Confession...

So I have a confession to make... Today I had the urge to listen to holiday music AND I did. I mean, it's still September for crying out loud!

It got me thinking about winter coming. I love the fall. Fall feels like the earth is sighing from a long hot summer. I love the crisp cool evenings, the smell of rain, warm thick blankets, sweaters, hot chocolate, clouds, and everything about fall and winter.

We really don't get a "real" fall or winter. We don't have many trees that turn colors - everything just stays as brown as it was in summer. We don't get snow either. Despite that, I love fall and winter around here. It gets cold like I love, but I can still do all my favorite winter activities: sitting by the fire, drinking hot chocolate, eating soups, baking, and still do all my favorite indoor activities like cycling, hiking, and going to the beach.

It's the perfect compromise!!

I also love all the family photos I get to take this time of year. It is seriously amazing to meet and get to know so many families! It's definitely the best part of the job :)

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the transition through fall to Winter. I know I can already taste the soups and fresh home made bread! MmmM!

Well, since I am apparently in a holiday mood, I thought I should remind everyone to book your shoots early! We only have limited spots this year.

Miles and Miles of Miles' Smiles

This was my other shoot from last week. This adorable little guy was so photogenic! He has HUGE blue eyes. Maybe I'm biased (because I'm one of those blonde, blue eyed, see through people) but I LOVE blue eyes. They seriously suck me in...hypnotizing :)

After this shoot we went out to dinner with Jon and Julie. I had a really tasty chicken burger with cheesy fries. Yep. Talk about an amazing reward for successfully completing TWO photo shoots that day. Yum!

I would have had these pics done sooner but I have had the most amazing opportunity to start taking some photography classes. It's about time right? Actually, I seriously consider all the PDF and Kindle books plus the hundreds of YouTube and Vimeo videos all part of my education. There's nothing wrong with being home schooled and self taught!

I'm thinking that I need to share with you guys some of the things I'm learning in class. I'm not sure what or how, because I'm taking some of the more advanced classes. *Side Brag* So in a moment of shameless bragging, I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself for knowing 98% of what they are talking about in my classes! I'm sure that will change after the first week, but hey, I'll take it!

So to avoid anything technical today, I thought I would just mention what I think is so important about being a photographer: relationships and respect. To me, taking photos is about learning about a person and what makes them tick. Then taking that and applying it to the photos we create. Maybe in the form of telling a story, or maybe simply in using colors and styles that fit the personality.

If there is one thing I have to stress to anyone who wants to do photography, its that you really need to have respect for the people you work with. You need to be genuinely you and be honest in how you work with them. This was SO true as a nurse (and probably in a million other fields) and it carries into photography. Without that relationship and trust, you can't get good photos.

It's true. I don't care if you are an amazing technical photographer. If you don't have a good trusting relationship with your clients, they won't open up and your photos will not be successful. 'Nuff said. One of my instructors said that photography is "30% technical and 70% personality."

So go forth and capture personality :) I know those are my favorite pics!

 

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Smashing VERY Pink Cake

First and foremost, I just have to give a shout out to my really amazing father. I have some very fun memories and have learned so much from him. I blame him for my obsession passion for photography! He always had a camera (or several) around his neck and was constantly snapping photos. I guess subconsciously I was learning about photography a lot earlier than I thought!! Thanks padre for being such a good influence in my life and for so many fun memories! I love you so much and am excited to make you a grandpa someday :)

I mentioned in my last post how much fun I had this weekend doing my photo shoots. Our morning shoot was with this little cutie. We thought it'd be fun to take her out on the town for her big first birthday!

She was SUCH a good little girl - all smiles and laughter. We fell in love with her instantly and laughed the entire morning. That is seriously one of my favorite parts of this job! I get to laugh a whole lot. It's really enhanced my wrinkles laugh lines around my eyes, but it's totally worth it. There is just something about laughing that helps you stay young.

We get a lot of people telling us that we are really good with kids. When we go out on shoots, we rarely have a hard time getting the kids to laugh and giggle. I don't really think it's because we are especially talented at playing with kids... the secret really is that we embarrass ourselves - shamelessly!

We've been told that we are a "goofy" team, an "interesting" team, "hilarious," and completely "off-the-wall." I take all of those as complements! My family knows how bizarre we can be. Strangely, kids like that! Especially the over exaggerated facial expressions!

It's been a fun weekend, but I am super excited to get the week started! I get the amazing opportunity to take some photography and digital editing classes over the next 6 weeks. I am SO. DANG. EXCITED!   I am looking forward to meeting new people, learning new techniques, and just playing!

I hope I'll be able to post some fun experiments from my classes and maybe pass on some of the things I learn. I think everyone should try to see the world like a photographer does - even if you're only using your smart phone as a camera.

I hope everyone has had a great father's day and has had the chance to tell all the fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, neighbors, Godfathers, step-fathers, and any other father figures how important they are in our lives. For those not in our lives anymore, it has been a great day to reflect on memories and good times. I know I love and value all the men in my life! Thanks to all the men in the world who love and support their mothers, wives, children, and loved ones. Happy Father's Day!


