Tim Wheaton Photography | Southern California Natural Light Photographer

laurie & dwight: holiday wedding

February 6, 2010 Posted in wedding

my communication with the bride over emails was fairly intriguing. the usual inquiries were made, details exchanged… and after some time, she hinted that we know each other. i had to rack my brain to recall all of the laura’s and laurie’s i have known over the course of my lifetime. when i was a young teenager, my parents took myself and two of my brothers on a mexican cruise with them. laurie and two of her girlfriends were our “table mates” for all of our meals during the week. there were not a lot of kids my age on the boat and i ended up befriending the three women. we all fell out of touch, though they remain very close. so this was that laurie. and here she is now, getting married, and allowing me the honor of being her photographer.

their wedding was held at the beautiful Island Hotel in newport beach.

some of laurie’s family members were in her room with her as she got ready for the ceremony. i love this photo of her and her mom.

who doesn’t love those little impromptu surprises a bride or groom has for their soon-to-be spouse on their big day?

if you know me, you know how crazy i am about the ring detail shots.

as usual, no real ceremony or formal family shots on my blog. but i do like this one moment during their vows.

laurie and dwight had such a fun idea for their dining table. with it being a smaller wedding, they were able to pull this off: a photo of them holding a card with the name of that each attendee. here are their seat photos:

the food looked amazing. everyone loves food details, right? (you can excuse yourself for something to eat soon… only a couple more pictures…)

their cake was also unique. the traditional toppers looked like nothing too out of the ordinary from the front… bride and groom… looking dapper. but when you came around to see them from the back…

while everyone was dining, i snuck away for a few TTV details shots of the location. i am going to make sure to bring that old camera in my bag to all my weddings.

one final shot of the happy couple. we took a few minutes between ceremony and reception for some photos. the christmas tree in the lobby lent some great light in the background to us.

thanks again for the opportunity to not only witness, but participate in your glorious first step on your new life, laurie. i wish the both of you the very best in your lives together! :)

Tags: Newport Beach, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer, The Island Hotel in Newport Beach, tim wheaton photography, wedding photographer

by Tim

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every little bit counts: haiti relief effort

January 13, 2010 Posted in words

as a human, the disasters that are hitting our planet of late are making me ill with grief. it makes me sad for the families affected. for the immediate, and for the economic and health struggles that will certainly plague the area for years, possibly decades to come. i know that i am only one person, and i cannot go to these places and offer any help in that manner. unfortunately, my current state of income also does not allow me to write a large check to assist. however, i have been given a talent and a gift… and i will use that instead.

so here is how i will help… and where you come in…

contact me within the week to book a session during the month of january. instead of paying me directly (my prices can be found at my website), i will ask you to write your check to red cross and send it to them for their haiti relief fund. i will coordinate with you to have any future print or cd purchases to go to their cause as well.

so, let’s help out. some of you may have missed out on getting family photos before christmas… or you may have met me at the recent Wicked productions in Oceanside and would like to get some new portraits of your children.

because of how late it is in the month, i will only be able to get one of these in right now… but i may start doing this monthly. thanks for your time and interest.

by Tim

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alexis: sneak-peek

December 30, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized

one last shoot for the year 2009, and it ended up being a good way to close out the year. alexis’ father and i used to work together way back in the early 90’s at tower records in el toro. we have stayed in touch over the years and the salon he owns (salon platinum) is walking distance from my home. he used to even cut my hair, back when i had hair to cut. but let’s not get into that… change of conversation. quick!

alexis is building her portfolio right now and i jumped at the chance to work with her. we started out in my magic tree spot and quickly raced to the beach to catch some last daylight before sunset. i just wanted to edit a few of these immediately and give her and her family a little taste of what we created together. oh, and a shout out to her stylist for the day, also… riane (pronounced “ryan”), who works at salon platinum too.

i had a great time working with you, alexis! we will have to put our heads together for another different shoot in a couple of months, if you want to.

much more to come… i hope y’all love these. don’t forget to comment. it’s friendly! :)

by Tim

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twas the tween times post…

December 13, 2009 Posted in Personal

so, there is that time between thanksgiving and christmas day that can always get so hectic. the mad dash for the perfect tree, last-minute shopping, putting the lights up, and so on. in this time, i wanted to update my blog to give y’all something to gander at while you maybe sip on some egg nog. so, here are a few of my shots from “the season” of years past (and one from this year) that make me smile.

this is me and the hired santa (ahem… don’t let your kids read this. should i have put “spoiler alert” at the top of this? haha) from my brother’s holiday open house last year for his non-profit organization, the pet rescue center. of course, santa’s beard made mine look sad.

