Sarah and Dylan reached out to me last Fall for their wedding at Hartley Botanica. Being from the East Coast like me, they wanted a venue lush with greenery, a more common sight from the other side of the country. It’s one those things we miss out here in LA like good pizza and bagels from mom and pop shops. Hartley Botanica is as green as it gets. There’s grass, bamboo, and trees abound. We’re not talking about palm trees either, but real branchy trees towering above, full with green leaves.
Also, working in Hollywood, I was flattered that they picked me for my eye and my coloring. The film industry and I had a history back in the day. Though it is in the past, cinematography and photography are intertwined disciplines and there’s no doubt my work continues to be influenced by motion picture.
Though they must see countless vendors every weekend of wedding season, when Bel and Karen of Hartley Botanica saw my arrival, it was as if we had just seen each other last week, rather than last year, and they ran the whole day as smoothly as any previous wedding I’ve photographed at this venue. That’s when you know your coordinators will be looking out for you, the couple, as well as vendors like me. A well-fed photographer is a happy photographer, and a happy photographer is one who finds inspiration (wonder if Anthony Bourdain would agree?).