Rhonda and Juan - malibou lakes, agoura hills, ca
rhonda and juan's on-line proofing website
rhonda and juan on-line bridal album
there comes a time that more is more. let me explain. when given an opportunity to photograph a wedding for our brides karen and i are extremely passionate when it comes to doing MORE than what we have done in the past. it is that, that drives us...pushing the envelope. i have been inspired by those around me and most importantly those that i meet for the first time. it is these chance meetings that bring me to love what i do. a chance meeting a couple that not only is inspired by what we do but returns the gesture by sharing with us intimate moments of their lives...such as photographing their wedding day. this is the very heart and soul of our photography.
rhonda and juan have shared with us moments that only family and close friends are privy to...these moments are what karen and i call "signature moments". it is moments that change all focus and leads you to explore more or say "beautiful, life is good." these are the moments that we celebrate with our couples and what we celebrate together.
to say that rhonda looked beautiful would not do her any justice. she embodied the elegance of a bride and made an impression on us to last a life time.
juan's groom portrait has a true tell tale sign of his quiet but gentleman demeanor. i really enjoyed the challenge of shooting in the westlake village inn's lobby with all the hustle a bustle going on.
when given the opportunity to photograph a bride and groom before the ceremony really brings out a rush of SURPRISE each and every time. having been able to photograph rhonda up close rather than 100' away really made an impact.
to date, rhonda and juan's portrait has to be one of my favorite top ten of all time. 
throughout the day and even during the engagement session juan had a gesture towards rhonda that few people picked up on... a simple touch...that's all, a reminder that the woman he is holding is loved and adored.
i can go on and on but i would be remiss if i did not mention that juan comes from a photography background and to see him along side his "pops" touched me more than he knows.
when it was time to sit and relax juan snuck up and snapped a shot of "the dream team" i think at one point we all were laughing at how the "table's were turned" what a GREAT night.
joey carman photography "the dream team"
back row left: marc - "secret weapon", karen - "quiet ninja", joey - "the artist", todd - "the light", david jay - "musicman",
front row left: "rhonda" - "lady in white", matt - "film maker"
i am honored to this day each and every time i am welcomed with open arms to do what i love to do and have touched another's heart simply by being invited.
thank you rhonda, juan and your beautiful family.
SALUTE
accomodations: westlake village inn
videography: matrimony pictures
venue: malibou lake
wedding coordinator: meredith pollard - malibou lake
entertainment: david jay productions
florist: charmaine’s bouquet canyon florist
reverend: barbara laughray
catering: very truly yours
cake design: jill's cake creations
I’m Juan and I have to tell you all about my experience with Joey. But first I must tell you a little bit about my background. Being from a family where my father was a wedding photographer for as long as I can remember, I knew exactly what I wanted when I went out looking for our photographer. I was my dad’s assistant and helped with everything from loading film backs to holding remote flash units to running to the nearby ice cream truck to get a cold drink for the bride. I knew what it meant to be a wedding photographer. It was more than clicking and shooting, it was being part of the day and the memories. It was about delivering a story to the bride and groom that would be treasured forever. It was this that I was looking for in my quest for our wedding photographer.
ReplyDeleteWhen I told Rhonda what I wanted, she said for me to go find someone I liked, and then she would meet them to make sure we all meshed. I looked at various bridal shows and saw some nice things. I found several amazing galleries from different photographers and studios as I walked through the many bridal shows I visited. In these adventures I often went by myself just looking for a photographer. I must say that many were surprised to see the groom there alone. This didn’t faze me as I was on a mission!
There was one show I went to where I found a small booth near the side entry. There stood a guy with some really beautiful shots. The images I saw were amazing, some of which left me speechless. I remember one image of a single flower printed on stretched canvas. I asked him about the picture and he told me how one of the brides he shot told him how she really loved the flowers at her wedding and that she wanted him to make sure he captured them. Joey told me that the image I was looking at was a single flower from the bride’s bouquet that became a showcase picture in the bride and grooms’ home. I found this quite amazing. We talked further about his work and his various offerings. I found that he was very much about capturing the day along with all of the emotions and feelings. After this I setup an appointment to have him meet with Rhonda and I.
