Brian Gross Photography

The Carrions (Ver 2.0) - A Firehouse Family Session - El Cerrito, CA

2012-01-19T01:07:00.000-08:00

Why do firefighters wear red suspenders?
To keep their pants up.

*cricketchirps*

Welcome back Damien, Audra, Giavanna, Isabelle, Avery and Tabitha. The Carrions! It's been a little while but they're back again for another fun family session with yours truly behind the camera. Damien is a Firefighter for the El Cerrito Fire Department so in planning where we were going to shoot their session I came up with the idea of shooting at the firehouse and they were all for it. I have to say, I'm so glad we went because I absolutely love how it all turned out....exactly how I imagined it would. Is it strange that I want to blow all these up and hang them on MY walls? =)

It was great to see everybody again and really fun to see how much everybody has changed since the last time...especially Tabby(2) who was just a few months old our first time around. It was my pleasure to photograph your family again and I hope you guys love your images as much as I do. =)

Below are some favorites from our session. Enjoy!

Brian

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Paula & Phil:(Get) Engaged! - A San Ramon Engagement Session - San Ramon, CA

2012-01-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

My brother and I are just 3 years apart (he's younger) and in a lot of ways we are very similar. We both have shaved heads. We both quote movies and old TV shows in 80% of any given conversation we may be having. Uh, we are both, ummm...awesome? I don't know. We're brothers, we grew up fighting and now we are friends. Similar in a lot of ways but also different. So very different, lol.

A little while back my little brother(Phil) called me and told me he had purchased "THE GIFT" for his girlfriend Paula and planned to propose somehow on or before Christmas. He was also very distracted because his paramedic certification test was just 4 days before Christmas and he had to spend all of his time outside of work studying. Talk about a big week. He stopped by my house to drop off the ring so any snooping people whom I won't mention AHEM*PAULA*AHEM wouldn't find it and ruin the whole surprise. We talked about some possible scenarios and different ways he might do it. All I could think of in my head was, "I NEED TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS SOMEHOW!" Paula has been trying to get Phil to take pictures together for a long time and we were supposed to get together to photograph them with their two dogs (Olive & Scout). That ended up falling through before Christmas because of some scheduling conflicts so we came up with the idea that we would tell Paula we were going to take their photos(on Christmas Eve no less) and that would be my gift to them. The plan was at some point we would tie up the dogs to just take some photos of the two of them together and when the moment was right I was to find a reason to walk away and then he was gonna do it.

When the day came I was nervous so I can only imagine how he felt. I picked a location I recently found that I knew would have no chance of anyone else being around. We all showed up, everything went pretty much exactly to plan and I was there to capture the whole thing! BAM. ENGAGED! The next part of the equation was how to break the news to my parents. The decision was made to print and frame a photo(which you will see at the end)and have my mom open it later that night when we would all see them for dinner at their house. Remember folks, this is all still Christmas Eve.

Now, my mom is not known for her lackluster reactions to news of this nature. Quite the opposite, actually. When we broke the news that we were engaged, she screamed and cried with joy. When we told her we were going to be having a baby, pretty much the same thing. She gets embarrassed by it but truly it's the most sincere reaction and we all know it's coming..and I had my camera ready. So there is the story of how my brother became engaged...and hopefully some payoff images at the end with my Mom's reaction. =)

If you stuck with me through all that, here are some of the images from our "session". Enjoy!

Congratulations Paula & Phil!!

-Brian

And the decisive moment...

GO LITTLE BROTHER, GO!

And the photo they put in a frame and gift wrapped for my mom

The moment my mom actually figures out what she's looking at!

Don't kill me mom!! Love you!

=)

The Kirby Family - Danville Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-11-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Meet Bella(3) and Margo(1) and their loving parents Chris & Leah..the Kirby Family! We met up recently at good old Hap Magee Ranch Park here in Danville to shoot some photos of these cute kiddos and their parents for their holiday card. Here are just a few favorites from our session. Enjoy!

-Brian =)

The Spates Family - A Sycamore Grove Park Family Session - Livermore, CA

2011-11-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

I know it's probably bad to play favorites, but this was probably one of my favorite family sessions. These guys jumped out of the car and I could not help but smile. Makayla(6)looks up at me and smiles to reveal a big hole in her top row of teeth and Jaelynn(4)had a bright pink cast on her left hand which she tells me is from falling off the monkey bars. I thought she was going to be the shy one but it turns out not only is she not shy, but she is a tremendous ball of energy and a ham for the camera...they both were. =) One mention of Justin Bieber and these two would go into a posing frenzy! Cutest thing ever.

These two adorable little girls belong to loving parents Mike & Jennifer. Jennifer is actually an old friend from high school that I ran into a few months back and when she asked about doing their family pictures my head immediately filled up with ideas. We headed out last weekend on what was probably the nicest Sunday in November ever. We pretty much laughed, smiled, and goofed around for a few hours and these are some of my favorite images I managed to capture. You guys have such an awesome family and I really am so happy that you chose me as your photographer. I walked away from this session on a photo high because I really had so much fun with you guys..and I have been dying to share these images ever since. Enjoy!

