Alice G Patterson Photography {blog} bio picture

alice {girl vs. grown up}

By now, you have most likely concluded that I am a wedding and lifestyle portrait photographer.  Here is what you probably don't know:

In addition to (or maybe instead of) my photographer persona, most of my neighbors recognize me as the lady being pulled around town by my three dogs (or as I like to call them "the girls").  Ironically, I still think of myself as a girl, but really I'm a grown woman.

In addition to being creative, running my business has lots of grown up responsibilities that I happily greet on a daily basis.  When I have a shoot, I arrive early, with back up equipment, a second photographer, and over fifteen years of experience.  But the minute I start taking pictures, I suddenly personify my absolute favorite part of the job... I become a girl with a camera. 

The girl in me remains enthusiastic, creative, warm, and ever enchanted with sharing photographs.  The grown up is experienced, professional, and reliable.  So over the many years of being self-employed, I've learned that the whole girl vs. grown up is not a contest. Rather, it is a rare combination that makes me uniquely talented in photographing life's big events and little moments.

p.s.

My sister wants me to tell you that I'm a graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography located in Santa Barbara, CA.  From there, I went on to build my wedding and portrait business in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  Currently, I'm finding my latest niche in the amazing state of New York! 

Thank you for coming by.  I hope to hear from you soon!

Category Archives: WEDDINGS

heart {no.13}

Several years ago, I read an interview with rocker girl Gwen Stefani.  I don’t think she was pregnant yet, but she was talking about her marriage and plans for children in the near future.  She asked “Really, what is more romantic than two people choosing to raise children together?”   I know, I know.  It can...

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Emily Weiss - Romance and love are right. Great shot

laure - Priceless. I LOVE this photo!

Beth - She is a cutie! I love this picture of her!

heart {no. 9, no. 9, no. 9}

I’ll always love the Beatles.  Anybody a Beatles fan?  If so, you might understand the Beatles reference with the repetitive number nines.
On with the 14 hearts blog challenge.  No. 9  is pulled from a wedding I photographed in San Francisco, way back when I was shooting with film.  I’ve always thought this cake was really...

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alice - Thanks ladies! I'm with you Mindy... I love it when couples really add ambiance to their wedding with great details in their decor!

Mindy - Love the cake and the candles together! Great shot!

Noelle - Film - how awesome - and a lovely distinctive cake for No 9! This is a great challenge!

heart {no. 4}

If you are new to the blog, I’m in the midst of my first personal blog challenge.  I’m posting a heart a day for the first fourteen days of February just for a little bit of Valentines Day fun.
So here is heart number 4.  It’s another example of Michelle and I having fun making hearts...

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Meredith Perdue - This is a great image- I love this idea, Alice!

alice - Hi Lindsay, Thanks for coming by. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but it took me a little while to figure out your little message was a heart... guess I'm not quite as cutting edge as I imagine myself to be. xoxo

Lindsay - <3

heart {no. 3}

I dipped into the archives tonight to bring you heart number three in the 14 hearts blog challenge, but this one is worth repeating.
Karina and Bruno had an amazing wedding at the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles famous for it’s Moroccan flair and the Blue Door.  Here is a little fun my second shooters Sonia...

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laure - Erica and I trying doing that one night! We had the wrong kind of flashlight!!! Very cool!

Beth - That is really cool!

wedding albums {new portfolio}

I recently heard another photographer say “It is not only our job to make beautiful images for our clients, but to also guide them through to the end of the experience… the end being the final destination for the photography.”
When properly done, an album will tell your story.  You can pull it off a shelf,...

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Brianna Phelan - The album is beautiful. Great job (:

Marianne Lozano - looks great Alice!

laure - Love, love, love this album!

Cathy - My wedding album is the BEST money I spent for my wedding. Fifteen years later, we still take it out and look at it. The kids are fascinated by it too.

Beth - The quality of the album paper and binding is wonderful, combined with your design and gorgeous images, its divine!

