Debleena & Miki: San Francisco Engagement

I had the pleasure of photographing Debleena and Miki's engagement in San Francisco last weekend. Despite the chilly wind, we had a lot of fun - thanks, Debleena, for being such a trooper! I love how comfortable they are with each other - it made my job really easy.

We started at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Did I mention that they're super sweet together?

How cool are these giant green doors at the Palace of Fine Arts?

Back to back. Miki's only a *smidge* taller.

Debleena, you're adorable.

And Miki, you're not so bad yourself. I love when a guy can pull off pink!

And then we explored the Marina neighborhood a bit.

And then we hit the beach. The sun popped out right before sunset and gave us some great light. I planned it that way. Obviously.

Yup, sparks between these two. Literally.

I love how these two laugh together!

And then we went to the Bridge. A San Francisco engagement session isn't complete without some great Golden Gate photos!

How's this for some San Francisco glamour?

Not enough glamour for you? How about this?

Or this?

Near the end of the session, we were treated to this gorgeous sunset. If you look closely, you can see the Farallon Islands right below the setting sun!

Thank you, Miki and Debleena! Best wishes for a wonderful wedding this summer!

Sutro Baths: Blue Mood

Sutro Baths: Blue Mood, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Taken a bit later in the evening than the glowing, gold version. While I like the golden version, I think the bluer tones capture the spirit of the ghostly Sutro Baths a bit better.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/20 @ 10s (to smooth out the water), ISO 50. Lee 2-stop GND handheld in front of the lens.

Golden Gate Breaking Storm

Golden Gate Breaking Storm, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Another image from Thursday evening's dramatic sunset. The clouds were moving and changing so fast that each image I took seems so different.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, 2/22 @ .6s, ISO 50. Lee 2-stop soft and 3-stop hard GNDs stacked and angled.

Crissy Beach Stormy Sunset

Crissy Beach Stormy Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I lucked out yesterday evening as the storm broke up right at sunset and the clouds lit up with pink and orange-y red. The not-so-neutral density filter lends a slight magenta cast to the image, which I've kept because I liked it :)

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/14 @ 5s, ISO 50. GND .9 hard and .6 soft, stacked and angled a bit diagonally.

Sutro Baths Sunset

Sutro Baths Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I'd passed by the Sutro Baths for years without knowing they were ever there. Thanks to Flickr, I'd seen some beautiful images made there and finally went to explore last weekend. I found the place so inspiring, with so many interesting angles! It dawned on me that I might have found it so interesting because I haven't seen many images made there, and so I have fewer preconceived postcards in my mind, allowing my mind to wander freely. I still made a few images from this location, which I'd seen before, but I have a bunch of others that I'm excited to share that are (hopefully) somewhat unique.

There was a beautiful, partly cloudy sky overhead, which created the pretty reflections in the water.

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/22 @ 3s, ISO 50. .6 soft and .9 hard GNDs.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A valentine, photographer-style :)

This is Seal Rock, just offshore from Lands End.

Magic Light, Lands End

Magic Light, Lands End, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

In the spirit of photographing more of the Bay Area's non-postcard views, here's an image of an underrated San Francisco destination: Lands End. The cypress forest and beautiful green understory near the Cliff House are often bathed in magical light like this. If you haven't been there, check it out!

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/7.1 @ 1/40, ISO 400. Handheld.

Summery Winter Sunset

Summery Winter Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

This was taken last week during the crazy string of amazing sunsets. The view of the Bay Area from the East Bay hills is amazing. This vantage point is near Grizzly Peak up above Berkeley.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200L, f/10 @ 10s, ISO 50. No filters.

Pilot's View of LAX approach at twilight

This video is so cool that I had to repost it. Los Angeles isn't the most beautiful city, but this descent into LAX at dusk with millions of lights twinkling is pretty awesome!

Ipanema Sunset

Ipanema Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A simple photo of the one decent sunset I saw in Rio over the course of a week.

This is a blend of two exposures since I was traveling light - no tripod, no filters (too flashy for South America).

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/3.5 @ 1/100 & 1/20, ISO 125.

Sunrise Over Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls

Sunrise Over Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Here is another view of sunrise over Iguazu Falls. The platform in the shot looks out onto Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese), a U-shaped, 82-meter-high, 150-meter-wide and 700-meter-long cataract on the Brazil side of the falls.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 100-400L, f/6.3 @ 1/80, ISO 200

Vultures in the Mist: Sunrise at Iguazu Falls

Vultures in the Mist: Sunrise at Iguazu Falls, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

If you look closely, you can see dozens of vultures waking up in the trees.

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 100-400L @ 350mm, f/20 @ 1/5, ISO 50. No filters.

Sunrise Over Iguazu Falls

Sunrise Over Iguazu Falls, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Hola from Argentina! I just arrived in Buenos Aires after two days spent visiting Iguazu Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. It's a truly stunning place.

I took this photo right at sunrise from the rooftop of my hotel, the Sheraton, which is in Iguazu National Park. Unfortunately the park is closed to visitors until 8am, so shooting the falls up close at sunrise was out of the question. I do like this wide view, with the mist plume catching the pink/orange glow of the rising sun.

This is a blend of two exposures. The rainforest was just too dark otherwise.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/11 @ .6, ISO 50. I didn't bring a tripod with me on this trip, so instead I balanced the camera on the rooftop using a small towel and used mirror lockup.

Bodiemobile Under Stormy Skies

Bodiemobile Under Stormy Skies, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

One of the famous cars in Bodie State Historic Park. We had some really interesting light and clouds when we visited in October.

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/11 @ 1/250, ISO 400.

