Santa Barbara Get Away Engagement ... Kerry & Adrian

So about a month I got a request for an engagement shoot from the nicest bride-to-be from Arizona. She wanted to surprise her fiance with a photo shoot of the two of them while they were out here for the weekend... granted she told him the minute she got off the phone with me... well, so the surprise didn't work out, but the photos sure did... and I must say it was one of the most beautiful days we've had all summer . . . funny enough we shot it on the last day of summer Labor Day...

Now, about Kerry & Adrian. . .all I can say is one word . . .LAUGHTER . . . they would not stop giggling and laughing and smiling, I must say there is definitely something about people in love, its contagious and glows right through the images. Just take a look...

Click here to view slide show

Hey you two... it was truly my pleasure to meet you and have just a bit of your happiness shine on my day . . . Arizona is lucky to have such sunshine!! Congratulations!
... and by the way, I officially like Paul Weller after doing a little slide show music research on your behalf...

Love,
A

Elizabeth & Will are engaged!!!

Okay ... there are soo many adjectives I could use to describe this amazing couple, but I kept it short and sweet... just look at the slide show and you'll see... pictures speak louder than words for sure...

Elizabeth & Will are so flippin' cute, adorable, FUN, lovely, beautiful . . . and for sure GOOFY . . how great is that combo!!

Click here to view a slide show

. . . and by the way I barely posed them ... to re-enact Patrick Swayze & Jennifer Grey (ala Dirty Dancing) was all them, I had nothing to do with it...

Man, I had such a blast shooting their engagement pics. I just know their life together, which will be including a destination wedding in Mexico (... how cool is that), is going to be full of laughter and joy to the point of belly aches.

Thanks you two for making me laugh so hard. I was smiling just as much as the two of you and I was behind the camera. You guys rock!!!

Love,
A

Daphne & Nick: The slideshow

Click here to view the slide show

Just a quick thought about this wedding: It was an event of such sweetness. It echoed the joy and love that you can't help but see in the glances between Nick & Daphne. Plus those smiles and laughs... just check them out!!!

So I mentioned that a couple weeks ago I shot a very special wedding. Not only was this the wedding of my pseudo little brother (his sis is my best friend from college) but it was also an amazing example of how you can plan an amazing and touching event long distance with the help of friends and wonderful vendors. Daphne & Nick live out of town and over the past 6 months (with the help of their sister and friends) threw together a beautiful beach side affair.

Below are a list of the great vendors.

Event Coordinator: Melinda Hellyer Events & Design
Caterer: Pure Joy
Cake: Montecito Confections
Flowers: Grass Roots
Quartet: Aurora Ensemble

and the awesome,

Brion Hopkins as second shooter


It was such a pleasure to work with all of you and I can't wait to do it again!

Best,
A

Daphne & Nick . . . A Palm Tree Paradise and a little brother...

First let me just explain this couple in my eyes. . .

Nick: The little brother I never asked for but am so glad I've discovered (he's my best friend's little bro therefore he's my bro too by association and ten years of history. . . )

Daphne: The beautiful, warm, and extremely intelligent woman that has melted his heart and caused that big huge grin all over his face . . . I love her for that

I knew Nick long before Daphne came into the picture, and I've only known her for a short amount of time... but in that time, it is clear to see that these two truly complete each other. They compliment each others' differences and enhance each others' likenesses. If ever a couple exemplified what it means to complement each other it's Nick and Daphne. With all the craziness of the wedding spinning around them the minute the two were insight of each other there was an instant sense of calmness and peace. You couldn't help but see the softness appear in both of their eyes.

Nick and Daphne, I am so incredibly happy for the two of you from the bottom of my heart. I am so glad to see the joy in both of you and to have gained a new sister...

My deepest love and respect,
A


P.S. . . . had to put the goofy pic of you, Nick... tee hee. . . that's what you get for having me shoot the day!!

