Berkeley Rocks: Building with Nature

This evening i drove down to Berkeley to listen to Jonathan Chester present his new book Berkeley Rocks: Building with Nature.  Jonathan is a very talented photographer who does a lot of work in the extremes like Antartica.  He is well know for his images of penguins, much so that his images were used as a backdrop in the animated film Happy Feet.  I had seen Jonathan at an REI talk a few months back.  I then learned about his other book The Young Adventurer's Guide to Everest: From Avalanche to Zopkio which i later used to make a presentation to a Boy Scout Troop on climbing Mt Everest.  I finally got to meet and chat with Jonathan when he also attended the PDN on the Road Seminar in San Francisco where he told me about his talk and his move to Kansas.

Tonight he spoke about his new book Berkeley Rocks: Building with Nature.  It is basically a book of images where people in the Berkeley Hills have incorporated the architecture of their homes into the natural environment.  From small to house size boulders Jonathan was able to share his photographic survey of these architectural treasures as they stretched through the landscape of Berkeley.

Gustavo's Blog

The blog.  This is the story in my new venture into Wedding Photography.  I currently work full time in Pharmaceutical Sales at Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson Company. I have been working in Pharmaceutical Sales since i left the University of Kansas 9 years ago.  The goal is to get rid of the corporate shackles in a a little over a year.  To do that i am working on a Bachelor's in Fine Art Photography at the Academy of Art University through their online program.  I am part of the Second Degree program since i already have a bachelor's degree.  I am taking two online courses a semester while assisting several wedding photographers in the San Francisco Bay Area and living vicariously through the many inspirational photographer's blogs.  This will be the portal for me to share the good, the bad, and all the fun i will be having in this new endeavor.

The Beginning

Well, here it goes.  Ever since attending the PDN on the Road Seminar in San Francisco, CA i realized that the wedding photography industry was the right track for me.  I guess being a Libra helps, as my astrologer says "Libra's are in Love with Love".  After second shooting a wedding in April with photographer Patrice Ward in Long Beach, CA i was hooked.  Then after meeting Joe Buissink, Jose Villa, and Michelle Walker at the PDN seminar there was no turning back. I have also been drawn to the Wedding community because everybody i meet in it is extremely open and sharing and is always willing to share their story.