Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Orange County Engagement Photography :: Melissa + Sam

I hear people say that Facebook makes the world seem smaller, and it's true. All of a sudden you "run into" people you used to know on Facebook, and one day I received an email from an old friend from college. Shirley was the president of the LTCC club at UC Irvine. I met a variety of nice people in this club, and Shirley was one of them! I recall her always making people feel welcome at meetings and gatherings, and as someone new to Southern California at the time, it was much appreciated.

Shirley's sister Melissa was getting married soon, and because I was already booked, I referred her to my good friend and photographer, Mike. You see, Shirley is everyone's dream sister because her gift to Melissa was all the photography for her wedding. How cool is THAT?!:o) I was pleasantly surprised when Shirley still wanted me to do the engagement photos for the soon to be married couple. I was more than happy to shoot them, and as you peruse through the images, I hope you can see why. Melissa and Sam are a very sweet couple, and you could just tell that their relationship is filled with lots of love and patience. I heard their wedding went fantastic, and I can't wait to see the images that Mike has captured! But for now, here are some of their engagement shots!


























Monday, June 28, 2010

Southern California Engagement Photography :: Sharm + Megz

I've known Sharm and Megz for a while, and on more than one occasion have even snapped a few pictures of them together. However when they asked me to shoot them together (like an official shoot!) I was both surprised and very flattered! After discussing with them what they were looking for, we decided to shoot in a little gem of a city called Claremont. Claremont is the epitome of picturesque, and if you're going to take pictures, picturesque is good, right? :o)

I was very pleased with what we came away with, and to say that the light was amazing is really an understatement. These two have great chemistry, and were extremely easy to shoot! I could've shot all day!

Here are some of my faves:


































We even got a few silly ones in! :o)




Central California Wedding Photography :: Y + Y

There is something relaxed about shooting your best friend's sister's wedding. The day started out midmorning and was filled with family - lots of family. The wedding party was huge and every single person put 110% into pulling off this wedding. I was quite impressed and moved by how relentlessly everyone worked!

Y & Y are such a loving couple. Their love really radiated throughout the day, and I thoroughly enjoyed capturing their special day for them. :o)




















Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Portraits and Olympics and Weddings, Oh My...

I should probably take a feather duster to this blog since I haven't posted in too long. I have a couple of posts to catch up on, but I'm excited to share some images from a recent wedding I shot in my hometown in Central California. I'm sure everyone has heard of the phrase "It takes a village to raise a child," but in this case, it took a village to put this wedding together. To say that it was a team effort is a huge understatement. I was so impressed by how willing and dedicated every family member was to making this wedding happen! Here's a small teaser :o)

The lovely bride...



The newlyweds...

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Southern California Senior Portrait Photography :: Xaviera

A short time ago, Anitza contacted me aboout shooting her sister Xaviera's senior portraits. I have to admit, everytime I hear the words "senior portraits," I am transported back in time (about 14 years ago) to a studio that is known for taking senior portrait photos where I grew up. I remember being told to turn my neck so much that I thought my head was going to pop off! Thankfully, I opted for the cheapest session that they offered...I think I was still on my way out of the "awkward stage"...hehehe. When the proofs arrived at the house, BAD would just be an understatement to describe the pictures. I never did order any, and the only one in print is the one that graces the senior section in my high school yearbook. It worries me to know that about 178 people out there possibly have that photo in their possession, and I live each day in fear that one of them might scan and post it somewhere!

I told this story to a nervous Xaviera before starting our session. Needless to say, she warmed up to the camera a LOT better than I did! Xaviera's hobbies include playing the guitar, drama club, and photography. I loved the props that she brought along for the session! Here are some of my faves:






















Congrats to Xaviera on her graduation this year! :o)