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Author Archives: Chris Schmauch

Jenn + Leon (Hitched)

I met Jenn & Leon in November of 2009, they were a referral from a previous wedding I’d done (as is usually the case these days). We chatted over coffee, got to know each other and as the minutes flew by, I got more and more excited about their upcoming event. They have this spark, […]

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Bonny Doon Residence (Real Estate)

My parents-in-law are selling their lovely property they’ve raised their kids in – it’s about 30 minutes out of Santa Cruz in the mountains, near a small town named Bonny Doon. It’s a large piece of land with expansive yard, beautiful garden, separate garage, storage, play area, and of course an amazing three story-ish house […]

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Morton’s VIP Party

Morton’s Steakhouse San Jose held a VIP event this evening promoting their newly expanded space that can be used for events, receptions, or even dinner (haha). It was bedecked with cool, glowing, kiosk-like tables, beautiful bouquets, fancy lighting and chic furniture. Next to the bar was a beautifully sculptured ice luge that was being used […]

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Meg & Jack (Pregnant + Toddler)

Meg wanted a few photos while she was in her third trimester – but because she also had her toddler with her, we of course included him as well. Toddlers are usually, well, challenging when it comes to trying to tell them what to do, or stay in one place, or look at the camera, […]

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Baklava (New Restaurant)

Newly opened in Palo Alto, right off University Ave., Baklava is a welcoming, open sidewalk/patio Mediterranean restaurant specializing in a blend of Turkish and Greek cuisine (and drinks). People may be familiar with a similarly-named restaurant in Mountain View, and this is the newest incarnation of that well-loved location. I met with the owner over […]

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Amber + Michael (Wedding)

I didn’t meet Amber and Michael until three days before their wedding – they are local to Washington State, but were planning their wedding to take place in Santa Cruz, where I live. (WARNING: gratuitous self-promotion plug ahead) Being the young and tech-savvy couple they are, they searched Yelp for “Wedding Photographers” and with twenty-one […]

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John Bentley’s (Food + Interiors)

I met with John Bentley at his newest self-named restaurant location in Redwood City to take some professional photos for advertising and the restaurant’s self promotion. I did my usual HDR-thang with the interiors, shot some details, and got some nice food shots of a few select dishes. Of course I sampled everything after shooting, […]

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Father + Daughter + Beach + Bike

I ran into Tim and his daughter while conducting another family portrait session at Natural Bridges beach – I was struck by the scene they presented, a colorful retro bike and a father spending some quality time with his young, adoring daughter. I asked if I could take their portrait real quick as they presented […]

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The Carvills (Family Portraits)

Kari Carvill told me she’d basically never had a real family photo session, and was excited about seeing what we could accomplish together. We were able to shoot for an hour at Natural Bridges beach in Santa Cruz before their littlest one started melting down. It was a challenging shoot, as most involving toddlers tend […]

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Craig Martin (Portrait for GSC Review Magazine Cover)

Sergio Retamal, owner of Global Supply Chain Review magazine needed a portrait of Craig Martin to use on the next cover of the publication. Craig’s time is probably worth more  than my own, so I made it quick and painless. We literally spent 5 minutes outside his office in Sunnyvale getting a variety of shots, […]

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StarChefs.com Event @ Ghirardelli Square

StarChefs.com is a NYC-based online magazine dedicated to spotlighting up-and-coming chefs around the country. They hold annual events in multiple major cities. They needed some help getting some good photographic coverage of this year’s San Francisco event, so through a series of friends and contacts, they ended up contacting me! It was a fantastic private […]

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Morton’s Steakhouse San Francisco (Interiors)

The CEO loved my Morton’s San Jose photos so much, corporate immediately booked my services for the San Francisco location. It really looks very similar to the San Jose location, except it’s two floors and they have a two full bars and a nifty glass wine room. Here’s a few of my favorites… Like what […]

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Stanford Graduates @ Quattro, Four Seasons

The Four Seasons hired me to shoot Stanford Grads that came to eat dinner with their families at Quattro, the excellent restaurant within the Four Seasons in Palo Alto. Here’s just a few shots, enjoy! Like what you see? Click here to see Chris’ Family Photography Portfolio Inquire today about scheduling your next photo shoot […]

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Alex (Portrait)

Alex is looking into a modeling career, and needed a few portraits done – the first step as any model can tell you! We did these in his back yard – good luck Alex! Like what you see? Click here to see Chris’ Portrait Photography Portfolio Inquire today about scheduling your next photo shoot (408) […]

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JT & Chloe (Brother & Sister Portraits)

JT & Chloe’s mom hired me to take some photos of her kids as a surprise for father’s day. They are super cute, and very sassy with each other. I tried to capture all the in-between moments, the tickling before the pushing, the hand-holding before the pinching, the arm around the shoulder before the headlock […]

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Blue Rock BBQ (Interiors)

Owen and Marie Jobson have done a fantastic job with their first restaurant, Blue Rock BBQ (San Jose). The interior, signage and and identity all indicate a corporate franchise – but alas, this is simply a well executed vision by two entrepreneurs who are passionate about southern cooking and bringing service back to the service […]

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Morton’s the Steakhouse (Interiors Part II)

So round one for Morton’s was last week, this week we focused on promoting the space for weddings and parties. Morton’s is world-renowned for their excellent cuts of cow-flesh (and who doesn’t love that!), and in that regard they don’t disappoint. But for some reason people don’t see Morton’s as a kid-friendly or fun party-friendly […]

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Lion and Compass (Interiors + Drinks + Food)

Lion and Compass is a really elegant restaurant in Sunnyvale, perfect for a Sunday brunch or any time you want to impress your friends / family / clients. It has a nice, open, airy feel with lots of natural light, and the food is superb. And the free valet parking is a nice touch! Enjoy […]

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Tarragon (Interiors + Food)

Tarragon is an amazing restaurant owned and managed by Dottia Bilic (and hubby) located in downtown Sunnyvale – you know – Murphy Street. Downstairs is a first-class restaurant with open kitchen, upstairs is a large banquet and patio space perfect for weddings/receptions. It’s a great venue to eat and to party, and I highly recommend […]

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Tomatina (Interiors + Food)

Ah, Tomatina, how I love you even though you’re kind of a chain restaurant… but I won’t hold that against you, because your pizza is sooo good! And who knew you had such succulent desserts? I mean, look at these cream-puff things? Thanks for “using” my services, I will forever thank you [burp!]. Enjoy the […]

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