2021 // Moments in Review

What an incredible privilege it is to get an all encompassing pass; to get real close, to be in every aspect of the day; from the anticipation in the room hiding away, to the very last song. The ability to roam the aisle during the ceremony, witness it from every angle. The dream and strive that is to photograph in so many different ways within one wedding day; photographing the home that you have chosen for your wedding day, photographing its exterior, its rolling hills that surrounding it, the environment and something as simple as the weather that too, is a guest on your wedding day. Photographing the scenery in which your wedding resides.

Photographing the many people in a documentary mold; them mid laugh, mid hugging embrace, mid swoon that is all over the entire face. Searching for moments where these people are at their most relaxed, most themselves, I strive to search for it until I capture it. Documenting to induce nostalgia and memorialize these humans so that you can show your kids the many deeply loved ones that made you the person you are.

Even a simple and strong portrait of you on your wedding day that will only be more and more loved as you grow older. All the photographs in a collection, from portraits to moments, the notion we strive for is to have all the aspects of a wedding day flow in a story being told, one that takes anyone right back to what it felt like to live through that day.

There are photographs that will only grow more meaning with time, ones that you oversaw the first time you viewed your gallery of photographs, and have come to cherish even more the 30th time you’ve taken a look through. There are photographs that you feel proud of immediately, seeing your creativity of planning come to fruition. There are ones that you don’t even know how beautiful you are and you only see it when you look back and youth feels reminiscent and are so glad that you preserved that youth in a single photograph. There are ones you can only appreciate in many years time, not noticing the smallest joys or meaning until much later. Not realizing how important some of the documentation is until many years later. How gratefulness floods for the photographs being captured at all. Different photographs will be cherished in different chapters in your life. Some photographs that might have been easily overlooked, are now newly favorited as you begin to see the many different perspectives of your wedding day in new ways as your own self shifts and grows with new perspective.

I am filled with joy and humbleness to get to put this journal post together year after year. I look forward to it all year. I truly enjoy going through each gallery all over again and finding moments that to me, that are not deemed as grand or special or ones that you would hang on your walls, but ones that truly bring the entire collection of photographs together. These photographs are all what make up a gallery, if not is the gallery in my opinion. The aspects of life that last, the human nature of those we love that won’t always be. The fleeting moments of the in between grand moments. Moments of long awaited affection, joy radiating, and the quiet moments too. These are the types of photographs I endlessly search for on wedding days, ones that often are overlooked, and only grow meaning with time. Ones that need to be looked at a little longer. Ones that need to be grown into. Ones that I need to carefully be there for, with wide eyes, finger on the shutter, ready to press before the moment is gone. Ones that I treat as if they were my own.

If it wasn’t for the incredible, down to earth, so warm and thoughtful couples that I had the gift to document and create with this year, none of these photographs would have been made possible! Thank you to all of those who trusted me and gave me this gift, I do not take this privilege lightly.

Caroline & Mahdi // Stable Cafe Wedding

I cried exactly three times at this wedding. M’s family couldn’t make it due to a certain travel ban but watching him beaming the entire day none the less and hugging every one of C’s family as if his own truly moved and inspired me. The second time was when Mariah Carey’s Always Be My Baby came on, and C’s entire family profoundly sang every word (you’ll know exactly which moment this is when you’re passing through these photos!) and all their guests joined in with arms around each other. Her mother singing to her father cradling his face and dedicating every word. It was such an incredible moment to be a part of. The third time I wept behind my lens was watching this couple on the dance floor, surrounded by so many people yet completely immersed and present with each other. They embraced each other like they were the only ones in that room and you will see that so very clearly too. They were the epitome of blissed out getting to dance with one another and I was so blissed out getting to witness it, I just couldn’t help feeling it all along with them.

This was one of the most emotional and love, joy, warmth filled day that I have ever photographed and witnessed. These two were incredibly present with me and their people and that’s all I can ask for . They let me in, they treated me like family, their family treated me like family, I do not take this privilege lightly of entering one of the most intimate and personal days in your story, so thank you for letting me in.

