A-SESSION LOCATIONS- Beach + Beyond

“Know that you are loved. Encode this in your head and heart. You are worthy.” Suzanne Walker Buck, Rector, Chatham Hall Enjoy the slideshow. And remember, it is a show that requires Adobe Flash, so put down your iPhone or iPad and watch it on your main computer or one that supports Adobe Flash. Slideshow link: http://www.lisarichmondphotography.com/SHOWITSHOWS-/2015_ChathamHall This was my 31st year photographing graduation ceremonies for my alma mater, Chatham Hall in Virginia. Every year it’s an emotional event for me and each year I take away something different from my experiences; listening to the student and faculty speakers and…

On a recent trip to the Bay area for a photography workshop with Ben and Erin Chrisman, I got the chance to photograph the Jamali family at the beach. They recently moved from the Sacramento area to Berkeley and it was a great time to reconnect with them and continue capturing their growing family. My first session was when Shirin, their daughter was an infant. Since then I’ve captured their family at least once a year including getting to be present at Kian’s birth. Being around them feels like family at this point. They know me well and how I like to…

  Enjoy the slideshow. And remember, it is a show that requires Adobe Flash, so put down your iPhone or iPad and watch it on your main computer or one that supports Adobe Flash.  http://www.lisarichmondphotography.com/SHOWITSHOWS-/2014_ChathamHall   I just finished this year’s Graduation slideshow. I never know exactly how it is going to turn out or even what music I will use, but I have found over the years that if I just surrender to the creative process and let it happen, everything seems to fall into place. I am grateful for that. This year sifting through countless images, I’m struck…

Being back at Chatham Hall, in many ways, can feel for me like time has stood still. Most of the same traditions still exist as when I was a student at this Virginia Boarding school 30 years ago. My French Teacher, Mary Lee Black, (aka: “Madame”) has remained, although retiring this year after more than two decades of service. Even the students looked familiar, a few of them daughters of my own classmates. I was reminded that the school has also retained the same spirit of generosity and kindness that I remember fondly from my time there; Shelley, my assistant…

For my first shoot of the year I picked up my assistant Cassie and we headed down to San Francisco for the weekend. We met Emily and Shannon near their apartment in the Mission. Up until a couple days before the session, it was set to be a fabulous and sunny San Francisco afternoon. I had envisioned the sun casting its late light on the SF skyline. This was what I was counting on until my husband hollered down from his laptop that morning….”You know it’s going to be dumping rain in SF, don’t you?”. Well, no I didn’t, until…

As many of you know, each year I fly back to Virgina to photograph the graduation events of my alma mater. This year I got an extra treat, and was able to go back twice. Once for the graduation and then again just two weeks later to photograph Hunter and Schay’s wedding held right there on campus. Having gone to school there myself and returning each year for the past 28 years and photographing Schay in 2006 for her graduation, it truly was special to be able to capture Hunter and Schay in the backdrop of a campus I know…

It’s hard to imagine being anywhere else that first weekend in June. This year marked my 28th Chatham Hall graduation: actually 29, if you include my own graduation back in 1984. I truly enjoy heading across country year after year and documenting this beautiful event in the rolling green hills of Chatham, Virginia. Over the years I have also been allowed the honor of photographing many of the faculty and staff as they have been celebrated for their contributions to this school. This year I photographed Dr. Black, my English teacher from junior year, for his retirement and 30 years…

To be perfectly honest… I am always a bit nervous when I shoot another photographer (Jason Tanaka), but after hanging out with Sumer and Jason that quickly went away. We met at Baker Beach in San Francisco. It’s an awesome location in the city because it has a bit of everything…the beach, a view of part of the city, an old bunker for a bit of that urban style, and an awesome view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Throughout the session we worked our way down the beach, and managed to beat a night-time photography class to the far end…

I was so excited when Cherise and Chris chose me to document their 3-day camping wedding in Los Gatos. The whole weekend had an air of an intimate family reunion.  They started with a welcome party on Friday night as everyone was arriving. Great food (thanks Joshua Charles Catering) and laughter warmed the evening as everyone checked out what each other had written on the cool, custom designed response cards; it was the perfect way to start the weekend. I quickly made friends with Ben, one of the groomsmen, and jokingly became his drinking coach for the weekend calling out,…