San Francisco Family Photography Session: Crissy Field

       The weather report said there was a 50% chance of rain, but the coin must have landed in our favor, for when we arrived at Crissy Field in the afternoon the sun was out and shining on the Golden Gate Bridge, which otherwise has a tendency to hide itself in a blanket of fog.  Olivia and her beautiful family were just finishing up their picnic with friends, and after a few moments of packing up, tucking in shirts and changing the baby's outfit, we made our way down to the beach for a wonderful family photo session.  

       What child doesn't love the beach?  Those tiny shoes came off in a jiffy, and the cousins took off running or crawling on the sand down to the edge of the water, dipping their feet into the Bay. (It's funny how the ocean never feels cold to children.)  We took some beautiful posed photos of the whole family in front of the Golden Gate bridge, and also caught candid moments as they played together. It was so much fun! Julia, her adorable daughter, and Grandpa had flown out from Swaziland, Africa to visit their family in the Bay Area, and it was a great opportunity to commemorate their trip. With all the smiling, laughing, and goofing around going on - it was a simple matter to document this family's playful, warmhearted spirit.

​Cute cousins! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​Baby feet! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

Giving hugs in the sand. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​This family shared so many great laughs. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​Aunties are the best when you want to play airplane! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​True love. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​What a gorgeous family! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​Relaxing in the grass. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​A pro in action at rolling down the hill :) © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​Such beautiful eyes! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

​Big grandpa hug! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

So happy and so classic with the Golden Gate Bridge. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

And after a long day at the beach, it was time for a nap. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Family Photography at Crissy Field, San Francisco.

       Family reunions are so important and we are honored to be able to photograph this wonderful family, living on two different continents, but reconnecting on this perfect day for a family photo session on the beach in San Francisco! ​

xoxo,

Ariel + Sam

San Francisco Engagement Photography Session: Sara + Nick

       In the latest photo session that Annie Leibovitz did with Rihanna for Vogue , she used large fans to create glam breezes.  Walking through Lands End in San Francisco, with the newly-engaged couple Nick and Sara, we had no shortage of wind, giving some nice, natural movement to these photos.  While gusty at the top (we used hand warmers to produce heat on demand), at the bottom of the hill near the Sutro Baths, the sun came out, and all of a sudden it felt like summer again.  San Francisco: you confuse and delight us with your weather.

       Nick and Sara are a perfect couple, and they have such fun and easy-going personalities that we almost had to remind ourselves that we were on a photo shoot with them.  It felt like another hike by the Bay with friends.   Of course, looking at the pictures it is easy to see why they are so likeable.  Nick and Sara were eager to explore all the different ecosystems at Lands End from a wooded forest, to a grassy riparian habitat, and even into a cave.  We also caught a few photos of them goofing around in the the stone remnants of the Sutro Baths.  (It's actually no surprise that we had such a great time with them, as we are also good friends with Nick's sister, and coincidentally, just did a maternity photo session with her and her husband.  We've also had a photo session with Nick's other sister earlier this year.  We feel privileged to get to know their entire family so well and to be able to document all the wonderful milestones in their lives.)

       We're so excited that Nick and Sara are getting married.  Congratulations to the happy couple!

​Nick and Sara look out over the Bay and the Sutro Baths.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​Snuggling among the reeds with a backdrop of the Bay.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​The couple peeks out of the "windows" at the Sutro Baths.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

Sharing a kiss.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

Emerging from the cave at the Sutro Baths.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​You know where this is heading!  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

A romantic San Francisco postcard - a beautiful couple kissing in front of the Golden Gate Bride.​ © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​The waves crash below, but all that exists for them is each other. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

Catching a moment as the wind whips through Sara's hair.  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​Glam-o-rama! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

​Congratulations love birds!  We are so happy for you. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at Lands End, San Francisco.

       It is no secret that we love our jobs.  We had so much fun with Sara and Nick last Sunday, both taking their photos and getting to know them better.  We hope you enjoy these selected photos from their engagement session!

xoxo,

Ariel + Sam

San Francisco Engagement Photography Session: Emily + Marcus

       Iggy Pup was excited to play the minute he arrived in the Panhandle. After a few rounds of squeaky-ball toss + chase, he was ready to get down to business and take some photos with his darling human-folk, Emily + Marcus.  But this photo session, of course, wasn't just about Iggy Pup. We were in the park to celebrate the recent engagement of this beautiful couple. 

​Iggy and his peeps! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​Puppy lick! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

Emily has such beautiful eyes! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​So romantic!  © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

Dreamy. © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.
​

​Steamy! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​Steve Martin and Petula Clark get their cameo appearances! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​These two are so adorable! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​Love! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​We're so happy for these two lovebirds!!!!  What a perfect match! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

​Emily is so lovely! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

      We had so much fun at this engagement session, and felt we captured so many wonderful moments: from silly to glam, and from whimsical, to just, simply, HOT! Emily + Marcus are one of the coolest couples we've met, and we're soooo excited for their wedding in San Francisco next year!

xoxo,

Sam + Ariel

San Francisco Engagement Photography Session: Emily + Marcus -- Sneak Peek!

       Totally dreamy.

       We couldn't have asked to spend Sunday afternoon with a more wonderful couple than Emily + Marcus. Oh, and did we mention that they have an adorable furry friend named Iggy Pup? We promise to post photos of him too, but we had to show this photo first. It's one-hundred percent feathered, fanciful romance.  (If any plant could be a bird and sprout feathers, it would surely be pampas grass!)

​Feather romance! © Bowerbird Photography 2012; Engagement Photography at the Panhandle, San Francisco.

xoxo,

Ariel + Sam

Our NEW LOOK, new blog, and new website! (with the same old lovebirds, Ariel + Sam)

       Spring is a time to clean, summer is a time for celebrations, and fall is a time for reinvention.  We've been inspired by all the new looks at New York's fall fashion week, and have toned our arms by flipping through Vogue's brick of a September issue.  Halloween is just around the corner, with the kids in costume, and adult masquerades being planned.  We'd like to say the trees are transforming and changing colors too, but in San Francisco, the most prominent colors that change each year is the palette of pastels that our neighborhood's Victorian houses spinwheel through each year.

       As the fog rolls back in from the Bay, forcing us to beat a retreat to our snug corner for hot cocoa, we've gotten a chance to look back and review all the wonderful assignments and weddings we've shot.  For the newspaper, we've interviewed and taken photos of some fantastic local songbirds like Kelly McFarling.  While on assignment to cover a skills exchange cooperative, we learned how to saber a champagne bottle (which Sam is still trying to convince Ariel to let him do at client meetings :)  We've also covered numerous, beautiful wedding celebrations and become good friends with so many brides and grooms.  Next year, we know, is already going to be a busy one for weddings, both in the Bay Area and abroad.  We are especially honored to fly to Texas next year to document the marriage of two women who we've became friends with after documenting their beautiful surprise proposal under a California Buckeye tree in Golden Gate Park.

       With our lives brimming with all this wonderfulness, we thought it the perfect time to launch our new look, new blog, and new website.  We thought we might put all our old stuff in a box in the closet - but we've seen Toy Story - and know how important for our old things to know they are appreciated - so we're keeping our old blog up here, just in case you want to check in on it and dust off the cobwebs once in a while.  We're already feeling a little nostalgic!

       There are so many exciting new projects, collaborations, and events on the horizon that we are eager to share with you.  For example, ever heard of a 3D fennel cocktail?  Oh... but we're getting ahead of ourselves already!  

xoxo,

Sam + Ariel