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About Me
Hi, my name is Marc Weisberg, I’m a kids portrait and wedding photographer based in Orange County, California. I photograph couples on one of the most emotional and special days of their lives. And, through a natural progression {getting hitched often leads to making beautiful babies}, so my clients base has evolved into fun, candid, fine art portraiture for kids and families.
This is where i post my photography and random thoughts about my life and travels and an occasional product review. It’s both my web site and my personal blog. You’ll find my award winning photography highlighted in multiple publications, magazines and books which are available on Amazon-dot-com. My client list is made up of people who enjoy my photographic style and commission me to create something a bit different for them. Over the years some of the places I’ve photographed are: Paris, Copenhagen, the Mexican Riviera, Los Angeles, Cuba {that’s an interesting story}, New York {spent 11 years there}, and Stockholm.
Photography Awards – The Official Press Release
Marc has won 16 coveted international awards in wedding photography, portrait photography and commercial photography. The break down: 10 Accolades of Excellence WPPI ~ in 2008. 6 Western Regional merits for excellence in wedding photography, portraiture, commercial photography and illustrative photography in 2008. I’ve stopped competing by may compete again in the future.
Published Work – a brief list
You can find Marc’s photography featured in more than a dozen books available on Amazon dot com: The Best of Wedding Photography, The Wedding Photographers Handbook, Master Lighting Guide, The Best of Photographic Lighting, by author Bill Hurter, 500 Poses for Photographing Women,by author Michelle Perkins, and Travels with Adele…to name a few. Magazine features incude: Riviera, Coast, Orange Coast, Angeleno, The Knot, Ceremony, feature article in Rangefinder, WPPI monthly and Los Angeles Confidential.
Charitable Contributions & Recent Charitable Fund Raising Projects
Make-A-Wish™ “Kids of Orange County” A coffee table book of every day Orange County, California kids ages two through fifteen. Photographed, designed and self published by Marc Weisberg. His book, raised slightly over eight thousand dollars for Make-A-Wish ™ Inland Empire and Orange County. 2012 will mark year two of this fundraising project.
The Junior League of Orange County - “Orange County Fare,” a cook book. A Culinary Journey Through the California Riviera.” Photographed by Marc Weisberg. Marc donated over two hundred hours traveling and photographing throughout Orange County to capture images. Orange County Fare received the Silver Prize by the Mom’s Choice Awards! The cookbook has also been a finalist in the Cookbook Category of the National Best Books 2009 Awards sponsored by USA Book News, and was a finalist for the 2010 Benjamin Franklin Awards. Proceeds benefit under privileged children in Orange County.
Special Olympics, Southern California Marc donated time and photographic services during 2011 photographing events with the Harlem Globetrotters, the Underwriters Reception with baseball great Jim Abbott and news anchor Ed Arnold, Gala Honoree Dinner at Disneyland and creating studio portraits of Special Olympic Athletes for use in media campaigns.
Mirage Jewish Community Center, Celebrity Poker Tournament 2011. Marc donated his time and talent to chronicle this star studded event….celebrities included: Jerry Yang, Carl Weathers, Rex Linn, Joe Reitman, Lee Brownstein, Samantha Phillips, Jennifer Elise Cox, Adrian Paul, Karri Turner, Tony Dension, Paulo Benedeti, Budd Freidman, Yancey Arias, Josh Malina, Chewy Bravo and Vincent Lozano to name a few.
Marc’s is a supporter of charitable donations including: Make-A-Wish Foundation ™ of Orange County Inland Empire, Special Olympics Southern California, The Junior League of Orange County, Tarbut V’Torah – Irvine and the IN-N-OUT Foundation. And I get countless requests for charitable donations. I am sorry I cannot fulfill most of them. I have chosen to focus most of this activity within my own community. Chiefly focusing on helping out children. Having spent some time in a foster home, there were lots of people who helped me out along the way. Some charities contact the studio to donate photos for publication materials. We can do this if there is a 501c designation for tax purposes. You may contact marc@marcweisberg.com in this case. Thank you.
Photography Awards
Marc has won 16 coveted international awards in wedding photography, portrait photography and commercial photography. The break down: 10 Accolades of Excellence WPPI ~ 2008. 6 Western Regional merits for excellence in wedding photography, portraiture, commercial photography and illustrative photography 2008. I’ve stopped competing by may compete again in the future.
