Filed in: What's Happening

Good Evening Everyone!  A video was recently shared with me this weekend & I totally had to take a few minutes out of my weekend photographing Heather & Mark’s wedding on a yacht yesterday & Lori & Grant’s wedding on Saturday & preparing a few weddings for delivery this week – today – to share a few thoughts with you.

So let’s say you’re planning your wedding or working on a very important event or portrait session.  And if you are like how Katherine & I were when we planned our wedding nearly 5 years ago – you’re working on a budget.  Like all people before us, nearly everyone that got married or coordinated a shoot or an event did everything they could to stick within their budget.

Granted there are always going to be ways and places that corners can be cut, things can be trimmed back and money can be saved.  But what about the things that really matter for a day that is pretty important like your wedding.  Like your photography, your videography, your officiant, or even your DJ.  A VERY short list of things that will not only literally make or break your wedding day, but will make or break your wedding memories for The  Rest  Of  Your  Life.

As a professional photographer now having walked the path of getting married and know exactly what it takes, I have a greater appreciation for what it takes to pull of a successful wedding.  And, how daunting it is looking at all the money that is spent on ONE day of my life.

But I can share with you, that on the key things for our wedding day – we did our best to get the best that we could afford.  We hired an excellent DJ that we developed a personal relationship with.  He even came to our rehearsal and stood in for my brother Tony when he was still on a plane from Chicago so we could have a complete wedding line up to practice with.  We hired a terrific videographer that saw the artistic vision that I really wanted to get out of our day.  An officiant that Katherine and her family has a history with – that took the time to get to know me so I could get comfortable with.  And me being me… one heck of an amazing photographic team that IMO did a great job.

What if we trimmed back on something like flowers, linens, cake, number of people to invite, tuxedos, and a myriad of other things that won’t matter 24 hours after a wedding day.  For starters, I wish we had guest list that was less than 150 people – because I honestly didn’t get the opportunity to even shake hands with a third of the people that were there because there was so much to do.  And, yes we did have an air-tight timeline – but as I will continually say, a wedding day is like Christmas on steroids.  UBER FAST!

Fast forward to 24 hours after our wedding and the Muckenthaler Mansion was rented for another event, the leftover cake was thrown away, flowers were thrown away, linens washed, napkins thrown away and all sorts of other things that just don’t matter anymore.  What are Katherine & I left with?  A beautiful family heirloom and photos, a video that we watch on our anniversary and a few other trinkets clothing items & of course Katherine’s dress.

I bet by now you’re possibly wondering where I’m going with this.  Let’s say you’re thinking of cutting corners on something like an unqualified professional all in the sake of saving a couple hundred dollars.  Yes a couple hundred dollars IS a lot of money.  But when you’re spending thousands and thinking of cutting back on something that can make or break your memories or your day for a lifetime is it worth it?

What if… you cut back on your wedding DJ and wound up with the following in the video.  What’s truly scary is that this doesn’t apply to just DJ’s for your wedding.  This applies to all vendors that are involved in your wedding day or event.

So take 5 minutes out, sit back in your chair and do your best to not let your jaw hit the floor too much.  Several of us in the photographic world have already been reeling about this video.

If you’re thinking what I’m guessing you’re thinking after watching that video and want to chat about it – feel free to contact me anytime either electronically or we can meet up over a coffee or some Nachos & Newcastles.

I’m available just about 24/7 via Twitter, Facebook, the form on my contact page, or the old fashioned phone as well at 888.ESQ.PHTO (888.377.7486) or 562.225.5915.

I hope you had a super Memorial Day weekend and stay tuned for some more amazing events that I’ve had the honour of shooting – cheers!

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Filed in: Testimonials

Good Morning Everyone!  As I’m prepping a few weddings for delivery this week, I wanted to share an awesome note on Facebook from Ruthie & Anthony about their Los Angeles Engagement Shoot I recently did with them at Union Station and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The feedback that I receive from all the amazing couples that I have the honour of working with truly means the world to me.  It is a priceless and an intangible reward that goes straight to my heart.  More valuable than any monetary deposit in the bank.

