For the Love Photography Blog

Ventura County Family Photography: Emma and Ella

2011-12-30T08:30:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorite sessions ever! I say that a lot, because I'm lucky to have amazing clients who bring so much to their photos and each session is special or unique. However, these two cousins, who just happen to look like little dolls in these photos, are super sweet and have some of the most wonderful parents ever.

We collaborated to bring some of the pieces together for a "rustic picnic chic" look (no easy task in balmy southern California) and with their matching outfits, I think you'll agree that this one is epic cute. I've been saving this one for after Christmas as this session was partly a surprise for their lucky grandmother. Plus, this is a perfect way to cap off my posts about the fall/winter holiday sessions we did this year.

Happy Holidays!

Los Angeles Family Photography: Elissa

2011-12-29T08:00:00.002-06:00

Elissa's little girl was just a few months old when we did a holiday session last year. My how things have changed! She's got quite a lot of personality now and is very fun and energetic. You can tell Elissa loves being a mom and although her sweet little girl did not stay still for very long, she did allow us to play and take photos for almost an hour.

I had a great time capturing their beautiful family. And yes, it's the same basket! She still fits in it, but not for long. Elissa, thanks for letting me spend a beautiful day with you and Miss Z in gorgeous Marina del Rey!

Enjoy!

Chicago Headshot Photography: Areck

2011-12-28T08:30:00.000-06:00

I can't stress enough the importance of getting professional headshots, whether it's for a website, professional online profile, or printed material for your company. They can be affordable if you want something simple and do just a little planning ahead. Areck came to me needing just one or two photos but realized that having a professional photographer take them would add that extra polish. So next time you're uploading a profile photo to your website or LinkedIn, don't crop that vacation photo! Call a professional and get something nice done.

Los Angeles Family Photography: John and Guille

2011-12-26T09:00:00.002-06:00

It's always fun and amazing for me to photograph little kids for their annual holiday sessions. They change so much from year to year, and John and Guille's adorable daughter was no exception. Last year she toddled around and mostly just played, but this year she's bilingual, she wanted to organize her stuffed animals, and she can literally run around. It was a challenge to get her into the photo with her parents, but well worth it when I saw her sweet smile in some of the frames.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T18:34:00.001-06:00

I love the holiday season and especially enjoy receiving holiday cards with updates and photos from many friends and family. As we prepared for this year's card, I had trouble deciding what photo to put on it. Friday didn't enjoy last year's photo session too much so I thought I would make it easier this year and basically capture her doing what she does best: taking an afternoon snooze.

In my mind, I thought it would be simple: I'd just wait for her to get tired and then slip the small Santa hat we bought on her (which was an adventure to acquire just on its own - Scott nearly killed me as I dragged him from pet store to craft store searching for a miniture Santa hat). Yet despite running her around in the park before we took this picture, we get everything set up and of course she was wide awake and alert. Only after putting on her hat and trying to get her to pose for a few minutes did she finally give up and curl up to sleep for the perfect Christmas photo. I hope you enjoy the results as much as we do!

We wish you a very joyous holiday and a happy New Year!

Merry Everything,

Ventura County Family Photography: Ken and Lauren

2011-11-22T09:00:00.011-06:00

There really aren't enough superlatives to describe this family! They have been with me since the very beginning and I am blessed to call them dear friends. I got to photograph the very beginning of Lauren's pregnancy, then maternity photos, and then their baby as a newborn. They are wonderful, fun, creative, patient, incredibly supportive, and their daughter is insanely adorable. I love this holiday session because they have a great sense of style and Lauren actually made the beautiful burlap holiday banner that's in the background and brought most of the props herself.

Ken and Lauren, thank you for believing in me all along. I love these photos and I love your family!

Enjoy!

Joe and Jenny: Ventura County Family Photography Holiday Session

2011-11-17T09:45:00.004-06:00

You may remember this little cutie from her newborn session when she was just a couple weeks old. She has, if it's possible, gotten even cuter because now she reacts to things that are going on around her and has one of the most adorable little giggles I've ever heard. Her parents are very patient and sweet with her, making this session really fun. We were going for a fall theme and even managed to secure a lovely Christmas tree lot location, but alas it was almost 80 degrees in California that weekend. Not that I was complaining...

Jenny and Joe, thank you for allowing me to capture your family again! I feel so blessed to get your sweet little girl in front of the camera twice this year.

Enjoy!

Wisconsin Apple Farm

2011-11-14T09:30:00.004-06:00

Ever since I saw the movie "Baby Boom" (great 80s movie, by the way if you haven't seen it) I totally wanted to live on an Apple Farm. Well, maybe not live on one, but at least go apple picking and drink hot cider at one. On a recent trip to Lake Geneva, we detoured for a tour of this gorgeous apple farm as well as an apple cider doughnut. Yum! And who wouldn't want to purchase a peck of apples? It's not like you can do that every day.

It was on this trip that I really had to embrace fall. You see, I don't like fall very much because it just means winter is around the corner. I know there are so many people that love the four seasons, but I'm just not one of them. The thing is, however, that fall can be really beautiful and it's going to happen no matter what. So I am learning to enjoy it as best I can and the scenery was truly beautiful.

How do you like them apples?!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:45:00.003-05:00

Buzz Buzz Buzz! This year Friday is a Bumblebee. No tricks, she just wanted treats and in the last photo she is sneaking over to get one.

What I've Been Up To...

2011-10-12T19:58:00.000-05:00

Things have been quite busy and I apologize the blog has been so neglected lately. Friday just graduated from Puppy School and we've been enjoying a lovely Indian Summer. Still, that's no excuse, so here are a couple other updates on what's going on with us and the studio!

- I'm obsessed with Pinterest! Those of you that know me probably have seen the stacks of magazines and clippings I keep around as inspiration for shoots or things I love. Pinterest allows me to keep this up, minus the clutter, plus share/stalk others' boards for inspiration as well. If you'd like to follow each other, please leave your link in the Comments section.

- One of the things I'm looking at on Pinterest and Etsy are inspirations for fall photo shoots and newborn shoots. There must be something in the water; tons of ladies I know are pregnant or just gave birth, so I am super excited about some newborn and baby shoots coming up! How adorable is this Aspen Leaf Mobile? I love the idea of incorporated leaves or acorns into a photo shoot!

- When we moved to Chicago, we were dismayed to find the lack of fresh, organic produce especially in the winter months. (True story: Scott once paid $6 for a tomato at Whole Foods - lesson learned, check the prices before you buy and don't go to Whole Foods in the dead of winter when the produce is terrible everywhere else. He claims he was mesmerized by all the gorgeous looking produce and I'm inclined to believe him). This summer, we decided to make use of our balcony and grow a mini-garden. Not wanting to get too ambitious we planted several tomato plants and a variety of herbs. The herbs have been doing fabulously. The tomatoes, however are another story. This summer was very late to warm up, so this is our bumper crop (minus two cherry tomatoes that Friday ate):

I think there's enough for exactly two celebratory bruschetta, what do you think?

- I bought the 100mm Macro lens and I simply adore it! It's an amazing portrait lens but beyond that playing with that 1:1 macro capability is astounding. I walk around and take pictures of ordinary things that are simply beautiful through this amazing lens. Here are some I took just yesterday:

You can get even closer...

And closer still!

That's all for now!

Holiday Collections and Cards 2011

2011-10-11T21:00:00.001-05:00

Halloween isn't even here yet but For the Love Photography is in full holiday mode! Holiday sessions are already booking and to help you prepare, we're offering Holiday Collections for the months of October-December. So even if you aren't ready to break out the tinsel and candy canes, contact the studio today to get your holiday photo sessions and cards in order.

I'm very pleased to once again offer a selection of holiday photo cards for the 2011 season. Cards take about 10 business days to reach you, so keep that in mind when ordering so you have time to send them out! Last day to order cards this year is December 2, 2011.

Holiday Card Details:

- 5x7" on heavyweight paper, full-color printing on both sides
- White envelopes
- All templates have customizable text and photos
- Some cards have back side options such as postcard, photo, or family story options
- Minimum order of 50 cards, additional packs of 25 may be added

If you booked a Holiday Collection this year you'll receive 50 holiday flat cards as part of your session. If you would like to purchase additional packs or you did not purchase the Holiday Collection but would like cards, please contact me!
To see the full selection of cards this year (without the pesky watermarks), please visit my Facebook fanpage HERE.

Already humming "Jingle Bells,"

San Diego Wedding: Emily and Graham

2011-08-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

If you had to pick one word to describe Graham and Emily's wedding, it would probably be JOY. These two approach life and their relationship with a sense of adventure and fun, so it's no surprise that their wedding was a reflection of this sentiment. They are truly meant for each other and as friends and family gathered to celebrate their union, the outpouring of joy continued from the moment they began setting up to the very last dance (and Graham and Emily really know how to dance).

It's always an honor to document someone's special day, and even more so when it's someone you are friends with. I was thrilled when the brilliant Nick of Nicholas Donner Photography asked me to assist him at this gorgeous San Diego wedding. Be sure to check out his blog for even more photos from the day.

Enjoy!

Tim and Ayla: Wedding

2011-06-25T14:04:00.002-05:00

When Tim and Ayla got engaged, they decided they wanted an intimate weekend that truly reflected the joining of their families. Their beautiful June wedding was just that with those they loved most literally flying in from all over the world to celebrate their marriage. The festivities started Thursday and didn't end until Sunday and by Friday everyone was so close it was hard to tell who was on the bride's side and who was on the groom's side.

Tim and Ayla, you are two wonderful people who I am overjoyed found each other. Congratulations!

The gorgeous Settler's Inn served as the amazing backdrop for their ceremony and much of the weekend's festivities. It was very remote and quite a trek for the guests to get to, but well worth the trip.

Ayla is a veterinarian and loves horses, so it was very sweet that her parents surprised her with a horse-drawn carriage to take her to the ceremony.

Wedding: Tom and Dana

2011-06-05T10:00:00.029-05:00

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Washington, D.C. was getting to spend time with my good friend Nick Donner of Nicholas Donner Photography. Nick is an amazing photographer and I had the absolute honor of helping him photograph a wedding. I just love a wedding at a golf course and Tom and Dana's laid-back affair at the Argyle Country Club in Silver Spring, Maryland was no exception. (Who doesn't like a bride wheeling around in a golf cart in her wedding dress?)

The weather was perfect and we couldn't get enough of the beautiful light against all the greenery. To top it off, both the bride and groom could not have been kinder. They immediately made us feel like old friends and their guests urged us to kick up our heels out on the dance floor. Thank you, everyone and especially Tom and Dana, for making the experience so enjoyable!

Be sure to check out Nick's blog for more photos from the day!

Ventura Family Photography: Ryan and Katie

2011-05-16T10:00:00.016-05:00

When I was home recently Southern California decided to have amazing weather and I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend part of my Sunday afternoon than at the beach taking photos. My brother in law and his family hadn't taken photos since my niece was very young so we decided we'd sneak in a quick mini-session. It probably wasn't his first choice for a Sunday afternoon activity, but Ryan was a good sport anyway!