Appearances and Speaking Engagements
Cypress College 2010, 2011, Pictage, Partner Conference, New Orleans~2010, Pictage, Partner Conference, Los Angeles~2009, Smug Mug, San Diego ~2009, A Master Class in Marketing, Wedding & Portrait Photographers International~2008, Previous monthly guest columnist on Cris Mitchell’s, ProPhotoResource~2008-2009, Print Judge, Professional Photographers of San Diego~2008, Regional speaker & member of, Professional Photographers of Orange County~2007, Regional speaker & member of Professional Photographers of California~2006
Other Peculiar Things That You May Find of Interest
I attended 5 colleges. School of Visual Arts in NYC, Saddleback College, CA. Irvine Valley College, CA, Orange Coast College, CA and University of California Irvine. In all I have an AA from Irvine Valley, an AA and American Bar Association Paralegal degree from Saddleback and graduated Magna Cum Lade with a BA in Art from UCI.
For 7 years I studied Shotokan Karate and miss practicing it. I earned my Shodan. But had to stop because of the chance of serious injury would jeopardize my wellness to photograph weddings. Broken bones, sprained limbs and getting heart is part of martial arts. I miss the intense workouts. What I learned from my Sensi and from Karate was discipline and that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.
At 16 years old I was living on my own. My dad helped me get though high school and part of college.
I was an executive chef in NYC and worked almost every station in a classical French kitchen. Started out sweeping floors and peeling shrimp and worked my way up. I was a butcher, a saucier, and poissonnier, a garde manger and a sous chef.
For a few years I was a cellar master and wine buyer. For a year I worked at a wine bar and did all the purchasing and wrote the menu which earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, before the restaurant even opened.
Heights scare me. Although I’m intrigued and want to do a parachute jump and hand glide. Crazy? For sure! But I used to have dreams that I could fly and would like to test that out one day.
Travel fascinates me. I love to travel. Haven’t done enough of it. Some places that I’d really like to visit are: Japan, Shanghai, Bueno Aires and Barcelona to name a few.
My Family
I’m married. My wife’s name is Connie, our children are Emerson and Claire. Its crazy having teenagers. Claire is 13 going on 23 and Emerson is 16 which means you better watch out ‘cause he’ll be driving soon.
What Others Say About Me
Depends who you talk to, but…Most people find me quiet and funny and gregarious. What do you expect I’m a Gemini.
Hobbies & Sports
Biographies, Movies, Wine, Science Fiction, Scuba Diving, Museums, Reading photography blogs and Travel. Is Frisbee considered a sport yet? I’m athletic but never really played team sports. Okay. I played Lacrosse and Soccer and did track in highchool. But never did super competitive sports. Guess I wasn’t into being tackled and bludgeoned by someone. There was one year that I rode my bike every single day. Sometimes up to 75 miles on the weekends. Love to watch: Boxing , The Olympics, MMA & UFC, Skiing, Gymnastics, Tennis and just about any playoff or final series game.
Movies, T.V. & Music
I love to watch movies. I’m an avid Netflix subscriber. Don’t usually go to the theatre. It’s nice having a 54” 1080p flat screen at the studio. Some of my favorite movies are: Blade Runner, The Road to Perdition, Full Metal Jacket, Amelie, Cinema Paradisio, The Green Mile, Citizen Kane, Giant, The Professional, The Bowery Boys, 5th Element, The Prestige, Sin City, It’s a Wonderful Life, Barton Fink, Gone with the Wind, Reberl Without a Cause, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly {brilliant!}, There Will Be Blood {the Cohen bros. are amazing!}, The Shawshank Redemption {saw it 6x’s and know some of the lines}. I don’t follow TV and only turn it on to wind down. That said, I like: Dexter, Criminal Minds, The Tudors {its like Sex and the City for guys}, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Good Morning America sometimes when I’m getting up, 60 Minutes, Breaking Bad, The Beast. Music: A pretty eclectic mix: Steely Dan, CSN&Y, Neil Young, Rap, Country, Motown, Alicia Keys, Cold Play, Sigur Ros, Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Black Eyed Peas
Food & Wine
I’m a huge foodie and will go out of my way to go to that dive bar that servers great burgers or when traveling I’m always on the prowl for the best of in the given city. Ethnic food in general: Thai, Greek, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese. Bright flavors, healthy cuisine sometimes spicy. Huge coffee lover. Used to get my beans delivered from Caffé Trieste in San Francisco: their espresso roast, best beans ever. Wine: When I was in the wine business I used to taste upwards of 60 wines per week. Pinot Noir is my favorite varietal, layered with notes of strawberry jam and earthy overtones. White and red Burgundies, California chardonnays that are not over oaked, German Rieslings, Oakville reds. And an eclectic mix of sleeper varietals like Gruner Veltliner, Albarano, and Pinot Blanc
Language
Studied French for a few years and know enough to get buy in Paris. Can smile and say thank you, hello and good-bye in Korean and a few other phrases.