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Appreciating Beauty through Photography

Yesterday was a really fun day! I always enjoy meeting new people, catching up with friends, taking photos, and just having a good time. Yesterday I got to do all that TIMES 2! So. Much. Fun!

The best part of it all is my husband is my partner. I think one of the best things about our marriage is that we have a hobby that we share - that we both love doing and learning about. Everywhere we go, we see potential photographs. It really is amazing how photography changes the way you look at the world.

Now I see things differently, even more so than when I was just painting and drawing. Colors stand out and seem more vibrant, patterns catch my eye, people look more interesting and unique - stories are constantly being told all around us. I find myself wondering more about the history of a building, the life experiences of a person, the travels of an old car. 

When we take our portraits, we try and capture part of the story of that person and what makes them so special. Everyone has a story. It sometimes makes me sad that we don't take more time to learn others' stories more often. We can learn so much from everyone around us - why not slow down a bit and see what the people we encounter and the places we visit have to teach us?

How do we do that? We ask questions - a LOT of questions. We listen - more than we talk. We pause. Yep. Just stop, sit on a bench, look around, people watch - notice the details around you. I have learned to appreciate people and the places around me so much more. You should try it. There are so many treasures out there!

Hope you enjoy this small taste of who I got to spend my day with yesterday. I'm excited to show you a little more of their stories later this weekend :) Well, I'm off to work! Enjoy your Saturday!

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Mammas and Babies

So we are now on Detox day 7. The last two days have been tough mostly because yesterday we were away from the house all day for photo shoots so we pretty much ate carrots and fruit. By the time we got home around 10, I was sooo hungry for something with substance. Unfortunately, I was more tired than hungry so I just went to bed. 

At this point in the detox, your body really starts wanting some protein. Last time I felt fine until day 11 (when you can introduce lean protein) but I think with all the miles I'm putting on my bike, I'm hungrier this time around. I had to go grocery shopping TWICE last week for produce because I'm eating through it like crazy. 

It's been successful so far though! I feel great and have plenty of energy. Ricky is already down 10 pounds. I've dropped 5. He wants to lose weight, I don't (hence stuffing my face all day long...). The main thing is, we're eating really well, improving the portion sizes, and have more energy than when navigating the roller coaster moods that come with sugar intake. It's great.

Today I thought I'd keep with tradition and give you a little teaser from yesterday's photo shoots. It was an AMAZING day. The only thing that could have made it better is if there were a little more sun :) It was a gray bleary overcast day in Santa Monica. When the winds picked up in the evening, it was FREEZING! Us dessert dwellers don't like that cold ocean breeze...

OMG! Isn't she GORGEOUS??? What a beautiful (future) mama!

 We started the morning taking pics of HILARIOUS Quinn. She seriously had me laughing so hard my cheeks hurt. This little girl is a firecracker and had us running like the wind to keep up. She definitely helped us get our day started off right!

Then we spent the middle of the day walking around Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade listening to music and enjoying our "day date." We also enjoyed the beach AND a nap in the car! Gotta love Dory (our Subaru). It is an awesome napping place - complete with seat warmers!

I LOVE LOVE this pic! It seriously is perfect because she was like this the ENTIRE shoot! She is a little firecracker and I loved it. Pretty good walker for not quite 13 months, huh?

Then we met Sanci, our beautiful future mama and one of my really good friends from my PICU days (we seriously had a way of getting into trouble when we worked together!). She looked amazing and photographed like a model! The girl had a way of just settling into these amazing looking poses that were so flattering. I love her, but that made me a little jealous!

Finally, we drove home exhausted but happy and spent the rest of the night visiting with some family that was in from out of town. It was a great day full of great people, lots of laughter, and tons of fun. I'm so excited to show you more from our day on the Pier.

I'd Rather Be Editing...

I guess I should clarify... I'd rather be editing PHOTOs than editing a thesis. It's so bittersweet to be so near, yet so far from the end! There is still so much to be done before graduation. Alas, I can't complain... I could be at the beginning again.

So for my daily report, I rode 26 miles today around the neighborhood and had a really yummy spinach, strawberry and balsamic vinegar salad. Mmmm! Other than that, I've had my booty firmly planted in my office chair editing my thesis. The final is due in just 5 days!

Even though I manage to get pretty much everything done that I intend to, I am known to have some ADHD traits... mainly, I am REALLY good at avoiding the annoying tasks until the last possibly minute. Call me a pressure player. Anybody who gets my Facebook updates knows I wrote my over 50 page thesis in a mere 3 days (P.S. my professor LOVED it...haha... no one tell her how little time I spent on it! Our secret).

Well, during some of my avoiding tactics, I allowed myself the indulgence of editing some more photos. Hey, if anyone asks, I can just say I've been "editing" all day and it'd be true! 

The pinwheel backdrop is homemade to match this adorable little romper bought from here. I got the idea for this back drop from a whole lot of places and sort of made it up as I went. For a good tutorial on how to make this kind of pinwheel, go here. I just used scrapbook paper and kept it very simple (since I knew it'd pretty much be out of focus in all the pics). What do you think? I love it! It's hanging in my office now :) Well, I hope you enjoy the pics! Have a nice day.

