Yesterday I photographed my friend Jesse, his wife Renae, and their son Braeden.  It was recently Braeden’s  1st birthday and they wanted some images of him and their family during this time.  Jesse and I were band mates for about 8 years in PAX217 and it’s quite a privilege to be asked to photograph them.  1. Because they’re really, really, really, rediculously good looking. 2. I photographed Renae for her maternity and I love being apart of the continuim of a family.  I was in their wedding, photographed her pregnancy and now Braeden.

This is where being a photographer trumps other professions.  Doctors may see you every 6 months cause you’re sick,  or a hair stylist once a month, because your mullet is getting a bit out of control, but I get to see them on major events, and help create major events, that last forever.  This job is about relationships and that, I LOVE.  The idea of legacy in a “digital world” has been lost in many ways.  I look at these images and think, “Jesse must be proud, he has a son, a wonderful wife, and his son’s children’s children will sit around a table looking at these images and speak of who he was.  We all have about 3 million snap shots on our computers and we are so used to seeing “every” moment from the camera that I think in about 30 years, we’ll start actually appreciating what was invested to create these photographs. …..and that is my tangent for the evening. Thanks for walking with me through it.

SO…Craig family,  thank you and I hope you enjoy these, it was great being with you.  Braeden, you rock!

Braeden wears Initium Sunglasses Very cool.

LOOK at that face!  awwww buddy,  you are sweet.

” I, am Jesiah Evans Craig,  I will leave behind quite a legacy, you just wait.”

I am so proud to announce the birth of my little boy, David (“beloved”)  Rocco (“rest” in Italian) Tosti.  He was born at 2:42am Sunday August 24th, 2008 at Mission Hospital.  Ya he’s beautiful, dangerous, gentle, loving, kind, pure genius, listens to Bob Dylan, Michael Phelps like, and…what?!! There’s a few things on this planet that you can be prideful about, and a daughter or a son is one of those, and I’m taking it! As I mentioned in my last post, I finished Kathy & Jason’s wedding a bit early and headed to the hospital.  Just less than 2 hours later, he showed up.  I’ve made it a mission to now photograph these moments in other people’s lives.  Something I’ve wanted to do over the last few years.  If anyone you know about to give birth, is looking for some images like these, of their new little one, I would be honored.

 Rocco, may you always know how loved you are, how valuable you are, how incredibly unique you are, and may you use that knowledge to give, love, and be grace to everyone you meet on this planet.  i love you son. 

Last Saturday, definitely makes it “one of the most exciting, crazy, surreal, days of my life.” I began photographing Kathy at her house, as she was getting ready for “one of the most exciting, crazy, surreal, days of her life.”  Katie, my wonderful assistant had my cell phone in her possession at all times, knowing that she could receive a text or call from my wife Alli, saying that we were going into labor.  This puts a little fun anticipation on the day at hand, as I’m hired to photograph couples’ weddings, not leave them in the middle to go help birth a child! However, I had quite a back up plan prepared if we did go into labor, so that Kathy & Jason, would not have a minute of their wedding missed.  Here’s how it went down….

3:52pm Katie gave me the nod that we had a txt message in from Alli: “My water might have broke, not sure.  HMMMM….WHAT!  What does that mean???  “Not sure,” She might as well have said, “I just ran our car into a tree, I think, not sure though.” Which I guess is common to not be sure

5:07pm another call, katie answered while I was shooting. I have no idea what was said , but a bit of a warning.

6:50pm “Contractions 20min apart, pretty sure my water broke, but I think we’re ok.”  Gee that’s comforting.  I continue shooting some close ups of the flowers and reception site.  I had told little “Rocco” (my son to be) that he was not allowed to come out until dad was finished working. (in the middle of shooting the reception)

8:09pm “My mom and I are at the hospital, contractions are not consistent,  I’ll let you know.” (at this point I have a little less than 2 hrs left to cover).  My internal response, “Not today son, not today. God, please, just a bit more time.”

