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Documenting the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp!!!

I am so so so EXCITED to be photographing the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp! As a way of introduction, and to provide some context, I thought I would offer some background on the camp and my interest in volunteering to document this first year of the camp. There is a lot of detail here, and much provided by the BAGRC site, but I promise, images are coming soon!

The Bay Area Girls Rock Camp is modeled after the Girls Rock Camp in Portland, Oregon, and this is it's first year in the Bay Area. I found out about it through a documentary just released about the Portland camp, called Girls Rock. It's an amazing documentary, and will be released on DVD this Fall - definitely add it to your rental cue. So, after learning more about the camp, I contacted the Bay Area founders to find out if they would like to have their first year documented.

There are so many reasons why this project appealed to me. Not the least of which, is the mission of the camp (from BAGRC site):

"to empower girls through music education, promoting an environment that fosters self-confidence, creativity and teamwork. The BAGRC strives to challenge gender stereotypes, encourage collaboration and tolerance among peers, and provide a comfortable space for people of all backgrounds to express themselves. Through music lessons, workshops, group activities and performance, girls will acquire skills that will help guide them throughout their lives."

As a mother of a 7-year old daughter, the story & mission of the camp really hit home for me.

I've also been singing since I could speak, spent many a summer at "music camp," sang with a group of 14 women all throughout college, and then with a theremin-led lounge band in SF until I was about 7 months pregnant with Izzi. Having children redirected my creative outlets back to photography for many reasons, but my passion for music will always be interwoven into my sense of self.

Needless to say, the storyteller in me loved the idea of helping to document the first year of the camp here in the Bay Area. I was also really drawn to the idea of being the "fly on the wall" for 5 full days, being able to observe quietly, while challenging myself to find ways to tell the story in images.

The camp is in Oakland, at the Julia Morgan School for Girls on the Mills College Campus. The girls are all aged 8-18 (yes! Izzi can't wait to be 8 so that she can attend next summer!), and they are an amazing and diverse group of girls. I have been completely blown away watching them interact and learn and collaborate and transform this week. Observing their courage and strength and shine in the past few days, has been an incredible privelege. I am filled with hope and awe.

A brief synopis of how the camp is structured (from BAGRC site):

"Campers form bands on the first day of camp, then spend five days learning to play their instrument of choice, and collaborating with their bandmates to write an original song. Daily lessons are held in small groups of 3-5 students, grouped according to experience.

Workshops address many aspects of being a musician and being a girl. Topics include songwriting, self-defense, image and identity, live sound tech and more.

Campers also get a chance to see live bands perform each day at lunchtime, followed by a Q&A session with the musicians.

On the Saturday following camp, each of the camper bands will perform their original music at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, open to family, friends, and the public.

By the end of camp even the most shy among us will be able to crash, bang, twang and screech with her new skills and with her newfound friends. A staff of female volunteers provide instrument lessons, band coaching, and lead workshops."

A quick note on the volunteers. Well, maybe not so quick. I have so much to say! ;)These women are incredible. I am inspired each day watching them with the girls. They are all volunteering for the week, to manage the bands, teach, coach and lend a hand wherever needed. They are musicians, teachers, advocates and believers in the power of women. And because they were all once young girls as well, they each bring their own unique experiences to the camp. Yet however different in experience, they all approach the girls with the inherent belief that the girls are all "creative, resourceful and whole." Meaning that they are fostering a learning process and experience that allows the girls to find their creativity at their own pace, on their own path and in a way that honors who they are and the choices they make.

Finally, here is a schedule of what a typical camper day looks like (from BAGRC site):

8:45-9 Camper arrival and check-in
9-9:30 Morning Assembly with skits and camp song
9:30-11:30 Instrument Instruction
11:30-12:30 Lunch w/ Live Band and Q&A session
12:30-2:45 Band Practice (Loud Band Practice)
2:45-3:30 Band Meeting (Quiet Band Practice)
3:30-5 Workshops
5-5:30 Afternoon Assembly
5:30 Camper departure

There is a ton more information on the BAGRC site - so check it out!

