Fort Ross: Крѣпость Россъ

Recently my wife and I were itching to have a little getaway. We were thinking Sonoma might be interesting since we had never really spent any time there. After poking around the internet a bit we found this place called Fort Ross. An old Russian outpost from the 19th century here in California!

I had no idea the Russians had any settlements this far south. Of course, the main purpose of Fort Ross was to supply food to their fur trapping colonies farther north. The colony served a few other purposes such as a base for selling fur, shipbuilding, and allowing scientists to research the area.

The fort has been through some trying times over the years. Only one building remains that is original. However, with the help of The Fort Ross Conservancy, and others, they have managed to maintain and restore this vital piece of history.

Portraits

Here are some dramatic, low-key portraits I made. I really like the brooding moodiness of noir style so I tried to inject a touch of that feeling with these images. Creating a photograph that is striking and mysterious is tremendously satisfying, to be sure.

Enjoy this mini-set and check out the rest after the jump.

Chris & Haidy: A Surprise Proposal

You might recall from a few weeks ago Chris & Haidy's Surprise Proposal. Today I'm happy to show how the event unfolded. From intrepid friends and family waiting in the wings, to their arrival, through Haidy's skeptical glances, and more! It really was beautiful and romantic moment.

Have a peek and enjoy!

Congratulations on your engagement!

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Happy Holidays from Ryan May Studios!

Wishing you a joyful & healthy Holiday Season and New Year!

This is a popular time of year for couples to deepen their commitment to one another. So to all the newly engaged folks out there, congratulations! 

2013 promises to be an exciting year for Ryan May Studios. Stay tuned for news and updates as they happen. You can also follow me on Twitter or Like my Facebook page!

Surprise Proposal: Haidy & Chris

Wow! What a day! It all started a couple weeks ago when Chris contacted me about his idea for a surprise proposal to his lovely girlfriend Haidy. I could tell from his email how excited he was to bring his grand plan to fruition. He had already figured out where he wanted to propose (the Palace of Fine Arts), the timing and position he expected to bring Haidy into the rotunda, how their family and friends would be waiting in the wings (unbeknownst to her), and even some ideas for shots. In fact he told me on the phone that it was his longtime dream to propose to his future fiancee at the Palace's rotunda, so a planner and a romantic! The amount of thought that Chris put into his proposal for Haidy is incredible.

The only thing Chris couldn't plan for was the weather, which was cold and wet. Once we arrived and  connected with Chris and Haidy's friends and family, we all huddled, shivering under the vaulted rotunda. It wasn't much protection from the elements but we took what we could get. Everyone was really excited to witness the proposal and, in small part, to get back into the warmth of the nearby Exploratorium where they could wait while we finished shooting. You see it was cold. And wet, did I mention wet? It was cold and wet.

Don't think for a second, though, a little bad weather would stop anything. Mostly because everybody had come up from Southern California that morning so it wasn't an option (that's right, Chris made this all come together from several hundred miles away). Gloomy weather is no match for love. So he popped the question, I took the pictures, and here are few of them as a little teaser. 

Chris and Haidy, thank you so much for allowing me to capture this special moment. Your love for each other is clear to all of those around you, and I wish you the best of luck with wedding plans and for the rest of your life together.

Hold on folks, there's two more after the jump. Don't miss out!

Allison & Safa: A Cliff House Reception

Allison & Safa had quite a few legs on their matrimonial journey. The two reside in New York however Allison is from California and Safa from Turkey. So they did the only thing that really made sense, have a ceremony in New York and Turkey with a final appearance in California. As such, they were through with ceremonies and went with a lovely reception at San Francisco's beautiful Cliff House.

It was a beautiful day which is a blessing in itself. For those of you not from around these here parts the ocean-side of San Francisco is commonly socked in with fog. From a photographer's standpoint this makes for lots of beautiful, soft light but the tradeoff is a flat grey sky. As it stood we had blue skies, a cheerful crowd, and great time!

Enjoy the rest of the set!