When Joey showed up, Rhonda immediately felt that Joey was in tune with all that we wanted – not only with what I wanted, but with what she wanted. He was so excited and passionate when he talked about his work and not just what he could do for us, but what he wanted to do for us. After our meeting, we told him we’d think about it, but by the time he got to our driveway, we knew that there was no one else we could hire. We couldn’t afford not to have him at our wedding.
The day of the engagement shoot came and Joey and Karen were there to make sure we got what we didn’t even know we wanted which is something they are really good at. We went to the beach to get some nice shots as we walked along the shore. However, when we got there the winds along the shore were blowing so hard that trying to shoot anything romantic was out of the question. Joey told us to wait in the car and stay warm while he scouted the area. He came back about 20 minutes later and said he found something so amazing for us. He was so right. The location he found was something out of a movie. It was absolutely amazing. And when we saw the final pictures, we found this was even more amazing than we ever thought it could be. Take a look at the picture he took in our blog. They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but to us, Joey’s images speak millions and include feelings and emotions.
Our wedding day came, and there was Joey and his crew excited and ready to capture everything. He and his team were amazing that day. Whenever a shot was needed, there they were. Yet at the same time they were never in the way. They made us feel so comfortable. It was always clear that they were there for us. Not only did we love having them there but our guests really enjoyed them. Throughout the day they would walk around taking shots of our guests and all that went on that day. It was funny how whenever there was moment where I thought ‘that would make a cool picture’, there was Joey or one of his crew taking the same shot. One of the fun parts was when I grabbed a camera and took a shot of Joey and his crew and all of our vendors with my bride holding one of the biggest lenses out there. So much fun! They all helped to make our day really special.
Now 3 months later, we’re still going through the vast amount of pictures Joey has posted. There are so many great shots that we can’t decide. Our favorites now number over 100. They are all amazing and the all show that taking a picture is so much more than clicking and shooting. It’s seeing a feeling, seeing a story, and capturing all that and so much more in just a single click. That’s not just what Joey does, that’s who Joey is. When we hired Joey, we got so much more than a photographer, we got Joey. He was such a great part of our day. We never refer to him as ‘our photographer’, but as ‘Joey’. They funny thing is that when our guests mentioned how great our photographer was, we just said ‘oh, that’s Joey’.
I can’t say enough great things about Joey, Karen, and their crew. I’m thankful that I met them and had the opportunity to have them at our wedding. What they provided for us was so amazing. I know what I wanted, but they gave us so much more. They gave us a gallery of images with so much feeling and emotion in each and every shot. All I can say is we feel lucky to have found him!
Thank you Joey and Karen!
Juan & Rhonda
WOW! Such great work from such amazing artists!
ReplyDeleteI got the privilege of filming this wedding alongside Joey and Karen and I couldn't have been more impressed. I work with a new photographer almost every weekend I don't see this kind of talent and passion very often. I often feel like I'm the only one working who loves what they do, but as I worked with Joey, I just knew he had a gift, he could see things that other photographers can't see. It was very inspiring working with someone who wasn't just looking to take your picture, we were both looking to create beautiful memories and we were both looking to give a voice to the love that Juan and Rhonda so clearly share. It was very special to see Juan and Rhonda's exitement as they were being photographed. They just knew, they were in good hands. There was always an overwhelming sense of passion, beauty and professionalism about how Joey shoots. I wish it was always like this at a wedding!
And now I see the finished pictures and I am blown away. I knew they would be good, but I didn't know they would be spectacular. Juan and Rhonda were lucky to have them...I was lucky to have them! I look forward to the next time we get to work together, it won't be soon enough!