David Royal Photography » People

Buoy 59

Royal — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:09:33 +0000

I went to see Buoy 59 live at Jose’s Underground near Cannery Row in Monterey last Saturday. The Monterey-based band swaggered through a set, swapping between punk and reggae in a jarring paradox reminiscent of the Bad Brains. The band is made up of surfers and their name is a tribute to a Buoy far off the coast of Northern California that gave a snapshot of the incoming swell twelve hours before before it hit. The buoy broke free from it’s mooring some time ago and no longer gives a report.

Bryce Hall, left, Paul Wetterau and Brian Gorrell rock out as random, stand in trumpeter, solos through a reggae jam at Jose’s Underground in Monterey, Calif. on June 18, 2011.

Shades

Royal — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 06:09:55 +0000

I recently had an assignment to shoot headshots for Jabico Enterprises, a web development and design firm in Santa Cruz. On the day of the shoot I set up my gear and started to photograph their small team. One of the guys had a pair of sunglasses and as he goofed around in front of the the camera he really loosened up. From then on we decided to shoot the regular headshots and then also take a few images of each worker with the glasses on. Those retro reflective shades spurred this group of creative individuals to become characters. They plan on integrating these photos with the more formal images taken during the shoot on their website.

Coming Full circle

Royal — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:35:46 +0000

I shot some portraits for my former wrestling coach at Santa Cruz High the other day. His daughter was getting ready for her first communion. He worked with me for six years through junior high and high school. There I was, quite a few years later on the beach we’d run soft sand sprints on while training. Here are just a few of my favorites from the day. We had been shooting in the open on Cowell’s Beach when I suggested we try a few more frames under the Santa Cruz Wharf.It was at the very end that her mother said she was studying ballet. And it was then, with a symphony of seagulls, barking seals and the wharf creaking from the cars rolling overhead, that she started to dance.

Newspaper Work

Royal — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:16:49 +0000

Here is some recent work I have done for the Monterey County Herald. Once again I am reminded of how much I enjoy shooting all different types of stuff.

Steven Polkabla of Pacific Grove hangs out with his biker buddy Nicholas, a mini longhair black and tan Dachshund, before the start of the Pacific Grove Pet parade in Pacific Grove, Calif. on Friday July 30, 2010. “He does ride on the bike between us,” said Polkabla’s wife Vicki McKee.

Palma High School Football Team running back Jack Baird at the school in Salinas, Calif. on Friday August 20, 2010.

Paulo Boykin, 2, of Seaside, Calif. helps his mom Barbara Boykin work out above Del Monte Beach in Seaside on Monday August 30, 2010.

There really is nothing quite like being a newspaper photographer with the wild variety of photographic situations you get thrown into!

Upcoming Photo Show

Royal — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 06:38:27 +0000

Photos of mine will be part of an upcoming show which opens in Sand City, California Saturday June 19th.

Please come by and take a look if you are in the area. The last show opening in this space was a raging party!

fading light

Royal — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:19:07 +0000

The day’s fading light envelopes Heriberto Matias, center, and classmates as they line up before Alisal High School Graduation in Salinas, Calif. on Wednesday June 2, 2010.

Quinceñera

Royal — Mon, 31 May 2010 04:02:24 +0000

I shot a few portraits for a Quinceñera party in the Custom House Plaza area over the weekend.

The Custom House is California’s oldest government building, constructed in 1827 for the collection of duties (taxes) on all imported goods via ship into California during Mexican rule. The buildings in the area provide a feel of old Mexico which was a fitting backdrop for this Western themed Quinceñera. This is one of my favorites.

In the Fish Tank

Royal — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:21:32 +0000

In the past week or so I have covered quite a variety of assignments. I have covered a graduation, sports, news, and some portraits and it looks like I will be shooting my first quinceñera this weekend!

Last weekend I shot the Cooking for Solutions event at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif.

If you have not been to this event I recommend you give it a try. It is all about sustainable seafood, cooking and wine. The collection of food and wine pushes the taste buds on overload and since I was working I was only able to sample as much as I could snarf down between snaps of my shutter.

Portrait Work

Royal — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:51:50 +0000

Here is some recent portrait work:

Valerie and Wally Ramsey inside their Monterey, Calif. home. Valerie was discovered and began a modeling career at 70. The couple recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. They had all this cool stuff on their walls and I just wanted to include it in their portrait.

Owner Jim Ockert stands inside the J. Lawerence Khaki’s Men’s Clother of Carmel at the Carmel Plaza in Carmel, Calif. Ockert said he’s been working with clothing since his early teens. The steel beams behind him were revealed when crews broke open the wall to open up the main room of the new store. They incorporated the steel into the layout of their clothing display.

Ann Brown sits inside the Blue Room at the Steinbeck House in Salinas, Calif. Brown has volunteered at the house since 1974. There is a great amount of history in that house.

busy bee keeper

Royal — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 05:25:12 +0000

I shot some photos of John Russo at Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel Valley, Calif. for a story for the Monterey County Herald.

Russo, a professional bee keeper is sharing his sweet and sticky craft with visitors to the golf resort.

I was able to suit up in a bee keeper outfit and get right in the thick of it so to speak.

John uses a smoker to sedate his bees as he puts the lid on a hive.

For me this was a sweet assignment as It’s always fun shooting photos of people doing what they love.