Kim and I are excited to announce a date for our photography workshop specifically targeted for beginning photographers, hobbyists, or parents simply looking to taking better pictures of their kids. Please click here for the
full flyer and registration information. If you have any questions, please send me an
email.
Labels: NEWS, WORKSHOPS
Entry Level Assistant Position Available
I am looking for an entry level photo assistant to help at weddings and occasional portrait sessions. The primary responsibilities will be to help carry gear, set up off-camera lighting, help download images, hold reflectors, and other duties as needed. There may be limited second shooting opportunities down the line, but this position is primarily an on-location, non-shooting type opening. Please
email me some information about yourself and experience (if any) if you are interested and I will respond to inquiries in mid-June. No phone calls please.
Labels: NEWS
JD and Andriana were married a week or so ago at
The Arizona Inn in Tucson. I had never met either of them prior to their wedding, so it was a happy surprise to find they were so darn cute! After they both graduated from the University of Arizona, they moved to California where JD is now in law school and Andriana, who had just passed the bar one day before her wedding, works full time in a busy firm. Obviously they are both very busy, so Andriana's Mom planned the entire wedding for them, which I think they were extremely grateful for. These two were so incredibly kind the entire day -- Andriana was one of the calmest brides I have ever met. (She credited much of it to passing the bar the day before.) While she didn't radiate one ounce of stress, JD, so sweet as it was, couldn't keep his eyes of her all day :-)
I have to also mention that my good friend
Melissa Jill, the incredibly talented photographer also from Phoenix, came down to second shoot the wedding with me. I was thrilled when she said she would come (you can read & see more from her very popular
blog as well), and we had a great time together. Thank you again Melissa!
I loved her crinkled Nicole Miller gown. So pretty!
See what I mean about both of them being so cute...
I love they way Andriana's Dad is looking at her here
They had perfect light for their ceremony
A sweet moment right after their kiss
Speaking of, nice dip JD!
Thank you again JD and Andriana. You guys are clearly in for a long and very happy life together!
Labels: WEDDINGS
Happy Friday!
So for those of you that have expressed interest in the beginners photography workshop, we finally have a date!
Kimberly Jarman and I will be hosting a 3 hour workshop for those just starting out in photography and for parents or amateurs that simply want to take better pictures. It will be Saturday, June 28, 2008 from 1:00-4:00 PM. Kim and I will be posting more details soon, so check back early next week for more info and how to register.
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On Monday it was 108 degrees here in Phoenix (a record high for this time of year) and today it is is 57 degrees and raining (I think a record low for this time of year). What a crazy weather week! I love the rain since we don't see it very often but hope it clears up in time for Tracy and Tom's wedding tomorrow. It is actually out at
Circle Bar Ranch and the very last wedding they will hold there. Management has changed hands and I guess they will no longer host events, which is too bad, because it seems like such a unique and beautiful venue.
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Tomorrow will mark my last wedding before a 6 week break -- and a much needed vacation to Hawaii! We leave very early Wed morning and to say I cannot wait to have my feet buried in the sand and an umbrella-laden-drink in my hand would be an understatement. For the most part, the studio will be closed May 28-June 6, but I'll sill have periodic access to emails and blogging. If I'm slow to respond, I hope you understand its only because I'm getting some much needed R&R on the fantastic island of Maui. :)
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In other random news, has anyone else noticed that every single street in Phoenix seems to be under construction? In Scottsdale alone, Hayden, Scottsdale Road, Indian Bend, Via de Ventura and of course the 101 freeway all all under construction, and that's just a 5-10 mile radius from my house. Is it just me, or does it seem to take forever to finish those projects? Hmmm, I think the city needs to reassess how many streets they decide tear up at one time. Traffic is a bear right now.
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And just so you don't think I'm slacking, I'm working on my favorites from JD and Andriana's wedding in Tucson last weekend and should have up soon! But here is a teaser...
Labels: NEWS
Despite my best intentions to shorten my blog posts, I don't think I can on this one. I have too many favorites from Allison and Chris's wedding last week that started at Brophy Chapel and ended with a complete rent-out of Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. Allison is clearly a beautiful girl, but honestly her inner beauty radiates even more strongly from the inside. I know that may sound cliche and that I say that all of my couples are beautiful and nice, but they
really are.
Allison and Chris were high school sweethearts and continued their relationship through college and beyond, never hitting one of those breakup/speed-bumps along the way. As their family and friends toasted them during the evening, they all spoke about the uniqueness and strength of their love, because as these two have grown through the years, their relationship continued to grow even stronger. There is definitely a great deal of respect and just-plain- easiness between them. And they are both so good looking AND nice too. There, I said it again.
Some of my favorites...
This was my first wedding with my tasty new 50mm 1.2 lens. I have the 85mm 1.2 and find I have not been using it for weddings lately because it's so heavy and can be a little tight for the prep time, which is when I used it the most, as well for portraits of the bride. I'm loving the wider angle of the 50 and the much lighter weight of it, while getting that same beautiful blur as the 85. (So if anyone is in the market for an 85mm 1.2, let me know.)
