Large family groups can be really fun! Sure, sometimes it’s like herding cats, but I really enjoy getting to know families, see how they interact with each other, and laugh and joke. All while juggling exposure, lighting and posing in my head. I usually need a nap afterward, but it’s worth it.

Here I have the pleasure of combining a beautiful family with a beautiful setting: Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills, California. I’ve shot here three or four times before, and the location always has something new to offer photographically.

Technical stuff: everything shot on the Mamiya 645AF, and Kodak Portra 400 film.

Scanned by Richard Photo Lab, who had to jump through hoops on this particular job. Thanks, Bill!

Family Portrait and Wedding Photography by Matt Haines, based in Ventura, California.

Models: Jess & Brad
Styling: The Source and Eye
Makeup & Hair: Nicole Deanne
Venue: Patina
Flowers: Poppies & Posies
Cakes: Enjoy Cupcakes
Dresses: Saja
Jewelry: Mayu Bijoux
Calligraphy: Paperfinger
Shoes: Juicy Couture

Technical details: Mamiya 645AF (medium format) with 80mm f/2.8 lens, and Fuji Pro 400H film. Olympus OM-4 (35mm), 50mm f/1.4 lens and Kodak Portra 400 film. Scanned by Indie Film Lab.

Family Portrait and Wedding Photography by Matt Haines, based in Ventura, California.

I was going through some old images from 2010, archiving them so as to free up some hard drive space. I came across these images of Bruno Mars that I thought were kind of cool. This was before they were big…they were performing as the opening act for the Project Ethos Fashion Show (during Fashion Week LA, in 2010). I shot this digitally for a fashion blog, before I had switched back over to film.

This is a fun set of images from the wedding I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. I used a ring flash, which is a light that wraps entirely around the lens in a ring (hence the name). Mine however was an inexpensive kit made by DIYPhotography. It’s truly bizarre looking, and great as a conversation starter. But it also makes very flattering light.

I was able to grab the groom and groomsmen before the wedding, since they were sitting around with nothing to do. The bride’s side however had to wait until the reception, but the background was the same and the look is generally the same as well.

These were shot on a Nikon F5 with 50mm f/1.8 lens and Kodak Portra 400 film. The actual light is an SB-28 flash, which is stuck into that weird ring contraption. Here’s what it looks like (borrowing the image from DIYP):

This is Nikki and Daniel. Aren’t they so cute together? We had a grand ol’ time wandering around downtown Ojai, California for their engagement photography session.We picked two different looks, with a wardrobe change to suit the different environments.

We first started at a secret garden-like location, only blocks from the town center (one of the rare times I don’t reveal a location, because it was a tip from a fellow photographer). It was an area best described as a ‘semi-formal’ garden. Not a formal botanic garden, but more something that had been planned, planted and then only somewhat maintained. I think the unkept quality of the surroundings really created a forest-like atmosphere. Which is startling when you know how close this is to the main street!

Daniel proposed to Nikki at a bus stop, so after the garden we decided to wander through downtown and head to where it all began. The series of three images where they’re sitting in front of Spanish tile is the actual bus stop. Yeah, Ojai is like that with their bus stops!

We wandered around and shot some more, had some fun, and ended up having coffee at the Ojai Coffee Roasting Company. Nikki and Daniel are an incredibly fun couple, and this engagement shoot generated sooooooo many great images. I’m really looking forward to photographing their wedding this June!

Technical details: Most of the images were shot on my Mamiya 645AF with 80mm f/2.8 lens. I also had along my Nikon F5, on which I used a long zoom, and also a handmade Lens Baby-like tilt-shift lens. There’s a black and white image above, where they’re sitting on a stump and kissing in a grassy meadow. That was shot using this lens (which is why the edges are wonderfully blurry). This image was shot on color film and then converted to black and white. The rest of black and white was on Kodak Tmax 400, and all color was shot on Portra 400.

Family Portrait and Wedding Photography by Matt Haines, based in Ventura, California.

Jen and Jason, of Green Wedding Shoes.
Makeup & Hair: Nicole DeAnne
Photographed at a farmhouse on Figueroa Mountain, near Los Olivios, California.

Technical stuff: Mamiya 645AF with 80mm f/2.8 lens for the color images, and Olympus OM-4 with 80mm f/2 lens for the black and white. Fuji Pro 400H and Kodak BW400CN film. Scanned by Indie Film Lab.

Family Portrait and Wedding Photography by Matt Haines, based in Ventura, California.

I am very proud to announce my second feature on Style Me Pretty, in the space of a month! It’s quite an honor. Please go check it out here.

