Colson Griffith Photography Blog

Alondra and Roberto’s Engagement Session in the San Francisco Mission District at Yerba Buena Gardens

Colson Griffith — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:02:02 +0000

Here is a stunning engagement session featuring Alondra and Roberto. Roberto and I used to work together at Lockheed Martin. This was my first job out of college. After my first few months I found myself pounding me head on the desk after 8 hours of staring at a screen. To get rid of some of this pent up energy I signed up for a company soccer league and met Roberto on the field. Roberto was always the guy that would give me crap, for not being able to run the length of the field 20 times, all while maintaining a massive grin on his face. After I left the “Big L” I kind of separated from that world, and was happily surprised when seven years later Roberto found me on Facebook and sent me a note. ”Hey! Im engaged! Let’s take some photos!”

Not too long after that email, we sat down in a coffee shop and that is when I met Alondra. Immediately it was clear that Roberto was just enamored with her. I can remember him just talking about her, saying, “Alondra this, and Alondra that” even though she was right next to him. He just had an excitement about sharing her with me and the rest of the world. I walked away from that coffee shop just smiling about how happy he was.

Alondra lives in the mission district of San francisco and has come to love the murals which adorn the walls of little alley ways and buildings like the San Francisco Women’s building. Personally I had not taken the time to notice many of the murals during my outings in this Mexican mecca of the city. Yes, I’ve seen the murals over by Clarion Alley (Vallejo and 17th) however as we walked around the few block near her home I began to notice how many murals are scattered throughout this neighborhood. They are everywhere!

Alondra had also wanted to shoot at the Yerba Buena Gardens in SOMA, so we wrapped up our shoot there. That is one of my all time favorite places… to shoot, to lounge, to drink tea, to walk, its just an amazing little park right in the middle of downtown San Francisco. Its just full of different colors, textures, fountains, walls, stairs, walkways, on and on and on.

Clearly by the images below, Alondra and Roberto have a special love for one another. It was so fun to see Alondra’s expressions as Roberto his attention towards her. She just lights up!

Announcing a new type of photographic experience! (and a complimentary session giveaway)

Colson Griffith — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:33:51 +0000

I believe that a couple’s engagement and wedding are some of the most joyous and in-love moments in their entire lives. I believe that a photograph containing the essence of a person, the very inward nature of who they are, can transport a person back to those feelings and sentiments that they felt during that time. I believe that by providing a photographic experience to couples that allows them to express their most in love moments, their essence will be captured, and the resulting images will forever be a reminder of exactly why they fell in love.

I am presenting a new concept in wedding photography called The Essence Experience. It is about capturing a couple’s essence in a photograph while they are in the midst of doing the things that they love to do most. By sitting down with a couple before we ever pick up a camera, in their home, in a comfortable place, we can learn what makes that couple tick. What are the moments when they find themselves most in love? What are the times of the week that they set aside to just be “THEM”? When are they most comfortable, so that they can just be in each other’s presence and never say a word?

Once these details are understood, we’ll use them to build the framework for their photographic experience. Some couples might love to lay in bed on Sunday mornings with their dog. Some couples might get up and go to the Farmers Market and whip up amazing bites in their kitchen the rest of the day. Some might just love cuddling up and watching movies, while some like Shelly and Jamison below, just love to run around on their scooters to a local park where they fly their kites together.

This is the new “engagement session” and it provides so much more meaning to the couples who participate. It is the difference between a “cool” picture and your favorite photograph. A couple’s heart and soul, the very essence of what their relationship is all about, will be captured. Years from now, these images will be a reminder of exactly why they fell in love.

Currently I am in need of three couples to help me explore The Essence Experience. I’d like to learn what wonderful things are possible and what types of incredible ideas can come of these conversations. The Essence Experience will ultimately be the focus of my wedding collections.

If you are interested participating in a complimentary experience, please fill out the following Application on Google Docs.

If you are not in a relationship but love this idea, please share it with your friends, so that they might have an opportunity to remember exactly why they fell in love.

Check out sample of Shelly and Jamison’s experience below by clicking on the image…

01 Essence Experience 02 Essence Experience 03 Essence Experience 04 Essence Experience 05 Essence Experience 06 Essence Experience 07 Essence Experience 08 Essence Experience 09 Essence Experience 10 Essence Experience 11 Essence Experience 12 Essence Experience 13 Essence Experience

Tip For Brides: A surprisingly easy way to shop for bridesmaid dresses!

