i do :: shemane + melvin (teaser)
Hello world! And Happy New Year! It’s been ages since I’ve added a new entry. It’s what happens when life gets busy with the holidays and taking time off to relax and revamp the creative juices. *siiiiigh* It feels so good to be back in the saddle and doing what I love… capturing special moments, witnessing love between newlyweds, and… dare I say… going through the editing process.
Not many photographers can say they like editing. They’d rather spend time behind the lens snapping away and then outsource their editing. But, to be honest, editing is also where I make that special connection between my work and my clients. It’s not just behind the camera. Sorting through photos and discovering a mood that fits a specific couple is where my creativity also sinks in. Sure, it’s fun behind the camera, but what to make of a plain photo and bring it to its next level of just pure awesomeness??? How do I do it??? Moods are everything. It controls the way we feel and the way we perceive life. It sets the tone. It can make us laugh. It can make us remember when that photo was snapped. And it can even make us cry.
I’m just at the beginning of editing Shemane and Melvin’s wedding in December. I’m notorious for my teasers with my clients who always beg for more (oh, and trust… there will be more teasers). I hope these few put Shemane and Melvin in the mood to remember when these were taken. Or maybe even cry.
editorial :: the knot magazine, southern california winter 2009 issue
Eeeeeek!!! It finally arrived and I’m beyond excited. What’s beyond excitement? Superfragicalalisticexpialidocious!! Huh? Well, you get the idea… I’m dancing on cloud 9 right about now.
One of my brides contacted me about gaining permission to be published in The Knot Magazine (Southern California edition). At first I was shocked… but then I received an email from the editor asking for access to Annie & Cliff’s wedding portfolio because they were candidates to have a small feature article in an upcoming issue. WELL, BY GOLLY SUUUUUURE!!! Next thing I knew… I found this on the news stands…
EEEEEEEK!!!!!
**FYI**
I was hired independently (at the last minute) by Annie & Cliff to be their second photographer. The photos presented in this issue of The Knot Magazine are INDEED MINE and DO NOT belong to the primary photographer, Nathan Wauk. I was more than a little upset to see that I wasn’t credited as the photographer to provide these photos to The Knot. Nonetheless, I’m still SUPER happy to be published yet again. I hope that this won’t be the last.
Thank you, Annie and Cliff, for giving me this opportunity.
family :: kaycee + jon + jaylen + nolan
I’ve been sick for the last few days and have stayed in bed watching the world tick by. I hate being sick because being sick means I can’t snowboard anytime soon. And OH MY is there a lot of snow in Big Bear!!! If there’s one thing to be happy about when being sick in bed is I get to sit around with my coveted MacBook Pro on my lap that keeps my body warm in this frigid weather… and being sick gives me time to post a blog entry (or 2).
Finally. Here are some more of my favorite shots from the family shoot I did with Kaycee’s family. When Kaycee contacted me, she wanted something different and a little untraditional for family portraits. She wanted urban shots which I found exciting!
family :: kaycee + jon + jaylen + nolan (teaser)
The holidays are fast approaching!! Where did November go? December will soon disappear and before we know it we’re in 2010!
I have not done any Christmas shopping. I was one of the sane ones that didn’t partake in the madness that is called Black Friday. I find that the chaos, stress, and long lines aren’t worth saving a few bucks – I think I prefer my sanity. I’d rather hit the stores when parking is easily available and the stores are clutter-free. That’s just the way I roll because when I shop I’m in and out of a store in 15 minutes (with or without merchandise). That’s pretty much how fast I can get ready, too. I’m a no nonsense kind of gal. 
As an Angeleno, I find that Old Town Pasadena is an easy place to shop because of the outdoor shopping and you don’t have to worry about the mall traffic. Sure, you have to pay for parking but at least I don’t find it as stressful as leaving a mall’s crowded parking structure. So, when Kaycee asked me where they should do their family photo shoot I immediately thought of the alleys in Old Town Pasadena. I also thought about the countless shops I can sneak around in after the shoot to do a little window shopping… yes, I said window shopping. 
Here’s a sneak peak of the Ruiz family gearing up for their holiday cards. I had such a blast shooting around the alleys of Old Town Pasadena. I would definitely go back and explore some more!
family :: joyce + ed + baby zoe
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
I hope y’all had a great day filled with delicious food and great memories. So, what do we all have to be thankful for? First and foremost, family!! And then followed by all the good things in life like a roof over your head, friends, and just the fact that you’re breathing. My dad gave me the best advice yesterday… Learn from yesterday. Live for today… because you can die tomorrow! I love my dad’s wisdom and his sense of humor.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend!
Here are a few of my favorites from my shoot with Baby Zoe. You may remember her from a few months back… and my has she grown!!
This next photo is the same one I took when Zoe was much younger. Check out the 1st one HERE.