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here is our christmas card photo from this year (sorry if you did not get one. maybe you need to give me your mailing address?). this was my wife’s idea and we are all warm in the holiday cheer, er uh…. our snuggies.

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here we are just before going to an (now very popular theme) ugly christmas sweater party/dinner with our friends a couple of years ago.

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and here is the grand finale, the shot that i just found out is back up on websites again this holiday season after making a big splash last year. i admittedly pat myself on the back for that, because, well… i am not famous and never will be. i was not the star quarterback in high school, i never win in the lottery… so it’s the little victories, right?

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shout-outs go to my dear mom who just celebrated a birthday last week. these sweaters belong to her. well, they used to. i have basically confiscated them now as my own. also, to cordarounds for those awesome discoball pants in that last photo above. and to my wife… cuz she not only put up with these kind of shenanigans from me, but (as you see here) she sometimes jumps in too. happy holidays everyone!

by Tim

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holidays up north: vacation, wheaton style

November 30, 2009 Posted in Personal, family, kids

i figured i would kind of give you all a break from family shots at the beach for a moment here. and in the spirit of giving thanks, family and the turning of the seasons… i offer you a glimpse (not that you asked…) into our little family vacation these past few days. we hopped in the car (nana, my wife, our little girl and myself) dark and early on my birthday (wednesday morning) to make the trek to our friends’ in nor cal. it was our daughter’s first real road trip and we could not have asked for her to be more perfect. let’s just jump right in. shall we?

almost as soon as we arrived, we headed over to the park to play with our friends’ kids and some of their friends. little d loves the swings, so she even got to have some fun.

i tried to muster a shot that entered my mind with the lens i was stuck with. it kinda worked. i kinda love it.

i climbed onto some of the jungle gym and caught what are now a few of my favorite photos of our little girl and of her with my wife.

this is our friends’ little girl. for some reason, some of my favorite shots i get of her are always while she has something going on that makes the picture seem a throw-away. she just gets this calmness about her, i guess, when she is pre-occupied. who knows… maybe Horizon Organic will contact me for using it as an ad? :)

just some of what makes petaluma take the breath out of me sometimes.

and here is our little girl all dressed up for her first thanksgiving with our friends up north.

and this is my wife (melissa) with the middle generation of our friends (colleen). she is a dear friend that melissa has basically known all of her life, for the most part. and she is crafty as all get out. i cannot even tell you how many things she has made for us and little d. oh, for instance… she made that dress in the shot above for her and the little kicker she has on her head too! and, i might bet you that she made what she has on below, as well.

so… i will try to keep this from being a “you had to be there” kind of thing. for those of you on facebook, i will post a video soon. but our little girl does this thing we now call “mind control” where she tenses all up and kinda stares at you and shakes a little. the best is when she shakes her face just right so her big old cheeks just rattle along. good times.

it became clear to me again this weekend how much i love just taking photos. how i love the organic process of just shooting as things happen. i had my camera out even less than i would have liked to, but i got a handful of shots that are up at the top of my all-time faves (for now). i just love this moment with my two girls.

again, for those of you on my facebook, you know about one of the things that really got me excited about this particular trip. i usually try to break away for at least a half day of just photo-exploration. not always with a destination in mind. but this trip, our friend andy and i got up early and headed out to the small town of bodega. this is the home to the church that was used in the alfred hitchcock film “the birds”. i have been an enormous (not a pun aimed at the size of the director) fan of hitchcock since i can remember. so any opportunity to walk around and even capture a hitchcockian monument … well, it makes me giddy beyond words.

the top photos are the same… i just loved how much different this looked in hitchcockian black-and-white. of note, getting the second shot cost me a few rips in my pants from a barbed-wire fence. well worth it.

before getting back to the house, we made a brief stop at the rocks above dillon beach. i have no words… just photos.

while d and i were sharing some time while the mom’s shopped, she allowed me to take a few goofy shots of her.below is her excitement when she pulls out certain faves of her animal flash cards. she does so love the ducky.

and now for a storyboard of her excitement when ‘chica’ makes an appearance on the sprout channel:

you can tell when i am shooting more for me, because i will bring out my old argus camera. i just love the way things look through its viewfinder and the final product from it usually dizzies me in a good way… speaking to the side of me that used to love sifting through old family photos.so here is a handful of some of my faves from a little walk we all took together with my argus doing the story-telling.

