Hannah + Steve: A Santa Ynez Love Shoot by Jose Villa

By on October 10, 2012 in All Posts, Engagement Sessions

This morning we have the great honor of sharing some of the work of Jose Villa, one of the finest and most sought-after wedding photographers working today. Jose, who redefined the landscape of wedding photography with his fine art approach, works exclusively with the medium of film. He is known for his brilliant use of light—his images are suffused with a dreamily warm, transcendent glow—and a pastel palette inspired by the vivid blue skies and sprawling pastoral fields of his childhood, which was spent on a horse ranch in Santa Barbara. Though Jose’s ethereal images have a natural, organic, free-as-the-wind feel, there is a great deal of thoughtful artistry involved in crafting each and every photo. Yet, in our humble opinion, what truly sets Jose apart is not only his masterful technique but also the spirit that imbues his work. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.” And there is plenty of spirit in Jose’s shoots, each one a small masterpiece.

Of all the breathtaking engagement sessions Jose has shot over the years, this remains one of our favorites, perhaps because of the way he captured the incandescent love between Hannah and Steve or translated the romance of the foggy Santa Ynez skies. As with all of Jose’s shoots, we could gaze at this one forever and never grow tired of it. Our words simply cannot do the beauty of these photographs justice, so we’ll let Jose’s images speak for themselves.

PHOTOS BY JOSE VILLA / HAIR AND MAKEUP BY TEAM HAIR & MAKEUP