Golden Reflections

Golden Reflections, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Long reflections on a balmy evening in Horseshoe Cove on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Even though the water was very calm, I used a 30 second exposure to smooth out the water and reflections as much as possible.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/4 @ 30s, ISO 50. No filters.

Golden Gate from Fort Mason

Golden Gate from Fort Mason, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I loved the glowing, golden light last Monday afternoon at Fort Mason. I didn't realize that Fort Mason was up on a hill until I took this photo. If you look closely, you can see the Point Bonita lighthouse framed in the Golden Gate Bridge arch. This is two images stitched together.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @ 1/640, ISO 100. No filters.

Evening Reflections at Fort Baker

Evening Reflections at Fort Baker, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

At the end of a warm, VERY late summer day, I ended up at Fort Baker for a few twilight photos.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/5 @ 5s, ISO 50. No filters.

California Autumn

California Autumn, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I'm a California girl at heart, but six years on the East Coast can make you long for a crisp autumn day of firey maple foliage and warm apple cider.

...but it turns out that the Eastern Sierra knows how to put on an autumn show! I caught the aspens a couple of weeks ago in their cheery yellow prime.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 100-400L, f/9 @ 1/50, ISO 200. No filters.

Pastel Sunset

Pastel Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Last Sunday, the storm over San Francisco broke up right at sunset to reveal some pretty pastel colors.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @ 1/80, ISO 800. Handheld with IS.

Sweet Stillness, Mt. Tamalpais

Sweet Stillness, Mt. Tamalpais, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Mt. Tam is incredible for a million reasons, but one of my favorites is the sense of peace and calm on the slopes of Bolinas Ridge. On a balmy summery evening, the only sounds are the gentle breeze rustling the grasses, and the faint sound of surf crashing on the Marin coastline a couple of thousand feet below. With a glowing, pearly moonrise on a July evening, it's perfection.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/10 @ 1/8, 1/2, 2s (blend), ISO 50. No filters.

Note on processing: I usually try to avoid blending exposures (it's a pain!) but with probably 20 stops of dynamic range in this image from the shadowed trees to the bright fog and sky, it was necessary. Other than blending the three exposures in Photoshop, there's minimal processing here... just a bit of curves and a touch of vibrance.

Sky on Fire: Epic November Sunset

Sky on Fire: Epic November Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Hot off the presses! I took this an hour ago. Oh my GOODNESS, I can't remember the last time I saw the Bay Area sky on fire like this! I hope someone was capturing this from Mt. Tam and Rodeo Beach!

This is literally straight out of the camera with sharpening + logo. Insane!

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-70L, f/2.8 @ 1/80, ISO 160

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Orange November!!

Orange November!!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

GO GIANTS!!!

I still almost can't believe that they won the World Series!! I have never seen San Francisco party as hard as it did last night. I can't wait for the victory parade tomorrow!

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @ 1/100, ISO 50. No filters.


To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Autumn Path, Eastern Sierra

Autumn Path, Eastern Sierra, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I loved this aspen-carpeted dirt path in the Eastern Sierra.

Happy Autumn!

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 70-200L, f/9 @ 1/100, ISO 200.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Orange October in the Mono Basin

Orange October in the Mono Basin, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Go Giants! :)


Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @ 1/320, ISO 200.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Mono Lake

Mono Lake, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

This image turned out much differently than the one I had in mind. Yesterday there was a full moon rise. At least, I think there might have been. It was so cloudy and rainy in California that I doubt many people actually saw it! I had been planning to photograph the moon over Mono Lake for months and even though the weather report didn't look promising, I stubbornly headed over the Sierra anyway. It snowed as we headed over Sonora Pass, and although it wasn't raining in the Mono Basin, the clouds were thick and stormy. The fall colors were absolutely gorgeous, though! I have a few images of the aspens to share soon. I also enjoyed checking out Bodie for the first time.

Long story somewhat short, I gave up on the moonrise and settled for a few ND110 long exposures of the lake during the afternoon, then headed to Lee Vining to watch the Giants game. The only restaurant open in town during the winter had a local watching the Tennessee college football game (!), so I ended up watching the game at the Mobil station at the beginning of the Tioga Pass (which had just closed in the afternoon). It was a surreal experience, especially since there were more Phillies, Dodgers, and Braves fans than Giants fans in the place! What state are we in again?? But the Giants won, much celebration was had, and then a long drive back over the Sierra (the looooong way, nearly up to Tahoe and back down 50).


Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/11 @ 90s, ISO 50. 10-stop neutral density filter.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Sausalito Blues II

Sausalito Blues II, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I had really high hopes for the fog at the Golden Gate Bridge this morning, but was sorely disappointed. So much for getting up at 5am! I headed down the hill to Sausalito for a consolation shot. This is a slightly later view than Sausalito Blues I.

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/10 @ 30s, ISO 100. No filters.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california

Kylie + Tim

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing Kylie and Tim for their engagement! We had a great time exploring some of San Francisco's most beautiful spots on a warm summery afternoon. Congratulations you two, and I hope you have a wonderful wedding next summer in Pittsburgh!

Big Boy Bradley!

My good friend Hallie's sweet little Bradley is growing up! He's almost 9 months now, and is just adorable with his new teeth!

Sausalito Blues

Sausalito Blues, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I had really high hopes for the fog at the Golden Gate Bridge this morning, but was sorely disappointed. So much for getting up at 5am!

This shot was my consolation prize. It's been shot to death, but I hadn't been there yet. I'm looking forward to shooting this again when there's an actual sunrise!

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 24-70L, f/10 @ 30s, ISO 100. No filters.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Prints:
dellahuffphoto.zenfolio.com/california