Noelle - This is fabulous - I love how the images are not constrained to one page. And the double page spread - it reminds me of Life magazine - uber professional and memorable.....

winter semi formal {photo party}

I’ve added a new “photo booth” service as an a la carte option for my 2010 clients.  It’s brand new service, so we thought we would try it out last weekend.  My niece invited her friends over to my house for a little pre-dance photo party, before they headed out for a great night at...

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Jill (Fridlund) Alessandra - Fun- Zany- Silly- slices of cool times! Like it: photo booth :-D

Danielle - I love all of them! I was so glad we could use the photo booth, it was great fun, and they turned out so cute!

Beth - Aw! I love them all, but especially the first one!

Noelle - What fun - and a cool way to get pictures of your guests (that show personality)!

newlyweds {alma + david}

Back in early November, I had the extreme pleasure and honor of photographing Alma and David, during a photo workshop led by Kurt Gerber.  It was yet another perk of attending Pictage’s PartnerCon in New Orleans.  At the time of the photo session, Alma and David had only been married for two weeks.  They had...

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David - I really like the antique look! Cool pictures!

Alana - Great Photos! Very fun.

derek jenkins - these look fantastic. i really like the feel of them. great work!

Mindy - I TOTALLY love your work! I might have to get remarried!

courtney bowlden - i love how you captured their personality in the photos. great job!!!

laure - Sweeet!

Miguel Serrano - Amazing job! I love how you matched the look of the photographs with theirs.

alice - Hi Sophie, Thank you so much for stopping by... such a nice surprise!!

Sophie - WOW!!!!!

megan + ernie {the portraits}

And now for the portraits.
Ernie gazing, Megan beaming, and some yummy Santa Barbara sunshine…

I think these next two images are becoming sort of a signature set for me.  I love the cheek kiss, and I love processing them in this vintagey-sepia-love.

Love the sunsets in Santa Barbara!

Michelle drew this cute heart in the sand, and I...

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mark stagi - that first shot is awesome, amazing!

Kayleen T. - Hi Alice! Thanks for your comment! These pictures are beautiful!

Erik Maziarz - gorgeous session. incredible light!

Emily Beaty - These are beautiful!! I love the light - gorgeous!

Feuza - oh Santa Barbara, how I miss thee, need to back,, love the shot of her veil and him looking at her back, amazing

Meredith Perdue - Hi Alice! I found your site through the beautiful photos that Justin & Mary took of you. I have to tell you that after seeing those photos of you, I decided that J&M must take my next head shots- yours were awesome! Also, I love your use of the sun in the first few photos of this couple- beautiful!

gina - love the sun in all of these shots! perfection!

Brianna Phelan - The lighting = amazing. The sunset light coming through the trees is insanely beautiful. Perfectly done!

Miguel Serrano - Outstanding work! The B&G should be very happy with these... what a way to capture the moment!

JO ANN HANSON - CONGRATS ALICE. YOU WERE ABLE TO CATCH THE MOMENT PERFECTLY!!

Ryan+Beth Photographers - Wow. The two shots of the couple with the light coming through the trees are incredible! Great work Alice.

laure - Just love these. You really capture the mood and moment. I so want to go back there!

Julio Bekhor - I love your work!!! It's really impressive the way you capture the best of each moment and the way that you use the daylight. Julio Bekhor

Noelle - I can hear that Cole Porter song: The night is young, the skies are clear And if you want to go walkin', dear It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely It is de-lovely!

alice - Thank you Jill!

Jill (Fridlund) Alessandra - lovely, dreamy, sensitive, intimate, true.

megan + ernie {the ceremony}

The first time we met in person was on their wedding day, yet they felt so familiar… Megan and Ernie are wonderful people… truly lovely.  Their wedding day was beautiful, and seemed to flow so easy without stress and complications (minus one ornery zipper on  a bridesmaid’s dress).
I’ll start of this post with some photos...

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Mark Brooke - Sick ring shot!!!

alice - I love how determined she looks with that camera!

Noelle - The junior photographer set her mouth very determinedly with that point and shoot. What a shot!

