San Francisco/Destination Photographer, Misti Layne’s style is about exquisite, fashion oriented, fine art wedding photography that captures the essence and emotions of the subjects. 

Ceremony Magazine comes to San Francisco 2012-02-10

I had the honor of being featured in Ceremony Magazines debut San Francisco issue this year.  It’s a truly, truly beautiful magazine!  Some seem so redundant and pushing the same old information but this one works with the best of vendors.  Here is a link to a floral spread that I did with them and Michael Daigian Floral Designs.  As well I did a spread of wedding I did with Sara and Todd Stone at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco with the moody Golden Gate bridge in the background (page 216 if you want to check it out!).

It’s always an honor to get weddings published.  It isn’t easy!  So many photographers are submitting and a wedding really needs to stand out and be unique.  Sara did an amazing job with planning her wedding and pretty quickly too!   Here is my original blog about them…Sara and Todd Stone at St. Francis Yacht Club.  Magazines can help a lot for a bride who wants to do design and plan things on her own.  They provide excellent ideas and information that helps sift through all those Google searches!  I still always recommend a wedding planner as they know they ins and outs of weddings but when you prefer to do it yourself or it isn’t in the budget magazines help immensely.  Ceremony Magazine did a great job of pulling together some amazing locations, florists, photographers, videographers, caterers etc.  Use this resource!

Welcome Ceremony Magazine and thanks for having me!  All the best in your future in San Francisco!

Engagment Sessions Before Your Wedding 2012-01-25

I love doing engagement sessions and I love doing engagement portraits in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The reasons are simple really. First I get to know you as a couple, no wedding stress and just us photographing in the environment. I’ve done engagement portraits at the standard Chrissy Field, Baker Beach and Ferry Building and unique places like a wine bar, cigar bar and Flora Grubb.    I get to see how you act and are with each other.  This is really important.  A lot of people don’t think them necessary and they certainly are not.  However, we get to learn about each other during this time.  You get to see how I work too and then know what to expect on the day of your wedding.  Then when I walk in you don’t see me as a stranger but as the photographer you trust, know will make everything right and have fun with!

I’m not about posing people in my images.  It’s actually just not my forte.  I also believe that if I just let you “be” as a couple the images will say SO very much more than some standard pose.  If you look at the images in this post.  Not one is posed.  Not one and bring your pets!  But anyway, I may have directed things a little bit and yes, I instigate!  But I want you to feel comfortable to be who you are.  I look for those moments that say something.  That make me feel something about you.   I think this is the way that when you look back at that day and like your wedding day you will be able to say I remember it all like it was yesterday.  Success!

Professional Environmental Corporate Portraits 2012-01-13

Professional images for business or corporations are more important now than ever.  They are used in promotional materials, websites, LinkedIn, blogs, speaking engagements etc.  Setting consistency in business is always important and now that images are so prevalent these days it’s just as important in most any corporate and professional service industries.    Business owners, attorneys, corporations, speakers, realtors, authors and all types of industries are changing from the standard gray or black or white background to something that shows more personality and depth.  Environmental corporate portraits can take place in an office or on the street which makes for an image that can really stand out from the rest.

My experience photographing people in and environmental setting have an easier time and feel less stressed in this situation which brings about an image that can express a person and personality far better than the sit here, turn, angle, chin down image.  Images have texture and depth that just isn’t the same in a studio shot.  I often hear a client say “I just want my image to have more personality than the standard kind of gray look.”  This is exactly what you do get.

Living in the San Francisco/Bay Area we truly set the tone in many industries especially in technology and creative industries.  There is no reason why your photograph shouldn’t represent you at your best, be something you are actually proud to use and help your business too.

A partial list of my clients are here.  If you want an image that resonates and makes a great impression, call me.  See the difference yourself.

ABC 7, AIG, Alain Pinel Realtors, Anshen + Allen Architects,  Bingham, Bryan Cave LLP,  Buzz Media, Cisco, Colgin Cellars, Dave Flemming-Giants Announcer, Disney,  Goodwin Proctor, Green Ivyed,  Incisive Media, Merrill Lynch, Payne + Fears,  Reid Hoffman-LinkedIn, Ropes Gray, SAP, ShotSPotter,  TAJ and many more.

Make Up Artists and Wedding Photography 2011-12-30

I love make up artists for weddings!  They really make a difference in many ways beyond the obvious.  First of course they know their craft and how to make clients look their best.  Second they understand photography and what works best for me.  Every day makeup applications and special event makeup is very different and when photography is involved well, even more so.  A bride or her maids or mom may not feel it necessary because we apply makeup every day or it isn’t in the budget or just don’t think it necessary but make up artists really do make a big impact.

This is a day when you should be taking the time for yourself.  Let someone else pamper you, let you look your very best and make sure that you love the way your photographs look.  When you feel beautiful it shows through your soul and then when you see me coming with my camera you will smile with your whole being and voila–amazing images.  On your wedding day there is so much going on so let someone else do what they do best and hire a professional make up artist.  Do you research though!  It is really important that you do the trial, make sure they have good reviews on Yelp or the like and aren’t just someone who buys some make up and calls themselves a make up artist.  This goes for any vendor you hire.  When I walk in I want you to feel like “great Misti is here!”  This should go for ANY vendor you hire.

I do have some recommendations for make up artists for you.  Below are some of my most favorites.  I’ve worked with them numerous times and their reputations are well established.  If you have questions about hiring a make up artist then call them!

• Kathleena Gorga Make Up Artist 
• Sherrie Long Make Up Artist
• Nellie Magunda Make Up Artist

Safari West, Santa Rosa, California 2011-12-29

I had a day off last week and decided that FINALLY after living in San Francisco this long that I was going to Safari West in Santa Rosa.  It wasn’t nearly the same as my adventure in August to South Africa  where I got very up close and personal with some amazing Cheetahs at the Le Sueur Cheetah Project.  But this place was lovely and had me back for a moment to almost the same place.  I’m a total animal lover and this was meant to take me out of my element and push me just a bit photographically.  This is a private reserve and the owners live on the property.  All of the people who work there seem to really love animals and their jobs.  They have giraffe, cheetah, numerous types of monkeys and birds and kudu, zebra, buffalo and wildebeest and very shy rhino’s.  I really wanted to play with the cheetah again but alas, it was not possible.  But it was an amazing day with the most beautiful sunset to close it out.