Marisa & Nic (part 2): Here's the slideshow

Click here to the slideshow

So a little over a week ago as I had mentioned I was in Santa Ynez shooting an Amazing wedding at the Firestone Crossroads Vineyard. Marisa and Nic did such an amazing job with every single detail. They had such a great group of people making their dream vision a reality.

Their planner: Robin Sonner (is AWESOME . . . I can't wait to work with you again)

The food: Pure Joy (amazing . . . and incredibly yummy . . . can't wait till this weekend) (and isn't that just the best darn name ever)

The Flowers: Kaleidoscope (simple, elegant, perfection)

And of course . . . my amazing second shooter (once again) Brion Hopkins (you rock as always)!!

M & N . . you know how much I love you two . . .can't wait to hear all about your honeymoon . . . enjoy this little tid bit of pics . . .

Love, A

It's the little things... Marisa & Nic (part 1)

For now I just have to quickly mention the one thing I noticed and love most about Marisa & Nic this weekend . . . and as long as we've been friends...

If you ever spend time with these two love birds... you don't see them next to each other the whole time, you don't see them with their arms all over each other... you don't see the obvious signs of a couple... if you take the time to stop and watch you see something even better... you see the signs of love that fly across a room high above the world . . . be it a glimmer in the eye ... a flash of a grin like they are the only two in the room... or a soft touch on a shoulder as they pass ... and what gets me every time ... (right up to the rehearsal dinner Friday night and even down the aisle)... is the way Nic will gently touch, not Marisa's hand and hold on tightly .. but be it a for a moment or an hour... he lightly lifts her ring finger...



I love you two soo much... Friday and Saturday were amazing. Thank you for being such a support and inspiration not only to me, but your family, friends and each other... You are pillars of strength yet soft in your support.

Love,
A

A Wedding made by Love: Stephanie & Matt

Click here to view a slideshow

So, as I mentioned earlier this week I shot the most amazing and heart warming wedding. Tonight the bride, Stephanie aka "Birdie", came by my place for a sneak peak at a few pics. Just as I had mentioned previously (and as always) . . . her smile was completely contagious warmed the place (and even more so when she saw a glimpse of the pics). She was still glowing the minute she mentioned Matt and the wedding (but mostly Matt).

One thing I didn't say about what made this wedding so special was the love that went into it. Most every aspect was covered by a friend . . from the catering, to the flowers, to the location, . . and of course the photography... when you have that much heart going into an event it's bound to turn out as beautiful as the hearts of this amazing couple...

Here are just a few of the people that made this event so amazing...

First: A huge thanks to my awesome 2nd Shooter: Brion Hopkins (you rock!!)

Location and event planners:

The Montecito Country Club:

Claire & Nick (you made things so easy and gorgeous)

The Flowers:

Denise (more info to come about this miracle worker) . . .

Speechless, words cannot express what you accomplished . . . WOW

The Cake . . . you ask . . . done by the Bride herself and her best friend Thorpe

(Awesome, Awesome, Awesome)

I've heard that in the past, weddings weren't planned by the bride or done by strangers ... every detail and every chore was picked up and done by a loved one. This just proves it can still be done today...

Love,

A

btw . . .I know this is cheesy but I am STILL tearing up thinking about this couple and looking at the pics -- I've been getting teased non stop . . .I should be better at this by now... guess it shows how much I love all this wedding stuff!!

Birdie & Dirty (Stephanie & Matt)

It's Sunday morning... and the world can feel a little happier today. Two of the most beautiful people in the world were married last night (and sure they're pretty) ... but when I say "Beautiful" I mean inside... and ya know... I think this saying is said far too often about far too many people that it begins to lose its power... there needs to be another way . .. for Stephanie and Matt are beyond explanation and definition for their warmth and love for each other and everyone they meet. As Ben Harper sings. . . they are "Diamonds on the Inside"....

