The Photo Blogger's Equivalent to Non-Verbal Communication... and why we moved our blog

for the last 1,084 days, our blogger photo blog has been the perfect tool for the telling of our story; it was simple, free, and it was the space where you, our friends & our family, offered the most valuable gift you possess: your attention & a wonderfully elaborate conversation.

then, about a year ago, carlie & i began asking a new question, with the aim of bringing more value to you, our friends & our family...

what is the promise we are making as the gabriel.ryan. brand?

it is commonly known that in communication, most of the exchange that takes place in a conversation is actually non-verbal: facial reactions, hand motions, tone. so, it was in asking the question "what is the promise we are making..." that we discovered the answer would be found if we could properly answer another question: "how should we make that promise?"

we learned the value we bring to the market place as a husband and wife wedding photographer boutique is not simply the content of our conversation: the photos and ideas we love to share. we learned the value of our story, of our brand, is both the product we deliver as well as the way we deliver that product.

with that in mind, we began discussing the re-invention of our blog. and, after countless emails, a handful of fights, numerous mini-victories, and the aid of an incredible team of people over at into the darkroom, we are excited to share the new arena for this conversation to continue.

so, we urge you to update us in your favorite bookmarks, and stop by our new blog. we can't wait to continue the conversation!! come tell us what you think.

the new url is http://www.gabrielryan.net/blog. see you there...

This Is How We Do It - Image Processing

a core value here at gabriel.ryan.photographers. is setting clear expectations for our clients and delivering the goods on time, every time, exactly as promised... and with a smile. simply put, we make promises to our clients and we aim to follow up on each of those promises.

and though most of what we do, the actual work of owning a wedding photographer studio, is social; connecting with new people and getting to know them... there is still a very tangible need: delivering remarkable photographs.

for that aim, every image we present to you goes through a very specific artistic process. first, we capture the raw image. second, we create a proof of each image. third, we refine a select few that have been chosen to be hung on your wall or shared in your wedding book.

as simply as i can share, but no simpler, here's an overview of how we do it here, at gabriel.ryan.photographers.

.::THE CAPTURE::.
nothing can compare to a well-crafted image. as photographers and student's of our craft, we first focus to capture quality images... in camera. we define a well-crafted image to blend a great moment with the right light, great composition, and proper exposure. even though you will never see one of these raw images in your custom gallery, or on our website, it serves as the foundation for what defines our style here at gabriel.ryan.photographers.



.::THE PROOFS::.
what is a proof? well, first, the "proofs" are simply a set of well-crafted images that we have been further processed, to refine exposure, contrast, and tone.

after we have culled through the raw images from a shoot, we promise delivery of your proofs quickly, but without sacrificing quality. for weddings, we can turnaround proofs in 6-8 weeks. and, for engagements, the turnaround time is 2-3 weeks. it takes time to refine each image, but considering the debut of your proofs will be the first time you see your wedding images, we want to make sure they look great.

the first time you see ALL of the photos from your wedding, you will be browsing through your own custom online gallery. and, we also include a disc of the hi-resolution proofs in all of our collections, unless otherwise specified, which are delivered WITH the wedding book. these proofs are a great way to archive ALL of the images from your wedding and engagement.


.::THE SIGNATURE EDIT::.
for a select few, the artistic process continues. if an image is going to be shared in your wedding book, maybe you plan to frame & hang an image in your home, or even send a few fine art prints to your parents as a thank you gift, we want those images to look their absolute best. basically, any image will receive this special attention that is either: ordered through your online gallery to be printed, OR is selected to be a part of the story in your custom wedding book.

for this final step in the process, carlie [aka our empress of style] will open up each image individually, adding that signature gabriel.ryan. flare you have found on our website & blog, or in our custom books. though other photographers might disagree, we want to give you the digital copies of these fully-edited images, too... which is why we wait to deliver your disc of images with your wedding book... that you might have ALL of the final edits on disc.


we get asked all the time what do you actually do to your images and what do we get if we book you. at the end of the day, we revel in the responsibility to tell your story through our lens. and we can't wait for the day when that package arrives in the mail, with the gabriel.ryan. signature, and you open a box full of memories to be cherished forever.