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Lace, Pearls, and Pinwheels

Today I got the opportunity to photograph Addison. Let me tell you, if I have a kid as happy and calm as her, I'll be...well...happy and calm! I have to say though, daddy better watch out! This little princess LOVES her bling!

We had her in several outfits but when she was in her ADORABLE teal lace romper with her pearls on, she was all smiles! I think I had more than double the number of smiles from her when she was wearing that outfit. I guess I'd be all smiles if I were pretty in lace and pearls (*hint shout out to the hubby!).

I have missed many things about working in the pediatric ICU, but most of all, I have dearly missed my coworkers and friends. I am so grateful that this whole photography obsession has helped me keep in touch with so many of my friends from CHLA! LOVE you guys, and it was so fun to see you today Christine!

I am so excited to show you the rest of these pics. Come back soon so you can see my HANDMADE vintage pinwheel backdrop. That's right. Pinterest has stuck its dirty little fingers into YET ANOTHER area of my life. *Sigh* Is there a program for that? Pinterest Anonymous? Just sayin...

Celebrating New Life

This has been a crazy week. I took my LAST EVER oral exam, wrote 14 pages of my (probably 50 page) thesis, cleaned my house (almost) top to bottom - of course omitting any heavy lifting... thank you back...- and finished these pictures. It's always nice to be productive. I have to say though, this is how I felt after this week:

It's been fun to work on these pictures... Life is such a miracle! After working in the Peds ICU for so many years, I have to marvel that any children are born so healthy and beautiful as these two. I'm pretty sure that I was lucky I didn't have blurry pictures because of laughing so hard!

Ok, so this one is blurry, but I just thought it was so adorable. I WISH I got it in focus!! Alas :)

My garden is growing too. I just love watching the new life sprout during spring (though 90 degrees feels WAY more like summer...). I got my first blossoms on my cherry tomato plants, which means I'll be eating those little juicy red globes before I know it! YUM! We've also got our lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, onions, beans, snow peas, and zucchini making some great progress. I don't have kids yet, so I guess I have to find the miracles in my life in little bean sprouts coming out of the ground.

If you like these pics, I have more posted on my Facebook page. I plan on enjoying the weekend with my hubby and sister-in-law. Hope each of you gets a chance to do something fun!!

Santa's Comin' to Town!

It has been an absolutely CRAZY couple of weeks... after Thanksgiving, I had to play a lot of catch up with school work and work work. Yesterday, I finally decided I needed to do something fun, so I put on Christmas music to listen to while editing some pictures, then started some Christmas decorations. FINALLY I felt like the Christmas season started. Then last night I listened to the Christmas Devotional given by the First Presidency and found myself feeling tremendously grateful for this time of year and for all my Savior has done for me. The treats, the decorations, and the celebration is ALWAYS amazing, but remembering the Lord makes this time of year truly special.

I've done several Christmas photo shoots this season, and it has been so fun! I have learned a lot about taking photographs in terrible weather. Ricky and I just seem to keep getting rained on! I love the rain, but not so much when trying to take pics...

I always think it's fun to try new things too. One really great thing about the internet is that everyone comes with some fun ideas! Perhaps some aren't so good, but whenever you're doing something new, some things work out and others don't! 

One thing I try to do with my photos is capture a few moments that really show personality or capture the story of what that shoot was like. This one was wild! It poured rain almost the entire time. We ended up taking most of our pics under a tree. It was really muddy and slippery and my poor husband was super sick. If you've ever done a shoot with my hubby, you know he is a NUT! He has a real talent for making some really interesting sounds that kids find hilarious - in fact, I usually have to try REALLY hard to not laugh because it makes my camera shake :)

 My favorite thing about kids is that they are really unpredictable. It can mean a perfect "smily" photoshoot, or one that captures the million faces they have. My favorite? Those million faces! If you want a photographer who only gets all smiling pictures, I'm really not your person. I LOVE the candid, goofy, angry, sad, laughing, and curious faces. Kids change faces every 5 seconds... that is WHO they are. That is what makes them so special.

I hope everyone has a really fantastic Christmas season, filled with good food, family, fun, service, and remembering the Savior. Visit my Facebook page for more photos!

     I have so many things to blog about! Somehow I always seem to get behind on this :) Even though these pics are from almost 2 months ago, I just HAD to post them. This adorable little girl (M) is just so much fun to photograph. She was a leeetle grumpy that day but we still managed to get a  few giggles out of her. We spent the evening in Santa Monica and on the Pier. About the parrot...she was a little scared of it at first, so the guy put one parrot on Mom's hand and one parrot on my HEAD! Yes, on my head. It was really hard to balance the parrot and take pictures. I didn't want to have to pay for a dropped parrot... Anyway, she was pretty interested in the parrots after that. What a fun night! I'll never forget it when M got her first taste of cotton candy or rode the merry-go-round. I think that is my favorite thing about photography. Well, I have to get back to the (never-ending) studies :)