photography by jaana: affordable los angeles photography | family and vacation photography

new blog!

2009-10-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Well, after a lot of time, web tutorials, indecisiveness and backaches from sitting at the computer for hours on end - I did it. I am finally launching my new photography blog today! Yay! I wanted to keep it clean and simple, and I was surprised how much work that was. But I'm glad it's done and I have the look I want. So please bookmark the new page and check in often for updates. Thanks for the support everyone!

http://www.photographybyjaana.com/blog

My website is updated from time to time also. Don't forget to visit!

http://www.photographybyjaana.com

Thanks again! XOXO.

socal shootout: trash the dress

2009-10-16T08:49:00.001-07:00

This part of the Shootout was really fun. By the time we were done, the dress wasn't exactly TRASHED, but she did get down and dirty for us photographers. Literally, laying down in the dirt. And climbing trees, and running through fields barefoot, and sitting in scratchy bushes. Lindsey was a trooper. I didn't get a chance to even see the other models because I was having too much fun with her!

These aren't necessarily my favorites, but shows a little range of all the types of poses we did. To see a few more pics, please check out my Facebook album!

Here are some of what the other models & photographers did - so cool!
(Arts and Crafts, Channeling Picasso, The Little Mermaid, Appetite for Destruction, Let Them Eat Cake)

socal shootout

2009-10-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I was lucky enough to attend an event in Orange County called the SoCal Photog Shootout. Every couple of months, talented photographers Hanssie Trainor and Matt Saville arrange it so that a bunch of photographers get to meet up and shoot photos. This month's event was held at the Bella Collina golf course in San Clemente. What a beautiful location! After we signed in and mingled for awhile, we split up into groups and took a model around the grounds to shoot photos and trash wedding dresses! I was in Sarah Chen's group shooting Earth, Wind & Fire with our H.O.T. model, Lindsey. She totally rocked!

It was seriously a lot of fun. You get a chance to learn from other photographers and show off your own chops. Not to mention network and get to know lots of people from the area. I definitely give props to Hanssie and Matt to arrange such a cool event that benefits photographers so much. I know for me, it gave some much needed practice and was very thrilling to see what my bridal-type shots looked like (since I haven't done any wedding photography yet). I am hoping to attend many more of these events and continue learning!

Here is the first batch of bridal portraits with the adorable Tiffany and Micah. I'll post some dress-trashing tomorrow!

A special thanks to all the vendors who made the SoCal Shootout possible:

Jay's Catering
Mary Lallande, Venue Concierge
Bella Collina Golf Course
Kimberly Bragalone, Makeup Artist
Kacee Geoffroy, Makeup Artist
Bows-n-Berries Hairpieces
Jay Jensen Florals
Avery J. Productions
The Models: Lindsey Addie, Stevie Marshalek, Joseph Sandoval, Tiffany Amber, Micah Hansen, Chelsea Ravitch, Shannon Bratton, Megan Bibbo (a lot of them are on Facebook)
The Group Leaders: Cean One, Sara France, Greg Bumatay, Sarah K. Chen, Matthew Saville, Chris Diset
Joe Photo, Speaker

bridals!

2009-10-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

These are what I'm working on right now... Pretty sweet, eh? I'll explain more when I get some further editing done, but so far I'm loving these! Many more to come...

random disney shots

2009-10-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

Just a few of my recent faves. I know, I have issues.

another disney birthday

2009-10-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends celebrated her birthday at Disneyland with her mom, and I was lucky enough to be there and take pictures. A fun day for everyone!

On the Jungle Cruise - a true adventure!!

She and Mom waiting for Big Thunder Mountain!

How cute is she?! I love moms.

Loving that ride!

Bonding with Mickey - cute!

mammoth trip: part 3

2009-10-01T23:43:00.001-07:00

These are just a few random ones I liked...

Smallest guy with the biggest pine cone

Find the chipmunk!

mammoth trip: part 2

2009-10-01T17:17:00.001-07:00

Such a pretty place (some of these were taken through the car window, but you get the idea!)

mammoth trip: part 1

2009-09-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Pictures from our quick trip to Mammoth over the weekend. It was sort of short notice, but you can't beat a free condo. Not to mention all the trees, fresh air, and crisp weather you could ask for...