To top it off, he recently proposed to Katie and we are very excited that they are now planning their wedding. So it was a fun time to show off her new ring and celebrate their engagement with some photos of just the two of them as well. And of course, from a totally unbiased point of view, my niece is super cute! I love spending time with them.

Enjoy!

Seriously, how gorgeous does Katie look here? And you can see where my niece gets her looks from!

Ventura County Newborn Photographer: Baby Emma

2011-05-06T10:31:00.002-05:00

This shoot was really special for me for several reasons. First, I was able to photograph a newborn baby before she was even two weeks old, which is the perfect time to schedule a newborn session. Second, baby Emma is the cousin of another cutie I've photographed and I can't wait to photograph the girls together someday! Last but not least, being invited into someone's home just after the birth of their baby is so amazing and Jenny and Joe honored me immensely by asking me take some of the first photos of them as a family.

I'm sure you'll agree after seeing some of my favorite photos that Emma is an absolutely adorable! When I look back at the photos it's hard not to just eat her up. Jenny and Joe are such natural, loving parents the entire session was such a pleasure.

Enjoy!

Baby Knox: Newborn Photography

2011-04-27T09:00:00.006-05:00

I had a great time spending a Saturday morning with sweet little baby Knox. He was super alert and did not want to sleep for the photos, so I had fun watching him fight it off with yawns and wiggle around.

Enjoy!

Spring is Near... Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Friday does not enjoy when I dress her up very much, but this was much less tedious for both of us than her reindeer antlers from Christmas since they fit a little better. She does enjoy getting in the spirit of a holiday. And we are all enjoying 60 degree weather that actually feels like spring this weekend.

Happy Easter!

The Details

2011-03-10T12:37:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, like in life, the details are the most beautiful part. These are from a lovely sunny day at the Santa Paula Airport.

Enjoy the little things!

It's Snow Joke - A California Girl Survives a Midwest Winter

2011-02-28T09:30:00.000-06:00

I've been asked many times since moving to the Midwest, "How are you surviving the winter?" Surviving is a good word, since winters here are much more brutal than most parts of the country. Back in September, I had these (naive) visions of just being able to throw on cute tights and scarves with all of my regular winter outfits, like all the tv shows and movies in Manhattan show. Well, this is not Manhattan and those people must be FREEZING. The February Me now laughs at the September Me...

You may remember an earlier post where I shared my new winter coat and boot combo, as well as my dismay that cold weather seems to herald a complete lack of caring what you look like. Well, for the most part that's not entirely true... unless it's below 10 degrees, then pretty much anything goes - you can wrap your down comforter around your head for all anyone cares.

Here are some of my other (less crazy looking) cold-weather must-haves!

1 - Sally Hansen Cuticle Oil Pen - try to salvage your nails from all cracking with this
2 - Anthropologie Fleece Lined Leggings - because really, tights won't cut it
3 - Ugg moccasins - for inside goodness, love these as much as my boots
4 - Frye Over the Knee Boots - covers as much of your legs as possible
5 - Eddie Bauer Cashmere Scarf and Gloves - cheaper wool just itches
6 - Kiehl's Rose Arctica Face Cream - for day, so your skin doesn't feel like a lizard
and Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Cream - light, but keeps your face from feeling tight
7 - Old Navy Fleece Pants - so cheap, you can buy several pairs to lounge around in

A Winter's Tale

2011-02-07T17:39:00.000-06:00

I've been MIA a little this January as I've been hibernating slightly through my first Chicago winter. Thankfully, we were in Cozumel, Mexico for last week's heavy winter blizzard. Before those in the Midwest and East hate me too much, though, we're back and it is snowing again. Forecast says -10 degrees tonight, and a high of 11 degrees tomorrow. So winter continues...

Still, it can be very beautiful. I snapped these photos as I went out to get the mail today.

The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blow;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snow.

- Robert Burns

Reflection and Favorites: 2010

2010-12-30T09:45:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure what it is about this time of year, but I've gone from really disliking to kind of loving the end of the year. It's a sentimental time, after all the wrapping paper has been put away and winter has really set in. Maybe it's because of the movie When Harry Met Sally when New Year's Eve plays such a pivotal role in their love story or the fact that I love Auld Lang Syne (and Robert Burns, the poet who authored the piece that became the song).

The lyrics of Auld Lang Syne remind us to remember old times and cherish relationships. A photographer who I really admire (and am honored to have taken her workshop) repeatedly reminds us photographers to do this as well. It's easy to get tied up in creating, in the artistic side of this business and forget how important the brand and relationships we've built are. Reflection also allows us to constantly grow and learn. I'm proud of the photographer I've become, but even more proud that I've gotten so much better over time and constantly am seeking ways to improve.

Below, I'm sharing some of my favorite moments from this past year at For the Love Photography. How blessed I am to capture these special moments and help people turn their memories into works of art! Thank you for sharing in and supporting my journey.

To my mostly silent readers, please feel free to comment on this one. :)

Happy New Year!

Ventura County Family Photographer: Smith/Mattesich Family

2010-12-28T09:00:00.001-06:00

When you have the opportunity to get everyone in one place for the holidays, it's often a hectic but perfect time to capture a family photo. I was thrilled when Sherry called and asked about a quick session because her family has been an important part of my life. My brother and I grew up with her kids (who now have kids of their own!) and one of her sons is a wonderful pastor who performed our wedding. You couldn't meet a nicer group of people and I am honored to take their family photos this year.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-24T08:00:00.012-06:00

Overheard as I attempted to take this photo:

Sit.
Sit, Friday!
Please stop moving your head.
Oh, don't look at me like that!
I'll give you a treat if you sit still.
Just ooooooooone more second...
No, sit!
Please?
You actually look pretty cute.
Sit, Friday!
Please stop eating your antlers.
I know it's silly.
Please hold still.
You're still glaring at me!
I'm sorry, puppy.
I know you're not meant to have antlers.
This is going to look great on Christmas cards.
It's almost over, I promise.
Sit?

Thanks, girl. Good dog. :)

Happy Holidays from Scott, Jamie, and Friday the Reindeer!

Chicago Product Photographer: Caitlin Greene Collection

2010-12-20T12:30:00.000-06:00

This session was a real fun, challenging departure for me from my regular portrait or event sessions. Caitlin is a new friend in Chicago and a seriously talented artist who makes jewelry as one of her really amazing creative outlets. She needed some better photos to showcase her beautiful pieces and so I tried my hand at product photography.

I can't pretend to be an expert in this area, but if you're interested in photography let me share some of what I learned. If you're not, you can skip the next two paragraphs! I hope this can help those out there who would like to take better photos of products for something you want to list (for example on Etsy or Ebay).

People are becoming more and more sophisticated in taking photos of their products, so you can't get away with posting blurry snapshots anymore. To start, you can find lots of tips in books and online forums. Some of my best advice came from the Strobist blog (tons of DIY and budget ideas) and Scott Kelby, who also sells books with a range of camera advice.

Since the backdrop was so simple, I ended up lighting these with just an off-camera flash in a softbox and a couple Cyber Syncs (a great alternative to Pocket Wizards if you're using them only occasionally like me). I learned about Cyber Syncs through a photographer friend who uses them at weddings and for shooting real estate photos. These were just so much better than using Canon's built in infrared to trigger my remote flash.

But enough about photography! Here is a small sampling of some of Caitlin's gorgeous pieces, and if you like what you see you should head on over to her website to see more and for information about purchasing items.

Enjoy!

Ventura County Family Photographer: Ken and Lauren

2010-12-17T09:30:00.001-06:00

It's hard to believe the last time I took pictures of Ken and Lauren their little girl was only three weeks old! Ella still has her sweet newborn disposition, but she's now babbling, crawling around and pulling herself up. She is one of the happiest babies and didn't seem to mind a bit when we put her in a basket for this rustic fall themed session.

It's so special that I've been able to document Ella's growth from baby bump to now, and I'm honored that Ken and Lauren continue to invite me to be a small part of their family journey. This is kind of a big post because I had trouble narrowing down photos of Ella. I love them all! Here are some favorites.

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Family Photographer: John and Guille

2010-12-13T09:30:00.003-06:00

I was really excited to meet up with John and Guille on the west side of Los Angeles for this session. I'd attended Guille's baby shower and seen regular photo updates of her baby girl, but only met her once. Their daughter is just shy of a year old in these photos and what a personality! She has the cutest expressions and occasionally when really excited sticks her tongue out! I couldn't take enough photos of that!

I love capturing the little quirks and mannerisms that are specific to an age - when she looks back ten, twenty years from now she'll point to the photos and ask "Why did I stick my tongue out?" And John and Guille will be able to smile and laugh and say, "You just did at that age!" Those are the reasons it's so great to take regular family photos and capture those fleeting phases and cute faces.

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Newborn Photographer: Greg and Elissa

2010-12-10T09:30:00.017-06:00

What is better than getting to photograph a six week old baby? Also capturing images of a brand new family! Baby Zooey was still less than two months old when we did this fun session in Los Angeles and I loved every minute of it!

I first met Elissa a couple years ago and was totally taken with her whip-smart wit and sense of humor. When she proposed taking photos of her newborn baby outside somewhere I paused for a moment. I usually take newborn photos within the first two weeks of life and in their home, with a heater running on full blast. Then I realized what a fun creative challenge this would be and that Elissa and Greg would be the perfect parents to do this kind of session with - well prepared but laid back enough to make it work.

It was a little chilly, but we wrapped Zooey up and worked quickly to capture a few images of her in her adorable dress. The fading autumn light in these photos is absolutely gorgeous and I'm so glad we were able to take advantage of the last nice week in southern California. Here are a few favorites...

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Family Photographer: Frank and Arin

2010-12-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

This family session was the first time I've worked with a family with older kids, and I had such a blast! Frank and Arin wanted some more traditional posed family photos, but once we got that out of the way they let the kids do whatever they wanted. Zach and Bayla both were so fun and full of personality. They enjoyed ribbing each other about how they were posing, as most brothers and sisters do, but neither was shy about getting in front of the camera. The result are some of the most fun interactions I've ever captured in a family session!

Enjoy!

Chicago Children's Photographer: Birthday Party

2010-12-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

When Caitlin asked me to come take photos at her daughter's fourth birthday party, I wasn't sure what to expect. I haven't been to a kids' birthday party since, well, I was a kid! The party was held at The Little Gym, which is kind of like a kids' paradise of things to climb on and jump on.

Trying to keep up with twenty four-year-olds highlighted how much I've been skipping the gym lately, but I couldn't help but smile when looking at these images at the sheer delight and energy all the kids had. After playtime, we headed into a party room to eat burritos and cupcakes. One little girl ate all the frosting off her cupcake and handed it back. Love that! Isn't that how we should live life, just taking the best part and enjoying it fully? Kind of makes me want to be four again.

