A Gorgeous Setting + A Gorgeous Family – Chino Hills, CA

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This is my second time working with Vivienne, Bobby and Elsie, who asked me back to take some family portraits a little before the holidays last year.  This time we met in a gorgeous neighborhood with some of the most scenic views one could ask for.

The weather was gorgeous, too, and we timed the shoot for the best time of day: right before sunset, when the light casts a perfect golden hue over everything it touches.  In cinematography, it’s referred to as the “magic hour.”  One glimpse at these photos and you’ll understand why you should plan to do the same for your next shoot…

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10 on 10 Collaboration Project, Post 7

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This month’s post had a theme of “resolutions and reflections.”  When I think back on 2013, a few words come to mind: personal growth, creativity, ambition, and change.

As most people head into a new year, I think we can all agree that no matter what the resolution, the general idea around setting one is to try and better yourself from the year before.  The only way we can do that is to learn from the mistakes we made, and try and improve upon what we did right.

For this month’s 10-on-10, I have collected some my favorite photos I took in 2013, some of which have not been featured on my website yet.

Happy New Year, everyone.  I’m looking forward to 2014.

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Other participants in this month’s 10 on 10 are:

Courtney Z Photography

Anya Elise Photography

Grace Photography

10 on 10 Collaboration Project, Post 6

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We are halfway there, folks.  It’s month 6 of our 10 on 10 collaboration and I’m super excited to share this one because I haven’t stopped thinking about this trip since I left.  Also, I have 12 photos because I cannot make decisions.

Thanks to my super awesome boyf and his equally awesome company, BRKLY, I got to tag along to the opening weekend of the Napa Valley Film Festival.  We had VIP all-access passes, saw approximately zero movies, went to what felt like 100 wine tastings, and easily ate 7 pounds cheese.  We stayed in a guest house on a gorgeous vineyard where we stayed up until all hours of the day and night playing hide and seek in the grapevines and eating fresh fruit plucked right off the branches.

Oh yeah, and I met a MINI HORSE which was definitely a highlight of the trip if not a highlight of my entire life (follow me on Instagram for visual proof).

Yeah, it was horrible and I never want to go back, ever.  JUST KIDDING, Y’ALL, IT WAS MEGA GOOD TIMEZ.

Happy upcoming holidays, everyone!  I hope they are as magical as mini horses and Napa Valley.

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Other photographers participating in the 10 on 10 project:

 

Courtney Z Photography

Anya Elise Photography

Twinty Photography

Jamilah Photography

 

Erika + Rich’s Elopement – A Sneeky Peek

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Oh man, you guys.  I have never kept such a huge secret for so long, but it was so worth it.  Erika and Rich got surprise married (eloped is just not as fun to say) last weekend in a very small, private ceremony.  I was so, so honored when they asked me to capture the day.

Congratulations, you two.  I love you Brizzlebrizzes so much it hurts.

Here’s a sneek peek, more to come soon…

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Erika and Rich Are Gettin’ Hitched (Yay, Rhymes)

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Wait till you hear this love story:

Erika and I met at a mutual friend’s wedding a few years ago in New York.  We fell head over heels for each other that night.  I never thought I’d see her again.  Then she moved to LA and now we’re besties.  She’s one of those people who makes me laugh until it hurts, and on top of it she has the best outfits, hair, and cats.  I never thought anyone could ever deserve such an amazing person.

Until I met Rich.  This man is the best compliment to Erika.  He’s funny, kind, and grows a mean beard.  Rich’s beard is almost as beautiful as Erika’s hair.  Almost.  Oh, and did I mention that Erika and Rich met while volunteering to feed the hungry?  …Which is something they do. Every. Sunday.

Yeah, I know.  You can’t hate them if you tried.

I was so excited when they asked me to shoot their engagement photos, because I love excuses to hang out with my friends.  We decided to take the photos at their favorite romantic place: home.

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Savannah, GA Wedding – Megan and Chris

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At the end of September I had the opportunity to photograph Megan and Chris’s beautiful wedding in Savannah, Georgia.  I was so excited to not only shoot this incredible wedding, but also have the opportunity to see my friends and family that live there.

The wedding was held at The Mansion on Forsyth Park, and I don’t think I could have asked for better venue, weather or scenery.

Special thanks to the incredibly talented Shannon Christopher who helped me photograph the ceremony and all the vendors who contributed to making this day go so smoothly.

Megan’s amazing wedding cake is by Savannah’s Hall of Cakes.

Congratulations, Megan and Chris!

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10 on 10 Collaboration Project, Post 5

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My boyfriend’s sister is in town this weekend, and we thought the perfect LA thing to do on Saturday was to go to the Silver Lake Farmer’s Market.  It’s not only filled with local produce and fresh food, but a great location for eclectic vintage clothes and jewelry.  The Silver Lake Art, Craft & Vintage flea market was also happening up the street, so it was a full morning full of thrifting fun, and a great excuse to get in a last-minute 10-on-10.

One of my favorite stands was the Looksy bus filled with both dog and human accessories.

We went home with new sunglasses, an Elvis t-shirt, some fresh goat cheese, and the most delicious sun-dried tomato garlic spread.  Not pictured: juicy blackberries that we already demolished (with our mouths).

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Other photographers participating in the 10-on-10 project are:

Holga, A Love Story

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One of my favorite classes in college was my Medium Format class I took my sophomore year.  There was only one assignment: take photos of whatever you want with a Holga camera.  This was the class where I really got into the groove of developing my own film and learning darkroom techniques.

You really have to use your imagination when shooting on a $20 camera made of plastic.  Light leaks, natural blur, and color shifts occur.  And since everything is manual, it’s also easy to make double exposures either by choice or accident.

I sold my Holga when I graduated. Although I was still in love with this toy camera and it’s ability to take perfectly imperfect images, I really had no clue when I would be in a darkroom again.  And the cost of processing 120 film is extraordinarily expensive, so I felt like it would be put to better use in someone else’s hands.

Fast forward to 2012, when I had really decided to fully pursue photography.  I started craving a Holga again.  I found one on Amazon for $18 (don’t buy a $60 one from Urban Outfitters– it’s a rip off). I ordered some film along with and and decided to start shooting with it as a supplement to my focus on digital photography.

I finished several rolls of film over the course of the past year. I took my Holga with me when the situation was special, but taking my 5d along wouldn’t have been the best choice.  I developed all the film in one go this week, and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.  Here are some of my favorites– a trip to Six Flags, camping, a horseback ride in Hawaii, and a dear friend’s wedding. And the best part was, everything was scanned and digitized so I never had to step foot in a dark room!

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10 on 10 Collaboration Project, Post 4

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Well it’s already the 10th again, and I seriously feel like I was slacking this month on personal photos.  This month there was a theme for this particular 10-on-10: Fall.  Now, I don’t know about where you live, but here in LA, Fall pretty much looks the same as every other day of the year.  Yesterday was actually the first time I felt a chill in the air and put on a sweater, and I was all YES I WILL GO OUT AND SHOOT A FALL THEME 10-ON-10! but then I didn’t because rain.  And also because my dog is warm and she was laying in my lap most of the day.

So here are some photos from one thing I did in the Fall, which has nothing to do with Fall other than the fact that it was September when this happened. (Fall activities still count as Fall-theme, right?)

Here are some of the grungy photos I took from a small concert I went to last month featuring one of my favorite bands, Shellshag.

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Other photographers involved in this month’s 10-on10 project are: