What was I doing on Friday….
Come back next week to see the rest.
Archive for February, 2010
Sneak Peek | Engagements
February 27, 2010Ashlyn & Jordan | Anytime
February 24, 2010I look at these and remember eaves dropping on their conversation while I was composing shots, or pulling greenery or lugging ugly out of my shots.
Him: “You’re so cute when you make that face.”
Her: “What face?”
Him: “That one. (sigh) You’re so cute.”
I almost felt obtrusive while they talked to each other.
Ashlyn & Jordan both have their future ahead of them. They met a few years ago. Where? In a dance studio of all places.
Jordan comes from a creative family and spent a few years perfecting his pas de chats and développés in the local dance studio. That’s when he first met Ashlyn. The cutest ballerina in the studio. The two struck up a conversation, and then…here we are. Here they are.
Ashlyn is pursuing a degree in Fine Arts, Jordan is pursuing a degree in computer animation. And he likes to dabble in landscape photography. I’m sure the two of them will live a beautiful life together, dancing in each other’s arms when no one is looking. And probably when people are looking because you wanna know what? They’re in love.
Thank you Ashlyn & Jordan, for reminding me about those sweet simple moments.
Scenes from Saturday | Personal
February 22, 2010A coupla days late. But here are some more random things from around the house…
Remember the lovely tomatoes featured from the San Rafael Farmer’s Market? I blogged it last weekend. But anyhow, sometimes we’d end up with so many tomatoes that we never ate that I started freezing them. Voila…out of the freezer and ready for a fresh(ish) batch of pasta sauce…
I may have shown you this Buddha head that is sitting on my mantel. I’m not sure when and where we got it but I like it. IT makes me feel like I may have left the country to collect it. One of these days I will leave this country and visit far off places.
I love this rubber band ball. It has absolutely no purpose in the house but the colors are vibrant. I love a little bit o’ color in my life. So there it sits at my desk.
I went to write in my journal and flipped to the next fresh page. Found this note in my journal. I love it.
Young Love
February 19, 2010Um, what can I say about Ashlyn and Jordan other than the fact that they are adorably cute! Young love always makes me happy. The whole time, Ashlyn was perfect, giggly and smiley while Jordan showered her with praises and adoring looks. After a few hours with these two I wanted to immediately go home and tickle Justin and tell him he was so cute when he watched tv with his mouth open but the sentiment would not have been the same…sigh.
So, here’s just a few shots from my fun anytime session with Ashlyn and Jordan. Anytime sessions are perfect for occasions like this: documenting that perfect relationship with someone that holds significance in your life. They are not engaged (yet) but they are most definitely promised to each other which in itself is a done deal.
More to come later in the week!
Happy Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2010To all my family, friends and lovely readers.
My dad | PERSONAL
February 12, 2010This is my dad. My mom and dad divorced when I was in grade school. I don’t know him well at all, but I love him nonetheless.
This photo was obviously taken before mom and dad were divorced. It was 1979. The year I was born. My mom and dad were in England, stationed on an American army base in Lakenheath. I have the story that goes along with my birth which I will share later. But for now…
Sometimes in my head, I see this picture and that’s the way I see my dad when I have those few and far between conversations with him on the phone. Or when I’m reading those infrequent e-mails we send each other.
The thing I love most about this photo is that my mom took it. I can imagine her. Tired and weary from the responsibilities of a new child. Looking lovingly at me. Lovingly at my dad.
Holding the camera.
Clicking away.
One at a time.
This is why I love photography, the art of photography and the feelings it emotes.
This moment in time.
Even though I was too young to remember it. I will always remember this.
Making Things Happen | BUSINESS
February 8, 2010
There is a buzz around these two ladies and I LIKE IT!
Meet Ati and Ajira! This little get together was prompted by me connecting with both this beautiful women on twitter (I think). Ajira is a local photography that lives in the East Bay. She is where I am, just starting out in this business and needing to connect with others to stay motivated and inspired. I previously met Ajira and her gorgeous son Chesaweh in Castro Valley for coffee a few months back.