Dreaming of just the frosting,

Los Angeles Family Photographer: Mark and Lisa

2010-12-01T21:28:00.000-06:00

I was really excited when Lisa's husband, Mark, and her son came for their family session. I love working with elementary school age kids because they usually like to be involved in the session. He was even better than I expected - funny and sweet and expressive - and obviously very close to both Mark and his mom.

This whole session was so great for me. I think you can see in the photos what a warm, lighthearted family they are who like to laugh together.

Here are some favorites!

Los Angeles Family Photographer Sneak Peek: John and Guille

2010-11-29T11:41:00.001-06:00

I couldn't resist sharing this sneak peek at a great family session with John, Guille, and their adorable little girl. More to come very soon...

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Portrait Photographer: Mary

2010-11-28T22:55:00.001-06:00

It's been almost a year since I'd last seen Mary and we did a great session in Pasadena. We both have since moved out of state, so it was exciting to get back together and be amongst friends in LA. I'm a sucker for great shoes, so I was pretty excited when she brought out a killer dress and some seriously FIERCE shoes. Add some amazing light and this mini session turned out fantastic.

Mary, thanks for bringing sexy back. :) Here's a peek at her session.

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Family Photographer: Anastasia

2010-11-25T09:00:00.003-06:00

As part of a larger session, we did mini-sessions with some of the ladies and their families. Anastasia was a little worried at first that her adorable little girl would feel too shy around me to pose for photos. Once she warmed up, though, we got a few smiles and she revealed her sweet personality. And those eyes! She has some of the most soulful eyes I've ever seen a little girl have.

Here are a few from our quick session...

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Portrait Photographer: Elissa and Friends

2010-11-24T14:06:00.002-06:00

This was one of my longest (almost four hours!) sessions but also one of the most fun. When Elissa contacted me about doing a session with some of her close girlfriends, their significant others, and families I was like, "I'm in!" From the first moment we all met, they made me feel like one of them and we happily got to know each other while they caught up, primped, deck changed (!) and took some photos. They were such a fun and kind group.

Thank you all for welcoming me and special thanks to Elissa for putting this together!

First up, some photos of just the beautiful ladies...

Enjoy!

Los Angeles Family Photography: Mike and Blanca

2010-11-19T15:24:00.001-06:00

It's hard for me to put into words how wonderful this family is! Mike and Blanca have done so much for my husband and I - as a mentor to Scott, as some of the first people to believe in me as a photographer, as fabulous hosts, and now as kind friends. I first captured photos of them last summer (blog post here) and this year I was thrilled to take family photos with their newest addition, a gorgeous baby girl.

We headed out to Malibu on a day that threatened rain but turned out beautiful. Then we headed over to the beach and played around in the sand. Their kids were so good, posing and giggling together and they clearly radiate with love for each other. Thank you all for making the trek out!

Here are a few of my favorites from this great session!

Enjoy!

This precious little girl looks so much like her gorgeous mama! And she grinned the ENTIRE session!

I found this adorable vintage tin sandpail on Etsy and it ended up working out perfectly!

Holiday Cards 2010

2010-11-15T17:17:00.003-06:00

I'm very pleased to offer a selection of holiday photo cards for the 2010 season. Some of the details are listed below, but please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Cards take about 10 business days to reach you, so keep that in mind when ordering so you have time to send them out! Last day to order cards this year is December 5, 2010.

Holiday Card Details:
- 5x7" on heavyweight paper, full-color printing on both sides
- White envelopes with matching sealing stickers
- Back option: print postcard information on white background to save postage
- Other back option: leave blank white in order to write personal messages
- Sold in packs of 25 cards

If you purchased a Holiday Session this year you'll receive 50 holiday flat cards as part of your session. If you would like to purchase additional packs or you did not purchase the Holiday Session but would like cards, please contact me!

To see the full selection of cards this year (without the pesky watermarks), please visit my website HERE and click on "portfolio" then go to the Holiday Card 2010 viewing gallery.

Sample 1 Front

Sample 1 Back

Sample 2 Front

Sample 2 Back

Parke County Bridges

2010-11-09T11:56:00.001-06:00

For our anniversary, we decided to go on a drive to nearby Parke County, Indiana. (I know, we sound so old, right?) We've been so busy with work that we wanted to do something low-key that we could also bring Friday along. Slightly less famous than Madison County, Iowa (at least to those not from the Midwest), Parke County actually has a larger number of old covered bridges.

It was the perfect time of year to drive around there. The leaves were in full color and it was still quite warm. It was a challenge to capture just how beautiful the scenery and these historic bridges were.

Happy fall!

The City Series (Part 2)

2010-10-31T11:00:00.002-05:00

Enjoy!

Winter Gear Up

2010-10-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

I love that scene in When Harry Met Sally when they are walking through Central Park and the leaves are all golden and red around them. Lately it's been like a scene right out of that movie. The weather has turned cool, crisp, and the leaves are changing like, well, fall!

As pretty as fall can be, it also is ushering in winter and it was becoming abundantly clear that I was not at all ready for this. Everyone I've met here asks me two questions when we first meet: "Where are you moving from?" and "Have you ever lived in a place with a real winter?" This is usually followed by a chuckle and "Oh, you're going to HATE winter. Be sure to buy the right coat and boots."

Telling this to a girl from a beach town in southern California is like telling an Eskimo to bring a bathing suit to the beach. I had no clue what the "right" boots and coat were. I sort of looked around and was taken by a winter white parka with a tan faux fur hood trim (my ideas of what people wore in the snow were limited to ski trips and Norman Rockwell paintings of people ice skating). That's when my husband realized he was going to have to intervene.

With his help (and my mother-in-law, bless her) I chose a below the knee down coat from Patagonia. In black. Yes, I feel like I really live in Chicago now that I can walk around this winter looking like a sleeping bag. In LA, where form matters more than function, I wouldn't be caught dead in that coat. But it is incredibly warm and I'm willing to be practical when it comes to staying warm.

For good measure, I also bought a pair of rain boots. In this department, I decided to veer slightly from the totally practical and buy a pair of Hunter boots. Although these are very good rain boots, I probably paid a little more for the name and the fuzzy inserts because they are sort of iconic and stylish too. As I purchased them, Scott could tell I had visions of traipsing around the English countryside like Kate Moss or the Queen of England.

Very kindly, he let me buy them anyway and ever since I've been thinking how well it might go with a Burberry scarf...

Ready as I'll ever be for the winter,

Caitlin and Josh: Chicago Family Photography session

2010-10-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun hanging out with Caitlin and Josh and their two adorable children a couple weekends ago at the Lincoln Park Zoo. We braved the first real week of fall weather we've had in Chicago, which I've found veers from very brisk to super sunny. By the way, people here CRACK UP when I tell them that this weather in early October (low 60s during the day, 40s at night) is like winter in Southern California.

It definitely was on the cooler side during the session but the sun kept popping out, making metering a challenge when I'm also trying to keep up with two very active kids. Parents, I don't know how you do it! Josh and Caitlin made it look easy and their fun, laid-back style is reflected in this casual and playful session.

And yes, they are all ridiculously good-looking!

Enjoy!

Chicago Family Photographer: Sneak Peek!

2010-10-06T19:47:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited about this session, I had to post a couple photos. Look for the full blog post tomorrow!

2010 Holiday Session Package

2010-09-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

Those of you that know me well are familiar with my love of the holiday season and while I'm sad that summer is fading I'm super excited to start booking holiday sessions. No matter how convenient emailing and Facebook have made keeping friends and family updated, nothing can replace a beautiful photo and note in an annual card or newsletter. Make sure you have plenty of time for yours and book your sessions now!

Already humming carols,

Indiana Summer

2010-08-25T09:32:00.000-05:00

Exploring just outside of Chicago, we took a roadtrip recently and looked at Indiana Dunes State Park and New Buffalo, Michigan.

Enjoy!

Friday was happy to run into this Goldendoodle.

Summer in the City

2010-08-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

... calls for long walks, exploring our new neighborhood, and playing with (happily cone-free) puppy.

I love summer!

City Series (Part 1)

2010-08-11T11:31:00.000-05:00

While I love producing portraits that are classic and beautiful, sometimes I want to experiment with the more artistic side of photography. When looking at some fashion spreads or the work of David LaChapelle, I'm inspired and fascinated by the creative process and how artists can push boundaries. Recently, I started walking around the streets of my new city and marveling at how much more urban and old looking everything from the fixtures to the buildings look.

I snapped photos of some of the grittier aspects - the exposed brick, telephone poles, and urban skylines juxtaposed with the more beautiful side of the city such as the trees of the parks, Victorian architecture, and blue skies. Then, in Photoshop, I experimented with textures and color. The result is the first of my City Series and is far different than my normal blog posts, but I think that is kind of fun.

What do you think?

Enjoy!

Hello, Gorgeous!

2010-08-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

Scott surprised me with this little gem last week and I've been enjoying watching videos and reading books on its huge screen. Well, huge compared to my iPod touch! I can't stand the iPhone's keypad but on the iPad it's big enough that my fingers don't accidentally bump four extra keys. Plus, I feel exclusive getting something that is supposedly really tough to get, although when we went in the Apple store on Sunday to buy a case for it, they had tons of iPads and cases they were selling. Oh well. It's still exciting and shiny!

Loving it!

The Cone of Shame

2010-07-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

First off, if you don't get the reference to the "cone of shame" you should immediately go out and rent "Up" - although a Disney cartoon, it is good for adults and one of the sweetest movies you'll ever see. You will especially enjoy it if you like dogs!

I haven't posted about Friday lately and several people were asking how she is doing. In general, the answer is she is doing great. However, we took Friday to get fixed yesterday. I hated to do it, but that is part of being a responsible dog owner. When I went in to pick her up, they told me she can't run, jump, or play and absolutely under no circumstance should she lick the incision. The kind vet assistant told me, "It shouldn't be a problem today because they're so out of it she'll probably just sleep." Of course, then when she brought Friday out two seconds later she was wriggling, jumping up my leg, and promptly started licking her wound.

I brought her home and she was so tired and sore she could only lay around and whimper... and lick her incision! So to top it all off, I am hanging out all day with a dog in a cone. I can't help but laugh because it is comical watching her trying to get around. Still, she is having a regular puppy pity party for herself and doing her best to try to make me feel guilty enough to remove the cone.

Trying to stay strong,

Here she is trying not to fall asleep. Actually, she's probably glaring at me.

Scott and Sarah: Wedding

2010-07-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite photos ever is from the night I arrived: I'm in my mom's arms and I'm staring at my brother and reaching out for him, the joy on my face apparent as I grasp to be held by him. We don't get to choose our family, but in my case my family chose me. And since then I've been struck by how choice reflects a deeper and greater love than I could have imagined, for it belies a purpose and clarity of mind. From the moment that picture was taken, my brother chose to take care of his baby sister and set about being the best big brother a four-year-old could be.

