Suspicion

Back when I went to art school one summer at the well-respected Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles (summer between my sophomore and junior years in high school), I was part of a group of about 150 students each studying a different emphasis, mine was graphic design, my roommate decided to venture out and try fashion design. This summer was a milestone in so many ways, including an experience that I ended up writing about for my junior-year English class in high school, for which I received an A+! (so excited when I got that back ... it also made me wonder if I would have been a good detective... but this story for another day.) ;-)

But the other gift I received that summer was the gift of discovering new music. My roommate -- oddly enough, by chance, the only other redhead at summer school besides myself (we even got nicknamed! She was taller than me, so she was "Big Red" and subsequently, I was "The Other One", not sure if this was meant to be demeaning or not!) -- was a huge fan of English music. When I say English, I mean that cool stuff that we get from across the Pond. They seem to consistently produce some enduring little bands. You know... whatstheirnames? The Beatles? Oh yeah, them! Duran Duran? They sound sorta familiar.

Well, she introduced me to a group that was NOT well-known here in the states, but I fell in love with their music all the same. Back then, I made copies of her tapes on our dual-cassette-deck-enabled boom boxes (SOOO many things that seem WAY too dated in that sentence!). I listened to them until they wore down, and then in the day and age of MP3s, I was able to download their music. The group's name is Colourbox, and the lead singer's voice was so absolutely soulful, incredible, and the range of emotion she could reach touched my troubled teenage angst's soul.

In case you are a music maven, you MAY have heard of a group called M/A/R/R/S. They did a song released just slightly prior to the techno-era called "Pump Up the Volume" -- electronica before its' time. M/A/R/R/S was formed in the wake of the split of Colourbox (technically a collaboration with AR Kane), and I believe it really was their only hit, but still put them on the map. Colourbox also experimented with electronica, but by far their strengths (that spoke to me) were the soulful, slightly-1940's-inspired crooner tunes when Lorita Grahame joined the group, such as "Suspicion", "Arena", "Say You" and "The Moon is Blue". If you want a treat, this is the album to get (available on iTunes). They also did a great cover of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin On" (found on this same album -- WAY better selections than their greatest hits CD -- and for a little more about their "World Cup theme", check this out)!

So the song I'm referencing in this blog post is called "Suspicion"... the interpretation of the meaning behind the lyrics could be read in so many different ways, but the chorus is what has stuck with me for years and years:

Fight against them or they'll break your spirit down
Fight against them or they'll try...
Try to, try to
It doesn't matter what they're sayin'
They're only trying to break you ...
What more would they ever need
When they're only trying to break you down

And how can I ever learn to keep them down
When they hide in places inside me

I bring this song up because this is also a response to my post, "Beautiful". When I feel like anyone else has tried to quash my spirit -- or worse yet -- when I've quashed my OWN spirit, this is such a pick-me-up! And in the midst of thoughts roaming my head earlier today, it occurred to me that I should have mentioned that perception and actuality can be such different things. When it comes to self-image though, should they be different, or should one exceed the other? What I often wonder is -- while although I also know that we are a product of our experiences -- how do we grow to have such distorted views of ourselves?

Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and cringed -- only to see your flaws, while other people look at it and sing praises? Why are we taught that it's more humble or acceptable to put ourselves down? I'm not sure why it's a learned trait for women to find acceptance through other people's praises while men are encouraged to be confident.

However, this isn't a post about men vs. women at all, but I want to find a way to spread encouragement from a young age so that as everyone grows, especially through formative years, that we all have a positive self-image in our appearances, our talents and our successes. Maybe that's what I'm striving to do in my photography and why I spend hours editing the images that I post (more than I should), because I see so much beauty in people that I want to shine through, that I try to look at my images from my clients' eyes. Well that... and I love retouching, it probably comes from my years of doing fashion & beauty retouching for The Wet Seal, Inc.! But if I can make their beauty shine through my lens, and because I strive to get to **really** know them, I can see what they are going to be drawn to first, and I minimize any areas I think could be perceived as a flaw, and try to play up the assets. However, I try to keep the "ultimate truth" in the image and not make it unreasonable or have anyone look at their own portraits and see that it was an obvious retouching (fashion and editorial doesn't fall into this same category, though!). Personally, I think my clients are all so beautiful, that they never really need digital help. The lens is supposed to tell truth, ideally, and I don't want to deviate from that.

So when those demons inside you begin to rise, fight against them... don't let them break your spirit down! And in the words of (Saturday Night Live's) Stuart Smalley, repeat after me:

I am good enough
I am smart enough
And gosh darn it --
people like me!

Holiday Portraits

To top off this post, here are a few shots from a recent family holiday shoot I did at a park just down the street from me in Irvine, CA. Amazingly, we got some vibrant fall colors on our little west coast -- who knew it was possible? This is an example of a beautiful family -- inside and out. Even better, the day we shot these (November 22, 2009) was the 1-year anniversary of the day I shot Simon & Michelle's wedding! I love that they come back to me faithfully, it's such a compliment (it makes me do a happy dance). I love these people, they are warm, funny, inviting. I've actually known Simon for many years -- I originally met him through a former boss and did (and still do) graphic design work for him. So, I've also known Emma and Ben for years... they are growing up so wonderfully, I see them as a cornerstone for positive self-image, which is another reason I think these images are appropriate to this post, they don't seem overtly influenced by the negative influences that I think so many of us were subject to at their age. My wish for them is that their perception and actuality of themselves are always -- at the very least -- equal to each other. This family is so happy together, I love how they play around and know how to have fun and celebrate life! Even better is the positive self-reinforcement Ben & Emma get from their family. It gives me the warm fuzzies.