Colson Griffith — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:30:43 +0000

While walking the floor at Style Unveiled, a Wedding Expo here in San Francisco, I met Ilana of Weddington Way. “What is this?” I asked. Her reply had me curious, “Online bridesmaid dress shopping, made simple and social” Okay, I thought, “How is this simple?” Bridesmaids are all over the country, all different sizes. One might be pregnant and expecting a baby three weeks after the wedding, another could be 92 pounds with a nick name of “mini-maid.” How can online shopping for all those combinations be easy?

As she told me their process I was thoroughly impressed! First, a bride logs into their website and chooses a few colors and styles of dresses and then invites her bridesmaids to her page so that they provide their thoughts. Bridesmaids can rank their favorite dresses or styles in order and weigh in on the decision (Ooh! I like this one! or ughh, who would wear that?!?). A bride can then take all of this input and make a decision about the dresses, and bridesmaids can purchase each dress individually, at home, using each of their own measurements. Nice!

Now, here’s the kicker… Not one dress is made until they are purchased. This means your pregnant bridesmaid can have a dress that actually fits, perhaps even a different style that might be more flattering than the dress her 92 pound co-maid is
going to wear. The colors match exactly because the same fabric is made for each dress. Uhhh AWESOME! Or, say you want the same style of dress, but in different colors, you can do that too!

For some reason this totally caught my eye and I wanted to share. I think for the busy bride, with bridesmaids all over the country, with different shapes and sizes, this would be a tremendously helpful resource saving time and STRESS! I just loved the idea of being able to stay at home… take input from your bridesmaids… and then have a custom tailored dress to fit each lady and their personal preference. Another bit of sweetness… the service is free! Money is only exchanged when you purchase the dress. Cool huh?

I suggest taking a look at their website, www.weddingtonway.com to get a feel for how it all works, I think you’ll be impressed!

And now, (because I need some incentive for you to read these posts ) here is a special discount offer that Weddington Way has given to me for brides reading this blog.

Get 10% off your order if you:

Register on the Weddington Way Site (at no cost)
Like their site on Facebook
Email promo@weddingtonway.com with the subject line “Colson Griffith Photography Promo Code”

March Sweeptakes:
Karishma just let me know they are running a sweepstake this month – one lucky bridal party will win dresses for her entire bridal party. Just register here, and you might get hooked up!http://www.weddingtonway.com/win-dresses-for-your-bridal-party/

I hope this helps some of you conquer what can be an ominous task of bridesmaid dress shopping.

Happy online shopping!

Palace of Fine Arts and Baker Beach Engagement Session with Winnie and Arthur

Colson Griffith — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:29:05 +0000

Meet Winnie and Arthur! What a great couple these two are. I met Arthur at the Great Bridal Expo in November, and was so happy when he reached out a few weeks later to arrange time for us to have coffee together. As we sat at The Creamery over by the San Francisco Cal Train stop to go over their wedding plans and get to know each other a little better, Arthur described for me the story of how he came to meet Winnie. A few years back, Arthur was convinced to get a facial, something he had not necessarily done before. While he was there, a lady in the shop caught on to the fact that this fine gentleman was an eligible bachelor. She came right out and suggested he meet this gal named Winnie, and the rest is history! Hmm, go get a facial, and end up meeting the love of your life? Not a bad day at the spa I tell ya! I’ll never let anyone talk me out of getting a pedicure again! Haha.

In the weeks leading up their engagement session I had mostly communicated with Arthur about the details. We had scheduled to shoot the week prior, but weather was not in our favor, especially with Winie’s plan to get hair and makeup done before hand, so we exchanged a few emails back and forth. I usually work late and thus will crank through emails at 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning. I’d blast off a note to Arthur at 12:47 and at 12:53 I’d get a note back. Woah! I thought I was the only one up at that time of the night on a Tuesday. Not necessarily so! We’d email back and forth and bing, bang, boom!, by 1:00AM we’d have it all worked out. Perfect! Funny to find someone else with such an odd schedule.

For their engagement session Winnie and Arthur wanted to go to the Palace of Fine Arts and Baker Beach, two wonderfully iconic places in San Francisco to photograph. Surprisingly that was my first engagement session at The Palace… I’d been there before for fun, but never for an engagement session. Shooting there is like blasting over to Europe for an hour but with a much shorter commute. Uhh yahhh, Ill take it! After making a lap at the Palace we made our way to Baker Beach where we were met by a slight wind which was playing all sorts of havoc with Winnies scarf. After a few minutes I told her to hold it up like a cape and just go with it. After a few trial shots we ended up getting this gorgeous image below. Love it when we can take little funky situations and make them work to our advantage.

My name is Colson… and I have a life coach.