We all looked over and saw adorable little Lucy sitting on the bed like this, taking in the quiet hustle and bustle of a bride getting ready. She just melted my heart.
And then she jumped down to get a closer look.
These next two are straight out of the camera. I dodged her face once to highlight just a touch more on this one, but the following of her mom putting on her veil is untouched. Gorgeous woman! All of these of Allison were taken with the 50.
Labels: WEDDINGS
Allison and Chris's beautiful wedding from last weekend will be posted very soon, but here is a teaser of the
gorgeous bride.
Labels: WEDDINGS
...And now the follow up to Ava's post below: Rachel's belly shots.
I love this girl! And she has the cutest baby belly in the whole world. She delivered little Adeline like maybe 1 week after this shoot. Gosh, I felt like I was her size when I was something like 5 months pregnant 3+ years ago, so I was a tad envious of her super cute belly ;-) In all seriousness, Rachel is a wonderful Mom and has been such a joy to work with.
I mentioned below that she has been helping me with album designs the past several months and does a great job.
So we thought it might be cute to break out Kevin's firefighter gear and have some fun. Kevin holds the title of one of the cutest pregnant wives ever, because how many of us could pull this off?!
And now back the more sweet, tender side of pregnancy... especially when there is a big sister involved.
And my favorite...I fell in love with this door when I saw it about 2 weeks early and immediately envisioned this shot.
Thank you for the very fun shoot Janssen family. You guys are awesome!
Labels: PORTRAITS
I have had about ten portrait sessions over the past several weeks and wanted to start sharing them... I'll start with beautiful little Ava. You may remember that I followed her first year of life (in pictures) as she was one of my Year in the Life clients. She will be 2 this fall, and we met up again recently to take some new pictures. Mom Rachel was pregnant with Ava's little sister Adeline (who has since made her way into the world!), so she wanted to do some belly pictures with Ava (and hubby Kevin of course too). You may recognize Rachel; she helps me with some of my wedding albums, and is great! Her pregnancy photos are forthcoming, but I wanted to start with these we captured of Ava. I was pretty happy with how they turned out...
Ava's Dad is a fireman so they brought his gear for Rachel to use for some fun pregnancy shots, but then Rachel thought it would be cute to put Ava in his boots and they came out adorable!
Next we moved to a pretty tutu, which Ava also loved posing in. Jordan does not know that she let Ava borrow this tutu and I am wondering why I have not done pictures of Jordan in this! It's not like I never take pictures of her ;) I love these! Pure sweetness.
Then we finished up with this adorable polka-dot dress and some family portraits
And here is a sneak peek of Rachel's belly pictures to come soon...
Labels: PORTRAITS
I want to introduce you to Olivia.
Olivia is the almost-6 year old daughter of our friends Christine and Eric Hoffmann. I first met the Hoffmann's through mutual friends about 5 years ago, when Olivia was a perfectly healthy one-year-old little girl. A few months after her 2nd birthday, she was diagnosed with a very rare and terminal illness called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD). In less than one years time, this disorder caused Olivia to go from a healthy, smiling, bright-eyed toddler to a little girl who could no longer control any movement, talk, eat, see, or even smile.
MLD is caused by a genetic defect that prevents cells from producing an enzyme the body needs in order to break down a fatty substance called sulfatide. Lacking this enzyme, sulfatide builds up in the brain and spinal cord, destroying the white matter, called myelin, which surrounds and protects the nerves. Without the myelin insulation, the nerves gradually quit working. This “demyelination” causes all of the problems of MLD, which include loss of mental, motor, and organ functions, and eventual death. Children like Olivia, with the late-infantile form of MLD (there are also juvenile and adult forms), may live 5 years, but so far the disease is always fatal. (Source: http://www.caringbridge.org/az/olivia/). The doctors told Christine and Eric Olivia would likely not live past 5, but still is still fighting at 6.
Olivia and her two brothers, twins Carter and WilliamAs Olivia celebrates her 6th birthday this Saturday, and her family celebrates every moment they have with her, the Hoffmann's and the foundation set up her name, are gearing up for the
Second Annual Olivia's Walk.
The walk will raise funds for the
MLD Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity serving MLD affected families and researchers throughout the world, and bring more awareness to this rare and fatal illness.
When and Where:Saturday, May 17th at Tempe Town Lake
Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the walk starts at 8:00 AM.
It is a perfect place to bring the whole family to get some exercise, help a good cause, and meet beautiful Olivia and her family.
For full details on the event, and more information about Olivia, please visit her website:
www.oliviaswalk.org
You can click here to watch a tribute video to Olivia, with clips from last years walk.
If you are able to attend this Saturday, please register first on
Olivia's site. Your donation includes a t-shirt and helps to support this important and personal cause.
Labels: PERSONAL, PORTRAITS, RESOURCES
We are busy designing wedding albums over here and there are a few I wanted to share. (I don't post every album we do for time reasons, just a handful, but there should be a few more posted in the next several weeks.) We are knee deep over here processing lots of wedding and portrait sessions, so I'll try and be better about posting this week.