The remains of the fire of '92

Tons of fallen trees like this - they looked so cool.

This reminded me of a bird or pterodactyl, thought it was interesting.

Beautiful Rainbow Falls - can't believe a little rainbow actually showed up!

aquarium

2009-09-18T09:09:00.001-07:00

One other place we went while I had visitors was the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. I had never been there before and it was much bigger than I imagined! We didn't even see the whole thing. But had fun checking it out... (Then ate sushi afterward. Haha)

disney <3

2009-09-17T21:13:00.001-07:00

Luckily when my sister came to visit she brought a friend who was celebrating a birthday. This friend had also never been to Disneyland!! So happy birthday to her. (And to us - since we all had so much fun!)

How's this for a look of awe... his eyes say it all!

baby face

2009-09-16T21:39:00.001-07:00

My sister came to visit a couple weeks ago and it was great to see her and my nephew again. It doesn't hurt that he's adorable and I could photograph him all day long. In fact, I did. These aren't shots I would normally choose to post, because there is no real sunlight! But the "wrong-ness" of these photos is what I like about them. The lighting was just so unique for each one that I couldn't resist...

friends

2009-09-08T15:43:00.001-07:00

These are my friends. We were out on the town to celebrate a birthday. Love these shots because they sort of have a big city feel, even though we were just taken in little ol' Burbank.

The birthday boy
Had fun playing with different B&W tones...

Probably my favorite of the bunch. Since I'm a sucker for Bokeh and all.

disney days

2009-08-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

Some classics of the Happiest Place on Earth - on one of the hottest days of the year. Yuck!

California Adventure

It's a Small World afterall.

Probably the closest I'll ever get to Johnny Depp :(

Love this one! I honestly can't believe it turned out.

photo walk: UCLA campus

2009-08-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

I truly had no idea how large this campus was. I got a little lost during my walk, but it was a good detour since there was so much to see in every direction.

For more UCLA pics, check out my Flickr stream.

camping out in california

2009-08-18T13:38:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we spent a couple days out by Kern River. We had a great camping spot and it was fun to get back to nature for a little bit.

The shallow, clear water.

The fishing was no good. We only caught Crawfish...

...and water snakes!

Steamy

Time spent around the campfire (morning & night) is my favorite.

the man

2009-08-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

My husband rarely takes a serious picture (because he wants to be remembered as "fun"), but once in awhile I'll get a shot of that magical dimple. He's the one that taught me the basics of photography and has encouraged me ever step of the way. I owe him everything...

He's my support system, my favorite comedian and my best friend.

the big 3-0

2009-08-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated our buddy's 30th birthday. It was a surprise party and went off without a hitch!

Happy 30th, ol' buddy, ol' pal!

wisconsin

2009-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin was beautiful, of course. Trees, lakes, rivers, blue skies - it was what I imagine Finland to be like.

The skies were rockin' like this the whole day...

illinois

2009-08-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that I absolutely LOVED Chicago? Well, I did. I loved it. My only complaint - the day went by too fast.

View from the Willis Tower

View from the Hancock

missouri

2009-08-06T12:15:00.001-07:00

A few of the photos that were not taken out of the passenger's side window...

I love that there was so much GREEN.

Reflection of the Arch

Right before the sun went down...

water works

2009-08-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

The following were taken at Millenium Park in Chicago. My husband and I needed a short break from walking around, so we sat and watched people play in the very cool fountains. Doesn't it look like the most fun ever?

mama?

2009-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today I welcomed a new little Lensbaby into my life. I know these aren't like groundbreaking photos or anything, but I definitely had fun experimenting. Will be interested to find out if I can actually make this a useful lens and not just a novelty item. We will see!

These are all from the Huntington Library in San Marino:

beachy bride & groom

2009-07-20T23:33:00.000-07:00

Had a couple of good friends get married in Santa Cruz on a chilly - but beautiful - beach. The bride was glowing and the groom was as happy as could be. They probably didn't even notice how cold it was! Took these from my seat (as to not be in the hired photographer's way), but my subjects make these shots look good...