I'll start posting some images from each day starting tomorrow. I may not be able to post everyday, as I'm not home until 7pm, then hanging with the family until bedtime. That said, I'll get each of the days and the final showcase at Bottom of the Hill up in chronological order, so you can follow along if you like! :)

In the meantime, here is a quick fave from the first hour of camp, of three girls looking over the camp handbook while waiting for the morning assembly to begin.

GIRLS ROCK!!!

Amazing. Inspiring. Life changing.

I'm photographing the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp all week long. It's their first year here in the Bay Area, and I've volunteered to document the whole week with images.

Definitely check out the camp's website. The mission of empowering young women through creating music is so inspiring, and I can see it happening each day. I'm doing my best to capture it too. I'm going to add more images to the blog as well as the week continues. The image above is of the girls excersizing their voices on Day One. Incredibly loudly. Rock on girls!

Heather & John ~ Old Saint Mary's Cathedral & the United Irish Cultural Center, San Francisco

Heather & John had a beautiful, quintessential, San Francisco wedding on May 31st, 2008!

Heather got ready at the Fairmont Hotel, with incredible views of the city from her suite. The ceremony was held where her grandparents were married, in Old Saint Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.



After the ceremony, the wedding party took a trolley car through San Francisco to some of the most scenic sites and architecture in the city. I've included some favorites below. More are in the slideshow!







Finally, the reception was held at the United Irish Cultural Center, where John's family is actively involved.




The beautiful details were expertly arranged by Cindy Danbom and her team at Belle Notte Events, and the cultural ties encorporated into the floral design by Nancy Liu Chin Designs, which transformed the amazing reception space. What a beautiful and fun night!


I loved the lighting design, and found some great moments backlighting the fun on the dancefloor. Here are a few faves:




So fun!



Heather & John's guests had a great time too - and we have the pictures to prove it! :) Here, the heroine was the beautiful Cindy Danbom, wearing the many hats that an expert planner must... carefully stiching the chin of one guest who's Irish wedding jig got a bit too dangerous! It's all fun & games until.... :)





Really though, a good time was definitely had by all!

You can view Heather & John's wedding slideshow here, and register to view all of their wedding images here.

Thank you Heather & John for letting Cara, Melissa and I help capture your wonderful wedding day!!!

Katherine & Charles' Wedding!

Katherine & Charles were the first wedding of the season for me ~ Sunday, May 18th, 2008! And if they are to be a precursor of things to come, I am one lucky photographer!!! Who could ask for a sweeter couple or a more fun wedding?!!!

Kat & Charles were married at the Embassy Suites in Burlingame, CA, with friends and family all around. To view a slideshow of their wedding, click here. To register to view their pictures online, click here.






Check out the cool fish-eye shots of the ceremony that my 2nd photographer, Gustavo Fernandez shot! Gustavo is so talented! Such a great person to work with and be around, and then on top of that - he has an awesome eye, and an incredible sense of timing! He has an impecable sense of the right lens for the right moment! Yay Gustavo!!!




Then to the reception! Lots of fun photo booth pics, and such a sweet first dance and toasts!!!



We ended the beautiful celebration by bringing Kat & Charles out to the water at the end of the night to capture the sweet soft light of the sunset, against the San Francisco Bay. Look closely and you can peek a jet flying overhead.

So fun. So romantic. So full of love!

Thanks Katherine & Charles for letting us capture your beautiful day!!!

Laurie & Dominic ~ Engagement Session

What a fun session I had with Laurie & Dominic! We started at Baker Beach, then headed down towards the Embarcadero, stopping at the cable car turnstyle. The sleeping driver was nice enough not to mind while we hopped on for a few pics! ;)

The last shots were with Coit Tower in the background, which is where Dominic proposed - so sweet! Lots of faves from this session, especially the moving cable car shots! Loving the Canon 85mm 1.2L lens too - shooting wide open - just dreamy!!!