.::UPDATE::.
p.s. we use a combination of our own custom lightroom presets, tra's totally rad photoshop actions, and kevin kubota's magic sharp, when processing our raw images to produce each client's set of proofs, and to achieve our look. also, we believe that our post-production efforts are best invested in the initial selection of our favorite images [the initial cull] and the final artistic retouching [the signature edit]. those two parts of the process are our stamp, our brand, our signature... so, we hold those parts of the process close, while outsourcing the bulk of our color correction to the incredible team over at shoot dot edit.


view our portfolio. contact gabriel.ryan.photographers..

and, if you want to stay current on all things current with the gabriel.ryan. story follow us on twitter.

How do I know when it's time to quit my day job?

one of the most common questions to cross my inbox, facebook, and twitter feed, is some form of the following:

how do i know when i am ready to make the jump, from being a part-time photographer to a full-time professional? basically... can i quit my day job?

well... not that i'm any certified expert, but i have quit my day job to follow my dream of being an entrepreneur and a photographer [and yes, in that particular order], and i've been invited to interview regarding the seemingly elusive subject.

in fact, i was so good at quitting my day job that i did it... twice ;)

so, if you find yourself day-dreaming of life as a full-time photographer, from your cubicle chair, check out my interview with dane sanders TODAY @ 4PM PST. just make sure to turn the volume down on your desktop... you wouldn't want your boss to catch you.

here's the link to the live-stream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/danesanders-tv

stop by. i'd love to continue the conversation...

Indian Wedding Photography - Santa Barbara, California

i grabbed a cup of coffee at peets, jumped back in my car, and cranked the volume for the rest of my drive up the coast. kings of leon shot out of my speakers, and i shifted focus to the task at hand.

this past weekend, i had the pleasure of joining dane sanders for three days of shooting, beginning with a mehndi ceremony on thursday, an indian wedding on friday, and a stellar western ceremony on saturday. the couple was incredible, the details were fabulous, and the party's were each 100% rock star!!

i can't begin to express how stoked i was to have been asked to take part of such an epic wedding, all of which, was craftfully pieced together by the incredible lisa vorce. for the rest of the details, check dane's blog...




victor yields his sword, during the baraatis.





gia flashing her indian wedding bling [aka bangles].

no detail was spared on day 2...

...or day 3.

Cabo San Lucas Wedding Photography - Jenelle and Byron

jenelle & byron know how to turn up the heat.

if you remember their engagement shoot, which wasn't too long ago, jenelle & byron had no qualms about rolling around in the surf and going for broke, and all for the love of the shoot. so, when carlie & i landed in cabo san lucas mexico, for their destination wedding, we had no doubt that jenelle & byron would bring it.

after an early morning dip in the pool, carlie & i made our way to jenelle's room at the riu palace in cabo to capture a few detail shots, as the day began. when we entered the getting-ready-room, jenelle flashed that signature smile, and carlie/lincoln and i, were made to feel like special guests immediately. after the brief reunion subsided, i grabbed jenelle's stellar christian louboutin heels and her custom dress, for a few shots, before the first look.

the rest of the day rolled out on point, while i had the pleasure of snapping a moment here, a detail there, and grabbing a "marry me mojito" in between.

i have to thank the restaurant sunset da mona lisa for providing the exceptional backdrop to jenelle & byron's cliff-side ceremony and reception. and, muchos gracias to the lovely luba & illeana from romantic cabo weddings for being the best wedding coordinators south of the border!!

and, of course, to jenelle & byron... you two are perfect for each other. not only are you perfect for each other, but you are both so blessed to have, what you do, in each other. thanks for bringing us in close enough to capture you and your story.

enjoy.



























jenelle sent me this photo yesterday and i just loved it! melina did jenelle's make-up and it was absolutely stunning!!!