4th of July Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel Wedding of Helen & Mike

Just perfect! What can I say. Helen and Mike’s wedding was just perfect! What more can you ask for, perfect weather on the bluffs of Salt Creek Beach at the Ritz Carlton on the 4th of July. Helen was a doll, such a cutie pie, and Mike tall and handsome and funny as heck. Their parents were so very hospitable too. Their planner, Beth Helmstetter Events knows how to put on fantasic events, both elegant and beautiful, mixed with fun and fun and more fun. Cheesy Photo booths caught the above pics of Janey & Mark of Maryjane Photography and me. Love working with these guys. We know how to work around eachother seemlessly. The Ritz is unbelievable, besides having terrific views and banquet rooms and top notch service, staff and cuisine, the know how to treat their vendors, well Beth Helmstetter no doubt had some major pull because we got to eat like kings there. They served us vendors Lobster, scallops, sushi, mini burgers, lamb chops, man we got spoiled!!! Therefore, I’m available to shoot at the Ritz Carlton anytime, haha. Also worked with DJ Dash from Dash Entertainment for the first time, and the guy knows how to bring the dance floor to life…Big Time! 

Such a fun wedding, can’t wait to show you the Film I shot in Super 8mm. Meanwhile, Janey said she’d send me the link to her slideshow so I can share that with you while you’re waiting. Hurry up Janey. We all want to see your pics!

About my favorite quartet, Supernova. Pure awesome classic quality perfectly mixed with thumping to tapping performance. Hands down My favorites!!!  They rocked Helen and Mike’s wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and a special performance made custom for the bride and groom during reception. These guys ROCK!!!!! I mean it.

Little extra tidbit about me?…… Owe,kaye, well, besides a very posh dinner meeting with the Junebug Girls about 6 months ago, and now last night-Helen and Mike’s 4th of July wedding here at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, it’s been about 15 years since…yep, I used to work there as a banquet server. It was my night job, paid good too. It was so nostalgic being there again in the same ballrooms where I used to serve fancy dinners to celebrities and executives in white gloves and a tuxedo. In fact one banquet manager Linda and bartender Byron still work there and we had a brief old times style reunion and they still look exactly the same. Amazing!

 

Goo Goo Dolls wedding….Krista & Mike Malinin

Above are Skye Blu Photography’s blog photo’s from Krista & Mike’s wedding at Cicada in downtown Los Angeles. Here’s the link to her blog for all her pics, Very impressed, take a look. I was hired on as their wedding Cinematographer and below is a trailer of their wedding on film. 

Ok, major sidebar for the record….being that the groom “Mike Malinin”here is the Goo Goo Dolls drummer, you might think he’d be a fairly good dancer, naturally, Nooooooope! And I got it all on film, ha-ha! Krista on the other hand is a dancing machine from heaven, seriously I’ve never seen anything like it before, that girl can boogie. Hopefully their kids will get his percussion skills and her dancing genes.

Cheers,

R.

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Andrew Firestone & Ivana Bozilovic Wedding

Andrew and Ivana booked Russell Fowler of Stellar Films to shoot their wedding in Super 8mm Film. I think they made a perfect choice having their wedding documented in this beautifully artistic medium. Andrew & Ivana were fantastic, hospitable and gracious. Not to mention extremely photogenic to the max. Every once and a while I thought, wow, this couple is more attractive and have more charisma in person than in any movie, tv show or magazine cover I’ve ever seen them in. I think the webster’s dictionary is right now as we speak, changing the picture for the word photogenic to one with them in it. Yep. So besides, having such marvelous subjects to shoot, and being involved in one of the most lovely weddings of all time, I must say, the Firestone Vineyards people as a whole are top shelf in my opinion. Tonya Szele, their wedding planner and recent former head honcho over the events and practically everything else at Firestone pulled it off in her usual easy-going style and grace. Jill Remy, the current on-site planner for all of Firestone Vineyards, teamed up with Tonya to knock this one out of the park, or “meadow” if you will. All I had to do was try not to faint from all the beauty filling my lens. It was truely a breathtaking day of shooting. They say pictures are worth a thousand words so here are some photos provided by their exquisite photographers “mi belle inc.” Enjoy. Oh and you can see a super fun aged clip by clicking on the picture below…….sooooo go ahead and take a look.

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Testimonial

Russell, 

you did such a fantastic job! We are so pleased to have chosen you as our videographer – you were perfect! Without us even noticing you were filming, you captured the essence of our wedding day beautifully. It is amazing work! We‘re so happy we have this video to share with our children someday! Thank you, Russell!

Warmly,
Ivana & Andrew Firestone

Sally Field’s Family Wedding at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

Academy award winning actress, Sally Field’s Son Peter Craig and his lovely fiance Jenny DiFransisco who starred along with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the movie, “The Bucket List”, hired me to film their wedding day. Unfortunately, I had to agree to sign off on the rights to showing clips on my website, but I can tell you that it was an amazing, unique, beautiful wedding, and that they truly are a fantastic couple. Jenny is the most darling bride ever. Their phenomenal photographer is Joy Marie and their famous planner is “the wedding planner” herself, Jill LaFleur! Who knows maybe I can talk them into a little tiny clip of their wedding for you, cross your fingers…..

Farmer John Hotdog Heiress

16mm Motion Picture Wedding Cinematography

        

16mm Film is my favorite of all media to work with. Masterpieces inherently belong to this gorgeous film stock. Arguably I presume, but who cares! 16mm is sooooo hot! It’s warm buttery lens takes my eye to an amusement park of wonderment and excitement. Oh, don’t get me wrong, Super 8mm is cool, very very cool, no question but 16mm film is hot! Smoothe and luscious. I love the 16. I think I’ll marry it and guess what?, I’ll go ahead and film the wedding in 16mm motion picture film. Ha-ha!  Anyway, take a peek at my latest creation below. Beautiful “winter wonderland” wedding created by wedding planner, “the Party Goddess, Marley Macher, AKA “The Boss”. Photographer: The Becker & Jessica Claire. The bride is the “Farmer John Hotdog Heiress” and the groom is the head chef at the Dodger Stadium. Ironically, the Dodger Stadium is famous for their “footlong” hotdogs right, or Dodger Dogs. Guess who makes the Dodger Stadium’s “Footlongs”? Farmer Johns of course. I’m telling you, there’s a story here folks. Watch it unfold below in my favorite of all films……16mm!

xoxo Russell

Watch 16mm Trailer

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Editor: Brenda Mendez

Watch part one:

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16mm Film Cinematographer/Editor: Russell Fowler

Watch part two:

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16mm Film Cinematographer/Editor: Russell Fowler

Montage Laguna Beach Wedding

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TV producer Austin Winsberg marries Amy Nathanson at the beautiful Montage Resort in South Laguna Beach. Photography by: Joe Buissink, Florals by: R.Jack Balthazar Cinematography by: Russell Fowler Studios Planner: Lisa Gorgestani 

 

Cabo San Lucas Wedding at Cabo Azul

http://www.caboazulresort.com/

Super 8mm Film coming back from lab soon, but in the meantime, below is the slideshow of Photographer Lauren Pauline who shot their stills. Enjoy and come back soon for update on their motion picture film I shot. I really had  a blast, got totally sunburnt, enjoyed some great margaritas, felt like a guest with the bride Jordyn and her new husband and all there family and close friends. Lauren is a very cool photographer, had so much fun working with her. Hope to work with her again soon. Take a look at some of her awesome photos here: 

http://www.laurenpauline.com/Shows/Jordyn/

We Party’d Like A ROCKSTAR!!!!

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Your Wedding Day Magazine Spring Launch Party

Did I say “PARTY”??? YES, YWD put on a fun fest party for everyone involved with their magazine. Thea Lignos, Cathryn VanBreene, John Hargrove, Kate Bolson, and the core planning committee, Melissa Allen of The Ebell of Los Angeles, Nikki Khan of Exquisite Events, Jeannie Ward of Wedding Jeannie, Michael  Willms of Entertainment Design Events….thank you for treating us 820 plus in attendance including 401 plus wedding industry vendors to such a fantastic evening of “well needed” Good Times!

Visit Your Wedding Day Now!

Shot by: Russell Fowler and Ian McHenry  Edited by: Joey Sinko and Russell Fowler

Cheers!…….R.

CherieFoto Glam Photoshoot @ Club Ebell Los Angeles

Cherie was the event photographer and I was the event cinematographer, and we had a blast working together. This is a little present for Cherie,

she’s an amazing photographer and her works speaks for itself. Here is a link to her site so you can take a look. CherieFoto.com

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Shooters: Russell Fowler & Ian McHenry   Editor: Joey Sinko

Heather & Josh Firestone Vineyard Wedding

Love Love Love everything about Firestone Vineyards. Great venue, great people, hands down one of my favorite places to shoot at. Rachel Korrey, Firestones event manager and I go way back and she’s fantastic to work with. Heathers mom Leslie and I had so much fun during the planning process emailing back and forth that we basically became very good friends. It was so great getting to meet her in person at the wedding. Coincidentally their close friends the Gross family who also booked me for their daughters wedding were their as guests. What a small world. I had no idea but it seems I’m getting passed around the circle of friends and family which is all right with me, keep em coming guys! Anyway I shot Super 8 and got to work with one of my favorite husband and wife duo photographers Michael + Anna Costa for this one. Such a treat, Anna looks great & Michael lost like 25 pounds and looking like a model since the last time I saw him. Anna and Michael are such a blast to work with, love these two. Here is their slideshow, take a look, call them for your wedding. 

http://michaelandannacosta.com/heather_josh/