-Brian

Cousins! - A Family Session - Emerald Glen Park - Dublin, CA

2011-11-17T00:50:00.000-08:00

Everybody please welcome back Kaitlyn to the blog! It wasn't to long ago that I was posting her ---> 2 year session <--- and here she is back for more!
Last weekend Kaitlyn's cousin Ryan was in town for a few days. We planned a session to take some photos of the two of them together and Carol(their Grandmother...who I don't think wants me to actually call her a "Grandma"..sorry!) also wanted to get some updated pics with her grandkids. It was an absolutely gorgeous day at the park..the kids had fun running around and I had fun....chasing them! =) Got some great shots to share and here are just a few favorites from the session. Enjoy!
-Brian

The Young-Perez Family - San Ramon Family Photographer - San Ramon, CA

2011-11-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

Meet Logan(3) & Easton(1)! These brothers belong to loving parents Chris & Dyan and last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing this amazing little family. We headed out to a location you might recognize if you are from San Ramon(which is actually a hitoric park/museum, in case you were wondering) to start our session and we ended up at a pumpkin patch nearby to grab some shots of the kids in their costumes(which by the way were AWESOME). Hopefully they had a blast trick or treating on Halloween!

Here are some of my favorite images from the session. Enjoy!

-Brian

Nick & Megan: Engaged! - Walnut Creek Engagement Photographer - Walnut Creek, CA

2011-10-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

October has to be my favorite month of the year. As the leaves start to change, the days get a little bit shorter and the air a little more crisp. It's also the month my wife and I were married and who doesn't love Halloween? =)

Last weekend I had the had the pleasure of photographing Nick & Megan. They are engaged and will be getting married next year in San Diego(where they both live) and I will be there to capture the day. A semi-destination wedding for me if you will and I'm really looking forward to it.

This wedding will be uniquely special for me in several ways. For the first time my parents will be guests in attendance at a wedding I will be photographing. You see, I have known Megan since..well pretty much since she was born I guess! Our parents have been friends ever since high school. We spent many weekends in Tahoe and other random places on family vacations when we all were kids. I am so honored to be asked to photograph their big day and I already know it's going to be just perfect!

Nick and Megan were in town for the weekend so it was the perfect opportunity to squeeze in some engagement photos for them. The day of our session also happened to be Megan's birthday! We spent our time exploring some local spots while they listened to me make jokes from behind the camera. I don't know if you know this about me but..I..am...HILARIOUS. Well, probably not, but we definitely had some good laughs during our session. Here are just a few of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!

-Brian

Kaitlyn Turns 2 - Danville Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-10-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

I know I've said this before but a lot can change in a year. Kaitlyn first graced the pages of my blog about a year ago when she --> turned one <--- Seems like in the blink of an eye she is now two years old and she is just as cute as can be. =)For her 2 year session we headed out to one of my favorite local parks(Hap Magee Ranch Park) to capture Kaitlyn being her adorable, energetic little self. Here are some of my favorites from our session. Enjoy!-Brian

Matt & Erin: Engaged! - A Lafayette Reservoir Engagement Session - Lafayette, CA

2011-10-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

Matt & Erin are engaged and will be getting married next June! For their engagement session they chose to go to the Lafayette Reservoir which is yet another place(being from this area) I probably should have been before now. This was actually my first trip there and we totally lucked out with beautiful skies and gorgeous warm weather..and then the next day it rained ALL DAY. Like they knew we were coming. =)

We spent our time exploring around while Matt and Erin just jumped in front of my camera and made me look good. I'm telling you, these guys made my job easy. So happy just to be in each others company, these guys were a joy to photograph. Looking forward to your wedding guys! Here are a few favorite images from our session. Enjoy!

-Brian

Warren & Amy: Married! - A Lucie Stern Community Center Wedding - Palo Alto, CA

2011-10-09T23:33:00.000-07:00

How do you keep a secret from 200 of your closest friends and family members for over a year?

I have absolutely no idea but Warren and Amy managed to do just that when it came to their super top secret wedding reception location. Upon first meeting with Warren & Amy they described the location, even showed me some pictures they had taken there and told me that nobody was told where it would be(to keep them from googling) but still nothing would truly prepare me for what I(and all of their guests) were soon to experience.

Ok, what is this super secret location you ask? South San Fransisco is home to a place you will never find by accident called Barrango. <-- that's a link and you can read all about what they do but basically they manufacture larger than life size holiday decorations and some of the most visually stimulating stuff this side of Alice in Wonderland. You walk in to an unasuming lobby where you are escorted through a hidden passageway bookcase where you can then walk through their entire showroom full of..anything and everything you could ever imagine. It was truly one of the most unique locations I have ever been.

The ceremony was held at the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto and the day started for us at the home where Amy grew up. When Warren and his groomsmen arrived, he was made to participate in some Chinese wedding door games. He would prove his love to his future bride by completing a series of tasks or challenges set forth by her bridesmaids. This was literally one of the most hilarious things I have ever seen. Karaoke, leg waxing(serious), and having to catch a floating ping pong ball with their mouths(together) are just a few of the things you are about to see!

It was truly a great day for all. Congratulations to Warren and Amy! I wish you a long and happy life together. =)

(and while you have been reading(skimming?) through that, a ton of images have been loading up below.)

Enjoy!

-Brian

Coming Soon! Warren & Amy: Married! - Stay tuned....

2011-10-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Warren & Amy!!They tied the knot this last weekend and their images will be here soon..not to be missed!

-Brian =)

Ryan & Meghan: Married! - Saint Mary's College Wedding Photographer - Lafayette, CA

2011-09-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

There is just something about the energy of the wedding day...everybody is nervous and scared but at the same their hearts are completely filled with love and excitement about what the day(and the future)has in store.

Ryan & Meghan's wedding was no exception. Fifteen minutes into shooting I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it through the day without crying myself. It was an emotional day to say the least but equally full of smiles and laughter. It was so great just to be a part of it all.