One thing that was said over and over last night by family, friends, no matter how close or distant... was they always make you feel like their best friends' in the world... they had 200 people there. . . and EVERYONE was their best friend!!

I know I feel that way. I've known these two for years... and feel so incredibly blessed that I was able to be a part of this AMAZING moment. I sure woke this morning feeling a little happier about the world!!

Birdie & Dirty, . . . your smiles not only warm the hearts of each other, of your families, your friends, but even the strangers you meet on the street... and this is what really sets you apart... you two make a change in the world just by being yourselves and not even trying...

I love you both!!

May you two continue to inspire each other... and the world!

Love,
A


Here's just a quick glimpse into their love... (more to come. stay tuned)

Slovenian Food, Girl Friends . . .and MOM

I may be thirty but one thing you never grow out of . . . mom's home cookin!!! I got home late Monday night from Mexico. . .walked into my house being met by my mom (visiting from Michigan) with a big gigantic warm hug . . . and a kitchen smelling of home-cooked yummy goodness!!

Tuesday I had planned for a special girls night dinner. You see my mom has kind of adopted all my friends here in SB. So when she is in town I have to schedule about ten different "play dates" so she can see all of her "California daughters"... so a couple years ago we started doing a girls dinner. . .mom cooks an amazing Slovenian meal for all of us. Its the perfect time for her to see all my old friends and new friends (don't worry Mom LOVES cooking for 15 people . . at least she says she does ;)

It was an amazing evening of love, laughter, sharing and fun! Plus who doesn't love momma's slovenian cooking.

Here are a few pics from the evening (granted photos don't do slovenian cooking justice)!!

some buttered noodles . . .cucumber salad. .. it may look scary but it is my favorite food on earth!!!!

To all my girls (Mom of course at the top of the list). . .you rock!! You are all my inspiration!!!

Love you all...
A

My new portraits . . of ME

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness... I am such a slacker!! I can't believe it has been over ten days since my last blog.... I deeply apologize to all those out there sick of reading the same story now ten times!!

Well.. I'm not much better today... here's a quick re-cap .. I've finished moving, threw a housewarming party, had a corporate photo shoot, attended and/or shot 1 rehearsal dinner, 1 wedding, 3 (yes THREE) bachelorette parties, 1 bridal shower, ... and this past weekend.. met with brides, and had an AMAZING photo shoot for a client (that must be kept secret for now .... shhhh ;) .. but I promise you'll see the pics in a couple months . . .. and then this weekend... it's off to Mexico for a quick trip of R&R before the craziness of summer begins...

BUT the thing I am MOST excited about today .... I had MY OWN photo shoot this past weekend with the AWESOME Mary Jane.

(check out her blog . . . I couldn't have written it better... so I'm not... I forgot we were shooting pics we were laughing so hard the entire time... We had so much fun . . .and that's really what it's all about!!
Janey . . .you rock . . .thank you soooo much!!
(BTW... Did Janey ask me to be cheesy aka jump and twirl ... nope, just me "dancing in the streets again")

(and the tree you ask? . . . just an example of how we'll do ANYTHING to get that shot... :)


I promise no more ten day disappearing acts!!

Love,
A

My Big Fat Irish Chinese American Wedding...

This past weekend I had the great honor to photograph my dear friends Emily & Gerry as they tied the knot at the Fess Parker Double Tree Resort. These two amazing people have been a special part of my life for years and to watch them pledge their love for each other in front of 150 friends and family was simply beautiful. The minute Emily stepped out into the rotunda with her father, I began to tear up... it was such a special moment. The entire wedding was a perfect mix of heartfelt emotion and absolute ridiculousness . . . just like Emily and Gerry themselves!!

Let me paint a quick picture for you... imagine Gerry's Irish relatives mixed with Emily's Chinese family, now take their very hilarious friend Greg (the officiant) attempting to speak both Gaelic and Mandarin . . . (sweet and funny all at the same time)... throw in a mish mash of crazy friends (myself included), some dim sum, some BBQ, .. and the feeling of a fiesta...