Throughout our lives, we've fought and cried and laughed with each other, but more importantly we chose to pray and hope for each other. I've spent years praying for my brother's future wife; that she be a Godly woman and as giving of her time as he is since he has such a gift for mentoring young people; that he would recognize that she was chosen for him and it would be clear who she was... and that she can handle his long showers and stubborn will! I'm very happy that he found such a woman and more in Sarah.

On Saturday, June 26th, they chose each other for life and began the new adventure of being married.

Enjoy!

P.S. Sarah and Scott's very talented photographer, Marissa of Maharaj Photography posted some incredible images from their day on her blog here.

Scott and Sarah: Rehearsal & Dinner

2010-07-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

The day before their wedding, my brother and his fiancee gathered with friends and family for their wedding rehearsal and dinner. (You may remember the engagement shoot we did last year). It was such a fun time to come together to meet new family and catch up with old friends. I couldn't help but snap some photos on the eve of their wedding to capture the joy as the anticipation and preparation all began to come together.

Up in the Air

2010-07-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

It seems I've been spending a lot of time in airports and on planes lately. When I was home a couple weeks ago, however, I went on a very different plane ride. My dad has been working on his pilot's license and took me over the the Oxnard Airport to show me around. While we were there, his good friend Ron was kind enough to take us up for a short flight. I didn't have my camera with me, so I captured a few shots of our adventure on my dad's camera. This is not some flimsy point-and-shoot - my dad has many hobbies, and photography is a big one. He is the one who got me into photography in the first place and bought me my first "nice" film camera.

Soaring above the Ventura foothills, Oxnard, and even glimpsing Santa Paula I was amazed at how the places I had walked and driven thousands of times looked so much more amazing from the air. I was reminded again of one of my favorite Bible verses - Psalm 121. I lift my eyes up to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Being so high up sure puts everything in perspective.

Enjoy!

Graham and Emily: Just Because

2010-07-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Graham and Emily are two of the most fun people I've ever met. I've known Graham since middle school and I'd never met anyone who lived with his exuberance and love of life (or who could tear it up on a dance floor quite like him)... until I met Emily. Together, these two are quite a pair.

On our recent camping trip, we went out for a walk (I would say "hike" but Scott informed me if I'm doing it in flip flops or Uggs it doesn't count as a hike) and I saw this rock formation with a tree. I was like, I have to climb this thing and take goofy pictures. When Graham and Emily happened to come along, they were like, "We wanna take goofy pictures too!" I'm always looking for willing subjects to pose!

You can read Emily's more complete post on our whole camping trip here.

The result, I hope, captures just a small piece of what fun and fantastic people they truly are.

Couldn't have asked for better subjects. Statues? No problem!

Look at that air!

Into the Wild

2010-06-30T13:22:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, a couple we are friends with posed a great idea: why not get a group of friends from childhood along with their significant others and children together for a camping trip? We're all so busy and spread out now, it would be a chance to catch up and spend time together. A wonderful idea, except if you know me. You see, I do not camp. As in, I do not go places that do not have electrical plugs, working toliets and showers, and non-dirt floors. I consider a quaint cabin at say, the Awahnee in Yosemite camping.

This is not to say that I have not camped before. Oh, I've car-camped. I've backpacked. I've stayed in a tent just outside Tijuana, Mexico and bathed out of a bucket. So when people say, "You don't camp AT ALL?" in disbelief this is not because I have not tried it before. I just don't see the point. A good friend told me that she thinks camping is like pretending to be homeless, and I kind of agree.

To make things even more complicated, Scott and I had no idea when we started planning this we would be negotiating a cross-country move. He had to already be out in Chicago to start work and I, fresh off the plane from Australia, was wrapping up things in California. We ended up flying in from different states and meeting in Denver, both thrown off from jetlag and the haze of being in an airport constantly for the last month.

However, for this dear group of friends and the promise of an actual bathroom with working toliets (so it wasn't totally rustic camping, I guess), I decided to make an exception. Armed with toliet seat covers from the LAX bathrooms and my trusty Eddie Bauer lantern, I set out into the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park to reconnect with a fantastic group of people. And I can honestly say I did not regret agreeing to go camping for one minute.

But next year, I vote for a hotel with showers. :)

Enjoy!

The lighting was low, so it came out a little blurry. But this is the very elusive "whistle pig."

You may recognize this lovely couple on the right from an earlier post where I shot their wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

Jasmine Star Workshop (Part Deux)

2010-06-24T11:00:00.001-05:00

As promised, I'm including some of my favorites from the photo session at the Jasmine Star Workshop. This was a fun chance for me to see how Jasmine approaches shooting and interacts with her clients. Of course, with twenty photographers crowding around, many of my photos have elbows and tops of heads in them, but the experience was far greater than the photos it yielded.

It was really special to me that the models were Gabriel and Carlie of Gabriel Ryan Photographers. Not only are they amazing wedding photographers (and good lookin' models!), but Gabriel and I went to middle school and high school together, so it was a great opportunity to catch up and meet his wife. They joined us afterward for dinner and shared some of the wisdom they'd gained in the business as well as encouraged me to boldly pursue my dream.

Speaking of dinner, the entire workshop offered an opportunity to network and learn from the other photographers, but most especially at the dinner I enjoyed chatting with several of the attendees and J.D., Jasmine's wonderful husband and second shooter. I was thrilled that I was surrounded by such a diverse, friendly group of people and although I am much newer to the business than many of them, they were very kind and encouraging.

For Jasmine's far lovelier take on our day, please view her post on her blog. The beautiful flowers were by Jaclyne at Heavenly Blooms. Carlie's gorgeous dress was her own - she told me afterward that she had added the lace (an amazing idea to add a second life to your dress)!

Enjoy!

Jasmine Star Workshop

2010-06-18T15:34:00.000-05:00

A little over three years ago I stumbled across some engagement photos online and gasped - they were breathtaking. In the midst of planning my own wedding, I immediately found myself poring over every single image on the photographer's website. Who was this Jasmine Star person and how could she, a photographer only about a year into running her own business, come seemingly out of nowhere and take such fantastic photos? Unfortunately, she was already booked for our wedding date.

As I started my own photography business, I found myself going back and reading Jasmine's blog (other photographers I've met have also copped to this and affectionately refer to "blog stalking" her). She wrote so honestly and sincerely about the trials of starting out and not knowing if what you're doing is right, and her photos were so crisp and beautiful. I was thrilled when she began offering workshops last year and immediately decided I had to attend one. It wasn't as easy as I'd hoped - Jasmine by now had an enormous following online and her workshops booked up in a matter of hours. At last, I found out I'd made it onto the roster for a workshop, but it was just days after I returned from a trip to Australia. Would I be able to concentrate, or worse, even stay awake for the workshop? No matter; I decided then and there that I might not have this opportunity again.

The Workshop was not your typical photography workshop. Instead of focusing on technique, Jasmine talked about building a unique brand through your photos, your logo, and how you run your business. Although she had a loosely structured presentation, most of the day was a long Q & A session - and Jasmine was totally open and game to answer any questions, personal or professional!

You know how sometimes you read about someone or see them on tv and then are disappointed when you finally meet them? Well that was certainly not the case here! In an industry where there is so much ego and a "fake it 'til you make it" attitude Jasmine is totally real. Before we even attended the workshop, she had individually looked through our blogs and websites and commented on them. She knew each of us already when we arrived and placed out handwritten notes thanking us for participating in the workshop.

Her message was simple: be yourself. It sounds cliche, but very few of the more established pros will tell you this because they have so much ego they think their way is the only way. As a photographer, it's very easy to get distracted by what other people are doing. More times than once, I've found myself eyeing enviously another photographer's camera and equipment or amazing photos, and felt like I just couldn't compete. Although we did have a photo session and got to watch her in action, Jasmine stressed how you treat people and run your business is probably more important than the quality of your photos, because that is what people will remember most about you.

I've put some photos of Jasmine in action below and very soon I'll post some of the photos from the practice session.

Jasmine, I have no idea if you'll read this but if you do, thank you so much for a fantastic workshop and for reminding us that being an amazing person is more important than being an amazing photographer.

P.S. Please note that I had to include the photo of her feet because I simply adored her rockin' animal print dress and boots. Girl got style! That's actually what she wore to shoot the session! LOVE her.

A Bloody Long Way To Go

2010-06-16T17:45:00.001-05:00

They have a saying in Australia that it's "a bloody long way to go" in part referring to its distance from the mother country of England and of course in general to it being a separate continent so far away from everything else. After a 15 hour flight and coping with a mind-boggling 17 hour time difference, I'd have to agree! But when we touched down in Sydney, Australia somehow it all became worthwhile.

Whether taking tea in the little shops near the Circular Quay, grabbing a beer in an old pub with a secret passage underneath it, or traveling down the winding roads in a tiny taxi (or huge bus) on the left hand side and then going through a roundabout with white knuckles - Sydney was both quaint and metropolitan. The people were incredibly kind and very curious to know you. After traveling in Europe and practically having to apologize for being American, Sydneysiders feel a very common bond with America (our histories are remarkably parallel).

I had the privilege of traveling to Australia for my job - the one that doesn't involve photography - and had a great time because (or some would say despite the fact) I was part of a four-person faculty/staff team chaperoning 50 freshman business students to Sydney for 9 days. My traveling companions had great senses of humor and we just rolled with the punches that come with large group traveling. I could not have asked for a better trip, except it should have been longer and I want to see more of Australia. Regrettably, my suitcases were jammed with items for the trip and I wasn't able to take anything but a point-and-shoot. But I had to include just a few fun photos, especially of our visit to a wildlife park.

Enjoy!

Updates and Changes

2010-06-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

Life has been crazy lately. I'm sure a lot of you feel the same. That is one of the great things about it, really - that you never quite know what to expect. It is a blessing, although sometimes I have to remind myself of that. You see, I'm not a big one for change. I'll keep a computer or cell phone far longer than anyone probably should. I just get used to something being the way it is, and have trouble sometimes accepting that the new thing may be greatly improved. But change is inevitable, and a good thing - it keeps us fresh and constantly working to be better.

I do apologize for the gap in posting! I have had so many things going on I haven't had a chance to edit all the photos and get a decent post together. There has been lots of things happening that I'm anxious to post about and I promise I will be updating a lot in the next few weeks.

The first and most obvious is that I updated the look of my blog! A big thank you to Ellie of Rainy Day Templates for her assistance with this. Please excuse things looking a little out of sorts for another week as I adjust to the new look and finish improvements. I do hope you like the new look. Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions!

Another even bigger change that I haven't alluded to much at all is that I've moved! Yes, I am now officially a resident of Chicago. I have only been here a few days but I am already enjoying myself. What does this mean for my southern California clients? I still plan to be back in southern California several times a year, during which I will be available for bookings. I also am available for a small travel fee for events or wedding photography. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to know upcoming dates for booking in California.