i have high hopes for the reception of some of these quick shots i took of colleen and the kids on their porch that evening. hopefully i am not the only one who loves these this much. :)

and here are the kids hanging out on their porch bench. i love the “group shots” we get with d in them. it makes my mind time-travel ahead to when she will look at these photographs…

… and i smile everytime that i imagine her saying “oh, that’s me and ______ ” … easily recalling different moments in her life that she shared with people that she loves. we all know that is what the holidays are about. family and friends and the love that we feel for those people becoming a tangible thing. and by that, i don’t mean a present. but, rather, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. a few days out of our life where we spend time reminiscing with the people that have helped shape us into who we are. and now that i am older, and can see things in this light, saying “i wish it were christmas every day” takes on a new meaning for me. because if any or all of us could be that wrapped up in love and affection and basic human kindness…. wouldn’t the world just be that much better?

** thanks for reading and looking through this post. i know it is a more personal one, in nature… but it does resemble my work as well. i hope each and every one of you had a blessed holiday and can continue to enjoy the holidays to come. **

Tags: Bodega, Dillon Beach, family photographer, Nor Cal photographer, Northern California photographer, Petaluma, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer

by Tim

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mini-session day two: family love amore’

November 24, 2009 Posted in family, kids

after the success of our first family session day (as well as picking up some people who were out with flu or activities), gillian and i were sure we needed to organize a second day. first of all, you remember gillian from the last post, right? she runs <a href=”http://www.thewriteinvite.net/”>the write invite</a> in ladera ranch, and was the organizer of these events (thanks a million again, gillian! i cannot wait to work more with you in the future!)

and let’s get started here… mini session should equal mini-blog post, right? well… it doesn’t work that way… but i will try and keep the jibber jabber to a minimum. how’s that? deal?

appropriately, the day started off with gillian and her family. it was fun to spend even a little time with her entire family… and her boys are just too adorable.

as a new-ish father, and being one who cherishes my relationship with my own father, i have big dreams for the timelessness of shots like this:

every kiss may begin with kay, but some of the best ones end with a giggle

for the next family, we ended up at the more southern area of the montage beach area. i really do not have a favorite spot on this resort, because there is something to love everywhere. i do so love the “keyhole rock” that is in this area, however. how ’bout you?

the next family told me as we walked down to the beach that all they really asked was for a photo of all of them looking at the camera. i kind of chuckled, but i knew what a struggle that can be for even a family with just one child, let alone three boys that just want to go go go :) we got their shot, and then some… but those are just group family shots. and like i said in day one’s post… i am not really one to load up these posts with the family shots that are for their wall or frames. so, ironically, here is a shot i loved that had almost none of their faces in it…

if you read and looked through my recent post with the amazing family <a href=http://timwheaton.com/blog/index.php/archives/387>in the fog</a>, you got a good feeling on how i feel about the parents out there who do it on their own (and maybe an overload of it, really… haha). i met another warrior mama on this mini session day. and her little girl is such a little peach. oh, seriously… i normally get excited to do “day after” shoots with brides. i could have happily done a day after shoot with these two. spending time with little girls like this one is what makes me impatient for my little one to be just a couple years older.

i love observing the things people do, without even thinking about it. for instance, my wife is a twirler. she twirls her hair in and around her fingers like none other. when i talk to little ones while i shoot them, i try to keep my eyes moving and see if there is anything inherently them that i can capture. little t’s hands were so endearing while we interacted. (and look at those eyes!!!)

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the bond here is just something to behold. even for those parents who are raising their children together. this is what i love taking away from these encounters. for me to work harder as a parent to pour as much love into my child as a parent who is doing it on their own. love. the beatles were prophetic with the simplicity of their statement: all you need is love. truly… the world is better for it… so soak some of this in :)

the next family led us back to the southern section of the resort… and another reason i love that area. (you’ll see in the second photo) the dad told me he was hip to some of the “cheesier” side of family photos. and you know, there is something to that, i think. these make for a great storyboard, in my opinion.

now this spot is so fun in its variation throughout the day (due to tidal activity). we were there at a great time and got some fun shots to end their time section.

this next family was so fun. they had a brand new little one with them and, i think you will agree with me in a mental high fiving of the mom. you would have thought they brought their little niece or nephew with them. haha. the baby boy’s big sisters were a hoot… and fun to shoot… so, don’t pollute! (had to keep the inadvertent rhyme alive… anybody want a peanut?).

the middle girl was cracking me up nearly the whole time with them. it was interesting to get some pensive shots out of her.

