Wedding Photography by Marcy

Honeymoon Package in Africa!

2011-05-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

Join me in Africa! October 5 - 16, 2011 for a very special luxury safari for conservation:

http://cheetah-watch.com/safari

Join conservation photographer and National Geographic contributor, Marcy Mendelson, and famed safari guide and author, Peter Allison on a unique journey as we explore the best regions in Southern Africa to see cheetah in the wild. Luxury accommodations in spectacular settings include all game drives in open vehicles with experienced game rangers on private land that allow off road access and the ability to follow animals at night. This is truly the trip of a lifetime.

Limited to 12 guests, this eleven day rare, intimate experience will take us from South Africa’s Phinda Game Reserve to Kirkmans Kamp bordering the famed Kruger National Park and then on to the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We will be visiting areas known for wild cheetah, and will have lectures and hands-on experiences with cheetah researchers and experts. While these wonderful cats will be our focus, we will experience a great diversity of habitat and spend time tracking all the other magnificent animals and birds of the region, from the shy and elusive leopard to elephant, rhino and all the way down to the dung beetle!

Web Hosting Switch to NameCheap for Elephants

2011-04-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have switched my hosting provider from GoDaddy to NameCheap in protest of GoDaddy's arrogant elephant hunt.

NameCheap.com is sending a portion to SavetheElephants.org

More info can be found here on how you too can make the switch for just $4.99

http://community.namecheap.com/blog/2011/03/30/elephants/

Prop 8 OVERTURNED! Marriage Equality!

2010-08-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

http://sfist.com/2010/08/04/federal_court_against_prop_8.php

http://gawker.com/5604649/

Oh HAPPY DAY!

A Devastating Loss: Clay and Harold and the Rights of LGBT Elders

2010-04-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

Shameful news from Sonoma County, California. Please read and join the Facebook Group to take action:

http://www.facebook.com/JusticeForClay

California | Pending
Greene v. County of Sonoma et al.

Clay and his partner of 20 years, Harold, lived in California. As long-time partners, they had named each other beneficiaries of their respective estates, agents for medical decisions. As 2008 began, Harold was 88 years old and in deteriorating health. Clay, 11 years younger, was physically strong, but beginning to show signs of cognitive impairment. The two men lived in a country home with too many steps that required much work to keep up, but the men loved the views and being surrounded by nature and living a quiet life with each other and their cats. As Harold’s health declined, it became apparent that they would need assistance, but the men resisted outside help.

One spring day, as the men were preparing to go out, Harold fell down the front steps of their home. Clay immediately called the ambulance and Harold was taken to the hospital. There, the men’s nightmare began. First, county and health care workers refused to allow Clay to see Harold. Then, while Harold was hospitalized, Deputy Public Guardians went to the men’s home, took photographs, and commented on the desirability and quality of the furnishings, artwork, and collectibles that the men had collected over their lifetimes.

Ignoring Clay entirely, the County focused on Harold, going so far as to petition the Court for conservatorship of his estate. Outrageously referring to Clay only as a “roommate” and failing to disclose their true relationship, the County continued to treat Harold as if he had no family. The County sought immediate temporary authority to revoke Harold’s powers of attorney, to act without further notice, and to liquidate an investment account to pay for his care. Then, despite being granted only limited powers, and with undue haste, the County arranged for the sale of the men’s personal property, cleaned out their home, terminated their lease, confiscated their truck, and eventually disposed of all of the men’s worldly possessions, including family heirlooms, at a fraction of their value and without any proper inventory or determination of whose property was being sold.

Adding further insult to grave injury, the county removed Clay from their home and confined him to a nursing home against his will—a different placement from his partner. Clay was kept from seeing Harold during this time, and his telephone calls were limited. Three months after he was hospitalized, Harold died. Because of the county’s actions, Clay missed the final months he should have had with his partner of 20 years. Compounding this tragedy, Clay has literally nothing left of the home he had shared with Harold or the life he was living up until the day that Harold fell, because he has been unable to recover any of his property or his beloved cats—who are feared dead. The only memento Clay has is a photo album that Harold painstakingly put together for Clay during the last three months of his life.

With the help of a dedicated and persistent court-appointed attorney, Anne Dennis of Santa Rosa, Clay was finally released from the nursing home. Ms. Dennis, along with Stephen O’Neill and Margaret Flynn of Tarkington, O’Neill, Barrack & Chong, now have been retained to represent Clay and his partner's executor in a lawsuit against the County, the auction company, and the nursing home, with technical assistance from NCLR. A trial date has been set for July 16, 2010 in the Superior Court for the County of Sonoma.

From here: http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_enewsletter_041310#3

Californians shall have equal rights!

2009-06-04T16:56:00.001-07:00

OK, as the states give the right to marry for all, New Hampshire being the latest, we here in California will not give up the fight!

Prop 8 & the future of California Weddings

2008-12-01T09:42:00.001-08:00

I marched to City Hall to protest the passing of Proposition 8, outlawing gay marriage in California. The crowds were enormous and filled with all ages, all orientations, and walks of life. I could go on for hours of the feelings of solidarity and the new civil rights movement in America, but take a look for yourself of the pictures from that day.

Click the link below for more pics:

Signs of Protest

Its all about the LOVE

2008-11-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

My condolences to those whose rights have been taken away in the state of California. I fought against Prop 8 and will continue to fight. This is a civil rights issue, a human rights issue, and lastly, an economic issue.

For more information go to:

No on 8

and

Protest 8 in San Francisco

Gay & Lesbian Wedding Photography

2008-06-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

I remember the excitement at City Hall in 2004. I ran out the door of my apartment, camera in hand, to capture the emotion, the nerves, the happiness.

A line of couples stretched around the corner and everyone was in a party mood. Couples who had been together for decades, couples that had just decided they loved each other the night before, children, relatives, all waiting patiently and giggling with anticipation.

That was the scene in San Francisco, 2004. Flash forward to May, 2008 and here we are at this historic ruling.

As a gift to the Gay & Lesbian community, all same sex wedding photography packages will be offered at a 25% discount for Summer and Fall 2008.

Please contact me for more details on how we can arrange a custom package to document your happy day!