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Adam+ Amanda: Annenberg Guest House Santa Monica Wedding Photography

Adam and Amanda tied the knot this past Saturday in Santa Monica, California.  The ceremony was beach themed and included sprinkles of personal touches everywhere.

Annenberg Guest House Santa Monica Wedding Photographer

The Annenberg Guest House was recently renovated last summer and is a historic landmark.  When I scouted the location a couple days before the wedding, I fell in love with the bathrooms! Now typically, this would not be the most ideal spot for wedding pictures… but I’m all about non-traditional and fun images.  =)   Amanda’s bridal bouquet included bright pink and maroon flowers, including Cellosia that looks just like coral!  Her strapless dress has beautiful heart shaped beading and a long train.

Annenberg Guest House Santa Monica

Some bling for the bride, a vintage styled necklace from Jcrew and beach themed necklace for the lovely ladies.  Each bridesmaid was given one that was unique.

Wedding Photographer

Getting dressed…  Amanda’s mother helps her put on a necklace and the ladies lace her up.

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At the same time, our handsome groom Adam gets ready down the hall.

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These next bridal shots of Amanda are absolutely stunning!  Perfect expression, lighting, pose.  Love it.

Sherri Johnson Wedding Photography

The bridal suite overlooked the Pacific ocean, and down off the balcony guests were being seated for the ceremony.  Adam, you are one handsome man.

Santa Monica Portrait Photography

Adam wore patent leather converse shoes with his tailed suit jacket, and the guys rocked the classic black converse high tops.

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The sun began to set, and it was time for the ceremony.  The photo below is quite possibly one of my top picks for the whole day.  It’s deeply packed with so much emotion and love.  Friends and family in the bridal party placed a hand on the new couple and were asked to pray.  I’m so grateful Sabrina and I were in perfect position to capture both of these perspectives at the same time.

Sherri Johnson Photography

Over the wedding planning process, Amanda has not only been a client, but we have grown as friends.  I can admit and I wanted every image to be perfect… it was a little hard to see though my camera when I cried during the ceremony, but I managed and got more emotion filled shots.  Happy tears for everyone!

Los Angles Wedding Photography

Adam and Amanda chose to wait and see each other until the ceremony.  Typically, this is not something I recommend, but since the ceremony and reception were in the same place, we had a moment to sneak away for these awesome shots.

Wedding Photographer

Group shot.

Annenberg Guest house Wedding

Annenberg Guest house Wedding

Southern California Wedding

Last but not least, the bathroom obsession revealed.  I had an idea my head all night long, that Adam and Amanda would trust in me to put them into the vintage tub.  Dress, tux and all.  They were game, and this last shot is awesome.  I love love love it.  I love love my beautiful couple.  And I love love.  Congratulations again to Adam and Amanda.  I wish them many years of happiness and photos that will help you relive this day forever.

Sherri Johnson Wedding Photography

Location: Annenberg Guest house
Cake: Vanilla Bake Shop
Photography: Sherri Johnson, 2nd photographer Sabina Hill
Flower Design: Sherri Calosso of Serving your Soul

Amanda + Adam Engaged! Santa Monica Pier

Amanda and Adam both love the outdoors and met a couple years ago while working part time at REI.  Now an Army-man, Adam is stationed in Texas and Amanda works as a nurse in the ICU.  After spending a few months apart, Adam knew he could not be happy without Amanda by his side, so he recently popped the question!   Tonight was the first chance I got to see these two together and start documenting the beginning of the rest of their lives together.

Los Angeles Engagement Photographer

I recently met with Amanda about her plans of a July wedding.  With the big day just a couple months away it seemed planning mode was in full effect!  Adam got back in town right before the Holiday weekend and tonight all 3 of us went to hang out… I bet you can guess where.  =)

Lifestyle Photography Amanda loves cotton candy…

Sherri Johnson Photography

Lifestyle Photography

We started shooting right before sunset and got some beautiful shots of the warm sun.  Even though I shoot at the pier  ALOT, it’s never really the same.  My experience with my couples is different every time and together we find new nooks and crannies.

Santa Monica Engagement

I’m so happy for you both and cannot wait to shoot your wedding in less than 2 weeks!

Sherri Johnson Photography

Wendy and James: Santa Monica Engagement

I met Wendy and James at a coffee shop in February, what now seems like such a long time ago.  Wendy has a great bubbly personality with a smile for miles and James (a little more reserved) loves 4wheeling out in the desert.   Together, they are currently planning on buying their first home and honeymooning in Mexico after their wedding!  For their engagement session, they wanted to incorporate their vintage Schwinn tandem bike!  They love bringing it to the beach and riding along the boardwalk from Santa Monica to Venice.IMG_7441x.jpg picture by twinkle63718


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Swanny + Joey: Santa Monica Retro Engagement

Swanny and Joey celebrate their recent engagement at Santa Monica pier.   The met while Joey was on vacation visiting his family in Miami and did the long distance dating thing for a while, but their love grew strong and gravitated their hearts together.  Swanny shared with me, that Joey was so nervous when he proposed to her.  They went to dinner at a Tiki Bar and he shyly passed the ring towards her.  No speach, no bended knee…  Just a smile, a question, in hopes that she would say yes!  Swanny recently moved to Los Angeles from Miami to be with Joey and they’re excited to plan their October wedding in Miami.Santa Monica Engagement2

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Swanny has lots of tattoos, I especially love the ones on her feet!  I can’t believe she found these cute pumps at a thrift store.  Way to accessorize. Santa Monica Engagement3

Joey has a great smile, and Swanny has a great complexion!  I bet they’ll have gorgeous babies.  =)

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Anna & Xav: Matador Beach Malibu

Anna & Xav are a gorgeous young couple who love the beach, surfing, and mostly hanging out with each other. We sent yesterday evening at Malibu beach getting some casual shots of them together capturing what they love!
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Smile Anna!

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Xavier shared some of his musical skills by playing slide-guitar.  Anna looks into his eyes as he plays.

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I often get a lot of questions about the following image and how it was created.

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Well, it really was simple to take and a lot of the special effects were done in post-editing.  Honestly, this was one of those happy mistakes.  I just took one shot of this image and edited it 3 different ways, pulling out the details in the shadows for one step, bring back the details in the sky, and then details in the ground which I could then merge together in a HDR image.    “High-Dymanic-Range (HDR) is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods.” -Wiki   This method is used a lot in commercial photography with architecture getting shots through windows.

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IMG_0889x.jpg picture by twinkle63718