Colson Griffith — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:19:40 +0000

Why is it that when I find myself talking about having a life coach, I feel like I am making an introduction at a 12 step program? I might as well be saying, “Hi, my name is Colson, I have manic depression, alcoholism, a cleft lip, emotional instability, two left feet AND bad breath!” I mean, what combinations of awful things would I need in order to require a LIFE coach? I’m living, I’m breathing, and pretty damn good at it too! Why do I need all that coaching stuff?

It is my belief that we have sort of mis-understood the meaning of life coaching, and its actual intent. If for instance we say “basketball coach” we think, “ohh right, yeah, you need one of those.” One might say, “business coach” (or mentor) and automatically we think, “Yep! those are good.” But then all of a sudden we bust out “Life coach” and we think, “Ohh damn, dude’s got problems, I’m gonna go hang out over here. You can go bag your own groceries.” What is that about?

My coach, Julia, is an ontological life coach… ontological… wait, what the? Ontology is the “study of being” (Go get your yoga mats and incense, its about to get all foo foo up in here.) The study of being? Think about it this way. Ontological coaching is the process of coaching someone from where they are today (good, bad, amazing, struggling, wealthy, poor, happy, sad) to where they want to be in the future. It is about personal development and striving to be a better person, in whatever sense of “better” you believe in. If “better” means financial success, coaching can help you get there, if “better” means developing stronger relationships with friends, family, co-workers, etc. it can help with that. If it means reading more, or taking a vacation, or eating healthier, it can help with those as well. Take a goal, add a coach, and dominate the crap out of it! That is what coaching is all about. (Julia seems to explain it so much more eloquently than I do, after all she’s an English major by education, ohh well!)

This topic of coaching is something I feel I could write about for hours… but in the interest of not wandering off into la la land blabbing about every little coaching success I’ve had, I will keep it brief, and save some content for future posts. My time with Julia has been incredibly productive. We talk once a week over a Skype call, and every week it begins with, “Colson, what can I help you with this week?” How many times does that come out of someone’s mouth in real life? Not all that often. Having someone available to help hold me accountable, to help dig up what is really causing me to do what I do, and someone to help sort out what I really want out of life has been tremendously helpful. Sometimes understanding how other perceive me, is all I need to gain confidence in my endeavors. I’ve got a pile of stuff I’m working on. I am slowly checking goals off of my list, and adding new ones, but without a coach I can only imaging being half as productive in doing so. In my mind, everyone should have a coach. If you want to learn more, check out Julia’s website at http://www.julianusbaum.com/

And if you dont believe me… maybe a word from Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, might help.

Tracy and Jesse’s Engagement Photos from Lover’s Lane and The Legion of Honor in San Francisco, CA

Colson Griffith — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:35:49 +0000

Sooo anyone that lives in California pretty much knows we are living in a fantasy winter. Ohh wait, you want to go to the beach? Why not? I mean its January and 70 degrees outside. I mean, why wouldn’t you!?!? So when Tracy and Jesse and I scheduled their engagement session like two months ago, we watched about 9 weekends in a row go by that were bone dry and just gorgeous! As we approached their date, we had something unfamiliar on the horizon. Clouds? Rain? What? I usually try to remain optimistic about ugly forecasts, so I said, “Lets take a look at the weather and make a game time decision.” That was a weekends ago, during the San Francisco 49ers, AFC Playoff game. Did you see that on TV? Raining sideways? Yah, right. As you can imaging we made the call to delay a week. I think we both were on other ends of the telephone just hoping we didn’t have to go out in that nasty weather and were just nervous about canceling on each other. Thankfully we did!

The following weekend, when it was MUCH nicer out, we headed to a little area at the top of the Presidio, near Laurel Heights, and found ourselves bathing in this gorgeous light masked by a bit of haze that just seemed to soften everything into this cozy glowing blanket of light. This dude with the camera was happy, and so were Tracy and Jesse.

Tracy and I went to college together at Santa Clara University, but it had been YEARS since we had last seen each other, and I’d never met Jesse before. As soon as we jumped on Skype to go through the plan, I knew this session would be a breeze. Both would be mid sentence and look at each other dung the call and just laugh, it was so obvious they enjoyed each others presence. As we shot, Tracy would throw a glance over her shoulder, toss a hand on her hip, and Jesse would get in there with a smile, totally comfortable, and I just clicked away.

The first part of our session was shot at Lover’s Lane (Jesse informed me of its name) which is a wooded part of the Presidio on the south east side of the park, and we followed that up with a brief shoot at The Legion of Honor, where we shot until we got kicked out for having a light. I guess we looked too professional or something ;D.

Here are a few images from the session, Tracy and Jesse I hope you love em!