If you’re thinking of doing some romantic Engagement Shoot Portraits like I did with Ruthie & Anthony at both Union Station & the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA and you’re thinking to yourself…  Hey – I’d really like to contact this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach, California that shoots commercial-inspired work all over from OC to LA to Ventura and to San Diego.  Feel free to contact me anytime.

I’m available just about 24/7 via Twitter, Facebook, the form on my contact page, or the old fashioned phone as well at 888.ESQ.PHTO (888.377.7486) or 562.225.5915.

I hope you’re having a super Memorial Day weekend and stay tuned for some more amazing events – cheers!

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Filed in: Engagement Shoots

Good Evening Everyone!  Well check this out!  I’ve been charging away at events and have a little something to share with you from Ruthie & Anthony’s Engagement Shoot in downtown Los Angeles.  The 2nd event on my new website.  Yeah!

We all recently met up at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles where started their Engagement Shoot strolling around while I was captured romantic and sexy portraits of them.  One of the cool things I love about doing Engagement Shoots is that we all get to know each other a lot better and work out some of the “kinks” prior to their wedding day.  That way, everything is golden for the big day.

After our photo safari at Union Station wrapped up downstairs at the Red Line platform – we popped over to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  The timing was absolutely perfect as the sun started to set giving us some totally beautiful light that lent itself to rich colours and vibrant lines from the architecture of the theatre.

But before you check out a few of my favourites from Ruthie & Anthony’s Engagement Shoot at both Union Station & the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and you’re thinking to yourself… Hey – I’d really like to get to know this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach, California that shoots weddings all over from OC to LA to Ventura and to San Diego.

Feel free to contact me anytime. I’m available just about 24/7 via Twitter, Facebook, the form on my contact page, or the old fashioned phone as well at 888.ESQ.PHTO (888.377.7486) or 562.225.5915.

So without further ado, here are a few of my favourite photos from their Engagement Shoot & have a super weekend – cheers!

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  • Gloria Herrera - Kissing at the train station: my absolute favorite photo! It’s romantic and has an old time flavor to it. Ruthie has a 1940’s look and Anthony, well, Anthony is just charming as ever!

Filed in: Weddings

Good afternoon everyone!  Last night was the launch of my new website and with that, I have been dying to share with you another wedding that I recently photographed.  My new website’s first wedding is showcasing Linsey & Richard’s big day in Diamond Bar.

You might remember Linsey & Richard from their Engagement Shoot at Disneyland that we did back in December.  Or maybe you remember them from some of the fun portraits that they were in at Linsey’s twin sister’s Leah Wedding with Leah’s now husband; Darrell last year in March at the Diamond Bar Center.  OR!  Maybe you’ve worked with Leah & Linsey because they’re the brilliant minds with their successful Wedding Coordinating company called The Double Knot.

Now fast forward to their wedding day and it was like a family reunion for me with their family & friends that I loved being with at Leah & Darrell’s wedding.  And on top of it all, so many fantastic people that I love working with were at Linsey & Richard’s wedding too.

Check out this absolutely fabulous list of killer people that helped make their wedding day one of the best ever:

  • Ms. Jennifer Flores, the Director of Catering at the Diamond Bar Golf Course
  • Mr. Jason Rhee – uber amazing Event Specialist from In Good Company overseeing the entire day to pure perfection
  • Mr. Alan Katz, the super awesome Officiant that I’ve worked with over many years
  • Mr. Steve Sievers from Showcase DJ who kept the night rocking with tunes everyone could enjoy
  • Mr. Ian Brawner from Atmosphere Entertainment knocked the accent lighting out of the park
  • Melanie with Bella Blooms for the most intoxicating flower arrangements
  • Ms. Katrina Saroyan who lent her beautiful creative fingers for gentle harp music for the ceremony (check her out on iTunes!)
  • Ontario Bakery delivered a delicious and scrumptious wedding cake

I wish I was able to put into words how amazing their wedding day was, but I think that my slide show video will do a better job of that for me.  Literally every minute of Linsey & Richard’s wedding day was perfect.  From the moment Linsey was walking through door with her ladies, to the bubbly farewell that everyone gave them when they were leaving to begin their lives together.  Truly magical!

