Mar 092012
 
Boy reading from Torah jewish temple oakland california bar mitzvah photography

There are a few of my favorite shots from a recent Bar Mitzvah. The Bar Mitzvah ceremony itself happens on the Sabbath, so I am not allowed to photograph the ceremony at this Temple. During the rehearsal I had free reign, and after the rehearsal we got some shots in the temple and we wend down the street for some shots at a rose garden. Sometimes I do shoot the reception after the ceremony, but this time I did not.

I love all 4 of these photos, but I really love the last one. I find the poses and placement of the kids in the frame to be visually dynamic and exciting.

Boy reading from Torah Jewish temple Oakland California bar mitzvah photography

Boy with Torah Jewish Temple in Oakland

Children with the Torah at a Jewish Temple in Oakland. Bar Mitzvah photography

Oakland Bar Mitzvah photography

All photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2012. All rights reserved.
San Francisco Bay Area Event Photography

Aug 122011
 
Artist modeling her hat outside night shot port of Oakland

Wednesday night 11:30 PM I got an emergency text from a client, Jeanne Henzel Swartz, proprietor of Joona She was having a photographic emergency. She had just finished a hat for a competition, and photos were due at 10:00 AM tomorrow. She had been planning to shoot it herself, but her model flaked. She needed me to come over and get some shots of this hat.

I said “what the heck.”

I roll into her studio in an industrial part of town just before midnight. We scope around for a while, and decide to try a few things. We have one well lit room with blank walls, a funky handmade shelter by the waterfront (we are basically in the port of Oakland) and a congregated metal building that looks interesting. We shot for about an hour, came back to my studio, picked our favorite made some quick adjustments in Photoshop, popped it on a thumb drive, done. I was in bed by 2:00 AM.

I say we nailed it.

Here is the one in front of the blank wall. This is the one that got submitted to the contest (which is why the aspect ratio is weird) . We felt like it showed off the hat the best.

Artist modeling her hat

Here is the one in front of the funky handmade structure on the edge of the San Francisco Bay in the port of Oakland. This one is my favorite. It is a little busy, but man there is a lot going on here.

Artist modeling her hat outside night shot port of Oakland

And lastly, the one in front of the metal building. The photo we went with was the first shot we took, and this was the last. Funny how that worked.

Artist modeling her hat outside night shot port of Oakland metal building

All photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2011
San Francisco Photographer

Mar 112011
 
environmental portrat of an African American boy, Oakland, CA

I like the simplicity and moodiness of this environmental portrait of an African American boy. There was also nice soft spring afternoon light. Taken in West Oakland, CA.

environmental portrat of an African American boy, Oakland, CA

Photo © Alex Schoenfeldt 2010. All rights reserved.
San Francisco Photographer

Jun 082010
 
olympic Gold Medal athlete Jessica Mendoza laughing at podium speaking accepting award Girls Inc Alameda County strong smart bold fundraiser scott's seafood oakland, ca

Girls Inc asked me to shoot photos of their 2010 fund raising luncheon this year. I was happy to do so. I have a daughter, and I’m very supportive of the work that Girls Inc does.

The Luncheon was a smashing success. It was in the pavilion at Scott’s Restaurant in Jack London Square. (You can see the background looks like tent material, that’s the pavilion for you.)

Photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.schoenfeldt.com

May 252010
 
group shot 2 Students from Montclair Elementary School in Oakland CA. Talent Show Variety Show

First graders from Montclair Elementary School in Oakland California are putting together an act for the talent show.

To raise money, the program of the show is selling ads. The parents of these children are buying an ad, and they wanted a photo of the kids.

The act is the kids singing and dancing to “It’s a Small World.” The children are in costumes and outfits from cultures all over the world.

All photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2010. All rights reserved.
San Francisco Bay Area photographer