the mom was wearing this incredible necklace that day. she said she wanted to get a shot specifically including it for her site. so check it out! :)

the last family for the day started as the sun was actually setting. we stayed up in the grassy area and you could hear passer-by’s commenting up a storm about the little boys.

the hat got passed around a bit during their time with me. fortunately i caught this one with it on and off.

this last shot needed a little wizardry to pull together. one of the aspects i most embrace about digital photography, is the ability to fix things that just sometimes happen. because, when you are shooting outdoors, in a public place, with multiple subjects… things just tend to happen. and i get film photography. i do. and i hear from some sides how digital editing has killed a lot of what photography originally stood for. however, for me, i embrace the ability to “save” an image that may have been a throw away for any number of reasons. and this was one of them:

and so ends day two. thanks for reading through all of this. apparently, the writer side of my brain has still not fully been walked off the plank by the photographer side. i am sure there will be some rejoicing when it does.

thanks again, to gillian and all of the families we worked with over the course of these. we will be doing some spring sessions next year, possibly in orange county and san diego county as well. so let me know if you have any interest on getting in on those. or just to do a normal session with me too.

Tags: family photographer, Laguna Beach, Montage Resort, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer, tim wheaton photography

by Tim

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m & k: a lovelight through the fog

November 16, 2009 Posted in family, kids

as i drove westward to the beach for this shoot, somewhere in laguna canyon, i entered this thick blanket of fog. a misty fog. behind me were blue skies and sunshine. i heard it was cold at the beach, but did not expect such a fog monster to gobble me up. i text my wife when i arrived a bit early at the montage: “it is such a thick fog… i hope this family lasts even 15 minutes in this!”

monique and her boy showed up and she quickly dashed any of my concerns for her concern (take a moment to unravel that little word puzzle…). with these words: “i was actually thinking of going black & white with my christmas photos this year”. perfect!! the fog only opens itself up to that all the more. we navigated our way down to the beach and started right in…

swinging her little boy evoked such joy, i could not help but post a few of those here:

the little time i spent with these two reminded me how a word’s tradition can be misleading. for instance, one may hear the word ‘home’ and immediately think of a two-story house with a white picket fence, green grass on a yard in front and in back, maybe even a tire-swing in the front yard. however, i live in an apartment with my wife and little girl… and (right now) this is home to me. i may want more… but this is home. when i walk in the door from a long day and see my little girl beaming up at me from the floor and my wife is sitting there with her: that is home.

where am i going with this? well, the word ‘family’ (to many) may mean a father and a mother and 2.5 children and maybe even some pets. that could be our immediate thought. these two, for instance… they are a family. they protect and nurture one another and their love is something you don’t need to spend a weekend with them to see. it did not even take a full hour for me. and, in my estimation, a family is a circle of love (or should be). so, while you may think a large family (i have 7 siblings) generates all of this love and it just goes round and round (which it does/did)… does that mean this tight little family of 2 has any less? i may even contend that the speed at which the love circles around with the two of them, might even make it that much stronger. i will run this theory by my friend, who is an engineer and get him to work out the specs of the centrifugal force of the lovelight within a spectral powered by a flux capacitor and the rotary girder housing. haha.

and …. back to our regularly scheduled programming:

i often love just letting the kids be. just letting them be can bring out osme of the most honest and real child photos, i think.

i could say something here about how their life’s journey may seem like it is going through a bit of a fog at times and make all these statements about their love and the light at the end of their journey… but i already took all your reading time up above… so i will just let you think it instead. :)

monique… all of my best wishes and blessings to you and your family this year, and in those to come. it was my pleasure meeting you two. thanks for trusting me with capturing this moment of your lives.

Tags: children, family, family photographer, Laguna Beach, Montage Resort, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer

by Tim

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November 16, 2009 - 10:30 am rachel - oh Tim! these are absolutely fabulous! I love the fog!!!

November 16, 2009 - 10:31 am Sara - i love this set!! wonderful!!

November 16, 2009 - 10:32 am Amy - LOVE these, every single single single one of them! For some reason the whole scene reminded me of Where the Wild Things Are. She will love these Tim...awesome!

November 16, 2009 - 10:36 am gillian - Love them, Tim....The pictures and M & K!! The shots are Aaammmazing!!

November 16, 2009 - 11:05 am dina - Tim! I love these. LOVE the fog and YOU energy shines through on these shots...

November 16, 2009 - 11:17 am Jewey Chiang - Even with the fog, the pictures turned out great!! I love the background, foot print images and matching out fit! looks like a fun photo session!