9:20pm I have 40 minutes left to cover,  I’m out on the dance floor, the DJ is rockin’ it, beverage intake is high for the guests, I’m takin’ photos of Jason & Kathy and I lean into Jason and shout, “So it looks like I’m havin’ a boy tonight.”  Without flinching, He says, “WHAT!  Get outta here!!  DUDE, you are done, turn off your camera and go be with your wife!!!!!”  I normally will never leave early, even if the couple insists, just not my style, you hired me for a specific amount of time, and I’m in, committed.  So I responded with a hug to them both and said   “OK! Thanks for everything!” and left.    They were so gracious, thanks again you two! They had been dancin’ all night and I had taken a ton of dancing images.

9:40pm I drive home, pack my bag, get a call from Alli that she has been sent home, “What? That’s weird,” I said to Alli.  “Ya, contractions are just two inconsistent, so they’re sending me home.  She comes in the door, having intense contractions, lays down thinking she might just fall asleep, NOPE.  It’s time.

11:30pm -ish As I’m driving to the hospital, Alli is in some serious labor. WHOA, just like a movie.  I’m driving pretty fast, thinkin, “I can’t believe it, a wedding and baby in the same day!??”  Alli gets out of the car at hospital and heads straight past the sign-in window. “Mam! Mam!  Wait you need to sign in,” said the woman at the front desk.  Alli was over that.  I signed a couple of papers and she was already on birthing table by the time I made it upstairs.

Alli, is my new hero.  Without writing a novel, she progressed so fast that she was unable to have an epidural.  It was all natural, like we had planned, however, I cannot believe what I witnessed.  Pain, has a new meaning, for her, AND for me.

2:42am on August 24th, 2008 weighing in at 7lb 4oz, little David Rocco Tosti showed his beautiful face.  We are so blessed. He is named after me, but we’ll call him Rocco.   Rocco, given his name by his little sister, means “rest.”  Alli was on bed rest for over two months with Rocco, he was born on a sunday, the day that God gave us, to remind us to rest.  Speaking of which….I’m going to rest now.  Congratulations Kathy & Jason, thanks for being apart of this moment in my life! Thank you for allowing me to be apart of your day!

Check out the photos, I’ve placed some favorites of their wedding here and the next post, will be images of Rocco.   Amazing work by Fleur de Lis Events and The Event Loft.

Ava is a cutie!

This is one of my favorites from the day.  This is art documentation.  Kathy, reflections, her home, her dwelling.

I love it!  Ava is gonna look back on this photo with pride some day.

Kathy in her space, looking like a super model.

This was one of the funniest, most relaxed ceremonies, I’ve been to in a while. LOVED it.  So intimate and genuine when the couple is married by one of the grooms best friends.

OK, I think I’m going to begin offering a substantial discount whenever the bride and groom have good sushi at their wedding.  MMMMMMMMMM……

They look fabulous don’t they?!  This is about TRUE moments, not forced, just them, together, enjoying it.

THIS…is what I’m talkin about.  I’ve done this just a couple of times in my life, and I’ve seen it hundreds, but never at a wedding, until now.  Jason, the king, ruling the party.

I posted a few images right after their lovely event, however, the slide show says much more….Enjoy!

Cheers to you two! They were married on May 17th at Tivoli Terrace here in Laguna. Sarah & Nick are an amazing couple. Nick is a school teacher and Sarah is a photographer and well…can I say it??? …a soon to be MOTHER! OH MY, yes folks they are pregnant! They aren’t wasting anytime! I’m so excited for you both. (oooh maybe I’ll be able to document the continuing of their family) Check back in about 7 months and see if we might have some maternity photos up here!

Check out their slide show. One of my all time favorite photographs is in this slide show. I won’t say which one but when I look at it I think, “it’s gettin hot in here!”

I posted some photos from the opening party and those were nice, however, here is an even better picture of what went down. Thanks to my good friend and great videographer David Sager (sagerproductions.com) for putting this together!

Tosti Studios Gallery Opening from David Sager on Vimeo.