Our Girl Friday

2010-04-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

We'd been quietly looking for awhile, but not wanting to jinx it, we told no one when we drove out to Apple Valley one overcast Saturday morning to look at a litter of five-week-old puppies. When we arrived, I was immediately overwhelmed by six little furballs who leapt into my lap. Each was cuter than the last and Husband and I looked at each other as if to say How will we ever pick one?

Of course, his solution was to get two. Um, not going to happen! We've barely managed to keep a plant alive; a puppy is a huge step. Two puppies would be insanity.

And then, there was her. When all the little puppies romped and nipped and yipped, she quietly sat there taking it all in. And one by one they all fell into a deep sleep, as puppies tend to do, and she remained. She tentatively sniffed me out and crawled into my lap, and that was pretty much the end of that. Four weeks later, we returned and she was ours.

We named her Friday, after an old movie and a Cure song. And, like a Friday ushers in the weekend and all kinds of fun, she has brought much joy and fun to our lives in the few short weeks she's been with us.

Obviously, my dog needs the right accessories and a monogrammed bag was the perfect place to start. Now if only I could convince Husband to let me get her a little plaid coat and beret...

Danielle: Portrait

2010-03-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

When you're representing yourself on a professional manner, you need to put your best foot forward. I've seen so many poor photos on websites or LinkedIn pages that were obviously cropped prom pictures or snapshots taken in bad light. Not only do people in these pictures not look their best, it also makes the whole thing look amateurish.

Luckily, Danielle is not one of those people. She needed professional headshots and knew this called for a professional photographer. She's super smart and also loves helping others, so I know she is going to do great things. Now she has the photos to match! Here are a few of my favorites.

Kaman: Pet Portrait

2010-03-19T17:28:00.001-05:00

Besides having an absolutely adorable baby, Ken and Lauren also have a super cute dog, Kaman. You might remember him from this session awhile back. Anyway, as I was going through images from their baby and family session, I found this gem and couldn't resist sharing.

Ella: Baby Portrait

2010-03-06T19:31:00.000-06:00

Ken and Lauren recently welcomed their first, a baby girl, and I couldn't wait to get over there and take some pictures. Baby Ella is absolutely beautiful and one of the cutest babies I've ever seen. Despite being passed around, positioned and repositioned, and even robbed of her diaper, she just cooed and snuggled up to sleep while I snapped away. I also took the opportunity to take some pictures of her with her parents and I've very honored to share some of their first family portraits.

Love to Love You, Baby

2010-02-10T15:04:00.001-06:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love is definitely in the air. No, not the real kind of love - I like to think that is always floating around out there. I'm talking about paper hearts, doilies, and chocolate candies kind of love.

Of course, the things I love most aren't things, they are people and experiences. The older you get, the more you start to realize that is what it's all about. Still, Valentine's Day is nothing if not a rather superficial holiday so in honor of this much-maligned but ulimately fun holiday, here are some random things and people and places that I'm loving right now.

PAPER

I've always loved paper! I used to want to open a stationery store (back when they actually had such things) and people at work laugh at me when I'm picking out paper for a flier or invitation, as I can talk about it in quite technical terms (as in "I'm thinking 80 pound bonded stark white A7 cards"). I think Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to take advantage of tradition and send someone a real, honest-to-goodness Valentine. Made of paper. That's right, go out, buy a card (or better yet, make it) and stick in in an envelope with a stamp. Now that's love!

One of my favorite online sources of inspiration for all things paper goods-related is Wiley Valentine. This lovely shop has all kind of goodies from custom stationery to yummy party invites. They keep a blog that's a collection of all their beautiful work, what is inspiring them right now, and inspiration boards with themes like "Mid-Summer Night's Dream." The colors and fonts are so beautiful I'm often tempted to lick my screen.

MUSIC

Jack Johnson - En Concert Um, so I met Jack Johnson when I was in college (I've told everyone I've ever met this story, so sorry to repeat myself so much) and he is the nicest, most down-to-earth guy. I think I hugged him for an inappropriate amount of time because I really just wanted to marry him. Fortunately for both of us, he was already married so I couldn't make a complete fool of myself. Anyway, my favorite song on this CD is Constellations with Eddie Vedder. EDDIE VEDDER! "Nough said.

Valentine's Day Soundtrack Well, doesn't this fit splendidly into my theme? But even more, this whole soundtrack is a light-hearted, happy set of songs that are bound to please many. And my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I love Taylor Swift. I think she's so cute! She sings two songs on this CD. It also has some fun remakes of older songs, like I'm Into Something Good by the bird and the bee.

PARIS/VINTAGE/MAPS

I'm slightly obsessed with going to the City of Lights sometime this year. I think I'm driving my husband kind of crazy about it. I just think it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and there is so much I want to see. But I just about fell out of my chair when I saw this vintage map of Paris at Restoration Hardware. Oh, wow. It's beautiful, historical, and combines my love for maps and vintage stuff with Paris. Anybody have an extra $1795 so I can hang this in my house? Oh, and some money for a new house, too (I don't think our apartment has a wall big enough to accomodate)?

ANNIVERSARIES

Okay, I think it is soooo cheesy to get married on Valentine's Day, but that is exactly what my parents tried to do. It didn't work out quite right scheduling-wise, so they got married a few days before V-Day. But having grown up with it, I've come to realize that having your anniversary around Valentine's Day is both romantic and so practical! (So go ahead, get married on V-Day, I'll roll my eyes a couple times before and then think it's adorable later on).

My parents just marked their 35th year of being married. That is such an amazing accomplishment. They are a wonderful example to me of a solid, Godly marriage and I feel very blessed to come from a family with two parents who stayed together. Happy Anniversary to you both!

Mary: Portrait

2010-01-19T21:48:00.000-06:00

This session is actually from late last year, but I've been delayed in actually posting the pictures. On an unusually lovely winter day, Mary and I headed over to Cal Tech's beautiful campus and captured these images as part of a "just because" session. Mary's thoughtful girl friends had grouped together to gift her a photo session - what a fun gift! Now she has these images to show what a beautiful person she is, inside and out.

Here are some of my favorites from the session (the light was incredible!)...

A Year in Review: Favorites

2009-12-27T16:15:00.000-06:00

One of the best things about the end of the year is a little down time to reflect on this past year and make goals for next year. Looking back, my goals for the year were pretty simple and probably a little too vague, but that is what you tend to do when you're just starting out. This year was first and foremost about finding my voice and getting better as a photographer and I feel very blessed that my clients allowed me the room to do this. In the process, I was able to capture a side of old friends not seen before and make new friends.

As I look back through sessions from this year, I feel incredibly thankful. I am getting to do something I love and connect with a special group of people. Here are some of my favorites from the year (watch out, this is a long one!):

Ken and Lauren: Maternity Portraits

2009-12-18T22:46:00.000-06:00

Lauren and Ken are at a pretty exciting part of their lives; they are expecting their first baby together in January. You may remember them from this post, where she was just beginning to show. Back at that shoot when I was posing them, Ken leaned in and kissed her growing belly and took my breath away as I saw through my lens the beginning of a family.

Getting ready for this new little person is no small task, so I was thrilled when they told me they wanted to make time for a maternity session in the last months of her pregnancy. It is an incredible honor to be invited to help document their journey, to share in these moments of dreaming about who she will look like and marvel at how tiny the clothes are that already hang in her closet.

If that weren't enough, Ken and Lauren are also dear friends and incredibly supportive of my growth as a photographer. They presented me with this gift after our shoot: a fashion photography book! I am constantly looking at other photographers' work, especially fashion photography, as inspiration, so this is a gift I will spend lots of time poring over.

Ken and Lauren, thank you both and I can't wait to meet your baby girl and take baby pictures!

We couldn't resist getting a pictures of the whole family - including their adorable dog and cat (yes, they actually kind of like each other) and of course, the baby belly.

We also did some shots to show off their lovely new home with all the holiday decorations up.

Gayle, Rocky, and Sandy: Portrait

2009-12-10T17:33:00.001-06:00

My aunt has always been an animal-lover. While I was growing up, she mostly focused on horses and she kept hers on a ranch nearby. One day at the ranch, a rambunctious, furry little dog started spending time with her, and eventually adopted her. She then got another dog to keep him company, and now has two very loving companions.

Recently, she asked me to capture some photos of their happy family, and I was thrilled to snap a few (quickly - those dogs move fast!).

I had practice moving quickly to capture images with children, but dogs are even faster! Luckily, these two are very well-behaved and posed like professionals... with lots of encouragement from my Aunt! I need to hone my doggie-mama skills before we get one.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-03T15:20:00.000-06:00

I love the holidays. I mean, really love them. I like the food, the general spirit of the season, the smell of fireplaces and gingerbread, getting presents (okay, and giving too), the decorations, everything! I used to drive my family crazy singing and playing Christmas music almost year round.

But probably my favorite tradition around the holidays is getting all the holiday cards. I run home every day in December and eagerly open up the mailbox, looking for all the brightly colored envelopes filled with photos and stories that pour in. And while I like reading the updates from Christmas letters or scribbled personal notes in each card, my favorite part is what picture or pictures they chose to represent their family for the year. Whether it is the wedding photo of a newlywed couple, a picture of their new baby or pet, or a beautiful shot from a recent trip, the photos of so many dear friends and family are the reason I tack all of the cards up around the house.

Our family, like so many, has been remiss in keeping up on an annual photo. Realizing it was slightly ridiculous to be a photographer and not be able to take an annual photo, my mom and I set about remedying that situation this year. To make things even more exciting, we got to take pictures with the whole family including the additions, some not so recent (my husband) and the very recent (my brother's fiancee).

While I could have run around with a remote or a shutter release cable like a crazy person, I was very fortunate to have one of my favorite photographers and best friends in town, Nick of Nicholas Donner Photography to collaborate with. He helped with posing and lighting and allowed me to not look all sweaty and crazed in the photos. Nick, we can't thank you enough for helping out with this session!

Here are some of my favorites:

I have to give props to Nick for this shot on the stairs. Posing and lighting this one was not easy!

Scott and Sarah: Engagement

2009-11-05T00:05:00.000-06:00

This post is very special for me because my older brother is engaged to be married next June. His beautiful fiancée, besides having excellent taste in colleges (go Mustangs!) is an incredibly sweet and kind person. We are all thrilled to have her join our family.

My mom likes to remind my brother, especially when we were growing up and happened to be fighting about something, that he wanted me before I was even born. As the family story goes, he asked repeatedly for a little sister, and he was one of the first people I reached out for when I finally came. When we went home that night he fed me my first solid meal.

Like any older brother, there were times he probably lived to regret wanting a little sister. I’m sure I could be a nuisance, the way I followed him around and was always in his business. Yet he took his responsibilities as an older brother very seriously. He helped teach me to ride a bike and speak up for myself. He let me sleep in his bed when I thought there was a ghost underneath mine and helped me learn the value of money with his discipline in saving.

Oh, there were times when we would fight and swore we hated each other. We are both stubborn and some of our fights ended in tears or stomping feet or a broken front door (sorry, Mom). But through it all, he has been one of my fiercest advocates and most loyal supporters, and his judgment and opinion matter very much to me. So I was very honored when he and Sarah thought enough of my photography skills to take some engagement pictures. Here are some of my favorites...