. . and did I mention the height difference... Emily at 5'6" , Gerry a little bit taller at 6'11".. and yet they fit perfectly together!!

Emily and Gerry, my heart became a little bigger watching the two of you on Saturday... thank you...

May you love and laugh more and more with every passing year... (and Emily we all know you can Laugh)

Love you both,
A

I LOVE PEOPLE!!!! I really do ...

... and I love it even more when people impress me!! So I have to give props out to not one . . but TWO local Santa Barbara photographers.

First, to my dear friend Janey (Mary Jane photography). She has decided to take her gift and give . . . she is starting a program through her photography business called "operation: i love you". She will be offering free photo shoots to any man or woman who is being deployed for 6 months or longer. It is such an awesome idea... what's the best thing to have when you miss someone... PHOTOS... I hope to be helping her with it in Santa Barbara as well as on Mackinac Island. So please checkout more information on her blog (www.maryjaneweddings.com/blog/). And if any of you know of people who might be interested in volunteering or wanting to take part send them the information.
... And the second photog I want to pay props to is Ricky Mia... a brand new friend. He is the epitome of joy for his job... I met up with him last night to talk about this great project he's working on. He is in the process of publishing an extensive magazine quality Wedding Guide that will be covering Santa Barbara County... surprisingly enough there isn't one here. I think it's awesome that he is pulling this together, it not only helps all of us vendors but our clients as well.

I just have to say that every week I am more and more impressed with the community of photographers located in Santa Barbara. They are the most welcoming, and generous group of professionals I've ever met... I feel truly blessed to be a part of this group... you guys all rock!!!

May you all find a group that supports, loves, and encourages you to chase after your passions!

Love,
A

Colors and light and a walk at night... plus a little poetry too

Maybe its the photographer in me, maybe its that as I get older I am starting to notice the little things ... or maybe it's just plain unmistakable beauty... but have you ever noticed that light can make such a difference on everything around you, it can set a mood, it can evoke emotions, it can even make you trip and fall (when its not there)...

So ... last night I went for the most amazing walk it started around 6:45 just as the sun was barely starting to go down and lasted till dark. We started at the new place and headed towards the beach (for Nite Moves: this awesome summer activity here in SB) ... We thought this would be a great way to get a feel for the new hood...

As we winded our way down the hills... every passing minute the light changed... now obviously I'd noticed beautiful sunsets before but what I noticed this time was that the feel for the neighborhood and the look of the streets changed as each shade of blue slowly turned to pinks purples and oranges and finally to dark. This may seem like such a simple concept but for some reason last night it opened my eyes and took my breath away... it was so amazing to be walking the same streets and feel like I was in a completely different place.
I think I've just come up with a new little goal for myself . . . everyday take a conscious moment to see my world through fresh eyes... hmmm, keep life exciting and push my creative thinking... this could be good

One of my favorite movie scenes is from Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams has his class stand on top of the desk and see the room from a different view while... "Sounding ... barbaric yawps from the rooftops of the world..." (a quote from my favorite poem: Leaves of Grasses by Walt Whitman) ... I think it's time to do this more often... maybe not sounding the yawps... that might scare a few people...

Well, this started out as a short little blurb about a sunset walk . . . oops, guess I blabbered on a bit...

May you all see your world through fresh eyes and find excitement in the everyday things!!

Love,
A

New weddings... new friends...

So this morning I had such a great breakfast with an amazing event planner, Robin Sonner. She and I are going to be working together this summer out at Crossroads in the wine country for a very special wedding. My dear friends' Marisa & Nic are getting married in July. I can't wait. Especially now that I've finally met Robin. Marisa has been telling me about her for months and how perfectly we will get along. .. well . . . she was right! This morning we had the best meeting, I could have stayed for hours and chatted.