Adding Ati to the mix was easy after reading all of her crazy motivating blog posts coming into the new year. Ati is eco-conscious event planner. She also designs some awesome Polynesian inspires invitations and other paper goods. Ati is attending this workshop in March called Making Things Happen, an “intensive designed to fire you up.” And every post from Ati since she registered to go to this event has really fired me up.
So, after some messages back and forth and writing, we should meet up, Ati finally said, let’s do it, get out your calendar, we’re picking the date. And that we did.
And after two hours of hanging with each other this past Sunday, I walked away with this light in my eyes because we are so gonna make things happen. So look out on the blog, because there are gonna be all kinds of great things coming to you the next few months! Bet on it.
And just because Ajira is a clown, and I didn’t know that until we chilled. Here she is being silly!
Scenes from Saturday 3 | Personal
February 6, 2010So it’s been raining on and off all week. So not happy about that. I need me some sunshine to make me HAPPY, lift my mood and brighten my spirits!
Since we aint got any of that, here’s some shots from this summer. My mom worked in San Rafael for a few months and we’d pack up the kids, grab our reusable bags and head over to the San Rafael Farmer’s Market at the Civic Center Plaza to do stock up on fruits and veggies.
ENJOY!
Beautiful Bride | Wedding
February 5, 2010I mentioned last month that I was able to second shoot with Caitlin Cahthey, fabulous wedding photographer based in Los Gatos, CA. It was seriously the most fun.
When Caitlin and I arrived to the Testarossa Vineyards, Shestin was already inside the bride’s room getting ready. I met her and immediately was drawn to her bright blue eyes. Her hair was styled with a classic wave. Her headpiece was attached to the back in a funky way that I would never consider doing myself. I saw her beautiful golden wedding dress and thought, “This girl has style and she OWNS it.” And her shoes, gold with some bling. She was a serious stylista. See for yourself!
So not The Hangover | BUSINESS
February 2, 2010Alan: I’m sure you get this a lot, but is this really Ceasar’s Palace?
Hotel Clerk: What do you mean?
Alan: Did Ceasar really live here?
Hotel Clerk: No.
Alan: Didn’t think so.
Some people don’t know this about me. But I love…no I LOVE hanging out with friends especially now that I’m older. And I can get up to no good and no one will look at me twice. Well, almost no one looks at me twice.
Magic Mountain with Lou.
Faces in Lou’s Living Room.
Multnomah Falls.
Posing at a hotel in LA. Lou was my camera guy.
Me and TOBES! She’s my Canadian friend. Everyone needs one.
Gotcha! (And thanks for my beautiful skin, Amy!)
The above photos are all random shots from some of thee most awesome get togethers I have had with some of thee most eclectic group of girls. In 30 days, I will be headed out to make more awesome memories and I gaurantee they will be documented with photos. The 30th anniversary WPPI 2010 Convention is headed to Vegas and you bet your sweet bottom that I will be there! 
[Side note, the last time I went to Vegas I stayed out til 4 AM, walked back to my hotel barefoot and fell asleep next to my bed, not in it.] Am I looking forward to the learning that will be learn-ed from some super successful photographers in the industry? Am I looking forward to meeting some of the most talented and inspiring photographers in the industry; my peers and others I want to model my business after? Hot diggity dog I am. BUT I am looking forward to staying up past midnight every night with Christine; giggling about old memories of flying on the I-5 between Oregon and Washington states with Amy; finally having a face to face conversation with Kellie? Psssh, do you even have to ask…HECK YEAH. My flight on Virgin America has been booked. My room at the New York, New York is reserved. All the classes I am interested in attending are added to my Google Calendar. I have RSVPed to this party for Sunday, and this party for Tuesday. I’ve been Google Waving it with Mr. Rob Ninja and the Photog Shootout community gathering ideas for super secret fun that will be announced later. I have been passing e-mails back and forth with other Central Valley photographers that are also Vegas bound. It will be crazy to put faces to Twitter accounts! I will be meeting up with Ati after she’s done with her workshop so I can see the sparks bouncing off of her after Making Things Happen Intensive. I can only imagine the WPPI trade show floor with hundreds of vendors! I am hyperventilating. AHHHH! Is it March 7 yet? Oh, and yes. I will be bringing some pepper with me. Since “tigers love pepper…they hate cinnamon.” HA!