A big fat frickin' THANK YOU! Bay Area Wedding Photography

Busy doesn't even being to describe my life... and my wife's life, really.

I had the pleasure of receiving a phone call from my new amazing friend Denise a few months back.  We talked over our futures as photographers, where we wanted to go, and where we wanted to be.  Denise has been beyond amazing in taking me under her wing, helping me with all sorts of struggles and I, in turn, have helped her with some of the things that she struggles with.  A truly mutual relationship.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I love the technical stuff.  Settings, button pushing, and the math behind it all.  I dig it.

As things go, I'm truly striving to kick it into overdrive.  Why?  See the photograph below and you'll understand.  :-)

A shout out to some people who have supported me more than I ever deserved.  Here's the list:

Lindsey (and Nathan) at http://bellaluphotography.com/.  Lindsey invited me on a fashion shoot at http://www.fourseasons.com/ in East Palo Alto last year.  She then had Jehn and I over for dinner a few weeks later.  And, in true Lindsey style, asks me straight up, "Where do you want to go with this?"  No one had yet asked me that, and so began the journey...  I am so grateful to Lindsey for asking me such a simple question that spawned a new passion in my life, a future career, and finally helped me to see what I really want to do with my life, and of course for trusting me as a back-up shooter/assistant on countless wedding adventures.

Jon and Joanne Encarnacion at http://encarnacionphotography.com.  Jon and Joanne I met at a PUG meeting (even though I'm a SmugMug user).  Turns out Jon knows one of my best buddies, Jerry, and turns out Joanne works with the the girlfriend of one of my mountain biking friends, Nathan.  Small world, right?  Jon and Joanne have been looking out for my best interests ever since and 100% willing to help me at every turn.  Plus, they have mustache tattoos, so that makes them cool as all get out in my book.

Kristen Gonzalez of the formerly named http://dimeimage.com/site/ (her website is in the midst of being updated).  As far as Kristen goes, I met her at Mike Larson class in San Francisco back in September, and we immediately clicked.  Our vision is similar, and she is one of the most fun people to work with.  I had the joy of shooting a beautiful Christmas-themed wedding with Kristen this past December, and she is so easy to work with.  Kristen has an eye for fashion, and is flat-out awesome.  Kristen, thank you for all of your help!

Cassie Green of http://cassiegreenphotography.blogspot.com/ .  Cassie and I met through... shoot.  How did we meet?  It was at an engagement shoot with Lindsey of Bellalu.  As always, I'm the go to technical guy, so a few quick camera repairs to Cassie's camera, and we were back in business.  Cassie and I have worked together on events, and she is a pleasure to work with.  Cassie's work is amazing, and she's just too humble to admit it.  Cassie - you are worth more than you think you should value yourself with regards to your photography.  Trust me.

Ashley and Jason Maxwell of http://ashleymaxwellphoto.com .  Ashley and Jason actually did mine and Jehn's wedding photos back in June of 2008.  Ashley and I were lab partners in Biology, and as one of the only rollerbladers in my high school, Ashley's brother Tyler, a skateboarder, should have hated me.  But we got along great.  Ashley and Jason are successful, and have an amazing fashion sense and ability to see art everywhere. They are talented, and quite possibly some of the nicest people I've ever met.  When they did our wedding photos, I don't think I'd seen or talked to Ashley in about 6 or 7 years.  But as soon as we all met up, it was like we were old friends.  Some people just have a knack for being able to make any scenario feel comfortable... like going home for the first time.  Ashley and Jason can do that.

Denise Birdsong Zavala of http://www.denisebirdsongphoto.com/.  Denise, mentioned above, has invested more in me than anyone else I know, save my lovely bride, Jehn.  Denise has allowed me to come to shoots with her, planned mock shoots, show up and work bridal fairs with her, and so much more.  So far so GREAT, as our team effort has already paid off in the work that we've done.  Denise has a killer sense for both fashion and business, a true double threat in a world flowing with great photographers who are bad business people, and good business people who are bad photographers.  With our business sense and our vision, we have become a, dare I say it?  A freakin' POWERHOUSE.  BOOYAH!

Other people I need to thank?

-Mike Steelman of http://www.mikesteelman.com/ for sitting down with me just yesterday in Berkeley and talking to me.  What a freakin' cool guy.  Did he have to do that?  Absolutely not.
 -My friend and former Palo Alto's Finest, Ben Q.  Ben runs http://furryohana.com/, and I've genuinely never seen better pet photography.  No joke, no lies.  He's the best.  Him and I have done countless photo walks around the San Jose area in the middle of the night, and once almost got beat up by a homeless dude who was unhappy with our flashes waking him up from his slumber.  If you have a pet, call Ben.  GO!
-My buddy Jesse Dacumos for helping me on weddings and being super cool and pushing me to up my off-camera flash abilities.
-My friend Chris who owns www.ihnclothing.com for letting me do some of his promo pictures.  I think more of my t-shirts and sweatshirts these days are In His Name than anything else.  I don't even own that many plain white Hanes t-shirts!
-Kevin Nye of http://www.kevinnye.com/.  Kevin and I don't speak anymore, but he truly is the reason why I ever picked up a camera in the first place.  In fact, back in 2006, he came with me to buy my first camera - a Nikon D50 with an 18-55 kit lens.  He'll probably never read this, but I owe him a great amount of gratitude for helping me find where I want to direct my life.  I hope he's doing well as he's comfortably settled in Georgia.  No lies, no formalities.  I wish him the best.
-And the guy who sold me my first "pro" body back in 2009, my now-sold D300.  I think his name was Peter.

Why do I mention OTHER photographers on my blog?  Because these are all talented, wonderful people.  If I'm already booked, I wouldn't let you go anywhere else unless it was one of the above photographers.  They are, hands down, the cat's meow.

Most importantly, over and above anyone else, my family and my wife.  Those who pray for me, support me, and love me on a daily basis, even when I'm never around because of work.  They know I'm working hard for them, and they have been more than understanding, more than supportive, more loving, and more than anyone who is starting a business could ever ask for.  I'm the luckiest photographer in the world and, in my eyes, the luckiest person in the world.

So, why all the thank yous to such great people?  Why am I so concerned with all of the people who have gotten me to where I am, and who are still supporting me into the future where I'm current headed?

This is why...

Yep, that's me.  Holding a pregnancy test my wife took in mid-November.  Due date for baby Buchanan: July 22, 2011.  Exactly one month after our 3 year wedding anniversary.