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Varicent Executive Retreat — Napa Valley Corporate Event Photography

I recently had the privilege of photographing an extraordinary executive retreat in Napa Valley, produced by the talented team at Arrange & Engage. The client was Varicent, and this was the kind of event that raises the bar for what a corporate retreat can be.

Matthew Emerzian, author of You Matter, speaks at the Varicent executive retreat at Four Seasons Napa Valley

The day opened at the Four Seasons Napa Valley with a morning of high-caliber keynote sessions. Varicent's CEO, Marc Altshuler, welcomed the group before introducing the day's featured speaker: Matthew Emerzian, founder of Every Monday Matters and author of You Matter. Matthew delivered a genuinely moving session on the power of showing up for the people around you — equal parts humor, vulnerability, and inspiration. The room was fully engaged from start to finish, and it set exactly the right tone for the day ahead.

After the morning sessions, the energy shifted — literally. Guests stepped outside to find a jaw-dropping lineup of exotic supercars courtesy of the Napa Valley Car Club: Ferraris, Lamborghinis, a McLaren, a Bentley, and a Porsche lined up under a brilliant blue Napa sky. The convoy made its way through the valley in style, arriving at Round Pond Estate for a private olive oil tasting hosted in the estate's open-air pavilion with vineyard views stretching out to the hills. The afternoon light, the long communal table, the cobalt tasting glasses — it was a photographer's dream.

The evening brought the group to Auro, the celebrated Michelin-starred restaurant at the Four Seasons. The table settings — candlelight, white florals, dark menus with gold script — were as impeccably composed as the food. A perfect close to a perfect day.

Working alongside Arrange & Engage and founder Ashley Ronkowski was a genuine pleasure. Ashley's ability to orchestrate an experience of this caliber — seamlessly moving a group of executives from boardroom to supercar to vineyard to Michelin-starred table — is a testament to why she is one of the best in the corporate event planning business.

If you are planning a corporate executive retreat, leadership offsite, or high-end corporate event in Napa Valley or anywhere in the Bay Area, I would love to work with your team. Great photography doesn't just document the day — it tells the story of your brand and the people who make it exceptional.

2026 AI & Cyber Summit — The Window for Defense Is Closing

I recently photographed the 2026 AI & Cyber Summit, hosted by Menlo Ventures, where cybersecurity leaders, founders, and CISOs gathered to confront a pressing reality: AI-driven threats are advancing faster than traditional defenses can respond.

Featuring speakers from AI heavyweights like Anthropic and OpenAI, alongside the Chief Product Officer of Cisco, the summit explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cyber threat landscape. Discussions focused on behavioral detection, automation, and the growing need for adaptive, AI-powered defense strategies as security teams are forced to operate at machine speed.

Below is a visual recap from the event, capturing keynote moments, panel discussions, and the energy of leaders working to stay ahead of rapidly accelerating threats.

You can read Menlo Ventures’ complete recap of the 2026 AI & Cyber summit here:
https://menlovc.com/perspective/menlos-2026-ai-cyber-summit-the-window-for-defense-is-closing-fast/


Above the City: Photographing an Executive Dinner at Salesforce Tower's Ohana Floor

Corporate Event Photography · San Francisco

61 floors above San Francisco. The Transamerica Pyramid, the Bay, and the Marin headlands just visible through the haze.

The Ohana Floor sits at the top of Salesforce Tower, 61 floors above San Francisco. On a clear evening, the view stretches past the Bay to the Marin headlands. On a foggy one, the city disappears beneath you. Either way, it's not a room you forget.

I was there to photograph an executive dinner hosted at the Ohana Kitchen — a private gathering of technology leaders that combined a multi-course meal, a live pianist, and the kind of candid conversation that happens when serious people finally step away from their desks. My job was to document all of it without getting in the way of any of it.

The Room Before Anyone Arrives

The Ohana Kitchen before guests arrived. The plant wall, the piano, the mosaic dining table — it photographs itself.

I always arrive early. The hour before guests walk in is some of the most useful time of a shoot — the room is still, the light is consistent, and there's no pressure. You can work methodically: wide establishing shots, medium angles, close-in details.

The Ohana Kitchen is a well-designed space. A living plant wall anchors one end of the room. A grand piano sits in the corner. The dining table — long, custom-built, with a blue mosaic inlay running down the center — had been set with folded linen napkins in deep plum, crystal glassware, and printed menu cards for each place setting. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped the other side of the room, the entire San Francisco skyline framed behind every seat.

The Ohana Kitchen menu — November 2, 2023.

Cocktail Hour: Working the Room

My approach during a cocktail hour is to stay on the edges and move slowly. You're not directing anything — you're reading the room, watching for the moments that are about to happen. A laugh that's building. Two people leaning in. A group that's getting comfortable with each other. The best frames from this phase of an event look unstaged because they are.

The living plant wall gave me a consistent, clean backdrop for most of the standing shots. The windows did the rest. When the background handles itself, you can concentrate entirely on the people.

The Transamerica Pyramid over their shoulders. It's the kind of backdrop that makes a portrait feel effortless.

When you're 61 floors up with floor-to-ceiling glass, every portrait has San Francisco in it. The Transamerica Pyramid, the Bay Bridge, the hills behind Oakland — it all lands in the frame without asking. You just have to position your subject right and let the city do the work.

The Food

Passed appetizers from the Ohana Kitchen. You have about five seconds before a tray moves on.

