A Showit 5 website by The Buffalo Collective. Featuring photography by Nicole Mason.
This is why I love photography. It has allowed me to connect with others in such a profound way. My goal is to capture moments as they become memories, as a way to honor the past, present and future. I'm passionate about getting to know the "real" you, and sharing stories of friendship, strength, grief and love of people with histories that are rarely told, but need to be told; specifically LGBTQ+ identified folks and BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color)... People like me.
Nope, not me. In fact, I fell into wedding photography long after getting two higher education degrees, when I started seeing images of non-traditional couples doing things their own way. Folks making decisions about what love looks like to them, and not compromising their values for societal standards. That is when I realized I could create art with rad people seeking a photographer with a unique perspective.
I am a proud Queer Chicana feminist (she/her/hers pronouns) whose life is defined by my connections with others. My soul craves relationships that are imperfectly authentic and vulnerable.
In my life, family comes first; every day begins with coffee; and music fuels my soul - Bob Marley calms my nerves, 90's Hip-Hop makes me feel like a badass, and Pepe Aguilar feels like home. I'm inspired by folks with fierce personal style. I'm a dog mama to a rescue pup named Magdalena, who is just the sweetest girl. I'm in a long-standing love affair with my city of San Francisco, yet daydream of traveling the world every day.
I'm married to an amazing woman who makes me laugh every single day. We had a nontraditional wedding at SF City Hall on a Monday, complete with a backyard BBQ celebration with family. Through our 15 years together, we've learned how hard marriage can be, as well as how to grow into better versions of ourselves for us individually, and each other.
Black Lives Matter.
Love is Love is Love.
No Human is Illegal.
Stop AAPI Hate.
Gender is a Construct.
Everyone is Deserving of Love & Belonging.
They've always encouraged my sisters & I to be who we were meant to be, see the world, and lead with love. My Mom may no longer be physically with us, but she remains the reason behind my "why". Photographs are proof of our existence. We hold onto them when a loved one leaves us, and our future generations will hold tight to the photographs we capture today.
In November 2015 I fulfilled a dream to travel to a far-away country. I went to India to participate in a photo field trip, and even though I have the photos to prove it, that trip to India still feels like a dream. Since then, my wife & I have visited Thailand, South Korea and Europe, and are always looking to add more stamps to our passports.
"Baby it's you
You're the one I love
You're the one I need
You're the only one I see
Come on baby it's you
You're the one that gives your all
You're the one I can always call
When I need to make everything stop
Finally you put my love on top"
-Beyoncé
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"Love is a gamble and I'm so glad that I am winnin'
We've come a long way and yet this is only the beginnin'
Oh, my love
A thousand kisses from you is never too much
(Never too much, never too much, never too much)
I just don't wanna stop"
-Luther Vandross
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"Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be"
-Elvis Presley
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I want you to see how beautiful your laugh is when your love whispers a joke in your ear, and how your child holds your hand when walking to the beach. I want you to stand in your authentic self and feel seen/loved. Mostly, I want to deliver images that make you laugh or cry of happiness.
I photograph a very limited number of weddings each year and make it a priority to choose couples I connect with.
For questions or inquiries regarding other services, please contact me. I'm looking forward to meeting you & learning about the connections in your life.
Investment
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Begins at $4,500
elopements
Begins at $2,250
FAMILY
phOTOGRAPHY
Begins at $850
FAQs
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I live in San Francisco & love that there are so many fun, beautiful, quirky places around the bay area that beg for a photo shoot. But I'm always up to visit new places. Traveling is something I can't get enough of.
Yes, all galleries are online and easily accessible via your computer, tablet, or phone.
Anywhere your heart desires. Is there a place that holds a special memory? Do you have a favorite date night spot, or love walking around your neighborhood? Does your home feel like a sacred nest you've created together? Let's go there.
Yes, with everyone's health & safety as my top priority. I'm adhering to all CDC, state and local guidelines including wearing a mask and social distancing.
Fill out the "Contact" form below or send me an email explaining a little about who you are. (Brownie points if you mention your favorite coffee shop!) Next, we'll meet via Google Hangout to get to know each other a bit. If we're a good fit, you'll sign a contract, submit the retainer & I'll put your date on my calendar.
SARAH & MARIANNE, 2019
raquel & kimara, 2019
ANDY & JADEN, 2019
MEAGHAN & BRITTANY, 2019
manuel & raul, 2018
Kate & Tory, 2018
cristal@cristalveronicaphotos.com
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