Chrissy Field Engagement Photos with Ali and Justin – San Francisco, CA

Colson Griffith — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:57:09 +0000

“Anything in the name of photography!”… that was the line. During an engagement session or a wedding I’m constantly running around seeing new images in my head… Ideas pop up like those plastic moles in that whack a mole game, lighting changes and something just looks uuuhhhhmazing, and there always seems to be “one” more shot. ”Hey! You guys want to try out this shot over here???” I’d ask. Justin would reply with that line that every photographer hopes to hear, “Anything in the name of photography!” I’d give Justin a mental high five, and then we’d dive into it.

Having the opportunity to work with Ali and Justin just excites me. When they originally inquired about their wedding date, I had another inquiry on the table that was getting a little stale. It had been some time, and the bride just was not ready to make a decision. After a few emails, it was decided the date was now open! Hey guys! Hey! The date is open! The date is OPEN!!!! Lets do this! I could not help but feel like this all worked out this way for a reason. My first conversation with them over Skype was so relaxed. Justin broke down how the two of them traveled back and forth between Santa Barbara, and Oakland, and Fresno, and back to Santa Barbara over the last few years just to spend their weekends together. We hung up and I felt like we had known each other for YEARS. I’m pretty sure Justin and I had Mechanical Engineering projects together in another life, and I’m sure Ali and I had gossiped over coffee at least 7 times. Hmmm. Parallel Universe!?!?

Ali and Justin drove out from Fresno for their engagement session. We decided to shoot down on Chrissy Field which was absolutely PACKED with people. San Francisco plus 68 degrees in January, and the place goes nuts! They are going to be having their wedding at the Tenaya Lodge out in Fish Camp, CA near Yosemite this September. I actually photographed my second wedding ever at that Lodge so it should be fun looking at the difference in the images after a few years experience!

Ali and Justin, you guys were great in front of the camera and I’m totally stoked to continue to get to know the two of you and shoot your wedding later this year. Whoop! Whoop!

01 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 02 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 03 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 04 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 05 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 06 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 07 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 08 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J 09 Chrissy Field Engagement Session San Francisco A&J

Dianne and Tom’s Wedding in Los Gatos, CA

Colson Griffith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:50 +0000

How lucky am I to have met these two? UBER lucky? Yeah, I think thats the word. I met Dianne and Tom through Tamra and Erik, another wonderful couple that I photographed earlier in 2011, and it has only re-enforced my belief that good people, know good people. Dianne is as sweet as any woman could ever be. A school teacher who’s love for children just seems to be unlimited. If a child is in her presence, her arms extended waiting to gobble them up with a monster hug. Every time I see an email in my inbox from her I smile knowing it will only contain little bits of her cheerful outlook on life that she brings every single day. Tom is a good ol’ boy… Working in the construction business, doing man things. Ha! Every time we get together I find myself holding back laughter due to his raw sense of humor, all the while Dianne is profusely apologizing for her husband’s jokes. I can imagine if I met Tom about 10 years ago during his days at University of Oregon, there would have been some GOOD stories that came out of it. None of which I could put on this blog, of course!

While at dinner in Los Gatos last April, Tom asked Dianne to marry him. This was a small restaurant. Nicks on Main has about 7 tables, and when he popped the question, the whole restaurant caught on to what was taking place at the table next to them. Dianne’s world came to a halt. ”Shocked”, “surprised”, “elated”, and “speechless” are words that come to mind as they described that moment to me. Dianne seemed to have forgot the part where she says, “Yes” because she suddenly noticed a restaurant full of people encouraging her to speak that one word. Finally, without hesitation she said, YES! and the place exploded in applause.

Their wedding started at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Los Gatos and was followed by their reception at a friends residence not too far away. Describing their reception as a “backyard” wedding is like calling St. Peter’s Basilica a church. Yeah, thats what it was, but it just does not do it justice! Their friends Heather and Jeff graciously hosted the reception in their gorgeous pool side backyard with details galor. Sweets tables, a smores station, a huka lounge, tables and linens, flowers, and catering to feed the hungry, made this backyard feel like it was made for hosting such a perfect event.

I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to work with these two, and in the process feel like I’ve gained two wonderful friends. Below is the album we ordered for them just yesterday, and I am so excited to see the final results after it arrives from Italy.

Much thanks to Meghan MacAskill for helping second shoot!!! She captured all of those amazing details!

