Thread: San Francisco Bay-area Photographer?

Anyone know of a good bay-area photographer? Baxter's not taking anymore clients. :( Thanks!

Not taking any more clients - forever or just not now.

A couple others that I know of are

Javier Padilla - MySpace.com - Javier Padilla - 33 - Male - San Francisco Bay Area, California - www.myspace.com/photosbyjavier

and
Scott Schapelle- Schappell Photographics - Welcome

Originally Posted by stkesler

Anyone know of a good bay-area photographer? Baxter's not taking anymore clients. :( Thanks!

stkesler,

In addition to other recommendations for talented photographers made to you on this thread, I can recommend for you belly dance photographer Carl Sermon:
Photography by Carl F. Sermon - Home

In particular, Javier shot the first-place photo of Mychelle for a recent IAMED photo contest.

The SF/BA belly dance community is so large and vibrant that there is seriously more photo work to do than I can personally handle sustainably.

In December 2007, I had some 35 unfulfilled requests, many of whom I was able to accommodate that month (which was 45 belly dancers). This was a backlog for that year. In December 2008, it was a similar number. To be fair to everyone, while also maintaining the quality and creativity of our collaborations together, I have to had to become more selective for in our local community. As I discussed on my blog on Tribe, I have had to start to limit how many belly dancers I can possibly work with in any given month of the year in this large, busy, local community. So, this does not mean "No, not ever," it means I'm having to be more selective. Please always feel free to ask.

But I also work with belly dance lovelies all over, so not taking any "new" clients really is quite a misnomer in this context. I have numerous remote studio photo shoots all over the world scheduled and planned, over 2009-2010. Also, photography at several large festivals to come. So, I'll be continually engaging in new collaborations with completely new as well as still-loved belly dancers and producers for photo shoots anticipated in Chicago, LA, Seattle, Boston, Eugene/Salem, OR, as well as Stockholm, Zürich, and Istanbul.

I wish you well, and much success with your photo shoot.

Blessings and Light,

raksphoto/Michael

Originally Posted by jasani

Not taking any more clients - forever or just not now.

Jasani,

I endeavored to answer this question in my reply in this thread. To summarize in brief the correct reply is "just not now." But! That only really applies to what is possible in the SF/BA. I will be doing as much as I possibly can do for the belly dance community, in numerous places.

Blessings and Light,
raksphoto/Michael

Michael, thank you for giving so much of yourself to our community. Your choice to limit your time spent on collaborations with dancers is completely understandable! We (heart) you!

Originally Posted by raksphoto

So, I'll be continually engaging in new collaborations with completely new as well as still-loved belly dancers and producers for photo shoots anticipated in Chicago, LA, Seattle, Boston, Eugene/Salem, OR, as well as Stockholm, Zürich, and Istanbul.

Apologies, but I accidentally left out projects proposed with several dear belly dance friends in Dallas, TX. Did not mean to do that.

Another to try: Duane Stevens is based in San Jose; he's a good guy and his wife is a dance who owns a costume business.
duane@BellyDancerPhotos.com

Raq the Camera. Someone else in your area is interested in one...

Originally Posted by SummerSahar

Michael, thank you for giving so much of yourself to our community. Your choice to limit your time spent on collaborations with dancers is completely understandable! We (heart) you!

I have to agree. Michael works so hard for us!! He has so many people asking him for shoots now... he's definitely earned the right to add some limits. Fortunately, there are several excellent photographers in the Bay Area--and even LA if you're willing to travel. You should have no problem finding someone else to work with!

Thank you for the great recommendations guys! I'll definitely check them out and post photos once I get them. :) YAY, I'm really excited to get my first set of photos!!!!!

I have had the luck to work with Michael but I've also worked with another great photographer who lives in Castro Valley. Her name is Rita Coury and she is a pro and an artist! She's also Lebanese and has an amazing knack for catching motion and emotion. her website is rita coury photography. You'll find a couple of photos of me on her website in her portrait gallery. If you tell her that Andrea referred you, she'll treat you like family!

Without a doubt -- Carl F. Sermon in Los Gatos. He is MaShuqa's husband, a sweetheart, and a fabulous photographer....... and totally reasonable......