Pasadena wedding: Lucy + Mike

I normally don't shoot weddings. My focus is primarily on portraits so when a friend asked if I could shoot her sister in law's wedding I was a little hesitant. What if I ruin her wedding with awful wedding pictures? I need to learn how to use a flash! I think I may need a second shooter! What am I gonna' wear!! I'm not a wedding photographer. I normally shoot for an hour with portrait shoots, but a wedding? It's a totally different ball game folks. But, despite my insecurities I decided to do it and I was going to do my best to make my couple happy with their pictures. And needless to say, I had a blast doing it. 

A few weeks ago I spent my Saturday with Lucy and Mike along with their closest friends and family during an intimate ceremony as they promised to love, cherish and protect one another until their last breath. As they walked out the church as husband and wife all Mike could say to Lucy was how he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. And he made sure to say it every time he looked at her. And me, well I shed a little tear behind the camera.

The day began at Calvary Chapel Pasadena with Lucy getting dolled up. Here are just a few shots of her big day. :) 

Mother of the bride. :)

Pink shirts and my parents...

A few days leading up to mothers day I had told my mom I would take a few pictures of her before we headed off to church. Just because. She had just bought a new dress and she felt it just needed to be photographed. She's cra like that. And when that Sunday came she made sure to remind me. You're still going to take pictures of me right!? Yes mom, YES! So we headed to the front yard and I placed her in front of the garage door. Classy right? And after a few pictures she went back inside to make my dad take some pictures with her. Apparantly, she was in pink spirit mode and picked a pink shirt for my dad to wear so they could match. Told you she's crazy! It took me a while to get these two to listen and after yelling DAD, will you stop talking and look at the camera! like ten times I managed to get a normal picture of  them. And looking at it makes me happy to know that after years of being married they still live life together smiling and living each day making one another laugh. Pink shirts and all.

                           

Happy Wednesday! :)

Therapy, and the warm fuzzies...

A few days ago I received graduation announcements from two of my seniors. And really, all I could say was  awwwww, I loooooove them!! And I used extra o's and exclamation points to highlight my excitement. I felt all warm and happy inside. Like I had just eaten a warm apple pie, even though I don't like apple pie. Aaaand I'm gonna' stop talking about food right-abooout-now! Krispy Kreme donuts!! Ok, I may need thrapy. Anyways, it's really cool to actually see your work in print and best of all, having amazing clients that make me happy. Like red velvet cake.


Happy Tuesday Ya'll! :)

Some Friday inspiration...

Every now and then I like to get inspired. A couple of days ago I found a stash of fashion magazines at the house and I did a little happy dance. Browsing through them gave me a dosage of inspiration for different poses I could use in my next shoots. And then I had a piece of chocolate during my browsing and my inspiraition levels went through the roof, I'm telling you. It was awesome. But putting my chocolate love affair aside, fashion magazines are perfect for finding new and modern poses that are great for shoots. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that everyday people aren't professional models. When shooting someone it's not always okay to assume that he or she will automatically know what to do or what poses to use. Chances are they will be nerveous, and sometimes a little awkward at first. I say it's because, umm, I dunno', they have a big camera all up their faces! So it's important to direct them and remind them that they look fabulous! And trust me after a couple of minutes they start warming up. Another thing I've found that helps is practicing different poses on yourself. Getting in front a mirror and trying out different poses works. Some call that wierd, I call it commitment baby!

Anyways, enough of the lecturing. Here are a couple of poses I found during my magazine browsing. These are super helpful to have in mind when going into a shoot. Memorizing them and picturing how a person would look doing them is helpful, instead of having to say "Stand in front of that brick wall and look cool."

Senior: Viviana

When she was a little girl, Viviana had a Dora the explorer haircut and she talked more than any other human being on the planet. Things haven't changed much, though, except for the Dora the explorer hair cut. Oh, and how do I know all this? Well, I've known this big smile little lady pretty much my entire life. We grew up going to the same church together and now she's no longer that little girl I used to take care of in Sunday school. [Enter tear drop here :'(] Now, the years have gone by and she's all grown up leaving her Dora days behind her.

She's graduating high school in a few weeks and when she asked if I could shoot her senior pictures I was so excited! We chose an awesome field where she pretty much went all cute one me, and I loved it. AND, she invited some of her friends from school to be part of the shoot. It was a blast because me and her friends are pretty much bff's now. Here's Viviana, or as I like to call her, Vivi, workin' it out! :)

Work that fence momma'! 

Stop being so cute Vivi! 

Pretty ladies workin' the sidewalk.

Senior: Celina

Remember Celina? She was featured on this bloggity a few weeks ago all decked out in her prom dress along with some of her friends as they headed off to their senior prom. This past week I got to hang out with this little pretty lady again, but this time to shoot her senior pictures. And when she showed me the shoes she was gonna' wear, I got a little crazy. Hot pink colored wedges! Umm, yes please!! She brought a few different outfits, which I looooved, and she rocked it out in front of my camera like nobody's business.

Celina, thank you for letting me document such an exciting time in your life. I had a blast! Let me borrow your shoes girl! haha

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Celina and her hot pink shoes! :)

              Work it girl, work-it.

            Celina brought her cap and gown reppin' 2012

After a quick outfit change we headed for a new location. :)

Graduation party ideas...:)

It's graduation season and you know what the means! Partaaaay!!! And yes, adding extra a's and exclamation points makes it sound way more exciting! There's nothing more exciting than to start a new chapter celebrating it with friends and family...and food. As I browsed through the internet I fell in love with some fabulous graduation party ideas that made me wanna' throw a party myself. For no reason whatsoever. Just because I like cute things, and food, and getting my groove on. Here's a little sumtin' I whipped up for all you seniors out there getting ready to rock your caps and gowns and want a modern flare to your graduation party.

All pictures were taken form Celebrations at Home blog. Check it out for more awesome party ideas.

This theme I found is called keys to success. Umm, yeah, fabulous!!!

Diploma chocolate pastry rolls!?! GENIUS!!!

 
Using old yearbooks can be a great idea for centerpieces.

 Happy Tuesday ya'll! :)

Little blue cards...

It was a simple gift just to say "I miss you." As I opened the brown, taped package with a Texas address posted on top I knew I had a recieved another sumtin' sumtin' from Mariel. She's one of my best friends and she has this thing of always sending me gifts in the mail. Sometimes for special occasions and sometimes for absolutely no reason except to say I'm glad you're my friend. Who does that!?!? I secretly get mad at her sometimes for spending her money but this last time, when she got me shoes, yes, shoes!! I died. In a really good way. And then I feel like the worst friend in the entire universe for not getting her shoes in the mail! She's in love with me I think, because she always dedicates me the "Do I ever cross your mind," song from Brian McKnight on my fcaebook page. Weird. Haha love you girl! And yes, you do cross my mind. lol

She lives in good ol' Texas and when she came to visit a few years ago our mutual friends introduced us and the second we started talking I could have sworn I was talking to myself but in a skinnier, taller version. I miss her, and little blue cards that say "Can't wait to see you again" make me wanna' go buy her shoes.