CATCHING UP // FAMILY TRIP TO MONTEREY

It's been a while and much has changed since my last blog post.  We now have three (!) boys after welcoming our little Buddha Jacob Kona in February.  He's nearly 7-months-old and it's hard to believe that he'll be crawling and walking soon.

I've begun my second year and final year at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where I'll be working primarily on my documentary thesis project for the next eight months.  (More on that soon.)  But for now, enjoy the family photos from our Labor Day weekend trip to Monterey and Big Sur.  Let the blogging commence again.

LIFE IN BERKELEY // NEW BEGINNINGS

Things have been quiet around here, but I promise for good reason -- we're expecting our third child in February and I'm in graduate school at UC Berkeley. We're finally finding our groove, and I'm happy to say that I'm still taking on clients for next season. I hope to get back on schedule with blogging soon.

SAN FRANCISCO FAMILY FILM PHOTOGRAPHER.

It's so good to be back in the Bay Area.

WINTER BECOMES SPRING BECOMES SUMMER.

They say the best camera is the one that you have with you.  Most of us keep our phones with us at all times, and in one sense, that's great because you have a capable digital point-and-shoot camera on you at all times to document the world around you.  Instagram, Facebook, twitpics and Tumblrs have more or less taken over our social consciousness when it comes to photos.  But I can't help but feel like something is lost in the process.

I have fond memories rediscovering old photo albums from my childhood.  Actually, a nearly 30-year-old photo of my wife and I as toddlers surfaced in my in-laws' storage unit just a few months ago, from when we lived in the same apartment building in New York City in the 80's.  I want to be able to give my children tangible photos and film negatives down the road.  Properly stored, film negatives will far outlast any hard drive.  So while it's great that you can have your photos accessible anywhere from the cloud, do you really want your family's visual history stored on a nameless server somewhere in rural West Virginia?

I recently got a Leica M6 again, which is always with me on family outings.  I've started leaving my phone at home, which helps me to be more present with my wife and boys when we're out at the park, or at dinner, or wherever.  I don't want my family to feel they have to battle my phone for my attention, and it has been so liberating.  Leave your phone at home.  You can always share your memories later.

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY.

Five years ago today, our lives changed dramatically for the better.  Your mother and I were suddenly thrown into the crazy, wonderful world of parenthood, and for a while we forgot what a good night's sleep was like.  A few days later, you were recovering from surgery in the newborn intensive care unit, and we were reminded about how fragile, precious life is.  But you were so strong, and you teach me what real strength means everyday.  You were brave, braver than I've ever been.  Before your first birthday, you were recovering from your third surgery, and you held my finger as you lay in a pillow-lined plastic radio flyer, and you didn't complain once, and I learned what patience and being present meant.  Most days I feel utterly humbled to be your dad.  Your smile makes my heart smile, and your laugh makes the sun rise everyday.  Your heart will move mountains, son, because, you see, it already has.  Happy birthday, Justin. I love, I love, I love you.