Congrats buddies!!

photo walk: venice beach

2009-07-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

I convinced my husband to go with me for this one and we had so much fun!! As soon as we parked and walked over to the main strip, it felt like we had arrived in a different country. It's a total beach town, no way around it. I loved people watching and eating the local cuisine and seeing the Venice canals. Would've been really interesting to see it back in its hay day with the amusement parks and rivers instead of streets. A very fun city to explore, indeed.

A compilation of Venice Beach

To see more Venice pics, check out my Flickr stream.

photo walk: north culver city

2009-07-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

When my mom was here visiting, she wanted to get me a "Thank You" gift for being the best tour guide ever. And she got me the most perfect book.

The book has all kinds of walking tours through different neighborhoods of Los Angeles. They range from easy to strenuous, list the amount of calories you'll burn on each walk, and show popular landmarks, eateries and museums. When I saw the book, I knew immediately that it would generate some inspiration for me - not only to get outside and explore, but take more pictures!

I often find myself in a major rut where I WANT to go take pictures (but my cat has had it with the camera) and I just don't know where to go. Granted, I live in a fantastic city but I always find myself going to the same spots over and over again. Now I can be adventurous, without the risk of getting lost! The book has the walks laid out on maps and includes step-by-step instructions, making it quite easy to get around.

So yesterday, I took my first Photo Walk through North Culver City. About 15 miles from my house, its an area that is rich in movie culture as well as some cool architecture. I walked through some of the cutest residential areas I've ever seen and really enjoyed the nice cool breeze that comes with being just that much closer to the ocean. I didn't enjoy all the traffic coming home - but its all part of the deal when living in such a fab city.

A compliation of Culver City

For more pictures of Culver City, please check out my Flickr stream.

union station

2009-07-08T15:20:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite buildings in Los Angeles. It has so much character, and so many types of people. I've been there 3 times in the last couple months and haven't really had a chance to shoot - just some quick snaps as I'm walking through.

beach bums

2009-07-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

My sis came for an impromptu visit on 4th of July weekend and we wanted to spend some time at the beach, for sure! Unfortunately, the nephew wasn't too sure about this whole ocean and sand thing. He'll learn to love it eventually... But I got some cute bum shots (literally)!

the finn-ish line (more)

2009-07-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

There are really a LOT of fun pictures from when my Finnish relatives were visiting - so I just grabbed a few and smooshed 'em all together so you could get an idea. I won't torture you with post after post. But seriously, a very very fun week!

the finn-ish line

2009-07-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random shots from (where else?) Disneyland...

Look how cute - Tinkerbell...

...and Dumbo!!

tourists in love

2009-07-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

I had some relatives visiting me from Finland last week. Pictured is my cousin and his adorable fiancee. I love these pictures because none of them were planned or posed. I just popped on the old zoom lens and watched the lovebirds enjoy the beach together! So cute...

wild water

2009-06-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

These were taken quite some time ago. Back in 2004 - before there was a "D" in front of the "SLR". But they have always been some of my favorite pics, based solely on the fact that we had soooo much fun that day!

dede-licious!

2009-06-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm so far behind posting my pictures! With family visiting this last week, I got absolutely nothing done. But hey, no time like the present...

A couple weekends ago, we shot a Mediterranean cooking show and it went really, really well. The star of the show was a total natural in front of the camera - not to mention a fabulous cook. And the lucky crew got to eat all her yummy food afterward. Mmmm. I'm a huge fan of Mediterranean food, so I was pretty stoked. You can see her recipes in some of her older videos on YouTube and at DeDeMed.com. Hopefully with the professional videos, she can get the exposure she deserves and get boosted to the next level. Stay tuned!

Getting all dolled up

The setup

In between takes

Prepping the food

Doesn't the food look sooo bomb? Oh don't worry, it was.

lookin' goodfellow! part 2

2009-06-22T09:18:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the family shots I liked. Thanks everyone for missing much needed beach time to pose for so many pictures!

lookin' goodfellow! part 1

2009-06-19T14:07:00.001-07:00

One of my best friends came to California with her adorable family for a beach house vacation. While they were here they wanted to get some shots of the kids and the family, so of course, I was honored! Here are the kids:

I can relate to this girl. As the oldest sister of 5, she has a lot on her plate!

He said he had done this before... a total pro.

