Carmel wedding photography by High Orbit Media. Lindsey and Jesse. November 9, 2021.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA- If there’s one thing that Carmel wedding photographers know, it’s that golden hour on Carmel Beach is the spot on the California coast for wedding photography. With its rugged surroundings and long, sandy beach, you get the best of both worlds. If you’re interested in learning more about this incredibly picturesque beach, I have a blog dedicated to it right here!
November 9, 2021 was the first day I met Lindsay and Jesse. However, I did know her mother Jan from doing video work with her in early 2021 so she brought me on to photograph Lindsay and Jesse’s Carmel Beach wedding.
I officially met Lindsay about 60 seconds before she walked down the aisle with her father, Jerry. Moments later under the low autumn sun, their beachside wedding was underway.
Lindsay was wearing a Beach Lace V Neck, open back bridal gown from Bliss Gown and her mother Jan did the flowers.
In my experience as a photographer, one of the most difficult things to achieve is getting a clean, crisp image of the wedding rings during the ceremony. I don’t know if Marc was conscious of this as he officiated, but, for a few moments he held up their rings which created a great moment. To all the wedding officiants reading this, if there is no ring bearer, you can help create great shots like this without going too far out of your way.
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After a short ceremony with family and friends nearby, the rings were exchanged and they were announced as husband and wife!
After the ceremony we stayed on the beach and it was basically hugs and champagne from there on out. I was able to catch some great poses with a family that was now twice as big.
It was quite the battle for the bouquet!
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After group photos it was time for me to work with the bride and groom on their own photos. We used Carmel Beach to it’s full extent taking photos in several spots along the beach. This light was brilliant by this time as you will see in the photos below.
Toasting with a couple glasses of champagne makes for great poses.
Make use of that low sun and capture those silhouettes!
The classic back to back.
I really liked the look of the staircase that Lindsay walked down at the beginning of the ceremony and wanted to take them back there for poses. It’s the only stone staircase on the beach and easily the most photogenic as it’s open to the setting sun.
The post on the left has become a go-to for me. I call this the “almost kiss”. There’s something very delicate and personal about it, and leaves the viewer with a sense of anticipation.
Often times the bride’s gown will be long enough to cover her shoes which can be a shame! Especially if she spent money on a new pair to wear especially for this day. Also, some bride’s live by the “spend your money on your shoes, not your dress” rule so it’s important to highlight those for her. This pose is fun and highlights their shoes (and Jesse’s socks).
Lastly we walked out closer to the waves to really go after that romance novel kind of look. Another note for photographers out there: when you’re walking with your bride and groom between locations, this is not the time to put the camera down. I usually like to follow behind the newlyweds to capture some candids. When you have a great background like the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, this can be a really great shot.
There’s something about a bride holding her shoes.
We could not have asked for a nice evening in Carmel. The light was fantastic, the wind was calm, and the tide was low.
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“John is truly a professional. He is very personable and very talented at his craft. He captured captivating photographs of my daughter's wedding with ease that we will treasure forever. He shot beautiful angles, in the best light and which gave us flattering shots. He was engaging and created a unique experience which put everyone at ease capturing magical moments that produced stunning photographs. I would very much recommend him to anyone that wants a true gifted professional to create a unique photography experience.”
-Jan, Carmel
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John Ruddock is a professional photographer based in Salinas, CA. John grew up on the coast in Half Moon Bay and has spent over 30 years on the beautiful California central coast. He photographs weddings, engagements, families, sports, and landscapes from Half Moon Bay to Big Sur. Contact him today to book your session! You can also buy prints of his best images right here.
