Scott and Sarah: Engagement

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

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

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!