November 16, 2009 - 11:17 am susan - The photos are just as beautiful as this "little" family is! I don't know how she will decide what to choose!

November 16, 2009 - 11:26 am gail - amazing images. truly captures the loves between mother and son! nothing like it in the world!

November 16, 2009 - 11:33 am Randy - These are beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing!

November 16, 2009 - 11:36 am Cindy Timoti - You have done an incredible job capturing the beauty and love that M & K have for each other through your photos and words! :)

November 16, 2009 - 11:36 am Sim - Oh, I love all the shots. They are so natural and amazing! Two thumbs up from me.

November 16, 2009 - 11:37 am Tim - thanks everybody! these comments are piling in quickly! :) i actually love giving the freebies to people... so keep 'em comin' :)

November 16, 2009 - 11:45 am Heather Harlow - Ok, I'm not sure if it's the pictures, the story, or a combination of the two, but I'm sitting here at work with tears streaming down my cheeks! Thanks a lot! :-) Beautiful photos!

November 16, 2009 - 11:54 am susie - love love LOVE these pictures!!! these 2 people are the most amazing family i know and these shots truly capture their bond together... so beautifu!

November 16, 2009 - 12:03 pm Lauri - Words cannot express how truly beautiful those pictures are and the love he captured between a mother and her son... You will forever treasure those moments and never forget them. GREAT phots and BLOG!! Wish I loved in So Cal... I would used Tim in a SECOND!!

November 16, 2009 - 12:05 pm Cynthia - Great pictures! My favorites are pics 1,7,and 11; especially where they are walking on the beach, both the black and white and the color one walking in the distance ..beautiful colors.

November 16, 2009 - 1:13 pm Amanda - I can't wait for the Christmas cards as these pictures are stunning! Tim you could not have described M & K better if you tried!

November 16, 2009 - 1:24 pm rik andes - wow, tim! love what you were able to do with the fog. i especially love the two of them, walking away, wide shot. wow wow wow! =]

November 16, 2009 - 1:36 pm Chanda - These pictures are truly amazing and they really capture the love and special bond between the two of them. Thank you for sharing!

November 16, 2009 - 2:35 pm Sarah - What wonderful pictures! Monique and Kaden are wonderful FAMILY! These pictures were a great way to see how happy they are!

November 16, 2009 - 2:44 pm Lydia Timmermans - Thank you for those wonderful pictures. I'm the lucky one to have them in my house everyday. proud to be Kaden's oma.

November 16, 2009 - 4:33 pm alex - Just beautiful!

November 16, 2009 - 7:33 pm Kelly - These are Fabulous!! It is so REAL and sweet. I love the innocence and the special bond between mother and child. Awesome photos

November 16, 2009 - 8:33 pm Christy - Wow, what amazing pictures! The love between them is so beautifully captured in each picture. The fog really adds to it. I want to plan our pictures on a foggy day now in the future:)

November 17, 2009 - 5:02 am Miwa - I love all these photos! I am so amazed how much Kaden has grown since I last saw him!

November 17, 2009 - 5:11 am dani - <3

November 17, 2009 - 8:23 am Page Bowman - Tim...sign me up!! As a single mom to three boys, I LOVE the love you captured between mother and child!! I would love to sign up for a session with you!

November 17, 2009 - 9:33 am Pam Bustos - The photos are just beautiful. The whole shot just evokes such a fun time at the beach, even with the fog. It sort of made all the pictures look a little magical.

November 17, 2009 - 9:37 am Kristy - Tim-These photos of M&K are wonderful and absolutely beautiful with the fog. We always think we need the sun shining for pictures and I think these are the most beautiful pictures.

November 17, 2009 - 9:43 am Sally - They really turned out beatiful. What wonderful moments he has captured.

November 17, 2009 - 10:06 am Stacy - These photo's are absolutely stunning and tell the story of M&K getting though the fog together. The love of a mother and her child is the brightest and strongest bond of all. Tissue please!

November 17, 2009 - 10:55 am Rita Mulder - The pictures are all very beautiful

November 17, 2009 - 11:34 am Annette Hansen - These pictures are so beautiful and you can see all of the love.

November 17, 2009 - 2:56 pm Aslam - Fantastic photos - like something out of a movie. Captures beautifully the bond they share.