La Bella Vista

2009-10-24T00:05:00.000-05:00

Apologies for the lack of posts lately. Life has gotten very, very busy - but things are also very beautifully full. I've been blessed with some very fulfilling work lately, both behind the camera and in my other job, and that along with spending time with family and friends (we were invited to 5 different weddings in August-October alone) has kept us on our toes.

We did take the opportunity for a quick getaway to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in September and boy, was it worth the short flight. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, our resort was right on the beach, and we did almost nothing for those few days. It was delicious.

Being there was also a reminder that my Spanish is fading quickly and I have renewed my promise to review more frequently using tapes and watching Spanish tv. (Spanish soap operas are a wonderful way to keep your ear sharp!) Although much of Cabo is losing its native charm (there is a Costco, McDonalds, etc.), there is still a lot of local pride and flavor. I hope we can return soon.

Until then, here are some of the bella vistas (good views) from our trip.

These were taken through a glass waterfall that was outdoor by one of the pools.

April: Portrait

2009-09-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

It's been a treat for me that my last two sessions were with strong, beautiful, and all- around fabulous women! It's even more fun when you meet a client and realize she is someone you'd want to be friends with anyway. From the first moment we met over coffee, April charmed me with her sweet, bubbly personality and I especially love the photos from the session where she is laughing - you can't see, but behind the camera, I'm laughing too.

We met at the beautiful University of Southern California campus and I think this session captures April's vivacious and fun spirit.

April may not be a professional model, but she definitely knows how to work it.

Besides being just naturally stunning, she is also a professional make up artist and did her own make up for this session. Ladies, if you are booking a session, you should consider having a pro do your make up - it really makes a difference!

Rose: Portrait

2009-09-01T23:42:00.000-05:00

When I was in first grade, I had a friend down the street who had a "dress up" box - all kinds of discarded clothes from her mom mixed with Halloween clothes. I was totally jealous of her! She would let me come over and we would take turns smearing on Hello Kitty lipgloss and prancing around in a pair of old bridesmaid satin heels in front of a full-length mirror. It was so much fun.

This photo shoot was very remniscient of my dress up box days. When Rose and I talked about the shoot, we both excitedly bonded over how we were inspired by fashion and advertising. She in particular had seen some lovely simple photos from Smartwater ads featuring Jennifer Aniston, which we used as inspiration for some black and white portraits. When she arrived, she was toting about a dozen outfit choices with just as many accessories and shoes, and it was the dress up box all over again. She dumped the bags out on the table and we both giggled and began pulling different items out.

My clients are amazing! Rose gave me complete creative freedom and was kind enough to let me go out on a limb by trying out some lighting equipment I'd never worked with before. We also got to shoot in a room in the uber-cool Viceroy Santa Monica. It was basically a dream shoot with no limits and the results are much more edgy and fashion-forward than my usual images.

Rose, I had a wonderful time playing "dress up" with you and I absolutely love the images we created together. Thank you for giving me the chance to experiment and for the wonderful tapas and sangria!

Will and Lisa: Engagement

2009-08-23T21:04:00.000-05:00

This beautiful couple are from opposite coasts, met at George Washington University, and now live here in the Los Angeles area. When we first met, I was struck by how well they complement each other - Will is smart and funny and has a very sharp, dry wit and Lisa, who is equally smart, has a quiet sweetness about her that softens Will a bit. They are both easygoing and really fun to hang out with.

They had both never really thought about getting engagement pictures, but with the wedding nearly upon them we decided to steal away a few hours in their old stomping grounds of Malibu and snap some images. Despite the warm weather, the tourists, and the hoards of weird little bugs (sorry, Lisa!) they were total troopers and we got some great pictures.

Yesterday, they were married in Lisa's hometown and are now officially husband and wife! Will and Lisa, thank you for allowing me to take your engagement pictures. I wish you much happiness as you begin married life and hope you have a wonderful honeymoon in Panama!

Simple Albums

2009-08-18T01:27:00.000-05:00

When it comes to albums, sometimes simpler just is better. Not a lot of bells and whistles, just great images on quality materials for a good price. While I'm guilty of sometimes shoving all my photos in a box too, it's important that people take the time and money to invest in their photographs - they are, afterall, important in telling your story - but still, times are tough and not everyone can just drop money anywhere they want.

This simple album I ordered (featuring the fabulous Kevin and Janelle!) was based on a great premise - the Guest Sign In Album. These are small albums that take the place of a traditional guestbook at your wedding and make a great memento long after your big day has passed. They also allow you to share images from your engagement session with your wedding guests.

Although you can customize your album, the Guest Sign In Album shown here is 8x8" with a black leather cover, lay-flat pages, and lots of white space around the images for your guests to sign. If your wedding has already passed, these would make a wonderful parent album or baby brag book as well! To order yours, please contact the studio at: info {at} forthelovephoto.com

Ken and Lauren: Just Because

2009-08-14T00:53:00.000-05:00

Ken and Lauren met because Lauren was best friends with Ken's stepsister. How cute is that? I remember growing up thinking how perfect it would be if my best friend somehow became part of my family. If you think that's sweet, about halfway through the session with this fun couple I realized in almost all the frames Ken wasn't looking at the camera... he was gazing adoringly at his beautiful wife!

Okay, maybe that's a little too cute... Ken is probably going to get made fun of for that! But that's pretty much how these two operate - they both have a great sense of humor and enjoy ribbing each other in good fun. But they are very much in love, and you see that too.

We shot this session at a neat old restored train station and then in a park near their home. I love how even in the city it felt like we were out in the country. These pictures and their relaxed atmosphere led to a more antique, vintage feel when I edited the images.

Although they've been married for three years, they decided to do a photo session to put up some updated pictures in their newly purchased home. They also wanted to take some last shots together as a twosome - they will be adding to their family soon as they are expecting their first child early next year. (We were able to hide it most of the shoot, but the last photo is a mini baby bump picture)!

Ken and Lauren, thank you so much for your hospitality and the delicious dinner! I'm so excited for all the big changes going on in your lives and feel privileged to be able to document a little piece of it. I can't wait to take baby pictures!

A preview of the growing bump... not sure what Ken was trying to do though?!

Point, Click, Edit...

2009-08-11T02:13:00.000-05:00

After a fantastic long weekend of good food and great company, I woke up this morning at the Viceroy hotel (a little mini-getaway that wasn't so far away) and realized I have a lot of photo editing in my future. This past weekend I had two fantastic photo shoots and the weekend before that I had a fun "just because" shoot that I've been working on. The great thing about it is that I love the whole process of photography - from conceiving the shoot to capturing the images to viewing them after I download my CF cards to tweaking them on my computer to make them their absolute best. I sometimes miss the quiet rhythm of working in the darkroom (but not the chemical smell!) but I get into that same kind of mode when I'm editing digitally now.

It's not a lightning fast process, however, so until then here is a sneak peek of a session I'm editing right now...

Keith and Mariah: Rehearsal

2009-08-02T11:06:00.000-05:00

As the beautiful bride and beaming groom walked down the aisle to strains of "All You Need Is Love," I think everyone attending sighed a little. That happy, joyful sigh when all is right and you know that two people who are perfect together have committed themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. On a sunny, hot day the last weekend in July, Keith and Mariah were that gorgeous bride and groom.

I was so excited when Keith asked me to help capture their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner because he's been a dear friend for most of my life. These events are such a fun time, as friends and family gather and excitement and anticipation for the actual wedding build. Normally, the bride and groom also look much more relaxed during the rehearsal process, but if Keith or Mariah were nervous on their wedding day, it didn't show a bit. Call it destiny, fate, God's will - whatever your beliefs - but they had the contented look of two people walking down the aisle toward what was simply meant to be.

Here are just a few images from the day before the big day... Congratulations and much love to you both!

Mike and Blanca: Family Portrait

2009-07-13T15:42:00.000-05:00

Over Fourth of July weekend, Mike and Blanca invited me out to their home to take pictures of them and their adorable little boy, Nicky. Little did I know, this photo session would be more like an aerobic workout, as I tried to keep up with Nicky! He seemed to think this lady with the camera was all part of a game, so he ran around and babbled and squirmed his way throughout the session.

We tried so hard to coax him into sitting still, but afterward as I edited the session, some of my favorite images are where Nicky is just doing what Nicky wanted to do. His expressions are only matched by how cute he is in person - he has huge dimples and an infectious giggle - and you can really tell how much Mike and Blanca dote on him.

Mike and Blanca, muchas gracias for opening your home to us, for the Taco Man and margaritas, and for allowing me to capture images of your beautiful family!

I absolutely love this picture. Blanca was singing him a Spanish lullaby and Nicky was just mesmerized and lay perfectly still while she was singing.

Kevin and Janelle: Just Because

2009-06-24T11:25:00.000-05:00

Like many couples who are no longer "newlyweds" but have only been married a couple of years, Kevin and Janelle decided it was time to update some of their pictures together. Since they are pretty much the epitome of "beachy-cool" (I think I made that up, but you all should know what it means) we had some fun hanging out at the beach and the pier near their house. Between takes, we enjoyed a rare moment of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy weekend and Kevin checked out the surf.

These two were incredibly game, from squinting in the bright light to risking standing near the water underneath the pier when the tide was coming in... I think the pictures reflect their laid-back vibe and how much they care about each other.

Kevin and Janelle, Scott and I had a great time hanging out with you - thank you both for the fantastic dinner and good company!

I hope they don't kill me for posting this! They were so great at just naturally falling into poses, we started joking about their future modeling careers and then they struck this one.

The End Is the Beginning

2009-06-10T23:36:00.000-05:00

With all the graduations, birthdays, and orientations going on lately, I've been surrounded by beginnings and endings. And this week, one of the biggest endings and beginnings of all took place for our family - my mom retired after 30+ years of teaching. To celebrate, her work colleagues, past and present, gathered with family and friends and put on a wonderful party for her.

Teaching is a profession that isn't always valued as highly here as in other countries. I think a lot of people think that teachers have it easy - they have winter break and summer vacation. Maybe some teachers take it easy, but my mom is one of the hardest working people I know. She's gone to work everyday and shown integrity, compassion, and sincerity to each of the children she's helped to grow and made a huge impact on so many of them. She told me the other day how surprised and overwhelmed she was that so many people had done and said so many kind things as she's getting ready to retire- but I wasn't the least bit surprised. I know how amazing she is as a teacher, because she's taught me so much too.

Here's to a wonderful summer vacation, at last, that will just keep going! Congratulations, mom.

This is one of my dad's dear friends, Ron. He is always cracking up or making my dad laugh.

My dad actually took this picture.

This is Sue, who organized the party with another teaching colleague, Sandy.

It's aLIVE!

