Destination weddings are one of my specialties, and I write a lot about them on my blogs. I’ve also written articles in such publications such as Destination I Do Magazine, Ceremony Magazine and Destination Wedding and Honeymoons Magazine . Villa weddings in the Dominican Republic are some of the most romantic and intimate ways to tie the knot. As far as Caribbean weddings, Villa Flor de Cabrera located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic is one of my favorite villas.

Located next to the town of Cabrera, Villa Flor de Cabrera is a fantastic choice for couples looking to get married in an exotic Dominican locale. Heike and Stephen are a lovely and quirky couple from Seattle who chose to have their close family present for their destination wedding.  They and their families were the exclusive guests of the villa for the entire week, and I had the privilege of being immersed in family life for several days while I took photos of all the festivities. Different activities were arranged for everyone to enjoy, from beach picnics to outings to the local cigar maker, Babanuco. Martha Cabrera, was the officiant for the wedding and did a fabulous job as always. The villa chef, Lubin, is a master at creating delicious creations from the local food supply, as well as procuring rare spices, high-quality meet and hard to find seafood. He did not disappoint for this occasion! The staff at the villa are all top notch. For more information on Dominican wedding villas, check out our Dominican Republic destination weddings guide.

Congratulations Heike and Stephen!

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One of my favorite spots for engagement sessions in San Francisco is the magnificent Ocean Beach. With the Great Highway running alongside the exquisite expanse of the Pacific Ocean, it is by far one of the most picturesque natural settings in all of San Francisco. Because of its strong current, the waves of Ocean Beach draw local and visiting surfers alike, including our groom, Travis and his fiance, Stacey. Travis is an avid surfer and since Ocean Beach is near their home it was a meaningful and beautiful choice for their engagement shoot. In addition to the awesome shots in the dune grasses, we were able to take advantage of having a Beach Patrol truck nearby and I took some sweet shots of the couple. I really enjoyed this working with this couple, and their love for each other and their beach came through beautifully in these images. Be sure to keep your eyes on the blog for their upcoming wedding photos!

Congratulations Stacey and Travis!

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I had the privilege of shooting a session with with former two-term Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm who’s new show The War Room will be premiering on Current TV in January 2012. Ms. Granholm has received much acclaim for bringing life to Michigan’s economy during a particularly troublesome period. During  a promotion video shoot for the upcoming nightly series, I captured behind-the-scenes shots, and afterwards did a portrait session with Ms. Granholm.

More information about the series, its premiere and Jennifer Granholm, is available at the website for theThe War Room.

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I absolutely love San Francisco engagement shoots. New love is a captivating thing and there are so many awesome settings in this city to capture it. Tegan and Igor are really cute couple and it was fantastic to Golden Gate Park as a backdrop for the session. Igor is Russian like me, so we connected easily which contributed to a having a fun and relaxed shoot.

At Golden Gate Park we started at Stow Lake before moving on to the Palace of Fine Arts. After our time in the park, we headed to Baker Beach to capture shots in the shadow of the majestic Golden Gate Bridge. This lovely couple will be marrying next year at the beautiful Temple Emanu-El

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A few weeks ago I had the privilege of doing a portrait shoot with Cenk Uygur, host of the internet news show The Young Turks. I also photographed behind the scenes for a promo reel featuring an interview with the former Vice President, Al Gore.  The shoot took place with Gore in his office at Current TV.

These and other images taken by me from the shoot will be part of the promotional campaign of The Young Turks on Current TV.

Make up and hair by Emily Sims. www.jetemakeup.com

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