November 17, 2009 - 10:35 pm Brandon - These are great pictures

November 18, 2009 - 3:10 pm liz leighton - Love these, Tim!!! Just beautiful

November 19, 2009 - 3:47 pm Jamie - Ahhhh, so beautiful, both the pictures and the words. :)

November 20, 2009 - 5:51 pm Loes Moor - Hallo Monique, I love it, these pictures. Monique and Kaden are so beautiful, my compliments to you Tim, kisses from the Netherlands in Denhaag and love from Loes also to lydia and Jan the parents from Monique.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

November 21, 2009 - 9:30 am Megan Qualls - I am so glad that I was able to see these pictures....they are really magical! Capturing the love of a mother and child evokes such strong emotions in me......I have a lump in my throat and that is a good thing!

November 22, 2009 - 8:35 am Claudine Williams - WOW! I'm in tears! These pictures your thoughts...dead on! Monique and Kaden are my cousins and are so strong it is an inspiration to all. These photots are breathtaking and really capture what life is all about!

November 23, 2009 - 9:37 am Terrin - Love the pictures of the BEAUTIFUL family! They really are a light of love. Thanks for sharing.

November 30, 2009 - 12:03 pm Heather - These pictures are beautiful! The fog created such a magical effect. I love them.

December 5, 2009 - 8:37 pm Amber - STUNNING! I love the fog!

wheaton family: two plus two plus one

November 10, 2009 Posted in family, kids, maternity

i have actually been trying to get together with these busy-bodies for so long. it became almost urgent to finally work it out so we could get some photos done before their newest family member is born. which could be any day now. for those of you who do not know, this is my brother’s family… he is 18 months older than me and we have been best friends, through thick and thin, for all the days of my life.

we met up at what seems to be the epicenter of my family shooting this season for some reason: the montage resort in laguna beach.

the sun was setting and spreading its beautiful orange glow all over the grassy area while we were there. i just kind of went with it and allowed it to wrap its warm arms around their little family…

after the sneak peek storyboard of my niece letting her twirly dress do its thing… i decided to do another from the day. this one shows one of the other things that we forget as adults.. one of the things i most adore about kids… them just being goofy: laughing, making silly faces and cracking themselves up:

this shoot was not really aimed at being a “belly shoot”… or we had not really discussed that. but how can you not involve the miracle of that little life in there?

kids and their special stuffed animals. this one does not have the most original name ever… but it is loved with a full heart.

and we were all blessed by yet another jaw-droppingly gorgeous laguna sunset:

and every time the sun sets right now, i am wondering if i will be getting a call or a text saying that “it’s happening! it’s time!!!” when we had our little girl, it was a dinner with my brother and his wife that possibly set things into motion for my wife’s labor. maybe we need to have some thai food together, you guys! ;)

Tags: child photographer, Laguna Beach, maternity, Montage Resort, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer

by Tim

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living is like this: sneak peek for the wheatons

November 9, 2009 Posted in family, kids, words

this is sort of a peek for my brother and his family. i shot them a couple of weeks ago now and my sister-in-law is about to give birth, maybe any day/hour/minute now. i think if i had ever needed a push to my desire to be a father, that door was completely busted wide when my brother and his wife had their kids. i have been an uncle since i was, i think, in the 4th grade… i am the youngest of 8 kids, and i have nearly 20 nieces and nephews now. but with all of those kids (some of which, are adults now — shows how old i am!), of course it never hits home until you have one of your own.

now that our little girl is getting so much closer to walking on her own, i sit and marvel at kids that are just running around. the process to getting there is really quite remarkable.

so, here is a little snippet from my day with my brother, his wife, their two kids and the one still “baking in the oven”… a moment that reminds me how sweet life really is. how sweet it can be. that just because so many of us are “grown up”, doesn’t mean that we can’t have silly fun. and for the girls out there, that can be as simple as “putting on your twirly dress and spinning barefoot in the grass as the sun sets”.

your pics are coming your way soon, m&b! and, i cannot wait to meet my newest little niece or nephew! :) love you guys!

Tags: child photographer, children, Laguna Beach, Montage Resort, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer

by Tim

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rachael & tim: a love that spans both coasts

November 6, 2009 Posted in wedding

i have known tim for quite a few years now, so when he and rachael inquired about hiring me to shoot one of, if not the most important day of their lives, i have to admit i got a little nervous. i mean, let’s get down to brass tacks for a second, shall we? i feel that comfortable with you, my readers. weddings can be a pressure-cooker of a situation for everyone involved in them. i mean, look how anxious the little ring-bearers usually get. ;) but, seriously. when you are shooting the big day of someone you know, i think it raises the stakes a little bit more. as i type this, that even feels wrong to say… because, clearly, you do not want to make any mistakes on anyone’s wedding day. but, human instincts i think would say that having that responsibility for someone you know adds a little more to it.