Their ceremony took place at the gorgeous Saint Mary's College Chapel in Lafayette and the reception was held at the families private residence..which is apparently known for having great parties. If I had to guess, this would be one for the record books! It's always a bummer when nobody dances at a wedding..but I think this might be the first wedding where EVERYBODY was dancing at one point..even me. =)

This is going to be a huge post..so many favorites from the day I just had to share them all! Ryan, you did well my friend. I challenge anybody to find a more beautiful bride. I wish you guys the best, I know you are on your honeymoon right now so I hope you are having fun...enjoy!
Aloha!

Congratulations Ryan & Meghan!

-Brian

Coming Soon! Ryan & Meghan: Married! - Stay Tuned...

2011-09-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ryan & Meghan! They got hitched yesterday, leaving for their honeymoon tomorrow, and their images will be posted here.....soon!

Brian!
=)

Amy + Warren: Engaged! - SJ Japanese Friendship Gardens - San Jose, CA

2011-09-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Fact: Amy & Warren are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. Part of what I love about my job is getting to work with people who are so clearly a match for each other. =)

I have actually known Warren for quite a while..we used to work for the same company a while back and I have met Amy a handful of times along the way. Warren is quite the photographer himself so to be asked to photograph their wedding day for me was quite the honor. I have been sworn to secrecy on the details of their big day so just be sure to check back here for what is sure to be an amazing wedding.

For their engagement session they decided on the Japanese Friendship Gardens in San Jose. I had not been there before but as you are about to see it is a beautiful place and my brain was on overload with all the visually interesting things to see/places to shoot. =) I think this is the most images I have ever posted on an engagement session..lots of favorites so hopefully while you have been reading this(who, me?!?) the images have been loading up below. Had a great time working with you guys..looking forward to the wedding next month!
Enjoy!

-Brian

Jeff & Stacey: Married! - A Cornerstone Gardens Wedding - Sonoma, CA

2011-09-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Phew, it's been a busy summer! It's amazing how quickly time goes by and I'm finally starting to be able to wade through the pile of wedding images that has grown into a small mountain over this past year. Jeff & Stacey were married last year in October..actually on 10-10-10..so they were lucky enough to book what was probably the most sought after wedding date last year at one of the most interesting wedding venues I've been to. Cornerstone Gardens was like a photographers dream come true..so many visually interesting things to see and lots of beautiful art on display everywhere you looked. A perfect setting for a wedding in the heart of our wine country. I was there for the day as the 2nd photographer for Tiffany of Tiffany Green Photography who I'm sure you have seen many weddings we have shot together if you poke around my blog and there are many more to share. =) These are just a few of my favorite clicks from the day. Enjoy!

-Brian

Jillian Turns 2! - Danville Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2011-08-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, meet Jillian. Jillian has to be one of the most energetic 2 year olds I have ever photographed. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she was ready to explore and no guy with a camera chasing her around was gonna stop her. =) My daughter is now 19 months old so I (like to think that I)am highly trained in tracking and anticipating her every move. That said, I walked away from our session with a skinned knee, an intense cardio workout, and orange crayon on my pants. It was all worth it though because I was able to capture these awesome photographs of little Jillian that you are about to see.

In fairness to Jillian, now that I think about it I'm pretty sure the orange crayon was already on there from earlier. =)

Here are some of my favorites from our session. Enjoy!

-Brian

Danielle & John: Married! - Elliston Vineyards Wedding Photographer - Sunol/Pleasanton, CA

2011-08-06T00:25:00.000-07:00

I loves me some blue shoes.

Danielle & John were recently married at the elegant and private Elliston Vineyards in Sunol. The weather was beautiful, Danielle as you will see looked so very beautiful, and John was...well I think John was pretty nervous actually haha! I remember the feeling well from my own wedding. I'm sure once he saw how amazing Danielle looked coming down that isle, all those nerves went right out the window.

A lot of favorites from this wedding..like A LOT. Congratulations you guys! I hope you had an awesome honeymoon, welcome back to the good old US of A and please enjoy some of my favorite photographs from your big day.

Hey you guys...YOU'RE MARRIED!! =)

-Brian

P.S. if we can get these guys 30+ "likes" (on the facebook button at the bottom of this post) I'll hook Danielle & John up with an 11x14 enlargement of their favorite image sooooo....help 'em out..go!

Coming Soon!! John & Danielle: Married!

2011-07-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

John & Danielle are out of the country right now on their honeymoon! I will be posting their set once they get back but here's one in case you can't wait that long!

-Brian

Hailey Turns 4! - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2011-07-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hailey. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. I feel like she went from being a mushy little baby to a energetic little 4 year old munchkin in like two seconds.

Back story.

I have known Hailey's parents since..well forever and to Hailey I am known as "Uncle B". I'm not even sure if she knows my real name...that's ok, lol. =) This year not only does Hailey turn 4, but she is also about to become a big sister! As part of her 4 year session we managed to sneak in what will probably be the last pictures of this family before they grow by 1.

Kid's grow up fast. It's amazing the difference age makes when photographing them. Hailey was full of smiles and poses I couldn't get her to stop. She kept saying.. "look at this picture!"while she would pose and.."Uncle B are we gonna take more pictures?!?" lol. You don't have to ask me twice! Here are some of my favorites from our session. Enjoy!

