engagement shoot: Marlin Munoz

love in an elevator (couldn't help it!) photography by Marlin Munoz

I'll skip the sassy title and get right to it. On a chilly day in San Francisco, David and I met up with our LA photographer Marlin Munoz for our long awaited engagement shoot. I've blogged about Marlin several times but this is the big daddy blog post. Since I've already yammered on about things that happened on the way to the shoot, I'll pick up where David and I met Marlin at a candy store in North Beach. Big hugs and smiles for the entire Munoz family and then Marlene, Ray and Zoe were off to explore the city while we went to business being goofballs. We started in the old fashioned candy store filled with large barrels of salt water taffy, moved on to random doors and stoops, to where David and I had our first meal, the Italian restaurant/cafe, The Steps of Rome. The owner Scott gave us our table #11 on the "balcony" and two cappachinos with hearts made of foam.

My blow out blew out but we kept on keeping on. It was too much fun. Vintage camera and bright umbrellas in in an alleyway. Some adult reading at City Lights. Jumping out of the mural next to Vesuvio's. A nondescript roof of a parking garage that had a spectacular view of the city. Wrapping up with a drink at Vesuvio's. I think I may draw a cartoon map. We skipped all the spectacular but traditional SF spots and opted for texture, color, variety and fun in North Beach. The neighborhood is all about character and our personal history. How lucky are we to have such amazing images to preserve those memories forever?

Speaking of personality, Marlin is quite the character. He kept us laughing and full of warmth and smiles. Sometimes I forgot that he was there and I mean that in the best way. I got caught up in all of it. It would be LOVE. David and I are total hams in front of the camera which made every little moment along the way such a fun adventure.

Can I just say that every engaged couple should have an engagement shoot? I honestly cannot imagine hiring a photographer that I never spent any time with. And not just time but QT. We got to know a little of Marlin the photographer, Marlin the exuberant and funny guy that on October 10th will make me and my family feel at ease. That's priceless. Marlin with his adorable family and easygoing nature. Aren't these important things to know about the person documenting your day? Why spend weeks, months, your engagement working on little details if you're not sure it will be documented in the way you hope it will be?

We got a sneak peak of the shoot last week and David and I were completely speechless. I can't even tell you how rare that is. The images are so us with Marlin's stamp of artistry. The city doesn't swallow us; it compliments us. That's all Marlin. He knew how to weave the two together so we were on the same plane. We don't compete with SF or vice versa. We blend which is exactly what you want. The images are crazy stylish, editorial but natural at the same time. How do you make that happen? You hire Marlin to be your photographer. That's what you do.