Laurie & Dominic are getting married on July 19th at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. Laurie & Dominic are so sweet together, and incredibly nice people to be around - I can't wait to photograph their wedding day!

To view their entire engagement slideshow, click here. To register to see both engagement and wedding pictures online, click here.

Heather & John ~ Engagement Session

Just had to share a few favorites from Heather & John's recent engagement session! I had such fun getting to know these two, and we got some super sweet images!

View their slideshow here & register here to view their wedding images once they are released.

Heather & John are getting married at Old St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco on May 31st, followed by a reception at the United Irish Cultural Center. I'm so excited to photograph their beautiful day!

Give it up for the MAMAs!!!

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!! I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating the women in your life that love and nurture you, and if you are one of those wonderful women - thank you!!!

I'm a super proud mama and so, I've included a few pics of my two cutiepies (Isabella is 7 & Noah is almost 3!)! We had a wonderful day together for Mother's Day. Jared "made" bagels, I got homemade presents from Izzi & Noah, I had a long conversation with my mama on the phone, giggling, and oohing and ahhing over new pics of the kids, and we hung out with family at Little Farm in Berkeley in the afternoon.

So, with the power of the mama in mind, I'm very excited to be participating in and sponsoring two great events this month!

Burlingame Mother's Club
Mom Owned Businesses Night
Wed. May 14, 2008, 7-9pm

AND

The SF Birth & Baby Fair
Sat. May 24th, 2008, 10am-3pm


DETAILS...

Burlingame Mother's Club
Mom Owned Businesses Night
Wed. May 14, 2008, 7-9pm
Lions Club
990 Burlingame Ave
Burlingame, CA 94010

I'm so awed and inspired by the mother's who make up this subgroup in the local mother's club, and so proud to be in the company of such great women!

BMC Mothers' Owned Businesses is presenting, for the first time, MOB Night. The evening will begin with a panel presentation by moms who will share their personal experience of starting and running a business while raising children.

Those of you who have considered how and what it would be like to start your own business will enjoy a lively discussion of how these entrepreneurs got started, the challenges they face and what they would make sure not to do again. There will be representatives from small and medium sized businesses as well as retailers and services. You will be able to ask questions of these ladies and then walk booth to booth to find our more details about each. Not only will you enjoy hearing how these working moms make it work, but you can support your fellow moms whose businesses you may wish to patronize in the future.

Currently slated to attend are photographers, retailers, franchisees, financial advisors, architects, lawyers, and more. Snacks and wine will be served. There will be a raffle and the lucky winners will receive a host of goods and services that they will enjoy making use of. A directory of BMC Mom-owned businesses will be available at the event as a take-away. Please grab a friend and come join us in support of BMC Mom's Owned Businesses!

SF Birth & Baby Fair
Sat. May 24th, 2008, 10am-3pm
Fort Mason Conference Center

This is a GREAT event for new and expectant parents.

Look here for more details!

Because I'm a sponsor of this event, I have a stack of complimentary passes (admission is typically $5/person). Shoot me an email if you are interested in attending, and I'll be happy to drop some passes in the mail.
There will be free workshops, raffle prizes and lots of goods and services geared towards parents and families! See their website for more details (the images on the banner on the site are mine too!).

Awwhhhh YEAH - summer's on it's way!!!

I had to post a fun collage from today.

The weather has been so beautiful this weekend... sunny, warm and gorgeous blue skys. Izzi played in the sprinklers with the neighbors down the street, and at about 3pm... the whole block exploded in screams and hollers:

THE ICE CREAM MAN IS COMING!!!!

THE ICE CREAM MAN IS COMING!!!!

It's funny how little has changed in 30 years from my own memories of the ice cream truck! And it's still fun!

So here are some pics of Noah enjoying a firecracker pop!



Takes ya back huh?!!!!

Summer is just around the corner.... SO FUN!