A Family History in Portraits

Meet the Mitchell family. Over the past eleven years I’ve photographed them ten times (missed one year in 2015) watching them grow from 8 people, to 14 of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I’ll be honest, it’s work to coordinate this every year and shoots with six kids under 12 years old is ALWAYS a challenge. That said, how freaking cool is this to have a history of your family, growing year after year. We’ve shot these family portraits at a myriad of different locations, from their backyard to their front yard to the Hotel Del Coronado to little parks right off the side of the road, to the beautiful beach in Del Mar, but really, the location is secondary to the people in the shot. Showing up is 95% of the battle. So my advice to any young family is (and I need to listen to my own advice), MAKE THE EFFORT! Do a family portrait once every year and you will be so happy you did when you can look back at a gallery like this.

A Very Seussian Senior Portrait

As a photographer, capturing graduation portraits is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences. The culmination of years of hard work and dedication is marked by this milestone event, and as a photographer, it's your job to capture that sense of accomplishment in your photos. Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing a college graduation portrait session at the University of California San Diego, specifically at the Geisel Library, which was an unforgettable experience.

The Geisel Library, named after Dr. Theodore Seuss Geisel, is a well-known landmark on the UCSD campus. It's an iconic building with unique architecture that makes for a fantastic backdrop for senior portraits. The library's design is inspired by the whimsical illustrations of Dr. Seuss, and features surprisingly monochromatic concrete building materials that contrast starkly with the quirky shape, creating a playful and fun atmosphere for a photo session. It's an ideal location for those looking to add a bit of personality to their senior portraits.

For this particular session, the graduate was Sara, who was clad in her cap and gown. Sara was full of energy and excitement as she popped a bottle of champagne, celebrating her academic achievements. The champagne added an extra element of joy and celebration to the photos, and it was a great way to capture Sara's personality and sense of accomplishment.

As we explored the Geisel Library, we made sure to include elements of Dr. Seuss and the Cat in the Hat in the photos. Sara posed casually with the statues of both The Cat in the Hat, as well as Dr. Geisel working at his animation desk. It was a great way to incorporate the whimsical, playful spirit of Dr. Seuss into her senior portraits. The photos turned out fantastic, and Sara was thrilled with the final results.

Photographing Sara's college graduation portrait session at UCSD was a fantastic experience. The Geisel Library provided a unique and fun atmosphere, and Sara's personality and sense of accomplishment were captured perfectly in the photos. As a photographer, it's always an honor to be able to capture such a significant milestone in someone's life, and I'm grateful to have been a part of this special moment. Enjoy a few of my favorite images!

Welcome to my Blog!!!

Some of you may remember that many years ago there existed a John Riedy Photography blog. It was filled with beautiful young couples whose weddings I had photographed both in Southern California and all over the world. Blogs were all the rage back then and I was pretty good about keeping it current…for a while. Then, like all good things, it came to an end. Becky and I had kids and life just got in the way. Well, the kids are pretty much grown now and we’ll be empty nesters before you know it. My career has taken myriad twists and turns over the past 20 years and I never would’ve guessed I’d be where I am now. I shoot few weddings these days (though I still do love them), but rather spend most of my shooting days in either Vietnam or Europe photographing war veterans back on their battlefields. When I’m home, I do a lot more studio work focusing mainly on corporate headshots and personal branding. I also love photographing commercial and residential real estate.

Suffice it to say, my life and priorities have changed. I’m very excited to use this blog to give my friends and clients a glimpse into my career and how I approach my work/passion of photography. If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed over the years, it’s that I LOVE what I do and the people I do it with. So to conclude this first post of my new/old blog I just want to thank EVERYONE who has allowed me to capture them through my lens. You are why I’m still doing this with love and gratitude after 20 years. And thank you to my loving wife Becky, who’s incredible work you can check out at www.rebeccariedy.com, and my sons Jack and Cole, for putting up with my wacky travel schedule and for always being more or less willing to sit as my lighting dummies.