It's mornings like this that get me so excited about wedding photography. I love meeting new people and creating a team. Every person works their own unique special talent, and together we create a beautiful masterpiece for the couple. Man this photography thing is great... the awesome couples I get to meet, the talented vendors I get to work with, traveling to amazing places... and the coolest part... doing my creative thang... this rocks!!

So great to meet you this morning Robin... can't wait for July!!

Below are a few pics I shot for Marisa & Nic's engagement a couple months ago... aren't they the cutest (little secret: they can't keep their hands off each other ;)... I love it!!!

Cinco de Mayo...

Just a quick note wishing everyone a Happy Cinco de Mayo... here's a shot off my iphone from yesterday's celebration in De La Guerra Plaza... I love the way Santa Barbarians love to celebrate . . . make a big mess with lots of colored paper . . any excuse to eat good food, hear good music, meet new people, and make a big mess!!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Love,
A

My Awesome . . PUG...

Nope... not the dog. MY PUG stands the "Pictage User Group".

I just had to talk about this amazing group of photographers here in Santa Barbara. Pictage is an awesome company that many professional photographers (myself included) use for their online viewing and ordering galleries. They not only serve a purpose to each photographer individually but they encourage us to build a community.

A little over a year ago I hesitantly attended my first PUG (to be honest it was because they were offering a free album). I was nervous to be in a room with all these SB photographers that were my "competition". How would these people REALLY react to each other... well, words cannot explain how I felt walking out of that first meeting. I had never felt such support, encouragement, and willingness to share. I can honestly say that throughout the past year the friends I've made,the connections I've formed, and the lessons I've learned have not only improved my photography exponentially but improved my life. It's a true community of photographers that meets once a month in order to encourage, inspire, and uplift each other in our business and in our lives!!

Anyways, last night Kacie Jean (fabulous photo friend) organized an incredible meeting that revolved around branding and logos. Danielle Siano gave us such an amazing presentation. I can't wait to implement everything I learned.

May you all find a community that inspires, uplifts, and encourages your passion!!

Love,
A

Sorry... no pics from last night so I thought I would just show you a long lost pic I found recently that I've decided I love... it's an artichoke if you can believe it!! How cool is that!!!

Noelle the Pilates Queen

Over the past year I've had the great privilege to work with Noelle Rox, owner of Simpatico Pilates in Montecito California. She is about to launch an all new pilates campaign geared towards pregnancy, this will be followed with a series of at home workouts (beginner-advanced) as well as a travel series for those who are on the road. Her goal is to focus not just on pilates but an entire lifestyle shift including eating and living an overall healthier life.

Below are just a few shots we've collected along the way to her new found stardom.
Good luck Noelle. . . you are truly a "Rox"star.

and so is Biscuit. . .

A Hike Up a Mountain...

Alright I lied . . .not a hike. . .more like a very very long and winding drive.

This weekend I thought, "ya know, I've lived in Santa Barbara now for seven years and have NEVER seen the wildflowers on Figueroa Mountain.. I think it's time for me to explore." For those of you that don't know Fig Mountain is in the Santa Ynez Valley behind Santa Barbara (think wine country in the movie Sideways).


Now, I didn't quite realize what I was getting into. I pictured a quick little jaunt maybe 20 minutes roundtrip up a hill that would be covered with wildflowers. . .Well an hour later, what I found was a two lane road . . .that turned into a 1 and 1/2 lane road with no centerline . . . that turned into a 1 lane road. . . that turned into a gravel road... that turned into a dirt path (and that was just one way... granted I was shooting the whole way)!!

So there I am in my little old Corolla off-roading up a mountain by myself (probably not the smartest thing, but at least I had phone service ... so don't worry mom). BUT at the top it was completely worth it. . . there were so many beautiful wildflowers. . .and in two of my favorite colors... purple and orange!!

It's so nice sometimes to go out... just me... my camera .... and an adventure!!

May you all find your own personal adventure this week!

Love,
A