-Uncle B

Hailey's proud parents(and soon to be baby sister,still cookin') =)

Hailey + mom

The whole fam

Riley Turns 2 - Bay Area Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-07-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

Riley is the adorable little daughter of some of my close friends Jimmy & Sheryl. Anthony is her rambunctious older brother who you will also see in this set. Together, they make some of the cutest little rascals to ever walk the earth. =)

Riley just turned 2 a few weeks ago and Anthony turned 3 back in March. We had been talking about getting some fun photos of the kids together so while we set out to photograph Riley for her 2 year pictures, really this session was for both of them. I've been around both Anthony and Riley since they were born..heck Anthony was probably the first baby I ever gave a bottle to and Riley..well she is just 6 months older than my daughter so I really got to practice holding her (and changing a poopy diaper or two) just before my daughter was born. I have been lucky enough to watch both of them grow up...not only from behind the camera but in person so these photos are as important to me as I hope they will be to them some day. These are just some of my favorite clicks from the session. Enjoy!

-Brian

David Turns 1 - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2011-07-07T02:25:00.000-07:00

Kids grow up so fast. People will tell you that all the time but until you actually have kids of your own, you probably wouldn't believe HOW FAST. I can say now from experience..it's absolutely true. =)

When I first met Michael, Danielle, & little David, David was just 3 months old<---(session). BAM! 9 months have gone by in a split second and David is now a year old! So much changes in the first year it's really amazing. To celebrate David's first year we headed out to capture some fun portraits of him and his family on what felt like the hottest...day...ever. Summer has definately arrived! Always happy to see you guys again..thanks for sweatin it out with me and I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from the session. =)

-Brian!

On Facebook? LIKE!
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Erin & John: (Happily) Married! - A San Diego Post Wedding Session - San Diego, CA

2011-06-29T23:03:00.001-07:00

Hmmm, where to start on this one..

Erin & John are a pair of my most favorite people in the world. I have been friends with John since we were in high school and to say we have a few crazy stories to share between us would be the understatement of the century. John is one of those genuinely nice guys and I knew when we first met we were going to be friends...plus he needed me to install his car stereo so there's that, lol. Here we are now over 15 years later still laughing at the same stupid jokes from way back. Will we ever grow up? Probably not. Hopefully not. =)

Erin is like the long lost missing piece to John's puzzle. These two are so great together..like peanut butter and jelly..or chicken and waffles. They really are a perfect match. Last year they got married in San Diego where I had the honor of being a groomsman in the wedding. After the wedding we talked about getting together to do a post wedding session. Earlier this month the fam and I loaded up the car and took a road trip down to San Diego for a weekend visit. So a year and some change after their wedding, we finally went out to play. =)

It was great to see you guys..thanks for taking me to Phil's BBQ(TWICE!) and enjoy the pics you crazy love birds. =)

-Brian

Alvin & Yoli: Married! - A Chapel At The Presidio Wedding - San Francisco, CA

2011-05-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

They say that rain on your wedding day is good luck. If that's true, Alvin and Yoli will have A LOT of good luck in their marriage because it was pouring that day. =) Alvin & Yolanda were married this past weekend at the Chapel Of Our Lady in San Francisco where they had an intimate ceremony with their family and friends as witnesses. Luckily, the rain only showed up for the ceremony and stopped shortly after so we were actually able to go outside for portraits! See? Already getting some of that good luck we talked about earlier.

Congratulations you guys! I wish you both the best of luck in all that your future holds together. Exciting times lie ahead!

Special thanks to Max K for coming out to lend a hand carrying stuff and being a human light stand.

Enjoy!

-Brian

John & Danielle: Engaged! - A Downtown Pleasanton Engagement Session - Pleasanton, CA

2011-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

I. Love. That. Shot. A little back story...that was the absolute last shot I took of the entire session and it's something I was inspired to try from a friend and fellow photographer(Sam Hassas). We were basically done with the session and then from about 200 yards away we heard horns honking and people cheering..then I saw 200+ women(and men) dressed in pink with bras on the outside of their shirts! Turns out (after looking it up) we were caught right in the middle of the "Bras for the Cause" breast cancer walk. A steady stream of people walking by created the perfect opportunity for probably one of the weirdest..and to me most interesting shots of the session.

The people in the picture? John Danielle! This awesome couple will be getting married this year in just a few short months at Elliston Vineyards in Sunol. They are both from the Pleasanton area originally so we thought It would be fun to roam around downtown for their engagement session and see what we could find. Had a lot of fun shooting this one for you guys and I'm definately looking forward to the wedding. It will be here before you know it. =)
Enjoy!

-Brian

As my daughter Chloe would say.."Moooo Da-Da!" =)

Judah - High School Senior Portrait Session - Danville, CA

2011-05-08T01:49:00.000-07:00

Class of 2011!? Yep, Judah will be graduating high school here in the next few weeks and then... off to college. Smart kid, too. I asked him what his favorite class was, his answer: statistics. Yikes. He's also plays ice hockey and I'm not 100% positive but I think he called me lame when I told him I played some roller hockey when I was in high school. LOL.

As I'm sure we all remember at the beginning of the school year everybody goes down and gets the standard yearbook photo taken. Boooring. =) Had a lot of fun shooting this one and we came away with some pretty amazing stuff. Thanks for looking, enjoy!

Brian

This is prob my favorite shot from the whole thing.

Lucas Turns 1 - Bay Area Family Photographer - San Ramon, CA

2011-04-04T02:08:00.000-07:00

Meet Jaime, Josh, and their adorable little son, Lucas! Lucas turned 1 just a few weeks ago but because of the unfortunate weather we've been having it's been impossible to get outside to take his pictures! Finally last week the forecast changed completely and we had weather in the mid 70's..perfect! I guess it's true...good things do come to those who wait..I'm just glad we didn't have to wait until June. =)

We decided to go to Central Park in San Ramon which is a beautiful and HUGE park located right in the heart of my hometown. Lucas was such an easy going little guy...captivated by the traffic passing by he kept saying "car!car!" Really had fun shooting this one as kind of a mixed 1 year/family session and these are just a few of my favorites from our session. Happy Birthday Lucas! Enjoy!

-Brian

Introducing Delaney Grace - Danville Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-03-09T00:03:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I shared some pregnancy portraits <-- I took for a dear friend, Amy. Only a few days after those pictures were taken, she gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl. In these pictures she's right around 5 weeks old and as cute as can be. Meet Delaney Grace! =)-Brian

The Moylan Family - Danville Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-02-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

Meet Julie, Shaun, Makena & Cavan. The Moylans! Having your families picture taken every once in a while is important..especially when you have young children that will literally change from one day to the next. Makena is 2 and Cavan just turned 1 in December and with this awesome weather we've been having it was the perfect time to sneak in some pictures of the kids and their family together.

Makena is a total cutie..such a sweetheart. Cavan is your rough and tumble little guy. Together they run around chasing each other...laughing and exploring everything there is to see. Such a cute little family. =) I had a blast with you guys and I really love how the images came out. Here are some favorites from the session..Enjoy!

-Brian

Tom & Amanda: Married! - A Sun City Roseville Wedding - Roseville, CA

2011-01-28T01:53:00.000-08:00

Tom and Amanda were married last September and I was working once again for my friend and fellow photographer Tiffany (of Tiffany Green Photography) along as the 2nd photographer for the day. They had their wedding at the very cool Sun City Roseville which had a nice outdoor garden site for the ceremony, huge reception hall and we had access to some property adjacent to the golf course for some romantic shots of just the two of them. Had a great time shooting them with Tiffany and I wish Tom & Amanda a long and happy life together! Here are some of my favorite clicks and my take on the day. Enjoy~

-Brian

uuuuuuuuum..I'm not sure...Don't ask? =)

Ya..this is the "grooms cake" =)

Amy - Pregnancy Portraits - Danville Family Photographer - Danville, CA

2011-01-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

39 Weeks. That's how far along Amy was when I took these pictures just a few days ago. Sometime tomorrow the wait will be over. Amy and her husband Matt will become parents to a baby girl and I can't wait to meet her. See, I have been friends with Amy over fifteen years..so I am totally excited for them to jump into the wonderful world of parenthood. This will be their first child and they are both extremely excited. If they are nervous, they are doing a tremendous job of hiding it. =)

Fun fact: Our daughters will be almost exactly a year apart. Awesome.

So as kind of a last minute thing(literally), Amy decided she wanted a few portraits of herself to remember how she looked at the end of her pregnancy. I thought it would be a fun creative challenge and I love how the shots came out. Here are a few from our quick session...and then tomorrow is the big day! Congratulations guys! It's all up hill from here. =)

-Brian

The Borris Family - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2011-01-04T23:29:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn is the adorable little girl in this photo and she was recently featured on my blog in her amazing 1 year portraits I shot a few months back. This time it's the entire family for an updated portrait and they all came looking like a million bucks. =) It seemed like it was about 11 degrees outside that day but we still managed a fall(ish) photo in December. Awesome. Here is my favorite from their set. Enjoy~

-Brian

Happy Holidays From Brian Gross Photography - Dec 2010

2010-12-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Wait..What? How did I get on the wrong side of the camera!?
It's funny...this time last year my wife was still pregnant and we didn't have a name fully picked out yet for our daughter. This year, I am happy to introduce you to our beautiful and almost 1 year old daughter, Chloe! We have had an amazing and exciting year with Chloe and as I'm sure you might imagine, there are no shortage of pictures being taken of her. =)
Also new this year, instead of me playing "tripod-timer roulette" (where I set my camera on a tripod and try to run into the picture) a friend and talented photographer, Cathy Breslow (of Breslow Imaging) graciously agreed to take some family photos for us. Thank you Cathy! We couldn't be happier. =)

2010 has been unbelievable/wonderful/crazy/awesome and I'm definitely looking forward to whatever 2011 has in store. I am truly lucky to get to meet and work with such wonderful people all while doing what I absolutely love to do. A tremendous thank you to all my clients and friends past, present, and future.

Happy Holidays!

The Kids - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-12-17T02:42:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you've met the Harringtons..you've met the Kings..now it's time to meet THE KIDS. (If you're just tuning in..scroll down a few posts and catch up.)
Hailey, Anthony, & Riley are cousins. We thought it might be a good time with all this family picture taking going on to try getting a nice picture of the three of them to give to their Grandmother. It was a great idea..but the kids had other plans. To me, it's perfect. Sure, they could all be looking, or smiling(or both) but to me..THIS truly captures these three. As you can imagine if I could turn the camera around all their parents are standing behind me trying to get them to "say cheese" and even though there are technically better shots from this set...this is one of my favorites.

And there you go. =)

-Brian

The King Family - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-12-17T02:27:00.000-08:00

Another holiday session..this time it's the Kings! Same beautiful natural light we were lucky enough to have for the Harrington Family just one post below (on the same day..about an hour earlier) at the same location. Just a few pics from their session as well. With the light we had and these good looking families, I could go on and on. =) Enjoy.

