A visit to Ben's house, situated in the Oakland Hills, is always wonderful. This time it was early May, and in addition to the city view I enjoyed his pretty, terraced garden in bloom. Like many photographers, Ben has exchanged his Hasselblads for professional digital cameras to benefit his clients. "You don't really save time," he told me. "you now spend it working in front of the computer. I still have the same lab and it uses the same paper; only I send them a DVD instead of film." He also has added the new digital coffee table books to the Art Leather and Leather Craftsmen albums he offers.

Being a "people person," he enjoys his wedding and portrait work. He describes his usual wedding photography as a "complete and balanced narrative" of the wedding day, a mixture of photojournalism and traditional wedding photography. Ben's experience and skills are obvious. He is a master in using the spectacular nature and architecture we are so blessed with in the Bay Area. His high-quality prints have wonderful, natural, crisp colors. Some of his photographs were published as part of a wedding story in the national magazine Elegant Bride.

To get the best pictures, Ben believes in thorough pre-wedding consultation. He works closely with the couple, records the requested pictures on a work sheet, learns the names of the relatives, and assists in planning the event, all the while getting to know the participants better.

I experienced his easy, relaxed nature while he took our family portrait. Upon seeing the result, our friends and relatives remarked, "a professional at work." Ben's clients feel the same way. They praise his excellent pictures, his organizational skills, his warm relaxed personality, and his ability to make everything run smoothly. They also think he is very professional, and describe his candid pictures as lively and fun to look at. To further strengthen his skills and improve the quality of his pictures, he regularly attends a critique group of photographers.