Valerie and Ben's wedding at Sassi
Amy and Jeremy's wedding at Troon North
Labels: ALBUMS
We are now offering beautiful canvas gallery wraps! Actually, I have been offering these for awhile, but lately I have had so much interest in them I wanted to post an example of what they look like. I love these!
The come either 3/4 inch deep or 1-1/2 inch deep on the wrap (as pictured)
The canvas is spray protected, durable and comes already assembled with the wall hanging kit (if you opt for that).
Where to hang them or need some ideas?
Go big! These gallery wraps work really well as stand alone large prints for your wall and also work well in a series. Think 3 in a row (horizontal or vertical), or if you have a large open wall, you can fill the space with 9 smaller wraps (8x8 or 10x10 in size), stacked 3 over 3 over 3. Sizes are available from 8x8 (or 8x10) to 30x30, or even larger if you need a custom size for your specific space. If you want something 40 or 50 feet tall, it is doable.
Since we live in such a digital, e-mail world now, I hear more and more people saying all their images are on their computer. Get your great images on your walls! The beauty of a wonderful, timeless image is that even if your kids grow, that image need not ever come down or out of the frame.
Here are a few other ideas I've stumbled across over the years for placing art, be it gallery wraps, large framed prints, or smaller images:
4 canvas wraps, grouped together - photo from Pottery Barn
Love this room! I really, really enjoy walking through model homes, not only for the dream factor of what I want someday, but to get good ideas from professional designers on everything from colors, fabrics, flooring, art work, furniture and ideas on hanging artwork. (This has been my goal for our bedroom, but I'm not quite there.)
Love this too. In the right space, this could also work with panoramic pictures or gallery wraps. Or turn them the other way, and you have three long verticals - perfect also for canvas wraps.
Okay, this one is really more for the sunburst - I LOVE THIS! Does anyone know where I can find a piece like this? But also, small pictures above the toilet in the bathroom. Not a bad way to liven up the space :)
And last idea for the day, I know this isn't a print, but it's such a great size for right over your kids' bed(s). Children love looking at pictures of themselves, so why not put a big 20x20 or 30x30 canvas wrap above their bed. Another advantage is that its so light weight that if for some odd reason it fell down (or got pulled down), it wouldn't do much damage to their noggin!
Labels: NEWS, PORTRAITS
Remember that Lifesavers commercial several years ago where the little boy and his dad sat and watched the sun go down? The one where they savored the sweet taste in their mouth, of both the Lifesaver and the shared the experience of watching the sun slowly descended over the horizon. "There it goes: going...going...gone."
I thought about that commercial a lot at Laura and Brandon's wedding because it was such a sweet experience, one that in many ways might be a photographers dream. The light, the location, the view, the wind!, the gorgeous couple -- the
nice and trusting couple who were so open to suggestion and climbed up on rocks for me -- and
that Arizona sun. That gorgeous sun that slowly descended over one of most beautiful mountains in town:
Camelback Mountain. It has been said that Arizona has some of the most beautiful sunsets in the nation, and on this late day in April, I especially agreed.
Laura and Brandon were married at the private home of the owner of
Sanctuary Resort on Camelback Mountain. A stones throw from the nose of Camelback Mountain and a favorite retreat among movie stars and locals alike. The view was so beautiful... and the
feeling and ambiance was so unique because of that. I tried to capture that feeling, that intangible aspect that reins supreme at every wedding and is a refection of who the couple is, together and individually. The part I love most about my job--attempting to capture that essence.
Apart from being incredibly kind and open, Laura and Brandon are a young, beautiful couple who share a simpatico that is apparent from the moment you see them together.
The day started with the bridal party getting ready at
Casa Montana, a spectacular house above the resort
Before the ceremony the guys had a "board meeting" and had that guy bonding time that
often occurs right before one of the boys leaves bachelorhood to marry his girl
I loved the back of Laura's dress
An uber-sexy shot of Laura
The ceremony and reception took place at the owners home, a place not normally rented out. I loved the canopy of trees.
There is just something about the feeling of this that I love.
Joining their party for the first time as husband and wife
Love this moment during the toasts... The wind blowing, the looks on their face, the feeling.
What a view!
Congratulations Laura and Brandon! You guys are a beautiful couple and I loved being there to photograph your wedding!
A wedding photography member at
Wedding PartyLabels: WEDDINGS
On Wednesday, a few of us wedding-industry peeps threw our friend
Kim Jarman a baby shower for her impending baby girl!! She is due this July and I am sooooo excited for her. A large group of us met up for a nice lunch under the trees at
The Farm at South Mountain and it was great to connect with old friends and make some new ones. I stole these images from
Melissa Jill's blog.
Kim opening one of my gifts... our favorite colors :)
And her super cute gift from Melissa
Speaking of baby shower's - I'm going to my friend Jenny's shower tomorrow and she is having a boy next month. I took some maternity pictures of her a few days ago, so you might see a few images of her soon :)
Labels: PERSONAL