Hailey

The Harrington Family - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-12-17T01:41:00.000-08:00

Another holiday family session going on here. This time it's the Harrington family and they were definitely due for an updated family picture. The kids, Anthony & Riley have both been featured on my blog in the past..several times actually. This time there was a new challenge...get everybody to smile at the same time and oh yeah...get a picture of it. Challenge, accepted. =) It's not as simple as it sounds folks. If you have ever tried to take a picture of your kids..you know what I'm talkin about.
Here are just a few from our quick session. They honestly had the most beautiful and perfect natural light I think I have ever shot in. An hour later, it poured rain..go figure. Here is my favorite from their set. Enjoy!

Bonus shot of Anthony who was in a particularly simley mood

-Brian

The Andrade Family - Bay Area Family Photographer - San Ramon, CA

2010-12-17T00:55:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to an end peoples mailboxes are filled every day with Christmas and holiday cards. What better time to update that family photo? Baby Logan has graced the pages of my blog before and this time she brought her family along! They were in town for a short time last month so I grabbed up my gear and headed out to grab a few quick family portraits for them. Below is my favorite image from the set. Enjoy!

-Brian

Candice + Kirk: Married! - A Back Yard Wedding

2010-11-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Candice & Kirk had one of the most unique weddings I've had the pleasure of photographing this year as the second shooter for my good pal Tiffany of Tiffany Green Photography. The wedding was actually held on the brides parents' property of the house she grew up in. While it was technically the back yard..the home is on several acres of property complete with horses and plenty of room for their beautiful wedding to spare.
Below are some of my favorite clicks from the day. Enjoy!
-Brian

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Scott + Carolyn: Married! - Murrieta's Well Wedding Photographer - Livermore, CA

2010-10-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

Scott & Carolyn got hitched back in August at the beautiful and private Murrieta's Well Winery in Livermore. I was hired to be the 2nd photographer for Tiffany (of Tiffany Green Photography) and these are some of my images captured throughout the day. The day started out with everybody getting ready at the beautiful Rose Hotel in downtown Pleasanton. Even though they were Tiffany's clients this was not my first time meeting Scott and Carolyn. I actually came out to help Tiffany with their engagement session in San Fransisco earlier this year. I definitely enjoyed meeting them and it was great to be there to help shoot their beautiful winery wedding. Below are some of my favorite clicks from the day. Enjoy~

-Brian

Jason + Veronica: Married! - Shannon Community Center Wedding - Dublin, CA

2010-10-13T00:39:00.000-07:00

My 4 year anniversary is coming up in just a few days(on the 15th) so it's safe to say fall weddings hold a special place in my heart. Just before Jason & Veronica's wedding I told my wife I had the perfect anniversary gift for her. I told her Jason was going to give us matching tattoos(he's a tattoo artist). To my total surprise instead of laughing and telling me I'm crazy her response was "Oh yeah? Where?" It just goes to show after all these years together you can still learn something new about someone you know everything about. =)

Jason & Veronica were married at the newly rebuilt and very awesome Shannon Community Center in Dublin. They had a romantic ceremony held at dusk outside in the courtyard of the SCC. It started out light and by the end, well...it was pretty dark! Because of this fact Jason & Veronica opted to do what's called a "first look". If you aren't familiar this is where an opportunity is set up for the bride and groom to see each other prior to the ceremony. The main advantage is that we can get all the major picture stuff out of the way before the ceremony. Once the ceremony is over we get a few formal family photos it's straight off to the reception. It worked out great.

When I shot J & V's engagement photos last year I knew the wedding was going to be something special...and it did not disappoint. =) They talked fondly about how much of a party it was going to be..and it was. Thank you guys for allowing me to participate in your big day. Jason, I'll let you know about that tattoo but don't hold your breath. =/
Below are a selection of my favorite moments from the day. Congratulations guys! Enjoy~

-Brian

The "first look"....

Yes, this is what you think it is =0

This is Rosey. She was there taking photo booth style pictures with a Fuji Instax instant camera for the guests. A very fresh take on this years hottest thing. =)

And then the grooms brother did something I cannot explain..to the tune of "Bye Bye Bye" from NSync..

The favors were a big hit =)

Kaitlyn Turns 1 - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-09-29T02:37:00.000-07:00

A lot can happen in a year. To me, one of the most amazing things to think about is how much really changes in a babies first year of life. Nobody knows this better of course than proud parents Nick & Nicole when it comes to their adorable daughter, Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn is about to celebrate her 1st birthday so to mark this momentous occasion I headed out to capture some fun photos of her doin' her thing. Kaitlyn was the perfect little subject and I'd say I got some great stuff because of it. =)
Below are some favorites from the session. Enjoy!
-Brian

Baby David - 3 Months Old - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-09-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

As a new father myself I remember very clearly when my daughter was 3 months old...after all it was only 6 months ago. A lot has changed since then and there is a lot to look forward to. That's what I told proud new parents Michael & Danielle when I met up with them to photograph their son, David. David is only 3 months old and he's a growin' boy(as they say). I often forget that boys are (usually)larger/taller/heavier than girls so at 3 months old, David is a substantial little guy. He's gonna be tossing around a football in no time. =)

When I first started editing these photos my wife walked by the computer and said "Wow, he's REALLY cute!" She's right, of course. She always is.

As usual, some faves from our session below and remember...when you see David on TV playing football for the University Of Colorado in about 18 years, you saw him here first. =)

Enjoy~
-Brian

blowin' some bubbles =)

Robert & Christie: Married! - Preservation Park Wedding - Oakland, CA

2010-09-13T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh September weddings. Yes, my favorite time of year as fall is fast approaching, the leaves are starting to change and there's just something in the air that lets you know what time of year it is. On this particular evening, there was something else in the air. Love. Awwwww =) Robert & Christie tied the knot at I what I would call one of the most unique and interesting wedding venues around. Both The ceremony and reception were held at Preservation Park in Oakland which is a gorgeous outdoor setting that is quite literally a journey back in time. The streets were lined with homes of various architectural styles dating back over 100 years. Loved it.

