Today's blog post title brought to you by Simple Minds. I choose this for 2 reasons: #1, because this past weekend was my 20-year (yes... I said, TWENTY-year!) high school reunion, and #2, it represents my generation (the 80s) and I don't think anyone wants to show up at their reunion and think that no one will remember them! (luckily, name tags and the influx of Facebook into our lives helped to alleviate much of that, for many of us, I'm thinking!) I'd also like to add an honorary #3 as to why this song title is so appropos: I think it's timely to mention a moment of rememberance for John Hughes (yes, again, please!), as this was the keystone song that represents "The Breakfast Club", an 80s icon unto itself, and that TOO was symbolic of this weekend's anniversary, because in high school, everyone is broken up into a title, a clique, a symbol, because it's easier to fit into a pre-determined label than to carve your own way. And even if you ventured out to find your own unique voice, then you were an outsider, because you weren't like everyone else. Unless of course, you were a POPULAR person who walked to the beat of your own drum, and then you were hailed as innovative and people yearned to be like you... (and in doing so, they fit into another pre-determined label as follower, but hoping to be a COOL follower). In The Breakfast Club, I think it was nailed down pretty succinctly in the letter Brian wrote to the principal: "You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... and an athlete... and a basket case... a princess... and a criminal... " (hoping no one from our class was a criminal though!)
We graduated 1989, when we voted Erasure's "The Innocents" as a favorite album, the year before moving into the 90s and away from a decade of over-abundance and excess. I could get all Dickensian (is that proper terminology?) and say "It was the best of times... it was the worst of times..." but then again, it's HIGH SCHOOL for goodness' sake!
But you know what is beautiful about time? People change and most of us (although maybe afraid of change at times) also learn to embrace it. High school is about finding your voice; once you get into college, it's about USING it, it's about being HEARD. At that point, no one is chastised for it anymore, they are heralded! And although I attended my 5 and 10 year reunions as well, I found everyone still to be welcoming and wonderful at each one, I didn't understand why anyone would hold onto reservations for that long. Heck, maybe it was my OWN attitude that matured. I came into a public high school system as a freshman knowing only a few people there, as I transferred in from a small private Montessori school. I had never attended public school a day in my life, and I was scared beyond belief. I went from being a big fish in a small school to a small fish in a big school... and it makes you WORK to be the person you want to be, I had to work to go find my friends and the people I would fit in with. The few people I knew when I came to public school already had their existing friends and cliques, I wasn't openly invited in. They were comfortable -- they'd already known each other since early grade school. But, I found my way over time, and joining drama and sticking with it for all 4 years (not to mention I had my love after school: dance -- ballet, tap, jazz, etc) actually made me visible, I guess... well, that and I also was in a bunch of the GATE classes with the other people I wanted to be liked by. The view from inside one's self is a very different world than how the world sees you. And no matter how apprehensive you are, you have to remember that you're not alone. Everyone had (and has) insecurities, and we had to learn to support each other, not try to outdo each other. But then again, that concept still always should apply, no matter the time and place.
And the biggest thing I think that makes you visible is your ATTITUDE. Over years, I stifled my insecurities and pushed them down where others didn't see it on a regular basis, and I put myself out there. I smiled at everyone, I worked in retail and loved working in music stores in high school and college and I made it my own goal to get people to smile and come out of THEIR shells. Maybe I felt I related to those people, their issues, and I wanted to make other people feel better. And in turn, I felt better about myself too.
And when I work at a wedding (especially the reception), I feel oddly at home. Maybe it's being surrounded by happy people for a happy occasion, but I love getting to know new people, I love hearing their stories and capturing their moments. And so I offered to bring my camera to the high school reunion, I think it was part of my own (in)security blanket. Because when I have my camera in hand, I have a perfectly legitimate excuse to approach anyone I want -- carte blanche at an event -- and ask them if they'd like a picture. It worked out especially well because I knew a lot of these people already (and attended with 2 good friends, one that I've known since the 1st day of high school and kept up with for the last 24 years, and the other one is one I recently reconnected with). Plus, I happened to email one of the reunion organizers (another classmate) asking if I could bring my camera along and take pix during the night, it turned out that the budget hadn't alloted for a photographer, so it worked out perfectly. And I end up feeling like a little A.D.D-social-butterfly, flitting from one corner of the room to the other, trying to get that perfect moment, then getting swept up in the conversation, then moving on to the next moment I happen to see out of the corner of my eye across the room. (And, if a convo started to get stale, it made a perfect exit excuse, no? But, not that I had any of those moments, thankfully!)
Oh! And, I even approached a guy I had a crush on senior year (name withheld!) -- he never knew I had a crush on him -- and went up and said hi the other night. I didn't think he'd remember me, even though we had at least one class together, he didn't have any reason TO remember me specifically because we didn't have reason to talk to each other. But all the same, he SAID he remembered me, and you know, it's the little things that make you feel victorious after all those years. Isn't that silly? He's married now and I knew it before saying hi, so it wasn't like I was approaching him with any sort of hope; ultimately, it was just about saying hi, and connecting with another being with whom I had a shared past, albeit a minor one on a momentous milestone night 2 decades later. We spoke only a few minutes, but it was enough that if I were able to travel back in time, a la Marty McFly, and tell my younger self that he would know who I was 20 years later (or even lie in saying that he did), that would be enough to get me through that class without him ever speaking to me. Sometimes, you make a bigger impact on the world around you than you ever realize. That's one of my big hopes -- that I can leave an impression on the world around me -- not just professionally, but personally, too.
The evening went by entirely too fast. But it was so good to see everyone again. Tonight I finished going through and sorting the pix from the night, and tomorrow night I will post them and send out the link. And... in a momentary blip of the old insecurity resurrecting itself, I suddenly wondered and hoped to myself that they all like the pictures too and I will garner acceptance and make my way into the cool kids' club. ;-) At which point the song fades into my brain again, the refrain repeating itself over and over along with all the key and pertinent lyrics: "Don't you... forget about me // I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby --" (that's so me! "Dancing, you know it baby") -- "Slow change may pull us apart ... Will you recognize me // Call my name or walk on by ... Don't you try to pretend ... It's my feeling we'll win in the end // I won't harm you or touch your defenses // Vanity and security ... Don't you forget about me."
I know I won't forget.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
It's Friday... I'm in Love...
Or Wednesday, as the case may be. But, this post's title has TWO meanings to it... besides being a song by the Cure (and a Friday that I post this entry), it's also representative of my friend and photographer, Kelly Reiter, who LOVES the Cure. And without her, I would not have been able to shoot this wedding!
Kelly is friends with a good friend of mine, and they both live in Arizona. I once tried to help Kelly out by getting tickets to a Cure concert for her (you had to be a resident of California to even be able to attempt to purchase the tickets), but even though it didn't work out, it gave us a chance to bond over our love of photography, especially anything to do with kids, weddings, events... anything with PEOPLE! When I was in AZ this past January for the Professional Photographers of America-sponsored Imaging USA Conference, I was even able to go by and see Kelly's booth at the Bridal Expo, which just happened to be in another building at the same conference center. Since then, we've become "Facebook Friends" as well. (And seriously... who doesn't love FB? What a GREAT way to connect, reconnect, and just keep up with all of those friends that when you don't necessarily have time to write long emails, you can at least see what's going on at a glance. Brilliant!).
So, Kelly's husband's father, David, has been with Elizabeth for 12 years now. They decided this year to make it official. As Elizabeth grew up in Laguna, once a year they come out to California and stay at the Arabella Cottages for a week (awesome, you must check them out! They're quaint and have a lovely old, warm feel to them). This year they decided a very small, private ceremony on the beach would be an ideal time to celebrate their love, and so Kelly asked me if I might be able to shoot it for them. So began a series of emails back and forth with David and Elizabeth, but I was so happy to be able to meet them when I was most recently in AZ in July, the 3 of us went to dinner, and they are so warm and fun, I felt immediately like I was part of their family too -- and so honored to be able to capture this special day for them!
I met with them again briefly this past Monday morning, so that I was able to see the specific area they were getting married... on the beach right next to the Montage Hotel in south Laguna. What a spectacular area. Not as if the rest of Laguna is anythin' to sneeze at, but this was just that much more secluded and picturesque.
Wednesday, I arrived at the cottage, where Elizabeth and David were with their closest friends and having a little wine and appetizers before heading down to the beach, but I started snapping a few pictures...
David is a Mickey Mouse fan... and so his cufflinks had Mickey on them (he also has a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his leg!).
And a picture of Elizabeth, looking lovely as she spoke with friends...
And I couldn't resist this light, or the old-style phone on the end-table, or the card that happened to be sitting right next to it, so perfect...
Then we snapped a couple of pictures in the garden. I love how David and Elizabeth look at each other! 12 years together and there's still so much love to share and to give. I find it inspirational and something to strive for in my own life... and not to settle for anything less than the best.
Then it was time to head down to the beach... look at Elizabeth's dress. Isn't it -- and doesn't she look -- gorgeous, in it? And... we had to sneak in a picture of David looking rather dapper in his jacket, sunglasses and wine glass in hand. Almost makes me think a little James Bond? But without the martini ... ;-)
And so the ceremony with Pastor Paul began. Look at the water and the sky! At sunset no less... you couldn't ask for a better day to get married.
There was a lot of laughter during the ceremony (in a good way!), and a lot of tears (in a good way)... it was very emotional too. Look at Elizabeth... cracking up and with a tear at the same time. Kind of symbolic of life, too, isn't it? That laughter and tears often go hand-in-hand.
I *love* this one... I could be super-cool and say that I totally saw Pastor Paul holding the ring in his hand before passing it to David to put on Elizabeth's finger, but really, I was concentrating on getting their faces and emotions and framing it just a certain way. Later, when I saw the ring there (and the rings on the outside of his booklet too!), let's just say I was very happy for a happy accident. Good pic anyway... but BETTER with the ring. I almost feel like you can hear what he is saying.
Then it was time for Elizabeth to reach under her dress and remove... a ROLEX! (this was David's ring) And look at his expression as she puts it on him! Love it!
Prayers...
...and then the kiss!
A close-up of the ring (Rolex in the background)... isn't it GORGEOUS? Elizabeth was so happy with what a good job David did in picking it out:
A couple of portraits of the happy couple...
On our way back up to the cars, we came across this little cutie. He was only 2 months old and just so tiny and sweet, we had to stop to say hi. How adorable is he (or she? not sure which)?!
And lastly... a quick view of Laguna Beach at sunset on a Wednesday night, August 13th:
As the song by the Cure goes (this is for Kelly!) ... "I don't care if Monday's blue. Tuesday's great and Wednesday too. Thursday I don't care about you. It's Friday, I'm in love." Well... I beg to differ. I think Wednesday is the day Elizabeth and David chose to proclaim their love, legally, spiritually and in front of the world. But in this case, I'd even go so far as to say, it's EVERY DAY they're in love. And again... thank you to Kelly, for giving me the opportunity of having such a great evening with some wonderful people. I wish them many more years of love and happiness.
And on the early morning hours of the last day of the week before the weekend, may I wish you a Happy Friday and a great weekend ahead.
Peace out! :-)
Kelly is friends with a good friend of mine, and they both live in Arizona. I once tried to help Kelly out by getting tickets to a Cure concert for her (you had to be a resident of California to even be able to attempt to purchase the tickets), but even though it didn't work out, it gave us a chance to bond over our love of photography, especially anything to do with kids, weddings, events... anything with PEOPLE! When I was in AZ this past January for the Professional Photographers of America-sponsored Imaging USA Conference, I was even able to go by and see Kelly's booth at the Bridal Expo, which just happened to be in another building at the same conference center. Since then, we've become "Facebook Friends" as well. (And seriously... who doesn't love FB? What a GREAT way to connect, reconnect, and just keep up with all of those friends that when you don't necessarily have time to write long emails, you can at least see what's going on at a glance. Brilliant!).
So, Kelly's husband's father, David, has been with Elizabeth for 12 years now. They decided this year to make it official. As Elizabeth grew up in Laguna, once a year they come out to California and stay at the Arabella Cottages for a week (awesome, you must check them out! They're quaint and have a lovely old, warm feel to them). This year they decided a very small, private ceremony on the beach would be an ideal time to celebrate their love, and so Kelly asked me if I might be able to shoot it for them. So began a series of emails back and forth with David and Elizabeth, but I was so happy to be able to meet them when I was most recently in AZ in July, the 3 of us went to dinner, and they are so warm and fun, I felt immediately like I was part of their family too -- and so honored to be able to capture this special day for them!
I met with them again briefly this past Monday morning, so that I was able to see the specific area they were getting married... on the beach right next to the Montage Hotel in south Laguna. What a spectacular area. Not as if the rest of Laguna is anythin' to sneeze at, but this was just that much more secluded and picturesque.
Wednesday, I arrived at the cottage, where Elizabeth and David were with their closest friends and having a little wine and appetizers before heading down to the beach, but I started snapping a few pictures...
David is a Mickey Mouse fan... and so his cufflinks had Mickey on them (he also has a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his leg!).
And a picture of Elizabeth, looking lovely as she spoke with friends...
And I couldn't resist this light, or the old-style phone on the end-table, or the card that happened to be sitting right next to it, so perfect...
Then we snapped a couple of pictures in the garden. I love how David and Elizabeth look at each other! 12 years together and there's still so much love to share and to give. I find it inspirational and something to strive for in my own life... and not to settle for anything less than the best.
Then it was time to head down to the beach... look at Elizabeth's dress. Isn't it -- and doesn't she look -- gorgeous, in it? And... we had to sneak in a picture of David looking rather dapper in his jacket, sunglasses and wine glass in hand. Almost makes me think a little James Bond? But without the martini ... ;-)
And so the ceremony with Pastor Paul began. Look at the water and the sky! At sunset no less... you couldn't ask for a better day to get married.
There was a lot of laughter during the ceremony (in a good way!), and a lot of tears (in a good way)... it was very emotional too. Look at Elizabeth... cracking up and with a tear at the same time. Kind of symbolic of life, too, isn't it? That laughter and tears often go hand-in-hand.
I *love* this one... I could be super-cool and say that I totally saw Pastor Paul holding the ring in his hand before passing it to David to put on Elizabeth's finger, but really, I was concentrating on getting their faces and emotions and framing it just a certain way. Later, when I saw the ring there (and the rings on the outside of his booklet too!), let's just say I was very happy for a happy accident. Good pic anyway... but BETTER with the ring. I almost feel like you can hear what he is saying.
Then it was time for Elizabeth to reach under her dress and remove... a ROLEX! (this was David's ring) And look at his expression as she puts it on him! Love it!
Prayers...
...and then the kiss!
A close-up of the ring (Rolex in the background)... isn't it GORGEOUS? Elizabeth was so happy with what a good job David did in picking it out:
A couple of portraits of the happy couple...
On our way back up to the cars, we came across this little cutie. He was only 2 months old and just so tiny and sweet, we had to stop to say hi. How adorable is he (or she? not sure which)?!
And lastly... a quick view of Laguna Beach at sunset on a Wednesday night, August 13th:
As the song by the Cure goes (this is for Kelly!) ... "I don't care if Monday's blue. Tuesday's great and Wednesday too. Thursday I don't care about you. It's Friday, I'm in love." Well... I beg to differ. I think Wednesday is the day Elizabeth and David chose to proclaim their love, legally, spiritually and in front of the world. But in this case, I'd even go so far as to say, it's EVERY DAY they're in love. And again... thank you to Kelly, for giving me the opportunity of having such a great evening with some wonderful people. I wish them many more years of love and happiness.
And on the early morning hours of the last day of the week before the weekend, may I wish you a Happy Friday and a great weekend ahead.
Peace out! :-)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Everybody's Working for the Weekend...
Ahhh, Loverboy. Who doesn't love them some early-80s-hair-glam-meets-bad-clothes-from-the-end-of-the-70s? But, they spin a pretty good tune, namely: "Workin for the Weekend".
And speaking of working for the weekend, that's exactly what I did. Well, some of it, anyways. The part where I wasn't working, I kind of wished I was!
Saturday I assisted my friend Colleen Bell in shooting a Mormon wedding at the LA Temple in Santa Monica, then followed with a reception later in the afternoon in Fullerton. Fullerton's a great place, mainly a college town, known not only for its Cal State University campus, but also for Fullerton JC. But tucked away just off of some of the main streets are these amazing, older homes that make you wonder if you've been teleported out of Southern California. With the exception of still seeing all of the telltale flora that is the trademark of SoCal, you wouldn't know *where* you landed. We were lucky enough to shoot in one of *those* homes, large and beautiful and very rural, with a 2-level backyard (well, also with a 3rd level, where the horses and chickens resided). There were NO streetlights or sidewalks in this cul-de-sac. Tons of tall, dense trees. It was pitch black at night, no light pollution whatsoever! Literally, there were businesses maybe as little as 1 -2 miles away, but you would not guess it from this sleepy and charming street.
I've assisted Colleen on a Mormon wedding before. As most of you know, photographers aren't allowed inside during the private ceremonies. But what was especially nice about this particular event was that the bride and groom held a ring service at the ceremony for their guests that weren't present at the first ceremony at the Temple. Being that there were 2 levels to the backyard, I was able to second shoot from the upper level and get a wonderful bird's-eye view from above, while Colleen stayed down below and shot from among the guests. What was also great was how easy a day this was, as far as shooting a wedding goes... the bride and groom were relaxed and very down-to-earth, not demanding at all; they were more interested in documenting the day as a whole, and capturing the candids that make a social and special day what it is. And THAT is what I love about second shooting! I get a chance to see those unscripted moments and capture them. You know the kind I'm talking about: the kind that you suddenly see the bride cracking up at a joke in-between formal portraits; a child running a finger over the frosting of the cake... the "slice-of-life" moments that you keep going back to look at, over and over. The ones that make you laugh, the ones that capture your heart, the ones overflowing with emotion, the ones that you can't imagine *not* seeing.
I'd also like to add that shooting a wedding -- while it is physical labor and constant mental effort -- that I can't classify it as "work". Work is something you do because you have to do it. How does the saying go? "If it was fun, it wouldn't be work!" Well, while out of convenience I may call it work, I don't consider it work! (and it sounds awkward to say: "I have fun to do; I'm shooting a wedding today.") I love what I do and wouldn't want to trade ANY of those moments that I constantly go back and reflect on, and feel like they've enriched my life (hopefully just as much as my photography enriches the lives of my subjects too). And working with Colleen is a joy--she's supportive, complimentary and a positive person to work with. And she and her husband (and the kids) are such good (and fun!) people. There's a lot of people I definitely feel so lucky to have met, and she's one of them. There's so many cutthroat photographers out there that are protective, competitive and secretive about what they do... that when you find a truly good one -- one who is talented AND a good person as well -- it makes you want to pass it on. (I've talked about this pay it forward concept before in my first post; in case you missed it, you can read more about it here.)
Anyways... since I was so exhausted, I took Saturday night to stay in and rest up and NOT go out to see my fave 80s cover band, Flash Back Heart Attack. (Being that I see them play all the time, I knew it wasn't the end of the world to miss one night) Sunday, I attended a gorgeous, lavish and fun wedding for a dear friend at the Mission Inn -- love that place! It was weird to not have a camera in hand (well, not a pro version. I did bring my little pocket camera, I never go anywhere without it). I realized then I really WANTED to be wandering around, capturing the details, the unscripted moments, meeting people. But I have to say, the photographer they hired, Cean Orrett, did a FANTASTIC job. He put the pictures he and his assistant had already taken and put them on his laptop and created a slideshow (something I had already planned on doing at my next wedding), which they placed on the reception table during the dinner hour. Oh, and I got a chance to wear a really cute dress and killer dark red crocodile-textured heels! My feet are so sensitive that I can only wear comfy shoes when shooting a wedding. :-) Even then, my big toes tend to go numb at the end of a long day on my feet!
I'd like to add, a moment off-topic mind you (but you already know that I tend to be a stream-of-consciousness-type, but I always try to get back to my main point), while you may think that this is a poor idea, to mention and provide links to other photographers, that I'm a believer that there is something and someONE for everyone. Not just when it comes to marriage, but in choosing your photographer, which is why I will promote others as well as myself as long as I believe in them, not just in talent, but in personality. I figure if you like my photos, what I have to sell is MYSELF. You will hire me not because I'm marginally better than every other photographer you've seen or met, or because my prices are better or worse than anyone else, but because we connect and we are going to be in tandem on your big day. And what you're telling me -- or whomever you hire -- is that you believe in me for much more than just any job. You are showing that you TRUST and BELIEVE in me to capture -- forever -- one of the most important days of your life. And I take that very, very seriously. But I also believe in fun, and that everything in life can subscribe to a "work hard, play hard" attitude. And when you marry ('scuse the pun) those two aspects, well -- life is just a whole lot more enjoyable.
So I guess I've rambled enough for tonight. I'm going to be posting some pix tomorrow -- you know, the whole reason you've come to my site in the first place! To LOOK AT PICTURES! Today has been about recovering from all the wedding fun, but I'm ready to get back to work and get my site up to speed so I can launch it. If I'm on top of things, I hope to do that this week.
Until next time, peace out!
And speaking of working for the weekend, that's exactly what I did. Well, some of it, anyways. The part where I wasn't working, I kind of wished I was!
Saturday I assisted my friend Colleen Bell in shooting a Mormon wedding at the LA Temple in Santa Monica, then followed with a reception later in the afternoon in Fullerton. Fullerton's a great place, mainly a college town, known not only for its Cal State University campus, but also for Fullerton JC. But tucked away just off of some of the main streets are these amazing, older homes that make you wonder if you've been teleported out of Southern California. With the exception of still seeing all of the telltale flora that is the trademark of SoCal, you wouldn't know *where* you landed. We were lucky enough to shoot in one of *those* homes, large and beautiful and very rural, with a 2-level backyard (well, also with a 3rd level, where the horses and chickens resided). There were NO streetlights or sidewalks in this cul-de-sac. Tons of tall, dense trees. It was pitch black at night, no light pollution whatsoever! Literally, there were businesses maybe as little as 1 -2 miles away, but you would not guess it from this sleepy and charming street.
I've assisted Colleen on a Mormon wedding before. As most of you know, photographers aren't allowed inside during the private ceremonies. But what was especially nice about this particular event was that the bride and groom held a ring service at the ceremony for their guests that weren't present at the first ceremony at the Temple. Being that there were 2 levels to the backyard, I was able to second shoot from the upper level and get a wonderful bird's-eye view from above, while Colleen stayed down below and shot from among the guests. What was also great was how easy a day this was, as far as shooting a wedding goes... the bride and groom were relaxed and very down-to-earth, not demanding at all; they were more interested in documenting the day as a whole, and capturing the candids that make a social and special day what it is. And THAT is what I love about second shooting! I get a chance to see those unscripted moments and capture them. You know the kind I'm talking about: the kind that you suddenly see the bride cracking up at a joke in-between formal portraits; a child running a finger over the frosting of the cake... the "slice-of-life" moments that you keep going back to look at, over and over. The ones that make you laugh, the ones that capture your heart, the ones overflowing with emotion, the ones that you can't imagine *not* seeing.
I'd also like to add that shooting a wedding -- while it is physical labor and constant mental effort -- that I can't classify it as "work". Work is something you do because you have to do it. How does the saying go? "If it was fun, it wouldn't be work!" Well, while out of convenience I may call it work, I don't consider it work! (and it sounds awkward to say: "I have fun to do; I'm shooting a wedding today.") I love what I do and wouldn't want to trade ANY of those moments that I constantly go back and reflect on, and feel like they've enriched my life (hopefully just as much as my photography enriches the lives of my subjects too). And working with Colleen is a joy--she's supportive, complimentary and a positive person to work with. And she and her husband (and the kids) are such good (and fun!) people. There's a lot of people I definitely feel so lucky to have met, and she's one of them. There's so many cutthroat photographers out there that are protective, competitive and secretive about what they do... that when you find a truly good one -- one who is talented AND a good person as well -- it makes you want to pass it on. (I've talked about this pay it forward concept before in my first post; in case you missed it, you can read more about it here.)
Anyways... since I was so exhausted, I took Saturday night to stay in and rest up and NOT go out to see my fave 80s cover band, Flash Back Heart Attack. (Being that I see them play all the time, I knew it wasn't the end of the world to miss one night) Sunday, I attended a gorgeous, lavish and fun wedding for a dear friend at the Mission Inn -- love that place! It was weird to not have a camera in hand (well, not a pro version. I did bring my little pocket camera, I never go anywhere without it). I realized then I really WANTED to be wandering around, capturing the details, the unscripted moments, meeting people. But I have to say, the photographer they hired, Cean Orrett, did a FANTASTIC job. He put the pictures he and his assistant had already taken and put them on his laptop and created a slideshow (something I had already planned on doing at my next wedding), which they placed on the reception table during the dinner hour. Oh, and I got a chance to wear a really cute dress and killer dark red crocodile-textured heels! My feet are so sensitive that I can only wear comfy shoes when shooting a wedding. :-) Even then, my big toes tend to go numb at the end of a long day on my feet!
I'd like to add, a moment off-topic mind you (but you already know that I tend to be a stream-of-consciousness-type, but I always try to get back to my main point), while you may think that this is a poor idea, to mention and provide links to other photographers, that I'm a believer that there is something and someONE for everyone. Not just when it comes to marriage, but in choosing your photographer, which is why I will promote others as well as myself as long as I believe in them, not just in talent, but in personality. I figure if you like my photos, what I have to sell is MYSELF. You will hire me not because I'm marginally better than every other photographer you've seen or met, or because my prices are better or worse than anyone else, but because we connect and we are going to be in tandem on your big day. And what you're telling me -- or whomever you hire -- is that you believe in me for much more than just any job. You are showing that you TRUST and BELIEVE in me to capture -- forever -- one of the most important days of your life. And I take that very, very seriously. But I also believe in fun, and that everything in life can subscribe to a "work hard, play hard" attitude. And when you marry ('scuse the pun) those two aspects, well -- life is just a whole lot more enjoyable.
So I guess I've rambled enough for tonight. I'm going to be posting some pix tomorrow -- you know, the whole reason you've come to my site in the first place! To LOOK AT PICTURES! Today has been about recovering from all the wedding fun, but I'm ready to get back to work and get my site up to speed so I can launch it. If I'm on top of things, I hope to do that this week.
Until next time, peace out!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
It's a Nice WEEK for a White Wedding ...
... or 2, or 3...
It's wedding season, there's no doubt about it! (No Doubt? But that's a Billy Idol song I'm quoting!). And as an aside/digression... RIP John Hughes, who passed away today. An icon of the 80s himself as director of all things great, wonderful and teen-angsty in the movie world, it was so sad to hear he is no longer here. I think everyone I know owns at LEAST 4 or 5 of his movies at home, on VHS, on DVD... and will watch reruns of them all on TV anytime they are on even if they own them! (I know I do) To pay my respects, I am going to see my good friends and their 80s cover band play tonight in Costa Mesa, CA. I told them they better cover Simple Minds' "Don't You... Forget About Me" as a tribute! Plus, they are truly an AMAZING band, please do me a favor and check them out: Flash Back Heart Attack; or, see samples of them live on YouTube. And YES, they do cover Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" and segueway into "Mony Mony" as well. They are the best time you will have revisiting your past while experiencing MUCH red leather, skinny ties and wigs and sunglasses!
So, speaking of White Wedding Season:
This weekend and following week will be a blast! I am assisting a good friend on a Mormon wedding up in LA (Santa Monica, CA) on Saturday, with reception in the evening in Fullerton, CA. Being that Fullerton is my old stomping grounds from my college days, it will be nice to hang out there again. (Well, not like I'm never there. I was actually just up there today too) Sunday I am ATTENDING a good friend's wedding at the historic Mission Inn, in Riverside, CA. This is a GORGEOUS venue, and was even lucky enough to shoot one of my first weddings there myself (as well as an engagement session). It will be fun to go as a guest, but I'm always looking around, looking for great places to shoot in the future. :-)
Next week I am shooting a small, intimate wedding on the beach in Laguna Beach, CA. This will be a simple and classic evening at sunset for a lovely couple I was referred to by another photographer friend in Arizona -- they are coming to CA and my friend asked if I would be able to shoot it for them. I met with them the last time I was in AZ a few weeks back and they are such a fun-loving, playful couple and seem incredibly down-to-earth. Next week will be a pleasure!
Then, at the beginning of September, I'm taking a day to drive up to Santa Barbara, CA to check out the venue and surrounding areas for a wedding I will be shooting there later in the month. So many great things to look forward to!
So, with that in mind and all the great things coming up... here is a closing thought, in honor of the late John Hughes:
It's wedding season, there's no doubt about it! (No Doubt? But that's a Billy Idol song I'm quoting!). And as an aside/digression... RIP John Hughes, who passed away today. An icon of the 80s himself as director of all things great, wonderful and teen-angsty in the movie world, it was so sad to hear he is no longer here. I think everyone I know owns at LEAST 4 or 5 of his movies at home, on VHS, on DVD... and will watch reruns of them all on TV anytime they are on even if they own them! (I know I do) To pay my respects, I am going to see my good friends and their 80s cover band play tonight in Costa Mesa, CA. I told them they better cover Simple Minds' "Don't You... Forget About Me" as a tribute! Plus, they are truly an AMAZING band, please do me a favor and check them out: Flash Back Heart Attack; or, see samples of them live on YouTube. And YES, they do cover Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" and segueway into "Mony Mony" as well. They are the best time you will have revisiting your past while experiencing MUCH red leather, skinny ties and wigs and sunglasses!
So, speaking of White Wedding Season:
This weekend and following week will be a blast! I am assisting a good friend on a Mormon wedding up in LA (Santa Monica, CA) on Saturday, with reception in the evening in Fullerton, CA. Being that Fullerton is my old stomping grounds from my college days, it will be nice to hang out there again. (Well, not like I'm never there. I was actually just up there today too) Sunday I am ATTENDING a good friend's wedding at the historic Mission Inn, in Riverside, CA. This is a GORGEOUS venue, and was even lucky enough to shoot one of my first weddings there myself (as well as an engagement session). It will be fun to go as a guest, but I'm always looking around, looking for great places to shoot in the future. :-)
Next week I am shooting a small, intimate wedding on the beach in Laguna Beach, CA. This will be a simple and classic evening at sunset for a lovely couple I was referred to by another photographer friend in Arizona -- they are coming to CA and my friend asked if I would be able to shoot it for them. I met with them the last time I was in AZ a few weeks back and they are such a fun-loving, playful couple and seem incredibly down-to-earth. Next week will be a pleasure!
Then, at the beginning of September, I'm taking a day to drive up to Santa Barbara, CA to check out the venue and surrounding areas for a wedding I will be shooting there later in the month. So many great things to look forward to!
So, with that in mind and all the great things coming up... here is a closing thought, in honor of the late John Hughes:
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it."
--Ferris Bueller's Day Off (one of my ALL TIME favorites, EVER!)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Building a Mystery...
... or a brand, as the case may be. (Again, if you know me, you know I quote movies and music. "Building a Mystery" is a song title by Sarah McLachlan... TECHNICALLY, I believe it's a song about vampires. But considering I'm usually up all night almost every night and sleep in late, I guess it's not TOO far off the mark. And as a redhead, I have that oh-so-fair whiteness characterized by vampires too, I suppose. Although, I never did get on the whole "Twilight" or "Vampire Chronicles" bandwagon... I was more a sci-fi and "Witching Hour" series type-of-girl. But hey, originality is what makes the world go round, no?) ;-)
And that non sequitur brings me right back to my point of this post: Building a Brand, which hinges on originality. There's something as a trained graphic artist (with a degree in Communications Advertising) I learned long ago, and I heard this again recently when taking marketing classes from amazing photog and marketer Sarah Petty; and that is: when you create a logo, you want it to be unique, timeless and enduring. Your logo is like your face, your personal identity... and if you are constantly changing your look (basically, what people associate with you), then you cannot build consistency. And at the root of consistency is TRUST. You don't see changes from Nike's classic "swoosh" logo, do you? Or the script writing of Coca-Cola? (although they have "evolved" over the years, they have kept their signature look and feel. And people are comfortable with what they know... and when their fave brands, such as Pepsi, go out on a ledge and stray from what their faithful fans know, they rebel. Really? Crystal Pepsi? Who could bring themselves to associate a cola drink with a beverage that was CLEAR? Too weird. So glad I gave those up eons ago!) ;-)
So in building my new brand as I venture into creating a new website that is based on photography only, I have been killing myself for no less than 6 months now, trying to create the "perfect" logo that I will not get tired of, that will represent me, my personality and my style, and will also be classic and enduring. It will be on EVERYTHING, from thank-you notes to my clients, to pictures I post on the web, in my blog, etc and so forth. And as a trained graphic artist and what I admit to be a rabid perfectionist, I have not hit my mark yet. I keep changing my mind, I can't settle on anything. I am TRULY my own worst client and it's completely frustrating!
And then Sarah Petty, in her infinite wisdom, said during class: "trade services if you have to with a graphic artist; they can design for you, and you can do pictures for them." DUH! Brilliant! (And, as an aside, PLEASE check out Sarah's site: The Joy of Marketing. She "speaks" and marries the two worlds--and their distinctly different languages--of the art of photography meets the art of marketing. She's amazing and inspiring! Thank you, Sarah!!)
So like the old joke: "How many _____ (fill in the blank) does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" Well, if we fill in the blank with "photographers" (or in this case, "Karen ReVelles") and the lightbulb is a metaphor for the brilliant missing idea, then the answer is this:
ONE.
It takes only ONE of me to come up with the solution, which is this: I went to my trusty and good friend Cheryl, with whom I have worked with for YEARS as a graphic artist (she's a brilliant AD -- Art Director -- now, and I just love her to pieces. She's quirky, funny, a great sport and a SUPER-talented artist). She's got the cutest kids who have inherited her hilarious personality. So I made exactly that offer to her! What helps is that she knows me and my style, my personality and my photography. So, she knows what will fit me. And I gave her what I had come up with to start, and gave her all of my own misgivings, what I liked and didn't like. And I gave her carte blanche to evolve what I had started, or even go somewhere totally new. Tonight I got a draft from her... and I LOVE IT!! She's super-cali-fragilistic-brilliant!
So with a few more ideas from her (overall web design direction, plus her input for my signature color choices, etc), I will soon be able to unveil my new site. I'm so excited! So this post is all about giving props to talented people... and also to knowing when to ask for help, and to focus yourself on what you do best. And for me, what I do best is relate to my wonderful clients, and take their pictures to tell their amazing stories using all the dancing light available to me.
(p.s. -- Also hoping that tomorrow night goes through as planned: I'm hoping to do a couples' shoot at the OC Fair, and I know EXACTLY what I want. I went last week with my friend and her hubby and their 2 adorable little ones, and got such fun and whimsical images that really captured the innocence and wonder of their first times ever at such a colorful and larger-than-life event. Stay tuned!)
nite nite,
-kr
And that non sequitur brings me right back to my point of this post: Building a Brand, which hinges on originality. There's something as a trained graphic artist (with a degree in Communications Advertising) I learned long ago, and I heard this again recently when taking marketing classes from amazing photog and marketer Sarah Petty; and that is: when you create a logo, you want it to be unique, timeless and enduring. Your logo is like your face, your personal identity... and if you are constantly changing your look (basically, what people associate with you), then you cannot build consistency. And at the root of consistency is TRUST. You don't see changes from Nike's classic "swoosh" logo, do you? Or the script writing of Coca-Cola? (although they have "evolved" over the years, they have kept their signature look and feel. And people are comfortable with what they know... and when their fave brands, such as Pepsi, go out on a ledge and stray from what their faithful fans know, they rebel. Really? Crystal Pepsi? Who could bring themselves to associate a cola drink with a beverage that was CLEAR? Too weird. So glad I gave those up eons ago!) ;-)
So in building my new brand as I venture into creating a new website that is based on photography only, I have been killing myself for no less than 6 months now, trying to create the "perfect" logo that I will not get tired of, that will represent me, my personality and my style, and will also be classic and enduring. It will be on EVERYTHING, from thank-you notes to my clients, to pictures I post on the web, in my blog, etc and so forth. And as a trained graphic artist and what I admit to be a rabid perfectionist, I have not hit my mark yet. I keep changing my mind, I can't settle on anything. I am TRULY my own worst client and it's completely frustrating!
And then Sarah Petty, in her infinite wisdom, said during class: "trade services if you have to with a graphic artist; they can design for you, and you can do pictures for them." DUH! Brilliant! (And, as an aside, PLEASE check out Sarah's site: The Joy of Marketing. She "speaks" and marries the two worlds--and their distinctly different languages--of the art of photography meets the art of marketing. She's amazing and inspiring! Thank you, Sarah!!)
So like the old joke: "How many _____ (fill in the blank) does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" Well, if we fill in the blank with "photographers" (or in this case, "Karen ReVelles") and the lightbulb is a metaphor for the brilliant missing idea, then the answer is this:
ONE.
It takes only ONE of me to come up with the solution, which is this: I went to my trusty and good friend Cheryl, with whom I have worked with for YEARS as a graphic artist (she's a brilliant AD -- Art Director -- now, and I just love her to pieces. She's quirky, funny, a great sport and a SUPER-talented artist). She's got the cutest kids who have inherited her hilarious personality. So I made exactly that offer to her! What helps is that she knows me and my style, my personality and my photography. So, she knows what will fit me. And I gave her what I had come up with to start, and gave her all of my own misgivings, what I liked and didn't like. And I gave her carte blanche to evolve what I had started, or even go somewhere totally new. Tonight I got a draft from her... and I LOVE IT!! She's super-cali-fragilistic-brilliant!
So with a few more ideas from her (overall web design direction, plus her input for my signature color choices, etc), I will soon be able to unveil my new site. I'm so excited! So this post is all about giving props to talented people... and also to knowing when to ask for help, and to focus yourself on what you do best. And for me, what I do best is relate to my wonderful clients, and take their pictures to tell their amazing stories using all the dancing light available to me.
(p.s. -- Also hoping that tomorrow night goes through as planned: I'm hoping to do a couples' shoot at the OC Fair, and I know EXACTLY what I want. I went last week with my friend and her hubby and their 2 adorable little ones, and got such fun and whimsical images that really captured the innocence and wonder of their first times ever at such a colorful and larger-than-life event. Stay tuned!)
nite nite,
-kr
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