portfolio

portfolio

portfolio

portfolio

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707.502.2468

Northern California Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer

about muir

I think I probably took the least likely path to becoming a professional photographer. I attended the University of California, San Diego, and studied "pure mathematics." Taking a photography class never crossed my mind, though I did take an assortment of basic art classes for fun. I owned a variety of cameras growing up, but I never had much interest in the darkroom, and to this day I know very little about how any of that works. In fact, I am an addict for all things digital. I purchased my first digital camera fourteen years ago, when they first came onto the scene (It had a whopping 1/4 of a megapixel!). I loved the ease in which digital allowed me to quickly make my images match what I pictured in my head, and then share them with friends. I took quite a few photos while in college, but my favorite ones were those I took while in Ethiopia. I spent six weeks there working with kids in the slums, and it completely changed my direction in life.

Though I graduated with a degree in math, I decided I would much rather spend my time working with people than numbers. I have a growing passion for finding ways to serve others, and I wanted to do whatever would most positively influence as many lives as possible. After college I was able to give my passion a direction by becoming a full-time youth director at my church back home. Like any job, it had its ups and downs, but overall it was a huge growing experience for me. I learned how to address large groups, develop leaders, speak into kids' lives, and... take great photos :-) By that point SLR cameras had become digital, and I could hold out no longer. So, I bought my first "real" camera and decided I wanted to learn as much about photography as I could. I spent the next couple years reading books, scanning internet forums, watching videos, and learning to use my camera as if it was an extension of my own body.

Inspired by the photos I took in Ethiopia, and the impact they had on others, I decided to document my work with the youth. I took my camera to Japan that summer, and to Mexico the next. It was sort of my foray into the world of photojournalism, and I began to fall in love with visual storytelling. There was something magical about being able to creatively document life, and then see people being pulled in by the images, and experiencing the moment as if they were there. It was an opportunity for me to be an artist, and at the same time serve others. I guess it makes sense that I would love wedding photography, but I may have never figured that out had one of my past youth ministry students and her fiancee not asked me to shoot their wedding. Honestly, I was very reluctant at first, but I decided to give in... and I LOVED it! For someone who loves photographing people, there is no better time to be a photographer than at someone's wedding.

After I documented my first wedding, I loved how the images turned out, and I was overwhelmed by the response I got from those who saw them. When the number of people asking me to photograph their wedding started to grow, I decided it was time for me to combine my hobby and my passion, and make wedding photography my career. I've been doing photography professionally now for two years. I'm full-time, it's my only job, and I love it!

I consider myself to be part of a new generation of digital wedding photographers. I see photography in a less traditional light. My photos are authentic, inspirational, and beautiful, simply because I document love, and that's what love is like. I don't imagine everyone loves my style of photography, but I do all that I can to capture people at their best, and I am most satisfied in my job when I know that my clients will not only be reminded of what their wedding day looked like, but also everything they were feeling as well.

I hope that as you view my portfolio and slideshows you'll be drawn in by the stories of each couple as they are told through my images. I also invite you to visit my blog, which I will do my best to keep updated with recent projects, both personal and professional. It's a great place to see a wider variety of my photography, and to learn a little more about this mathematician-youth pastor-photographer type person :-D

Blessings,

Muir