Best. Dimples. Ever.

The two youngest are little twinners! A boy and a girl. I could just eat them up.

inspiration

2009-06-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I don't have any new projects to work on or I'm feeling a little lack of inspiration, one of the challenges I give myself is to go back through some of my old pictures and try to find a shot that I may have never noticed before. You know how it is when you've been looking at photos non-stop, they all start to look the same and quite uninteresting at that. But surprisingly, it helps to go back later and look at them again with "fresh" eyes. Here's one I found from '06, looking out into my Mom's backyard. Editing my photos back then, I thought this was completely unusable because the blinds are in the way and the lighting isn't great. But today, I just love it.

it's sommer-time!: part 3

2009-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

And here is the last set of photos. We wanted to play up the fact that she does hair, so we went back to her salon and took some shots indoors:

it's sommer-time!: part 2

2009-06-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

After a quick wardrobe change - another set of shots. If you are wondering about the location, she picked it out (right near her salon - on Gower) and I just LOVE it. I will be going back there for sure. They even change the artwork regularly, so I'm curious to see what they'll do next!

Doesn't she look like Carrie Underwood in some of these?!

Probably the most rock 'n' roll girl I know.

it's sommer-time!: part 1

2009-06-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is Sommer. She is an amazing hairstylist. She is also gorgeous and edgy and needed headshots done for a class reunion. We went a little beyond headshots, but I had a lot of fun doing these. Here are the first batch of my faves:

accessorizing!

2009-06-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! My "baby" got a new outfit today! No, not the cat... The camera. I've been saving up for a new camera bag and after a lot of online research/reading reviews/indecisiveness, I finally settled on the Shootsac by Jessica Claire. It is not meant to replace the camera bag I have now, but rather it is meant to be carried with me while I shoot. This is the bag I currently use to hold my equipment:

It is not very practical when I'm out shooting because its sort of gigantic. So I'll usually set it down somewhere and if I need to change lenses/batteries/memory cards, I have to interrupt the shoot and run back to dig through the monster. Besides, I know its not very safe anyway to set it down as I go gallivanting around, but its just so darn bulky and in the way. And pretty heavy too. So I'm hoping the Shootsac will be the answer to my problem. This is the new bag:

I got the one with the baroque-style black and white cover. But as you can see, there are a variety of different interchangeable covers you can buy! Cute, right? It fits securely over my shoulder and hugs my hips, so its completely out of the way. It has room for several lenses, an external flash, and anything else you might need at your fingertips while you shoot. I heard you can even use one of the back pockets to hold your drink. Haha. So far, I've only tested it by walking around the house wearing it. But so far, I like. And it looks so cute with my seat belt camera strap from PhotoJojo:

two of a kind

2009-06-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

olvera street

2009-06-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

We had a really awesome day at Olvera Street in Downtown L.A. with a couple of our best buddies. We spent the day just walking around and eating to our heart's content. I had caramel-filled churros for the first time and they ARE as good as they sound. We will have to go back anyway, since I want to try a Phillipe's sandwich. We were too full of taquitos and carnitas and Mexican candy to fit anything else in!

buddies

2009-06-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

How cute are they? This little guy couldn't ask for a better auntie. Both their eyes light up when they see each other or get to hang out together.

cousin day: part 3

2009-06-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

And hey, the "grown-ups" (I use the term loosely) had a pretty good time too!

cousin day: part 2

2009-06-08T10:10:00.001-07:00

Some more of the cute kiddos...

Watch out for Storm Troopers!

Love this squishy little face!!

Getting BRAVE on Big Thunder Mountain!!

The best fireworks show you'll ever see. (And don't fireworks create awesome bokeh?!)

cousin day: part 1

2009-06-06T12:42:00.001-07:00

What a fun day at Disneyland with all the little cousins. I think technically, they're cousins-once-removed (?) but either way, they are family! I've mentioned before that I love going to Disneyland with kids because of the excitement. This trip was no exception. Here are the boys just being boys:

The biggest brown eyes you'll ever see. This is the spitting image of my husband as a toddler.

family pics: round three

2009-06-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

And these were just the all time winners. We had so much FUN taking these.