This one was their favorite for the holiday card choice...

We were walking to the bridge and I loved the background on this pathway, had to stop...

Emma and her dad. Love this shot!

This one is more of an "outtake" ... but sometimes those are the ones with the best personality!

Finally made our way to the bridge (a new addition to the William R. Mason Park!)

The sunset/fall-like colors generally were too awesome to convert to b&w and sepias, but I had to add a little of my own flair to this one.

Emma and Ben... don't they have amazing smiles?

A little sun flare never hurt anyone, right?

Another outtake... I love when they crack up! Michelle has the greatest laugh.

This is just for the gorgeous setting... I can't believe this is in the middle of the now-heavily developed Irvine.

I'm not sure what kind of bird this is exactly, but I thought it looked so elegant, it has such flowing lines so naturally.

And then it took off in flight... I think birds have such beauty and grace. I also love its' reflection on the water.

Thanks for reading! Next time I post, it will probably be after my birthday on Sunday. I may be a year older and wiser... but also a year BETTER. See ya'll on the flip side! Can't wait to be 29... again! :-)

Heroes

Speaking of Heroes... (as I was talking about in my previous post), I'm going to briefly build on this.

As I was talking about photographic heroes in that post, this song by David Bowie kept playing in my mind while writing about it, so now I will elaborate on that... and FINALLY! I'll add some recent pictures I shot, too. Yup! I really AM a photographer! ("I'm a real boy, Gepetto!")

Though nothing, will keep us together
We could steal time, just for one day
We can be heroes, for ever and ever
What d'you say?

We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day

So, this is what I wanted to do, to be a hero for that one day. With the pictures below, I didn't want my images to look like everybody else's. I belong to some groups on Facebook, one of which is the LA-based "Shoot This!" run by Joelle Leder. On Sunday, November 15th, 2009, a group of 30+ photogs from LA, Riverside and Orange Counties got together at Jody Domingue's studio on Melrose for a New Year's Eve-theme/high-glam/fashion shoot. We had makeup artists, hair stylists, da works, bay-bee!

But, I was frustrated, because despite multiple models and locations, a large chunk of us were shooting the same models at the same time, and ending up with the same images with essentially the same lighting and the same expressions. I was starting to feel suffocated, and while almost all of my colleagues were amazing in respecting the space they were occupying, one or two were not. Don't they say it can only take one chef to ruin the soup?

So I decided it was time to make some new soup using my own recipe.

In becoming my own Hero, I wanted to shoot something different. I'm not a cookie-cutter type, never have been. So, about 5 friends and I asked one of the models if she'd like to walk across the street on Melrose to the car-cover shop and then into the graffiti-painted alleyway behind it. And suddenly... I was happy. I could have freedom to move, freedom to direct (and share the time with my fellow photogs and learn from them as well!)... our soup was gonna be GOOD!

I love shooting high-fashion/editorial style, but not every wedding will allow me to do that, obviously! So this is a chance to spread my wings a little.

And, of the images below taken in-studio, were the few precious moments I was able to make these completely my own. Please enjoy! (... and click on each image to see a larger version)

Megan looking high-fashion fab on the streets of Melrose in Hollywood, along with the Peter Pan shadow that looks like it's about to walk away and separate from her owner... newfound love of shoe-shopping on Melrose, maybe? Love!

Another fave of Megan... crawling the alleyway, looking vulnerable and fearless all at the same time. Roooaawar!

Chelsea in studio, so amazing up close and personal...

Chelsea in studio again, just a moment later and still ethereal and soft, despite stunning smoky eyes...

Back to Megan out on the street, animal instincts taking over... I totally see this as a 2-page spread in Glamour, Cosmo or Allure right? Can't you see the headline: "When animal prints attack!" or some equally silly (but way more clever than mine) title? A short paragraph could follow talking about what's in style right now... and then my photographic byline! I'm totally going to mock this up... but being that it's 2:30 a.m. as I write this and I have to be up in about 4.5 hours for a plane back home... I'll whip that up for another night. ;-)

Last but not least... back to Chelsea with David in-studio...

Lastly, I'm adding credits. If you'd like more information on contacting the models, please email me!

Location: Jody Domingue Studios

Leads: Doug McNamee(also teaches a tilt n' shift class)
Leads: Chris Diset

Makeup by: Kimberly Bragalone
Hair by: Shannon Ely

Sponsor: FolioMojo - Web Marketing Mojo for your online portfolio

Models:
Megan Bibbo
Chelsea Ravitch
David Liggett
(All 3 may be found on Facebook)

Beautiful

There are two songs called "Beautiful" and I love them both for different reasons. The more popular and undoubtedly the most well-known of the two is the version by Christina Aguilera. But for the purpose of this posting and so I can reach into my bag o'tricks if I'm'a stumped in the future at some point, I'm saving the C-tina version for a another day.

The version I'm quoting today is by a Canadian group (eh?) called Joydrop. I think I heard this originally on the "Catch of the Day" by Jed the Fish on KROQ radio (based in SoCal), many years ago (late 90s, to be precise). The lead singer's voice starts singing so sweetly like a little girl's, yet is soulful at the same time, and the message is profound in its simplicity:

If I was beautiful like you
I would never be at fault
I'd walk in the rain between the raindrops
Bringing traffic to a halt

But that would never be
No that will never, never be
'Cause I'm not beautiful like you
I'm beautiful like me.

The music turns electronic and the lead singer's voice turns hard-edged, as if these are life lessons that have been hard-earned, well-deserved, but with acceptance that is steely and full of resolve.

I've struggled with this same concept, both personally and professionally, for many years. Personally... I've found growing up in SoCal (Orange County) looking unique as I do, a challenge. Being young in the 80s I was surrounded by girls bleaching their hair with Sun-In (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!) and laying out getting browner by the day.

I couldn't do that. I'm fair -- half-English & half-Russian/Estonian/Latvian/something-Slavic. I'm fairly white... maybe even blue-white! I have red hair & freckles. ("Oh, mass of freckles on my arms and legs: when will you join together to just create a tan?? Today? No? Well, how about we try again tomorrow, then!? Hmm?") I remember a boy teasing me in my single-digit years for having hair that was "on fire" (ahh, the inventiveness of an 8-year old... who, oddly, also himself had red hair. Hello? Physician? Heal thyself, please). In my teen years, I entered an awkward phase that lasted around 25 years or so. You may laugh, but in my eyes, I'm not kidding! Oh wait. I'm only 29. Again. (my birthday is a week from today as I write this. I'll be... ummm... 29! Yes, that's it! 29! I like it. Would you buy that for a dollar?) Sooo, let's say this awkward phase lasted something more like 20 years. Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket!

But learning to embrace individuality is a tough road. When you're young, it's easier to go with the flow, be one of the pack, for fear of being teased (and I was always one of those ultra-sensitive types, and still am, really). We're not really rewarded for celebrating or showcasing our individuality until college, and by then, you hope your spirit's not already been quashed. For fear it has, hopefully it's not hard to regain it, or to find your way all over again.

I'm in Phoenix, AZ, for the Thanksgiving holiday right now. My parents have another place out here in central PHX. I have a couple of close friends from high school out here. Earlier this year, I even had a boyfriend out here. So, it's a place that I'm familiar with, but is just different enough from home to help encourage the landscape of my mind to chart unfamiliar territory. On the plane on the way out, I was reading my book "Fast-Track Photographer" by Dane Sanders (bought it from him at a local event he's set up in Newport Beach; fortunately, that's just a hop, skip and a jump away from my home in Irvine. Have I mentioned how fabulously LUCKY I am to live among some of the biggest photogs in the wedding industry, all based right here out of OC? It's so easy to go to SmugMug meetings, etc and meet them in person!).

So, I came to page 58 where Dane was talking about his experience as a new photographer to the wedding industry. He wanted to emulate and be just like his photographic heroes, those "celebrities" who inspired him. As he stated, that was a terrible mistake and a total disservice to himself. He essentially said (and I'm paraphrasing) that to be a success, you should really try hard not to be a carbon copy of your heroes... that they are successes because they approach the market in a very specific way that they have found which works for them personally.

I read this and totally found at that moment, 30,000-some-feet off the ground (yes, I was a'flyin HIGH!), that was the reiteration I needed for a thought that had been swirling around my head, but had never really coalesced into a finite, tangible truth: I don't need to be exactly like my heroes. Learn from what they have to offer, via experiences and business modules, but I can be free to be me. Shoot my images from the heart my own way, not with WWJD (What Would Jasmine Do?) lurking in my mind. Like my mom has been saying forever to me: "Don't reinvent the wheel... someone else has already done it, why would you want to, too?" So, I've had to take from my photographic heroes all of these tips and tricks that they share, and more: the biggest of those including drive and inspiration. But, I've had to also remind myself to really BE myself, and not to be what I think someone else wants me to be. I don't want my brain to be a crutch, relying on the aforementioned "WWJD do in this situation?" I was given a brain and the knowledge how to use it... so... use it! (I give myself all those visualization exercises so I can hopefully be prepared for any situation, and I try to listen to other photogs' horror stories so I can learn from their experiences too). And I can't be like someone else and be a success, because that's what they perfected, and it fits with them and their own uniqueness. It's okay to embrace me, flaws and strengths and all... right?

Embrace it. Love it. Learn to love my freckles. Connect the dots. Love my hair. (Turns out, lots of people love my hair and freckles. Why did everyone tease me then about being different when I was little?) And, I've found what draws people to me, and me to them: connecting. Like I've mentioned before, this world is all about making connections, and I can do that not only through photography, but through really getting to know others, and getting the pictures that are very specifically capturing their essence. If you're like me, you will constantly love to learn, and you will strive to be more than you are not only today, but to become more of that well-rounded person everyday. And by meeting and being genuinely interested in others, I think this follows: other people love to share, and I get to learn!

So professionally, this wild ride I'm on, because I had heroes, I was trying to be like them. I want their success, personally and professionally, so very badly. But you can't make those things come to you in quite such an obvious way. It sidles up from the side in a more obtuse way. I guess professional success may be like what they say about love: It will come to you when you're least expecting it. So I've finally decided to be real, work hard (but smart), love completely and the hardest part: have faith in myself. If everything is genuine and true and I work hard for it (and I work smarter, not harder), it will come in due time. Faith in myself is something that's never come easy for me, because everything came so easily & so naturally to me when I was little, that when I left the nest and flew out into the competitive world, where people put me down to elevate themselves, I was shell-shocked. Private school gave me a massive head-start intellectually and professionally, but I think it may have cut me off at the knees because of the insulation from the "real world" and the emotionally hard-hitting tactics people have used more than once -- and I allowed them to -- cut me down.

So, it was hard for me because I was always told how much cuter I was than the other kids when I was little (I'll have to post my headshots someday from when I was 5, 6 and 7 and auditioning for commercials). I was smarter than the other kids (my parents both have PhDs and are Mensa members... no pressure there! I always scored 99%tile in all standardized tests). I was more talented than the other kids (I excelled in art and dance from a very early age). Then I left my sheltered life for public school at 13, then college, then the **ahem** real world. And... Reality. Hit. Hard. And I've found that sometimes people I thought were friends put down my talent or personality to my face, yet when they exhibited the same personality traits, they thought it was normal or even superior, and that behavior never failed to floor me (I have very specific stories, but I'm going to refrain from sharing those for now). They made me feel ugly, inside and out, which I didn't like. I'm naturally sunny by disposition, so it put me in a bad place. But eventually, if anything, it made me work harder to be an even better person, more successful personally and professionally. Living well is the best revenge, my friends repeat to me (over and over). Then I guess I should try to live it!

If I was beautiful like you
Oh the things I would do
Those not so blessed would be crying out murder
And I'd just laugh and get away with it too
Like you do 

But that would never be
Never, never, never be
Cause I'm not beautiful like you
I'm beautiful like me, beautiful like me

And I don't have to be beautiful like you, my heroes... because I'm beautiful like me.

The Power of Love

Oh Huey Lewis, how I still love thee. The end of the 80s did not stop you. You even played the Orange County Fair this year, a mere 24 years after Back to the Future and Marty McFly transported us all back to the year 1955, and oh, I SO wanted to go see you play! I asked friends to join me, but no one seemed to want to go. (and yet, one friend ended up going... with her new boy. Such is life! :-) This is why I often end up doing things on my own! If I wait for everyone else, life is gonna pass me right on by... and I don't want to live life with regrets. And I regret not seeing the supporting star of "Duets" this summer when I had the chance!).

The Power of Love
Is a Curious Thing
Make One Man Weep
Make Another Man Sing

How much do I LOVE this song? If I'm ever in a funk or a bad mood with need of a pick-me-up (or even if I'm just in a peppy mood with a need for a ditty that reiterates my joyous state), I keep this song in my car on a custom CD I've created. It's instantaneous joy, sunshine, pure and simple. It's happiness incarnate (to me, at least!).

So... if I had to SUBTITLE this post, it would be "Blogging Rights." (Get it? Instead of Bragging Rights? Hello? **cricket, cricket** Is this thing on?)

Blogging Rights

Okay. I've been wanting to make this an official post for something like 2 weeks now! I could make all sorts of excuses and I've written bits and pieces of this in my head over those last 2 weeks, so I hope I remember it all. Better yet, maybe it will come out even better than it sounded in my head! **crossing fingers** Here goes (no more putting it off)!

So, I want to talk about the Power of Love. Here, I'm gonna give a run-down of the Power and its many forms of love wrapped up in social-media goodness:

Twitter
Who knew 140 characters or less could impart such joy, pure and simple? For example, I've posted things just because. Just because I believed in them, whether about the awesome products/service from McKenna Pro or WHCC... or maybe I'd tweet a shout-out to Scott Bourne, Terry White, Trey Ratcliff or Mike Wong (of onOne Software) for their inspirational posts, their ability to change my attitude/way of thinking for the day with a blog post of their own, their reviews/tutorials, etc... these are the people/companies on Twitter who took the time to either retweet me, stop and say THANK YOU for my post/response to something they tweeted (whether publicly or privately in a DM [Direct Message]), or even recommend me for a Follow Friday (FF).

Without a doubt, I of course appreciate the love from my professional and personal friends on Twitter, but when it comes from someone who literally must be receiving tons of @mentions/@replies and DMs, I am honored and touched when they take the 60 seconds (give or take) it took to stop, read, and respond. (Truthfully, I'm honored ANYONE takes time to listen to anything I have to say!) It doesn't matter to me the vehicle/package it comes in, just that someone was thoughtful enough to say "Thank you". (I'm thinking this appreciation comes of my upbringing from my ultra-thoughful and giving mom, who was born and raised in London... the English are famed for their manners, are they not?) To me, that translates to such an odd little bipolar-like lift. Is it crazy to be so honored by "the big people"? ... To be acknowledged by the idols I follow? Maybe I'm TwitterStruck! (you heard it HERE first, folks! Can I coin that phrase??)

I just sometimes feel like my own lowly little self, trying to become a great wedding photographer and "rubbing TwitterShoulders" (Twoulders?) with Da BIG Peeps is something that previously would have been so unattainable. It's like the line in the song from "Cheers": Makin your way in the world today / Takes everythin you've got. Ain't THAT the truth! I love this new era of sharing, not hoarding, information. It's amazing!

And the most incredible thing about Twitter to me is how easy it is to forge these new pathways to new friendships. (Quick story, cause I just thought this was soooo cool: last week, I was at the OC SmugMug, hosted by Jasmine Star, and Jeff Jochum of SmugMug was there as well. I follow him on Twitter, and a couple of days later, he tweeted about being at the Vancouver, BC SmugMug. He retweeted something from Jen Bebb, who retweeted another photographer named Katya Nova. I was curious about the subject of this particular tweet I'd read, so I followed Jen's link to Katya's blog. I LOVED Katya's post and images, and immediately began following both Jen and Katya on Twitter. Katya must have seen me as a new follower, because the next day, I got a DM from her, saying that she loved MY blog and "voice". How freakin honored was I??! Things like that put me on a little high, I swear it does. Maybe I'm too reliant on these little victories, but they're what I live for. I'm so happy when I've made a positive impact on someone ELSE'S day, you know?

And... I wish I could SAY things succinctly like I want to, yet Twitter forces me to. (Have you had to put this blog post down yet and come back to it? MAN, I'm verbose. This is why I need to blog more often, maybe I won't write so darn much in one sitting!) Becker just made a tweet today that his OCD keeps him from posting anything other than the 140 character limit lets him. I'm SO the same way, but only because I write so much that I have to keep editing down til I get back to 140 characters. :-)


Facebook
I can keep this one short, but I don't want to ignore it... FB has been an AMAZING resource for me, and a way for free marketing and a way to promote my shoots, my work, etc. (Although, HELLO, Facebook: Get a CLUE! Get rid of the Live Feed/News Feed thing, put back the recent links on the right-hand column on the homepage... plus, this new News Feed is screwing up my live feed on my iPhone version of FB. If the wheel ain't broke, don't fix it! Or maybe... let the user customize their homepage as it works for them?? Argh. Okay. Soapbox: done... **Deep breath... Zen moment... and... Done**). Anywho, something as simple as getting a shout-out from someone I've done a shoot for, or compliments on recents shoots I've posted (even the "like/thumbs-up" thing brings a smile to my face)... or seeing that tons of my friends use my pix as their profile pictures. Better yet, I've made new friends from FB and found new photog shootout groups. And I love that it's easy to follow "fan pages" and find my fave software is on sale, or there's an impromptu shootout going on, who wants to meet up? LOVE the power of Social Networking Media!

Blogging
OMG. This is the huge one, and yet... probably the shortest paragraph. Last year, my friend Courtney got married to her re-acquainted high school sweetheart in upstate Washington. It was supposed to be a small affair, low-budget, DIY-rustic gorgeous touches that Courtney is fabulous at and known for (she's an AWESOME hair and makeup artist too!). I told her I HAD to come up to WA and take pictures of the magical day... I knew in my heart it was going to be incredible. And it was. Courtney just submitted her beautifully-written love story to two nationally-recognized wedding blogs (you have to read her story, she tells it so well), but my pictures were also included! What a RUSH, to be part of someone else's feature on a wedding blog! I felt kinda famous, even if just for a day or two. :-) Check out the posts on Wiley Valentine and 2 Sisters Blog. (**HOORAY!** Okay... I might have done a little jig in place just cause I was so happy.)

Networking (aka NetMAKING, per J*)
Last week, I attended the OC SmugMug. Jasmine was the presenter that night, and talked about a new phrase she'd just coined. I'm afraid I don't have the EXACT wording right, but netmaking is where you strive/aspire to do things for others without the intent of personal gain (I tried to encompass the essence of the message, but I just found her exact definition she gave, per her post: "The desire to put one's needs before your own as a way to help, invest, and grow another business.").

So, as it turned out, the very next day (Friday), I got a call from a photographer in San Diego who needed an assistant for a wedding he was shooting that day (he was referred to me from another photog friend of mine). I was absolutely unable to go, so I referred a name of a new friend and aspiring photographer to him that I was sure would be free and able to do the job. She's new to the industry and hungry for any assignment she can go to and learn from. I gave him her name and number, and 10 minutes later, I got a wonderful post from Jen, thanking me for passing along the job... she was on her way to SD to assist! She was beyond ecstatic, and I was thrilled to help make someone else's day (2 actually! The SD photog and Jen as well), with no intent to gain anything of my own. And just then, I remembered Jasmine's speech the night before, and thought: You know what? I did something good today, with no ulterior motives for personal gain (except maybe to make MYSELF feel good). And it DID feel good.

This is what I'm good at: connecting other people and putting them in touch (I think I get this trait from my Dad, he's amazing at connecting people in the professional world). I'm really good at connecting with people myself. I keep up with people I meet in random places. (My ex-boyfriend was always amazed and would joke that we could be in line for 5 minutes somewhere and by the front of the line I'd be their best friend. But it's so true... I connect to people fast, because I find SO MANY things about so many people just so darned interesting. I love to learn, whether about people, photography, business, life. Bring it on! I never want to STOP being a student!). Life is all about the connections we make.

And now, in closing, a big SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to those of you who stuck it out and read to the end.

And I'll be back to posting more pix in just a day or two ... or three... at most! Cheers!

It don't take money and it don't take fame
don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
you won't feel nothin' till you feel
you feel the power, just the power of love
That's the power, that's the power of love
You feel the power of love

Oh Huey ... I couldn't have said it better myself. At least, not in 140 characters or less.

Under the Boardwalk

Okay, well, it's not a true boardwalk per se, but the song fits. :-) A week ago Sunday in Orange County, we got our first cold and blustery-at-the-beach day of the season, right after our (hopefully) last heat wave of the late summer/early fall. But, the sunset and smell of salt air imparted the feelings of true peace and happiness in me that being at the beach at sunset ALWAYS imprints on my pysche.

I was so happy to get an email from Paula several weeks ago, asking to schedule holiday portraits with her family. I worked with Paula in 2008 for several months while I was freelancing as a graphic artist on-site for a direct-mail firm, and ended up taking their holiday photos last year. It was such a charmed day that we not only got a ton of wonderful portraits, but a ton of amazing candids of her 2 daughters. Her older daughter had just turned 6 last year, and was adorable with an upper front tooth missing, which adds a modicum of impishness and innocence to all the pictures in such a natural, fun-loving way. Paula's younger daughter was approximately 6 months old and so sweet and mellow.

So I couldn't wait to see her girls again this year! Lila is now approximately 18 months old, walking, quick to smile and full of curiosity. Maxine just turned 7 the day before our shoot, and her hair had grown out soooo long; I had a glimpse of the elegant girl she was growing into, but while I sensed more maturity, she still had the carefree, slightly awkward movements of a growing girl who is still a free spirit, unhampered by worries that can plague us as maturity threatens to squash our creativity and ability to imagine what we can do in this great big wonderful world we've been given to grow in.

Paula suggested we take pictures at the San Clemente Pier in South Orange County, and the second she mentioned it, I knew it would be perfect — I love this place! (I actually went on a date there last year and couldn't believe I'd never been there before then... the sunsets from the pier are so calming there. Plus the vibe of San Clemente is not the same as every beach town... this city retains a small-town feel, low-key and pure. It doesn't strike me as "OC" as other beaches I've visited... it's like they remain unaffected by outside influences. But — what a shock — I digress). ;-)

Paula and her husband John walked up with the girls on the afternoon of our shoot, and as soon as Lila was let loose (and even before, while she was still in her stroller), I started snapping pictures of her:

I love how the light catches Lila's eyes here... they absolutely glow in the sun!

Then, it was time to do our first costume change... and Maxine and Lila became the cutest gosh-darn cowgirls west of the Mississipi! These are their Halloween outfits too... how adorable are they?!

Then, it was time to get into their holiday dresses — so elegant and colorful! — and head under the San Clemente Pier for "official" holiday portraits (this first one, a black-and-white, was more of an outtake, but I still love it):

And I love these as well, the first one for how sweet the sisters look, the second one because of Lila's funny expression!

I love this image, and although you can sense Lila's frustration ("Let me get up and be FREE! I need to go explore!"), I adore the serene, peaceful quality of Maxine as she envelopes Lila in a gentle hug...

Here Maxine is writing her name in the sand, a favorite activity this particular Sunday. She even wrote her name along with Lila's in the sand:

 

It really was getting cold, so I got a picture of John cuddling with Lila as he wrapped her up in warm fuzzy blankety goodness...

One more wardrobe change; Maxine is channeling her retro-50's look with a white t-shirt and hot-pink poodle skirt, she's so adorable!...

And last but not least, this picture holds special significance. Lila was born very premature, and at her time of birth, her torso was the same length as the little bear she's holding in her hand. They took pictures of her in the hospital next to the bear, as a frame of reference to just how small she was. But as you can see, she's WAY outgrown the bear! She's a vibrant, happy and healthy little girl. I love seeing how great she's doing; it's a scary way to start life as a preemie, but I especially love hearing the stories of children with strong spirits and a will to live that is strong and powerful, and they supercede all expectations. What can I say? I'm a sucker for happy endings!

Tomorrow I'm going to try to post some additional pictures I took after Paula and her family left. As the San Clemente Pier is right by the train tracks, I had fun hanging around on my own and snapping pictures of the RR crossing, as well as surfers silhouetted in the water, bathed in a golden purple-ly twilight. I didn't want to leave, so I found excuses to stay as long as I possibly could!!

Second Chance

Tonight's post has everything to do with Seconds (as in, "That dinner was so delicious, I think I need to have SECONDS!"). Tonight's post's title was inspired from the group Shinedown, with a new(er) song called "Second Chance" (if you're a fan of KROQ, Los Angeles & Orange County's leading alternative-music station, you'll have heard it there, which is where I first heard it. In fact, I liked it so much that I unwittingly tagged it more than once in Shazam, one of my fave iPhone apps). But, I digress... which is not uncommon with me. Come along on Karen's Mind Road Trip, the ride is a magically wonderful one, I promise.

But back to the subject at hand. While the main refrain of the song is that "sometimes goodbye is a second chance", my thoughts are that it's about making #1 out of seconds. As in, second shooting. And, I **love** second shooting. Tomorrow (or, later today, as it's after midnight) I'm assisting my friend Colleen Bell (whom I've mentioned before) on another wedding up in LA. If you're a "glass is half-empty" type, you may say that you're not the "star of the show". But haven't you ever been to a movie or play where one of the supporting actors was so amazing, they blew away everything and everyone else for you in that movie/play? And so, while you're there to support, help and anticipate what the primary shooter needs -- and it's still work! -- for me, it's a license for creative freedom, to take time to capture those beautiful moments from unusual angles, where no one is anticipating me. Instead of being just work, or just a job, it's a chance to get back to basics, when you are reminded of why you do what you love, it re-ignites the passion for being behind the lens. Obviously, your first objective should be to enhance and round out the primary shooter's body of work, get all of the moments that they can't be there to capture themselves, or help switch out lenses, carry extra gear, etc... but oh the moments I've been able to get! Colleen and I have talked about this, that somehow there's less pressure on you as a second shooter, you get to do "the fun stuff", the creative stuff. So really, isn't being "second" really just all about your attitude?

And while we're on the subject of "seconds", regarding the concept of "add-ons": I'd like to mention plug-ins. Yup, plug-ins. I use them for my favorite programs, Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. The programs on their own are hands-down, fantastic. But through years of using them, I always find things that I would like, to streamline and speed up my processes, all while improving my images. Well, ask and ye shall receive! That's where these plug-ins come in handy (I've mentioned these before too), such as action sets and tools from Kubota Imaging Tools, Totally Rad Actions, Jeffrey Friedl and Tim Armes. I'm planning a post soon for other photographers and aspiring photographers on my faves, where you can read more about what each one is, what they do, where to get them and why you should have them in your own workflow. I rely heavily on posts from my own photographic inspirations/heroes/mentors/teachers on Facebook and Twitter about the best of what's out there, and the options available to me and why I would want them. Often there are links for reviews of new or little known time-savers/gems, and I try to read about as many of them as I can. I believe in being informed, and I love sharing any knowledge I'm able to get as well!

So, not being first isn't always a bad thing. Being second, or even getting a second chance? Now THAT'S something worth being proud of, that you've made it so high on the food chain! Embrace it, make it your own. By loving what you do... that's when you turn your seconds into being firsts, especially in attitude. And that's something worth being proud of. Don't measure your failures, but rather, your successes, no matter how incremental -- being and staying positive is a key factor in how high you will be able to go not just in your career/profession, but in your personal life as well.

By the end of the weekend, I'll have more posts up, from a holiday family shoot I did at the San Clemente Pier recently to images from the Santa Barbara wedding that I shot (my previous post featured the slideshow I created for the bride and groom). Can't wait to share! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend ahead!

Everybody's Got Their Somethin'...

Today's post is WAY overdue ... I always write WAY too much, which is usually my deterrent from starting a new story. So, let me use tonight's post as an exercise in brevity (hahaha! Oh, how I love to tell myself these tall tales). As y'all know, I like to use song titles, and this particular title is in homage to Nikka Costa, whose funky-fun groovin' sounds makes me think of a modern-day Janis Joplin. And true to the title, the slideshow I am posting below is from Rachelle and Brian's wedding (in Santa Barbara on Saturday, September 26th, 2009), who definitely have their own Somethin' that makes them So unique and So much fun. (alliteration alert!) I love that they took their Somethin and branded their wedding with their signature way of doing things!

First of all, they wanted a really good party. Instead of champagne, they had tequila toasts (yep, custom shot glasses and Patron at every table! I like 'em already!). They wanted to have their wedding outside, and so Godric Grove in Elings Park was the destination, with an amazing outdoor amphitheatre for the ceremony, and then just over the hill was a fabulous wooden deck at the top of the park, with round Japanese-style paper lanterns everywhere that lit up as dusk disappeared ... and dinner was a Mexican buffet... and who doesn't like Mexican food?! Seriously! The cake was hands-down: The. Best. Ever. It was red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting. And yes... in embracing part of Rachelle's Jewish heritage, they also celebrated to Hava Nagila with the Hora, soon to be followed by Brian doing a knee-slide across the dance floor ... and better yet, he then entertained his guests with air guitar and ended up crowd-surfing across his adoring fans (aka, the guests!). Oh yeah, and there was an impromptu conga-line too. Great music really helped round out the vibe of the evening and kept virtually everyone up on their feet all night dancing! These are my kinds o' people!

See what I mean? Everybody's got their Somethin'... and I love the Somethin' they gots to give!

One last thing that I love about Rachelle and Brian is how they even have their own PERSONAL signature style... Rachelle is constantly hopping up on Brian's back and getting piggyback rides... and that's when they come alive in photos! It's so THEM. So, of course, I had to get some pictures of Rachelle in her wedding dress up on Brian's back, and they look so adorable & deliciously happy together -- all growed-up and fancy-like, yet they have a child-like enthusiasm that is wonderfully infectious too.

The slideshow below showcases the highlights that tell the Somethin' Story of their day. Rachelle and her bridesmaids got ready in a gorgeous suite at the Fess Parker Santa Barbara Hotel (love love love!), and then I met up with Brian and his groomsmen at Shoreline Park... they looked like rockstars admist a perfect blue sky with glittering water. After that, it was back to Fess Parker for the bridesmaids' portraits with the gorgeous Rachelle, and then we moseyed over to Elings. I simply couldn't have asked for cooler, more fun people who I am now also so honored to be able to call friends, too.

Pictures to follow soon... Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the show!
(and once again, music credit for the original instrumental to my friend Danny Hamilton. Thanks, Danny!)

Get Busy, Child!

Today's (short) post is with apologies (or THANKS!) to the Crystal Method... this is a great song (well, it's electronica, not so much a traditional "song" per se). I remember dancing to this back in the late 90s at my fave club that played our favorite genre of music (in SoCal, it's KROQ music, or the top 40 of alternative music). Anyways, in keeping with the theme of using songs as my blog titles, this one seems applicable because in this economy, it's hard on a lot of people. And, I want to get busy! Get busier! Busy-bee! **tap tap ** hello? Is this thing ON??! (Was that a tumbleweed I just saw blow by...?)

But, there's one thing that holds true: people are still getting married, people still need holiday pictures done (and yes! I just got my first inquiry for holiday pix and it's a repeat customer from last year!), babies are still being born. And there's an art to staying busy, as it turns out, in the absence of work. See, I'm a graphic artist by trade working my way (transitioning, if you will) into full-time pro photography, and the daily graphic design assignments are what pay the bills. But, I got laid-off of my year-long on-site contract back in February (and since then, they've laid off about 25 or 30 more people; this is a good chunk of the company, so I guess it was bound to happen soon or later), and everything has been touch-and-go since. And I've been "working on my new website" since then (hello?! It's been 7 months!), but my problem has never been motivation, it's confidence. I really think though, when the new site launches, it will turn things around. I am constantly striving to better myself, through art and/or business ... but always second-guessing myself in the process. Part of my problem lies in the fact that I am truly one of the most "middle-brained" people you will meet, and I read recently that it's difficult for those who are middle-brained to fully commit to decision-making, because both halves of the brain's hemispheres are constantly at war with each other; in effect, playing a tug-of-war and making it difficult to make a definitive decision.

Some of the problems I encounter is the psychology of the layout of a website. Keep in mind, I received my BA in Communications/Advertising (specializing in Creative Advertising). I know a lot of the prominent ways of thinking, but I graduated from college in 1995, and since then, we've had the internet boom. The science of the internet and multimedia design has been intensively studied and reviewed since then, yet the old axioms still hold true as well. Finally though, what it boils down to is this: everyone is different, their brains work differently, and what works great for one, will be completely backwards to another. What I have to try to do is speak to the common denominator, of a specific audience I'm trying to capture. I've tried to simplify my site as much as possible, making the pictures big and prominent, and everything else is just frosting, the little details.

One of the big things I keep wrestling with is listing my prices online. The argument goes like this in my head (I'm going on the memory that I **think** the right hemisphere is the creative side, the emotional side, and the left hemisphere is the side of reason, the "numbers" side... right? Even if I'm wrong, go with me here, I'm on a roll and not willing to stop to go look it up):

Right Hemisphere : Why WOULDN'T I want to post my prices online? Shouldn't they see my work and fall in love, so that price doesn't matter, listed or not?

Left Hemisphere: Well, why WOULD I want to post my prices online? What if they look at the bottom line FIRST, then even though they love they pictures, they decide I'm out of their price range?

RH: But the classes I go to say that I **should** post my prices, so I immediately get the target that I want, the customers who value pictures so much, that they know the value of a good photographer. I just want to focus on the art!

LH: But what if they end up being a source of many referrals? Isn't SOME work better than NO work? And bottom line, work is work, no one should be overlooked as a source of a potential referral, right?

RH/LH: So, which side wins out? Both arguments make sense. Grrr.

This is what goes on in my head daily, about every aspect of my business. My downfall is I am my own best (or worst?) devil's advocate, so I CAN see both sides to every point. And because of this, I have to decide ultimately what is the best decision for me personally. But then it turns into the same old song and dance in my own head: WHICH is the best choice for me? And it's a self-perpetuating cyclical argument. I simply am the poorest person I know for making decisions regarding myself. Which is why when I feel SOLID, in my core, about a decision, I know it's right. And being in photography is a solid feeling, one I don't and never doubt. I doubt my work all the time, which is why I am constantly striving to do better, but I will emerge victorious!

But in the meantime, it's time to get that website up, it's time to get holiday pictures going, and start booking numerous weddings in a calendar year! It's time to get busy, child!

Oh, and I DO have a series of new pictures to post... coming soon. I post directly from Lightroom to Facebook or my Zenfolio portfolio site, using these great plug-ins by Jeffrey Friedl (he's awesome, check out his plug-ins for LR here), and it's easy to export direct to these programs without ever creating the new file, so it's something I need to incorporate into my workflow, exporting my faves for upload directly to my blog too. I SWEAR, I'll get this blog thing under control and part of my daily life soon. See? Get busy, child!)

p.s. -- I was trying to get to Jeffrey's blog, but the site isn't connecting tonight for some reason. I will update this post with a proper link soon. In the meantime, if you want to know more, Google "Jeffrey Friedl Lightroom plugin" You'll find it right away!)

Don't You... Forget About me... don't don't don't...

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.

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! :-)