I was pretty sure after doing Robert & Christie's engagement photos that the wedding was going to be a blast...and I wasn't wrong. Thank you for having me be a part of your big day. To the happy couple: May the rest of your days be filled with happiness and love for each other.
And now, while you have been reading this(or not?) lots of fabulous images have been loading up down below so have a look at some of my favorite moments from the day. There are a lot. =)
Congrats you two, and enjoy!

-Brian

Check out Robert's brother..get down with your bad self =0

Baby Cameron - 5 Weeks Old - Bay Area Family Photographer - Newark, CA

2010-08-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have a daughter that is now almost 8 months old(yikes!). It's amazing how quickly they grow and change and to see a 5 week old baby brought me right back. All the little noises and grunts, the little legs and flailing arm movements. =) Enter, Cameron.

Cameron is the now 5 week old son of proud new parents, Chester and Christine. I used to work with Chester for a long time and he was married a year or two before me so I know they have been getting drilled with the "So, when are you guys gonna have kids?!??" question. =) Well, you don't have to ask anymore and they are both as happy and smiley as you would expect new parents to be. Also, tired. =)

I went to their home last weekend to snap some pics of their new little guy and here are a few of my favs. Congrats you guys and I hope to see this little guy again soon!

-Brian

Glen & Lesley: Married! - David Girard Vineyards Wedding - Placerville, CA

2010-08-19T00:51:00.000-07:00

So we've had a pretty mild summer this year but this weekend was HOT. The car said it was 99 degrees outside but my brain remembers it being like 199 degrees. That didn't stop Glen & Lesley from having a gorgeous wedding at the very beautiful David Girard Vineyards in Placerville,CA. I was there shooting as the 2nd photog in command for my wedding partner in crime(as I sometimes call her), Tiffany of Tiffany Green Photography. Glen and Lesley are what I would call two of the happiest people to be married that I have ever seen. I mean, of course you are happy on your wedding day but these two were visually ecstatic from the moment they saw each other down the aisle. They didn't stop smiling, kissing, and telling each other how much they loved one another the entire night. A very memorable couple and a gorgeous wedding to boot.
Here are some of my images from the days memorable moments. Congrats to the happy couple. Enjoy!

-Brian

Dad sees Lesley in her Dress for the first time

Lesley's Grandfather (at 94 years old) I'm told was and is a well known and respected portrait photographer. He asked if he could pose one shot...of course, why not? I asked nicely for a portrait of him first, though. =)

and the shot he set up

They get introduced, still ecstatic!

Robert + Christie: Engaged! - Lake Chabot Engagement Session - Castro Valley, CA

2010-08-17T20:21:00.000-07:00

He's a Paramedic, she's a Nurse. Saving lives and taking care of people is their thing. Pretty soon getting married will be their thing, too.

Robert and Christie are to be married in just under a month(and counting) So stay tuned next month for what I'm sure will be some fabulous pics of their wedding. For their engagement session we headed out to Lake Chabot in Castro Valley for a chance to get to know each other better and to snap some fun pictures to celebrate their engagement before the wedding. They came out with their little Yorkie, Bodee, and the rest as they say is in the pudding. Wait...the proof..is..in...hmmm. Something about pictures? Yeah, the proof is in the pictures. Something like that. =p

Looking forward to the wedding guys and thanks for a great session. Sorry about my terrible Borat impressions but once you start, it's just so hard to stop. =)

Enjoy!

-Brian

Riley Rae = 1 Year! - Bay Area Family Photographer - Dublin, CA

2010-07-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, "Uncle B" here checking in again. This is Riley and she is the now 1 year old daughter of some of my great friends. She is actually Hailey's cousin(a few posts down) and another cutie that is growing up faster than I can keep track. Riley is exactly 6 months older than my daughter and I can't believe in just 6 more months my daughter will be this big. Crazy! Riley has graced the pages of this blog before most recently with some 6 month and 9 month portraits.
It's been awesome getting to see her grow and to be able to photograph her through her first year milestones. We got together this week to capture some fun pictures to celebrate her 1st year of life. Happy Birthday Riley!
Now, on to the pics! Enjoy~

Uncle B =)

Jason + Megan: Married! - Shannon Community Center Wedding - Dublin, CA

2010-07-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

Jason and Megan were married a few weeks back...on Fathers Day, actually. This was wedding 2 of 2 for that weekend for me shooting with Tiffany of Tiffany Green Photography. To say we have been working together a lot this year would be an understatement but it works out great and I really enjoy it. =)

This particular wedding as I said landed on Fathers Day....my first Fathers Day as a new dad. =) I found myself particularly emotional when the brides father gave his toast. For the first time out of all the weddings I've been to and all the speeches I've heard I realised that some day I would be in his shoes making this speech at my own daughters wedding. He went into a wonderfully detailed account of many meaningful memories they shared as she grew up right up until that day where he walked her down the isle and gave her away. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

It was a beautiful wedding at the fantastic and newly remodeled Shannon Community Center in Dublin which I would say with 100% certainty is as nice as pretty much any wedding venue I've seen in the Bay Area. I'm shooting another wedding there this year in October and I'm really looking forward to working there again. As usual here are some favorites and my take on the day. Enjoy!

