A man steps up to the mic with a burst of black feathers where his face should be. Behind him the guitarist has let go of the guitar to clap, and the woman beside them is already laughing.


I photographed a reunion at Carrie's shop in Laguna Beach. She liked the photos and the way I worked, so when her shop's first anniversary and her birthday landed on the same night, she hired me for her own party. And what a party it was: the decor, the outfits, and a room full of people who were just so cool. That's how most of my work comes in: one event leads to the next. If you're planning a year-end party, a corporate event, a gala or a private celebration, here's what that night looked like.


A Mask Changes the Room


It wasn't a costume party, exactly, and it wasn't a Halloween party, even with Halloween around the corner. The theme was masks, and most of the guests were local artists, so they ran with it. A powdered white wig over blue aviators. A cloud of purple feathers. Gold plumes curling off a mask like something from another century. A rubber old man's face with a Hawaiian shirt to match. Two skull masks gone soft with motion under the string lights.


People were just so cool. That's what I remember most.


Most year-end parties ask people to show up as who they are at work. Hand the same people a mask and see who walks in.

Three musicians in hats and sunglasses perform on a lit outdoor stage, with a singer in a floral shirt and a guitarist clapping.
Woman with long wavy brown hair wearing an ornate metallic filigree masquerade mask with golden feathers and a fur-trimmed coat.
Man with gray goatee and red-tinted sunglasses wears a dark patterned shirt, with two other men in sunglasses behind him.
Two women pose together in ornate feathered masquerade masks, one black and one purple, at a festive costume party.
Person in a tall white powdered wig, blue tinted sunglasses and a pink corset costume, smiling backstage beside another person.
Two smiling women at a festive evening party, one wearing an ornate gold masquerade mask and holding a pink drink near string lights.
Smiling woman in a black lace masquerade mask and black dress holding a glass at a lively evening party with guests behind her.
A man in a Hawaiian shirt and comical rubber mask stands beside a woman in a lace masquerade mask and satin robe holding cards.
Two people in white skull masks and dark and red clothing pose together at a festive night celebration with glowing string lights.
Black and white photo of a bald man in sunglasses and a leopard print fur coat chatting with smiling guests at an evening party.
A woman in a black dress and a man in a silver masquerade mask pose together at a festive party with warm string lights and colorful decor.

Four Hours of Band


The band played for four hours, the guitarist in a beret and a loud floral shirt, the singer with her eyes shut. A bartender in a silver mask poured with one hand on the bar. People danced, ate and laughed, and the lights turned everybody pink and then green.

Silver-haired woman in a teal polka-dot top sings into a microphone beside a guitarist during a lively stage performance.
Guitarist in a black beret and colorful floral shirt plays a teal electric guitar on stage near a microphone, with a keyboard player behind.
Woman in a sparkly masquerade mask and a smiling woman clap along at a lively outdoor evening music event, with a performer behind them.
A masked bartender pours a drink into a glass at a rustic outdoor bar with string lights and bottles of red wine in the foreground.
Two smiling people in matching leopard-print faux fur coats chat and laugh at a lively evening event with warm string lights behind them.
Two women in sparkling masquerade masks embrace at a festive evening party, one wearing a black top hat, with a smiling guest behind them.
Blurred motion of people dancing and laughing at a lively outdoor night party with warm string lights glowing in the background.
A man in a dark suit dances with a woman in a sparkling masquerade mask at a festive evening party under glowing purple and orange lights.
Three people in festive masquerade costumes pose closely together at a lively night party, wearing glittery tiaras, masks, and sunglasses.
Black and white photo of two women in masquerade masks and feathered costumes, one in leopard-print gloves, at a festive party.

Then some of them wandered over to the racks. A woman in a Statue of Liberty crown holds up a long black dress and looks it over. Another clutches a jacket to her chest and screams with joy, as if somebody had just handed her the keys to the store. Two others hold on to each other in the middle of it all, a little glass still in one gloved hand.


I was enough there that people knew a camera might find them, and enough not there that it didn't stop anything. Some of them grin straight at me. Others have no idea.

Blonde woman with an excited open-mouth expression holds a black lace garment beside a colorful clothing rack in a vintage boutique.
Woman wearing a Statue of Liberty crown and teal top browses clothing hung on a rack in a cozy vintage shop.
Woman with long blonde hair and sunglasses in a patterned dress browses racks of colorful clothing in a vintage boutique.
Smiling young woman with long hair looks over her shoulder while browsing clothing racks in a boutique, black and white photo.
Two smiling women in ornate decorative masquerade masks pose closely together at a festive evening party, one with a detailed arm tattoo.
Two women embrace at a festive event, one wearing a sparkling masquerade mask, black hat, necklace and leather gloves.
Black and white photo of a smiling woman in a lace masquerade mask being kissed on the cheek by a man at a festive party.
Two smiling women in festive masks and costumes laugh together while holding drinks at a lively, warmly lit outdoor party.
A woman in a leopard-print fur-trimmed coat stands beside a tattooed man in sparkly glasses and dark shirt making a hand gesture indoors.
Guests mingle at a lively evening party on a patio, one wearing a leopard print fur coat while a blonde woman in black chats nearby.

What Your Year-End Party Can Borrow


The idea travels well: one theme everybody can play with, live music, food, and a reason to celebrate that belongs to you and not the calendar. A company closing out a good year, a restaurant, a shop, a team that earned a night out. By the next morning the masks are in a drawer and the band has gone home, and the photos are what's left of it.


Planning a year-end party? Here's how I cover events.


A Few Questions About Booking a Party

How do I book you for a year-end party?

Through the contact page. Tell me the date, the place and what you're celebrating. A 50% retainer holds the date.


What kinds of events do you cover?

Private parties, corporate events, year-end and holiday parties, galas, fundraisers and milestone celebrations.


Where do you work, and what does it cost?

Across Orange County, including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Irvine. Event coverage starts at $990 for two hours, then $400 for each additional hour.


Mariano Alvarez Photography covers events, personal branding, couples and family sessions across Orange County, including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Irvine. I photograph private parties, corporate celebrations, galas and fundraisers. More about me here.


Have a party coming up? Let's talk about it.