and… i digress…

i was honored to be chosen to shoot their wedding for them. it was exciting for me to be a part of such an event, especially to just be there to witness it all. apparently, that bottle of water i just drank must have had truth serum in it (curse you, arrowhead!) because i have another confession to make. when i spoke with rachael and she told me they would not be available for an engagement shoot of any type, nor a day after or TTD, i hung my head a little. once you start seeing photos of them, you will understand. i mean, these two are models.. or at least they play ones on TV.

with no further ado… (but plenty of “i do”) (oh…i slay me… anyone else? i will blog here all week… try the veal)

on my way to meeting with the guys as they got ready, i stopped to pick up a New York Times. the happy couple lives there and i thought it would be fun to throw that nifty detail into their photos somehow.

i smiled when i saw that tim’s ring had an inscription inside. i love that little detail.

after tim and his brothers helped one another get ready, tim helped his good friend sean finish dressing as well.

some last shots of the guys before trekking down to spend some time shooting rachael and her girls.

really, every bride should have a sip or two of the bubbly while she gets ready.

one of rachael’s bridesmaids, and another person i have known for years and years….. lacy:

and for all you fashionistas…

and it was off to the church. and more prepping. :)

another of rachael’s bridesmaids helping tim’s brother out:

it was a treat to see how strong the love was shared not only between tim & rachael, but between their friends and them too.

this moment here… always my favorite at weddings. the electricity in the air is just incomparable with anything else.

i was kind of passing the time with them when i shot a series at this piano after the ceremony. but there is something so natural about this that i love.

after shooting the wedding party, we literally had 4 minutes to shoot the newlyweds’ photos, what some call the “romantics” shots. fortunately, i pay attention to NFL quarterbacks. i went into my own 2 minute-drill offense with them to beat the clock. (and i did not kick a field goal)

when i spoke with rachael the day before the wedding, she reiterated for me to “go for it” with their photos… that they like the artsy side of my work. some of the light here gave me a good opportunity to snap a few photos that yielded some prime opportunities for some extra artistry. i got it out of my system with these three frames.

now, let me reiterate my heartache for you one last time. i mean, seriously. look at these two. i could have shot them for hours!

four minutes flew by and it was time to head in for the reception. everything was so beautiful inside. i loved their approach on the tables and with the cake.

oh, i misled you earlier. forgive me. during their first dance, i took one other chance to get more into my artsy side (with the sunlight flooding right on them through the windows).

tim’s brother, jamie, gave one of the most hilarious toasts i have ever heard.

it seems like at every wedding, there is one (sometimes more) super cute kid that just steals everyone’s heart … and often, also steals the spotlight on the dance floor.

and there is always a kid that gets tossed into the air or swung by their arms. this time, they happened to be one and the same person :)

and all good things come to an end….. sadly….

i really cannot express what an honor it was to shoot their wedding. so, thanks so much, tim and rachael. i appreciate your faith and trust in me. with more than i have within me, i wish you both the best in your life together!

as a bonus for this fantabulous couple… comment this blog post up! 25 comments (from 25 different people, if i need to specify) on this post will earn them a free 8×12 of their choosing from me. i even threw in a bonus level on this. who doesn’t love a bonus level? if they get 50 comments here, i will gift them 5 free 5×7 prints.

so share the love! :)

Tags: Laguna Niguel, So Cal photographer, Southern California photographer, wedding, wedding photographer

by Tim

28 comments

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November 6, 2009 - 9:34 am Jenn - WOW, Tim! Some of your best work EVER. They're going to be positively thrilled!

November 6, 2009 - 10:03 am dani - oh Tim! seriously one of the best set of wedding photographs ever! so glad they gave you the green light to get artsy too! how fabulous all of your expirements came out!!

November 6, 2009 - 10:17 am Holly - Tim, I LOVE these photos! SO wonderful. What a beautiful and happy couple. I am BEYOND excited for you to shoot mine and Gavin's wedding!! :D

November 6, 2009 - 10:46 am Jess - These two are obviously crazy about each other, and the reason that it's obvious is because you've managed to capture their love on film. You have a gift, my friend. I can't wait for you to capture my craziness next October!!!

November 6, 2009 - 12:08 pm megmanionsilliker - tim!! they just have to be thrilled with their photos - they are GORGEOUS!!!! love every single one of them - so beautiful. bride. groom. friends. family and one rockin' photog = BIG LOVE!!