The jumping shots took many, many attempts but we eventually got it perfect!

family pics: round two

2009-06-03T19:35:00.001-07:00

Here are us girls. And obviously, I didn't snap the shots that I'm in. Credit for all those goes to my awesome husband. I was simply a model/editor.

I have a thing for lollipops lately...

family pics: round one

2009-06-02T20:01:00.001-07:00

Since all the siblings were together for a few days, we decided we'd better get some photos to document the occasion! I'll just post a few at a time, starting with my fantastic brothers:

backyard

2009-06-01T23:29:00.001-07:00

My mom and step-dad keep an immaculate backyard. They take a lot of pride in making sure it's maintained and I'm always impressed that they can keep up with it. It's not a small task! While we were in Utah, some of the flowers were still in bloom, so wanted to take few pictures to show off their hard work.

deee-licious!

2009-05-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

This week I'll be posting pics from my trip to Utah. Starting with this little bugger... Best effin' kid in the world. That's the only way to say it.

wright on!

2009-05-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

While in Utah this last weekend, I got to photograph one of my favorite families. It was a super quick shoot since everything was sort of last minute, but in that 30 minutes or so, we did get some good ones. Phew! Way to go, guys!

trinkets

2009-05-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite trinkets include cheap jewelry. Don't get me wrong, I love nice jewelry too, but just for every day, fun dress-up - the cheap stuff can be really great. Makes me happy because I feel like I'm putting some effort into my outfit without trying too hard.

hermosa view drive

2009-05-19T12:48:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, we had a big job for a beautiful house in Hermosa Beach. I again tagged along to take pictures and also helped move equipment around a bit. It was a long 10-hour day, and we were all sore on Monday morning!

The owner had 2 beagles that were just to die for!

self portraits

2009-05-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Over the years, my husband and I have become quite good at the goofy self-portrait. We usually prefer that bit of extended arm left in the shot to photos that strangers attempt to take of us. So we stick to this method on every trip and outing - and some of my favorite pictures of us are SPs.

black and white

2009-05-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Black and White Photography is something that I've always been interested in, but have never quite mastered. Shooting a 35mm in B&W was such a huge commitment - and it had to be just right. Personally, I think one of the most important things in B&W Photography is the contrast. There has to be plenty of it, to make up for the lack of color. Otherwise everything will just look terribly flat.

Of course with Photoshop, you can now easily change a color photo to black and white and add that contrast, but try shooting in B&W sometime. It really makes you think about the picture you're about to take. It was a lot harder than I thought to get a great photo. (Of course the subject matter helps!)

My husband took this gorgeous shot

oldies

2009-05-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

I've been going through some old photos trying to organize things. It's been tough with so many years of pictures on my hard drive(s). Found a couple from '03 when I was just getting a feel for things on my 35mm SLR. I'd love to go back and re-take pictures now! But then again, I'd love to re-take pictures almost everywhere I've ever been. Someday, I'm sure.

Colorado River
Salt Lake City Temple

portrait: set 3

2009-05-08T15:11:00.001-07:00

Last set of pics for this pretty girl. Not only did I have fun shooting, but going through all those pics and editing and organizing kept me busy this whole week. Got that trigger finger itchin' for more. Thanks for the fun, Banana! :)

Doesn't she look so much Kiera Knightley here?

Playing up the eyes.

Having too much fun!

portrait: set 2

2009-05-07T18:23:00.001-07:00

I TOLD you this girl could work the camera. H.O.T.

portrait: set 1

2009-05-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

I had an assignment for my photo class this week to take portraits. Luckily I had a lovely volunteer. This girl worked my camera up, down & backwards. I swear, it was like America's Next Top Model up in here. I have NEVER filled up my 8 gig memory card (plus some) in one session. But that should give you an idea of how much fun we had - we didn't want to stop! Here's the first set (more to come!):

gradu-macating

2009-05-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

My amazing Sis-In-Law is graduating with her SECOND Masters Degree. She's been in school for a long time, and we're hoping it takes her very far! She is so cute and hilarious. We were laughing so hard during this shoot, I had mascara all over my viewfinder. It was hard to narrow down the faves:

Aren't you so jealous of her eyelashes?!