2009-06-03T22:57:00.001-05:00

I am super excited that after months of working on it (sloooooowly), my website has finally come together and is LIVE! Special thank you and shout-outs go to Nick Donner for the design elements, including the incredible logo and splash page. Nick is a fellow photographer who also happens to be one of my best friends and an all-around wonderful guy.

Another big thank you to my husband, for taking my profile pictures (what is more scary than a photographer critiquing pictures of herself?!) and for generally putting up with me.

Enjoy!

John Ryan: Portrait

2009-05-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

When I think of the big moments in my life - graduations, birthdays, my wedding - there were always a slew of friends from high school there. I'm not quite sure what it is (we frequently joke they put something in the water in our hometown) but there is something about knowing someone from a time when you wore braces and went to prom that just means they really know you somehow. Today I count among my closest friends people I met in high school, in middle school, even some from preschool.

John Ryan is one of those friends "from home." Even his name is homage to the length of time I've known him. He always went by Ryan, his middle name, in high school. Somehow, in college it became easier for him to go by his real first name but for those of us who had spent four years or more calling him "Ryan" the transition to "John" has taken considerable time. As a compromise, I call him John Ryan or JRR.

Our conversations are always peppered with "Hey, do you remember when..." and "Man, that one time..." So for me the challenge of this portrait session was all about showing the duality of knowing someone and capturing that in the images, yet still trying to do something new. We worked together on the concept and logistics of the shoot. I think the results are fun and fantastic.

John, Ryan, JRR, Ry Rob... by whatever name I am glad to call you friend. Thanks for letting me experiment and take your picture!

My Number One Fan

2009-05-06T12:14:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest things about starting out as a photographer is building your portfolio (mine was previously all film) and getting lots of practice in. While photo shoots are actually quite entertaining and I try to make them really fun, it also feels like you're asking a lot to have someone pull several outfits and then subject themselves to hours of posing. Luckily, I am blessed with some friends and family that are willing to help me out and suffer for my art!

This last weekend, I spent the afternoon with my friend Ryan shooting some portraits. Even better, his lovely and very supportive girlfriend took charge of the refreshments for our afternoon and made us some yummy snacks. She and my husband, Scott also were on hand to help out, whether it was moving furniture, props, styling, or heckling from the peanut gallery.

I can't wait to post some pictures from the actual shoot, but until then, I just wanted to say thanks!

Susan is the ultimate hostess, always cooking and dreaming up interesting new recipes. I admire her so much for recently changing career paths (never an easy thing to do!) and enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute to become a professional chef. Now she has even more exciting recipes and tricks to try out.

And then there's this guy. No, not the guy cracking up; that's Ryan. The guy holding the backdrop cloth (aka blue tablecloth - we're not fancy here!) and playing assistant for me - my husband. It wouldn't be fair to really call him my assistant, but he's always happy to tag along and do assistant like tasks to help me out. I'm incredibly, supremely blessed that my husband is also my number one fan. Well, currently probably my ONLY fan! But he supports me and encourages me more than anyone I've ever met. It gives me such reassurance knowing he is my partner and best friend.

As you can see below, he is also quite the ham...

A Shout Out to the Homeland and a Trip to China

2009-04-03T20:42:00.000-05:00

A lot of people don't know that I was born in South Korea and came to the United States when I was just a baby. Okay, scratch that, maybe a lot of people do know that, or at least wouldn't be surprised if I told them. Growing up in a largely white community, I would get asked all the time, "So where are you from?" (Confused, I would answer "here!") and I think my Asianness (yes, I'm making that a word) was very apparent to others although nobody could tell that I'm Korean vs. say, Chinese or Vietnamese or Cambodian. "What's the difference?" they would ask. I could only shrug.

So it's kind of funny (or maybe strange is a better word) that the only times I have been back to Korea have been on layovers to China. Yes, the only bit of Korea I've seen is glimpses from an airplane and from the Incheon Airport, which isn't even in Seoul. It wasn't until this last time, when we took off for LAX, I finally glimpsed the city lights of Seoul. It was beautiful.

Now I fully expected to be mistook as someone who could speak Korean for parts of the trip - that is, the parts on the plane (we were flying Korean Airlines) or in the Incheon Airport. (In fact, I have to politely explain that I don't speak a word quite often just bumming around Los Angeles, which has a very large Korean population). I had accepted this and fully expected it throughout our short jaunt through Korea. What I did not expect is to also be mistaken as a Chinese person EVERYWHERE I went in China. And I mean everywhere. So either someone in my genetic history hooked up with a Chinese person somewhere in there or they can't tell the difference either.

The staff at the hotel or at restaurants would fully ignore some of my companions who happened to speak fluent Mandarian to pose questions to me. Each time we took a cab, the driver would inevitably look at me and I would sheepishly hand him our hotel's card with the name in Chinese characters. People would stop me on the street to ask for directions and rickshaw drivers would yell things at us (I have no idea what).

At the marketplace, I would try to use it to my advantage. "Too expensive!" I would say in Mandarin, one of three things I can actually say in Chinese, and the shop owner would raise her eyebrows, then let out a stream of Mandarin. Darn it! No Chinese friend prices for me.

By the end of the trip, however, I began to enjoy my anonymity. The students were gawked at wherever they went, which they found amusing at first and unnerving or annoying by the end. In turn, I could walk through the market or shopping mall or wherever by myself and be completely unnoticed and not bothered. I even began "translating" what people were saying based on the context and body language.

All kidding aside, the people in China could not have been more friendly. It was a lovely, vibrant, and dynamic place to visit. The people are all so proud of their country and their way of life. It's also sad - it's quite poor and there is a lot of pollution, the traffic is terrible, and many of their traditions and old ways of life are disappearing. Still, it was a fantastic trip and a great opportunity to experience a different culture - even if they thought I was from China!

Pura Vida

2009-04-02T00:49:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, we had the opportunity to take an all-expenses paid trip to the Dominican Republic. (How awesome is that?!) What made the trip even more fantastic, we got to go with a great group of people that were easygoing and super fun. The weather was great, beach was perfect, what more could you ask for?

Yes, I realize I started with the words "about a month ago..." Things have been so crazy around here this is the first chance I've really gotten to put them up. Enjoy!

Ed & Margherita: Engagement

2009-03-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Ed and Margherita are two of the nicest people I've ever met. They met through a mutual friend and were smitten from first sight. After several years of dating, they are tying the knot this October.

"I'm not very romantic," Ed tells me before we begin taking pictures. I laugh when he says this, because my husband also claims he is missing the romance gene. But these guys mean they don't buy into the grand gestures that we girls sigh over while watching girly movies. The real romance, I've found, is in the little gestures and words; the small, everyday things that make a difference. In this quiet way, Ed is quite romantic. You can tell just by the way he looks at his wife-to-be or laughs with her - they are often in their own world together.

These two were kind enough to give up precious hours lying out on the beach to allow me to capture some images while we were in Punta Cana. Although they professed to be camera-shy, they quickly warmed up and let me lead them all over the resort in search of the perfect picture. We spent most of the shoot laughing and chatting about everything from the food at our resort to wedding planning.

Ed and Margherita, I can't thank you enough for taking time out from your vacation and allowing me to take your engagement photos! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Let There Be Light

2009-03-05T00:33:00.001-06:00

So one of the best perks of our neighborhood (the "Miracle Mile") is living within walking distance of tons of great restaurants, shops, and cultural sites. Shortly after moving here, I got a membership to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and spent several evenings browsing through their mix of sculptures, furniture, paintings, and extensive grounds. Then, LACMA underwent a huge construction project of its new Contemporary Art wing and added one of the coolest sculptures I have ever seen, "Urban Light."

A grouping of about 200 cast iron grey streetlamps from all over Los Angeles County, the sculpture is astounding in daylight and breathtaking at night. A few weeks ago, we wandered around the La Brea Tarpits and then over to try to capture a small part of the beauty of "Urban Light." It was cloudy and threatening to rain, but luckily the weather held as I snapped away.

I love this picture of Scott under the lamp. This was near the "Two Germanys" exhibit, which is apt because he lived in Germany for several years.

Beautiful Los Angeles by night.

Can you feel the love?

2009-02-17T13:02:00.000-06:00

Scott and I headed to Las Vegas this long weekend because we got tickets to see the fabulous Elton John in concert! (The show rocked!) I'm not a big gambler and Las Vegas, with a nickname like "Sin City" seems like the last place for a romantic getaway. Yet somehow, whether strolling through the fake canals of the Venetian or watching the water show at the Bellagio the weekend still was quite romantic!

Even better, we realized we would be in town overlapping with the Wedding and Portrait Photographer International Conference. As a very new, very green photographer, I felt too clumsy and unready to even attend the lectures and workshops. Still, one of my early goals was to network with other photographers and learn more about the industry at every opportunity. So with free passes to the Tradeshow in hand, we wandered into the MGM Grand on Monday morning and were greeted by friendly faces at every turn.

Can I just say that I have been overwhelmed by how nice and willing to help out almost everyone in the photography industry has been? (I regularly go into Samy's Camera and ask completely stupid or simple questions and they are always super nice anyway.) We gathered tons of information and were given free advice at every turn. On the car ride home, as I happily sorted through business cards of new contacts and brochures, I started looking forward to attending next year.

Living in the Past

2009-02-11T16:24:00.000-06:00

Some might say I'm living in the past. I prefer to call it nostalgia. But I love vintage posters, cars, clothes, and more. I don't exactly drive around in a Ford Falcon, but I admire things all the same.

So you can imagine my sadness when Polaroid announced it was discontinuing making its instant film. How could they get rid of the original "instant gratification" photography? In the pre-digital world, Polaroids helped you pick outfits, record funny memories, and decorated dorm room walls. What could be more classic and fun than taking Polaroids? We even had a Polaroid guestbook at our wedding!

However, with time comes change and it is not always for the worse. Polaroid has launched the PoGo, a new digital device that takes and prints pictures without even using ink! That is pretty neat. I haven't actually seen one of these babies in action, but I would be interested to know if anyone else has. I'm immediately adding this plus the Canon G10 to my "wish list."

Until then, I have two sad packs of Polaroid film left. I have to decide what is worthy enough to use my last 40 Polaroids on.

Daily Inspiration

2009-02-10T13:17:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Jamie and I'm addicted to magazines.

No, seriously.

I like reading books and I know I should watch the news more, but I love reading magazines. I subscribe to quite a few and when I get home at night, there's nothing I like quite so much as curling up and poring over those glossy pages. Since they are so short, I feel a real sense of accomplishment when I finish them and I can go back and look at some articles or pictures over and over.

Even better, magazines serve as a constant inspiration for my photography. This month's InStyle had a beautiful photo shoot with Sandra Bullock that I just loved. The muted light in the desert, the casual and relaxed look and feel... What could be better?

A Swift Kick in the Pants.

2009-01-22T13:51:00.001-06:00

It's funny how when things don't turn out the way you wanted them to sometimes it's better.