My last wedding of 2011, and what a way to end it! A beautiful couple, beautiful location, elegant decorations…thanks, Megan and Jason for letting me photograph your big day!

Megan and Jason got married at the Rockwood Woman’s Club in Santa Barbara, California. This 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival building is an ideal location for a wedding, set amidst old oak trees in luxurious Santa Barbara. They had about 90 guests and sunny skies, which made for a perfect outdoor ceremony.

The ceremony was held on the patio, under the oak trees. Afterward, the guests enjoyed cocktails on the patio while the new couple and families had photos taken. The grounds of Rockwood are adjacent to a county park, so there are oaks and rocks (hence the name) as far as the eye can see, which makes for a beautiful photographic setting.

The bridal party and new couple were announced, followed by dinner, toasts and the reception. They had a acoustic guitar player for the ceremony and cocktail hour, followed by a four-piece band for the reception and dancing.

As with all my weddings, this was shot 100% on film.

I would like to mention two people who deserve special attention. One is the wedding planner, Sophie Spier. It’s amazing what a difference having a planner can make with your wedding. This was the first time I’d met or worked with Sophie, but she had everything about the wedding running incredibly smoothly. She made my job easier, so I can only imagine what a godsend she was for Megan and Jason.

And I must also mention my second photographer, Desiree Durang. Quite a few of the images you see in this post were captured by her. Couldn’t have done it without you, Des. Thanks!

Technical details:

Nikon N90s 35mm cameras (two of them) were used for capturing fast-moving events. 50mm f/1.4 lens, 24-70 f/2.8 lens, and a 70-300mm lens for the long shots. Mamiya 645AF medium format camera, with 80mm f/2.8 lens, was used for portraits and other things. Most of the color images were shot on Kodak Portra 400 film. A few images were also shot on Kodak 500T cinema film. I used two types of black and white film: Kodak BW400CN and  Ilford Delta 3200. I also had my Nikon F5 hooked up to a ring flash for some fun portraits, which I’ll post separately later on.

Credits:

Photography: Matt Haines Photography

Second Photographer: Desiree Durang
Venue: Rockwood – Santa Barbara Woman’s Club (Santa Barbara, CA)
Wedding Planner: Sophie Spier – Amazing Days Events
Caterer: Seasons Catering (Ventura, CA)
Band:  The Copy Cats
Ceremony Guitarist:  Jason Sulkin
Baker:  Wayne Kjar Cakes
Florist:  Grass Roots
Hair/Makeup:  Brittney McWethy
Wedding Dress Store:  Camarillo Bridal

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by the grandfather to photograph his grandson’s christening, and to take some family portraits afterward. The extended family was all here in town (Ventura, California), just for the weekend, so it was an ideal time to do it. We crossed our fingers that the weather would be nice, and it was!

The week before the event, I met with the grandfather and the pastor at the church, so I could discuss the flow of events, check for any rules about photography, and also determine how much light I would have. And it pays to be prepared: I was told to be there at 12:15, so there would be plenty of time before the actual christening ceremony started at 12:30 (at the end of the regular Sunday service). When I arrived – right on time – I was ushered in quickly and told they were waiting on me. Seems the service had run shorter than expected! If I hadn’t been completely prepared in terms of knowing my light levels and angles, it would have been a disaster. But I had all my equipment fired up and set properly before I walked in the door, and I was able start shooting without even looking down at my camera. Gotta be prepared!

And that four month old boy, what a ham! As soon as I walked in, he turned to me and started smiling and making faces. The christening part was a whirlwind, but a lot of fun. And then off to Arroyo Verde Park for the family portraits. I had picked the location ahead of time with my client, so there was no fussing around, looking for good spots and good light.

With big groups, the portraits can sometimes seem more about crowd control (“ok, did we get sub-groups B, C and D yet?”) and less about artistry. So whenever possible, I like to squeeze in a few candids, or some individual portraits just to add some variety. I was able to do that here, and love the results! It’s wonderful to get to know people by chatting with them as I take their portraits individually. Even though it’s just for a few seconds or minutes, and I get to see all the different personalities and characters that make up the family.

Technical notes: The church portion of this was shot on my Nikon F5 and one of my Nikon N90s 35mm cameras. One camera had a 50mm f/1.4 lens and black and white film (might have been Fuji Neopan 400, but I’m not sure, and can’t check right now). The color images used a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and a strobe, bouncing back over my shoulder. Color film throughout was Kodak Portra 400, shot at ISO 250 whenever possible.

The park portraits were all shot on my Bronica ETR-s, with a 75mm f/2.8 lens. No strobe, as I’d already picked a spot that would have naturally flattering ‘portrait’ light.