November 6, 2009 - 1:53 pm Natalie - TIM!!!!!!!! These are SOOOOOOOO good!! You are seriously AMAZING! GREAT JOB!

November 6, 2009 - 5:05 pm Blythe - Wow, that wedding and couple will be in the InStyle Weddings issue right!!!! Amazing work Tim, so proud of you!!!

November 6, 2009 - 8:22 pm Natasha - I love how humble you probably always will be and how amazing you are and how much you have grown .. these are gorgeous and one day you will be by my side taking my photos for the big days in my life :)

November 6, 2009 - 9:46 pm Marissa - So gorgeous!

November 7, 2009 - 12:10 am Sean - I'm simply speechless. You give me inspiration. Keep your calendar open for whenever i get married. Job well done!

November 7, 2009 - 12:59 am Jason - Blown away at how great you capture a moment in time! This is how weddings should be shot

November 7, 2009 - 6:12 am Katelyn - OMG TIM!!! these are flipping amazing. i think your best photos YET. not joke. i need to lern from you on the flash lighting of the reception. you rocked that.

November 7, 2009 - 8:46 am Joy - Amazing work Tim. You are on your way to being one of the best in the OC!!So proud of you!

November 7, 2009 - 9:32 am rachael gray - Thank you so much for the beautiful pictures! You captured us and our personalties, you made everyone feel comfortable which is so hard with the pressure of the day. You are so professional. You got the pictures to us in record time, I hear people say it took a full year with other photographers! We are so happy with the results. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. If you ever need a reference tell them to call me : )

November 7, 2009 - 9:54 am Rebecca - This was such a beautiful union of two very beautiful people. These photos really captured that beauty. Excellent work! I especially love the "artsy" shots.

November 7, 2009 - 10:56 am Lacy - Tim W.: Thank you for these amazing photos. You made beautiful people look even more amazingly beautiful. Tutu: You win the prize for being the most gorgeous bride ever. Tim H.: You won the prize: my lovely friend.

November 7, 2009 - 5:16 pm Chris Patino - WOW! These photos are fantastic. Tim and Rachael have never looked better.

November 8, 2009 - 2:43 pm Jaimee - The bride, the groom, the wedding and the pictures are beautiful!!! Tim I cannot wait for you to capture our special day!!!! I love the angles of so many of these!!!

November 8, 2009 - 7:08 pm JP Franz - Tim you not only did a spectacular job with the photos, you also shared your own heartfelt feelings about this memorable day which made me stare at the pics as though I was staring at the Grand Canyon or a Hawaii Sunset for the first time.Rachel is my cousin and I know that she is a beautiful wonderful person and that Tim is one cool cat but I would have never thought she could be even more beautiful and Tim be cooler but you were able to make this happen through your photography.Thank You !

November 8, 2009 - 10:22 pm abeni - Gorgeous! I wish I knew of you 5 years ago for my wedding. You captured everything I wanted at my very own wedding unfortunately I didn't have an awesome photographer as Time and Racheal. Maybe you can do our daughter's senior pictures in like 15 years. Keep up the great work.

November 8, 2009 - 11:17 pm Lindsay WAchs - Wow Tim, AMAZING! I just re-lived the magic of the day. absolutely stunning!

November 8, 2009 - 11:36 pm James - Incredible images Tim, you are an amazing photographer! Well done

November 9, 2009 - 4:19 pm Jeremy - So great! Thanks for sharing. Amazing day, amazing photos!

November 10, 2009 - 11:39 am Jamie Chitty - Amazing!!! You captured exactly how beautiful that day was!! Love your work!

November 11, 2009 - 7:36 am Desiree & Troy Gagliardi - WOW....WOW......WOW, we are speechless. 1st, Congrats to the most "unbelievable" couple in the world. And 2nd- Tim, your photographer- your work is amazing, just beautiful. Troy and I could not make it because of having the baby on the 18th but these photos made us feel like we were there with you. If you are ever in Florida, or us in Cali, I would for you to do a shot of the baby. Simply stunning! Thanks for sharing.

November 13, 2009 - 11:51 pm Jeff Hobert - The Perfect wedding. Fantastic job of catching every minute of it!

November 18, 2009 - 2:20 pm Shannon - Thanks Tim W. for such amazing work... you really captured the joy of the day! Perfect!!! Congratulations Tim and Rachael. Love you.

November 19, 2009 - 1:27 am Larissa - Loooove these photos! So sad I missed the big day :(

Tim Wheaton Photography | Southern California Natural Light Photographer

they call me... tim

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