Recently, I didn't get something I wanted at work and it sent me in a spin for a few weeks. During that time, I started thinking about what I really wanted and what skills I have that I'm not utilizing in my work. For example, I am very creative and my job doesn't necessarily lend itself to that (although one might argue counseling 18-21 year olds takes a huge imagination)!

I also was recently passed along the book "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it! In this book, confronted by a terminal cancer diagnosis, Randy Pausch talks to his students, colleagues, and his children about pursuing your childhood dreams. If you are true to those dreams, he argues, you will be most true to yourself and happy.

As a child, I dreamed of being an author, an astronaut, a poet, a fashion designer, and a socialite (okay, this was pre-Paris Hilton... I knew I just wanted to throw fabulous parties and dress up and be rich, not be scandalous and make sex tapes). With the exception of astronaut, which I could probably never have done since I could never fully grasp Calculus or Physics, they are all creative pursuits that I still wouldn't mind dabbling in.

Now, as I move forward, I am just starting to realize all the reasons and possibilities that are opening up when I didn't get what I thought I wanted.

It just took a swift kick in the pants to get me moving.

Paris, Je t'aime!

2008-07-14T21:39:00.000-05:00

The CITY, not the socialite!

Is it possible to love a place you've never been? Cause if so, I loooooove Paris. I've been to France and French Polynesia, but Paris is a completely different story. Fashion capital, City of Lights, by whatever name it is a place I've been to many times via books and movies, but never actually been. I've been spending the last month dreaming of Paris and trying to figure out how to get there.

Why, you may ask, do I love a place so much that you've never actually been? It's simple, really. I love fashion, history, art, architecture, collecting vintage ephemera, yummy food with lots of butter, black and white photography, and movies. Paris is pretty much fantastic at all those things!

Of course, not everyone can jet off to Paris whenever they want. So, to help you, and in honor of Bastille Day, I've compiled everything you need for a bit of Paris at home.

Movies:
I know purists are going to hate me because almost none of these movies are actually French... maybe it is a Dream Paris instead of a real one you'll love just like me. In no particular order:
1. French Kiss
2. Amelie
3. Sex and the City (series finale, both parts - not technically a movie but a must)
4. Ratatouille (okay, we're really stretching it on the realism here, but I love this one!)
5. Julie and Julia
6. Marie Antoinette (the Sophia Coppola film)

Food:
As Julia Childs would say, think BUTTER! Living in LA, I admit I'm totally spoiled and have access to some fantastic restaurants, bakeries, and other French goodies that those outside a major city probably don't have. Don't worry, I've thought of you, too!
1. French Restaurants - my favs in LA are Comme Ca and Annisette - if you don't live near LA you can look up in Zagat or Opentable.com to find a local eatery
2. Get fresh baked French bread from your local bakery. Preferably eat outside on your porch or something with a glass of red wine and some wonderful cheese.
3. OR you can DIY! Here would be my menu for at home French food dinner loveliness:
a. Steak Frite - 'nuff said.
b. As a twist, cook your Pomme Frite in a little truffle oil. Yum! Then add garlic and truffle oil to the mayonnaise you dip the fries in. Double yum!
c. Dessert: Macaroons. I'd order mine from Paulette's, but you can easily make your own. The French never skip dessert!
4. For breakfast or snack, crepes, my friend. "really thin pancakes" as Jean Girard would say - if
you don't recognize that because you haven't seen the Ballad of Ricky Bobby, just ignore.
Can you tell I look up recipes religiously on the Food Network online???

Books/Magazines:
I say, read up on some interesting French people (or people who lived there)!
1. Julia Child - My Life in France
2. Marie Antionette - Queen of Fashion
3. Coco Chanel - Chanel and Her World
4. Any travel magazine

Extra Credit:
1. You can view what's going on in Paris with their live webcams on paris-live.com!
2. See Les Miserables if it's being staged near you.
3. Window shop.

DO NOT:
I refuse to watch the Travel Channel shows of places I'm dying to go. It starts to make me angry - why can't I have a job that pays me to travel around? I'm telling you, you start looking at the host/hostess and growl, "What do they have that I don't?" and then get these grandiose ideas about writing to Fodor's or something and they'll hire you right away. Don't do it! Or if you do and are successful, tell me immediately how you did it!!!

Image from http://styleandi.blogspot.com

In the Moment

2008-04-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

"Moment of Death" by Robert Capa - photo from BBC article "Genius of Photography"

After writing about Ansel Adams, I felt remiss in not mentioning another of my favorite photographers although he is pretty much in an opposite area of photography from Adams. I hope I am not boring too many people with all this "inspirational" series, but this blog is basically a record for me of what I was thinking about anyway. I actually first stumbled across him doing research for my senior thesis in undergrad and I'm convinced that if I could write a screenplay, his life story would make one of the best Hollywood movies ever.

He name was Andre Friedmann, but the world knew him as Robert Capa. He renamed himself because he felt it would be easier to pronounce and made him sound almost American, which is completely more understandable when you realize he was a nice Jewish kid living in Germany and France during the 1930s. He was one of the first "photo-journalists" (which so many of us derive our style of photography from), meaning he followed the action around and documented it as a journalist covers the news. This meant he spent most of his life following around war - from the Spanish Civil War to World War II to Indochina.

He had a really famous quote: "If your pictures aren't good enough, then you aren't close enough." This is really apparent if you look at his pictures from the D-Day landing - he actually accompanied a group of soliders and swam ashore onto Omaha Beach. (Um, for those of you who don't know what D-Day is - that's when the Allied troops including American troops landed in France and started on the campaign to take back Europe from Nazi Germany - I'm just never surprised by how little history people bother learning!). If you've ever seen the movie Saving Private Ryan and that amazing D-Day sequence, you can't help but feel like the cinematographer was directly influenced by Capa's work. They have that same gritty immediacy the film captures.

Capa had some hugely entertaining escapades. When reading about his life, you feel like he knew that following all these wars around meant he had to absolutely cram in the actual living part. He wasn't one to say no to a drink or a party; in fact, he co-founded the famous Magnum Photo Agency, named after the champagne bottle.

Although I'm not advocating crawling around and chasing wars (although one of my favorite writers, the journalist Sebastian Junger and the photographerthat frequently accompanies him, Tim Hetherington - a modern-day Hemingway of sorts with a twist of Capa - does just this and has written amazing stories accompanied by fantastic photographs from war-torn Somalia and Afghanistan) - Capa's commitment to his subject is truly an inspiration. He inspires all of us photographers to be in the moment, to capture things as they are unfolding and not be afraid to get a little dirty!

Sadly, you can't stay that close to the action forever. Robert Capa died in 1954 after stepping on a landmine in Indochina. Legend states that he died with his camera in his hands.

Upside Down Favorite

2008-02-17T17:24:00.000-06:00

Image from NY Times article.

I alluded in an earlier post to how much I love Ansel Adams - what photographer doesn't, really? But the historian in me also loves to read about his life, his style, and some of the stories his friends and family tell about him. I think this kind of social and biographical history is incredibly interesting and also influences how I look at his images.

There are numerous books and a wealth of articles on Adams on the web - one of my favorites is this New York Times travel article. The article details how, as a young man, Adams took his first trip to Yosemite and stood on a rock to take a picture of Half Dome, then promptly stumbled and fell! On his way down, he accidentally pressed the shuttle-release, creating an "upside down" image that remained one of his favorites.

I have heard stories about how he would hike for miles into Yosemite, spend an hour or two setting up a shot, and then take just one picture and hike back out, so confident in the pre-digital era that he had captured the image as it was in his mind. I'm not sure if this story is true - it may be more of a tall tale. But I did read that one of his first famous pictures from Yosemite, titled "Monolith" and taken of Half Dome, was taken as he neared the apex of his hike. At this point, he only had two plates left and so could only capture two images and he nailed it on the second one. Perhaps this is where the other story I heard comes from.

Ansel Adams inspires me for two main reasons, besides the sheer beauty of his images: one, he was able to pre-visualize his photographs. Again, without the immediate feedback of a digital camera LCD screen, he had to frame, adjust, and shoot all the while knowing what it would look like in his head. As a recent convert from film, I still see the beauty in black and white film photography, which I did for so long, because it takes dedication and helps build your intuition as a photorapher.

Second, he knew his equipment instinctively. He used one of the tiniest aperture openings available to create the best depth of field for his landscape work and experimented with filters, including a red filter to create his dramatic "Monolith" photograph. In fact, he founded a club for like-minded photographers called F/64, named after a tiny aperture opening. I can't imagine lugging around all that heavy equipment - I mean, I complain about having to carry two or three lenses and a flash!

If you haven't had a chance to really peruse some of his work, I encourage you to browse through a book or take the opportunity to go to a museum that has some of his prints - you will be amazed!

New Years' Resolutions?

2007-12-28T02:32:00.000-06:00

I don't normally believe in New Year's resolutions, but so many changes have happened this year it made me start reflecting and that, in turn, made me think about the year ahead. I've come to find that the best things in life tend to happen when you stop planning.

Rather than resolutions, I'm writing down some of my goals for the upcoming year. This seems like a more positive route than making a promise like "lose ten pounds" that I end up feeling guilty about all of January when I don't! What about everyone else: do you make resolutions, or do you think they're not worthwhile?

Where Does It All Come From?

2007-12-06T17:11:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, I've lived in California almost my entire life and hadn't been to Yosemite until last month. (I know, right?) There was so little snow in Mammoth we made the trek over through the pass and enjoyed a beautiful drive. I fully expected it to be pretty, but a little underwhelming. After all, hasn't there been all that talk of how tourism is destroying National Parks? And really, without much snow, how pretty could it be?

The answer is, actually: breathtaking! As I looked down the valley towards Half Dome, I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalm 121:

I lift my eyes up to the mountains
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from You,
Maker of Heaven, Creator of the Earth.

While I realize everyone has different beliefs, when I look at something so perfect and beautiful in nature, I feel this overwhelming sense that a being far greater than I am created it. It gives me great joy and peace knowing that Someone who created all these wonderful things also watches over me. Sometimes, when I see the sun coming down in beams through the clouds, I feel as though God coming down to Earth right there.

I was especially excited to go look around because I absolutely love Ansel Adams and his photographs of Yosemite are so iconic. We didn't take much opportunity to take scenic photos - just snapped a few more touristy ones. It was quite packed with cars and people, so I couldn't bring myself to take shots that didn't pay homage to the quiet, unspoiled beauty of Ansel Adams' Yosemite.

Happily Ever After...

2007-11-07T19:00:00.000-06:00

We narrowly avoided having our wedding during the huge fires that swept the very next day and covered the wedding site in ashes. Phew! Luckily, the wedding day was absolutely beautiful and we felt very blessed to be surrounded by friends and family to celebrate.

Our amazing photographers, Michael and Emi of Evoke Photography captured the day in such a special way! Not to mention they were incredibly patient with me - as a photographer too, I was really particular about what I wanted. Of course, having seen their work and gotten to know them before the wedding, I already loved their style and trusted them to produce fantastic images. Here's a sneak peek: