Nick & Nicki (Wedding w/ David Jay)

Here are a few of my shots from Nick & Nicki's wedding this past weekend (where I got to be a 3rd shooter for the famous David Jay - thanks again for letting me come along, DJ!).

The day started at forme salon in Santa Monica for some getting ready shots... And just in case I ever wanted to know what I look like while I'm shooting, Jasmine had it covered... :) Nicki was absolutely radiant, and her smile was SOOO contagious! Jasmine and I headed over to the awesome Viceroy hotel for some shots of the guys getting ready... Nick getting ready to meet his bride... Some of the groomsmen hanging out at the hotel I snagged these shots as Nicki was on her way to see Nick for the first time (isn't she gorgeous?) First looks... Nicki & her bridesmails - "twirling" ... Some detail shots of the reception at the Bel Air Bay Club (the flowers were absolutely beautiful- thanks to Tricia Haner, floral designer/event coordinator of The Hidden Garden Floral Designs). Congratulations, Nick & Nikki! It was such a privilege for me to be able to observe a little glimpse of the amazing love that you have for each other (and for God!). Blessings to you in your new life together! My new friends! DJ, Jasmine*, & Brett Austin (videographer)... it was so much fun hanging out with you guys- thanks for everything! :)

Awesome Opportunity

Yesterday I had the incredible privilege of shooting with...David Jay!

I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity to learn, observe, & shoot w/ DJ- it was such an amazing experience!

David Jay is all about giving back and helping others in the industry- which is just so incredibly refreshing! (Check out OSP & Freedom Club). He had his live webcam on at different times during the day, and at one time I think over 50 people were logged-on to watch the action (so cool!). I also got to observe first-hand how easy & FAST it can be to create a slideshow of images at the wedding reception- using Showit Effects. I've decided that the Showit Products are definitely a must-have for wedding photographers!

As a bonus, I also got to hang out with Jasmine Star, who was DJ's 2nd shooter for the day. I just love this girl- she's so much fun! Here she is using DJ's 50 mm f/1.0 lens DJ & Jasmine* in action- capturing the bride & groom seeing each other for the first time Thank you so much for letting me shoot with you yesterday, DJ. I had a blast!

Happiness

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." -Albert Schweitzer

Right now I'm sitting at a small round table at the Starbucks on Main Street in Santa Monica, CA. My nonfat white mocha was served to me this morning in a red Christmas cup, and there are red decorations everywhere I look. (Since Starbucks is displaying Christmas decorations, this justifies my listening to Christmas music, yes?)I'm so overwhelmed with this amazing feeling of contentment & happiness, and I think it has to do with the fact that I absolutely LOVE what I do! I'm so thankful that I'm finally starting to pursue photography as my full-time career. Sitting here this morning, I'm so excited that I'm really almost borderline giddy (I'm talking the "butterflies in your stomach, can't wipe the smile off your face" kind of giddy!). Why? Because today I get to assist shooting a wedding with two of my favorite photographers... and I'm SO excited! So excited, in fact, that I left my house at 6am- and now I'm here about 2 hours early. So yeah, I have a little time to kill. :)

Ooh, and guess what just arrived last night? My new 85mm/1.8 lens! I'm used to shooting with zoom lenses (the 24-70 and 70-200), but I've been itching to get some prime lenses- so this is my first one! I can't wait to play with it! (And now I get to use my shootsac to actually hold lenses, rather than just extra batteries and chapstick!)... hee hee. My friend Lisa sent this lens to me in exchange for designing a wedding album for her (I really love the design aspect of this job- almost as much as shooting. Almost). Thanks, Leese! I can't wait to try it out today. I'll be posting some shots from the wedding later this week- so check back if you're interested to see who I'm shooting with!

Amazing Grace

While I was in Texas last week, I asked Grace if she would let me take a few shots of her as we walked around downtown McKinney. I have to admit, I had no idea how excited a four year old gal could be about taking pictures! She was so cute- I didn't even need to give her any direction. I simply sat back and clicked away as she smiled, twirled, laughed, and posed for the camera. Gracie, your spunk is so contagious- you amaze me! :)

Texas

Here are a few more photos of my time in Texas. Here's my cute sister (and my little nephew- can't wait for him to arrive!!!)... The Fam...My little brother & sister (and yes, I know it's kind of a cheezy pose... but oh well, mom's happy!)
Meet the Soulier Family... Grace, Ryan, Caroline, & Maggie. Maggie and I have been friends since Junior High, and it just so happens that they now live in Texas, too! So I get the awesome privilege of seeing these dear friends whenever I'm visiting my parents. Here are a few photos of the Souliers...
Little Caroline has the prettiest blue eyes! It was so fun to see her walking around and playing with her big sister. She is such a sweetheart! Me & Grace (I can't believe how big she is! Seems like just yesterday she was still a baby!!!)

Shoe Addiction

Confession: I have a not-so-secret love of (aka obsession with)... shoes. Patent leather or suede... flats or heels... classic or funky... I love them all. I have a dream to one day own a closet that’s just for my shoes. Someday... :)

Here’s my newest addition... a delicious little pair of heels that I found at The River, a great store in Pacific Beach, CA. Just perfect for fall! On that note, I have to share about this wonderful little boutique that I just discovered last week while strolling around downtown McKinney. This store is amazing! So many delicious shoes to choose from... not to mention, the style & look of the whole store is SO perfect. I felt right at home- I think this store was made for me. This is definitely my new favorite shoe store. (I might even make a few extra trips to Texas this year just to stop by PUMPS!)

McKinney, TX

So my parents just moved here a couple years ago, and us kids have never officially called McKinney home. But still, it feels like home when we’re all here together, and honestly, I just love it here! Here’s a list of the reasons why I’m loving McKinney right now...
1) There’s so much open space! For this Southern California girl, it’s blowing my mind that we can drive by huge open fields with hay bales, cows, and horses.
2) People in the stores here could talk to you for hours- they’re not in any rush. McKinney definitely has a sort of a small-town feeling with a much slower pace of life- it’s a very nice change of pace.
3) Cutest, quaintest downtown with awesome boutique shops & restaurants.
4) The leaves are starting to change color now... so beautiful!
5) My parents’ house is so cozy... complete with glowing candles, warm fuzzy blankets, a fire in the fireplace, & freshly baked bread.
6) My mom, sister, & I are starting to listen to Christmas music already! (Much to the chagrin of my dad & brother- sorry, guys!) :)
7) I get to spend time with my family!

Surprise!

The festive music wafted through the restaurant, playfully mingling with the happy sounds of families laughing and friends talking. Smells of delicious, gourmet-style Mexican cuisine filled the air, drawing a crowd of people craving some awesome food (at the best restaurant in all of Texas: Petra’s!!!).

Kelli and I stealthily peered through the small round window of the kitchen door & into the main dining room, awaiting the appearance of one very special person. We ducked down as we saw them all enter the room, and then as soon as they were seated, we quickly came out from our hiding places. “Would you like some chips and salsa?” my sister asked sweetly as we set our trays down on the table...

He did a double-take, then a triple-take, and then, after about 5 full seconds of looking back and forth between us, it finally started to sink in. A huge grin spread across his face, happiness mixed with a little hint of confusion, and in an instant, he stood up to wrap us up in a big bear hug.

My little brother is home from Iraq! He just arrived yesterday, and although Kelli and I weren’t able to be there when he arrived, we knew we wanted to fly out to Texas to surprise him with a little visit. It is SO wonderful to have Tim back in the US after serving in Iraq for over a year. After an awesome dinner (which we enjoyed with the wonderful owners of Petra’s- thanks, guys!), we headed back to our parents’ cozy house to spend some time together as a family. We all sat around the living room, listening to stories from Iraq, talking, laughing, joking... and all the while relishing the fact that we were finally all together as a family again. For me, the highlight of the evening was when my dad prayed with all of us- I have to admit that amidst all of the smiling and laughing, I’ve had to swallow back a huge lump in my throat several times tonight (I never knew it would be such an emotional day!). We love you, Tim-Bob! It’s so good to have you home! my mom left a little Christmas tree in the corner of the living room while Tim was over in Iraq... but now that he's home, I guess we can take it down... :)