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Polina and Matt – Wedding at the Cliff House in San Francisco, CA

Colson Griffith — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:05:28 +0000

What do you get when you combine a Ph.D. Mechanical Engineer bride, a savvy start up business man groom, and a limo full of their best friends and family on their way to a wedding? Some fan-freaking-tastic images! ”Giddy,” I think is the word that describes how I feel when I look at these photos. I met Polina and Matt at the Great Bridal Expo in November of 2010 and during our initial discussions they basically said, “Tell us how to make sure we get amazing wedding portraits, and we’ll do it!” Can you imagine my reaction? I was stoked out of my brains! As a result of some of our initial conversations, they agreed to plan a walk through Golden Gate Park near the De Young museum, and a stop at Sutro Heights before their wedding. I could not have been more excited. After getting ready at the Westin Hotel downtown, we gathered the bridal party, a few bottles of champagne, a VERY nice bottle of scotch, and piled in the limo for our adventure. That to me my friends is a perfect recipe for some great images.

Honestly these two continued to surprise and impress me as I had the opportunity to learn more and more about them. Both have achieved tremendous success academically and professionally, both have such kind personalities that would make Tiny Tim seem a little harsh, and both have a bountiful love for each other that is truly and inspiration. Take allllll of that, and then go ahead and put it in a gorgeous package with a wedding dress and a tux, and thats what you get in these two on their wedding day. Seriously, impressive.

Their wedding was held at the Cliff House on the western edge of San Francisco, and just as the setting sun touched the Pacific Ocean, Polina said, “I do.” I dont think there was a more pristine wedding that day. Polina and Matt, thank you both for allowing me to capture your wedding day. You both were a delight to work with. I’d also like to thank Lora Mae for contributing her time and talents to be my second shooter and assistant for the day. Could not have done it all with out ya!

Here are a few images… check em out!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Destination Wedding Day After Shoot with Alison and Blake

Colson Griffith — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:01:49 +0000

I’m super excited about whats to come in 2012. I’ve received so many great inquiries from couples who have plans of getting married all over the country and my creative brain just feeds off of the potential that lies in these totally unique events. I do however have to slow down sometimes and think back to what made 2011 so special, and this wedding, by far, without question… absolutely… positively… was special. I did not photograph this wedding actually… I officiated it, and best manned it, and guest(ed) it. Alison and Blake are two of my best friends, from back in the day. I met both of them on my first day at Santa Clara University in 2000, and since have been in constant contact with them, almost every week, for 11 years. WOW! Thats crazy. Before this wedding, I’d not been a best man before… I’d not even been a groomsman before, so having the opportunity to represent for the fellas, and actually officiate their ceremony down in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, meant the world to me.

This wedding was like no other… you might be thinking, ohhh beautiful tropical wedding on the beach… sun, sand, and surf. Ha! Well sand and surf… but NO sun! Halfway through the ceremony it started to rain… not like, ohh there are a few drops here and there. More like Gods trying out a new fire hose and forgot to design a shut off valve. I remember being up front officiating the wedding with an iPad in hand as we made our way through the ceremony. I keept having to scroll my notes up and down, up and down, to see in between the water drops quickly accumulating on the screen. (Are those things waterproof by the way???) One might think that this would be the point where the bride breaks down, the guests run for cover, and the whole vibe takes a nose dive. Nope! Not this wedding! The wedding planner actually commented that she was waiting with umbrellas for any guests that motioned towards dry ground, but nothing happend. No. One. Moved. No one hardly blinked it seemed! Everyone was so in tune with the wedding that a warm shower almost went unnoticed! By the time we wrapped up, everyone was soaked head to bellybutton and not a person, including Alison and Bake, was upset! From that point, we could not be stopped by Gods water attack. A spontaneous dance party erupted on the beach right after the ceremony, and did not seem to stop until we were instructed to board the boat that would take us back to reality. ”Get your soaking wet butts off of our beach and on to the boat!” someone said, but in Spanish, or Spanglish… err maybe it just sounded like Spanish at the end of the night. Whatever!

The next day, after some much needed rest, we assembled ourselves for a day after wedding photo session in downtown Puerto Vallarta. It was one of those MUGGY, HOT, Ughhh types of days… and honestly I was not sure if this would turn out well. We shot under some time pressure thanks to Blake’s suit being on the complete opposite side of Puerto Vallarta after leaving it on the boat (dont ask why he was not wearing his suit!). Once we finally got the suit, found our location, and got down to it, we made some incredible images. I got home to peep on the pics and was so happy with what we created. Gorgeous images for two of my best friends. Could’t ask for more. I’m so happy we had this opportunity and I am so happy to have been able to be as big a part of this wedding as I was. Big ups to Alison and Blake!

01 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 02 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 03 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 04 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 05 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 06 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 07 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 08 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 09 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 10 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos 11 A&B Puerto Vallarta Mexico Wedding Photos