-Brian

Hailey Rose: 3 Years Old! - Bay Area Family Photographer - Livermore, CA

2010-07-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

Say hi to Hailey. Hailey is the now 3 year old daughter of two of my greatest friends in the world. I've been lucky enough to be a part of their lives and in doing so I have gained the prestigious title of "Uncle B" to little miss Hailey. A year ago I couldn't believe she was two <--pics - and this year..well I can't believe another year has gone by. To top it off I now have a 6 month old daughter of my own! They sure do grow up fast. =)I've taken a lot of pictures of Hailey and they are all special to me so I knew picking favorites was going to be difficult. Below are some of my selections from our session. Happy Birthday Hailey! Enjoy~-(Uncle) B

Brett & Kelle: Married! Bridges Golf Course Wedding - San Ramon, CA

2010-07-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Brett & Kelle were married a few weeks back at the Canyon Creek Church in San Ramon. The Church literally couldn't have been any closer without sharing a parking lot to the beautiful Bridges Golf Club where the reception was held. This was wedding 1 of 2 in a double header weekend where I was once again working with my friend and fellow photographer Tiffany(Green Photography) as the 2nd photographer for the day.

I was tasked with covering the guys while Tiffany covered the girls. Brett & Kelle opted not to see each other prior to the ceremony so I had to shoot the guys in a separate area of the church apart from where Tiffany was shooting Kelle & her brides maids. I found a little playground at the church with some fun stuff and with a little encouragement from me.....well boys will be boys. You'll see. =)

Super fun wedding with an awesome couple and a bridal party that was there to..well...PARTY! Congrats guys! Here are some pics and my take on the day. Enjoy!

-Brian

I love these guys

Baby Lauren - 3 months old - Bay Area Family Photographer - Livermore, Ca

2010-07-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Well, that was a quick 2 months! Welcome back baby Lauren for the 2nd time to my blog and this time she's 3 months old. A little bigger, a little stronger, a little more...of everything. =) Last time I posted her pictures she was just a month old <--here and if anybody knows how quickly they can change, it's me. My daughter is now 6 months old and as any parent will tell you(I think?) is they will seemingly change before your very eyes. So here are some of baby Lauren's 3 month portraits and we even managed to sneak in a family picture or two minus the dogs as that might be a little difficult to pull of at this point. =) Enjoy!

-Brian

Baby Logan - Bay Area Family Photographer - San Ramon, CA

2010-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

Everybody, meet Logan. Logan, everybody. A few months back I received a notification from Facebook letting me know I had a new friend request. This particular request was one that I was both surprised and happy to receive. One of my great friends that I've known since high school had finally entered the world of Facebook and in doing so found me. We had unfortunately sort of lost touch over the last few years but Facebook is great for reconnecting with people you haven't seen or heard from in a while. It's also a huge waste of time if you ask my wife. =)

Anyway, come to find out that my friend got married almost exactly a year after (my wife and) I did and also had a baby daughter like a month and a half after (my wife and) I did! So much catching up to do but it's really been amazing to find out that we have been literally going through the same things without even knowing it. Baby Logan is about 4.5 months old and as cute as can be. Recently we got together to hang out and catch up a bit. Our daughters became fast friends even holding hands when we laid them on a blanket next to each other. Cutest stinkin thing ever(hey, I can say that now I'm a dad, lol) and hopefully now we can stay in touch and out daughters can be friends too. That would be awesome. I took the opportunity to snap a few special portraits for our new friend Logan and these are just a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

-Brian

Muah, MUAAH, MUAAAHAHAHA (Austin Powers..COME ON!)

Giacomo + Kim: Married! - Grand Island Mansion Wedding - Walnut Grove, CA

2010-07-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is a bowling alley and yes it was inside the mansion. Awesome. Giacomo and Kim were married a few weeks back at the Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Grove, CA. I was along again with Tiffany(Green Photography) as the 2nd photographer for the day. I had never even heard of Walnut Grove before and it's kind of out in the middle of nowhere. I had to cross 3 bridges to get there lol. The mansion provided a very elegant setting loaded with ornate detail and hidden rooms full of neat stuff..like bowling alleys.
This was a fairly low key wedding on a beautiful Sunday morning. Gone was the loud music and drinking and in place a quiet brunch in an intimate setting. Below are some of my favorite clicks and once again my take on the day. Enjoy!
-Brian

I was tasked with covering the groom getting ready while Tiffany shot the bride

Jennifer + Chuck : Married! Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course Wedding - May 23, 2010

2010-07-01T00:31:00.000-07:00

Snow at the end of May? NAAAAH. That's what I would have said before we made the drive up to Lake Tahoe about a month ago. I told you there would be more so chalk this up to another wedding by the dynamic duo of Tiffany Green(Photography) and her faithful sidekick photog Brian(me). There are several more coming in the next few weeks so watch out for that. So where was I...OH YEAH, snow.

We found out the night before there was a blanket of snow on everything (and thankfully it melted by morning) but it was still pretty darn chilly. There was an unbelievable layer of snow on the mountains and you could see clear around the lake. Beautiful. A perfect day for a wedding and some beautiful pictures outside. There is no way they could have known when they booked this place that they would get snowy Lake Tahoe as the backdrop for their pictures. A photographers dream. So once again here are my favorite clicks from the day. Enjoy!

-Brian

The view of Lake Tahoe from the reception hall..gorgeous

Have you seen a happier dad dance with his daughter? =)

Check out this unbelievable cloud..on the water