Such a serious student. Yeah right!

v20

2009-05-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Shot an event yesterday in Long Beach. Nothing fancy, just kind of a cool little venue.

gadoo

2009-05-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

This guy drives me nuts half the time - he is quite the attention hog. But when all is said and done, I love having him as my little buddy. It makes my day when he's excited to see me. You wouldn't know from his expression, but the tail starts going and he'll let out a relieved "meow" as I walk up to the front door. Let the leg-rubbing and purring commence.

evening at disneyland

2009-05-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Disneyland and I have a special love affair. I never get tired of it. And when night rolls around, it turns especially magical. Luckily there are others like me out there and I can occasionally find someone to go with! We had a great time and as usual, I loved taking some night shots. They are tricky with no tripod, but with some patience and as steady of a hand as I can muster, sometimes they turn out OK.

wine tasting

2009-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

For my husband's birthday, we decided to get all the friends together for a little day trip. A couple hours away, we have some of the best wineries and best food and best scenery there is. The whole day was a ton of fun.

The drive through the vineyards is so pretty!

strange

2009-04-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

This was one of the strangest sights I have seen in awhile. I don't know what the purpose was, but I had to whip out that camera to get a shot. Funny and a little creepy!

studio shoot

2009-04-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

I got to shoot in a real-life studio today for the first time and it was so exciting! It was part of my Intermediate Photography Class and it was really interesting being involved in the whole process. I had to choose the subject, choose my lighting, choose all my angles, choose where to bounce light, etc, etc. I really got to RUN the entire photo shoot. You kind of get put on the spot and have to boss a few people around, so it can be a little intimidating. But I had a great time just shooting tons of different angles and playing off the lighting. Hope I get the chance to do it again!

"ALL IN"

before and after

2009-04-24T18:40:00.001-07:00

As someone who has been using Photoshop for a LONG time (I got my first copy in 2001, I think) - editing photos is one of my favorite parts of the gig. Manipulating pictures can be so fun and addicting. But its easy to get carried away too. Your eyes start playing tricks on you after awhile.

So there is definitely something to be said for a picture that looks good right out of the camera. Its difficult to accomplish, and even the most perfect pictures these days need that extra little "oomph". I'm trying to train my eye to see the more natural beauty and colors and not get carried away with the editing part of photography. Here's one of those lucky shots that just needed a little lightening, brightening and a slight tweak:

lady friends

2009-04-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

These are some of the ladies I hang with. They are all natural beauties (even when they're not posing!) I love taking pictures like this actually - catching people off guard. Just seeing them as they are.

country bumpkin

2009-04-18T10:36:00.001-07:00

This pretty girl swore up and down that she was NOT photogenic - but as you can see, its all LIES! These were a few of my faves - I think they look like the cover of a country album or something! Thanks for the fun times, girly!

Sexy!

easter sunday

2009-04-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Actually, these pics were taken on Palm Sunday. We celebrated a little early this year with the rest of the family. But we had a nice Easter Sunday too - so much food. Gotta love it.

bug-a-boo

2009-04-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this beautiful baby-bug is already 4 months old. She and mommy-bug were good sports while I shot away! Such a cute little family.

Daddy-bug got a couple shots in too...

farmer's market

2009-04-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest, this shot was sort of an accident! I get lucky every once in awhile.

honorable mention

2009-04-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

The lovely and talented Sister-In-Law was inducted in the Delta Mu Delta Business Honors Society. It sounds fancy because it is. She's kind of a big deal around here. :) Congrats babe!!

weekend warriors

2009-03-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Palm Springs was a blast this past weekend! My only complaint was that it went by too fast!

This is where we stayed. Gorgeous, right?

After swimming, we had a hefty delicious dinner at Roy's. We were the last one's standing. YUM!

On Sunday, we had brunch and walked around the downtown area.
Everyone got a kick out of the Sonny Bono statue.

palm springs aerial tram

2009-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was definitely one of the highlights of our weekend. It was sooooo high! A little scary, even just to look at, but mostly awesome. The views were just unbeatable from the tram. There was no photo that came close to what your eye was seeing. Highly recommended pit stop.

The Gondola we rode in

There was snow at the top of the mountain, even though it was 85 degrees at the bottom!