Food photography at events requires speed. A passed tray comes by once, maybe twice. You need to see it coming, get positioned, and get the shot before it's gone. The Ohana Kitchen's catering was clean, well-plated, and worth the frame — golden-fried bites garnished with cilantro and sauce, presented on white platters against the marble surface of the bar.

These images matter beyond the event recap. Catering teams and venues use them in their own marketing. If you're a corporate event planner, food photography is a deliverable your vendors will thank you for.

Dinner: Low Light, Big Views

The full group. Clean, professional, everyone present. This is the image that ends up everywhere after an event.

My goal at any corporate event is to stay unobtrusive. I'm not directing the evening — I'm documenting it. The less people notice the camera, the more natural the images become. For executive-level events especially, that matters. The people in the room didn't come to be photographed. They came to connect, to eat, to be in that room for the night. My job is to capture that experience without interrupting it.

The Ohana Floor made it easy. The space is designed with intention, the light is generous, and the views do a lot of the compositional work on their own. All I had to do was show up ready and move carefully through it.

Inside Anthology Day: A Look Behind the Lens

Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger & Menlo Venture Partner Tim Tully

I had the pleasure of photographing an event hosted by Menlo Ventures at the Anthropic Headquarters in San Francisco. There was great energy in the room as Anthropic’s team walked founders through the incredible capabilities of Claude Code—showcasing how AI can accelerate ideation and innovation.

One of the highlights of the day was a fireside chat with Anthropic CPO and Instagram Co-Founder, Mike Krieger, who shared insight into the future of AI and product design. It was an inspiring afternoon full of collaboration, curiosity, and big ideas.

Check out Menlo Ventures’ recap of the day for more behind-the-scenes moments and reflections from the event.

Agentblazer Ranch Opens at Salesforce Tower

Last week, I had the privilege of photographing the grand opening of Agentblazer Ranch on the 7th floor of Salesforce Tower. The event was a lively celebration featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a unique mocktail bar with creations from Einstein, and plenty of excitement throughout the space.

Guests enjoyed innovative mocktails while mingling and capturing moments with the Salesforce mascots, who roamed the floor posing for photos. The energy in the room was electric as the ribbon was cut, marking the official launch of this dynamic new experience.

This event was a joy to document. The combination of stunning city views, enthusiastic guests, and creative details made for some truly memorable images. Whether it was candid reactions, group shots, or the mascots bringing smiles to attendees, every moment told a story. Stay tuned for more event highlights, and if you need professional photography for your next corporate gathering, let’s connect!

Capturing the Heart of Heirloom Cities: A Collaboration with Heirloom Project

Sri Bodanapu - Founder of Heirloom Project

Recently, I had the pleasure of collaborating with the team at Heirloom Project on their newest endeavor, Heirloom Cities. This project celebrates urban culture and heritage, with the first edition focusing on the dynamic city of Mumbai. As part of the process, I provided both headshots and a video that help tell the story behind this unique book.


Through striking visuals and compelling narratives, Heirloom Cities aims to showcase the neighborhoods, traditions, and people who define Mumbai’s character. It was a truly rewarding experience to contribute to such a creative venture, and I’m excited to see the final product come to life. Stay tuned—this is one you won’t want to miss.

Capturing the Storm: A Rain-Soaked Shoot on Mt. Tamalpais with Michael Lax

Last week, I had the opportunity to shoot with the incredibly talented photographer Michael Lax, known for his stunning landscape and automotive photography. Michael thrives in the elements, always chasing the perfect shot in rain, fog, and rugged terrain.

For this shoot, he was hoping for rain and Mother Nature more than delivered. On the day of our session, an atmospheric river swept through, drenching Mt. Tamalpais in heavy rainfall. Instead of retreating, we embraced the storm, capturing some truly breathtaking images that highlight the raw beauty of nature in extreme weather.


The experience was unforgettable soaked to the bone, surrounded by mist and motion, we created something special. Stay tuned for more shots from this incredible day!






Builder Day 2024

Had a great time photographing Builder Day 2024 hosted by Menlo Ventures & Anthropic. Amazing to see all the different use cases for AI!!

https://menlovc.com/perspective/tripling-down-on-anthropic-why-were-excited-to-continue-investing-in-the-leader-in-the-future-of-ai/

Yosemite Valley - Panorama

I always find that certain places are too spectacular to capture in a single photograph. In these cases it becomes time to stitch together a panoramic photograph. This past January I was in Yosemite Valley early in the morning trying to capture some great shots. I started up at the Tunnel View but the fog was to thick for anything to be seen clearly.

I decided to drive back down into the valley and give the sun a little more time to rise. While driving through the valley the sun began to burn away the fog, making it look like the mountains where steaming. The effect was incredible and I feel this shot does a good job of capturing the morning magic!

 

Pre-Crunchies Cocktail Party

For the third year in a row, I had the opportunity to photograph the Pre-Crunchies cocktail party for Menlo Ventures. It was a great event and always exciting to hear about the crazy new ideas people have. 

You can see the rest of the images from the event here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.966137416754611.1073741844.143600602341634&type=3

Amazing Weekend in Yosemite

Thank you Torrey Fox @TORREYFOXPHOTOGRAPHY for the amazing photo

Thank you Torrey Fox @TORREYFOXPHOTOGRAPHY for the amazing photo

Just got back from a long weekend in Yosemite Valley. Had the special opportunity of being able to stay at the Ahwahnee Hotel before they change the name :(

Friday morning during the trip was really special. The morning started out foggy & cold but as the sun came up it began to burn away the fog making it look like steam was burning away on the mountains. 

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures as much as I did taking them.