Before you check out Linsey & Richard’s wedding at in Diamond Bar, California and you’re thinking to yourself… Hey – I’d really like to get to know this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach, California that shoots weddings all over from OC to LA to Ventura and to San Diego.

Feel free to contact me anytime. I’m available just about 24/7 via Twitter, Facebook, the form on my contact page, or the old fashioned phone as well at 888.ESQ.PHTO (888.377.7486) or 562.225.5915.

So without further ado, here is Linsey & Richard’s wedding in a little slide show that I put together.  You can also enjoy their wedding on Pictage and I hope you are having a great start to your weekend – cheers!

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  • Leah Tung - Gorgeous! Beautiful day! Beautiful pictures! INCREDIBLE David!! Thank you for putting that together!

  • David Esquire - Hey Leah, Thanks for the note! I had such an amazing experience with your entire family & friends again. I truly felt welcomed in and felt more like family than some guy there with a camera. Cheers to you, Linsey & all of your family! :-)

  • Lorena Crow - David I really enjoyed the slide show. Pictures are amazing! Thanks for capturing wonderful memories for our family to treasure forever. You are truly an amazing photographer! MOB :)

Filed in: What's Happening

Good Evening Everyone!  As if there wasn’t enough on my plate during a really busy May & totally chaotic pending June – I thought that my website needed a new look and be more in-line with who I am and the style of my work.  Or… more like my slogan; “A Riot Of Colour In A Grey World.”

So after I came back from WPPI, I put having a new website on the front burner & tackled it the same way you would eat an elephant — one bite at a time.  So here it is!  The next evolution of the Esquire Photography website.  A bigger layout, simpler navigation, way more super duper faster load times, SEO happy and most of all – it FINALLY has my logo that I created about 18 months ago.

For the new site, I employed the magical mind of Matt Hudson over at H2 Photo Design.  Matt worked side-by-side with me over the past couple of months “seeing” my vision of what I wanted and then through some seriously late nights over the past couple of weeks hammering out all the details.

One of the totally best things about working with Matt was that he put up with my seemingly never-ending questions, constant corrections & changes to the verbiage in my content and my neurotic “Camera One… Camera Two” compare & contrasts with the design.  On top of all my idiosyncrasies – he always made me feel like a friend and not just some client wanting to have a new website.

Although I’m guessing at times this was probably what he looked like when he was off the phone with me…  LOL!

If you’re ever looking for someone to take your website to the HNL – be sure to contact Matt.  He’s a photographer and designer from Ruston, Louisiana that knows his stuff BIG TIME.  If he can work with a high maintenance photographer like me, then he surely can work with the best of them.

I also thought that the proper way to kick off a new website is with a West Coast Wednesday Video.  Even though it’s Baby Friday, this had to be the funnest way to launch my new website.  Now I’m sure you’re probably thinking it’s going to be a Duran Duran song.  And you know what… you’re right!  And it’s my favourite one too – like the tattoo on my right arm – Rio from Duran Duran.  AND!  Not just any performance by Duran Duran, but from their Live At Hammersmith ’82 DVD.

But before you enjoy Rio & check out my new website — you’ll probably be thinking to yourself… Hey – I’d really like to get to know this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach, California that shoots weddings all over from OC to LA to Ventura and to San Diego.  Feel free to Contact Me anytime.

You can also stay in touch with me in “real time” on Twitter, Facebook and my Facebook Fan Page too.

Thanks for checking out my new website & I hope you’re having a great start to your holiday weekend – cheers!

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  • John Vercelletto - I like the new look. As for the video, you gotta love the old computer terminal green monitor at the beginning of the video. You dont’ have to love the moves on stage by DD however. LOL

  • Marisol Risakotta - It looks fabulous!!!!
    Great job done! Much better… way, way, much better!
    Congratulations & Hooray to your new happy look!

  • David Esquire - Hey John & Marisol, Thanks so much for the comments! It’s difficult to bring together all the elements I wanted in a site & I think that Matt brought it all together for me. :-)

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