An admirer - What a lovely wedding - especially like the "crowd shots" - - you get the whole experience....

heart {no. 4} » Alice G Patterson Photography {blog} - [...] a wedding day session.  Michelle did an excellent job drawing this perfect heart, in the sand, at Megan and Ernie’s beautiful Santa Barbara [...]

beautiful {bridal portrait}

I’m still working on the slide show and formal blog post for Megan and Ernie’s incredible Santa Barbara wedding.  For now, I just HAVE to share with you this beautiful photograph of Megan.
I love everything about this image…
Megan, you are gorgeous!  Thank you again for including me in your wedding day.  xoxo, Alice

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lauren youngs - I love everything about this photo too - truly beautiful.

laure - Love this photograph! Would love to get together sometime. I'm from the Bay Area and went to UCSB, so it was so exciting to see this!!!

Beth - Truly beautiful!

megan + ernie {quick peek}

Th

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julie and rick {engaged}

Julie and Rick are getting married!
We had a great time in the rural farm country near Phoenix, NY…

I love the chemistry in this next shot…

Not only is this neck of the woods gorgeous, but there also is a “Pick Your Own Blueberries” farm, which is exactly what Julie and Rick wanted to do…
I love the...

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Beth Patterson - Looks like a fun day!

heart {no. 7} » Alice G Patterson Photography {blog} - [...] images come from Julie and Rick’s engagement portrait session last summer.  I followed them along as they picked blueberries, which [...]

syracuse weddings {dot com}

It’s been a long time coming but, I’m so happy to announce that I have a new advertising relationship with SyracuseWeddings.com!  This website is a great wedding vendor resource for couples planning a wedding in Central New York!
I’m always excited to share my work; and invite you to take a look at all that SyracuseWeddings.com...

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wish I had been the photographer {for this wedding}

I’m hoping this becomes a new trend in wedding entrances; as true love is something to celebrate!

I’d like to give a quick shout out to my dear friend and talented wedding invitation designer Michelle Arnett at Creative Blu, for sharing this super fun You Tube video with me!

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Nanci - Alice, Wow what a wonderful way to start smiling first thing in the morning. Thanks for sharing.

baby helena {sneak peek}

A few years ago, I was honored to photograph Piper and Jamie’s beautiful wedding at Balboa Park in San Diego, CA.
Can you say GORGEOUS?

So when I received Piper’s email requesting portraits of their growing family, in San Francisco,  I was tickled pink!
Their baby Helena is sooooo adorable.

Piper and Jamie?  Why yes, they are still gorgeous,...

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heart {no.13} » Alice G Patterson Photography {blog} - [...] of my dearest wedding clients Piper and Jamie asked me to photograph their one year old daughter Helena.   When I look at this photograph, I see romance and all kinds of [...]

i heart the skirball {new portfolio}

Recently, I’ve talked about how difficult it can be to make time for updating my portfolios. Well, I was so thrilled with my newest portfolio, that I just had to design another one, and pronto. Again, I’m in love with the results. Here is a glimpse of what is to come.
I adore...

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new wedding portfolio {has arrived}

I love checking the mailbox, even though it is usually just bills waiting on me, to bring them in and out of the cold. The occasional magazine always makes me happy, but when I get a package… look out! I’m like a kid on Christmas morning. Everything is on hold until that...

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my new wedding postcard {by creative blu}

A couple of years ago, I became fast friends with the extremely talented and very funny Michelle Arnett of Creative Blu. Since then, I’ve had Michelle design all of my promotional materials and magazine advertisements.
I just love this latest wedding postcard she created for me. Thank you Michelle!Michelle’s design studio creates...

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margaret and david {los angeles, ca}

Margaret is an amazing veterinarian. I originally met her, after I adopted a dog that Margaret had rescued from an Indian Reservation, in Arizona. I was so happy when she asked me to photograph her wedding! It was great to meet David (also a veterinarian). They first met while studying their profession…...

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new wedding portfolio {from pictage}

It is difficult to take the time to keep my portfolios updated with current work. That is why I’m so thrilled to have designed a sample album from a recent wedding. I won’t actually receive the finished product for a couple of months. I’m so excited, however, that I couldn’t wait to...

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Anonymous - Alice, this is a wonderful image! Modern, clean and romantic!

Giovanni