Venue // Stable Cafe
Florals // Bride
Food // Ann Walker Catering
Music // Golden Bell
Cake // Butter&

Two Thousand & Eighteen // Moments in Review

I truthfully look forward to creating this journal post all year long. There are so many moments that make up an entire wedding day, moments that are so present that tears start streaming, and eyes begin to disappear from laughing so deeply. When those around me don’t even notice I am there and focus on each other instead. These are the moments that always stand out to me the most.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from the minute I entered into one of the most intimate crafts in photography is how badly we as humans want to connect. We search for sentiment and nostalgia becomes our greatest high. We crave connection and search for it endlessly. As we should. And I found myself with the same cravings and same endless search for intimacy with these strangers reaching out because they connected with my words, my work, who I am. Never was there a moment did I have to be someone else, never did I have to create a moment to fill in an uncomfortable situation or silence. Instead, I would ask an inquisitive question because connectivity was my job, I would relate intimate details about myself because constructing a relationship was the basis of the work I create. The collaboration of intimacy can only be done when both myself and my couples are also running on connectivity and honesty. What I’m getting at is that even after years of doing this unbelievable job, I am in shock that my world revolves around an idea that I believe so deeply about, one that I am truly passionate about. Closeness. And in every aspect of the word. So many of the photos you will see here are not taken with a zoom lens or a long focal length, they are simply me getting real close in any situation, with no fear of how the camera will affect the intimacy of the moment because of the relationship, trust and connection that has already been so beautifully created prior. But as I always say, I couldn’t do any of this alone - this is a pure collaboration and without that trust and comfortability to be themselves, the people in front of my lens and in these photos wouldn’t reach such deeply honest and fervently uncontrived moments. Closeness is my job, connectivity is the most powerful tool in my arsenal, and these people are my passion. Feeling immensely grateful to be able to fit that all in the small bubble of a venn diagram that usually seems impossible to reach simultaneously. Writing that out made me laugh out loud.

This past year I focused more on growing roots into shooting closer to home. Creating homemade relationships with couples I still get to see or shooting at venues that I feel even more familiar with. I will always favor and love new experiences and amazing new places to see, but there is nothing quite like shooting in your own backyard (or at least what feels like San Francisco’s backyard) and being a part of a community that feels like home.

I am so grateful for every moment and every love filled day. I am so grateful for getting to do what I love and foraging connections all while connecting to my surroundings. I am grateful for every moment of vulnerability I get to be a part of. Being a part of one of the most personal and intimate days of a person’s year is so wild. Being an observer and a documenter of affection and interaction is truly amazing. I am grateful for what I do and those who let me in to do it. But above all else, I am grateful for constantly staying true to myself and what I believe for that is what attracts these truly rad humans and these absolutely meaningful weddings. People who simply just want to be themselves too.

As you may have read here and there, my work is heavily influenced by my street photography and I use the same mindset on a wedding day - present and immensely observant, building relationships with your people that allows me to take intimate photos of people with their guards down, and yet simultaneously being ready to hit the shutter at a moment of intimate affection or gorgeous outburst of laughter. These are some of my proudest moments and this post is unapologetically long but I am so happy to share them with you.

-Nataly

two thousand & seventeen

Comparison is inevitable when it comes to art. Comparing our work to others, to our own, to that of what isn't there, what could have been there, and what is there. Comparison not only makes us think deeper about the work we create, but also pushes us to create better and stronger work. Although I have to say, the rare times I simply do not compare a photograph to anything than what it is, is the photographs you see below. Moments that couldn't be recreated, organically revealing themselves. Moments in between the chaos and the mundane. Moments that come together to define a story. When you photograph a wedding in a very documentary style, some of your favorite moments end up being those unplanned and unrehearsed. And at times, these are the photos that get quickly overlooked, quickly passed by. It is easy to overlook that of which is not taken in an epic location or full of intertwining limbs. I wanted to shed my light on those moments that are just as crucial to tell the entire story. Photographs that can only be documented when you have wide eyes yet patient ones too. Photographs that aren't the most conventionally beautiful and moments where no one knows you're even watching. 

This year was full of growth, full of getting to know the type of relationship I strive for with my couples. The trust instilled in me from my couples to document their day as the day unfolds is more than I could ever ask for. Finding couples who share the same vision of foraging and gathering, coming together with those they have spent their lives loving, all that is what matters most. This year I have felt more connected to those I have documented - couples who are now some of my closest friends, couples who I have spent getting to know so deeply, and some who I have had gotten real low on the dance floor with. Spending time to connect with my humans on a level beyond wedding photography and being able to document the most intimate parts of them is what keeps me addicted to what I do. 

Along with copious amounts spent among the foliage in the Bay Area, my work has taken me to intimate in home sessions in Barcelona, passionate sessions in the cobbled streets of Florence, empowerment and strength in Joshua Tree, backyard gatherings, Muir Woods elopements, green ballrooms overlooking City Hall, and so many places lush in emotion and greenery. 

For these select favorites, I wanted to choose pure moments. Moments that make up the entire story, moments that are documented just the way they are - true and sincere. I am so damn proud of the work I create, and proud of the couples who create it with me. Cheers to an amazing year, wouldn't have been able to do it without you all. 

-Nataly