The photos themselves are gorgeous, and we receive compliments from everyone who sees them. We look forward to having Allen and Angie at our wedding because we are confident at how beautifully they will capture our special day! Andrea and Rommel

Concord Crowne Plaza Was The Place To Be

Angie — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:00:34 +0000

Wow! We met a lot of newly engaged couples Sunday at the Concord Crowne Plaza. The excitement buzzing around the banquet room was unstoppable. We really enjoyed meeting new couples and a few returning ones from previous shows we have attended. Brocade sure knows how to put on a great show! http://www.bayareaweddingfairs.com We have been a preferred vendor with Steve and his team for several years now and we always enjoy it. The fashion show is entertaining as well as eloquent. Porshas models are always at their best and I have to admit I have some favorites. Porsha herself always looks stunning too! Blessed Brides By Sarah provided the dresses for Sundays Show. http://www.myblessedbrides.com/ Let me just say there were some AMAZING dresses there! I love getting to see some of our vendor friends we haven’t seen in awhile. Jen The Hair Girl is my salon stylist and she gave me a quick touch up right before the show started. Thank you Jen and congratulations! Jen just got engaged and is getting married in 2013 and she chose us to be her photographers!http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/ Excited! She is on facebook if you want a great hairstyle for your photos of any kind! Look for Jen Israel-Jen the Hair Girl. There was such a great variety of vendors to choose from too. There was wine tasting, caterers, wedding planners, dj’s, videographers, jewelers,go cart racing…. yep thats what I just said. Can you imagine having your post rehearsal party go cart racing? Fun way to relieve stress! There were also cake vendors and my favorite cupcake vendor from Pleasant Hill was there. http://www.sinfulblisscupcakes.com/ I love Tammie and her crew. They had the cutest getting engaged idea using a cupcake. Listen up guys- the ring box with the ring was on a cupcake and the sign right below the ring box can say “will you marry me”. Now that’s a cute idea that any sweet loving gal will love! Allen and I invited Geneva and Esmeralda to join us so that everyone that loved our work could get a” live” testimonial from brides whose weddings we have already shot. Geneva had a church wedding and a vineyard reception July 1st of 2011 and Esme had a church wedding and her reception was held at Holy Redeemers off Golf Links Rd. http://www.bluelabsphotography.com/2011/08/mike-genevas-special-day/ this is a link to the blog I wrote about Genevas wedding. The final touch to our day at the Crowne Plaza was when my dear friend and fellow vendor Valarie from A Loves In Bloom walked up to me while we were cleaning up and handed me a beautiful floral arrangement she had made for that days event. It smelled so good. I was just burying my nose in it all the way home. The aroma was lilac and honeysuckle and so soothing. It helped me to relax for the ride home. I could not stop smelling it throughout my evening. Every time I walked by I just had to stop and smell the flowers. http://alovesinbloom.com/Perfect ending to a perfect day.If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, give us a call so we can sit down with you and talk about making your wedding unforgettable with Blue Labs Photography. Just pick up the phone right now and call 925-456-4150!

Not Too Posy Please!

Angie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:12:27 +0000

Michael and Jennifer knew they didn’t want posy engagement images. They both had an idea of what they wanted their engagement photos to look like and even where they wanted them taken. Natural movement and emotions were key to this couple. It was a cold, cloudy and windy day on the bay. We started at the Golden Gate Bridge. Michael and Allen hit it off immediately and Michael began telling Allen what he had envisioned for them. Allen explained why he uses flash in the sunlight on a cloudy day. Our son is learning how to be an avid assistant but wasn’t quite tall enough for some of the needed lighting so I stepped in for him. Michael and Jennifer were naturals. If they were nervous at all, I couldn’t tell. We took pictures of them on the bridge in front of the bridge and below the bridge. We then went to Allens all time favorite location and took pictures of them in the stairwells and next to the coastline. Some of this couples favorite images are also mine. Heres one of the reviews they wrote for us-

Allen and Angie shot our engagement session in December 2011. They were great with flexibility. There was alot of time to take plenty of photos. We loved the fact that they were so easy going with our ideas. The photos turned out very beautiful. We are pleased with service they provided. Very family oriented couple that are more than just photographers. Thank you Angela and Allen for the wonderful Engagement Session. We love the video and the photos. We recommend Blue Labs Photography to any one that is looking for a photographer in the Greater Bay Area. Jennifer and Michael.

If you want those not so posy engagement photos, call us today at 925-456-4150 and schedule your engagement session!