Noah Hawthorne Photography | San Francisco Wedding Photographer » Berkeley

Kristen & Jahan | Brazil Room Wedding | Tilden Park, Berkeley

Noah Hawthorne — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:12:51 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of returning to The Brazil Room, a favorite East Bay spot in Tilden Park. And while the location was familiar, this day was anything but ordinary. Peaceful, strong, beautiful, and full of life- Jahan and Kristen’s commitment to each other on this day perfectly reflected the special bond that they share. It is rare to find two individuals so kind and warm-hearted, that from rehearsal dinner to last dance we became equally engaged by their exceedingly joyous spirits just as the dozens of friends and family have.

Thank you for the big laughs, the overwhelming warmth, and for making the process of capturing poignant moments so effortless. Thanks also to Nancy Tsai for her help and wonderful photos.

The rehearsal dinner at Town Hall, in San Francisco.

Nancy’s photo below.

Nancy’s photo below (one of my absolute favorites from the day) as Kristen and her dad share a private moment before the ceremony.

Kristen arranged some amazing details in the Brazil Room.

Heather & Chris | Berkeley Hills Engagement Shoot

Noah Hawthorne — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:16:31 +0000

When I started this engagement shoot with Heather and Chris in the Berkeley Hills, the light was absolutely beautiful, streaming through the trees and providing a beautiful warm light. We met at a small park in the hills that I had passed by many times, and had often wondered about, and maybe even dismissed quickly for it’s size and the small park that I could see facing the street. As it turns out, this little park opened up into walking trails up and down the hill, abandoned buildings, ancient oak trees, and a myriad of magical little spots of relax, picnic, and take a few photos if you were so inclined. We had a wonderful sunset, climbed on boulders, and I just let Heather and Chris play a bit on their own. They have such wonderful chemistry that all I had to do was find the light and let them do the rest.

I’m heading off to the airport in a few hours to photograph a wedding in Negril, Jamaica, but wanted to get this little teaser up on the blog. I’ll be back in the Bay Area on Tuesday evening. Enjoy!

Berkeley Engagement Session with Sam & Jason

Noah Hawthorne — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:56:02 +0000

Engagement sessions serve two main purposes for me. The first is a sort of a “practice session” where people I work with can start to get accustomed to working with a photographer, and get more comfortable with me before the big wedding day. Of course, with all the time in the world, and some of the best clients imaginable, I also like to use these engagement shoots to get creative and push my artistic comfort zone as much as possible. I get a few safe shots…and then I go for something new. Lots of practice then lets me bring the crazy photo tricks on the the weddings that follow.

This shoot particular shoot with Sam and Jason debuts my brand new fancy Canon 5D Mk II camera, along with a fantastic 135mm f/2 lens from Canon. I absolutely loved how sharp and detailed the photos came out with this setup, my new favorite for portraits! With some strong sun, this shoot was the perfect for a bit of an edgy urban look. I took this a step further with post processing, using some texture overlays and Photoshop tricks with light that really got me excited.

Sam and Jason came out from New York City and Boston, repectively, for this shoot. Ok, so they might have done some wedding planning too. We completed the urban themed afternoon with a friendly chat with a Union Pacific policeman who wondered what on earth we could have been doing climbing all over things on the train tracks, but after finding out that we were (mostly) harmless we escaped for some extra downtown Berkeley pictures. What fun! These photos are a bit different, but I love them. Enjoy!

Berkeley Stanford Big Game Engagement Session with Andrea & Mark

Noah Hawthorne — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:55:35 +0000

I’ve done engagement sessions around the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve even done a few on the Berkeley campus, and the Stanford campus. This was the time to let it all hang out and try something totally different. Why not do a photo shoot amidst 80,000 screaming people? Why not watch my alma matter get humiliated? Why not work when it doesn’t really feel like working?

I’ll be doing Mark and Andrea’s wedding this coming summer in Lake Tahoe. As a Stanford/Berkeley couple, they’ve had a long (but friendly) rivalry going, and a tradition of going to the Big Game together. For this fun-loving couple we skipped a trip to the rolling hills of Tilden Park or the streets of San Francisco and headed straight into the action: The Big Game. With the blowout well underway by the second half, we had ample opportunity to run around for a few photos, grab some nachos and lemonade, and just have an all around fantastic time.

Here are some photos from Mark and Andrea’s engagement session at Berkeley’s Big Game!

Most of the day went about like this…

It’s really hard to describe the energy of that many fans in one place. At least as a Stanford and a Berkeley grad I had ample cause to root for the winning team.

And the final score? Cal: 37 Stanford: 16.

Berkeley City Club Wedding | Olga and Andrei

Noah Hawthorne — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:16:24 +0000

As the chaotic mix of weddings, engagement shoots, and processing following my past events are starting to wind down, I have saved Andrei & Olga’s wedding at the Berkeley City Club as my last post before I jet off for a wedding in Jamaica. Andrei and Olga hired me as their photographer many months ago, but I quickly developed a friendship with these fun-loving, down to earth people. Their wedding at one of my favorite locations in Berkeley an especially memorable event. While most weddings start off with the bride and groom getting ready in their respective rooms, Andrei followed a Russian tradition and literally had to win the right to marry Olga through a series of riddles and questions! The day continued to be filled with surprises and fun Russian traditions, shared with a group of wonderful friends and family that welcomed me into their day. I could not have been more lucky to meet such a great group of people; the groomsmen and bridesmaids did everything they could behind the scenes to make sure every detail was perfect, and families from both sides were so united it was like photographing a celebration of one large family.

It was such an pleasure to document the momentous occasion. Thank you for sharing the moments. Gor’ko!

Keri & Josh | Engagement | Tilden Park | Berkeley

Noah Hawthorne — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:10:28 +0000

I’ve just finished with Keri & Josh’s engagement shoot from this past weekend. We met up at the beautiful Tilden Park for some shots in the redwoods, and took a little hike around into some golden California hillsides. We then went into downtown Berkeley to finish off the shoot with a bit of an urban look. I felt like doing something different, and added a touch of an antique feel to these photos during the processing. I like how they turned out.

While I’m about to head off for some destination photography, I’m reminded by shoots like this that California is a spectacular destination itself! I just love the rolling golden hillsides. Here’s a slideshow and some of my favorites:

Jen & Josh | Engagement Session | Berkeley

Noah Hawthorne — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:44:07 +0000

This past weekend I did a great engagement session with Jen and Josh. We picked a nice urban setting in downtown Berkeley, and got some great results. They are such a fantastic couple, and a joy to work with. Below are a selection of photos and a slideshow I put together as well.

Olga & Andrei | Engagement | San Francisco | Baker Beach| Palace of the Legion of Honor | UC Berkeley

Noah Hawthorne — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:08:00 +0000

Last week I had the pleasure to work with Olga and Andrei. With lots of family in Russia- I was tasked with doing a photo shoot full of famous landmarks to send everyone back home. We spent the afternoon and evening around San Francisco, and made it home to Berkeley for a final shot in from of the famous Berkeley campanile. We also made it to the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of the Legion of Honor, and a few other places. Think you can spot them? Take a look at the full slideshow HERE. We had a ton of fun, and I’m looking forward to their wedding at the Berkeley City Club this coming June. Enjoy the photos!

Rosemary and Phoenix | Berkeley Claremont Hotel Wedding | St. Clement’s Episcopal Church | Highlands Country Club

Noah Hawthorne — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:12:00 +0000

I just finished editing the photos from the wedding I shot of Rosemary and Phoenix this past Saturday. I got a huge smile on my face looking through these images and remembering what a fun and close wedding this was. We started off at the Claremont Hotel for some bridal and couple’s pictures, and found a number of spots with some great architectural lines and great light around the hotel.

We then went on to the ceremony at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church. I loved the cross-beams on the roof of the church and the beautiful warm lighting.

The reception at the Highlands Country Club in Oakland included a surprise visit by a mariachi band, and a load of spirited Latin dancing. A classy, fun, and festive end to a fantastic day.

Bay Area Sunset & my new blog!

Noah Hawthorne — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 06:56:00 +0000

Thanks for checking in for the new Noah Hawthorne Photography blog. In addition to my regular website at http://www.hawthornephotography.com/ , I’ll be using this site to show more of my latest work which will include some of the things aside from weddings that I’ve been shooting- whether for work of just for fun. Feel free to check in to see samples from what I’ve been up to, and do enjoy the photos!

Today I went to look at the locations for my client’s Rosemary and Phoenix, whose wedding I’m shooting tomorrow. We will be taking pictures at the Claremont Hotel before heading over to the ceremony at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, and then on to the reception at the Highlands Country Club in Oakland. While at the reception site today I got a view of a breathtaking sunset over the Bay and took the chance to snap a few photos. I certainly feel lucky to have a job that allows me to carry a camera around all the time and gives me the chance to explore some of the more beautiful places in the world, while also encouranging me to find the beautiful in the everyday and ordinary.