The view on our way back down the mountain. The trams were pulled by each other's counter weight.

day at the beach

2009-03-27T16:18:00.001-07:00

Such a fun day playing in the sun! Love you guys!

utah part 3 - around town

2009-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

So many awesome locations in little towns like LaVerkin and Toquerville! We had fun exploring.

utah part 2 - senior session

2009-03-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

This was my first time doing Senior Portraits and it went well. Phew! Luckily my subject made the job VERY easy.

utah part 1 - red rocks

2009-03-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here's the pretty girl and that baby again! I'm so happy with these pics and had so much fun shooting them.

hollywood

2009-02-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a little location shoot I did in the *glamorous* city of Hollywood.

Fancy That! open house

2009-01-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

These pics are from the store where my Sister-In-Law sells her custom party favors (seriously the cutest). She is now in the same building with an event planner & another girl who makes custom invitations. It's literally a one-stop shop! The store is called Fancy That! and her favors are Elizabeth & Rose. It's located in Burbank. The whole place is decorated shabby chic & just looks great. Congrats to my SIL on her new place of business!

This is my favorite favor that she's made! It is a washcloth, but looks good enough to eat!!!

My Father-In-Law - he's so cute!

birthday girl!

2009-01-27T16:07:00.000-08:00

Happy 29th Birthday! Remember: "If you didn't have a birth certificate, how old would you be?"

vegas, baby. vegas.

2009-01-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

Took a trip with all our pals to Lost Wages (yes, I ended up a loser). We had SO much fun though. Its been awhile since we took a big trip like this & it was so worth it. Especially with hotel rates the way they are right now. We have to go again.

Chinese New Year

merry christmas!

2008-12-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

i heart ny

2008-12-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

Finally got to see the Big Apple for the first time and I definitely see why people love it. Had a fantastic time! Tried to capture some of this city's personality - it was just difficult to decide which pictures to post...

A little boy on the ferry to Staten IslandRockin' down in the subway

Finding the way

rally for equality

2008-11-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

This was a really cool experience. I love people-watching, and there were thousands of people here. A lot of fun to shoot.

bro

2008-10-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is my brother - he let me do some test shots on him. I think he missed his calling in life as a model!

baby-bug shower

2008-10-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Congrats to this pretty gal on her pregnancy. And what an adorable shower. It was a tea party with a ladybug theme. So creative and cute!

Playing party games - these girls were competitive! It was hilarious.

YUMMERS!

2008-10-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this scrumptious face and awesome blue eyes! He's getting big so quickly - it makes me crazy. Love, love, love him.

surprise!!

2008-10-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

I just love surprise parties...

my best friends' wedding

2008-09-27T20:17:00.000-07:00

Two of my dearest friends were married (FINALLY!) They had such a fun wedding. I was not the photographer, just having fun behind the scenes with our pals.

guitar

2008-08-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

This series of pictures is now hanging in my hallway. Just playing around and it turned out alright.

birthday party for mom #2

2008-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

She hates when I call her my Mother-In-Law because it always sounds worse than it is. So she's my Mom #2. And this was her 65th Birthday! We had the party in our Aunt's BEAUTIFUL backyard - she is host to many events. And everything was just lovely.

She was so excited to spend the day with her friends and family!She and Dad #2 have been married for 35 years!

disney birthday

2008-06-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

Had the opportunity to join these cute boys for a Disneyland Birthday celebration. I just love being around kids and seeing the excitement in their faces for everything. Such a fun day!

huntington beach

2008-05-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

When some of the fam came to visit, we decided to go to Huntington Beach for a bonfire. We arrived early to secure our spot, but it was cold ALL DAY! Once we could finally get the fire going, we were relieved. Here is my cute nephew again...

rappelling!

2008-04-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

While I was in Utah, I went rappelling with a couple of my friends. I haven't done it since high school, so I won't lie - I was pretty nervous. But it was just like I remember - super scary going over and super fun once you're down! Always an exhilarating experience! I wouldn't be opposed to doing it again...

blue-eyed baby boy!

2008-04-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

This is my nephew. I am crazy about him. Look at his eyes! And his big old head! What a cutie.

oh, baby!

2008-01-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

First official picture of my nephew! Such a doll.

merry christmas!

2007-12-25T19:15:00.000-08:00