ABOUT
HEY THERE FRIEND
It’s great to meet you.
I’m Gabriel, the photographer, living a maximum-effort lifestyle in Oakland, California with my wife, Loretta, our two kids, Ellis and Zelda, and Hazel the dog in a sweet Victorian that I spent years restoring.
Our small flock of chickens, colonies of bees, fruit trees, and veggie beds sometimes make it feel like we are country folk living in the big city (and maybe we are). Sauerkraut, bread baking, and other ferments are regular staples in our house. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and eat copious amounts of bread, homemade food, and honey.
When not creating something at home, I may be out hiking, hot spring soaking in the desert, hunting for mushrooms, finding free fruit around the city, climbing things, carving a spoon, or searching for cool old stuff. My kids are pretty rad (even though they drive me nuts). Loretta is amazing. I hate ants, but admire their ability to accomplish huge tasks despite their small size.
In 2002 I shot my first wedding professionally and made photography my full-time gig around 2007. At heart, I am a finder, a fixer, and a maker. I love good food and joyful family events. Wedding photography is a perfect combination of all these things, and I hope to continue doing this work that I love for many years to come.
While I often sport facial hair between July and January, know that my facial hair does not get in the way of my photography, though it does make eating ice cream rather complicated.
Listening to podcasts is my go-to photo-editing brain food.
I mostly shoot in Northern California, but would be jazzed to join you in some exciting destination. Thanks so much for checking out my work. Let’s chat.
Gabriel is a true professional, wonderful human, and a great person to have on your team as you plan a special event!”
-Jaime + Niall
IT’S A COLLABORATION
A wedding is a massive collaborative effort. You will work put your heart and soul into this amazing event. The time you spend celebrating with your people will go by in a flash, but the memories will stay with you for years to come. I am so stoked to be able capture and to share these special moments with you.
OUR ANNUAL FAMILY PORTRAIT
Every year we try to get ourselves together for a family portrait. It usually takes way too long and we take forever to send them out. Here are some favorites from over the years. But I love these pictures, and I am always so glad that we take the time to do them. Being able to do family portraits for my wedding clients and families is a true honor.
Through the Years
MY KIDS
We dress up, explore in the woods and desert, and generally have a grand time together. Every November/ December my kids join me at the Dickens Christmas Fair where we play chimney sweeps. Here are some pics of my kids over the years. I love kids at weddings, and being a parent means I very much respect the decision to not have kids at a wedding.
HELLA HOBBIES!
I am an obsessive Do It Yourself-er. Ever since I was a kid, my drive to taste, take apart and put together, and explore has been high. If you are curious about some of my hobbies or thought it might be fun to pick up a new hobby of your own, here are some resources that I have found helpful in my recent endeavors.
Fermentation – bread, ginger beer, mead, sauerkraut, … check out The Art of Fermentation and Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz.
Beekeeping? Have you secretly always wanted to start beekeeping? Me neither, but now that I have started, I am hooked. If you are interested in starting your own back yard beekeeping operation, here are a few resources: Bush Farms, Randy Oliver, Beekeeping for Dummies, and Mann Lake.
Mushroom Hunting is so fun. It is a great excuse to get out into the natural world when the weather is crappy. Get All That Rain Promises… a pocket guide to mushroom hunting, and go find yourself some dinner.
Bought a new house, getting married, want to find cool old shit? The best place to do your vintage and antique shopping in the Bay Area is the Alameda Antique Fair. It happens the first Sunday of every month, and is an epic treasure trove of vintage and antique stuff and tons of great food trucks. Estate Sales are good too, but require more effort.
